Boulevard Okanagan, November/December 2020 by Boulevard Magazine

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020

OKANAGAN LIFE AT ITS FINEST

NO PLACE LIKE

home

HEART OF THE HOUSE Cosy kitchens with soul

FOR THE LOVE OF LATKES Three ways to enjoy this classic Hanukkah treat

RAINBOW DAYDREAM

Bold fashion seeped in colour.

europeangoldsmith.com | on Pandosy Street | 250-860-6657 | Something Special | www.europeangoldsmith.com

styles inspire stylesthat that inspire Our studios deliver a premium in-store experience and showcase a wide selection of quality fixtures and brands, with the knowledge and support of expert consultants. kitchenandbathclassics.com

110-2120 Leckie 2288 Hunter RoadPlace Kelowna,BC, B.C.V1X V1Y 7W7 Kelowna, 7H5 250-860-4366 250-860-4366 Mon ––Fri: Fri:8:00am 8:00amtoto4:30pm 4:30pm Mon Sat ––Sun: Sun:Closed Closed Sat Kitchen & Bath Classics, is a homeownerfriendly wholesale showroom designed and operated by Wolseley Canada.

A WOLSELEY Showroom

CONTENTS 44

On the Cover Photo by Colin Jewall

With interior design by Begrand Fast Design, the Lovig family “wolf den” is sleek, minimalist and stunningly beautiful.

HOT PROPERTIES

40 FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

32 SLEEK, MODERN,

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S LETTER

MINIMALIST...AND GONE TO THE DOGS

The Lovig “wolf den”

By Valaura Jones

44 RAINBOW DAYDREAM

boulevardmagazines.com |

By Susan Lundy

Bold fashion that doesn’t shy away from showing up.

LIFE. STYLE. ETC.

Kyle Lawrence

By Jen Evans

By Lia Crowe

DESIGN NOTES

HOME

Home for the holidays

By Hannah Berger

50 HEART OF THE

Certainty in uncertain times

Cosy kitchens with soul

By Jen Evans

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2 02 0

16 WELL & GOOD

28 IN STUDIO

64 TRAVEL

Aging gracefully

Wild Churchill

By Kaisha Scofield

Making conversation: David and Jorden Doody

By Suzanne Morphet

By David Wylie

20 GOOD TASTE

Spice up the season with Aman Dosanj

By Gail Johnson

24 WEEKENDER

40 BUSINESS CLASS

For your eyes only: The Vaults

By Toby Tannas

The big reveal

56 FOOD AND FEAST

By Susan Lundy

For the love of latkes

By Ellie Shortt

70 SECRETS AND LIVES

Jeni Priest

By Angela Cowan

72 NARRATIVE

My identity as a writer

By Cheryl Schindler

BEHIND THE STORY

By Lia Crowe

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contributors “I loved the idea of creating a theme around designer gift-giving; it was a great

HANNAH BERGER WRITER HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

PAGE 14

opportunity to feature some of my favourite luxuries, as well as support our amazing community of local vendors. Following my post-secondary education in interior architectural design, I started my design career in furniture and styling. This allowed me to focus on the finishing details, and get to know the many shops in town and the amazing products and experiences they offer. What I have always admired regarding the finishing touches is the opportunity to bring personalization and intent into any space. I am honoured to share some gift inspiration for design lovers, and hope to encourage others to shop locally this season.” Hannah is the principal designer and owner of Hannah Katey Interior Design Inc., and a regular editorial contributor to Boulevard.

WRITER HEART OF THE HOME

PAGE 50

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BLACK PRESS MEDIA Penny Sakamoto GROUP PUBLISHER

BOULEVARD Mario Gedicke GROUP PUBLISHER 250.891.5627

info@blvdmag.ca

MANAGING EDITOR Susan Lundy

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lia Crowe

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan

DESIGN Michelle Gjerde Tammy Robinson Kelsey Boorman

“When asked to write a piece on how to create a cosy kitchen, I realized

JEN EVANS

OKANAGAN LIFE AT ITS FINEST

it would be a great opportunity to reflect on my process. Growing up, I was incredibly fortunate to live on a street where our neighbours on all sides were our best friends; their doors were always open and every home was filled with art, artifacts and layers of eclectic personality. Each home had its own unique and inviting style, and each space and family had a profound impact on me. Now, when I’m styling or designing a space, I’ll travel through those homes in my mind, trying to recreate elements from each. To this day, I still feel the warmth from my childhood home and those cosy, family kitchens that surrounded me.” Jen Evans is a freelance, fashion, prop and interior stylist and regular contributor to Boulevard.

ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke Vicki Clark

CONTRIBUTING Hannah Berger WRITERS Angela Cowan Lia Crowe Jen Evans Valaura Jones Susan Lundy Suzanne Morphet Kaisha Scofield Ellie Shortt Toby Tannas David Wylie CONTRIBUTING Lia Crowe, Colin Jewall PHOTOGRAPHERS ILLUSTRATION Sierra Lundy CIRCULATION & Kate Sarac DISTRIBUTION 250.763.7575

“Food is culture—this is what I love most about writing about chefs, cooking and cuisines. After I was asked to

GAIL JOHNSON WRITER SPICE UP THE SEASON

PAGE 16

cover Edible Adventures by the Paisley Notebook for Boulevard, I knew it was going to be the kind of story that leaves a lasting impression. Aman Dosanj is a locavore, a true champion of BC’s bounty, but she’s also firmly rooted in and fiercely proud of the culture of her native India. Through the spices she imports to make her small-batch blends, she’s sharing her heritage—while at the same time chipping away at the effects of colonization on it. I also love how she encourages people to get in the kitchen, no matter how much or little they may know about Indian spices. It all makes for a delicious journey.” Gail Johnson is a Vancouver-based journalist and co-founder of Stir.

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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.

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PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

certainty in uncertain times

As the holiday season beckons, only uncertainty is certain. It’s going to look a lot different from other seasons. Holiday feasts via Zoom? COVID-themed ornaments on the tree? Visits with Santa via smartphones and tablets? There’s even a new spin for those used to travelling at this time of year. In some countries, flights to nowhere have become popular. According to the New York Times, “People who miss flying are rushing to buy tickets for flights that land in the same place they depart from.” And Air New Zealand is offering “Mystery Breaks,” where travellers pay a flat fee to book an entire vacation package and don’t find out their destination until two days before they leave. However, luckily for holiday consumers, shopping, which took a strange turn during last spring’s lockdown, has sorted itself out. From crazy purchases to stalled deliveries, early pandemic shopping was fraught with problems. My first COVID-times shopping experience took place on March 11, when I took a hysterical call from my daughter in the pandemic-epicentre of New York City. Here in Canada, we were still a few days away from lockdown, although people were rushing to buy toilet paper. My daughter was entering the disinfect-groceries-and-sanitize-everything phase and there was not a bottle of hand sanitizer left in New York (or in BC). Even Amazon was out of it, she panicked. Well, I said calmly, I live in Canada—and, sure enough, amazon.ca had lots of hand sanitizer. I spent $75 on 12 little bottles and promised to mail them to her as soon as they arrived. Problem solved! However. That was March and when they still hadn’t arrived in June, I requested and received a refund and, like everyone else by then, happily continued washing my hands with soap and water. But mid-August? Surprise! A package arrived from China filled with 12 little bottles of a gooey something. Thankfully the sanitizer craze had passed—no need to send them to New York—and just as well because I’m really not sure what is in those bottles. Mask-wearing started out slowly, but it was apparent even in the early part of lockdown that they would become essential. At this point, there weren’t a lot of options, but I found some heavy-duty masks on Instagram. They were bit pricey, but a portion of proceeds was being donated to a good cause, and so, on April 21, I ordered two. Once again, June rolled around, and no masks. Tracking showed they were coming from China (something the small print hadn’t mentioned), but they hadn’t moved in weeks. A couple of email refund requests went unanswered, the website went down and angry comments flourished on the Instagram page. By this time, I’d purchased several BC-made masks (good lesson, here) and resigned myself to the loss. But wait! Just a short time after the sanitizer arrived, so too did the masks. I think this scenario must have played out all over the world. Bruce similarly ordered some iPhone accessories—suddenly important for all that FaceTiming and Zooming—and they also eventually arrived months later. Shopping these days has definitely evolved, and so despite the many questions around how the next few months will unfold, one question can be answered definitively: if you’re in gift-buying mode, shop local. Whether it’s in person or online, support local businesses. That’s the answer to “where to buy.” The answer to “what to buy” is less clear—imagine last holiday season if we’d known that toilet paper, hand sanitizer, masks and iPhone accessories were the gifts we coveted? This edition of Boulevard offers idea for locally made gifts, tips for tradition-rich cuisine and recommendations for cosying up your kitchen. We may not be able to add any certainty to an uncertain season, but we can at least add some comfort, flavour and festivity—and let’s just forget the hand sanitizer from China.

Susan Lundy Editor

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life.style.etc. KYLE LAWRENCE PARTNER, SPACIOUS STORAGE & MALIBU MARINE WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

A “

willingness to take risks, work hard and have fun along the way.” The three pillars on which Kyle has built his career have led to his success, as well as happiness, and what I immediately perceive as an upbeat, charismatic, glass-half-full kind of personality. I meet Kyle at Spacious Storage in downtown Kelowna and it’s evident right away that the “having fun along the way” part is true to life: our photo shoot takes us up ladders and onto the rooftop as we explore all the cool spots in the Spacious Storage and Malibu Marine buildings. Originally from Vancouver, Kyle left the big city last year when an opportunity came along to partner in a self-storage facility and boat business in downtown Kelowna. “This was not only a great opportunity, but it also allowed me to be closer to family while realizing the benefits of the Okanagan lifestyle. I know I live in a special place when I can wakesurf at 6 am before heading off to work.” So it’s no surprise that when asked what he’s passionate about outside of work, he says that being active outdoors is important to him. “I have been skiing my entire life

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CLOTHES/GROOMING Favourite denim, brand and cut: DUER performance denim, slim fit. Current go-to clothing item: Rip Curl fleece. Favourite pair of shoes: Adidas Busenitz Pro Shoes. Best new purchase: Formula boat. Favourite day-bag: Black Diamond ski backpack. Sunglasses: Ray-Ban. Scent: Million by Paco Rabanne. Necessary indulgence: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard. Favourite skincare product: Tamanu oil. Favourite hair product: Layrite Pomade.

STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE

and love the freedom of charging down the mountain.” Kyle is also passionate about music, enjoying a wide range of genres, from reggae to rock and everything in between, as well as audio books that cover business, biographies and personal development. And because that’s not quite enough, he’s also into working out, Thai boxing and meditation! When it comes to style, and with “big-city corporate” behind him, Kyle is loving that he can lean into the casual side of work wear, with Adidas sneakers replacing dress shoes and denim replacing the suit jacket. He jokes that he feels that he’s finally made it because he wore shorts to work for the first time ever last summer! Asked for the best life lesson he’s recently learned, he says, “Being grateful for the people in my life, living in the moment and learning how to expand my comfort zones.”

Last great read: Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins. Book currently reading: Little Black Stretchy Pants by Chip Wilson. Favourite book of all time: Awareness by Anthony de Mello. Favourite artist: My mother, Sharon Lawrence. Piece of art: Bamboo Study, by Sharon Lawrence. Favourite fashion designer or brand: DUER performance denim. Favourite musician: Stick Figure. Era of time that inspires your style: 90s surf/skate culture. Favourite local restaurant: The Keg. Favourite cocktail or wine: Anything but a Caesar! Favourite current song: Just Livin’ by Sensi Trails. Album on current rotation: KBong and Island Reggae Radio on Spotify. Favourite city to visit: Maui. Favourite hotel: The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali. Favourite App: Spotify and Audible. Favourite place in the whole world: Hawaii.

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design notes

Home for the holidays

Everyday luxuries for lovers of good taste HANNAH BERGER PRINCIPAL INTERIOR DESIGNER, OWNER / HANNAH KATEY INTERIOR DESIGN

Crystal Moon Goddess bath salts and body serum, perfect for a mindful self-care ritual. Salts, $19, body serum $58.

Fraiche Food Full Hearts cookbook by Kelownabased cousins Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. An asset, not only for thoughtful, comforting and delicious recipes, but as a beautiful decor accent to any kitchen. Indigo, $24.

Gift this luxurious beauty oil made from organic plums that is clinically shown to brighten skin: Le Prunier beauty oil, available new at Most Wanted Luxury Resale, call for price.

Tom Ford coffee table book, a must-have classic that lends to many decor styles. Most Wanted Luxury Resale, call for price.

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Marble tray set, perfect for displaying makeup and perfume in your en suite; or use it layered on an entry console or coffee table. Robinson, $895.

Maison Louis Marie 4, a balanced earthy scent and beautiful bottle that looks perfect layered on display. Available new at Most Wanted Luxury Resale, call for price.

A beautiful Mongolian throw blanket: drape it on the edge of a bed or accent chair. Lexi & Lake Home Furnishings, $295. The ever-so-gorgeous Designers Guild floral pillow, with perfect accent colours that will carry through all seasons. Lexi & Lake Home Furnishings, $280.

Look no further than the Okanagan for these great gift ideas. Treat someone specialâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or buy it for yourself!

A gorgeous second-hand designer bag, by Most Wanted Luxury Resale. Perfectly luxurious, while being mindful of fast fashion. Call for price.

Two must-have products for healthy beautiful skin from Glo Antiaging Youth Lab. Daily Power Defence, $166, and Growth Factor Serum, $175.

Gift the designlover in your life Interior Design Consulting Services. Contact me at Hannah Katey Interior Design, direct for gift certificate options.

well and good

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Aging gracefully Movement, nutrient density and hormone balance WORDS KAISHA SCOFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

We all know that one of the only certainties in life is that we will get older. Yet, in our society, aging is rarely discussed or prepared for. In fact, a common statement on aging is that it takes most by surprise. Many people feel young but look in the mirror only to see an old person reflected back at them. How did this happen? We are a society obsessed with youth and productivity, and slowing down seems like a luxury we cannot afford. So it is not surprising that the topic of aging is avoided, often until it is too late. The truth is, aging is an inevitable part of living. By accepting the aging process, we are better able to be proactive in how to prepare our body and mind for this very natural transition. By identifying the areas that are most commonly frustrating for more senior populations, we can engage in targeted selfcare to make aging less overwhelming. The most common complaints about aging are health issues associated with degeneration. Loss of muscle and bone health, poor joint health, digestive issues, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalance, loss of energy and impaired cognitive abilities are all common health problems the more senior populations deal with. The good news is, with a few simple lifestyle and wellness practices, many of these health issues can be minimized or avoided all together. Use it or lose it. Inactivity is the fastest way to age the body. Too many of us exist in a sedentary state; sitting at a desk for eight hours of the day, driving to and from work and then spending our evenings on the couch. Making solid lifestyle choices that include physical activity is the most effective way to keep the body and mind healthy, long-term. While this isn’t necessarily news to anyone, daily movement is becoming increasingly urgent as kids, teens and adults are spending more time on devices and games and in front of screens and, as a result, physical literacy is failing. Once movement habits are improved, it is important to keep the body happy and well maintained. We all know the feeling

of sore and creaking joints. That crackling sound is called crepitus, which seems like a very unsettling yet appropriate name. These creaks, while harmless, are generally a result of degeneration in the bones and connective tissue. This tissue is made up of collagen, the same collagen that your aesthetician tells you to take for glowing skin. Collagen is found in skin, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and bone. The bad news is that it deteriorates as we age. The great news is that it can be replenished. Collagen can be taken orally via supplements, pill or powder or by drinking bone broth. This is is a widely recommended support for joint health and for healthy skin, nails and hair. Aging well depends largely on fuelling the body with a nutrient-dense diet. Vitamin and mineral depletion is a common issue for the aging body because as we get older, the body’s ability to absorb and distribute nutrients can lessen. We typically absorb vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, via the digestive process, but digestive health can decline as we age, through deterioration, poor dietary habits, tissue damage, etc. Natural hormone transitions also occur, which can cause the body to go through fluctuations in appetite and energy levels, making meal preparation frustrating and unenjoyable. It’s a difficult combination of issues that are often ignored. The malabsorption of nutrients can occur for several reasons but the two main causes are a lack of dietary healthy fats and consistent dehydration. Our unfortunate vilification of fat has led to a largely depleted population. Many vitamins and minerals, essential to our body, are fat soluble, meaning that without a proper intake of healthy dietary fats, we are unable to absorb nutrients in our food. Not to mention the essential fatty acids themselves playing a crucial role in cellular, tissue and nerve health, to name a few. Alongside healthy fat intake, hydration plays a vital role in absorbing the other vitamins and minerals that are water soluble. One of the easiest ways to increase your energy levels,

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By accepting the aging process, we are better able to be proactive in how to prepare our body and mind for this very natural transition. mood, sleep and digestion is to improve your hydration. More than 50 per cent of the population is consistently dehydrated. Mild dehydration can cause fatigue, nausea, headaches, moodiness, cramping and constipation. Electrolytes in the form of sugar-free powders, tablets or even a small pinch of salt can vastly improve hydration levels in the body. Fluctuating hormones are confusing at the best of times, but in an aging body, they can be especially disruptive. The hormone testosterone, for example, depletes as we age, an issue that can affect both men and women. Occasionally men can experience an age-related, steep decline in testosterone that can lead to many health issues. Often referred to as “male menopause,” symptoms are similar to those experienced in female menopause, such as hot flashes, breast tenderness, mood fluctuations and erectile disfunction. It is just as important for men to monitor hormone health as it is for women.

For women, the most obvious hormonal transition is the big M, menopause. There is no way to avoid menopause, but there are steps we can take to prepare for it. Maintaining an active lifestyle is essential. Equally important is fuelling the body with a diet that is focused on nutrient-dense whole foods, including healthy fats and proper hydration. Menopause is never fully predictable but wellbalanced and supported hormones will ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible, perhaps avoiding having to put ice down your shirt to cool a hot flash. Reducing sugar intake is the most important dietary change needed to support hormonal balance and the whole body, at any age. Sugar depletes nutrients and disrupts hormone regulation. Insulin, testosterone and estrogen are affected when sugar intake is elevated. These imbalances can lead to insulin resistance which, among other things, can cause heart disease, some cancers and diabetes. Insulin resistance wreaks havoc on hormonal functions, disrupting digestion, weight, sleep, mood and stress tolerance. There are many unknowns in the aging process and while feelings of uncertainty and apprehension are understandable, avoidance will create a missed opportunity. It is never too early or too late to start preparing your body for the next phase of life, and by incorporating a few preventative measures, you are more likely to create a solid foundation of health and wellness to launch from. The more we learn about aging, the less it is about the end of life and more about the culmination of living. There may be a sense of dread as we creep toward each milestone, but what often follows is a growing sense of relief and freedom. Removing the fear and ignorance surrounding the aging process helps us understand how to support our body as we go through these changes. By paying attention to movement, nutrient density and hormone balance, we can not only ensure that we age on our own terms, but that we do so gracefully.

ONLY 13 HOMES REMAIN! The Van Maren Group started construction of The Cottages on Osoyoos Lake in 2012. The vision was to create a one-of-a-kind retirement and vacation community of 285 homes with plenty of green space and resort style amenities, all connected by a beautiful private sandy beach on Osoyoos Lake. If you’ve been following our progress you’ll have to agree. We delivered!

Act now to be part of the South Okanagan’s fastest selling residential community. Please contact Jody Curnow at 1.855.742.5555 to arrange a private viewing or visit our website for a full tour.

With our continued reputation for high-quality homes, as well as a focus on customization, it’s not surprising we’re ALMOST SOLD OUT!

ONLY 6 HILLSIDE/LAKEVIEW HOMES & 7 MERITAGE VIEW HOMES REMAIN. MEADOW & LAKESIDE HOMES ARE SOLD OUT!

Cottages site 2012

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Visit our Display Homes » 2450 Radio Tower Road, Oliver, BC Open by appointment only.

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good taste

Spice up the season High on chai and other spicy goodness with Aman Dosanj WORDS GAIL JOHNSON

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PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

“I want to make Indian spices less intimidating and more fun.”

man Dosanj loves good food—meaning food that’s fresh, flavourful, sustainable, seasonal and local, grown or raised by farmers she knows by name. However, there are some ingredients that the Kelowna-based chef and slow-food champion sources from beyond BC’s borders, and those are spices. Aman is the founder of the Paisley Notebook, which hosts inventive pop-up dinners at farms, wineries, orchards and unconventional locations throughout the Okanagan Valley. With cooler weather coming (meaning physically distanced events will entail more strategizing to hold indoors as opposed to out) and the pandemic driving more people to stay home to cook, she is turning her attention to her line of spice blends, Edible Adventures by the Paisley Notebook. The self-taught chef imports non-GMO spices from India. She roasts and grinds them for her small-batch blends, recipes for which she developed herself. As her mom taught her, “your food is only as good as your spices.” And her mother should know: the family used to operate a farm-to-table contemporary Indian restaurant called Pappadoms in Kelowna, having moved to the area from Southampton, England in 2008. There’s more to Edible Adventures than the blends’ fragrances and flavours. Through the products, Aman also wants to help decolonize Indian spices and change people’s perceptions of Indian food. Take jars of “curry powder” you find at your nearest chain grocery store, for example. “People think that curry powder is an Indian thing, when it’s in fact a British thing,” Aman says. “The English colonized India for the spice trade. It’s way too yellow. You shouldn’t ever taste the turmeric—there’s way too much. “I want to make Indian spices less intimidating and more fun,” she adds. To that end, Aman has created several different types of blends, which she encourages people to cook with alongside local foods sourced from farmers markets or small producers.

Join us for a delectable meal at our award-winning lakeside restaurant Choose from our fantastic new winter menu oﬀerings, weekly features and our Sunday Roast Dinner Club

Reservations required, to book contact: 250.869.6067 or book on opentable.com 500 Cook Rd, Kelowna, BC

PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS MOST

Servicing Vancouver, Whistler, Okanagan

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Adhai Spice, with fennel, coriander, cumin and a smidge of chili, goes well with West Coast seafood, roasted vegetables and sautéed mushrooms. Rooted in nobility, Royal Spice consists of expensive goods, like black and green cardamom, star anise, mace and peppercorns. Add it to burger mince or to steak. Malabar is a sweet-and-savoury blend inspired by Kerala, a southwestern state on the Arabian Sea. Ingredients such as star anise, cinnamon and fennel make it a good match for veggies, chicken, pork and fish. Edible Adventures also has Chai Baking Spice. It’s meant to be sprinkled into baked goods or atop fruit and yogurt and can be used in syrups for creative cocktails. The spice blends can be ordered via the Paisley Notebook website or through Vancouver venues such as Como Taperia, Legends Haul and Broadway Wine Shop. One per cent of sales is directed to anti-racism organizations. Aman shares suggestions for how to cook with the various blends on her website but avoids being prescriptive. Her “recipes” are not lists with strict measurements but rather doodles with loose guidelines, the hope being that people will get the hang of different tastes and combinations by experimenting. She also encourages people to bring the spices camping or on outdoor adventures with them to lift so-so food to the next level. “Whatever is in your kitchen or camp kit, you can transform it,” Aman says. “Keep on tasting and tweaking and tasting again. I don’t want to give people all the answers; I want to get them cooking. “Use your instinct,” she says. “Use your palate to try to figure out what to do. There are no rules as long as it’s delicious.” On the following pages are two recipes certain to spice up the season.

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Chai-Spiced Sticky Toffee Pudding By Aman Dosanj 5-8 servings

PUDDING:

200 g Medjool dates (pitted) 2 fair-trade black tea bags (steeping in 200 ml hot water) 50 g BC unsalted butter (room temperature) 75 g golden sugar 75 g muscovado brown sugar 2 organic or free-range BC eggs 170 g Anita’s Organic All-Purpose Flour (sifted + more for the pan after greasing) ½ tsp aluminum-free baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp The Paisley Notebook’s Chai Baking Spice A pinch of West Coast sea salt

TOFFEE SAUCE:

125 g BC butter (cubed) 100 g sugar (50 g golden and 50 g brown) 150 ml D Dutchmen Dairy Whipping Cream Method: Pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Boil hot water, and let steep with tea bags for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the dates to a blender, pouring in the tea, minus the tea bags, on top. Leave for 8 to 10 minutes to soften up, and then coarsely blend—it’ll become thick and fudge-y with little gooey bits. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until pale. Crack in one egg at a time, whisking well in

between. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and fold in. Add in the puréed date mix. Sprinkle in the Chai Baking Spice and a pinch of salt. Pour into a greased, oven-proof pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. For the sauce: In a medium-to-large-sized pan, add the sugars and cubed butter. Let the sugars dissolve on medium heat. Carefully bubble until golden brown, making sure it doesn’t burn. Add the cream and swirl—the cream will bubble up, so be careful. Cook until thick and a lush caramel colour. To serve: Divide the re-heated pudding. Pour over the heated toffee sauce. Serve with a local ice cream or gelato of your choice. Garnish with toasted Okanagan nuts (optional) and mint leaves.

High on Chai By Harry Dosanj

2 oz Wiseacre Farm Distillery gin 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ oz The Paisley Notebook Chai Baking Spice Simple Syrup (heat ½ cup organic cane sugar with ½ cup water and ½ tsp The Paisley Notebook’s Chai Baking Spice in a pot until dissolved, leave to cool and keep in the fridge until needed) 3 bar spoons apple maple butter (add one peeled and sliced organic BC apple to a blender with a drizzle of Sugar Moon maple syrup and blend until smooth)

Photo: Jon Adrian

Method: In a cocktail shaker, add the gin, lemon juice, chai simple syrup and apple butter with a lot of ice. Shake well until cold. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. To garnish, sprinkle with The Paisley Notebook’s Chai Baking Spice for a touch more aromatics.

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weekender

Haven Kitchen & Bar

PHOTO BY SPENCER MATTHEWMAN

The Big Reveal Langley has a bit of everything WORDS SUSAN LUNDY

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“We sat outside on the patio overlooking a beautiful stream, bridge, picnic area and distant view of the vines. Bucolic and beautiful.” “Langley? What’s in Langley?” I confess that this—the most common reaction to our recent weekend getaway— echoed my own thoughts. Langley? I’ve seen the exit signs on Highway 1; maybe I’ve stopped there for gas? Well, let’s get this out of the way—what’s in Langley? So much! There’s gorgeous rolling pastoral landscapes in the south; the cute, funky and charming buildings of historical Fort Langley; some of the best wine I’ve tasted; a distillery whose products will knock your socks off; horseback riding; farms; and dazzling dining options, including Haven, a new restaurant that would be equally at home in a chic West Vancouver neighbourhood. In short, Langley was a revelation. The glory of Langley really enveloped me as I rode horseback along a sun-speckled forest path. Lulled by the gentle movement of my ride, the sound of softly clopping hooves and the feel of the warm sun on my shoulders, the world slowed down. Ahead, Joanne Braithwaite, who owns Glen Valley Stables along with her husband Gene Parks, offered riding tips intermingled with stories about their popular trail-riding business. Her knowledge about horses and the area as a whole was astounding, and I would highly recommend this experience to anyone: young, old, familiar with horses or not. As we meandered through the forest, my mind retraced the early stops of our trip so far, including dinner the previous night at Haven Kitchen & Bar. Haven may be located in a nondescript busy roadside location, but step inside or onto the lush patio and be transported to a exceptional culinary experience. Haven describes itself as “modern casual dining with a global, adventurous approach; proudly independent, quirky and probably too loud for your grandma.” And

Trail rides with Glen Valley Stables.

although it just opened in June, it is obviously the place to be, judging by the steady stream of trendy-looking folk arriving at its doors. The menu presented a conundrum of delectablelooking options and we swooned over our choices, which included Japa-Guac + Chips, Miso Truffle Fries, Tempura Coconut Prawns, Saunder’s Fried Chicken Sandwich and the chef ’s specialty, Broiled Char Sui Salmon. Haven is heaven. This morning, prior to the happy meeting with Glen Valley Stables, we visited Fort Langley, savouring our morning eggs in a beautiful, courtyard at Sabà Café and Bistro, and then took a drive through rural Langley, right down to the US border. It was here that, after our trail ride, Langley once again revealed its magic. The family-run Glass House Estate Winery produces hand-selected, single-vineyard, low-yield artisan wine. Their Madeleine Angevine is my new favourite white, and my only regret after tasting a selection of Glass House wines is that you can’t buy the small-batch bottles in liquor stores, just here, on site. (No matter, several bottles ended up in bags in the backseat of our truck.)

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Glass House, so called for its appearance as an over-sized greenhouse, also features a popular restaurant. We sat outside on the patio overlooking a beautiful stream, bridge, picnic area and distant views of the vines. Bucolic and beautiful. If the wine revelation wasn’t enough, our next stop at Roots and Wings Distillery further opened our eyes. The first craft distillery in the Fraser Valley, RAW produces small-batch artisan spirits with a farm-to-table approach, using ingredients grown on their farm. We met distiller Rebekah Crowley, one of the many female producers in the Fraser Valley, who along with her partner, Rob, is building this amazing libations business. We tasted the spirits—many with unique flavour combinations—straight up, and also tried a sampler spread of miniature cocktails. If you go, be sure to check out the absinthe fountain—oh my. (And, yes, several bottles of spirits ended up beside the wine in the truck.) Our day ended with a walk and, later, dinner in Fort Langley. Before finishing up our weekend getaway with a stop at Kensington Prairie Farm—where we fed the alpacas and added a beautiful alpaca wool sweater to our cache of purchases in the truck—we stopped at Tracycakes, an elegant and thoroughly charming bakery and eatery. Here, we drooled over the cases of fancy cupcakes and other treats and collected a pair of Picnic Packs, containing delectably fresh sandwiches, veggies, dip and fancy cookies. These would be enjoyed en route as we headed home—never again unable to answer the question, “What’s in Langley?”

Roots and Wings Distillery

If You Go: tourism-langley.ca havenlangley.com glenvalleystables.com glasshouseestatewinery.com/ rootsandwingsdistillery.ca tracycakesonline.com

Showhome Open Daily 12 - 4, Closed Mondays 9686 Benchland Drive – Lake Country Lakestone Preferred Builder | www.homesbydestination.com 26

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PHOTO BY DANIELLE CAMPANI

Sabà Café and Bistro

Glen Valley Stables

see. The Fort Langley National Historic Site is home of the Hudson Bay Company’s fur trading post, still standing 150 years later. Located along the Fraser River, Fort Langley features a variety of museums, shops, restaurants, art galleries, parks and trails, plus the iconic yellow Community Hall, which is featured in many TV programs and films. With its charming buildings and many points of historical interest, Fort Langley is a must-do on any trip to this area.

do.

Kensington Prairie Farm

eat.

Take a self-guided Circle Farm Tour, where a road map and brochure lead to specialty farmgate vendors, open-air markets, eateries, wineries, heritage sites and more. Our trip included a visit to Kensington Prairie Farm, where farm manager Dee Martens led us on an extremely informative tour of her family’s alpaca operation. In addition to breeding, raising and showing alpacas, the farm also markets and sells high-quality Canadian-made and imported alpaca products from an on-farm boutique and an online store. kensingtonprairie.ca

sleep. We stayed at the Sandman Signature Langley Hotel, just off Highway 1 in Walnut Grove. It has all the amenities—fitness centre, indoor pool and hot tub—and on-site dining at Moxie’s Grill & Bar. But perhaps its best amenity is its location; it offers easy access to historic Fort Langley, located across the highway, as well as the city’s beautiful pastoral areas to the south and the area’s commercial centre. Our king suite was spacious and comfortable, and I was charmed by the option of using “firm” or “soft” pillows. sandmanhotels.com

Don’t miss Sabà Café and Bistro—where the food represents a combination of flavours, colours and memories gleaned from travels around the world—and The Bench Wine Bar, where you can pair your snacks, charcuterie boards and share plates with local cider, beer or wine. We enjoyed both of these Fort Langley eateries immensely. We also checked out a Langley classic, The Hilltop Diner, located for the past 68 years on the edge of the Fraser Highway. The decor, menu and servings hearken back to an earlier time, and the signature dishes include a mountain-sized Hilltop Burger and pies, pies, pies. sabacafeandbistro.ca, thebenchwinebar.ca, hilltopdiner.ca

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Kelowna

•

Kamloops

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Victoria

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Nanaimo • Courtenay

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Campbell River

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Nelson

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in studio … WITH DAVID AND JORDEN DOODY

making conversation

Collaborative husband-and-wife team creates art that speaks WORDS DAVID WYLIE

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PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

avid and Jorden Doody are more than just collaborative artists—they are wife and husband, mother and father, intuition and structure. Their art and relationship are intertwined, a conversation between two artists who create as one. They first met at Kelowna’s Hotel Eldorado in the summer of 2001. Jorden worked at the hotel as a housekeeper. David worked next door at Manteo Resort in parasailing. One momentous night, David went to the Eldorado bar with a friend; Jorden was there at a birthday party. When she walked up to the bar, near where he was sitting, David was paralyzed. “We bumped into each other and had one of those classic love at first sight kind of stories,” said David. “We fell madly in love and within a month moved into an apartment that had very little furniture, and we lived on the floor.” Neither had intended to stay long in Kelowna. “We had both returned from elsewhere, being young ages of 19 and 20, and coming back to our hometown where our family was,” said Jorden. The couple gelled and only a few months later planned to move to the Grand Caymans together. Two days before their flight on September 13, 2001, planes were grounded and delayed after the 9/11 attack in New York City. Not long after, while still in Canada, they discovered they were going to have a baby. That was 20 years ago. Now just entering their 40s, they’re still deeply invested and deeply passionate about their relationship. “I don’t know if anybody else could do what we do if they weren’t madly in love with each other,” said Jorden.

The couple has always tried to work at the same place so they can spend all their time together. “Art seems to be the language that we end up speaking with each other. So we make these crazy installations that really only we get because it’s a conversation between the two of us,” said David. Still, they strive to make art that’s also accessible to those outside of their relationship. Using their different yet complementary styles, they add depth to their work. “A lot of people find our work interesting because it is not just a conversation between one artist and the material at hand, with the viewer seeing the work afterwards. Our work is really a conversation between two separate artists [expressed] in the work itself. So there’s already a conversation that’s happening before it gets presented,” said David. Added Jorden: “You can feel that there’s a masculine and a feminine perspective intertwined a lot of the time, depending on the work.” Some of their pieces are developed over months, as the artists converse through their individual styles. Jorden has worked frequently in costuming and is comfortable with a variety of fabrics and materials to create touch and tactility. She’s free-flowing, creative and intuitive. David’s energy gravitates to planning, architecture and space. He teaches sculpture and painting at UBC. Together, they create art that’s worth venturing out to the gallery to see in person: tactile, textured, large-scale, exciting. “The scope of our work is often larger than life. There’s a real kind of presence—you can feel it,” said David. “In order to get that experience, we really need to go big before we go home.” boulevardmagazines.com |

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Together, they create art that’s worth venturing out to the gallery to see in person: tactile, textured, large-scale, exciting.

While raising their children, the couple took the unorthodox path of attending art school, first at UBC in Kelowna, then Capilano University in Vancouver, and then on to Montreal—where David did his master’s degree at Concordia. The family immersed itself—including the kids— in the vibrant arts scene. “It set the bar pretty high,” said Jorden. They moved back to Kelowna three years ago, and Jorden has since completed her master’s degree at UBC. Still, they maintain a studio in “la belle province.” “We’ve been in art school for 12 years,” said David with a laugh. In fact, they were the first collaborative team to graduate as a unit from UBC nearly a decade ago. Having the influence of children around has also led to a playful feeling, as displayed in recent installations in the Okanagan. In Kelowna, I Must Be Streaming—exhibited at Kelowna Art Gal-

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lery until November 1— is a spacious, colourful display that incorporates a digital-age feel. In Vernon, Electric Sleep is a sculptural installation that uses re-purposed objects with sculptural elements juxtaposed with screen culture. It can be seen at the Vernon Public Art Gallery until December 22. David has also been behind a mural project in Kelowna’s Rutland area that will add a dozen public art pieces by artists from all over Canada, and locally, by the end of the year. “We’re injecting a lot of energy into the local art scene where we grew up,” said David. The Doodys describe their work as optimistic—even if it is touching on darker topics. They don’t want people to feel confronted by the work, but rather be invited into it. Their current work responds to the juxtaposition of staying grounded in the physical world while also existing in a digital

realm. It’s a theme that hits home—although the couple grew up in a world where social media was not part of high-school life, their children have a different experience. Their kids are now 18 and 15 years old, and have both found their own creative niches. Their elder offspring works in creative writing and poetry, as well as game design. Their younger child paints murals and helps with installations. “Our kids have really had this super-cool opportunity to grow up in a studio environment with some of Canada’s best and most creative minds,” said David, adding they’ve spent time with poets, singers, designers and philosophers. “Art and our relationship is a real reflection of our belief that it’s worth doing it, and it’s worth doing it well—whether that means having a relationship and being married, raising our kids, making a painting or making a sculpture. We believe that it’s valuable and it’s worth putting all of our life and energy into it. And we really do go all the way,” said David. “Fully invested,” added Jorden. Check out their art at twoartists.net.

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hot properties

quick facts: Design time: 7 months Build time: 24 months Square feet: 5,000 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 4 Notable features: Raw steel staircase, concrete panel wall with Bocci lights, dog spa, guest suite with living room and wet bar, custom headboard, threesided gas fireplace.

Sleek, modern, minimalist and… gone to the dogs Magical living in the Lovig “wolf den” WORDS VALAURA JONES PHOTOGRAPHY COLIN JEWALL AND LIA CROWE

ew people could stand on a former gravel lot site and declare that the rough, bare land is an ideal location to build a dream home. The land may border some of Kelowna’s most beloved agri-tourism businesses, but a defunct gravel yard still has the bleak feeling of a dog run. Then again, not many people are building a minimalist dream home designed for wolves.

COLIN JEWALL PHOTO

LIA CROWE PHOTO

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Like a modern art museum, the house is restrained, with fewer pieces that offer maximum impact.

kitchen & bath fixtures

Philanthropist, runner and lawyer Christy Lovig and her firefighting husband Trent have always wanted to build a home, but finding the perfect property was proving difficult. Through her office, Christy learned that an industrial site in Southeast Kelowna was being subdivided. The property would need a lot of work, but it boasted lake views and three acres of land. It seemed perfect for Trent’s farming endeavours and would provide room for the couple’s timber wolf-husky cross dogs to roam. “The dogs are present in so much of the design,” explains Christy. “As we were in this process, we lost my old girl, Kona. The master bedroom in our old house was on the second floor, and in her later years, we had to carry her up and down the stairs. That experience inspired the main-floor living in this house.” With help from the Begrand Fast Design team’s talents, the canine-friendly touches don’t stop at the floor plan. The heated concrete floors stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter while remaining perfectly suited to muddy paws and the wear and tear of claws. Located off of the kitchen, the dogs have a sort of dedicated dining room of their own, with careful thought going into the placement of their dishes. An electronic dog door grants the furry family members access to their own dedicated space, complete with a “dog spa” shower.

inspiration lives here WEST KELOWNA

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COLIN JEWALL PHOTO

For the family’s human members, a light-filled open floor plan offers lake views from every room in the house. The modern, minimalist design uses raw materials and thoughtful touches that keep the space joyful rather than cold. “Trent really loves plants indoors and bringing them into the interior, and I do as well. It softens and makes the space feel alive,” says Nicole Begrand-Fast, principal of Begrand Fast Design. “Green became a bit of a neutral colour, and the green swivel chair in front of the fireplace is Trent’s chair.” Like a modern art museum, the house is restrained, with fewer pieces that offer maximum impact. With so little noise, each element and detail can command attention. An 11foot, live-edge sequoia slab table, crafted by Eternal Timber Design, stands beneath a Vibia light fixture that is stunningly dramatic in both its scale and simplicity. Emerging like a constellation, Bocci lights are dotted across concrete panels, illuminating a magnificent raw steel staircase that was welded on-site. A QLOCKTWO word clock holds pride of place in the

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kitchen. A lacquer and wood appliance wall conceals all the day-to-day tools, while a walk-in butler’s pantry around the corner has plenty of storage space for ingredients. The double islands with matte-quartz countertops and stainless steel toe kicks allow the views to take centre stage. A generous second-floor guest suite includes a private living area, wet bar, walk-in closet and en suite. Houseguests also have the best views of Trent’s reclamation “dogscaping,” including a burgeoning tree farm, blueberry and nut groves, and a vegetable garden. What the home may lack in individual decor pieces and knickknacks is more than made up for by infusions of colour. “I love the splash of bright rainbow colours, and I love stripes,” Christy smiles. “I fully acknowledge that I lean towards things being too plain sometimes. I need to be brought out of that more, and Nicole is great at making sure that I’m not too industrial or institutional. I just love it. That bright colour makes me really happy.”

LIA CROWE PHOTO

The vibrant, striped Paul Smith area rug in the living room was a crucial piece in the design inspiration throughout the house, as was the hot pink Freedom chair in Christy’s second-floor office, and artwork in the gym. When you think of a wolf den, this modern home isn’t what springs to mind. But tell that to the wolf hybrids lying in front of the fireplace on the concrete floor in the morning, as their humans drink coffee and watch the colours change with the rising sun. They seem right at home. As Christy says, “Where we are, the dogs are.”

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NOTABLE SUPPLIERS:

Okanagan Planning Solutions (home designer) Wilson & Company (builder) Begrand Fast Design (interior design)

2341 Bering Rd., West Kelowna • cityfurniturecanada.com • 250-768-2224

business class

For Your Eyes Only The Vaults: sexy as a spy movie

WORDS TOBY TANNAS

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PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

It’s not just car collectors that purchase units. You’ll find everything from art to scotch collections in The Vaults.

f you want to maintain passion for your life’s work, make it a sexy project. That’s the advice from Kelowna’s Joe Mahovlich, founder of The Vaults. Joe is tapping into the high-end storage-condominium market with a concept that’s been done before—but never quite like this. His concept is a mesh between storage and lifestyle. Each bay in The Vaults—located in Kelowna at the Airport Business Park—has space for cars, boats, RVs and also a mezzanine level for an office, entertaining or just relaxing among your toys. What sets The Vaults apart from the competition, according to Joe, is the unprecedented level of security and style. “A fence doesn’t offer enough protection or privacy for this type of project. At The Vaults, the building ‘is’ the fence. Instead of a six-foot fence, we’ve got a 28-foot concrete wall as a barrier.” With clients storing their prized possessions inside The Vaults, Joe knew security had to be at the top of the necessity list. “We’ve got a concrete and steel building with a giant, fully-enclosed overhead door. It opens with a coded transmitter and closes behind you. You can drive to your unit with complete privacy and anonymity.” Almost as important to Joe is the design and style of the project. The Vaults caters to an exclusive clientele and the exterior needed to reflect that. “When you pull up to one of our buildings at night, they’re dark grey with black and all you see is this glowing 20-foot glass overhead door. It just looks amazing.” If you’re thinking James Bond, so was Joe when he put pen to paper to design the first and now flagship location in Calgary. “I love the spy movies,” he chuckles. “There’s always a

CANNABIS [ L I C E N C E D R E TA I L E R S ]

Vernon 102-2500 53 Avenue 236-426-2230 Kelowna 1B-1455 Harvey Avenue 236-420-5885 West Kelowna 104-1195 Industrial Road 778-755-4700 Penticton 102-2695 Skaha Lake Road 778-476-8484 – spiritleaf.ca – Only individuals 19 Years of age or older are allowed on the premises and ID is checked.

At Hannah Katey Interior Design, we believe in creativity, function, collaboration, and excellent results. Let us lead the way to ensure your ideals are thoughtfully executed down to every last detail. Book a consultation today! Renovations // New Builds // Commercial

Photography: Savannah Bagshaw Contractor: Marvel Pro Contracting

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common thread. They pull into a warehouse where they have their cars, but also an area where they can lounge. There’s a bar to have a drink and a kitchenette to entertain.” Each private bay at The Vaults is completely customizable. Ranging from 1,600 to about 5,000 square feet, the sky is the limit when it comes to design. It’s not just car collectors that purchase units. You’ll find everything from art to scotch collections in The Vaults. “These are spectacular units. We’re very intimately involved with the design of the bays. It turns into such a deep relationship with our clients. We’ve made a lot of great friends in the process and now we have great ambassadors.” Satisfied customers are what you need when your plans are as grand as Joe’s. With two locations already up, running and sold out, he’s ready to take The Vaults across the country and the continent. “We would like to get to the point where we’re doing three to five starts a year. That’s very achievable as long as we set how the construction is being done.” Joe describes Calgary as the working model. It’s got the 46-bay flagship location, complete with clubhouse and wash facility, in the north. A second location in south Calgary is coming soon. For Joe, location is just as important to the business model as security and design. “Our goal is always to be 20 minutes to the downtown core. We never go on the outskirts of a city, we want to be in an architecturally controlled newer area so that our building, that looks great, is around other buildings that look really good.” The next project will bring Joe back to his roots. Born and raised in Vernon, he’s excited about breaking ground on The Vaults Vernon before the end of the year.

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“The Kelowna project sold out in 14 months, so we know there’s a demand here.” The Vernon project incorporates a new business avenue. The sixacre site in the heart of the city will include a second set of buildings called The Commerce. Same design, same quality, same dimensions as The Vaults, but designed specifically for small business. “There is a demand for smaller bays. Warehouse space is often out of reach for smaller businesses—either financially or the space is just too big. This really fills a gap in the market,” says Joe. “If we want to see our cities evolve, you need businesses to be able to come in and support the growth.” Joe’s family now calls Kelowna home. Each of his three children plays hockey; they ski and golf and fully embrace the Okanagan lifestyle. Joe has embraced his creative side with The Vaults, constantly working to make a great concept even better. “We’re still tweaking, still learning. After 65 units, we’re making it way more efficient from a building standpoint.” As he looks back at the past few years, it can be a bit heady for Joe: a university science major turned developer turned visionary. What started as a search for an office/storage space for his own use turned into a career and perhaps more importantly a passion project. “I’m really excited to build these things because each one is different. We’re doing it different and better than anyone else in North America,” he says with pride. “It’s a very sexy project.” There’s that word again! It definitely gets your attention, just like The Vaults themselves: the mysterious buildings with the glowing doors that leave you longing to be a part of the beautiful world locked away inside. For more information on The Vaults visit thevaults.ca.

fashion

RAINBOW Daydream Change the mood, enliven the conversation, elaborate with playfulness. Colour your world this winter in bold fashion that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shy away from showing up. STYLING JEN EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

Odette Dress by Ulla Johnson, $855, brown Bex Boot by Shoe the Bear, $270, both from Bernstein & Gold; walnut Pulse belt bag by Hobo, $178, from Cardino Shoes; yellow woven pouch by Lusher Co., $227, from lusher.co; fancy mask by Collina Strada x Tomihiro Kono, $200 USD, konomad.com

Brooches ($50$75 each) by Maria Curcic Millinery from mariacurcic.com; tank dress, $7, orange quilted Lululemon jacket, $150, both from Turnabout Luxury; Face-up accessories by Jen Clark @thevioletyard.

Green camisole by Laurel, $350, green forest flower blouse by InWear, $139, Carlota pant by judith & charles, $450, all from Hughes Clothing; green turban, $50, by Maria Curcic Millinery from mariacurcic.com; green woven pouch, $220, by Lusher Co. from Bernstein & Gold.

Feel Good sweater by Brax, $248, Brown Sugar down jacket by Part Two, $199, Suzy Skirt by des petits hauts, $195, all from Bagheera; woven belt by Ralph Lauren, $22, white sunglasses by Carrera, $170, yellow leather purse, $90, all from Turnabout Luxury; Vici Shoe by Minx, $210, from Cardino Shoes.

Papaya mohair sweater by Nile, $179, Joni blouse by Ulla Johnson, $308, high-waisted pant by Smythe, $395, all from Bernstein & Gold; Pink Always woven shoulder bag, $387, and Pink Movement duffle bag, $473, both by Lusher Co. from lusher.co; Suamy 2 Boots by David Tyler, $275, from Cardino Shoes; Red Circles sculpted headpiece, $155, by Maria Curcic Millinery from Mariacurcic.com.

Dragonfly necklace in yellow gold, $12,995, quartz and yellow gold ring, $5,995, both from Idar; Smythe blazer, $330, Babaton dress, $50, both from Turnabout Luxury; green Victoria Bucket bag, $353, by Lusher Co from lusher.co; Faceup accessories by Jen Clark @thevioletyard

Makeup and hair: Jen Clark Model: Lola Calder Williams Photo assistant: Blair Hansen Mural seen on page 45 by Shawn Shepherd, mural seen on page 49 by Diamant

LIGHTING

PLANTS

ACCENTS

DISPLAY

METALS

Heart of the Home Cosy kitchens with soul WORDS JEN EVANS

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X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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WINDOW TREATMENTS

hese days, the kitchen is the most lived in and central room in the home. It’s where we tend to spend the most time and where everyone naturally gathers. The kitchen is not the utilitarian space it used to be and it’s become the number one room to renovate when adding value to your home. But so many kitchens are cookie-cutter designs, and lack personality, often leaving the space feeling cold. Since we spend so much time in our kitchen, it should have soul! And this is exactly why you should look to the living room when you want to create a cosy, inviting, character-filled kitchen. When I’m styling or designing a kitchen, I do my best to make it feel personal, curated, loved, lived in and more like the living room because, after all, the kitchen is the true heart of the home. Here are my 10 tips for creating a cosy kitchen:

ART & MIRRORS

LIGHTING

VINTAGE

TEXTILES

ACCENTS

PLANTS

Add decorative objects, unconventional decor and/or personal items from your travels to make your kitchen feel intimate. This could include a few one-of-a-kind accents like a beautiful candleholder, sculpture, woven basket or handmade pottery; it can change your kitchen from feeling utilitarian to curated and lived in.

ART

PAINT

Take art and mirrors from around your house and move them into your kitchen. Art and mirrors belong in kitchens just as much as they belong in living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms. Use a few pieces to create a focal point such as an art wall, or lean them against your counter. They’ll infuse much-needed texture, visual depth and personality to your new favourite room.

PAINT

TEXTILES

Switch from white to a dark, warm paint colour for your cabinets, walls or backsplash. Farrow and Ball’s Black Blue and Inchyra Blue (used on my cabinets and pantry backsplash) are warm and inviting options that will add a deep sense of warmth and cosiness to any kitchen.

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Since we spend so much time in our kitchen, it should have soul! And this is exactly why you should look to the living room when you want to create a cosy, inviting, characterfilled kitchen.

True lake lifestyle. At your leisure. 1370 Water Street 250.762.3310 kelownayachtclub.com

METALS

Create inviting kitchens by adding warm metals such as copper, bronze, brass and gold. Updating your lighting, faucets, knobs and accessories to a warm or tarnished metal is an easy way to balance out those slick and cold stainless appliances.

VANCOUVER’S IDEAL DOWNTOWN DESTINATION

VINTAGE

Mix vintage and new, handmade with machine-made to give a homey, lived-in feeling. There’s often a sense of nostalgia associated with a space that’s mixed with vintage and repurposed pieces, especially when added to a kitchen that can often feel sterile and impersonal. Choose anything that speaks to you and showcases your own personal style: from heirloom figurines to vintage bakeware and kitschy finds (like my llama figure) to handmade pottery. Adding personality adds warmth.

TEXTILES

Adding warm, colourful textiles ups the cosy factor in any kitchen. Incorporating woven rugs and runners to your space adds comfort and visual interest. Buy a plush linen or waffle tea towel to add texture for a multi-dimensional space that feels cosy and layered, or place a sheepskin on a kitchen stool or bench to hearken to that sense of cosy contentment associated with hygge (a Danish word describing a mood of cosiness combined with feelings of wellness and contentment).

PLANTS

Natural materials bring an authenticity and earthiness to kitchens. Add organic elements such as plants, branches and dried flowers (hydrangeas, palm leaves, pampas grass, ruscus and bunny tail grass). Plant life and organic decor will balance out all hard lines in the kitchen and make a space feel more earthy and soft.

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LIGHTING

Overhead, high voltage lighting can feel harsh and clinical. Add extra lower-level and indirect lighting such as wall sconces or even a plug-in lamp to your counter or kitchen island for a soft warm glow. Switch out your metal and glass pendant for a fabric or woven basket light to add a natural, warm eclectic feel.

WINDOW TREATMENTS

Window treatments are often overlooked in kitchens. Roman shades bring a softness and charm that’s great for any style of kitchen, and have the added value of creating privacy. Adding a woven wood or bamboo shade to your kitchen effortlessly adds character and warmth. A patterned fabric shade can really elevate your windows and add a hit of personality to boot.

DISPLAY

Display—don’t put everything away. While most newly built kitchens attempt to hide everything away, this can create a cookie-cutter, stale vibe. Hanging pots and pans overhead can be efficient and stylish. Creating a pantry with display jars of bulk items, “decorating” with canisters of utensils, wooden cutting boards and bowls of produce will give your kitchen a level of visual depth, while creating a sense of home. This season, whether you’re cooking, socializing or simply going about your daily routine, grab some candles from your living room and light them in your kitchen...the simple act of lighting a few candles could make a huge difference in creating a kitchen that feels cosy, warm and inviting.

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food and feast

for the love of

Latkes Three ways to enjoy this classic Hanukkah treat WORDS ELLIE SHORTT

PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

When you hear the word “latke” what comes to mind? For many it’s some sort of potato pancake, perhaps the base of a funky benny at a hip brunch spot or it might be just an awkwardly spelled word that provides potential ambiguity in pronunciation (I personally say lat-kah, not lat-kee for the record). For me, what comes immediately to mind is the playful glow of candlelight dancing on the walls, and the smell of hot oil lingering in the house. It’s a timeless swirl of sweet, savoury and creamy, as applesauce, sour cream and crispy-fried potatoes layer together in each perfect bite. It’s also family time, deep-belly laugher, festive songs and sore thumbs from spinning dreidels for hours. boulevardmagazines.com |

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Truly, Hanukkah touches all senses, the most important of all, a special feeling of nostalgia in my heart. I’m transported to a vision of my brothers and me in a sort of family assembly line of peeling, grating and mixing, ski-goggles on to help diminish the teary effects of chopping through pounds of onions. The windows are all wide open in a feeble attempt to diminish that inevitable oily smog, all of us bundled in sweaters and jackets as the cool December air filters in. It’s funny how a humble potato pancake can conjure up so many memories, so much emotion and so much sensory association. But perhaps that’s the beauty of classic comforts and nostalgic nosh—it’s often less about the food itself and more so how it makes one feel and what it represents. Originating in Eastern Europe sometime around the Middle Ages, the word latke gets its start (via Yiddish) from the East Slavic word oladka, a diminutive from oladya, or “small pancake,” and that Slavic word is derived from the ancient Greek diminutive of “olive oil” or “oily substance.” The use of potatoes and onion is obvious—two classic ingredients in Eastern European cuisine —but what’s the obsession over all the oil? Well, in short, Hanukkah celebrates the victory of a small group of Jewish rebels over an oppressive Seleucid monarchy, and commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Once the temple was rededicated, the Jewish people were eager to relight their ritual candelabrum, called a menorah, but only had one day’s worth of oil. This small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days, which is the reason Jewish people light the special Hanukkah menorah (hanukkiah) for eight days. Jewish people also honour the miracle of the oil by eating oily foods, including of course, latkes. So these unassuming little latkes really represent triumph over evil, freedom from op-

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pression, hope and salvation, and unexpected miracles—things we could all sink our teeth into these days especially. I always make a batch of latkes on the first night of Hanukkah. As a pragmatic adult with a heavy reliance on kitchen tools, I use the grating function on my food processor for both the potatoes and the onions, thus saving time and diminishing the need for the ski-goggle fashion statement of my youth. Windows are still wide open of course (because that oily aroma is intense and unavoidable), but I also implement hood vents, essential oil diffusions and an air purifier to expedite the de-odourizing process. With an adventurous palate and unquenchable desire to experiment with as many alternative ingredients as possible (or, more accurately, what just so happens to be in my fridge at the time), I also often deviate from the tried-and-true potato-only approach. Root veggies, colourful tubers, leafy greens—I’ve found great delight in exploring the many ways to make a savoury pancake, still drawing upon the basics of grated, egg-mixed and flour-bound patties, although my choice of flour varies significantly. Yes, cultural and nostalgic customs still live strong in our household around Hanukkah, but the evolution of that traditional base is ever-expanding. So today, I share three of my favourite iterations of the latke—a Moroccan-inspired, spiced-root vegetable option for the more adventurous; a green-goodness and low-starch take for the health-focused; and a classic, simple and winning recipe of the basic potato latke for the traditionalists. Try the one that resonates with you the most, or perhaps all three for a fun and festive latke party and see how this once seemingly insignificant little fritter conjures up whole new meanings and sensory associations next time you hear the word latke.

So these unassuming little latkes really represent triumph over evil, freedom from oppression, hope and salvation, and unexpected miracles— things we could all sink our teeth into these days especially.

Latkes are served here with Avalon Dairy organic sour cream, smoked salmon and dill.

FOR THE TRADITIONALIST:

Classic Potato Latkes

Makes about 12 large or 24 small latkes

Ingredients 3 lb. russet potatoes (about 4–6 large/medium) 1 lb. onions (about 2 medium) ¼ cup flour (I usually just use all-purpose, but breadcrumbs also work well) 2 tsp baking powder 2-3 tsp sea salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 3 large eggs Oil as needed (I like to use olive oil for this recipe) Directions Preheat your oven to 325 F and top a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Lay out some thick layers of paper towel on another baking sheet or even your kitchen counter near your stovetop. Peel the potatoes and onions, and using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate the potatoes and onions. *Option: if you want your latkes to be extra crispy, transfer the grated potatoes and onion to a large kitchen towel, gather the ends of the towel, twist over your sink and squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible before transferring to a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper and eggs until smooth. Add the potato-onion mixture and mix until well coated (the latke mixture should be wet and thick, but not soupy. You can also mix in another egg if you’re finding it too dry). In a large frying pan, heat 2 to 4 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into the pan—if the oil sizzles around the edges, it’s ready (do not let the oil smoke though). Working in batches and adding more oil to the skillet as needed to maintain about 1/8 inch of oil, drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly (if the mixture becomes watery between batches, mix to incorporate, but do not drain at this point). Cook the latkes until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side (if you’re noticing small pieces of latke mixture floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain or wipe out). Transfer the latkes to the paper towel to drain, and then transfer them to the prepared wire rack. Place the wire-racktopped baking sheet with latkes in the oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking the remaining latkes. boulevardmagazines.com |

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FOR THE HEALTH NUT: Kale and Zucchini Latkes Makes about 24 latkes

Ingredients 2 lb. zucchini (about 2 medium) 1 lb. kale (about 1 big bunch) 1 lb. onions (about 2 medium) Â˝ cup flour (I like to use almond flour for this recipe) 2 tsp baking powder 2-3 tsp sea salt Âź tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp fresh chives, minced 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced 3 large eggs Oil as needed (I like to use avocado oil for this recipe) Directions Preheat your oven to 325 F and top a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Lay out some thick layers of paper towel on another baking sheet or even your kitchen counter near your stovetop. Peel the onions, trim the zucchini and trim/finely chop the kale. Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate the zucchini and onions. *Option: if you want your latkes to be extra crispy, transfer the grated kale, zucchini and onion to a large kitchen towel, gather the ends of the towel, twist over your sink, and squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible before transferring to a bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper and eggs until smooth. Add the veggie-onion mixture as well as the diced herbs, and mix until well coated (the latke mixture should be wet and thick, but

Latkes are served here with chopped chives and a creamy avocado-chive whip.

not soupy. You can also mix in another egg if you’re finding it too dry). In a large frying pan, heat 2 to 4 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into the pan—if the oil sizzles around the edges, it’s ready (do not let the oil smoke, though). Working in batches and adding more oil to the skillet as needed to maintain about 1/8 inch of oil, drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly. Cook the latkes until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side (if you’re noticing small pieces of veggie floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain or wipe out). Transfer the latkes to the paper towel to drain, and then transfer them to the prepared wire rack. Place the wire-rack-topped baking sheet with latkes in the oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking the remaining latkes.

Creamy Avocado Chive Whip Ingredients 1 ripe avocado 1 Tbsp fresh chives, diced ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper Water as needed (about 2 Tbsp) Directions In a small blender, combine all the ingredients, including 1 Tbsp of water, and blend until smooth. Continue to add water as needed until light and creamy (like the texture of sour cream or yogurt).

FOR THE ADVENTURIST: Spiced Root Veggies Latkes Makes about 12 large or 24 small latkes Ingredients 1 lb. yam or sweet potato (about 1 medium) 1 lb. carrot (about 2 large/medium) 1 lb. parsnip (about 2 large/medium) 1 lb. onions (about 2 medium) ¼ cup flour (I like to use coconut flour for this recipe) 2 tsp baking powder 2-3 tsp sea salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp ginger ¼ tsp allspice 4 large eggs Oil as needed (I like to use coconut oil for this recipe)

Latkes are served here with Tree Island Greek Yogurt and cinnamon-spiced applesauce, and topped with thyme and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

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Directions Preheat your oven to 325 F and top a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Lay out some thick layers of paper towel on another baking sheet or even your kitchen counter near your stovetop. Peel sweet potato/yam, carrot, parsnip and onions, and using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate sweet potato/yam, carrot, parsnip and onions. *Note: you definitely do not have to strain the vegetables in this recipe as they’re more dry than the other options (plus the coconut flour is more absorbent if you’re using that as a flour). In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper, spices and eggs until smooth. Add the veggie-onion mixture, and mix until well coated (the latke mixture should be wet and thick, but not soupy. You can also mix in another egg if you’re finding it too dry). In a large frying pan, heat 2-4 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into the pan—if the oil sizzles around the edges, it’s ready (do not let the oil smoke, though). Working in batches and adding more oil to the skillet as needed to maintain about 1/8 inch of oil, drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly. Cook the latkes until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side (if you’re noticing small pieces of latke mixture floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain or wipe out). Transfer the latkes to the paper towel to drain, and then transfer them to the prepared wire rack. Place the wire-rack-topped baking sheet with latkes in the oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking the remaining latkes.

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travel

PHOTO BY GEORGE TURNER

WILD CHURCHILL Up close with polar bears BY SUZANNE MORPHET

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100% Lake Country 100% Estate Grown on, 100+ ACRES

e’re casually watching a pair of frisky Arctic foxes playing on the shoreline of Hudson Bay when our guide arrives with welcome news. A polar bear has been spotted. It’s half a kilometre away and heading straight for us. It’s hard to pick a white bear out of a white background— especially when your heart is hammering—but now I see him, striding confidently towards us over the tidal flat on big, furry feet. The foxes scatter from his path as we take up positions along the big picture windows of our lodge, cameras ready. For this bear—our first—I’m glad we’re inside. But for the next three days we’ll go on long walks on the tundra, looking for more of the largest land carnivores on the planet. I first heard about polar bear safaris at Seal River Heritage Lodge from a friend who was visiting from Belgium. Aline was on a month-long tour of some of Canada’s most magnificent places and when she arrived in British Columbia—her last stop—all she could talk about was walking with polar bears in Manitoba. And these were not bears behind bars in the Winnipeg zoo, but bears in the wild. At an eco-lodge on the shore of Hudson Bay. Off the grid and perhaps—I wondered—for people a little off their rockers. But crazy as it seemed, after hearing about Aline’s remarkable experience, I knew I had to go. It’s a 30-minute flight from Churchill to the private airstrip at Seal River Heritage Lodge. After settling into our comfortable rooms and lunching in the sunny dining room overlooking Hudson Bay, we gather in the lounge to learn more about what’s in store in the days ahead. “We won’t walk straight up to a bear,” says Andy McPherson, the lead guide, explaining that we’ll trek in tight single file and approach a bear slowly, “showing him how big we are.” “We want to be one visual presence,” he adds. In 26 years of offering walking safaris, guides with Churchill Wild—the company that owns this lodge and three others on this coast—have never had to shoot a bear. Instead, if one comes too close, they’ll talk loudly to it, “like I’m talking to a dog,” says Andy, or throw stones at it. “Bangers” and “screamers,” noisy deterrents that are commonly used in the town of Churchill, are rarely used here. The next morning the temperature has plummeted to minus 10 C and we gather outside dressed in puffy parkas and big boots. (I leave behind my favourite sealskin toque after learning that polar bears have a wicked sense of smell and seals are their favourite food.)

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PHOTO BY IAN JOHNSON, COURTESY CHURCHILL WILD

It’s hard to pick a white bear out of a white background— especially when your heart is hammering—but now I see him, striding confidently towards us over the tidal flat on big, furry feet. 66

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We number 15—seven Americans, three Aussies, a couple Israelis, two Brits and me—the lone Canadian. Interestingly, two women left their husbands at home and are here with their adult sons. Crunching through the snow, we follow Andy, while two other guides bring up the rear. All three carry rifles while the rest of us are armed only with cameras and a taste for adventure. It’s not by chance that Churchill Wild picked this stretch of Hudson Bay coastline for eco-tourism. It’s where the boreal forest meets the Arctic tundra and it’s rich with wildlife. Not only does it boast the largest concentration of polar bears in the world, but grizzlies and black bears are here too, along with moose and caribou. In the summer, thousands of beluga whales congregate in the Seal River estuary. In early November, when we arrive, polar bears are patiently waiting for ice to form on the bay so they can go offshore to hunt seals. Our first few walks on the tundra are bear-free. But there’s much else to savour: the dramatic black and white world of boulders and snow; or the hazy blue light on the bay one morning, illuminating the ice that formed overnight. Ptarmigans and Arctic hares hiding in plain sight simply by standing still. Eyelashes trimmed with frost after an exhilarating walk. In fact, there’s so much to observe that one morning when Andy tells us to keep an eye on the grassy ridges near the shoreline, I ask what we’re looking for.

ARA & TOBY B E AC H M O R N I N G S

“Polar bears,” he replies. Oh, right. Of course, we enjoy our time inside the lodge as well, especially appetizers and wine in front of a roaring fire each evening. Meals are at family-sized tables with big helpings of comfort food, including wildly harvested meat and fish. After dinner, we’re treated to lectures about all things polar bear. Did you know that female bears experience something called “delayed implantation?” They mate in the spring, but fertilized eggs aren’t implanted until the fall, and only if the bear is healthy enough to support cubs through a long winter, much of it without food. Andy believes the bear population is doing well, despite climate change. “They’ve lived through warmer periods and survived,” he says. “They’re exceptionally intelligent animals.” On our final morning walk, we spot a bear and her cub bedded down in a nest of seaweed. At about 70 metres away, Andy motions us to stop and watch. When the bears finish napping, they completely ignore us. They stretch, they yawn and they scratch their chins in what appears to be boredom, the same way a person would. “Researchers will say you’re anthropomorphizing,” says Andy, who has been guiding here for the past 14 years, “but spending the time we do with them, you can’t help but see it.” On our last night, I’m watching foxes playing outside the window when someone yells “bear!” A mother and two cubs are approaching. When they get as close as they can (an electric fence is between them and the window) they peer up at us, as harmless-looking as teddy bears, and just as adorable. Then, off they walk into the snowy night, pausing once to look back, as if to say, “thanks for visiting.” Good-bye, bears. We wish you all the best. For dates and rates see churchillwild.com

PHOTO BY GEORGE TURNER

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secrets and lives —

AND THE 7 SINS with JENI PRIEST

n 2016, Jeni Priest moved from Calgary to Kelowna with her husband and son, uprooting her design business after more than 20 years. Starting fresh in a new community was just as daunting as it was exciting, but she quickly fell in love with the Okanagan climate and culture. “My husband’s from Kelowna and always wanted to move back,” says Jeni. “He sold me on the lifestyle, and now I know why!” She adds: “The beauty of the Okanagan, you just can’t get it anywhere else. From the weather to the water, to these mountains and vineyards, you get all of your favourite travel spots in one place. It kind of makes me feel like I’m always on vacation.” For the keen-eyed designer, who’s dabbled in painting and art her whole life, it also provides some spectacular inspiration. “I do landscapes, and I also like to dabble in charcoal,” she says. “It’s a little nod to my family history, and something that I connect to. I think what’s cool about art, or any creative realm, is that you have to get over the fear of making a mistake...Sometimes it turns out amazing, and it goes in a direction you never expected.” The same is true of design, and with Jeni’s newest design-in-a-box venture, she’s helping clients find that “something amazing,” at a fraction of the cost. “My business partner Carla and I came together with this idea; not everybody can afford an interior design firm, but everyone still wants a really great space.”

MAKEUP BY KATHRYN RAMSAY

WORDS ANGELA COWAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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“I think what’s cool about art, or any creative realm, is that you have to get over the fear of making a mistake... Sometimes it turns out amazing, and it goes in a direction you never expected.” Full of tangible samples, the design boxes come in nine different styles, and include options for everything from paint and wallpaper, to flooring, faucets and fixtures. “You can mix and match them, and they all go together, so you can’t make a mistake,” says Jeni. “And all our suppliers are Canadian, and the products are available across the country, so it doesn’t matter where you are. We wanted to make it accessible to everybody.”

WRATH:

Pet peeves? My husband’s jacket, and it not finding its way to the closet. Love you, babe!

SLOTH:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing? A cosy mountain cottage with a wood-burning fire, a great book, soft fuzzy socks, cable-knit blanket and a glass of my favourite red wine. (Hopefully with a stocked fridge and pantry because I’m staying put for at least a month.)

PRIDE:

The 7 Sins ENVY:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in? Nobody’s, really. I like walking in my own shoes. Making my own choices and creating my own opportunities. Everyone has successes and everyone also makes mistakes at times, or has a heavy load to carry. I’m inherently curious—I hope I always learn from watching others—but envious? No. They have their stuff and I have mine. It’s up to me to decide what I do with my “one wild and precious life.”

GLUTTONY:

What is the food you could eat over and over again? Popcorn. Homemade, with butter and my salt intake for the day.

GREED:

You’re given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on? Grab my people, rent a yacht and tour Italy’s Amalfi coast with dinner at the stunning cave restaurant Grotto Palazzese. Repeat daily, working our way through their tasting menus, until we run out of money and have to hitchhike all the way home!

What is the one thing you’re secretly proud of ? I’m really proud of my grandfather Ernst Reithman’s grit and determination. He’s also my inspiration. As a young man, he sailed from Switzerland with his wife and daughter to emigrate to Canada. It was a terrible crossing; men and women were separated throughout the journey and treated quite harshly. He went on to start an interior decorating business in Alberta, and also studied with the Group of Seven! He was a wonderful landscape artist, and he was bold, brave and creative. Everything I strive to be.

LUST:

What makes your heart beat faster? Our new business: Inside + Out Designs! My business partner and friend, Carla Bond Fisher, and I have created innovative design-in-a-box for DIYers, homeowners with contractors and multifamily developers. We saw that not everyone can afford traditional interior design services. Now it’s easy to have an interior-designed home using our box, which includes choice of paint colours, flooring, cabinets, tile, lighting, hardware and more, that will each work together, for a fraction of the cost. We have nine interior design style boxes—from Mountain Modern to Wabi Sabi—it’s so incredibly exciting and so much fun!

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narrative

WORDS CHERYL SCHINDLER

ILLUSTRATION SIERRA LUNDY

MY IDENTITY AS A WRITER 72

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y love of writing began as a young child. As soon as I learned to write, I expressed myself through poetry and simple song lyrics, masking my shyness with a bubbly creative spirit. My style and words were simple in nature due to my age and ability, yet I often received praise for my work. Praise from relatives and teachers added fuel to my passion. Through my teens, writing became my primary method of releasing the pressures and stresses associated with adolescence. By the age of 15, I guess you could say that I was a troubled teen. My parents began to realize that writing was an effective way to communicate with me. They began to share their feelings through written letters, often left on my bed when I returned home. Visually seeing their message on the page resonated with me in a different manner than hearing spoken words. Written words were powerful and symbolized permanence and authority. To this day, I do not know if it was their tone or the thoughtful and careful selection of words that made the difference. My excitement for writing never ceased and, in fact, it continued to burn within me. I spent hours in my bedroom late at night writing about love and fears. After entering a few poetry contests, my work was once mentioned on television. Knowing others enjoyed my work drove me to write more. Looking back on some of my work, I can see a common pattern of love, passion, sadness and darkness. I began to realize that writing released my inhibitions. As a writer, I was outgoing and fearless. My feelings poured onto the page in a cathartic mess of scribbles. The voice on the page was courageous and no longer concerned about what others thought. The poems, although sad at times, were beautiful short stories that could be transformed into song. They spoke of the love, heartbreak and struggles of a young woman in search of her identity. My writing today has evolved into stories and thoughts that define who I am today. One might be inclined to say that writing has been the catalyst to my current identity. The release of bottled-up emotions freed my mind, allowing creativity to flow and giving me an outlet to guide my future. With the stroke of a pen, I can turn a negative experience into a positive outcome. I can shape the story or completely rewrite it, since it is the author who is in control. As the author, I become the one with the ability to shed light where there was once darkness or to mend the broken heart. My

thoughts and the pen can transform the story, strip emotions and restructure the ending. The poem collection from my past remains filed in a cabinet drawer. I shall keep the poems forever as a reminder of the place where my mind once was…only to smile as I read them, knowing how far I have come in my life as a writer, as a person and as a creator. These words are memories, moments and thoughts, captured at times of joy, sadness and misery. They speak of those pings you get in your heart when you first fall in love. They speak of loss. But most of all, they speak of times when strength and courage were needed. With the freedom to write, simply known as time, I wish to further develop my penmanship. However, strangely enough, since finding true love in my life, I can no longer think of the words faster than I can type. Happiness and joy have hindered my ability to dig deeper into my emotions, leaving a blank page disenchanted. Perhaps it has nothing to do with love and it is merely a reflection of my day job. In adulthood, I write for a living, and by day’s end, I no longer wish to write. A winning business proposal might pay the bills, but this is not where I wish to divulge my bottled passion. Fiction, friction and mad tales about characters who only I can see in my mind are the words bursting to get out. Yet, when I get home, I pull out my laptop and my mind can no longer think. The characters remain as ideas scribbled onto notes that sit on my bedside table waiting for someone to pick them up and bring them to life. Characters with vibrant personalities, unusual features and dark plots are resting dormant until their creator has the time and energy to awaken their spirits. A day does not pass without my mind wandering into the abyss of writing ideas, new words, character traits and crazy plots—quite the opposite of the fastidious style of my business writing. I long for the days when my insouciant, childlike writing returns and carefree poems and short stories of wonder fill my notebooks: the days when scribbles on napkins and scrap pieces of paper take you through a lifetime of special moments without photographs, leaving the pictures to your imagination. Expressing myself through written words is a never-ending learning experience that continues to evolve through each phase of my life. My journey as an author is far from over, it has only just begun.

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NOV E MB E R/ DE C E MB E R 20 20

behind the story

Inspired by the rich hues of the city, the Boulevard fashion team enjoyed seeking out colourful backdrops, like this mural by multidisciplinary artist Shawn Shepherd. This mural is part of Shepherd’s garden series, which references the Night Garden Transformation series by BC painter Jack Shadbolt. Shepherd began painting small format garden imagery in 2004; this series blossomed into an 8-by-40-foot drawing exhibited at the Comox Valley Art Gallery, and eventually a 24-foot-high, 235-foot-long mural on Mason Street in Victoria. The graphic mural seen in this issue was a private commission for the interior of a Victoria residence. Shepherd has stated, “The history of painting is filled with valuable garden imagery and artists have often found subject matter in their gardens. I’ve approached the garden with a focus on the abstract nature of foliage forms, both the sensuous and the angular lines, and how light plays upon them. Light is colour and as an artist I apply colour to reflect light, to touch the nervous system.”

PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2 02 0

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Boulevard Okanagan, November/December 2020

Articles inside

NARRATIVE

SLEEK, MODERN, MINIMALIST...AND GONE TO THE DOGS

FOOD AND FEAST

TRAVEL

BUSINESS CLASS

RAINBOW DAYDREAM

EDITOR’S LETTER

IN STUDIO