Boulevard Magazine, Okanagan - Nov/Dec 2018

NOVEMBER I DECEMBER 2018

OK ANAGAN LIFE AT ITS FINEST

SWEET TALK

Edible creations to notch up holiday flavours

A MARRIAGE OF DESIGN

SATISFACTION!

Stunning lakefront home merges masculine and feminine tastes

Escape to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

© Forevermark 2018. Forevermark ®,

®

and

™

are Trade Marks used under license from The De Beers Group of Companies.

CONTENTS 38

46 FEATURES On the Cover Photo by Darren Hull On Lia: Black, embellished full-length dress from Grace ($185). On Steve: Navy suit ($1,488), shirt by Ordean ($198) and tie, all from Torino.

Makeup and hair: Jenny McKinney. Photographed on location at 50th Parallel Estate Winery.

FASHION

30 MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

46 SWEET TALK

Stunning lakefront home marries masculine and feminine design preferences

Edible creations are perfect holiday treats

By Darcy Nybo

By David Wylie 54

ALL WRAPPED UP Lettuce cups are the perfect vehicle to carry fabulous appetizer flavours

By Chef Heidi Fink

38 LA DOLCE VITA

Dreamy fashion presented Fellini-style.

By Kim Appelt

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DEPARTMENTS 10 OUR CONTRIBUTORS 12

EDITOR’S LETTER

Shopping, Dropping and other Seasonal Musings

By Susan Lundy

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inspiredSTYLE

Kimberly Robart

By Lia Crowe

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inspiredCHEFS

Sung Ji Park, Gather

By Angela Cowan

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inspiredHEALTH

64 FRONT ROW

Mead for the Ages

What’s on this month

By Pamela Durkin

By Brenda Giesbrecht

22 inspiredINTERIORS

70 SECRETS & LIVES

Rustic & Elegant

By Justin O’Connor

Living and Giving Richard James Deacon

By Darcy Nybo

26 inspiredPEOPLE

Have Paintbrush, Will Travel Patty Feist

By David Wylie

74 BEHIND THE STORY

By Darren Hull

60 TRAVEL FAR Satisfaction!

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

By Bruce Sach

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OURCONTRIBUTORS

OKANAGAN

KIM APPELT

ANGELA COWAN

L I F E AT I T S F I N E S T

STYLIST: LA DOLCE VITA

WRITER: INSPIRED CHEF

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2018

PAGE 38

PAGE 16

GROUP PUBLISHER Penny Sakamoto

PUBLISHER Mario Gedicke

250.891.5627 “It was a stunning day for a shoot: blue skies, beautiful views and a great crew.” Kim is a fashion stylist and respected style expert in the industry. Her work has been in many publications, seen on the red carpet at The Junos and The Daytime Emmys.

“With colder weather just around the corner, I can‘t wait to get a pot of Sung Ji Park‘s Asianstyle chicken soup simmering on my stove. I just love garlic and ginger together!” Angela Cowan is a freelance writer and editor who contributes regularly to Boulevard magazine.

Find her on Twitter @angela_m_cowan

EDITOR Susan Lundy ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lia Crowe CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan

DESIGN Lorianne Koch

Michelle Gjerde ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke Vicki Clark

LIA CROWE

DON DENTON

BOULEVARD CREATIVE: LA DOLCE VITA

BOULEVARD PHOTOGRAPHER:: ALL WRAPPED UP

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PAGE 54

“It was a real treat and a bit of a blast from the past this issue to be in front of the camera in our fashion feature, rather than behind the scenes pulling it all together. I used to be an international model in what feels like another lifetime and, after encouragement from the awesome Okanagan fashion team, I had the privilege of being made up, dressed to the nines and photographed by Okanagan’s finest.” Lia is a stylist, creative director, photographer and writer.

“Lettuce is one of the most basic foods we use — just a green (most often) leaf. Wrap it around a topping and it becomes so much more. This issue’s food shoot was an introduction to the many flavour possibilities of that simple leaf and a variety of fillings.” Don has photographed numerous high-profile events, including the Olympics, World Hockey Championships and a Royal wedding.

CONTRIBUTING Angela Cowan, Lia Crowe,

WRITERS

CONTRIBUTING Greg Barteluk, Lia Crowe,

PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton, Darren Hull,

Colin Jewall, Carole Jobin

CIRCULATION & Marilou Pasion

DISTRIBUTION 604.542.7411

NOVEMBER I DECEMBER 2018

OK ANAGAN LIFE AT ITS FINEST

SWEET TALK

Edible creations to notch up holiday flavours

HEIDI FINK

BRENDA GIESBRECHT

WRITER: ALL WRAPPED UP

WRITER: FRONT ROW

PAGE 54

PAGE 64

Pamela Durkin, Heidi Fink, Brenda Giesbrecht, Darcy Nybo, Justin O’Connor, Bruce Sach, David Wylie

A MARRIAGE OF DESIGN

SATISFACTION!

Stunning lakefront home merges masculine and feminine tastes

Escape to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

ADVERTISE Boulevard Magazine is British Columbia’s leading lifestyle magazine, celebrating 26 years of publishing. To advertise or to learn more about advertising opportunities please send us an email at info@blvdmag.ca Mailing Address: 818 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1E4 Tel: 250.381.3484 Fax: 250.386.2624 info@blvdmag.ca boulevardmagazines.com

“Surprisingly, my favourite thing about the story on lettuce wraps in this edition of Boulevard was the gourmet salad left over from the photo shoot that I ate for days! An unexpected bonus, but so satisfying.” Heidi Fink is a chef, food writer and culinary instructor, specializing in local foods and ethnic cuisines.

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“November and December tend to become very busy months for most people. Take time to step away from the hustle and bustle, and enjoy an art show, concert, theatre production or a special evening high up on a mountain. If you’re looking for seasonal decorating ideas, there’s even an event for that. I’m looking forward to enjoying several of the events in this issue’s Front Row, and hope you are as well.” Brenda has been writing for many years, in addition to doing graphic design, book production and fibre arts.

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Victoria Boulevard® is a registered trademark of Black Press Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Black Press Group Ltd. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents, both implied or assumed, of any advertisement in this publication.

Printed in Canada.

Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #42109519.

DARREN HULL

JENNY MCKINNEY

PHOTOGRAPHER: LA DOLCE VITA

MAKE-UP ARTIST: LA DOLCE VITA

PAGE 38

“This issue’s fashion story was one to remember and I am very proud of the results. The entire team brought their A game. Having Lia in front of the camera was a real pleasure, and our location at 50th Parallel Estate was the ultimate complement.” Darren is an editorial and commercial photographer, who has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s top image makers with work informed by a strong sense of storyline.

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“Since I first started working with Lia on these fashion shoots for Boulevard Okanagan two years ago, I have always marvelled at her ability to creatively direct and help create such beautiful images. I’ve long hoped for the day she would be our model. It may have been some time since she was the subject but it was worth the wait. With her vast experience with runway modelling around the world, her moves are as strong as ever! And there is no one better to capture her sashay than the one and only Darren Hull. What a fun shoot and a treat to work with this great team.” Jenny has been voted best makeup artist in Kelowna by the community for three consecutive years, and she’s been in the beauty industry for over two decades.

DARCY NYBO

JUSTIN O’CONNOR

WRITER: LIVING AND GIVING

WRITER: RUSTIC & ELEGANT

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“As Kelowna grows, so does the influx of people who push aside expected norms and excel at what they do. Richard Deacon goes above and beyond when it comes to helping others. His lifestyle is the perfect illustration of how to give of time and money and support others. His example makes it easier for the rest of us to figure out how we, too, can contribute to our community and beyond.” Darcy Nybo is a freelance writer, writing instructor, writing coach, author, selfprofessed word nerd and a foodie who loves to discover new things.

“In this issue, I wanted to present the newest neighbourhood happenings at Predator Ridge. The Commonage is the latest release there and showcases a modern, ranch-style architecture that blends beautifully with the landscape. The interior is warm and inviting with a modern, farm-style design that I could easily call home.” Justin is the Senior Vice President, Sales in Kelowna for Sotheby’s International Realty Canada and President of the Canadian Home Builder’s Association, Central Okanagan.

BRUCE SACH

DAVID WYLIE

WRITER: SATISFACTION!

WRITER: HAVE PAINTBRUSH, WILL TRAVEL

PAGE 60

“My interest in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines began after my first trip to the Caribbean — to Grenada. My plan now is to research one Caribbean paradise at a time. To quote Frank Sinatra: ‘The best is yet to come!’” Bruce is a freelance writer who was born and raised on the Prairies.

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“Art is often praised for evoking emotion, but we sometimes forget to consider the emotions that inspire the work in the first place. I was reminded through the stories in this edition to seek out my own inspirational, emotional sparks.” David has done just about every job there is to do in a newsroom. He works in the Okanagan as a writer, speaker and publisher.

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EDITOR’SLETTER

It’s shop-’til-you-drop season!

BY SUSAN LUNDY

treats. We all envied writer Darcy Nybo’s assignment to uncover some sweet and savoury creations ... and the results are certain to perk up the taste buds.

Looking at doing some home cooking? Readers might want to check out Chef Heidi Fink’s story on lettuce cup appetizers: they are the perfect side dish to this season’s rich, savoury and sweet treats. Or indulge in some comfort food by bubbling up a pot of Chef Sung Ji Park’s Asian-style soup.

Yum. Looking for something to wear? The Boulevard fashion team has you covered. Enjoy our beautiful fashion story, presented Fellini-style and shot at 50th Parallel Estate Winery by photographer Darren Hull.

This edition of Boulevard also opens the door on two exquisite homes. Join Justin O’Connor as he explores “modern farmhouse” interior design at a Predator Ridge show home; and tour a stunning lakeside house that manages to marry in a most glorious way the feminine and masculine design preferences of its two owners.

Front Row has some ideas for cultural escape, and speaking of escapes, our Travel Far story takes readers on a grand tour of the beautiful and exclusive islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. On the journey to better health, writer Pamela Durkin describes the benefits of drinking mead — I can’t really think of a better way to “get healthy.”

In our Secrets and Lives section, meet philanthropist Richard Deacon, who — having set out on a path of lifelong giving — embodies the spirit of the season all year long.

Finally, meet the style-savvy Kimberly Robart, who may also provide some fodder for seasonal shopping ideas.

We wish our readers all the joy of the season and a wondrous journey into the next year. Our hope is that you find peace and love and health.

And don’t worry about me. I’ll just be around town, package-less, wandering from store to store, trying to shop while squinting at all the merchandise because I’m too embarrassed to wear my old glasses.

PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

H

ERE’S an example of me shopping: It’s time for new eyewear and I’d like something that expresses my personality. Something wild and crazy and “out there.” (Ha, this is so NOT my personality).

Maybe some red frames. At the very minimum, I want large frames that mark a defiant departure from my current mousy, wear-only-in-the-dark glasses.

So I wander into a store and start perching frames upon my nose. In the back of my mind, I’m envisioning all those beautiful, joyfully laughing, bespectacled models I see in commercials. They look so good in glasses. And so happy!

Then — yikes! — I realize I’m picturing the sashay with which my husband’s ex-wife donned big, loud glasses. Really? But I carry on with my mission.

Hmm. Bold frames don’t actually suit me. I move towards the wire frame section and then, better, the frameless glasses.

Eventually, I realize I’m not beaming like those models; I don’t like wearing glasses. I even consider that perhaps the ex-wife is an ex because of her annoyingly loud eyewear. I exit the store without buying anything, deciding to stick with contact lenses.

I’m not a shopper.

Inevitably, once I decide what I want to buy, find my way into a store and even identify something I like — I immediately fret that I’ll find something better, less expensive, more appropriate somewhere else. I get purchasing paralysis.

On the other hand, my husband is a shopping machine.

Once, when we first started dating, I accompanied him into a shoe store, made myself comfortable on a chair and, with a silent sigh, hunkered down for the wait. He marched over to a shelf, picked up a pair of shoes, tried it on in his size and, before I could say, “but what about …” he was at the counter and then sauntering out the door, shiny bag in hand. It was dazzling to behold (even without my glasses).

As Christmas approaches, so does the shopping season and with it, the frightening action: “shop-til-you-drop.”

For those of you shopping machines out there — perhaps you’ve already shopped-til-you-dropped. And to get you off the floor, we have some holiday ideas in play.

It turns out, the Okanagan is home to some divine edible

“As Christmas approaches, so does the shopping season and with it, the frightening action: “shop-til-you-drop.”

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Susan Lundy has been writing stories since she was six years old. She has a degree in creative writing from the University of Victoria, and after working for many years as an award-winning journalist, is now a magazine editor, author and freelance writer.

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inspired STYLE

with

Kimberly Robart OWNER AND HAIRSTYLIST, MOI STUDIO

BY LIA CROWE

FASHION & BEAUTY

UNIFORM: “As a hairdresser you can’t go wrong with black.” ALL-TIME FAVOURITE PIECE: My kimono jacket by Ralph Lauren. CURRENTLY COVETING: Charcoal leather jacket from Mauritius. FAVOURITE PAIR OF SHOES: “I have so many, I can’t just pick one pair.”

FAVOURITE DAY BAG: Matt and Nat mustard satchel (fits everything). FAVOURITE JEWELLERY PIECE OR DESIGNER: Hammered gold hoops. FASHION OBSESSION: Sunglasses. ACCESSORY YOU SPEND THE MOST MONEY ON: “Shoes!!” NECESSARY INDULGENCE: Any NARS lip colours. MOISTURIZER: Dermaviduals.

SCENT: “Euphoria by Calvin Klein, but Coco by Chanel is my number 1.” MUST-HAVE HAIR PRODUCT: Crystal.Angel hair gloss by Kevin.Murphy.

BEAUTY SECRET: Eye cream: Dr. Brandt No More Baggage.

I

meet Kimberly on a crisp, autumn day at her colourful heritage home in downtown Kelowna.

It’s an artfully designed house with a touch of STYLE vintage and an eclectic, personal charm. In INSPIRATIONS addition to marvelling at the unique beauty STYLE ICON: Cate Blanchett. of her home, I quickly get an even better FAVOURITE ARTIST: Edgar Degas/ understanding of who Kimberly is when local artist Constance Bachmann.

I discover she drives a red convertible VW Bug PIECE OF ART: La Petite Danseuse de (affectionately named Elloise) and that she celebrated Quatorze Ans by Edgar Degas. FAVOURITE turning 40 with a debutante dodgeball birthday party FASHION DESIGNER: Alexander and a dream trip to Paris.

McQueen. FAVOURITE MUSICIAN: “I Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, Kimberly can’t just pick one.” ERA OF TIME THAT moved to Montreal as a young woman, became a INSPIRES YOUR STYLE: “The 20s makeup artist and then moved to Vancouver to work in and 40s: there were trailblazers the TV and film industry. From there, she moved into the unapologetic of their style.” hair business, eventually landing in Kelowna, where she has now lived for close to 20 years.

Kimberly created Moi Studio with a unique approach, using a boutique concept, European sensibility and a focus on the experience.

“I serve wine and pastries. I’ve had clients that have been with me from the beginning, people who have appreciated the kindness and caring that they get. It’s really cool,” she says.

LIFE Asked what fires her up the most about her FAVOURITE LOCAL work, she says, “There are really two things that RESTAURANT: Waterfront Wines. get me jazzed up: I love the connections and FAVOURITE COCKTAIL/WINE: Burnt relationships I’ve built [as well as] the artistry of Vodka Martini and Quails’ Gate Old the industry. These days it’s really carte blanche Vines Foch. ALBUM ON CURRENT in terms of what you can do with hair and I love ROTATION: Beautiful Trauma by P!nk. taking those editorial ideas and bringing them to a FAVOURITE FLOWER: Gladiolus. streetwear level.”

FAVOURITE CITY TO VISIT: Paris.

What is Kim passionate about outside of her FAVOURITE HOTEL: Hazelton in Toronto. work?

FAVOURITE APP: Spotify. FAVOURITE “There’s fun and then there’s art,” she says — and above Moi Studio PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD: is Kimberly’s art studio where she works in acrylics and mixed media.

“Definitely home.”

“When I have time to do it, I’m very passionate about my art; I can get lost in it. My next goal would be to do a show one day.”

And the fun?

“Exercise for me is my mental health and then I love good food and good wine and being around good friends.”

She adds: “I was the girl who came to Kelowna and thought, ‘what have I done?’ But now Kelowna has my heart.

There’s just something about this place — the outdoors, the hiking and the community. I’ve created the best, most solid relationships of my life here.”

READING MATERIAL WHAT DO YOU READ ONLINE FOR STYLE: Vogue Paris. FAVE PRINT MAGAZINE: Instyle and Elle Canada. FAVE STYLE BLOG: “I follow Karla

Welch: she is amazing and an incredibly talented stylist.” COFFEE TABLE BOOK: Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker. LAST GREAT READ: The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. BOOK CURRENTLY READING: The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman.

FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME: “ There are so many, but one I read again and again is She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.”

inspired CHEFS EATS

W

here were you born and where did you grow up? I was born in Padori, South Korea. It is a very small town by the mountains and the ocean.

My grandparents helped raise me, along with my parents. Our family were fishermen and farmers and for this reason I am very familiar with wild plants and seafood.

Sung Ji Park Chef at Gather Restaurant

BY ANGELA COWAN | P H OTO S BY DA R R E N H U L L

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Where did you train? Cooking is part of Korean culture. Sitting around the table sharing meals with friends and family and sharing a meal family-style is a very common practice. Growing up in this culture really inspired me to cook. When I was in grade 11, I had my first part-time job at a local restaurant and I decided this was the career path for me. After high school I went to culinary arts school for a year, but this was interrupted due to mandatory military service. I went to the military for two years and when I was there, I was one of the few who were chosen to be a private chef for one of the generals. I was lucky enough to attend one of the biggest food competitions in Korea and I won two gold medals.

“The taste and fusion of the menu at Gather is inspired by the savoury tastes of my homeland while infusing it with the comfort foods of Italy…”

Upon finishing my two years in the military, I returned and finished my culinary arts diploma while simultaneously working at a variety of restaurants that included Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine. I also worked in the baking department of a Hilton Hotel. In 2007 I decided to move to Canada to learn English. I landed in Vancouver, but found that I was not learning a lot of English as there was a large Korean community, so I decided to try out the Okanagan and arrived in Kelowna.

I went to school to learn English and started working at La Bussola Restaurant where I stayed and learned all about Italian cuisine under Chef Lauretta Coccaro. In 2017, I worked for one year at The Curious Café & Bar Norcino as the sous chef while we were building Gather Restaurant. Gather was conceived in late 2016, but we finally opened in September of 2018. I opened with my business partner Luigi Coccaro.

What are you best known for as a chef? My former head chef and friend Emir from The Curious Café would always say that I am faster than a Robot-Coupe food processor. They all joke around how fast I am with my knife skills; however, I think that my best skill is the creativity that my past culinary experiences have given me. The taste and fusion of the menu at Gather is inspired by the savoury tastes of my homeland while infusing it with the comfort foods of Italy, a cuisine that I have had years of experience to perfect. The creativity in creating a delicious fusion of these two cuisines is something I am proud of, and can’t wait for the rest of Kelowna to experience.

What are the 10 or so most important ingredients in your pantry? Gochujang (Korean chili paste), olive oil, sesame oil, Rice, garlic, green onion, Parmesan cheese, honey, soy sauce, tomato sauce, soju (Korean vodka distilled usually from rice or sweet potato).

What’s your favourite dish to cook and eat on a cold winter’s day? Cioppino soup, an Italian tomato-based seafood soup, and I like to make mine extra spicy.

What’s your go-to item when sampling other chefs’ fare?

I always like to see how creative they are so I like to ask them what their specialty is.

Hobbies? Snowboarding, soccer, the outdoors, photography and videography. I love playing with my new drone to create cool videos. Most of my Instagram is photos that I take and share @sungjiboy.

Anything else we should know? I love wildlife and animals.

I have a two-year-old border collie mix and a 6-year-old greencheeked conure.

Can you share an easy, seasonal recipe for a quick bite this winter?

ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN SOUP Whole chicken 1 onion diced 2 celery sticks diced 10 cloves of garlic dry mushroom (I recommend shiitake mushroom, and you can get it at the Superstore.)

1 tsp ginger 1/2 cup white wine or soju 3L of water 2 good-sized carrots, diced salt and black pepper to taste Clean the chicken and put in a pot. Add water, garlic, ginger and mushrooms and turn heat on high. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. When chicken is fully cooked, add carrot, onion and celery as well as the wine or soju. Cook 5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup with the part of the chicken you prefer. boulevardmagazines.com |

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inspired HEALTH

Mead for the ages “Nectar of the Gods” is a healthy choice

BY PAMELA DURKIN | P H OTO S BY D O N D E N TO N

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Mead’s history is as rich as its flavour, and savvy modern consumers seeking new taste sensations that are healthy and environmentally friendly have sparked a renewed interest in the age-old brew.

M

EAD IS the oldest alcoholic beverage known to humankind, predating both beer and wine. Throughout history it has been reputed to prolong life, enhance fertility and bestow strength.

Also known as “honey-wine,” mead’s history is as rich as its flavour, and savvy modern consumers seeking new taste sensations that are healthy and environmentally friendly have sparked a renewed interest in the age-old brew.

History lesson As long as there have been bees and honey, there has been mead. In its basic form, mead is simply honey mixed with water and yeast. Historians believe humans were introduced to this intoxicating brew during the Stone Age when, by chance, wild yeast in the air settled into honey that was wet from rain, thereby fermenting the mixture. The drink was then replicated throughout the ages and cultures of the world.

Mead’s vaulted status was indeed widespread and enduring.

The Greeks called it the “nectar of the Gods” and claimed it bestowed virility. In the Middle Ages, the Anglo Saxons were convinced it induced creativity.

Remnants of mead’s mythology survive to this day. The term “honeymoon” comes from the ancient practice of plying newlyweds with mead for one month after their nuptials to ensure fertility and male progeny.

Similarly the word “medicine” is derived from the term for spiced mead — Metheglin. Although Mead’s popularity waxed and waned after the Middle Ages, it is currently experiencing a renaissance. High quality meads are being produced at meaderies across Canada, and several have garnered international acclaim, including some sublime meads from BC. “It’s exciting to see BC meads making such a buzz,” enthuses Emily Vanderschee, co-owner of Kelowna’s Meadow Vista Honey Wines. “We have the most amazing honey here, with lovely fruity notes and a lightness that comes from the diverse plants and flora native to BC. It always helps to start with delicious honey.”

Fine dining establishments have taken note of the “buzz,” and several of BC’s favourite foodie haunts — including Victoria’s BeLove, Sooke’s Harbour House and the Okanagan’s elegant Sparkling Hill Resort — now include mead on their menus.

“Our guests are intrigued to try mead and pleasantly surprised by the sophistication it offers,” notes Sooke Harbour House sommelier Jess Howard.

And it seems upscale diners aren’t the only ones getting acquainted with mead’s delightful flavour—according to the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, there has been a significant increase in the volume of mead sold in government liquor stores since 2014.

To your health There are some compelling reasons to give mead a try.

Scientists have discovered that honey, mead’s main ingredient, is loaded with compounds that offer some amazing health benefits.

For instance, recent research has shown that chrysin, a flavonoid found in abundance in honey, has the ability to inhibit the proliferation of (and induce apoptosis or “cell death”) in — cancer cells. Chrysin has also been shown to suppress neuroinflammation, which suggests it may be a protective agent for a group of neurodegenerative diseases caused by inflammation.

Honey’s therapeutic edge doesn’t end there. Researchers have also found that the consumption of natural honey reduces cardiovascular risk factors, particularly in individuals who already have an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease.

And for those who suffer from grape wine induced migraines, mead may be the perfect alternative. Many experts believe that it’s a substance in the grape skin that causes migraines in sensitive individuals. One caveat exists, however: mead is an alcoholic beverage, so moderate consumption is key.

Good for the world, too Mead is not only good for you — it’s good for the planet, too.

Its production doesn’t require the cultivation of any land, minimizing its environmental impact. Furthermore, by drinking mead, you support bees and the beekeepers who are valiantly trying to keep a threatened honeybee population alive.

“Every bottle of mead we sell supports the bees,” notes Vanderschee.

Why is bee survival so critical?

“We desperately need honeybees to sustain our agriculture,” explains Bob Liptrott, co-owner of Sooke’s award winning Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery. “One third of all the food we eat requires pollination by bees.”

Culinary pairings Because mead has been around so long and embraced by so many cultures, there are many different types of mead and methods of production. It can be sweet or dry, sparkling or still, fruity or spicy — or not. A basic mead made of honey, water and yeast is called “traditional.” Once a mead-maker begins adding other components, like fruits or herbs, it takes on a different character and variety name.

Worldwide, there are so many varieties of mead it is impossible to make specific suggestions about pairing this beverage with food. The type of honey used to make mead will affect is flavour and aroma. A traditional mead made with buckwheat honey will taste completely different from one made with a milder honey such as orange-blossom or clover.

A good rule of thumb is to ask the mead-maker — who boulevardmagazines.com |

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knows the characteristics of his product — for pairing suggestions to create the perfect culinary marriage. In general, sweet meads pair beautifully with desserts and cheeses; light, crisp meads enhance salads, seafood and Asian cuisine. Heartier meads, such as Pyment or Metheglin, marry well with ethnic dishes, stews and meats.

Of course, mead, like wine, is not just for drinking. Cooking with the brew imparts enticing flavours to both sweet and savoury dishes.

“We love cooking with mead, and our website is chock-full of recipes that incorporate mead,” says Vanderschee. “Our Mabon Mead, which won an award at the recent World Wine Championships, is amazing for cooking the holiday turkey!”

Chef Thomas Yesdresyski of the Sooke Harbour House also describes mead as a superb culinary muse, noting that he and his team use it in a variety of ways.

Why not fill your kitchen with mead’s marvellous aroma and save a bee by incorporating mead into your culinary repertoire?

To find a mead-maker in your area visit winesofcanada.com/mead.

COMMON MEAD VARIETIES Traditional: A basic mead made of honey, water and yeast.

Varietal: Similar to traditional mead, but made from honey from a particular flower source (such as clover or blossom honey).

Melomel: Made with the addition of a single fruit or blend of fruits.

Pyment: Made specifically with the addition of grape juice.

Cyser: Made specifically with the addition of apple juice (similar to apple cider).

Metheglin: Made with herbs and spices.

Sack or fortified: Has a higher alcohol content than other meads.

(It also contains more honey.)

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inspired INTERIORS

Rustic & Elegant Farmhouse style with a twist of modern at Predator Ridge

BY JUSTIN O’CONNOR | P H OTO S BY G R E G B A R T E LU K

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CHOSE to feature the stunning interior of this Predator Ridge home for its rustic farmhouse elegance. It offers an inviting warmth that is well put together but not stuffy.

Coming from a ranching background, I immediately felt at home with the modern twist on farmhouse-style architecture that Predator Ridge uses in its new Commonage neighbourhood.

This modern, ranch-style curb appeal blends beautifully with the surrounding landscape, offering a peaceful serenity that is both relaxing and picturesque. Here, a new signature park includes a mix of tranquil spaces as well as a variety of facilities, including tennis/pickle ball courts, playground and open park space — all created with the intent to become the social heart of the neighbourhood.

Both duplex and single-family homes feature the classic frontporch design and open outdoor living spaces that invite interactions between neighbours and families.

The Commonage was the original name of the 24,000 acres of land now known as Predator Ridge. It was originally shared between First Nations and ranchers as a winter grazing area for cattle. This concept of sharing inspired the creation of this new

neighbourhood, which is designed around common ground and shared values.

Today, I am touring the Highland show home, featuring four bedrooms plus a den and three bathrooms, with the master suite on the main level.

The interior is bright and open with soaring, vaulted ceilings, and oversized windows frame the rolling hills and golf course views below. White cabinets, modern, clean plumbing fixtures and black hardware blend beautifully to create a modern- farmhouse feel.

I am immediately drawn to the wrap-around mantelpiece and feature wall made from wood harvested from an old barn that stood for many years on the property. Careful salvaging has allowed each property in Commonage to enjoy a piece of history incorporated into the home.

Stylized farmhouse lighting, tile and hardwood add texture, creating a warm, inviting ambiance to the clean, white interior.

The paint palette chosen works well to create a fresh, clean look but gives it a slightly more vintage feel — it’s the perfect combination for this elegant, farmhouse look.

The standout features for me are the vaulted ceilings, oversized windows, golf course views and the rustic charm of the salvaged wood accents.

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This is definitely an interior space in which I feel comfortable — one that has me ready to kick off my boots, light the fire and enjoy a glass of Predator Ridge’s own Civitas! I hope you get a chance to visit Predator Ridge soon and see the amazing community being created here in the Okanagan Valley.

NAME OF INTERIOR DESIGNER: Sticks and Stones Design Group STYLE OF DESIGN: Modern rancher farmhouse.

WHAT ARE THE STAND-OUT FEATURES? “Open concept, vaulted ceilings, contrasting white and black hardware/ lighting for a classic modern farmhouse feel. The exterior is different than anything we’ve seen in the area: it stands out on its own as people drive into Predator Ridge.”

DESIGNER’S CONCEPT: “We wanted to pay tribute to the farmhouse style of architecture, but put a modern twist on the exterior finishes as well as the interior finish package. We played around with a lot of contrasting design elements: organic use of textures (brick, hardwood) mixed with refined, clean finishes; white cabinetry mixed with black hardware, plumbing and lighting; modern, clean plumbing fixtures mixed with stylized farmhouse lighting and classic cabinets.”

The standout features for me are the vaulted ceilings, oversized windows, golf course views and the rustic charm of the salvaged wood accents.

COLOUR SCHEME: Light and soft.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD ABOUT IT? “The architecture is very fitting to its surrounding landscape of rolling hills, offering beautiful golf course and valley views.”

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e create a home. Compelling backdrops for every aspect of peoples’ lives inspires us for a creative project from start to finish. We create your personal architecture… a home that reflects how you live. The name ‘All Elements’ is exactly that. The four elements that surround us in our environment on a daily basis; earth, air, fire and water. A home site will always be affected by these elements. We love to take something that people look at in a common way and make it unique; we want to present it to you in a different light. As we are designing and building a dream home for our clients, we want it to reflect you, your needs and your desires to make it stand out. We understand clients that desire to build private, luxury residences and the need to ensure a unique product, while handling affairs with the utmost discretion.

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3 time Provincial Georgie Award Winner Build Magazine Home Builder Awards Best HOME OF THE YEAR Design/Build Firm BC

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BOOK A TEST DRIVE Some prefer to listen to their heads, others their hearts.

With the Range Rover Velar, you have the luxury of listening to both. Your head tells you, it’s a Land Rover with legendary go anywhere capability. Then take a look at the stunning exterior silhouette, the perfect waistline with flush deployable door handles and burnished copper details. Now listen.

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inspired ARTIST

Have paintbrush, will travel The inspired world of Patty Feist

BY DAVID WYLIE | P H OTO S BY DA R R E N H U L L

Fashion from DEL LAGO.

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“I never know what a painting is going to look like … I let it tell me. I’ll just start playing with colour and strokes and then something will happen that excites me and off I go.”

O

NE OF the first things you notice walking into artist Patty Feist’s bright little studio is a collection of five expired passports sitting out on a table — a visual testament to the inspiration she finds in travel.

Whether it’s a bike leaning on a wall in Tuscany or majestic elephants in Zimbabwe — anything that stirs her emotions is likely to be expressed through her art.

“I had seen the elephants for the first time in the wild in Zimbabwe,” says Patty. “It’s incredible the first time seeing these animals … it’s incredible every time.”

The experience manifested in the form of “Ellie,” a five-byfive-foot graphite and ink wild elephant on canvas.

During that same November 2017 trip to Africa, Patty witnessed her second political coup. “How many people can say that?” she asks, adding her first experience of a coup occurred in Turkey.

“There was a moment we were out on the street the night (Robert) Mugabe finally resigned and the people of Harare just went crazy celebrating. We could hear the screaming and the honking. We went down to the main centre in Harare and went

out on the street with the people. There were hugs and tears and dancing and music. It was such a celebration.

“There was a little boy; I turned around and he held up a sign that said ‘We have a future.’ I’m sure that’s going to come out in a painting.”

Not all of Patty’s travel is quite as adrenaline spiking. Her artistic inspiration has also been seized by the simple things.

While renting a home in Europe, she was taken by the small old villages, the architecture, the colours and the people there. She spent her days alternating between sightseeing and painting.

“I paint wherever I am. Everywhere is my studio,” she says, adding that this creates its own set of challenges. “When I was in Tuscany, I was painting on these loose rolls of canvas, and the edges kept turning. Needing to dry it [the painting], I looked around the kitchen and thought, ‘What have I got to hold down [the corners]?’… I was just at a winery, so I’ve got wine. So I used wine bottles to hold down my painting.”

Music is a constant companion while she creates. Diana Krall’s contralto vocals are in the background while Patty paints a field of poppies. African drums beat rhythmically as elephants and zebras come to life on her canvas.

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Metallica and paint the elephant, I’m not sure what would happen.”

Patty has been creating art as far back as she can remember, but it was only after life-changing injuries suffered in a series of car accidents that she started to take it more seriously.

The youngest of six kids, she’s always been active and adventurous — traits she picked up from her oldest brother and her mother. The car crashes, however, changed that.

Patty recalls making a life-changing decision in the early 2000s while on a road trip to Vancouver. She could barely move her neck, but turned it slowly to see the mountains out the window. Wanting desperately to hike them, she thought to herself, “there’s a lot you can’t do, but a lot you can do.”

She promised to do three things that calendar year: paint a watercolour (that was the beginning of her move into creating more serious art); take an adventure on her own; and take a photography class.

“I did all those things and that was the catalyst that sent me forward.”

Since then, Patty’s art has been shown both locally and internationally. In the Okanagan, her work ended up on display at Tutt Street Gallery in Kelowna in an unorthodox way.

Normally, there’s a formal process for an artist wanting to get art into a gallery.

Patty says she walked in the door and started to chat with owner Martina Kral. The two hit it off, and Patty mentioned she had a big art piece in the car. Kral wanted to see.

“She looked at it. She looked at me and she looked at the piece and she looked at me, and she pointed and said, ‘This is

really good,’” says Patty. “I felt that she was surprised.”

The relationship grew from there.

“I’m very grateful I get to live this life and do what I love to do. To be supported by the Tutt Street Gallery is a high honour,” she says.

Patty admits she sometimes has difficulty letting go of some of her pieces.

“It’s like giving away a puppy that you love sometimes,” she says.

Perhaps that’s because her process is an intuitive one; she makes a connection with each piece as she listens to what it wants to become.

“I never know what a painting is going to look like … I let it tell me. I’ll just start playing with colour and strokes and then something will happen that excites me and off I go,” she says, and then adds, laughing, “I’ve started a painting that was a field of flowers and it ended up as fish. Some of my best paintings almost turned into bonfires on the beach … literal bonfires.”

Patty’s style is hard to pin down. She works with acrylics and watercolours and paints a variety of subjects.

“If I had to just paint fish, I think I’d probably quit painting because I would lose my passion,” she said. “I don’t only wear one shirt; I have many shirts. I’m drawn by many things and inspired by many things.”

So engrossed in her work, she often loses track of time, going to a place where she is unable to dwell on the vicissitudes of life.

And passport in hand, the world awaits her.

Patty’s artwork is on display at Tutt Street Gallery and at pattyfeist.com.

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A match made in heaven

Stunning lakefront home marries the yin and yang of design

BY DAVID WYLIE | P H OTO S BY C O L I N J E WA L L boulevardmagazines.com  |

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A

Quick facts Square feet: 7,400 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 5 Fireplaces: 1 indoor, 1 outdoor Temperature-controlled wine room Custom millwork 35-foot concrete tile wall Quartz countertops

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LUXURIOUS lakefront home that rises on the shores of Okanagan Lake is the perfect marriage of feminine and masculine design.

Traci and Darby Kreitz have owned the 2.5acre property on Lakeshore Road in Kelowna for three and a half years. With the original house built in the 1950s, the Kreitzs decided it was time to build something new on the site. They levelled the old house and built a stunning, 7,400-square-foot luxury home over the existing

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footprint.

Nicole Begrand-Fast, of Begrand Fast Design Inc. and her team, and Jason Brears, of Heirloom Custom Homes, played key roles in meshing Traci and Darby’s tastes to create the right blend.

“We balanced Traci’s love of femininity with Darby’s love of concrete, industrial

“Every room has its own unique and special highlight. That’s what I try to achieve — a strong design gesture in every room.”

and architectural,” says Nicole. “We found a really great blend — from doing a stone wine room to [using] soft light fixtures and custom coral mohair chairs. The challenge was not to make it overtly one way, but to try to balance them. It’s a fine line.”

The main staircase — classic wire-brushed oak steps with modern metal and cable railing — connects all three floors and is a perfect example of the harmonious design. There’s also a 35-foot concrete tile wall spanning the height of the stairway through all three floors, providing a wonderfully unique accent.

The outside of the house features hemlock siding with natural Kettle Valley granite and a metal roof.

“It’s architecturally unique,” says Nicole. “It has some West Coast feel to it, but I’d call it contemporary luxury lakefront.”

Throughout the house, the thoughtful details add up — custom millwork, built-in coffee station, pizza oven on the deck, tongue-in-groove wood ceiling, fabric and wall coverings… the list goes on. Each room is unique, yet there’s a palpable cohesiveness to it.

“It’s fun when it all comes together. It involves literally hundreds (of choices) — from paint colours to hardware, lighting, fabrics, wall coverings and all the different wood finishes. Pretty much every inch of the house we take a look at, and contemplate how it works with the other materials,” she says, adding, “Every room has its own unique and special highlight. That’s what I try to achieve — a strong design gesture in every room.”

In the living room, it’s an eye-catching, nine-bysix-foot painting by BC artist Bobbie Burgers.

Other features of the room also stand out. Two of the walls are actually nine-foot-tall window panels that slide aside to open up the room to the summer-time lake breeze. A massive brass chandelier fits the grand scale of the room.

One of the living room walls opens to a covered outdoor patio with a fireplace and TV. Nicole says early on in the project, they created a 3-D model of the entire house (everything from millwork to furnishings) to show the client.

“We used it to communicate with the client in the construction phase and we used it to scale furniture in the finishing phase,” she says.

Building the home over the existing footprint allowed its positioning to be just nine metres from the lake, grandfathered-in before the current boulevardmagazines.com |

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The main staircase — classic wirebrushed oak steps with modern metal and cable railing — connects all three floors and is a perfect example of the harmonious design.

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M HO OV ME E-I SA NR VA EA ILA DY BL E!

“WE LOVE IT HERE.” Enjoy lakeside living minutes from downtown.

PHASE 3 NOW SELLING DETACHED HOMES FROM $599K* NO GST OR PTT! NO SPECULATION TAX! *E. & O. E. THIS IS NOT AN OFFERING FOR SALE.

West Harbour is an intimate community of elegant designer homes perched on the Okanagan’s west shore.

With an outdoor pool, 500 feet of sandy beach, Harbour Club (coming soon), available boat moorage and a welcoming group of residents who love the Okanagan lifestyle.

PHASE 3 IS NOW SELLING, with 6 new home designs to choose from, including bungalows and semi-detached villas. Visit us to see everything there is to love about living here.

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increased setback was established. Its closeness to Okanagan Lake is perhaps most apparent in the master bedroom, where the bed feels almost as if it’s floating above the water.

Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the view of Mission Hill Winery directly across the lake. The room has a gentle feel with light colours and delicate details.

The en suite bathroom features a freestanding tub with its own unfettered views of the lake. Above the tub is one of several smart uses of classy Bocci Lighting from Vancouver; another is a gorgeous piece in the main foyer. The blown glass lights above the tub look like jellyfish. There’s also a steam shower with a heated floor and seat.

The walk-in closet has bright, hand-painted wallpaper with birds, butterflies and flowers. There are designer wall coverings in all the bathrooms.

Nicole says wallpaper adds layers and textures.

The spacious kitchen has generous counter space, with quartz countertops and a marble backsplash. Glass doors open to a beautiful and unique temperature-controlled wine room.

The kitchen, living room, laundry room, mud room and three bedrooms are located on the main floor. The upper floor has another bedroom and media room.

Builder Jason Brears says the biggest challenge in construction was the timeline. From demolition to completion, the project

took less than a year, running from August 2017 to April 2018.

“There are pretty phenomenal views from everywhere,” he adds. “There’s a lot of satisfaction in creating something like this.

I just love to look at it and say, ‘I built that.’”

The bottom floor is made of polished concrete. Garage-style doors open up the gym area to the lake. On the other side is a bar with a quartz countertop that has a two-inch mitered edge. It’s complete with a commercial-style glass washer.

There is also a bathroom downstairs that’s perfect for changing before walking out to the lake.

Of all the rooms in the home, Traci says the master bedroom and bathroom — particularly the tub — are her favourites. Meanwhile, Darby prefers the patio, claiming his spot in front of the outdoor fireplace to watch sports on TV. Traci says she doesn’t ever want to take the lake views for granted.

“My favourite time of the year on the lake is the winters.

That’s when you find the calmest waters, all the wildlife is more prevalent. It’s just calm and peaceful,” she says.

“We wanted to make sure that each room had the view of the lake and the outside. I’ve always promised myself not to forget — you can sometimes forget to look at the scenery around you and appreciate it.”

“There’s a lot of satisfaction in creating something like this. I just love to look at it and say, ‘I built that.’”

Only 21 Luxury Hillside Lakeview Homes Remain Act now for best selection on the remaining homes The word is out that The Cottages on Osoyoos Lake is the best new home community in the Okanagan Valley.

The Cottages includes a community centre with a gym, two pools and hot tubs as well as our private sandy beach and boat slips, there’s something for everyone. With over 220 homes sold, the remaining opportunities won’t last long.

With eight different home plans to choose from ranging is size from our modest 1,300 sf meadow homes to the exclusive 3,000 sf Meritage plan, there really is the perfect home for you.

We have several unique homes under construction and all homes can be customized to suit your needs. Please contact our sales team at 1.855.742.5555 or visit our website for a full tour.

Th Cottag e exem es is BC’s Vpt from ac Home ation Tax

Visit our Display Homes » 2450 Radio Tower Road, Oliver, BC See website for open hours.

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100 - 1631 Dickson Avenue (lAnDmArk 6), kelowna 778-478-1447 | www.ginis.salon

GINI’S SALON INTERNATIONAL

Hair: Gini’s team makeup: Ramona sataR Photo: Jad WaRde model: Jessica L. (deJa Vu modelling) Fashion/accessories: KoLu

Green CirCle Salon + beauty with SuStainability Global award-winninG Salon SinCe 1983

Suppliers list Architect/Design: West Coast Design – Gregg Stappler Interior Design: Begrand Fast Design Construction and Interior Finishing: Enns Bros Contracting Interior Drywall: Peoples Insulation and Drywall Painting: Enns Bros Contracting Cabinetry and Millwork: Swisscan Custom Millworks & Cabinetry Hardwood and Tiling: Small’s Tile and Flooring Doors and Windows: Grand Openings Windows & Doors Lighting: Okanagan Electrical Systems Plumbing Fixtures: Baths by Design Countertops: FloFORM Countertops for Life Fireplace: The Fireplace Den Masonry: Remco Stucco and Stone Exterior Siding: Jensen Contracting Home Automation: Okanagan Electrical Systems

FINE CATERING with a difference

250 763-6595 | 1180 Sunset Drive, Kelowna bouchonsbistro.com boulevardmagazines.com |

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FASHION

BOULEVARD CELEBRATES THE OKANAGAN SWEET LIFE AT 50TH PARALLEL ESTATE WINERY WITH A NOD TO CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE, FELLINI-STYLE. THIS SEASON IS A DREAM SEQUENCE OF SPARKLING DRESSES AND SHARP SUITS. STYLING BY KIM APPELT | P H OTO S BY DA R R E N H U L L

Checked, long-sleeved jumper from Le Château ($189), grey wool coat by Soia & Kyo ($602) from Man+Woman, red suede heels from Aldo ($85), earrings from Le Château ($25) and black clutch from Aldo ($45).

On Lia: Roxy Earle X Le Château red dress ($169), faux fur notch collar jacket, both from Le Château ($150).

On Steve: Black slim-fit suit by Ted Baker ($899), tie by Dion ($128), white shirt by Antonio ($128), belt by Gavzzeni ($138), all from Torino.

Deep blue, long dress from Grace ($159), faux fur notch collar jacket from Le Château ($150), clutch from Aldo ($45).

Sports coat by Sand ($798), pants

by Alberto ($258), belt ($138), mock neck sweater ($138), all from Torino.

Blue, fulllength dress from Grace ($159).

Makeup and hair: Jenny McKinney Models: Lia Crowe and Steve Morrison Assistant: Aspen Appelt Photographed on location at 50th Parallel Estate Winery. A huge thank you to everyone at 50th Parallel for their hospitality.

LIVE INSPIRED

You r best life begins with a home that inspires you.

$229,500

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6937 Terazona Drive, West Kelowna BC

Celano Crescent, Kelowna BC

The Commonage at Predator Ridge

BCUnobstructed View Lot in La Casa Resort. Quiet, Top End Location. Activity Park Loaded With Amenities Including Tennis, Volleyball, Mini-golf, Hot tubs, In-ground Pool, Lakefront Community With Marina, Boat Launch & Beach!

Introducing Drysdale Row. New 3 Bedroom Townhomes, First Phase to Complete in September.

This popular location sold out, but we have assignments available for sale. Close to shopping, transportation & great schools. Call for details.

Introducing the newest neighbourhood at Predator Ridge. Offering a mix of single family and duplex homes, The Commonage features a modern ranch architecture with classic, open floor plans, gracious outdoor living spaces and spectacular golf course/valley views.

$739,900

$749,900

$998,000

39 1450 Union Road, Kelowna BC

169 Summerhill Place, Kelowna BC

#401 1289 Ellis Street, Kelowna BC

3180 SF 4 bedroom 3 bath walkout rancher with fully finished lower level overlooking Walroy Lake in Wilden. Open great room plan, Gourmet Island kitchen, Luscious 5 piece ensuite, 2 large covered decks, hiking/biking trails at your doorstep.

Lovely 4 bedroom 4 bath family home nestled on a quiet, cul-de-sac street close to great schools and all the desired amenities. This home shines with upgrades including newer roof, upgraded windows, new carpets, composite decking & more!

Never Before Available! The Ultimate In Kelowna Loft Living. Two Storey Corner Unit With $2,000,000 Renovation. Just One Block off The Beach!

18 Ft Ceilings, Floor to Ceiling Glass, Private Rooftop Patio, Hot Tub.

$998,000

$1,100,000

$1,139,000

135 Split Pine Court, Kelowna BC

8245 Merritt Princeton Hwy, Aspen Grove BC

1 175 Predator Ridge, Vernon BC

New, Executive 5 bedroom 3.5 bath cul-de-sac home with partially finished basement & ready to finish legal suite. Open great room plan, island kitchen, huge butler’s pantry, granite, hardwood & tandem triple garage.

Semi-Lakefront, French-Country Chateau Overlooking Kid Lake, 20 Minutes South of Merritt BC, 7.86 Acres, Custom Built 2,800 Sq. Ft Home, 4 Bedrooms 4 Baths, Island Kitchen, Wood-Burning Fireplace, Outbuildings include 1600 SQ. Ft Heated Shop

Located adjacent to the first hole of the Ridge Course, Affinity homes offer exceptional fairway living at Predator Ridge just steps from the resort center. Enjoy resort-styled living and unparalleled amenities in a thriving, year-round community.

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joconnor@sothebysrealty.ca justinoconnor.com

108-289 108-1289Ellis EllisStreet, Street,Kelowna, Kelowna,BC BCV1Y V1Y9X6 9X6

Canadian Owned and and Operated.

Operated. E.&O.E.: E.&O.E.:This Thisinformation informationisisfrom fromsources sourceswhich whichwe wedeem deemreliable, reliable,but butmust mustbebeverified verifiedbyby Canadian Owned prospective Purchasers and may be be subject subject to to change changeor orwithdrawal. withdrawal.PREC PRECisisPersonal PersonalReal RealEstate EstateCorporation.

Corporation. prospective Purchasers and may

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Lot A DL 904 McPhail Road, Merritt BC

Executive Two Storey With Legal 1 Bedroom Suite. 4100 SF., 6 bdrm, 5 Bath, Open Great Room Plan, Island Kitchen, Orchard/Valley Views. Triple Car Garage, RV Parking, Large, Professionally Landscaped Lot.

Classy, 3 Bdrm/3 Bath/2 Dens Nesbitt Designed Home. Unobstructed Lake/City Views. Gorgeous Park-like Yard With In-ground Pool. Gazebo Covered Terrace. Prestigious Neighborhood Only Minutes To Downtown.

158 Acres of Rolling Grasslands & Treed Hills. 3 HR Drive From Vancouver via Hwy 5A. Otter Creek runs through the property. Quiet, Peaceful with plenty of Wildlife to View, 20 Mins To Merritt, 30 Mins to Princeton & 1 HR to Kelowna.

$1,450,000

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1746 Limestone Drive, Lake Country BC

19433 95th Avenue, Osoyoos BC

1486 Rocky Point Drive, Kelowna BC

Stunning 4 bedroom 4.5 bath custom home, 3 bay garage and breathtaking lakeviews. Vaulted, great room plan, island kitchen, lavish 6 piece ensuite and a wall of folding glass patio doors to the impressive outdoor living space & BBQ kitchen.

Designed with Distinction. 3,800 sq.ft. of lakefront luxury in one of Canada’s most desirable summer destinations. Award-winning architecture. 4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms, Private dock. Sandy beach.

Elegant 4 bdrm, 5 bath home offering 4254 SF of luxurious living and enviable Okanagan Lake views.

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SPECIALFEATURE

TALK Edible creations for a holiday treat

BY DARCY NYBO | P H OTO S BY DA R R E N H U L L

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“Consumers now look for quality over quantity. They want to know what’s in the product. They’re not looking for a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s a treat and they want it to be worth it.” boulevardmagazines.com |

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JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK JASONPRESIDENT BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK PRESIDENT JASON BRODERICK DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING RICHARD BRODERICK PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK JASONPRESIDENT BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK JAMES REYNOLDS DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK JAMES REYNOLDS PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK VICE PRESIDENT JASON BRODERICK RICHARD BRODERICK JAMES REYNOLDS PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING VICE PRESIDENT JAMES REYNOLDS PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF OF PURCHASING JAMES REYNOLDS PRESIDENT DIRECTOR PURCHASING VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT JAMES REYNOLDS JAMES REYNOLDS VICE PRESIDENT JAMES REYNOLDS VICE PRESIDENT JAMES REYNOLDS JAMES REYNOLDS VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT

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Sandrine Martin with a holiday specialty from Sandrine’s French Pastry and Chocolate — Buche de Noel.

T

“Today, people are more knowledgeable and more curious. It also goes with the expansion of the wine industry and pairing of food and wine.” boulevardmagazines.com |

HE OKANAGAN attracts its fair share of talented people, and luckily for those of us with a sweet tooth or savoury cravings, many of them create edible masterpieces.

Sandrine Martin opened Sandrine’s French Pastry and Chocolate in Kelowna around 15 years ago. Since then, it has collected quite the following and has been instrumental in changing some local family holiday traditions.

“When we first opened, the people of Kelowna weren’t that familiar with French-style pastries,” says Sandrine. “But the world is more a global place now. More people travel and have more exposure to different styles of baking.”

During her first few years in Kelowna, she could barely sell any macaroons. Today, she can hardly keep up with the demand.

“People in the Okanagan have always been curious about what we are creating here, especially that we create everything from scratch.

We’ve always sourced our fruits and dairy from BC farmers and growers.

We even get our flour from the Shuswap.”

Over the years, Sandrine has created many different holiday goodies. “It’s interesting to see families come back year after year for the holiday baking. We make four types of the Buche de Noel, our holiday season’s traditional dessert.

If we stopped making that, we’d have some very unhappy customers.”

Sandrine’s traditional baking ensure that she always used butter, never lard, in all of her recipes.

When it comes to her chocolates, there are so many choices, you may

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want to simply package up one of each and be done with it.

“All chocolates here are made in house and you can buy them individually, boxed up — or as a bar of chocolate. There’s an entire section in the store for ‘stocking stuffers,’ including chocolates, cookies and jams. The jams are all made with local organic fruit, with one made with local lavender and one made with Okanagan Spirits liqueurs.”

For those craving something savoury for holiday meals, there is tourtière (meat pie). Sandrine uses her husband’s recipe with beef, pork, potatoes, onions and spices. And those who don’t want red meat can select versions with turkey and chickpeas instead.

Sandrine’s also makes delicacies like pâté and confit.

“They are perfect for serving at dinner parties,” she said. “We only had two kinds to start with, but over the years our customers have asked for more, and now we have several kinds. Today, people are more knowledgeable and more curious. It also goes with the expansion of the wine industry and pairing of food and wine.”

Sandrine is happy to educate people on the foods she sells.

“People are now more ready to try something they don’t know and they want the stories behind the food they are eating.”

Over at the family-run Karat Chocolate Boutique, Julian Helman is also getting ready for the holiday season. Once a pastry chef, he’s noticed quite a shift in what people who buy sweets are seeking.

“The chocolate world has changed because of what people are looking for,” said Julian. “They want something healthier and are more aware of where their food comes from.”

The folks at Karat love to educate their clients on where ingredients come from, how their chocolates are made, and why.

Julian Helman of Karat Chocolate Boutique.

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hospicecoha.org | 250.763.5511

“Our product is very exclusive,” he explained. “We create chocolates of extremely high quality. We buy BC fruit and some dairy, teas, etc., locally. We source our ingredients at local places like ChaiBaba, Gellatly Nut Farm, Canoe Coffee Roasters, Sun City Cherries, Paynter’s Fruit Market, Carmelis Farm, and places like Weiser Family Farms for our ginger and BC Tree Fruits for the Broken Ladder Cider. We change our chocolates seasonally so we don’t have the same flavour all the time.”

But they do have some delicious treats for the holiday season.

“In the cooler months we use things like tea, coffee, preserves, chai spices, popcorn and beets in our chocolate. We also have advent calendars coming out this year made with single-origin milk, white and dark chocolate.”

Karat’s chocolates are available in boxes of 12, and this season there will be boxes of 24 and 50 for entertaining. There’s also the chocolate library.

“We have a box set of bars, with six bars in it — one of everything — and we’ve made it look a bookcase.”

There are several other delicious options at Karat. The cherry bon bon is almost too pretty to eat.

“The chocolate shell is made from chocolate from Valrhona [chocolates] in France. Then we cook the cherry and make a ganache filling to go inside the shell. Then we dust it with cocoa butter to make it look like velvet. We top it off with a 23K gold flake.”

Another favourite is the Apple Cider Caramel.

“We make this one with BC Tree Fruit’s Broken Ladder apple cider. We add in tons of butter and cream and surround it with a 70 per cent Valrhona dark chocolate. Then we coat it with cocoa butter.” You’ll be amazed how much this bon bon tastes like a home-made apple pie!

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Victor Laderoute of QB Gelato.

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The Natural Choice - Since 1995

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Karat chocolates can be purchased at over 20 wineries throughout the valley. They invite you to drop into their new location too, at 1526 Ellis Street after December 1.

For those who think gelato is only a summer treat, think again. Kevin Bojda and Victor Laderoute of QB Gelato will change your mind with their house-made goodies.

The pair went to gelato school at Carpigiani Gelato University in Italy to learn how to make gelato from scratch and brought that knowledge to Kelowna.

“We wanted to learn authentic practices using real, raw, fresh ingredients,” said Kevin. “We discovered quickly we were a part of only two per cent of the overall gelato industry committed to this practice.”

Like Sandrine’s and Karat, QB sources its ingredients locally whenever possible.

They too have seen a change in the sweets industry over the years.

“Consumers now look for quality over quantity. They want to know what’s in the product,” Victor said. “They’re not looking for a long list of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s a treat and they want it to be worth it. We make everything here with quality raw ingredients. You don’t need to eat a lot of our gelato and sorbet to feel satisfied.”

Victor and Kevin have a motto: knowledge, indulgence and fun. That comes through in flying colours while sampling their wares. Love coffee and gelato? Try the Affogato: a gelato of your choice with espresso poured over top.

Those who just can’t wrap their heads around gelato in the cooler months can try some of the other delicious creations.

“We make our own peanut butter with freshly roasted peanuts and kosher sea salt. No additives,” said Victor. “It’s the perfect cold-weather breakfast — fresh bread and peanut butter.”

“We also make a Fregolata,” added Kevin. “It’s an Italian jam tart, topped with toasted almonds, made for the winter holiday season. It serves eight, unless you love it too much, then it just serves two.”

For those who want a hands-on experience, the QB kitchen is the place to be this holiday season. Grab a friend or group together for a fun night of Behind the Scenes where you can make gelato and taste their creations.

“We are also teaming up with Eric von Krosigk from Summerhill Pyramid Winery for a sparkling wine and gelato evening,” said Victor (go to qbgelato.com for more info).

So go ahead — treat yourself to some sweet creations this holiday season.

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Delicate, fresh, crisp, almost calorie-free, lettuce of various kinds can hold toppings with beauty and pizzazz.

I Lettuce cups are the perfect vehicle to carry fabulous flavours

BY CHEF HEIDI FINK | PHOTOS BY DON DENTON

T’S THAT time of year when the food and drink are flowing, and indulgences become everyday occurrences.

I love this: the frequent holiday gatherings presenting opportunities to eat chocolate truffles and cheese-laden crostini.

Far from trying to stay away from treats, my burning question is always: how can I taste more of these wonderful flavours without stuffing myself?

So many foods this time of year involve bread, toast, crackers or other carb-heavy vehicles for conveying delicious appetizers to your mouth. I love bread, but I am much more interested in eating the delicious toppings like cheese, caramelized vegetables or smoked fish.

Enter the lettuce cup: a perfect vehicle to carry fabulous flavours without filling us up too soon.

Delicate, fresh, crisp, almost calorie-free, lettuce of various kinds can hold toppings with beauty and pizzazz. And switching to lettuce offers an unexpected bonus: it allows the flavours of the toppings to really shine. Bread and toast can be filling, and their blandness sometimes bogs down the topping flavours. With a delicate-tasting lettuce cup, the toppings dance like a party in your mouth.

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“Springtime in the Okanagan” 48x36 acrylic/canvas Madison Hart #9 3045 Tutt Street • 250-861-4992 • tuttartgalleries.ca

This is not to knock bread or crackers as a vehicle for delicious appetizers — they are often perfect — just a note of encouragement to branch out into something fresh, crisp, crunchy and light.

With so many colours, flavours and textures to try, leaves are an appie platter winner. Chose from crisp, yellow-green romaine hearts, crunchy white endive, delicate butter lettuce and bitter burgundy radicchio, to name a few.

I’ve shared some of my favourite recipes here, but consider these a springboard for the imagination! Create a beautiful, fresh-looking appetizer platter with a handful of crisp leaves and whichever toppings you choose. Serve and enjoy tasting without feeling so full…and leave room for more chocolate truffles.

Happy holidays!

WINTER DREAM makes about 30 pieces This dreamy combination of sweet Medjool dates, salty bacon, tart roasted pear, creamy blue cheese and crunchy bitter endive hits all the flavour and texture points for a delicious, coldweather appetizer. If you really love blue cheese, you can serve these with your favourite blue cheese dressing. ¼ lb of your favourite bacon 6 to 8 Medjool dates 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 whole pear, cored and chopped into small pieces 1 Tbsp bacon fat (leftover from cooking the bacon) 100 g creamy blue cheese (e.g. Cambozola) 3 heads of endive All of the ingredients can be prepared in advance and reheated briefly before assembly. The bits don’t have to served warm, but they should not be cold.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place strips of bacon on a parchmentlined baking sheet, making sure the pieces of bacon aren’t touching each other. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through cooking, until bacon is crisp but not over-crisp. You want nice pieces of bacon, not bacon crumbles.

Meanwhile, cut the dates in half lengthwise and remove the pits. Chop each half into 4 or 5 pieces. Place them in a 56

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Thai Flavour Explosions

parchment-lined pie pan and drizzle with maple syrup. Cut the pear into quarters and remove the cores. Cut pear quarters into small pieces (about the size of the date pieces).

When the bacon has finished cooking, place it on a papertowel-lined plate. Carefully pour off the bacon fat into a small jar, leaving approximately one tablespoon of fat on the tray. Place the cut pear on this tray and stir the pieces around until they are coated with bacon fat. Spread pear pieces out into one layer.

Return tray to oven and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, until pears are softened slightly.

As soon as the bacon is cool enough to touch, move to a cutting board and cut into 1-centimetre pieces. Place the dates in the oven for a few minutes to soften and absorb some maple flavour.

On a clean cutting board, cut the cheese into pieces about the size of large peas — it’s difficult to do this with a soft cheese, so don’t worry if the pieces are misshapen or vary in size.

Prepare the endive leaves last, because they go brown after sitting out for awhile. Cut the root end off of each head and separate the leaves. You may have to cut the root end again as you get closer to the centre. Use the small centre leaves whole, and the bigger outer leaves cut in half (lengthwise is better for presentation, but crosswise might be easier for assembly).

In each leaf of endive, place a piece of bacon, a piece of

maple-glazed date, a piece of roasted pear and a piece of creamy blue cheese. Arrange on a platter and serve.

THAI FLAVOUR EXPLOSIONS makes about 30 pieces This quintessential Thai street vendor snack is a not-to-bemissed culinary experience. Each bite is an explosion of flavours and textures: spicy, nutty, juicy, limy, sweet and crunchy, to name a few. An amazingly fresh and flavourful appie to enjoy during this season over-rich foods.

Sauce ¼ cup minced fresh ginger ¼ cup minced fresh or frozen galangal (or use more ginger) ½ cup minced shallots 4 Tbsp fish sauce ¾ cup water ½ cup white or light brown sugar, or more, to taste salt, to taste Place the galangal, ginger, shallots, fish sauce and water in a blender. Purée as finely as possible. Transfer to a small saucepan and add the sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes until it becomes a uniform texture and boulevardmagazines.com |

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Veggie Fresh Bites

colour, and thickens to the texture of loose jam — thick, but still pourable. If you think it is getting too thick, reduce the heat, or add a bit more water to the pan. Taste to see if it needs more salt or sugar — the sauce should be quite sweet and salty. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and set aside to cool.

This sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Flavour Explosions 2 heads of butter lettuce ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts Fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes 1 large shallot, peeled and cut into a small dice (about ¼-inch) One whole lime, with the skin still on, cut into ¼-inch cubes 2 to 4 Thai bird chilies, sliced thin 1 cup fresh local hand-peeled shrimp, cooked ¼ cup toasted unsweetened coconut Sauce (recipe above) Separate the leaves of lettuce. Wash them in cool water and pat dry. Use the smallest leaves from the centre of the lettuce heads for the best presentation. Bigger leaves can be torn into pieces a bit smaller than the size of the palm of your hand. Place prepared lettuce on a plate (you should have about 30 pieces).

Place the remaining ingredients in separate piles on a platter.

Place the sauce in a small bowl in the centre of the platter.

I prefer to assemble these in advance, but you can let your guests make their own at the table. Either way, the method is the 58

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same. For each lettuce cup, place a piece of lettuce in the palm of your hand. Working your way around the platter, put one piece of each ingredient in the centre of your leaf: one peanut, one piece of ginger, one piece of shallot, one piece of lime (skin and all!), one piece of chili, one shrimp, a sprinkle of toasted coconut and about ¼ tsp of sauce.

If you make these in advance, place them carefully on a serving platter. Have each guest pick up a lettuce cup and fold up the corners of their lettuce leaf to make a small parcel.

These should be small enough to put in the mouth in one bite.

VEGGIE FRESH BITES makes about 30 pieces The secret to this bright-tasting appetizer is in the delicious caper-lemon-parmesan dressing — it’s a winner. Almost any colourful vegetable will work in the lettuce cup itself. This time, I chose cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet peppers, creamy avocado, and a generous amount of flat-leaf parsley. Try sweet corn, roasted green beans, roasted cauliflower, cubes of mild cheese, grilled zucchini — the options are limitless.

Dressing

1 bulb garlic 4 Tbsp lemon juice zest of 1 lemon 1½ Tbsp capers 1 Tbsp caper juice 1½ Tbsp Dijon 2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 clove raw garlic, peeled and chopped ½ tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp sugar ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese (grate your own) ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 350 F. Wrap the bulb of garlic in foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and let cool; cut the top off the head of garlic and squeeze the roasted garlic pulp into a blender.

Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, capers, caper juice, Dijon, mayonnaise, raw garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. Blend until puréed. Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Blend again until everything is creamy and well mixed.

Taste to see if more salt, sugar, lemon or caper juice is needed.

This dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Refrigerate in mason jar until time to use.

Bites

2 yellow peppers 1 avocado 1 box cherry tomatoes ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley 2 bags romaine hearts Dressing (above)

Roast the peppers. There are two methods for doing this. If you have a gas stove, turn one of the elements on high. Place the whole peppers directly on the flame. Wearing oven mitts, use a pair of tongs to flip the peppers over when they have charred and blackened on one side. You will have to flip each pepper several times. When their skin has turned black, move the peppers to a pot, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. If you have an electric stove, halve and seed the peppers. Flatten, place skin side up on a cookie sheet and broil them until their skins turn black.

Once ready, put the peppers in a covered container and let sit for 15 minutes. Once the peppers have “rested,” peel off as much of their skin as possible without running them under water. Seed them if you have to, cut into small pieces and set aside.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on size. Pit and peel the avocado before cutting into small slices.

Roughly chop the flat-leaf parsley, making sure you leave the pieces big enough to see the beautiful parsley leaf shape.

Cut the root end off of each of the romaine hearts and separate the leaves. You may have to cut the root end again as you get closer to the centre. Use the small centre leaves whole, and cut down the bigger outer leaves a bit.

To assemble the bites, place a piece of roasted pepper, a piece of avocado and a piece of cherry tomato on each romaine leaf.

Drizzle each generously with the lemon-garlic-caper dressing and garnish with a generous sprinkle of parsley. Arrange on a platter and serve.

Recognized worldwide.

Engel & Völkers is a 39-year old global luxury real estate brand with a network of highend brokerages in over 30 countries across six continents. We are currently expanding in markets throughout the world, introducing our high-quality approach to real estate and unprecedented international support.

Recognized worldwide.

Now iN the okaNagaN.

For those who select Engel & Völkers to assist in their real estate goals, this means expert services and access to a worldwide network of potential buyers and to sellers. to find outinhow can in the best locations around the world, we’ve From a small boutique shop in Europe moreCall thanus700 shops 34 we countries help you reach more qualified buyers. delivered quality service and personal attention to the clients who have welcomed us. Wherever you find beautiful properties and extraordinary living, you will find Engel & Völkers, the world leader in luxury real estate.

Whether you’re thinking showcasing your local home globally, or are considering acquiring a piece of Okanagan paradise, we Engel & of Völkers Sample Shop Sample addressto · Suite/Floor City · Stateexperience Zip · Phoneof+1premium 212-234-3100 look forward creating a· bespoke service tailored to your needs. shopname@engelvoelkers.com · evusa.com

Suzie Doratti, We are where our clients are.Managing Broker, Licensed Partner ENGEL & VÖLKERS, Okanagan In the world’s best locations.

1429 Ellis Street, Kelowna • 250-868-7197 suzie.doratti@evcanada.com • okanagan.evcanada.com

From a small boutique shop in Europe to more than 750 shops in the best locations around the world, we’ve delivered quality service and personal attention to the clients who’ve welcomed us. Wherever you find beautiful properties, premium service, and extraordinary living, you will find Engel & Völkers, the world leader in luxury real estate. boulevardmagazines.com |

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Engel & Völkers and its independently independent Licenseowned Partners and are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully the principles ofLicense the Fair Housing Act.are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act. ©

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TRAVELFAR

Satisfaction!

Revelling in the beauty and glamour of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

BY BRUCE SACH

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When you need something, you put up your yellow flag, and when you’ve received it, up goes the green flag. Life couldn’t be better in a resort where staff outnumbers guests three to one.

J

UST THE name Saint Vincent and the Grenadines evokes visions of exotic, idyllic island life. Imagine an island chain in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, uncluttered by tourists, and offering white-sand beaches, sky-blue water gently lapping the shores and barely a soul around.

Not surprisingly, this string of islands, which unfurls like tassels on the tail of a kite, attracts some of the most exclusive visitors and expats. Remember when the Concorde used to fly to Barbados? Its passengers’ ultimate destination was the secluded chain of islands in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The story began in 1958 when Lord Glenconner bought the Grenadine island of Mustique, and in a stroke of genius, gave Princess Margaret a 10-acre lot as a wedding gift on his newly developed island.

Things took off from there. Queen Elizabeth has visited three times. David Bowie had a home here. Even rock star/photographer Bryan Adams — who famously photographed the Queen — is a regular visitor.

The royal tradition continues, as Kate and William vacation here, and Tommy Hilfiger, Sir Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Hurley tout it as their second home. Why? The well-travelled and the well-heeled like it for its privacy, luxury and splendour.

Unfortunately for visitors to Mustique, the royals, selfmade or hereditary, have created an island where only they are welcome, and where your visit is monitored, noted and just barely tolerated.

During our visit to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the royals were rumoured to be there, so all contact with Mustique was “discouraged.”

Our first glimpse of a Grenadine island occurred as our Twin Otter DNC – 6300 flew over the east coast of Bequia. It swooped back over the southern tip and landed at the James F. Mitchell airport, which is carved out of the mountain near Paget Farm, a settlement on Bequia’s south shore.

While our tiny 15-seater plane could easily cover the entire 72-kilometre length of the Grenadines and its 32 islands and cays in less than an hour, we ended up spending a full week on a private catamaran to cover the same distance.

Bequia — and other islands with exotic names like Mayreau, Union Island and Petit Saint Vincent — were revealed to us, one step at a time. And from our room on the beach at the Bequia Beach Hotel, we had outstanding views of Friendship Bay and, far in the distance, Mustique.

One of the draws to visiting Mustique was Basil’s Bar, which was advertising a jam that included seasonal resident Mick Jagger. However, the closer we got to planning a visit to Mustique, the more one of the classic Rolling Stone tunes came to mind: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want!”

With the royals in residence and a further discovery that Basil’s Bar had burned down — we eventually abandoned the idea of visiting Mustique and set about finding an authentic way of exploring the archipelago.

It turns out, TradeWinds Luxury Vacations offered a smart alternative. And so in Bequia, we boarded a 52-foot catamaran called Unity and discovered we had the best of both worlds — a sailing vessel that included a dinghy for trips to isolated shores, plus a crew of two who looked after everything.

The differing shades of blue in the waters of the southern Grenadines between Union Island and Tobago Cays defies description. As we make our way to a tiny private island, Petit Saint Vincent, the water was so blue and the light so perfect, it was reflected on the white bellies of the Laughing Gulls that followed boats approaching the dock.

I’d be laughing too if I lived in that habitat for my entire life! Guests at Petit Saint Vincent’s exclusive resort rent out villas with unrestricted views of the ocean and Tobago Cays. When you need something, you put up your yellow flag, and when you’ve received it, up goes the

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Beach villa at Petit Saint Vincent.

One of the draws to visiting Mustique was Basil’s Bar, which was advertising a jam that included seasonal resident Mick Jagger. green. Life couldn’t be better in a resort where staff outnumbers guests three to one.

Back on the ocean we floated by two sandbars on tiny reefs called Mopion and Pinese. The former is famous for its only attraction, a bottle opener attached to a lone palm tree. Our captain went out of his way to remind us that its name translates to “pubic lice,” no doubt a legacy from pirating and salacious sailing days.

From here, the tiny island of Petit Tabac, made famous as the location for the final scene of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, was almost within sight.

Going ashore in another bay, we walked up to the Catholic Church of Mayreau (with even more outstanding views of Tabago Cays and the distant islands of Grenada) before making our way slowly through the tiny town of Station Hill. We conversed with folks along the way and got to know one local character called Righteous Robert. I decided that when I return to Mayreau, I will visit his Righteous Bar, reputed to never close!

We eventually made our way to the other side of the town and visited the TradeWinds resort, set to open at the end of this year.

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Lucky visitors of the future will be able to include this highend resort as part of catamaran trips to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Our two days and two nights at Tobago Cays was probably the highlight of the entire trip. Between Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau (two tiny cays, that appear as mere specks on a map), we saw stingrays, turtles and exotic fish. Moments away, on the other side of Petit Bateau, we moored in front of Baradal Cay, in what is known to be a favourite spot for turtles. Going out early in the morning before breakfast, we spotted many greenback turtles and the odd hawksbill.

Moored in between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau, my last memory of the night was seeing three anchored catamarans positioned in a formation that looked for all the world like giant turtles. Early next morning, all were gone.

Our flight leaving from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines provided us one final, lovely, unforgettable surprise. In the end, our “direct” flight from Bequia to Barbados took us to Canouan and Union Island, affording us a visual recollection of our sevenday boat trip from the air.

We could identify all the islands and cays we’d visited and relive moments from the catamaran trip.

This trip was indeed the very definition of “Satisfaction” — to borrow one again from Sir Mick Jagger. www.trade-winds.com You may want to spend a few days before or after in Bequia, from where the catamaran excursion begins.

Highly recommended: www.bequiabeachresort.com

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FRONT ROW

BY BRENDA GIESBRECHT

A ROUNDUP OF ARTSY HAPPENINGS TAKING PLACE IN THE OKANAGAN THIS NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. ENJOY FESTIVE FIREWORKS, WINTER THEATRE, OPERA AND FINE ART.

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PHOTO COURTESY SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN RESORT

TORCHLIGHT PARADE AND FIREWORKS SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN RESORT, VERNON DECEMBER 31, TORCHLIGHT PARADE AT 5 PM

B

ID FAREWELL to the old year and welcome the new with the Torchlight Parade and New Year’s Eve fireworks display on Silver Star Mountain. This is a family-friendly event that can be enjoyed by everyone —skiers

and spectators alike.

For those who want to be part of the show, skiers are welcome to register for the torchlight parade.

There is no age limit, but participants must be able to

ski at an intermediate to advanced level and preregister at the Guest Services and Information Desk. Space is limited.

The skiers won’t be the only ones having fun this day. Bring your skates for outdoor skating on Brewer’s Pond. Spend some time flying down the runs at Tube Town, with the advantage of a lift to get you back to the top. Let your adventurous six- to 12-year-olds try out the mini snowmobiles on a designated fenced track. And be prepared for some special events on site as well.

The grand finale is the Torchlight Parade and fireworks display. The sight of skiers with torches coming down the mountain at night is thrilling, and an amazing firework display adds that special “bang” to this unique, outdoor, year-end celebration.

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PHOTO COURTESY OPERA KELOWNA

A CLASSICAL CHRISTMAS

OPERA KELOWNA EVANGEL CHURCH, KELOWNA, NOVEMBER 30, 7:30 PM Welcome the Christmas season with Opera Kelowna’s presentation of A Classical Christmas.

This concert, the final event of the 2017/18 season, celebrates emerging artists from Vancouver. Soprano Nicole Brooks, mezzo soprano Gena Van Oosten, tenor Scott Rumble and baritone Daniel Thielmann will perform selections from the beloved and well-known repertoire, along with the Opera Kelowna Children’s Chorus, conducted by Laura Mireau.

All will be led and accompanied by Vancouver Opera’s associate conductor Maestro Les Dala, who will also perform selected solo repertoire.

Opera Kelowna has elevated the cultural landscape of this community by bringing professional offerings of opera production to an enthusiastic public.

Alexandra Kosachukova Babbel, the company’s founding artistic director, brings to the organization years of proven artistic vision. After a successful season — including the fully orchestrated and staged production of Bizet’s Carmen, with professional leads from throughout North America and a chorus of 60 — she continues to uphold the society’s mandate to champion the next generation of exquisitely trained opera singers.

She says, “A light-hearted and beautiful presentation of emerging, talented musicians, directed by one of Canada’s finest conductors, will usher in your holiday season. You are warmly welcome to attend.”

WINTER ART SHOW

HAMBLETON GALLERIES, KELOWNA OPENING NIGHT DECEMBER 6, 5:30-8 PM Looking for a unique gift for that special someone, or a piece 66

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of art that calls to your soul and begs to be installed in your home? Or maybe you’re looking for a place to get away from the seasonal hustle and relax while absorbing the sights of beautiful art. No matter the reason, the 56th annual Winter Art Show at Hambleton Galleries is your must-go-to destination in December.

The Winter Art Show celebrates winter and art with up to three dozen new pieces, showcasing many of the artists represented by the gallery.

Joshua Peters, the owner of Hambleton Galleries, extends a welcome to the opening night of this special exhibition, noting that it’s an opportunity to be among the first to see this exceptional display of high quality art, meet some of the artists and learn about their craft, while enjoying complimentary wine tastings provided by Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

Located in Cultural District in downtown Kelowna, Hambleton Galleries represents an extraordinary group of leading Canadian artists, carrying original paintings, stone sculptures, ceramics and glass work.

THE ROSSI COLLECTION: A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS KELOWNA ART GALLERY, NOVEMBER 10 TO JANUARY 20 OPENING RECEPTION NOVEMBER 9, 6-8 PM One man’s 40-year passion for Canadian art will be available for public viewing for the first time when “The Rossi Collection: A Circle of Friends” opens at the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Dr. Luigi Rossi was an early patron of contemporary Indigenous arts such as Alex Janvier, Daphne Odjig and Norval Morrisseau, as well as other Canadians, including Jack Bush, Ted Harrison, Gershon Iskowitz and Jack Shadbolt. Rossi developed a personal friendship with Janvier, and had the largest compilation of Janvier paintings in a private collection.

“It’s wonderful to see the works by great Canadian artists, who have been celebrated in exhibitions and public collections across the country, gathered together so lovingly in a private collection. We are privileged to be able to showcase it at Kelowna Art Gallery,” said KAG curator Laura Jane Ritchie.

PHOTO COURTESY KELOWNA ART GALLERY

The paintings and sculptures included in this exhibition are entwined with the story of Rossi’s passion, and illustrate the importance of collecting to the arts in Canada. Rossi’s dream was to have his collection made available to as many viewers as possible. He passed away at his home in October 2017, leaving behind his collection of artworks as an inspiration to the next generation of collectors.

WINTER THEATRE

SEDNA, CARAVAN FARM THEATRE, ARMSTRONG, DECEMBER 11-31 ELF THE MUSICAL, KELOWNA ACTORS STUDIO, KELOWNA, DECEMBER 5-23

LARGEST SELECTION Of VANCOUVER ISLAND MARBLE, GRANITE & QUARTZITES

Daphne Odjig’s Awakening of Spring is among the pieces on exhibit at Kelowna Art Gallery.

Step away from the shopping malls and into a world of magic and imagination with one, or both, of these winter theatre events.

Enjoy the world’s only horse-drawn sleigh ride winter theatre event and the magic that is Caravan Farm Theatre. Executive Director Estelle Shook describes it as “a theatrical hybrid that sweeps the artist and audience alike into a pre-industrial world where the horse is king, an archaic transporter to a rough and holy encounter with winter, with each other, and with ideas that are lit like flames against the darkness.”

Caravan’s production this winter is Sedna, a spectacular retelling of the Inuit story about the Goddess of the Arctic, told with music, mask and magnificent large-scale puppets.

For those who prefer an indoor venue, Kelowna Actors Studio

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When you simply must have your Gelato fix.

presents a modern holiday classic with Elf the Musical. It is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Buddy embarks on a journey of discovery that helps him find his true identity, his birth family and the true meaning of Christmas. It’s a show to be enjoyed by the whole family.

HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

CENTRAL OKANAGAN HOSPICE ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISER VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN KELOWNA, NOVEMBER 17, 1-9 PM

To profess and practice imaginative creation of flavour. Our goal is to delight the discerning connoisseur with flavors that charm the palate.

A richness that only hand-crafted gelato can deliver, made from traditional ingredients.

Available at select grocers across the Okanagan. | www.artistogelato.ca 68

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After a three-year hiatus, Homes for the Holidays is back!

Seven beautifully decorated homes, a secret location for an exclusive after party, and support for the Central Okanagan Hospice Association will make for a great day.

The homes are decorated by the homeowners, a designer or a combination of both creatively working together. Each home is unique in its architectural design as well as the holiday decor and theme. The tour includes artists, tastings, musicians and a focus on what’s trending in holiday decorating.

The tour includes a log home with a soaring 15-foot Christmas tree, a 1912 Craftsman home filled with old-world charm, a home with 13 decorated trees, a mid-century home in the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation area, a sprawling rancher whose homeowner enlists friends and neighbours for the decorating fun, a town and country home reflecting the owners’ love of the big city, and a modern country home that incorporates bold splashes of red and natural elements into the Christmas decor.

As there is no one location for this event, tickets must be purchased at Kelowna Tickets. Gather your friends for the regular tour, or go for the gusto with the VIP package that includes the after party.

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SECRETS&LIVES

LIVING AND

GIVING For Richard Deacon, charity begins at home and goes far beyond

BY DARCY NYBO | P H OTO S BY DA R R E N H U L L

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OR AS long as he can remember, Richard James Deacon has valued giving back to the community — something that really kicked into high gear when he and his wife, MaryAnn, and their two young sons moved to Kelowna.

Since then, he’s shown how giving back to the community betters everyone involved.

They say charity begins at home and that’s exactly where Richard learned the importance of giving back.

As a young boy living in England, he recalls, “My first charity experience was watching my mom and grandma helping people around them.

My grandma was always going out and helping elderly people who needed assistance, and I vividly recall watching my mom carrying on that tradition [when we lived in] in Fort Langley. It was an unwritten rule as I was growing up that you make a good life by helping others.”

Richard, a realtor with the global luxury real estate firm Engel & Volkers, was mentored by Vancouver philanthropist Joe Segal.

“Joe gave me some great advice. He said, ‘Richard, don’t run too fast and give. You give, and sometimes you give a little bit more than you should. When you can, give your time and when you can’t give time, give your money. But always give.’ I’ve never forgotten those words.

I remember at one of our meetings he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. It was a running total of people who were asking him for money.

On the list were projects ranging from millions of dollars to the guy in the parkade who asked for a dollar.”

Early in his career, Richard was asked to join NABS (the National Advertising Benevolent Society) where he was quickly promoted from junior volunteer to volunteer president.

“I was asked to run the board of NABS when I was in my mid 20s. It was such a valuable learning experience and we grew the charity by 300 per cent in a matter of two years.”

Nearly 10 years ago Richard and a business partner brought the famed US organization TIGER 21 (The Investment Group for Enhanced Returns in the 21st Century) to Canada. It’s a highly secure private network where ultra-high net worth individuals can share their best practices and investment principles.

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“It was an unwritten rule as I was growing up that you make a good life by helping others.”

“One of the things we morphed into was a deep conversation around giving and philanthropy, and I have been incredibly lucky to learn from these very successful individuals.”

Richard’s philosophy on giving centres around impact, and he has managed to make giving back a very personal experience. In 2016, Richard and his family created a new student leadership and mentoring program in the small town of Reston, Manitoba.

“Our oldest son is named Reston…after the town in Manitoba where our family has had roots for nearly 100 years. The Ron + Clair Deacon Leaders Pay it Forward Mentorship Program provides a five-year commitment of $10,000, which is given to the students who determine the best charitable use of the funds, empowering them to drive change in their community.”

As he talks about the program, it’s easy to see his passion for this project. His face lights up, he sits up straighter and there’s a slight smile on his face.

“We partnered with the school and paired younger kids with older kids and then community leaders. It was set up to do two things: to mentor and to pay it forward. So far, the kids have chosen to help build a splash park, fund a playground and kickstart a Pathfinder’s program.”

Richard also brings a surprise quarterly guest via video conference: “We’ve had rock stars, politicians, entrepreneurs, firefighters and doctors, and they all share their stories with these kids. It’s so lasting and impactful. “ Richard has also lent his time, energy and pocketbook to a number of not for profits, and recently founded the Kelowna chapter of 100 Kids Kelowna (100kidskelowna.com).

“The group is part of the 100 alliance,” Richard explains.

“I’ve been to groups like 100 Men Who Care in Vancouver and 72

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Kelowna and my son Reston asked me if there was anything for kids. So we started a kids chapter right here in Kelowna. The group is open to five to 17 year olds, and they nominate and ultimately donate to three charities of their choice with their own $10. The kids meet quarterly and further benefit from collaboration, networking and public speaking.”

Richard says that even before he and his wife had children, he loved being on the boards or committees of well-known charities such as Arts Umbrella, Fraser Valley Elementary School, the UBC Business Families Centre, Union Gospel Mission and the Food Bank, to name a few.

“Since we’ve had kids, I’ve focussed my giving and volunteering around helping kids in need. I involve my sons in saving through their Save/Spend/Give coin jars at home, and I make sure I talk to them about where and why I volunteer. I feel these conversations resonate with the kids and are an easy way to set an example for them. It’s really continuing a long tradition in the Deacon family to just give back.”

Richard works hard to balance a life where he can spend time with family.

“I coach soccer in Lower Mission and I’m a Beaver leader through Scouts Canada. Volunteering can be a win-win as, in many cases, it pushes me to do things I wouldn’t normally do.

Even some R&R time can be an ideal way to give back. In November, Richard and MaryAnn are going to Ensenada, Mexico, where they will help build a home for a family through Homes of Hope International.

“A friend and mentor of mine, David Bentall, organized the first trip 10 years ago and this will be the fourth time we have been down there. It’s a great combination of community and business networking with something that has a huge impact.

The people that help are all wealthy, but they aren’t just giving money — they are pounding nails and helping build a home over the weekend.”

Richard loves the Kelowna community and believes this is one of the best places on the planet to raise a family.

“From our natural surroundings to the burgeoning arts, culture and tech scene, we are lucky with what we have here and it’s our responsibility to continue to make this place as good as it is, if not better for future generations.”

Between his thriving real estate practice, volunteering, and his philanthropic undertakings, it can be hard to find balance.

“I’m not good at saying no,” he admits. “I said no to a charity for the first time recently because I need to spend more time with my family.”

While he seeks his own balance, Richard hopes others achieve it, too. “If I could wish for anything, it would be that we could all achieve a life balance that includes giving and helping in any way people can throughout the community.”

Richard writes a regular column that appears on castanet.net called Ordinary Heroes, profiling leaders in the community doing outstanding work or volunteering. He hopes his words inspire others to give back.

Brand new, with a view.

Quality homes for a quality life.

SENDEROCA N YON.CA

This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made by way of disclosure statement. E.&O.E. Any speciďŹ cations in this depiction may change at the developer’s sole discretion without notice.

BEHINDTHESTORY

T 74

HE TEAM at Boulevard planned a moody, black-and-white fashion story for the holiday issue, but wound up with the most glorious sunny autumn day at 50th Parallel Estate Winery. So although we stuck with our back-and-white theme, we couldn’t help but include this awesome shot, rich with colour and golden sunlight.

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Photo by Darren Hull.

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