Boulevard Magazine, Central Island, Spring 2021

SPRING 2021

CENTRAL ISLAND LIFE AT ITS FINEST

A time for family ROAD THERAPY

Taking the high road to health

THE SUN RETURNS

Wools, knits and colours made for life on the beach

BOUNTY OF THE SEA

Seafood shines in Italian il pasto

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Victoria 661 McCallum Rd 250.474.3433

Kelowna 1912 Spall Rd 250.860.3635

Nanaimo 1711 Bowen Rd 250.753.8900

Langley 20429 Langley By-Pass 604.530.9458

CONTENTS 12

56 FEATURES

On the Cover Photo by Darren Hull Mother-daughter models Lia Crowe, Djuna Nagasaki and Simone Nagasaki.

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48 ROAD THERAPY

“Letting the soul dangle” at a seaside retreat

Taking the high road to good health

By Angela Cowan

By Susan Lundy

42 THE SUN RETURNS 56 BOUNTY OF THE SEA

FASHION

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28 AT WILD’S EDGE

SPRING 2021

Wools, knits and colours made for life on the beach.

Seafood shines in three- course Italian il pasto

By Jen Evans & Lia Crowe

By Julia McInnis

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DEPARTMENTS

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CONTRIBUTORS

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EDITOR’S LETTER

The plot thickens

By Susan Lundy

12 LIFE.STYLE.ETC.

Kay Fedchuk

By Lia Crowe

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DESIGN NOTES

Hope reborn

By Janice Jefferson

16 WELL & GOOD

70 SECRETS AND LIVES

Every body beautiful

Chris Turyk

By Kaisha Scofield

By Angela Cowan

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WEEKENDER

78 NARRATIVE

A golden reward

Epidemic

By Suzanne Morphet

38

BUSINESS CLASS

Family matters

82 BEHIND THE STORY

By Tess van Straaten

By Norma Hinds

By Bruce Cameron

64 TRAVEL

Malta the amazing

By Brian Argyle

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contributors “Travel brings significant health benefits, according to a multitude of studies. In fact, even the an-

BRIAN ARGYLE WRITER

Malta the amazing PAGE 64

ticipation of travel brings rewards. Visiting distant lands broadens the mind and lowers stress levels—save for the odd rush to make a connecting flight! It pays off with the experience of new people and cultures, smells and flavours, sights and sounds, and memories that will last a lifetime.” After an early retirement to Vancouver Island as a snowbird, Brian turned his lifelong passion for photography into a profession. As a photographer, his greatest enjoyment comes from meeting new people and sharing—for a few moments—their lives, events, sports or hobbies. argylephoto.com

CENTRAL ISLAND LIFE AT ITS FINEST SPRING 2021

BLACK PRESS Penny Sakamoto GROUP PUBLISHER

BOULEVARD GROUP Mario Gedicke 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

“It is eerie how the polio epidemic of 1953 both contrasts with and parallels the COVID19 pandemic. By sharing my experience

NORMA HINDS WRITER

Epidemic PAGE 72

as a child during the polio epidemic, I hope my grandchildren will find comfort…a sense that if grandma’s family survived, they too will survive.” For many years Norma worked as a medical and psychiatric social worker at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Sask. When she moved to Nanaimo, Norma became a community coroner. Upon retirement, she refocused on writing, and recently published a book of short stories, Background to Death, A Coroner’s Notebook, which is available at the local library.

“Food has always been a central part of connecting with family and friends for me. Sharing recipes

JULIA MCINNIS WRITER

Bounty of the sea PAGE 56

and food memories has been an important tool to stay connected through these isolating times. Reflecting on the meals that I have made for those in my bubble to keep us simply and deliciously nourished has been a pleasure. I try to focus on recipes with quick preparation and easy cleanup, to maximize time spent together enjoying food.” Julia began cooking professionally in Montreal, working in boutique hotels and staging at a few well-known establishments. She has been working at Zambri’s in Victoria since returning to the island almost 10 years ago.

ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke Vicki Clark Andrea Rosato-Taylor

CONTRIBUTING Brian Argyle WRITERS Angela Cowan

Lia Crowe Jen Evans Norma Hinds Janice Jefferson Sandra Jones Susan Lundy Julia McInnis Suzanne Morphet Kaisha Scofield Tess van Straaten

CONTRIBUTING Lia Crowe

PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton Darren Hull

ILLUSTRATION Sierra Lundy

CIRCULATION & Marilou Pasion

DISTRIBUTION 604.542.7411

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.

Tel: 250.381.3484 Fax: 250.386.2624 info@blvdmag.ca boulevardmagazines.com

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SPRING 2021

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the plot thickens

It was a dark and stormy night. Pen poised, I searched the crevices of my mind to develop a storyline about “escapism”—a topic that seems apt amid ongoing pandemic blues.

A battle raged inside. I needed something light and comedic. How about a whimsical travel story? That’s escapism. Hmm. A story about travel these days is more akin to tragedy than levity.

Could I find inspiration in the definition of the word? “The tendency to seek distraction and relief from an unpleasant reality [read: a year-plus of COVID-19] especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.”

Could I combine entertainment and fantasy and craft a fantastical story of good and evil, focussing on our strapping-if-slightly-hapless heroes, the Vancouver Canucks, finally overpowering the menacing Toronto-Maple-Leaf antagonists? Too far out there, I suppose. Truth is stranger than fiction but fiction has to be believable.

I could write a reverie about being visited by a fairy godmother who cleans my house, pours me a bubble bath and brings me Prosecco in the tub. Oh, but wait. I’ve already written that. In fact it’s one of 75 humour essays in my new book, Home on the Strange, which is out on April 13—so no need to repeat myself here. (I lift my pen at this point, pausing for a moment as I consider this. Then I decide, meh!, this isn’t just flagrant self-promotion… it works with the narrative.)

Perhaps, I finally conclude, I’ll settle on a piece about my favourite escapee: Zorro, our Chilean rescue dog. He was found as a puppy crying in a shoebox with his brother under a bridge in Santiago. He has escaped life on the streets and landed—as our friends like to say—“with his butt in the butter” in our BC abode.

There may be no better butt-in-butter example than his sleeping arrangements. Each night, he happily crawls into his crate at bedtime—and why wouldn’t he? It is layered with, starting from the bottom, a blanket, an old bathrobe, a thick, cosy crate pad, a pillow (in a silk pillowcase!) and, finally, a small self-heating blanket. I cover him with an additional blanket when he falls asleep. There’s also a blanket under the crate and another encircling it. He settles in for the night like a prince in a pillow palace. It’s a far cry from a shoebox.

The escapee hero of our story turned into an escape artist the first time we left him in our truck alone. When the truck is in motion, Zorro is connected to a leash that’s attached to a backseat headrest. But concerned that left alone he’d get tangled up in it, we unleashed him.

Fifteen minutes after leaving him in the truck, I crept back to check on him. There he was, looking out the front windshield on the driver’s side… feet firmly planted on a now-blasting horn. Oh dear. That wouldn’t do.

So we moved him and his little doggie bed into the backseat and re-attached him to the leash via his harness. And then we left again. One hour later, we arrived back at the truck and our first thought was—“he’s naked!” And then—“he’s free!” Somehow, he had wiggled out of his harness and his sweater, and was dashing about the truck, even finding his way into a bag of popcorn stashed in the back.

“Zorro, the master of escapism!”

I wrote that last line with a flourish, and gently put down my pen. Outside, the wind and rain continued to churn and seethe. But the battle in my mind subsided. The storyline was set, the characters developed and the plot executed. It was a story worthy of its escapism theme. Now, about that bubble bath and Prosecco…

Susan Lundy Editor Susan Lundy is a former journalist who now works as a magazine editor, author and freelance writer. Watch for her new book, Home on the Strange, out this spring via Heritage House Publishing.

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life.style.etc.

KAY FEDCHUK, DESIGNER, OWNER, CLASSIC KITCHENS & DESIGN WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

I meet up with Kay in a beaming, bright white kitchen created by her business, Classic Kitchens & Design, to chat about life and style.

Kay opened her first business in Parksville 20 years ago and added an additional showroom in Nanaimo last fall. She splits her time between Vancouver and Nanaimo, and tries to start every day with gratitude.

When I ask what it is that fires her up most about her work, she says, “Renovations! I love the challenge of the transformation, as well as knowing the excitement the client feels in their brand new kitchen. Even better is when I have designed a final product the client thought wasn’t achievable.”

Outside of work, Kay feels lucky to live in two exceptional cities. “I love all the green space and parks both have to offer, the great bike paths and walkways; I also love only ever being a few steps or minutes away from fabulous ocean views.”

Asked what’s the best life lesson she’s recently learned, Kay says, “It’s such a cliche, but in the past five years ‘life is short’ has truly hit home for me, and I’ve come to realize I am stronger than I know. I try to start every day by reading a quote I have taped on my bathroom mirror: ‘You have survived everything you’ve gone through up to this point. The best day of your life is still yet to come.

There are still people you haven’t met, and things you haven’t experienced.’”

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FASHION & BEAUTY Uniform: Jeans, T-shirt and a comfy sweater.

All-time favourite piece: My oh-so-soft BLINK leather jacket.

Favourite pair of shoes: A pair of black patent leather “kitten” heels by Valentino, given to me by my late husband. He was as nuts about shoes as I am.

Favourite day-bag: Fossil.

Favourite work tool: My MacBook.

Favourite jewellery piece or designer: My Calvin Klein watch.

Accessory you spend the most money on: Shoes.

Necessary indulgence for either fashion or beauty: Classic LBD (little black dress) and jeans you can live in for days.

Moisturizer: Guinot Age Logic on my face and Eminence Body Lotion.

Must-have hair product: Purple Shampoo and Ciment Thermique by KÉRASTASE. Beauty secret: Water, fresh air and sleep.

READING MATERIAL What you read online for inspiration: I’m really busy with work these days (truly blessed), so I spend a lot of time following kitchen blogs and groups, and people and companies on Instagram.

Fave print magazine: House & Home.

Coffee table book/photography book: The Perfect Kitchen by Barbara Sallick.

Last great read: Red Notice by Bill Browder.

A true story of high finance, murder and one man’s fight for justice in Russia.

Book currently reading: A Man Called Ove

By Fredrik Backman. Funny and touching story of a grumpy old curmudgeon.

“Wearing something that brings out your best features, makes you smile and feel good.”

STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE Style icon: Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly— they are timeless—and Meghan Markle for today.

Piece of art: “SOLITUDE,” a mixed-media painting by my friend, Zohar Fiszbaum.

Favourite fashion designer or brand: Love shopping at Lululemon, Holt Renfrew and Aritzia.

Era of time that inspires your style: The ’50s and ’60s. From classic to minis. So much glamour and fun.

Film or TV show that inspires your style or that you just love the style of: “The Good Fight."

Favourite cocktail or wine: Burnt martini, hands down!

Album on current rotation: Various playlists from Spotify and Apple. I’m a huge fan of Springsteen, Adele, Lady Gaga and Sara Bareilles.

Favourite flower: Hydrangeas and peonies.

Favourite city to visit: Paris.

Favourite app: Instagram.

Favourite place in the whole world: Portugal.

One thing that consistently lifts your spirits during these hard times: Living in a climate where I can still get outside for a walk most of the year and having many friends who have shown me so much kindness, joy and compassion.

This past year, I have had a lot of time to reflect on how blessed I am with two awesome kids; I've also had a lot of time in which I have embraced my own solitude. I’m continually impressed with all the stories of individuals in this world who have come forward to support the many people (some total strangers) who have become so weary, suffering with financial and mental health issues now. We still have a long road ahead, and the kindness and support of others is going to go a long way toward healing.

Favourite books of all time: Educated By Tara Westover and A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout. Both are memoirs and great reads about each of these women living in horrific and hellish situations, and how they managed to survive, find freedom and move forward.

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design notes 1

reborn

By Janice Jefferson

The sunsets of late have taken my breath away: the blue skies and soft lavenders inspire thoughts of spring, of new energy, and of a rebirth of hope for the year ahead.

It’s a new beginning—bright and expansive.

Bring a little blue sky into your life!

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SPRING 2021

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1. Lynn Harnish art, encaustic, 8x8, $225 2. Le Marche net shopping bag, Shades of Green, $15 3. Pistol Cove sun hat in indigo, Merchant Quarters General Store, $52 4. Embroidered lilac throw pillow, Amelia Lee Boutique, $110 5. Ray-Ban Blaze Clubmaster, Merchant Quarters General Store, $255

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6. ECCO Soft 7 Runner in blue, Cardino Shoes, $230 7. Bodrum rug, SURYA, various sizes/prices 8. Canopy wallpaper in delft blue, Hygge & West, $295/3-piece panel

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9. Lucid Dreaming, by Danielle Noel, fine art print, 12x18, Amelia Lee Boutique, $47 10. Shore basket, Indaba, $420 (set of 3)

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well and good

every body beautiful

Body positivity, body neutrality and self-acceptance WORDS KAISHA SCOFIELD

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here is no one, anywhere, who has the same body as you. Out of the seven billion bodies on earth, every single one is perfectly unique. All bodies vary in size, colour and shape, yet many of us spend an enormous amount of energy and time hating our bodies for not looking more like someone else’s. To be fair, however, we are only doing what we’re told.

As a society, we are presented with impossible standards of beauty. Women, in particular, are expected to be tall, but not too tall, and slim, but not skinny. We’re expected to have muscle definition, but definitely not actual muscles. We must have an hourglass figure with an impossibly tiny waist and curved hips, but a flat stomach and a round booty. Hair must be shiny and long but not too long and definitely never unkempt. The skin must be dewy and glowing at all times, eyelashes must be long and lips must be plumped. If it sounds like I’m describing a Barbie doll, I am. If that sounds ridiculous, I encourage you to look closely at popular media and tell me I’m wrong.

We are saturated with images of unrealistic perfection from an early age. The importance of being pretty is recognized by children as young as age three, and between the ages of seven and nine many girls have started their first diet. Heading down this path can quickly lead to more restrictive eating patterns, disordered eating, obsessive exercise regimens, constricting shape wear, and even invasive surgeries. This constant striving for perfection often creates a cycle of disappointment and a resentment toward the body for not conforming to an unattainable standard.

It is easy to understand, then, why the idea of simply loving your unique and incredible body feels like an act of rebellion.

And yet, there is a growing movement that is encouraging you to do just that. The body positivity movement brings together diverse groups of people who are fighting against society’s obsession with body uniformity. They are rejecting impossible beauty standards and holding the beauty and fashion industries accountable for promoting unrealistic standards.

Body positivity is a movement that was born out of the desire to recognize the diversity in body types, shapes, sizes, colours and abilities. To be body positive is to recognize that all bodies exist and are beautiful in their own way. This is practiced by engaging in acts of self-appreciation with an emphasis on gratitude toward your body. Fitness and health are intentionally removed from the conversation with the understanding that self-love can and should be practiced at any stage of health, age or fitness.

Further, the body-positive movement looks at how, in society, we exist in a power and desirability hierarchy, ranked by our physical appearance and capabilities. In response to this, it challenges impossible beauty standards, recognizing that they are constructs of society that don’t have to determine your self-confidence. Instead, the focus is placed on building a positive body image in order to improve self-confidence.

While this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction and clearly a movement based on inclusivity, for many, body positivity feels out of reach. Body neutrality is an approachable alternative, based on the recognition that your body isn’t a definition of who

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To be body positive is to recognize that all bodies exist and are beautiful in their own way.

This is practiced by engaging in acts of selfappreciation with an emphasis on gratitude toward your body.

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you are. Rather, it is the idea that it is possible to exist within your body, without obsessing about how it looks. There is no pressure to either love or hate your body, but simply acknowledge that your body is there to serve a purpose outside of its appearance.

Body neutrality can help to limit external societal expectations and provide room to develop outside of these expectations. Many find this movement freeing in that it removes the energy necessary to constantly monitor others’ expectations. For those who have suffered with body dysmorphia and poor self-esteem, body neutrality can provide the space to practice self-acceptance.

Making peace with your body may feel out of reach, but there are steps you can take to move yourself toward acceptance: • Try to limit your exposure to impossible standards. Remove media that promotes unhealthy body standards. This should include unfollowing anyone who uses before and after photos, as these tend to promote unhealthy stigmatization.

• Follow social media accounts that promote realistic body image standards, for example Canada’s @thebirdspapaya.

• Take some time to acknowledge what you like about your body. Go one step further and thank your body for what it does for you every day.

• Pick a part of your body that you feel uncomfortable with and try to find positive things to say about it. This may feel difficult at first but over time, it may sink in.

• Alternatively, simply acknowledge that your body is there to house you and that is enough.

Most importantly look at your own biases, lifestyle choices and aspirations.

Exercise because it makes you feel good, not because you have to work off that extra bowl of ice cream. Nourish your body with food that is nutrient-dense and beautiful—not because it promises to flatten your stomach but because it makes you feel great. Finally, practice celebrating your own special and perfectly unique body more for what it does and not how it looks.

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A golden reward 20

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Larch madness in Golden, BC WORDS SUZANNE MORPHET

“I feel like Alice in Wonderland,” laughs Laura as we come to a golden meadow where we’re surrounded by them.

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pproaching Golden, BC on the Trans-Canada Highway, we’re straining our necks to scan the surrounding mountainsides through the car windows.

It’s late September and the start of the short season known as “larch madness.” That’s when people in the know partake in the western equivalent of leaf peeping.

While eastern Canadians admire sugar maples with their stunning orange and red leaves, those of us in the mountainous parts of the west can savour larch trees that turn golden yellow.

In Banff National Park, larches create so much excitement every autumn that traffic backs up on highways, parking lots overflow and people ditch their cars wherever they can.

To cope with the onslaught of visitors, Parks Canada provides buses to shuttle people from Lake Louise to Moraine Lake, the most popular spot for viewing the trees in their golden glory.

“Almost every day we’re moving about 1,200 to 1,300 people,” lamented a Parks Canada manager to CBC Radio one year recently.

I dearly wanted to see larches, but not in a line like ants on a trail.

After a bit of research, I decided to base myself in the BC town of Golden, where surrounding mountains have lots of larches, but there’s none of the “madness” of Lake Louise.

Golden is still a blue-collar town, with Canadian Pacific Railway and lumber companies the biggest employers, but adventure tourism has deep roots here too. This is where mountaineering began in Canada when CPR brought guides from Switzerland in the late 19th century. Their collection

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of chalets, called Edelweiss, still stands and descendants of those early guides still live here.

Having spent a few days in Golden one summer, I liked its authentic feel, its impressive range of good dining options and, of course, its easy access to wilderness. No fewer than six national parks are within a two-hour drive.

The window for larch viewing begins as early as the third week of September and can run into the second week of October. Arrive too early and the larches will look like any other evergreen.

Arrive too late, warns my colleague Andy, who’s lived in Golden for 12 years, and they’ll look like dead trees.

The window for larch perfection is even smaller.

“If you can get the light dusting of snow on the larches, that’s like the unicorn jumping over the rainbow,” jokes Andy over dinner our first night.

But it seems my friend, Lise, and I might have arrived altogether too early when Andy tells us the larches haven’t yet turned in nearby Yoho National Park, where we planned to hike.

Then he whips out his phone. “What about this instead?”

We see an image of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of what look like pine trees gilded in gold leaf covering a mountain slope under a cloudless blue sky.

“Stunning,” says Lise as we nod our heads “yes” in unison.

Early the next morning we pile into Andy’s Toyota 4Runner along with local hiking guide Laura Crombeen and head south on Highway 95 towards Radium Hot Springs.

Mist rises from the Columbia River wetlands, the largest intact wetlands in North America, but there’s no time to stop. We have a six-hour hike ahead of us.

At the Diana Lake trailhead we begin climbing. After an hour we emerge from an evergreen forest into the subalpine level. Far

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above, we see gold dots sprinkled among patches of solid green.

Finally, we come to our first larch tree. Its needles are unexpectedly soft, almost silky. I caress them in my hand and wonder how these trees survive the tough winters on the very edge of the tree line.

Larches are a biological oddity.

“If I asked you if a larch is a conifer or a deciduous tree, you would be correct to say it’s both,” Laura tells us, explaining that larches shed their needles.

Hiking on, larches soon outnumber other trees. “I feel like Alice in Wonderland,” laughs Laura as we come to a golden meadow where we’re surrounded by them.

Reaching Diana Lake, we celebrate more good luck. Even though it’s warm and sunny, there’s not another person here; we have this gorgeous alpine lake all to ourselves. Eating a picnic lunch on the shoreline, we admire the golden reflection of larches on the turquoise water.

Later, I scoop up handfuls of golden needles that have already fallen and recall the legend of Gold Mountain, a mythical mountain of gold that encouraged Chinese people to immigrate to North America during the Gold Rush era.

While theirs was just that—a myth—it feels like we’ve truly found a mountain of gold, as fleeting as it is beautiful.

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Coinciding with the turning of the larches is the migration of spawning Kokanee. More than one-quarter million landlocked salmon swim up the Columbia River every autumn and into tributary rivers to spawn. The best place to see them around Golden is on the Blaeberry River, where several spots offer great viewing. Also of note, when the Kokanee are spawning, the big bull trout follow them for an easy meal and anglers routinely catch (and release) trout weighing over eight kilograms.

After hiking amid the larches of Diana Lake, try another trail with a different focus. In Yoho Valley of Yoho National Park, for instance, you’ll discover numerous spectacular waterfalls. The biggest, Takakkaw, is just a five-minute walk from the parking lot.

Our day-long hike there also included Laughing Falls and the magnificent Twin Falls.

The historic tea house at Twin Falls is being restored and will re-open this year.

Locals love Eleven22 with its focus on modern comfort food. I wouldn’t typically order seafood in a small town in the interior, but the Dragon Boat seafood platter was beautifully presented and tasty. For a more casual dining experience, slide onto a banquette at Whitetooth Mountain Bistro, where the wide-ranging menu includes braised boar belly and seared tuna burgers. For breakfast, Bluebird Café offers specialty coffee and fresh baking.

While you’re there, pick up a bagged lunch to go.

Cedar House Chalets are just seven minutes from the town of Golden but are immersed in nature. Each chalet has a private deck with hot tub and barbecue, a fully equipped kitchen and luxury amenities, including terrycloth robes and linen duvets. We chose the Green Chalet, which also has a wood-burning stove and second-storey master bedroom with striking mountain views.

Cedar House Restaurant offers farm-to-table cuisine.

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in studio …

WITH VEDRANA ASCROFT

When the world needs more beauty WORDS SANDRA JONES

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PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

P

erhaps it was simply the imaginative pursuits of a youngster or an indicator of what was yet to come, but Vedrana Ascroft’s first work of art was drawn with her mother’s greasy, crimson lipstick on a wall in her childhood home in Ogulin, Croatia.

“I was probably three years old and it was my first masterpiece,” laughs Vedrana, an award-winning artist and owner of Aquamaris Art Gallery in Duncan.

As the daughter of a teacher who was creative in her own right, Vedrana’s childhood was richly steeped in cultural and artistic pursuits.

“My mom was a math teacher, but she was always doing something creative, from making lace to designing costumes for theatre groups. And at school we learned a lot about almost every artistic medium,” she recalls.

That immersion in the arts had an impact on young Vedrana.

“I was bitten. I knew that I could ‘zen out’ when I was creating something and anything that was concerning me at the time would disappear.”

But although her love of art grew, it met its match when she went on a school vacation with her mom.

“I wanted to be the woman at the front of the tour bus with a microphone in her hand showing people the sights,” says Vedrana.

The travel bug took hold and Vedrana pursued a degree in hotel management in Opatija, Croatia. Just two years into the program, war broke out, prompting accelerated work towards a diploma in economy of tourism, before the 20-year-old emigrated to Sudbury, Ontario, to live with family. There she furthered her studies and charted a new course that took her to Toronto and across Canada.

While she ultimately went on to enjoy a 27-year career in the tourism industry, mainly as a tour director “at the front of the bus,” Vedrana continued to paint.

“Art was something I could count on to help me regain my equilibrium. My focus on art would ebb and flow, but I was always yearning to paint and draw on the side.”

In 1997, Vedrana met her future husband, Gerry, moved to the west coast and was re-inspired to pick up her art again.

“We fell in love with Vancouver Island and knew that this was the place our family needed to be. Water is always something that has inspired me—shorelines, rivers, waterfalls—the way the light plays across it is mesmerizing. That’s why waterscapes often appear as a theme in my paintings.”

Her work as a tour director in the summer left her the winter months to pursue her art. Despite splitting her time between these two passions, Vedrana became an active status member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and her art began to garner international recognition. Her painting, Pacific Rhapsody, was published as one of the finalists in the International Artist Magazine and her work

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“Art was something I could count on to help me regain my equilibrium. My focus on art would ebb and flow, but I was always yearning to paint and draw on the side.” has found its way into homes in Canada, the United States, Europe and Japan.

In 2019, Vedrana made a life-altering decision that was serendipitously prompted by getting her hair cut.

“I had always felt that at some point I would open an art gallery but how that came about was by having a vision. I went to get a haircut and there was a vacant space in the same building. It just hit me that this would make an amazing gallery. At first it didn’t occur to me that we should be the ones to create the gallery but I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.”

Several months later, after extensive renovations, Aquamaris Art Gallery opened its doors. Situated on the second floor of a century-old designated heritage building, the original wooden floors, brick walls and light-filled space form a warm and inviting backdrop for myriad art that lines the walls.

“I wanted to create a venue where art appreciators and artists would have a place to come and enjoy that immersive experience.

We carry the work of 20 BC artists who we chose specifically because we’ve admired their work for years. Every piece we carry, whether it’s a painting, sculpture, textile or jewelry, is carefully curated.”

While the artists currently reside in the region, their origins are widely cosmopolitan, coming from places like Indonesia, South Korea, England, Germany, Serbia and the United States. Clients

are equally international and often work closely with Vedrana to find just the right piece for their space.

“Particularly now, with the limitations of travel, our customers will send us photos of a space and ask us to recommend art to complement it,” says Vedrana. “I’ll keep my eyes open and then digitally style their home photo with art so they can see how it looks in the space. I recently did that for a woman who lives in Chemainus and it was exactly what she was looking for. We get people shopping online from as far away as the UK.” But of course there’s no substitute for viewing the art in person.

“Our doors are open and with such an airy space, there’s room for people to move comfortably and safely in the gallery. The pandemic has been hard on the art and gallery world because it traditionally relies on well-attended art openings and live events to showcase and sell the work. However we are encouraged by a renewed focus on home and on supporting and shopping local.”

For Vedrana, the world of art has provided a creative outlet, a renewed sense of purpose and a new livelihood, but she believes that art is also integral to the wellbeing of people on so many levels.

“Exposure to art fosters creativity, tickles our imaginations and inspires innovation. And above all, it connects us to our humanity. I think now, more than ever, when the world needs more beauty, art plays a significant role. I’m honoured to play a part in bringing that beauty to more people.”

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When Dieter and Rebecca Giselbrecht first decided to move to Canada from Switzerland, they didn’t plan on moving to the remote wilderness of Port McNeill, but a leisurely detour after a holiday’s kayak trip presented an opportunity they couldn’t pass up.

The couple had gone to Haida Gwaii for a two-week, 240-kilometre paddle. At the time, they were actually on the cusp of breaking ground on a home in Ucluelet.

After this adventure, the couple took the ferry down the Inside Passage and stopped near Port McNeill, intending to explore. They spotted a “for sale” sign on a piece of property they’d first seen online, while still in Switzerland, and decided to take a closer look.

And what had intrigued them virtually took their breath away in person: two and a half acres of oceanfront paradise, with a Sitka log home planted beneath a sky that feels as pure and broad as heaven itself. The couple snapped it up, with big plans in mind.

Today, a winding gravel road leads to the entrance of the 3,500-square-foot main house, the pathway laid with flat stones and bordered with lavender bushes. Just off to the side is the garage and guest house, where a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment sits ready to accommodate friends and family.

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“This is also what I liked about the design, that we don’t have a square floor plan.

It’s not just square towards the ocean; it has a 120-degree angle going out there, so when you have light in the house, it reflects, and you see the light reflected many times.”

A thick wilderness of forest borders the property on one side, opposite the spectacular expanse of ocean and sky at the front of the house. The sheer feeling of space, of being at once so close and so dwarfed by the majesty of the wilds, is tempered by the solidity of the log home itself. Stepping inside, though the heavy logs are grounding, the whole interior design is—surprisingly—light and airy.

Huge swaths of windows and skylights bring natural light in from every conceivable angle, while both the main floor and upstairs are almost entirely open, with views to the outside no matter where you stand. And in the centre of the home, stretching its wide trunk from below the floorboards to the raised ceiling, is an imposing Douglas fir wrapped in a spiral staircase.

It almost feels like it’s supporting the entire house, and it’s one of the only original features that wasn’t touched when Dieter and Rebecca undertook a dramatic renovation.

“It was a beautiful Sitka log home, but we saw lots of potential, and that’s what we do. We like to create space that’s good to be in,” says Rebecca, adding with a laugh, “That’s kind of what we do when we’re not working.”

Dieter, who previously worked in IT for global insurance companies, designed the complete renovation with Rebecca, bringing in an abundance of natural light, opening up the entire layout and adding their own touches to virtually every surface of the home.

“When we started thinking about coming to Canada, I found my old passion, which was architecture and architectural design,” says Dieter. “There is nothing we did not touch. Every room we changed, every floor we changed, every ceiling we touched and changed.”

Originally handcrafted at the Sitka Log Homes facility in 2009, the home was eight years old when Dieter and Rebecca contacted Sitka in late 2018 to plan the biggest structural changes, one of which was adding on a sunroom.

Encased almost entirely in glass, the sunroom brings in an incredible amount of natural light and creates a unique spot in the house that straddles the sense of being both inside and out. A fireplace—one of four installed throughout the house during the reno-

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vation—keeps the space cosy on cold evenings.

And with its ideal exposure trapping the heat from the sun, it serves another, more pragmatic purpose as well: heating and drying any ambient moisture in the air, which is a must for any home on the misty West Coast.

Dieter designed the sunroom to reflect the living room and create another set of vistas with the angled front, then collaborated with Sitka owner Brad Johnson and senior project manager Brett Smith to make the extension seamless with the original design. They brought in additional Douglas fir logs matched in the same quality and size as the originals to maintain the congruence of the overall structure.

And when it was time to actually start revving the chain saws, it was Brad’s father, John Johnson—the founder of Sitka Log Homes himself—who pulled the chord.

“He cut through the wall for the sunroom himself. It was like his chainsaw was attached to his arm, he was just so smooth,” says Rebecca.

The other major structural changes involved adding a number of skylights, knocking down the walls upstairs and changing the entrance and design of the master suite and bedroom.

In fact, the only doors remaining in the main house are to the guest room and en suite bathroom upstairs. The openness of the layout combined with the abundance of natural light truly fosters an expansive sense of space, as well

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as bringing the outdoors in. No matter where you stand, every direction, every view offers a different—but equally spectacular—vista, whether of the ocean, the gardens or the trees.

“This is also what I liked about the design, that we don’t have a square floor plan,” says Dieter.

“It’s not just square towards the ocean; it has a 120-degree angle going out there, so when you have light in the house, it reflects, and you see the light reflected many times.”

The old kitchen was repurposed with spacious cabinets, granite countertops and high-end appliances, but there’s one particularly unusual feature that really catches the eye: there are two islands.

Initially coming up against some professional resistance to the idea, Rebecca held firm to her vision, and designed the two islands herself, resulting in something utterly unique. There’s a figure-eight-like pathway through the space, with a luxurious amount of counter space available no matter where you stand, easy access from one side of the kitchen to the other, two sinks, and a huge amount of storage.

“The kitchen is truly amazing,” enthuses Rebecca. “When I finally got to cook in it, I had so much fun.”

Some of the less structural changes were no less impressive in their overall effects: adding simple globe lighting fixtures with exposed bulbs brightens the space while contributing just a smidge of modern design; the master closet was replaced with a glass shower surround to better show off

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SPRING 2021

E L TY S S T ITIE R O EN S RE AM

GET READY PARKSVILLE! This is your reward for a lifetime well-planned!

Berwick Parksville will offer luxurious resort-style independent living set amongst the majestic beach backdrop of the stunning west coast. Opening in 2022, Berwick Parksville will offer state-of-the-art amenities to help you live active longer. You’ll enjoy the complete freedom that independent living offers with the confidence and support of the Berwick legacy behind you.

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the logs behind; and in-floor lighting was installed throughout the home for much the same reason.

“The floor lighting is super cool,” says Rebecca. “It shines onto the logs, and each log has its own face and character. As that floor lighting is beamed up, it’s pretty dramatic.”

Outside, the grounds went through almost as dramatic a transformation, with the couple designing and building an Asian garden, a purple garden full of California lilacs, a Pacific Northwest-inspired garden, a brand-new forest with katsura and ginkgo trees, and a sheltered ocean cove right on the beachfront.

From purchasing to the completion of the renovation, Dieter and Rebecca spent many blissful days in the midst of their wild

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retreat. Having recently moved back to Switzerland to be closer to their kids, they talked to Megan Centrone at Parallel 50 Realty and decided to put the home up for sale.

“The house could be for a family, or a retired couple, but I also see it as a great retreat place,” says Rebecca. “I did quite a bit of writing while I was there. What I really loved was being in bed and having the fireplace on, and having the doors open to the ocean, and having the birds greet me.”

“Equally amazing was reading on the daybed in the library and overlooking the ocean and the mountains.”

She pauses, thoughtful, and then smiles. “In German, we call it ‘letting the soul dangle.’”

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Father-and-son team create Berwick resort-style retirement residences WORDS TESS VAN STRAATEN

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PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

The

Breaking ground on a new independent living residence in Parksville at the beginning of a global pandemic may not sound like the best business decision, but the father-and-son team behind Berwick Retirement Communities has transformed retirement living on Vancouver Island over the last three decades by trusting their gut.

“The Parksville-Qualicum region is really a beautiful spot and highly in demand for retirees, so it was a natural progression to expand to that whole region,” explains 56-year-old Chris Denford.

“From a COVID-19 standpoint, it’s actually good timing because we should be through this, knock on wood, and in recovery mode when we hope to open in 2022.”

The 189-suite resort-style facility follows the successful launch of Berwick Qualicum Beach in 2019 and will have pickleball courts, lawn bowling, bocce and even a Zen meditation garden.

“It’s largely based on our Berwick Royal Oak residence in Victoria that has a large production theatre—open to both residents and people from the community—and the fitness centre we’re designing is even further expanded so the outside community can come in and enjoy the facilities,” Chris explains. “It’s all designed to not only provide the residents with an amazing, awesome experience, it also gives the people in the general community a chance to come in and interact with our residents.”

Building connection and community is at the centre of what the Denfords do—from the unique design of each building to reflect the distinct community it’s in (they also have locations in Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox, Campbell River and Kamloops) to a strong focus on amenities.

“The problem with early seniors’ places that were built up to the 1980s is that they didn’t take into consideration interaction between residents. And the idea of providing recreation and activities was unheard of,” says 93-year-old Gordon Denford, who’s been building apartments for almost 60 years, including Victoria’s first condominium. After his mother went into a publicly-funded facility, he saw first-hand the design failings of other facilities.

“People were sitting in wheelchairs in the reception area, including my mother, and that was their idea of getting them out of their rooms,” he says. “I had her moved out of there 24 hours later.”

It’s also the reason Gordon decided to build the Berwick residences on a completely private basis, without any government funding. He wanted to have control over the design and operations, and be able to quickly adapt when problems arose—something that has served them well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were able to make decisions swiftly and enact things right away and that’s what allowed us to continue operating with some sense of normalcy,” explains Lesley Sikorski, Berwick’s director of sales, marketing and community engagement. “Throughout this pandemic, it’s become even more evident how important community and companionship are for older adults. Isolation and loneliness are horrible for older adults.”

“We’ve had a lot of residents comment to us that they’re really relieved they moved into Berwick before this pandemic because not only do they feel safe, they have that human interaction with their friends and peers at a safe distance,” adds Chris.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging, but it’s not the first time the Denfords have had to deal with adversity.

“We opened Berwick Royal Oak in 2008, when the sky was falling, and we had a decision to make: Do we proceed with phase two, which was the second half of the building and had our resi-

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Building connection and community is at the centre of what the Denfords do. dential care and more suites—or do we shelve it and wait?” Chris explains. “Dad really analyzed the situation and with a lot of courage said, ‘no, we’re moving on and we’re going to complete it.’

He’s really a master of analyzing things and mitigating risk.”

It’s a lesson Gordon learned the hard way after not paying attention to market conditions earlier in his career.

“One of the biggest mistakes I made was starting a major condominium project in the early 1980s and not anticipating rising interest rates, which ran as high as 22 per cent,” he says. “It wasn’t a pleasant thing to be caught with a major building under construc- tion at that time. The banks were panicking and shutting down funding, and I was no exception.”

With construction stalled, Gordon and some partners decided to form their own bank, Western & Pacific Bank (now Canadian Western Bank), and salvage the project. He says it was one of the biggest moves he made to ensure he could keep building in a stable way.

A trail-blazing entrepreneur (Gordon also brought electrical heating to Victoria), he’s a big believer in having total control over a project, which is one of the reasons Berwick is so successful.

“One of our biggest assets is that we’ve always controlled the locations and the building and we have our own construction facilities,” Gordon explains. “We’re one of the few companies in Canada that actually does it all.”

It’s a long way from Gordon’s humble roots in England. He was born to a working-class family in Bristol. But winning a scholarship to a prestigious school at the age of 11 changed the trajectory of his life.

“I realized that education was the only way in which I could get ahead,” Gordon explains.

Gordon was 13 when he was evacuated to Canada during the Second World War. He lived with foster families in Winnipeg before graduating high school when he was just 15 years old, and moved into residence at United College.

When Gordon refused to return to England in 1945 because he was going into his third year of university, he lost financial support from the British government and was basically on his own from the age of 17.

The transformative power of education, which Gordon learned at an early age, is the reason the Denfords are so involved in philanthropy, with numerous bursaries and a long involvement with several schools.

“We believe in giving back. Our success gives us the ability to give back and we’ve always believed that as a company, and also personally,” says Chris. “We’re heavily invested in education and we believe education is such a vital part of our community’s future, that’s why we support it.”

For Gordon, who’s been making big decisions since he was 17 years old, relying on his wits and logic, the secret to his success is simple.

“It’s all about taking risks and managing those risks. Some things are pretty daunting when you look at them, so you just have to figure out a way to do it.”

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THE SUN RETURNS Spring is here! Boulevard celebrates with a family-bubble visit to the magical Crystal Cove Beach Resort near Tofino, dressed in some of the best Vancouver Island has to offer in outdoor wear made for life on the beach. There are wools to keep out the chill of the salt air, knits for cosy beach fires and colours that reflect the sea, the sand and the sun.

PHOTOGRAPHY DARREN HULL

On Lia: Dress by Free People ($138) from Merchant Quarters General Store; sweater

by Des Petits Hauts ($150) from Bagheera Boutique; recycled cashmere toque ($50) from Anian.

On Peter: Heavyweight Henley ($95) from ecologyst.

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STYLING BY JEN EVANS + LIA CROWE

Two recycled wool “Scout” blankets ($95ea) from Anian.

On Djuna: Merino wool sweater ($345), the “Fisherman” toque ($95) and “The Merino Jogger” pants ($165), all from from ecologyst.

On Corbin: Yellow anorak ($325) from ecologyst.

The “Painters” coat ($165) and “The Sunday Flannel” ($135) from Anian.

On Lia: “The Fisherman Sweater” ($395) from ecologyst.

On Peter: “The Fisherman Sweater” ($395) from ecologyst.

On Lia: “The Modern Melton” shirt ($189) from Anian.

On Djuna: “Painters” coat ($165) from Anian.

On Simone: Merino wool sweater ($345) from ecologyst.

On Corbin: “Ridgefield” flannel by Marmot ($140) from Merchant Quarters General Store.

On Peter: “The Puffy Jacket” ($445) from ecologyst.

Makeup by Jenny McKinney Models: Lia Crowe, Peter Zambri, Corbin Jones, Djuna Nagasaki and Simone Nagasaki.

Photographed on location at Crystal Cove Beach Resort.

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Road

THERAPY Taking the high road to mental health

W

e’re driving along the Crowsnest Highway on the southern edge of BC, a little east of Osoyoos and west of the quaint town of Greenwood. Over the last few hours, the landscape on the other side of the windshield has played out like a fast-changing kaleidoscope: at one point a snowy wonderland at the peak of Manning Park; then a lush forest splashed with red-orange-yellow fall trees, and now an expanse of rolling hills coloured in burnt yellow and topped by a vivid blue sky.

As the visuals change and the landscape opens up, so too do our minds. Conversation has stopped for now as the hum of the car lulls our thoughts into a meditative place. At times,

BY SUSAN LUNDY

we’ve had the tunes blasting, singing along to our standard road fare: Elton John, Cat Stevens, Steve Earle….We’ve also had time to dissect a lingering issue from back home—but problems seem far away and we’re happy to let it sit at the back of our minds for a while.

There’s no medical-school definition of “road therapy,” but this is what it’s all about. It’s hitting the road and just driving.

Releasing yourself from the cares of home, letting your mind wander into a daydream or even nothingness. Feeling the bliss of being in motion. Letting your subconscious chew away at a problem, while you—in the present—relax.

Road trips help you live in the moment and be spontaneous.

They give your brain a workout as you navigate space and process new information. They provide time to think and daydream. Singing releases endorphins, the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals, and exploring the outdoors provides fresh air and doses of Vitamin D. boulevardmagazines.com |

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Road therapy looks different at different times. As a teenager and young adult, I often found sanctuary on the road in my old Datsun B210 with the Simon & Garfunkel tunes cranked. On the road, singing along, I could quell the emotion of a break-up or forget the angst of an exam. A few years later, now a writer at my first newspaper job in Salmon Arm, I’d take to the highway at night, driving to Kamloops and back, daydreaming and writing stories in my head.

Concerns over environmental footprint and the price of gas over the last decade have limited some of the advantages of road trips, but with recent advances in hybrid and electric-vehicle technology, we can once again hit the high road.

On our early November road trip, we decided to explore the less-travelled highways and roadways of the West Kootenays— relishing the area’s perfect combination of wide-open spaces, mountain views, lake views, snowy passes and vividly coloured fall scenery that would be equally beautiful any time of year.

We travelled 1,700 kilometres and included four overnight stays on our journey, but road therapy can work as a day trip, too; it’s a good way to get out and still adhere to most pandemic health protocols. (But be sure to check with different regions’ pandemic regulations before setting out this winter and spring.)

Here are a few ideas to create your own road therapy expedition:

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Part of the point of road therapy is being spontaneous, driving to places unknown. Our five-day trip loosely followed a route that started in the Lower Mainland, taking Highway 1 to Hope and then the Crowsnest to Castlegar; driving various highways

It’s about hitting the road and just driving.

Releasing yourself from the cares of home, letting your mind wander into a daydream.

through Nelson, Kaslo, New Denver and Nakusp, riding a ferry across Upper Arrow Lake, and travelling on to Revelstoke, Vernon and Kelowna, down the Coquihalla and back to the coast.

But we left lots of time to aimlessly drive from point A to B, X or Y. For example, one day, we set off on a driving jaunt out of Nelson, loosely heading for the small town of Salmo. It turned out that the destination itself was less interesting than the journey, as we spontaneously turned off the road here and there, discovering some beautiful scenery in addition to the tiny town of Ymir, once a thriving mining hub and now just a small cluster of cool historic buildings.

PICK A RIDE Thanks to the generosity of Volvo Canada, our road trip involved test-driving a fully loaded, plug-in hybrid Volvo XC90 T8. Since the point of road therapy is to hit the pavement and free the mind, the ride doesn’t really matter. But travelling in complete luxury and comfort with a gas-efficient vehicle doesn’t hurt!

Some of this seven-seater’s perks included a 19-speaker surround-sound system—perfect for the multi-stationed SiriusXM system—and heated leather seats with a massage component. Travelling in this car, with its huge front window, elegant interior and so many comforts, put me in mind of a firstclass train ride. And the ability to talk to it—“Hello beautiful car, please turn on the heated steering wheel”—was a lot of fun.

Road trip safety is another consideration and we experienced the Volvo’s steer assist twice—once when we skidded on a snowy pass and the car quickly recovered—and another time, just at dusk, as we swerved to avoid a herd of elk that had suddenly boulevardmagazines.com |

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appeared on the road right beside us.

The car had three drive mode settings for steering feel and response, and Bruce was particularly fond of the power mode, which immediately turned it into a supercharged, corner-hugging sports car. Whatever the mode, the highways in the Kootenays are a great place to test-drive a vehicle.

STOP, BREATHE, ENJOY THE OUTDOORS Our route gave us plenty of opportunities to stop, hike, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the bountiful benefits of nature.

The West Kootenays have myriad waterfalls, many within easy access of the highway. The Fletcher Falls turnoff is located about 10 minutes north of Ainsworth and accessed via a short walk.

Lone Falls, near Nakusp, is a popular picnic spot located just a few metres from the parking area, while Sutherland Falls—one of the most visually stunning waterfalls in the Revelstoke area—is found near Blanket Creek Provincial Park. A visit to Begbie Falls, also near Revelstoke, includes a glorious trail walk.

We also hiked the beautiful Kaslo River Trail with its unique Hide & Seek art installation, and the Nakusp Waterfront Walkway, where we revelled in gorgeous views of Arrow Lake and the surrounding mountains. Ahhhh.

RELAX In keeping with the Volvo-Swedish theme, we were introduced to the concept of “fika,” which is an important part of Swedish culture. Defined as “a state of mind, an attitude and a ritual,” it’s said to refresh the brain and strengthen relationships. It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a snack.

To this end, coffee experts Jay Lijewski and Joshua Boyt—or,

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The Coffee Car Guys—have created a mobile coffee bar for the back of their Volvo XC90; the kit includes coffee beans, grinder and French press/mug.

If it involves coffee, I’m all in. So the concept of fika—especially if it occurs on the road in the middle of nature—is a wonderful idea. We stopped early one morning at Fletcher Falls, sipped coffee at a vantage point and enjoyed the natural setting of woods and water (think forest bathing with coffee).

The Kootenays offer another way to relax: the area is spotted with naturally occurring hot springs. We stayed overnight at Ainsworth Hot Springs, enjoying a mesmerizing float around the steaming main pool and then taking a few trips through the hotter pools in the natural caves, which are a unique feature at Ainsworth.

You’ll also find hot springs at Halcyon and Nakusp on this route.

OVERNIGHT IN STYLE In addition to staying at Ainsworth Hot Springs, we overnighted at the historic Hume Hotel & Spa in Nelson and the upscale Explorer Society Hotel in Revelstoke. Both offered unique experiences.

The Hume is centrally located, steeped in history and extremely comfortable with super friendly staff. The Explorers Society is a nine-room boutique hotel with beautiful exposed-brick rooms, a rooftop lounge and hot tub. It also features the Quartermaster Eatery, which combines a fire-and-smoke-themed menu and a thoughtfully curated collection of unique wines and spirits.

THE LAST STOP Finally, return home refreshed, invigorated and ready to face the challenges of the day, knowing that a bit of road therapy has opened your mind to possibilities of a new world.

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food and feast

BOUNTY of the sea

Seafood shines in three-course Italian il pasto WORDS CHEF JULIA MCINNIS, ZAMBRI’S

X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

C h e f Julia McInnis.

EXHIBITIONS ART LAB PROGRAMS THE GALLERY STORE Experience the arts in Nanaimo Connect with art in Nanaimo Join us as a member today: nanaimogallery.ca/membership 150 Commercial St Nanaimo, British Columbia 250.754.1750 NanaimoArtGallery.com Joel and William Good Supernatural Eagle Bringing the Sun Back to the World

Clams and White Wine with Garlic-Rubbed Crostino and Parsley Pesto.

L

ike many of you, I have spent the majority of my life living on the West Coast. For me, much of the appeal of life here is proximity to the Pacific Ocean. For the scenery, yes. But even more so, for the way the air smells: briny, savoury and delicious.

One of the aspects of cooking Italian cuisine that speaks to me is taking quality seasonal ingredients and presenting them simply to let the ingredients shine.

This time of year (when it feels like it always has been and always will be raining) it’s the ocean’s time to shine. The colder temperatures are ideal for freshness of product and firmness of flesh.

First, some notes on choosing quality products and keeping them as fresh as possible. General advice when handling seafood is: less is more. Try to buy the fish as soon as possible before you intend to eat it, ideally the day of.

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When storing clams in the fridge, keep them in the mesh or plastic bag in which you bought them. This keeps them closed and less likely to open up and breathe in too much air. Wash your clams by placing them in a bowl and covering them with cold water, then agitating the clams around in the water, rubbing them against each other to release any sand caught in the crevices.

Pro tip: Lift the clams out of the water, don’t pour the water back out over them or you risk getting that sand caught right back in their shells. Repeat this at least three times or until the water is no longer cloudy when you agitate the clams.

When choosing white fish, pick a piece that looks slightly translucent and is uniform in colour throughout, free of dark spots on the flesh. To store in the fridge, remove the fish from the packaging and place it on a clean plastic, porcelain or glass container and wrap it well with saran wrap. Avoid metal as it may react with the fish and impart a tinny flavour. Handle the fish as little as possible to keep the heat and oils of your hands from disrupting the natural pH balance of the fish.

Below is a three-course meal built from my personal favourite winter comfort foods, and highlighting the best of the ocean’s bounty: warm and fragrant broth from the liquor of clams, white wine and butter, served with crunchy bread spread with parsley pesto; sweet buttery white fish cooked with savoury olives, salty caper bombs and tomato; anchovy breadcrumbs with white beans and bitter greens, which bring a nice richness of flavour in contrast to the salt and acidity of the fish dish; and for dessert, a citrus-rich olive oil cake to cleanse the palate.

White Fish Baked with Tomato, Olive and Caper.

gardenstone.ca 250 715 7220

White Fish Baked with Tomato, Olive and Caper Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil ½ small onion, chopped fine 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin ½ lemon, zested 1 tbsp capers 3 ⁄4 cup olives, Sicilian hot mix or Picholine 1 pinch chili flakes 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup white wine 2 cups (500 ml) Zambri’s tomato sauce 1½ lbs white fish, rockfish or sole ideally 1 tbsp chopped parsley olive oil Preheat oven to 375 F. Place garlic, chopped onion and vegetable oil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Turn heat to medium. Cook garlic and onion until soft and beginning to colour. Add a small amount of water halfway through to speed along the process. Add capers and olives and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and continue to cook until cherry tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst. Add white wine and Zambri’s tomato sauce. Simmer 5 minutes to let the flavours get to know each other.

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White Beans and Bitter Greens with Anchovy Breadcrumbs.

Prepare fish by giving a gentle rinse and patting dry on paper towels. Cut fish into 4 pieces of approximately the same size. Place fish in a shallow oven-safe casserole dish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over fish and place in oven. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until fish is opaque throughout and just beginning to flake.

Serve immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil.

White Beans and Bitter Greens with Anchovy Breadcrumbs Serves 4

1 tbsp butter 1 tsp anchovies, chopped 3 leaves sage, chopped ½ cup breadcrumbs 1 tbsp olive oil 1 ⁄4 cup water 1 bunch bitter greens (such as dandelion greens, rapini or black kale) 1 can white beans, drained

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Place butter and anchovies in a small, straight-edged sauté pan, ideally cast iron if available. Press the anchovies with a fork to break them up into smaller pieces. Cook together until anchovies have mostly dissolved and the butter begins to brown. Add sage and breadcrumbs. Cook together, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until breadcrumbs have absorbed all the butter and are light brown in colour. Remove from heat and place on a plate to cool. Set aside.

Prepare greens by washing if needed and gently patting dry.

Cut into pieces approximately 1 inch in length.

Place a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat, and add greens, olive oil and water. Cover pan and let greens steam down until soft and water is mostly evaporated. If using rapini or kale, you should be able to squish the stems with your fingers. Add white beans and cook together until beans have softened slightly.

Use a fork to mash the beans lightly until they are creamy in texture. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve in a shallow bowl and top with anchovy breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve hot.

Clams and White Wine with GarlicRubbed Crostino and Parsley Pesto Serves 4

½ bunch parsley ½ tsp capers 1 tbsp grated hard-rind cheese ½ lemon, zested 2 tbsp olive oil

½ loaf crusty, day-old bread (like a baguette) 3 lbs clams 4 garlic cloves 1 cup white wine (anything cheap and cheerful) 1 tbsp butter 1 pinch chili flakes Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Cut bread in slices no bigger than oneinch thick. Place on parchment-lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Bake at 350 F for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and dried most of the way through. Rub with one garlic clove on both sides of each crostino to “butter” the bread with the raw garlic.

Stem parsley and chop fine. Squeeze capers and chop fine.

Combine chopped parsley, capers, cheese, lemon zest and olive oil in a bowl. Adjust seasoning as needed. Smear pesto on each crostino.

Wash clams as described above. Slice 3 cloves of garlic lengthwise as thin as possible. Place 1 tbsp of the olive oil, half of the butter and all of the sliced garlic in a cold, shallow sauce pot. Turn heat to medium low and heat the oil, butter and garlic until the butter just begins to foam. Add clams and stir around until the clams start to sizzle and begin opening. Add white wine and cover pan to trap in all the liquor from the clams.

After 2 minutes, remove the lid and move the clams around with a spoon. The clams will not all open if they are stacked on each other, so moving them around gives them the space to open up and fully cook. Clams are ready when they are all fully open.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as you see fit. Serve immediately in warm bowls with crostino.

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Citrus Olive Oil Cake 3 eggs 3 ⁄4 cup white sugar 1 ⁄3 cup olive oil ½ cup milk 2 tbsp orange juice 1 tbsp lemon juice ½ lemon, zested ½ orange, zested 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp kosher salt Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Using either a stand mixer or a handheld electric beater, beat eggs and sugar together until eggs are light and fluffy—approximately 1 to 1.5 minutes. While mixing, add oil slowly in a steady stream until fully combined with milk, citrus zest, juice and vanilla extract. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour, baking powder and salt mixture to wet mixture, beating softly until fully combined. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if needed. Pour batter into prepared dish.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Let sit in pan at least 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Stay safe, stay local Cowichan is home to an extraordinary number of wineries, cideries, craft breweries, distilleries, lavender farms, cheese makers, bakeries, fishmongers, organic growers and other artisanal producers of food and drink. There are many ways to support them through online ordering, curbside pickup, or look for them at your local store.

Find out more at tourismcowichan.com

travel

MALTA the amazing

This European country has a little bit of everything WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BRIAN ARGYLE

“Malta! How interesting.”

That was my Uncle Ray’s reply, when I emailed to say we were visiting Malta for three weeks. Ray, a prolific author, enjoys spending his down time visiting France, surveying the rural countryside while acquainting himself with local varietals of fermented grapes. So, let me explain...

While investigating travel packages online, my wife Maureen stumbled upon a long-stay holiday in Malta. Previously, we had taken one to Portugal and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Curious, we did some research and after talking with friends who had visited Malta on a Mediterranean cruise—and who unanimously declared it was their favourite spot—we decided to see for ourselves.

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The Republic of Malta is a group of tiny islands south of Sicily.

The two main islands, Malta and the much smaller Gozo, have historic sites that predate the great pyramid of Egypt by more than 1,000 years. Because of their strategic location and small size, over the centuries they were seemingly invaded by every civilization that sailed past with a fleet of ships. As time went by, the resulting mix gave rise to a unique Maltese culture, with its own language and customs. Its current population is just under 500,000.

Ultimately, that travel package didn’t mesh with our timing, so we arranged our own flights and hotels. We opted for a week on Gozo and a week on Malta, and left the third week open in case we wanted to visit Sicily, just 90 minutes away via fast ferry or 30 minutes by air. But when the time came, we elected to stay in Malta, since there was still much we wanted to see and do. In all, we stayed in four hotels, each in different cities—all interesting and unique. And despite the country’s diminutive size, after three weeks we had nowhere near exhausted the many places to visit.

Rising sea levels at the end of the last Ice Age submerged the land bridge between Europe and Africa, leaving the Maltese islands and Sicily above water. In 1798, the Knights of Malta (rulers since 1530) were ousted by Napoleon Bonaparte. The Maltese, distraught by the subsequent raiding of churches and wealthy homes to finance Napoleon’s invasion of Africa, sought help from the British. In 1800, Admiral Horatio Nelson drove out the French and—on the condition the Maltese could retain their language, religion and culture—Malta became a British protectorate, which lasted until 1964. Most Maltese speak fluent English as a second language.

An Allied military base, Malta played a key role in the Mediterranean and African campaigns in both world wars. Targeted by the Italians and Germans and under siege in the Second World War, Malta became the most heavily bombed site in Europe. In April 1942, Britain’s King George VI awarded the George Cross to the entire country, “to bear witness to a heroism and a devotion that will long be famous in history.”

The Maltese were no strangers to hardship and resolve. One of the most celebrated victories of 16th-century Europe was the Great Siege of Malta, when the island defended itself against the Ottoman Empire. The Turks had mustered previous raids, including in 1551, when a strike force of 10,000 gave up after a few days, instead turning to invade Gozo, where they carried off the entire island population of 5,000 men, women and children as slaves. In 1565, they returned to Malta with nearly 200 ships and 40,000 men, confident it should take no more than three days to capture

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the island. Four months later, after firing more than 130,000 cannonballs, losing their commander and nearly their entire force, they left, never to return. Malta had lost a third of its population.

Today, Malta is an independent nation, a member of the European Union but not of NATO. The capital city, Valletta, was chosen Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2018. Its Grand Harbour is one of the largest ports in Europe, often occupied with cruise ships and super yachts of the rich and famous. With a modern international airport and a splendid public transit network, including frequent 25-minute ferries to Gozo, Malta is easy to get to and easy to get around in. Its sunny beaches may not be as grand as some countries’, but the range of activities and things to see are unparalleled, given their proximity.

Visit prehistoric temples or medieval castles, Roman catacombs or underground bomb shelters, and a wealth of museums with priceless

artifacts and state-of-the-art multimedia presentations. Shop in rustic craft markets or upscale shops in trendy historic districts and new shopping malls, or visit a casino. There’s even Popeye Village, a film set fishing village built for the 1980 Popeye movie, starring the late Robin Williams, and now a small theme park.

And absolutely reserve some time to visit Gozo. Centuries-old stone farmhouses, now converted to boutique B&Bs, compete with newer international hotels, from budget to luxurious. And of course, there are Airbnbs and Vrbos—pick your accommodation. Whether you’re a history buff, a party-goer that loves the night life, or someone who likes to walk the countryside or attend yoga retreats, Malta has places ideal for you.

Hungry? Everything from tiny hole-in-the-wall bakeries to gourmet restaurants abound, with choices from traditional Maltese

SPRING 2021

CENTRAL ISLAND LIFE AT ITS FINEST

A time for family ROAD THERAPY

Taking the high road to health

THE SUN RETURNS

Wools, knits and colours made for life on the beach

BOUNTY OF THE SEA

Seafood shines in Italian il pasto

Inspiring readers with stunning visuals and enticing stories.

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food—a combination of Arabic and Italian—serving salads, seafood, rabbit stew or pizza (pizza is everywhere), to typical English pubs, Hard Rock Cafes and McDonald’s. One thing we noticed was the friendliness of the Maltese and excellent service, whether it was at restaurants or hotels—even the bus drivers were helpful and courteous.

In part due to the short distances involved, we did not rent a car. In Malta they drive on the left, like the British, and given the many older, narrow streets with virtually non-existent parking, buses were a more convenient and less stressful option. We bought Explore Plus passes that got us on all buses as well as the water taxis that run across the harbours to and from Valletta. Buses are everywhere and have free onboard WiFi—as do many public spaces—so with your smartphone you can easily access routes and schedules and see your current position.

With direct flights from major European cities via Air Malta and other carriers, getting to these tiny specks in the middle of the Mediterranean is a breeze. If your timing is flexible, check for special events before booking your flights; things are going on year round. We were there during Carnival week and the running of the Malta Marathon.

I sent Ray some photos when we returned. His comment was, in part, “Clearly, Malta is a fascinating place and you made a good choice.” In retrospect, I believe we did.

Shop this eclectic downtown city neighborhood with a mix of great boutiques, shops and cafés while strolling through a mix of historic and new architecture.

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Avenir MEMORY CARE at Nanaimo

­

What remains is far more important than what is lost

secrets and lives —

AND THE 7 SINS

with CHRIS TURYK, Unsworth Vineyards

C

urrently holding the titles of marketing director and sommelier at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley, Chris Turyk has been involved with the family-run business since its inception. Tim and Colleen Turyk (Chris’s parents) bought the land and a sweet old farmhouse in 2009 with the idea of trying their hand at winemaking.

It quickly grew into a much larger enterprise than they’d anticipated.

“We had no idea or thoughts to creating this size of business,” says Chris. “It wasn’t the grand plan, but it took on a life of its own, and there was no going back.”

A food lover from an early age, Chris always envisioned working in the industry, and initially thought he’d end up in the kitchen of his own restaurant.

He studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, but made the shift to wine after a short time.

“I wanted to become a chef, and then I realized my ability to taste things exceeded my ability to create them,” he says, laughing. “I think the wine aspect came from the food. I realized they were complementary.”

It was in 2014 that wine as a career really took off after Chris decided to enter into the inaugural Best Sommelier in BC competition, organized by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. After an impressive showing—in which he placed third for the province—he was promptly offered a sommelier job at Hawksworth, four-time winner of Best Upscale Restaurant in Vancouver.

It was an opportunity that was supposed to last a year, and ended up being two and a half.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” says Chris, who formally left the restaurant in 2017, but continued to help out occasionally when hands were needed for another year.

WORDS ANGELA COWAN

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X

PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

Being exposed to the incredible variety of extremely high-end wines while also learning about grape agriculture and growing practices gave him an invaluable education that’s served him well.

Shortly thereafter, he found himself in a practicum at the UBC farm.

“I remember thinking, ‘who else gets to do this?’”

Going between a “small-scale, very socially aware, very liberal” environment like the farm, and a top-end eatery like Hawksworth, “gives you a wide perspective,” says Chris.

Being exposed to the incredible variety of extremely high-end wines while also learning about grape agriculture and growing practices gave him an invaluable education that’s served him well.

“You get a bit of everything, and you can speak to what’s important to different people,” he says. Whether that’s explaining the sustainable farming practices Unsworth employs to younger generations of environmentally aware wine drinkers, or being able to talk about the specific notes in each wine with people who have been enjoying a glass of vino for decades, Chris is able to connect with everyone across the board.

And now that he’s stepped into the marketing role, he’s added another piece to the puzzle.

“Even 18 months ago, I wasn’t expecting to be in a marketing role,” says Chris. “But I like chatting to people. I’ve wanted to teach wine classes for a while, and marketing is basically education on what we do, and why it’s important.”

The 7 Sins ENVY:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

Since I already walk in John Fluevog’s shoes, that question really forces me to think. Purely for the experience of such a high-consequence environment, being in the work boots of a cellar hand at a hyper premium winery has always interested me. Moving or dealing with wine that retails at $5,000 per bottle means every ounce is roughly $200, so, no mistakes.

GLUTTONY:

What is the food you could eat over and over again?

Pork. The humble and noble pig has a very special place in my diet. To sum it all up in one word: bacon.

GREED:

You’re given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?

I would get one million $1 USD bills, then fill a kids’ pool and swim around Scrooge McDuck style.

WRATH:

Pet peeves?

Socks with sandals. I thought, as a civilization, we were better than that.

SLOTH:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

Does work count?

PRIDE:

What is the one thing you’re secretly proud of ?

I can recite all the chemical elements of the periodic table to the tune of a recognizable song from The Pirates of Penzance.

LUST:

What makes your heart beat faster?

What is adrenaline? As a relatively excitable person, often I focus on the opposite. Taking little moments throughout the day to observe and enjoy where I am and who I’m with pays dividends not only for me, but mostly for those around me.

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narrative

WORDS NORMA HINDS

i

X ILLUSTRATION SIERRA LUNDY

EPIDEMIC

n the spring of 1953, the polio epidemic hit our Manitoban town and our family. Later, I learned this epidemic was the most severe ever recorded in Canada at the time, with more than 2,300 cases in Manitoba alone— or 300 per 100,000.

My mother, Bessie, unable to breathe, was taken to the local hospital. That night, as Audrey, my older sister, and I watched the rain beating on our bedroom window, she whispered to me that she was not feeling well. Then she too was gone.

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My Dad was left in a desperate situation. My brother, Marvin, was only a year old; Irene was five and I was six and a half. Who was going to look after us?

The town folk either had family members stricken with polio, or were afraid to get too close for fear of contracting the disease. People were told to avoid exposure by avoiding crowds, beaches, swimming pools and “strange” children. This disease was mostly confined to the young and most common in summer.

Dad’s sister, who lived in Winnipeg, agreed to take Marvin as she had two older sons and she was not working at the time.

That left Irene and me…

The next morning, Irene and I were sent to my paternal grandparents’ house in Beausejour, Manitoba. Even though we lived in the same town, we had rarely seen them.

Dad dropped us off on his way to visit Mom in the hospital.

He was back within the hour, this time driving his ambulance, which was part of his funeral business. He was angry. “Those doctors know bugger all. Bessie almost died last night. She couldn’t breathe. I’m taking her into the city for proper treatment. That’s why I brought the ambulance.”

Grandpa questioned him, “Where are you going to get the money to pay for that?”

Dad responded, “I don’t know. We just applied for Blue Cross insurance, but I don’t think it takes effect yet. Don’t worry, though, I’ll see that you get paid for feeding the kids.”

And with that, he and the ambulance were gone.

Twelve children grew up in the grandparents’ two-bedroom bungalow, built in the early 1900s. The bed engulfed our small bedroom. Luckily, it had a screened window as the summer was hot and humid. Also, the heavy down comforter made the room stifling at night. Irene loved to curl up and sink into it.

Grandma and Grandpa’s bedroom was off the kitchen, a forbidden area. To the back of the house, beyond the kitchen, was the porch, where, in a gigantic barrel, the slop pail oozed strong nauseous smells. The porch was ominous with its dark and windowless state.

Excitement for that summer was a trip to Princess (Queen) Elizabeth Hospital in Winnipeg to get our polio vaccine shot. This “shot” was apparently in great demand and only available to children. When we got to the hospital, I learned the shot was a needle—and in the bum. Did it ever hurt!

However, Irene and I then got to visit Audrey. She sat in a high, white-blanketed hospital bed. Audrey proudly showed us where she hid the food that she didn’t like to eat. And yes, the hiding spot was under her bed. Audrey gave us some cut-out dolls. I thought she was lucky that she had so many cut-outs that she could afford to give some away.

After our visit with Audrey, we waited outside for Dad as he was visiting Mom in King George Hospital nearby.

The polio virus had affected Mom’s throat and bronchial tubes. She spent months in the King George Hospital in an iron lung, our present-day ventilator.

AFTERMATH With the end of summer came the end of our banishment.

It also heralded Mom’s homecoming. The last time we saw her, Mom was an attractive, strong woman but…now? We were shocked and repelled by her appearance. She was very thin and fragile with white hair, a lopsided mouth and crooked face.

She was only 40 years old.

Because of the paralysis of her throat muscles, Mom had difficulty chewing and swallowing. Even eating baby food was a difficult and slow process as she used her hands to manipulate her jaw. I can still hear the gagging and choking noises she made.

Audrey’s arrival home, weeks later, was less traumatic. Polio had caused paralysis in Audrey’s legs, and left her with one leg

The polio virus had affected Mom’s throat and bronchial tubes.

She spent months in the King George Hospital in an iron lung, our presentday ventilator. shorter than the other. She walked with a limp but, to Irene and me, she seemed normal. However, polio exacerbated Audrey’s scoliosis. She eventually had back surgery which meant more hospitals, a body cast, back brace and more pain.

I have little remembrance of Marvin’s homecoming. He could walk by this time and someone said, “He was so happy to be home, he kissed the floor.” I suspect this was wishful thinking.

Although it was a difficult time for our family, we were blessed to have Mrs. Friesen, a pleasant and capable Mennonite woman, who provide much-needed care and support. Mrs. Friesen was with us for many years.

There was also a financial cost to the polio epidemic. Dad had applied for Blue Cross coverage but because Audrey and Mom were hospitalized prior to the plan’s waiting period, they were not eligible for coverage. From the municipal hospitals (the Queen Elizabeth and King George) there was an outstanding debt of $413.45. The town of Beausejour was owed $413. In addition, the Department of National Revenue assessed $914.81 plus interest for unpaid taxes. I found these bills in 2019 when I was cleaning out documents from my brother Marvin’s estate. He had kept much of my Dad’s business information.

According to my parents, Dad had been mayor of Beausejour at the time of the epidemic. Because he could not pay the town property taxes, he was not allowed to run for a second term. He was very bitter about this. However, years later he again served as a councillor on the town council.

FINAL THOUGHT Years later, when Mom was talking to a friend, the friend said, “I’ve never heard of anyone having polio in the throat.”

Mom’s answer was, “Because few survived.”

It is now May 23, 2020. I am writing this during the COVID-19 pandemic and have had two months of social distancing and isolation.

We survived the polio epidemic and we will survive this pandemic.

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behind the story

B

oulevard editor Susan Lundy and her husband, Bruce Cameron, hit the road a few months ago, test-driving a hybrid Volvo XC90 T8 in BC’s West Kootenays region for this edition’s feature story, called Road Therapy. “Road trips have been a huge part of my life, pretty much from the moment I got behind the wheel of my first car,” says Susan.

“When my daughters were young, we spent dozens of glorious weekends travelling to swim meets around the province. Later, my husband and I memorized all the twists and turns of Highway 1 as we drove countless times between our homes in Calgary and Salt Spring Island. Since then, we’ve driven across Canada, all around BC and through the western states. Each time we get in the car and head out, it’s like an immediate exhale. Then we feel a surge of excitement at all the possibilities—all the things to discover, all the potential for adventure. And these days, when pandemic-forced isolation has transformed our relationship with private spaces, our cars are more than just a means of transportation; they’re a safe space to escape into. Road therapy might not be a medical term, but it has offered an antidote to the pandemic—as well as a whole lot of adventure and fun.”

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PHOTO BY BRUCE CAMERON

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