Boulevard Magazine, Okanagan, July/August 2021

JULY/AUGUST 2021

OKANAGAN LIFE AT ITS FINEST

STORY TIME

A luxurious home redesign

FINDING THE MOUNTAIN Japanese gardens to think, meditate and be at peace

FREE SPIRIT

Celebrating BC-made fashion

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CONTENTS 10

21

24

FEATURES

On the Cover Photo by Lia Crowe

Queens at Friends of Dorothy interact with guests at Sunday Drag Brunch.

GOOD TASTE

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STORY TIME

44 FINDING THE

Lush and luxurious, this home redesign weaves a glorious tale

Japanese gardens to think, meditate and be at peace

By Valaura Jones

By Angela Cowan

32 FREE SPIRIT

50

GREAT ESCAPES

Celebrating BC-made fashion

Think global and source local

with these travel-inspired tastes

By Lia Crowe

MOUNTAIN

JULY/AUGUST 2021

By Ellie Shortt

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90 50

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DEPARTMENTS

6

CONTRIBUTORS

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EDITOR’S LETTER

On the blind side

By Susan Lundy

10 LIFE.STYLE.ETC.

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60 WEEKENDER

GOOD TASTE

Fit for a queen

By Toby Tannas

21

IN STUDIO

Story, space and the built environment: Samuel Roy-Bois

By David Wylie

Scarlett Barber

By Lia Crowe

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DESIGN NOTES

40 BUSINESS CLASS

True colours

By Cayley Belair

Seeking solace on northern Vancouver Island

By Linda Doctoroff

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SECRETS AND LIVES

Jaime Briggs and Leon Gaba

By Angela Cowan

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NARRATIVE

How my world expanded: the Grandmother Riders

By Linda Mills

14 WELL & GOOD

74

BEHIND THE STORY

By Sara Spectrum

Harnessing your hormones

Passion. Knowledge. Success.

Dale Lamb

By Darcy Nybo

By Kaisha Scofield boulevardmagazines.com |

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contributors “Listening to Susan Hawkins explain

ANGELA COWAN WRITER FINDING THE MOUNTAIN

PAGE 44

gardens through the lens of art history was one of the most interesting interviews I have ever conducted, and it made me wish I could take a semester of her lectures. She has a seemingly limitless number of stories and facts at her fingertips—the Egyptians so revered their gardeners that they mummified them!— and talking about the philosophy behind Japanese gardens with her was a truly mesmerizing experience. Even if it’s as simple as a beautiful stone, a small potted plant and a dish of clear water, anyone can create an oasis of peace in their garden.” Angela Cowan is an award-winning journalist, a novelist and a freelance writer and editor. Find her at: angelamcowan.com.

“My email tagline is a quote from John Muir, ‘Into the forest I go,

LINDA DOCTOROFF WRITER SEEKING SOLACE

PAGE 60

to lose my mind and find my soul.’ This pretty much sums up my life; I am most alive when I’m in nature. I wrote this piece during a pandemic-escape trip when I became acutely aware of my surroundings. I’m an early riser and started taking copious notes at the campsite each morning. I needed to capture the sound of the stillness around me.

I wrote every day and then headed home, stopping midway to write the first draft, as I couldn’t put the words down fast enough.

I’m happy to have Tom Perry’s beautiful photos accompany my story: tomperryphotography.com.” Linda is an outdoor adventurer who hikes, cycles and kayaks.

O K A N A G A N L I F E AT I T S F I N E S T J U LY/AU GU ST 2 02 1

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

ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke Vicki Clark

CONTRIBUTING Cayley Belair WRITERS Angela Cowan

Jessica Clark

Lia Crowe

Linda Doctoroff

Valaura Jones Darcy Nybo Linda Mills Kaisha Scofield Ellie Shortt Toby Tannas David Wylie

CONTRIBUTING Lia Crowe, Don Denton,

PHOTOGRAPHERS Alan Verbeke

ILLUSTRATION Sierra Lundy

CIRCULATION & Brian Gold

DISTRIBUTION 250.763.7575

“I’ve been photographing my wife’s projects for a few years now and

ALAN VERBEKE

it is always incredible to see how these blank canvases transform into spaces that elicit character and personality, reflecting the essence of the homeowner. The level of design and attention to detail at Boho Regency is among my favourites to date. I enjoy trying to capture and relay the feeling one gets when being in the space.” Alan is the face behind the camera at Avenue Photography, and husband to Nicole of Copper + Oak Design.

PHOTOGRAPHER STORY TIME

PAGE 24

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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

on the blind side

As I added yet another event to my calendar and tried to sort out in my mind how to juggle work, family and friends in the upcoming week, I felt a flash of crankiness. Then I started thinking about the big (outdoor) party we’re planning for July. It seemed like such a good idea after that glass of red, but now felt completely overwhelming.

And then it happened—I felt myself pining for the good old days of pandemic lockdown. Really!?

I needed to analyze this, so I confided in my friend Gail, a fellow introvert, who had joined me in the backyard for our first in-person visit in months. She also had a confession: she had recently gathered outdoors with her book club; it was the first in-person meeting they’d had in over a year and Gail said she arrived home afterwards stunned by her exhaustion. The 90-minute get-together felt like a five-hour social ordeal, she said.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no way I’d actually want to return to the start of the pandemic. But I will forever recall the bliss in those months of not having to plan or juggle a single thing. Many people out there, especially introverts, were okay with staying inside their cosy, comfort-zone box. As social events return, there is a whole range of social anxieties that will need to be tamed.

As things open up again, we will all be surprised by the feelings—often unbidden—that emerge. Many of the roller coaster of emotions from the past 18 months are buried and waiting to pop out at unexpected times.

For example, when the BC government announced its four-step re-start program at the end of May, my husband and I gathered at a computer to listen to it live. But just a few minutes into it and my eyes welled with tears.

Why? Why was this so emotional?

As Bruce and I considered this question, we explored the idea that perhaps we’re experiencing grief, something that is only surfacing now with the end of the pandemic in sight. We wondered if this would be a collective experience.

Roots of this grief would be different for everyone. For us, it’s the loss of time spent with our US-based children: the fact I haven’t hugged one of my daughters or my stepson for close to two years hurts at a deep level. We grieve loss of time spent with our family in Ontario, and even family and friends living nearby. There’s grief over a diminished sense of security, financial and otherwise, and although we personally didn’t lose anyone to COVID-19, there is a collective anguish over the death of so many people—so many tragedies.

We’ve lost a year and half of our life as we knew it. And while I don’t feel this so acutely for myself—my mid-50s world hasn’t changed dramatically and I’m also aware that the pandemic brought about some life-altering positives—but I starkly feel the loss of that time for my stepdaughter, for example, who found online learning too overwhelming and missed a year of university; or my own daughter, a musician, who lost all those months of performing….not to mention income. I feel the burden of loss for my mother and other seniors, who were left isolated at a time in their lives when isolation seems particularly unfair.

The emotions related to reopening our lives may hit at unexpected times.

My muscian daughter, who played live music again for the first time in late June, said she teared up twice at the show. People in the audience were openly weeping. What a sad world it was without the primal euphoria of coming together to share music.

So as we start down the journey on the road to a new normal—and how can it actually ever be the same again when the entire world has shared such loss?—the emotions will hit on the blind side. There will be grief and joy. Social anxiety and exhaustion. (And how about the shock of surprise when we take our masks off and realize we’re all a year and half older!) It’s a good time to cut ourselves some slack: to look at our newly bursting calendars and to understand it may cause anxiety; to give ourselves time to grieve; and, above all, incorporate some self-love and self-care into our post-pandemic lives.

Now. About that party in July.

Susan Lundy Editor

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NEW SUMMER ARRIVALS DAILY

landmarkclothiers.com

life.style.etc.

SCARLETT BARBER, PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION/ENTREPRENEUR WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

i

“

love that every day is different—it literally is,” says Scarlett as she describes what fires her up the most about her work in real estate.

“I love the people, the challenge, the fast-paced environment and helping people succeed in their real estate dreams. All of that makes me happy.”

Asked what daily practice has led to her success, she answers, “Not leaving anything to the last minute.

When I am given a task I finish it as quickly as possible, providing the highest quality the first time. Any other way, you’re working twice as hard and delaying the success for your clients.

“Life doesn’t stop moving,” Scarlett reflects when asked what life lessons she has learned. “It will always keep moving so I have kept moving with it. Right out of university, I kept moving towards opportunities for growth—whether it was for work, for further education, or to gain the experience that I have today. Not waiting around has helped me to provide the best for my clients.”

Although Scarlett’s style is a mix and changes for the occasion, she leans towards classic pieces combined with current trends. “I like timeless pieces to start with and then I like to mix in fashion that works with my body type, even if the trends are heading in another direction. I always like to add a twist to spice up any outfit just to pull it all together.”

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STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE Favourite piece of art: Ansel Adams photography.

Favourite fashion designer or brand: Hermès.

Era of time that inspires your style: Mix of '70s, '80s and early 2000s.

Film or TV show that inspires your style or that you just love the style of: Selling Sunset.

Favourite cocktail or wine: Kyoto Fizz.

Favourite flower: Roses, for appearance and scent.

Favourite city to visit: New York City.

Favourite place in the whole world: California.

One thing that consistently lifts your spirits during these hard times: Travelling.

FASHION & BEAUTY Uniform: Jeans, blouse, heels and a purse.

Favourite pair of shoes: Stuart Weitzman Highland Boots.

Favourite day-bag: “Birkin 30” bag by Hermès.

Favourite jewellery piece or designer: Tiffany studs.

Accessory you spend the most money on: Cartier Ballon Bleu Time Piece.

Moisturizer: Vivier Daily Age-Defying Moisturizer.

Scent: Tom Ford Cafe Rose mixed with Acqua di Parma Rose Nobile.

Must-have hair product: Unite 7Seconds Detangler.

Beauty secret: Eight-plus hours of sleep, water and sunscreen.

READING MATERIAL What do you read online for style: Instagram.

Fave print magazine: Vogue.

Fave style blog: @upcloseandstylish.

Book currently reading: Motley Crue: The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band

by Tommy Lee. Favourite book of all time: The Witches by Roald Dahl.

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design notes

true colours

BY CAYLEY BELAIR, HANNAH KATEY INTERIOR DESIGN INC.

Designing within a colour family is a trend that gives a punch of dazzle to a home’s aesthetic.

The incorporation of accent walls into home design continues to be an extremely popular trend, but how do you complement that colour throughout?

One option is to stay within the same colour family. We recommend doing this by using toned-down versions of the focal accent colour. Here, we’ve used Benjamin Moore Caribbean Teal as the main accent colour.

To complete the look, highlight your accent colour by using beautiful lighting fixtures and tile with patterns/ colours that will not overpower the space.

All the lighting fixtures here have been sourced through Robinson Lighting, paint selections can be obtained through Benjamin Moore, and all the tile selections are Julian Tile from Nufloors.

(Please call for pricing.)

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well and good

harnessing your hormones And making them work for you WORDS KAISHA SCOFIELD

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How well do you know your hormones? Unless you’re an endocrinologist, the thought of hormones may trigger traumatic memories of puberty or the dreaded recurrence of PMS. When it comes to hormones, we tend to cross our fingers and hope for the best. And it’s no wonder, really, because they can be blamed for erratic behaviour, acne, night sweats, digestive woes and hot flashes, to name a few. But hormones are responsible for so much more than awkward teenagers and chocolate cravings. Without them, the body would be in chaos.

Hormones are the chemical messengers of your body, secreted by glands in the endocrine system. We have almost 200 hormones or hormone-like substances in our body and they are used to communicate between organs and tissues for physiological regulation and behavioural activities. They influence almost every cell, function and organ in the body, affecting digestion, metabolism, respiration, tissue function, sensory perception, sleep, excretion, lactation, stress, growth and development, movement, reproduction and mood.

It’s all fine and good to say that hormones are important, but how

They influence almost every cell, function and organ in the body, affecting digestion, metabolism, respiration, tissue function, sensory perception, sleep, excretion, lactation, stress, growth and development, movement, reproduction and mood. exactly do they work and, more importantly, how can we make them work for us? The first step to harnessing your hormones is understanding how the body uses them. We aren’t going to cover all 200 hormones, but we can learn about some of the more familiar ones, particularly those responsible for mood and sexual health.

Our primary mood hormones are: oxytocin, the love hormone; dopamine, known for pleasure and reward; and serotonin, the mood stabilizer that also works with melatonin to establish sleep and wake cycles. These hormones can all be regulated by your movement habits, dietary choices, wellness, stress and sleep patterns.

One of the hardest-working and least supported hormones in our body is cortisol, also known as the stress hormone.

Working with adrenalin, cortisol reacts to stress and triggers the fight or flight response. “Fight or flight” describes the changes that occur in the body as a response to a potentially harmful event or perceived threat, preparing the body for vigorous physical action. The heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up, the liver converts stored glycogen to glucose to provide energy, and the bronchioles in the lungs dilate to allow more oxygen to circulate in the blood.

This is an evolutionary system established during hunter-gatherer times, when the dangers we faced were imminent.

Even though modern society insulates us from many of the dangers our ancestors faced, we can still have a release of cortisol, and therefore a spike in adrenalin, just from having an argument with a coworker, your moody teenager or a bad driver. Too many stresses and depleted cortisol leads to a sup-

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pressed immune system, increase in blood sugar, increased blood pressure and decreased serotonin. Remember serotonin? It’s what helps to stabilize your mood and sleep cycles, so a disruption can lead to poor sleep and a bad mood.

Most of us are familiar with the two sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone. It may surprise you to learn that while testosterone is commonly associated with men, and estrogen with women, they are almost identical and all genders actually have a fair amount of both, producing and using estrogen and testosterone to varying degrees. These levels do change considerably throughout our lives, though, and for those who are menstruating, estrogen (and related hormones) levels change daily.

Menstruation is generally broken up into two main phases; the follicular (days one to 13), which is the start of menses, and the luteal (days 14 to 28), which starts with ovulation. The lengths of these phases are variable depending on the individual. You may be surprised to learn that during the follicular phase, starting when menses occurs, is when your hormones are at their lowest and you are more likely to perform better in the gym, have increased energy and elevated mood. Your hormones levels are at their highest from ovulation on, during the luteal phase. During this time you may experience higher rates of moodiness, lower energy and less performance at the gym. These are, of course, general guidelines and will vary from person to person.

Understanding and becoming familiar with the fluctuation of these menstrual hormones is extremely beneficial to everyone, whether or not menstruation is a part of your life. By tracking and understanding how the body is affected by hormonal cycles, we are better able to predict and prepare for changes in energy, mood, water retention, appetite, sleep, etc. For people who menstruate, tracking your cycle is crucial to understanding and working with

your hormones. There are may great tracking apps for this purpose, including Flo, Eve, WILD.AI and Clue.

Our endocrine system is highly dependent on our overall health.

If we are in a state of survival, as can be due to famine (extreme diets, nutrient depletion), duress (high stress levels or trauma) or extreme fatigue (overtraining, poor sleep habits), the body can react by compromising our hormonal balance. This is one of the primary explanations for an irregular cycle and an early warning sign of hormonal imbalance. Other signs of a hormonal imbalance are fatigue, irritability, depression, sudden weight gain or loss, poor bone density, sleep disruptions, hot flashes, muscle loss, erectile dysfunction, brain fog and poor libido.

The best way to support your hormones is to make rest and wellness a priority. This may seem simplistic but the endocrine system relies primarily on balance. This means prioritizing mental wellness, relaxation, pleasure and sleep, while also ensuring you are eating a diet that is high in nutrient density and variety. Pay special attention to your hydration and intake of healthy fats. Hormones are either fat or water soluble, and many are even reliant on cholesterol for production and transport. If you are dehydrated and/or eating a diet too low in fat, your hormones are not being produced and transported properly throughout the body.

Once you have made hormone-healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle, assess your environment. Hormone disruptors can be found in cleaning products, makeup and other beauty products. Start by opting for unscented products where possible, avoiding things like lavender-scented doggie bags or scented room sprays. Replace any beauty or body-care products that have added perfumes, SLS, parabens, phthalates, artificial colour, etc. If you are unsure, enter your products in the Environmental Working Group website: EWG.org to see how they rank.

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SHOW & SALE / August 13 - 28 Meet the Artist Fri 4 - 8pm / Sat 11am-5pm Private Viewings Available

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Or at ordinary stores.

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good taste

Queens Jenna and Ella.

Fit for a queen

Go for the fun, return for the food and drink at Friends of Dorothy WORDS TOBY TANNAS

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PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

F

riends of Dorothy is a lounge best enjoyed with friends . . .but if you don’t bring them, you just might find some at this moody-yet-upbeat hot spot nestled in Kelowna’s downtown core.

And while the topnotch entertainment will get you in the door, it may be the food and drink that keep you coming back.

Dorothy’s is known for its drag shows, including the famed Sunday Drag Brunch where local queens interact with the guests. It’s breakfast with a spectacular, saucy side of glam and attitude.

“The drag shows are back and everyone’s excited,” says head chef Sarah Maw. “They bring so much to the atmosphere, and when they get on the mic, they banter as only Kelowna queens can. And, of course, they perform a number or two.”

Reservations are highly recommended for the Sunday Drag Brunch.

Dorothy’s has made a name for itself from an entertainment perspective, and it just might be the most inclusive spot on Kelowna’s bar-and-restaurant landscape. LGBT2Q+ at its core, Dorothy’s is a place for everyone to gather and be themselves.

“However you identify, you will feel comfortable at Dorothy’s. We try to make the experience very different from other bars in town

with our variety of acts—not just drag queens but also comedy,” explains Sarah.

In addition to mastering its entertainment and atmosphere, Dorothy’s has perfected its food and drink menu since opening in early 2020. Sarah and beverage director Eric Pihrag go all out to create a unified offering between the two menus.

On the cocktail side, you’ll find a tightly curated local wine list alongside creative and exotic handcrafted signature drinks. Choose from The Ruby Slipper, Wicked Witch of the West or Not in Kansas Anymore. (You are picking up on the theme here, right?)

“The most popular is There’s No Place Like Home,” says Sarah.

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Chef Sarah Maw with a vegan charcuterie board and Hong Shao Rou Pork Belly Bites.

“That one has got a tang to it. With two types of gin, grapefruit and rosemary, it feels really good on the mouth.”

When it comes to food, the offerings are as diverse as the friends that Dorothy picks up along her yellow brick road journey in The Wizard of Oz. The Hong Shao Rou Pork Belly Bites are like little pieces of heaven melting in your mouth. The provolone-stuffed Mushroom Arancini, with its Italian notes, is a delicious happy-hour option for plant-based eaters, and don’t skip over the Crispy Artichokes, a chef Sarah specialty, served with a sweet chili sauce. If you’ve got a bigger appetite, you might opt for the Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

“It’s a Karaage-style chicken on house-made brioche. We do a sriracha aioli, and I like to infuse a lot of the liquors in my cooking, so it’s got a Jack Daniels glaze that people are crazy for.”

While we all appreciate the finer foods, can we agree that every eatery can be defined by its fries? Friends of Dorothy’s are topnotch.

(Ask for extra roasted garlic aioli . . . yes, it’s that good!)

Watch for a new menu coming later this summer. Chef Sarah is excited to work with local farmers to incorporate Okanagan-grown produce. She’s also creating a sexy Mediterranean platter made for sharing.

“Think whipped feta, hummus, house-baked naan and olives,” she says.

Whatever the season, Friends of Dorothy is the place to sit, sip, savour and socialize.

“Just come and be yourself. I don’t know of anywhere else right now that offers this upbeat lounge atmosphere,” Sarah says.

With indoor and outdoor dining options, Friends of Dorothy welcomes guests 19+ seven days a week.

Also—if you find yourself on Vancouver Island, sashay your way into the fabulous Victoria location where families are welcome.

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10114 Main Street, Summerland, BC Office 250-494-8881 Each office independently owned and operated

in studio …

WITH SAMUEL ROY-BOIS

story, space and the built environment WORDS DAVID WYLIE PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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It’s really looking at how we relate to objects and how everyday objects somehow define us. We fabricate them but they also, in return, construct the world that we live in.

A

room full of holes with light filtering through from all sides.

An upside-down fully-furnished carpeted living room. Someone living inside a gallery exhibit inside a gallery exhibit. These are all examples of how Samuel Roy-Bois explores space and architecture in his creations.

He asks: we make things, but are things also making us?

The Okanagan-based visual artist uses a mixture of sculpture, installation and sound to create engagement between viewers and the built environment. Works by Roy-Bois, who is also an associate professor in Creative Studies and Visual Arts at UBCO, probe how architecture generates stories and narratives, and divides space to create different moments.

“I like to look at architecture as a type of object, like a chair, or a shirt or a car,” he says. “A house is also one object—it’s a type of object that defines a very specific type of relationship with us; it’s not something that we can hold, it’s more something that is holding us.”

Roy-Bois says he’s drawn to architecture because of its potential to provide limits to the world, and therefore limits to our exposure to the infinite. He’s intrigued by how people use the built environment to solve problems, and he sometimes creates a push-pull effect with his installations. In some cases, he allows gallery-goers into certain sections while keeping them out of others.

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In his 2012 Vancouver installation I Had a Great Trip Despite a Brutal Feeling of Cognitive Dissonance, Roy-Bois divided the gallery space into two zones. He allowed the public access to the smaller section in the gallery, but not the larger one, where someone actually lived for a month, entering through their own private door.

He found the person through a Craigslist ad.

“People coming to the show might have heard that somebody was living in there but had no way to verify it. They could sit outside and imagine the person in that space and how they might be occupying the space, even picturing themselves living in there,” he says.

“I like when my projects are a bit of a journey, or a bit of a challenge—you’re not sure how you’re going to make it happen or what will happen; in this case, who’s going to answer that ad and how they will behave. There was a lot of unknown. If you’re doing a painting, you know that painting will behave and stay on the wall.”

Roy-Bois says a piece he created in 2003 called I Heard a Noise and

I Ran Away still resonates in his work today. He built a small room and drilled holes into the walls and floor.

“There were holes in all the surfaces and there was a lighting system behind those walls. It was the beginning of a lot of stuff I’ve done after that. I feel very attached to that installation,” he says.

Roy-Bois has exhibited his sculptures and installations at local, national and international venues, including Carleton University Art Gallery in Ottawa; Musée d’art contemporain de Montreal; Simon Fraser University Galleries in Burnaby; Vancouver Art Gallery; and Point É́phémère in Paris.

His work is being honoured. The Jack and Doris Shadbolt Foundation presented Roy-Bois with a 2021 VIVA Award for visual artists in mid-career. He was surprised by the $15,000 award, which aims to contribute to the advancement of the visual arts in BC. “It’s nice to see the work I’ve done in the past 10 years recognized,” he said.

The arts have attracted Roy-Bois since he was five years old, and he had dreams of becoming a painter. Encouraged by his dad to become an artist, his interest grew beyond painting.

“I felt that sculpture and installation offered possibilities that painting did not offer,” he says. “I could make stuff that didn’t come across as art right away; it looked a bit more ambiguous.”

Originally from Quebec City, Roy-Bois earned a BFA from Université Laval and an MFA from Concordia University. He carried on formally choosing to pursue the arts, but instead spending one year studying anthropology.

“It felt like a safer route,” he says with a laugh. “I’m glad that I did that, but I really felt in my element when I started to go to École D’art Visuel at Laval University in Quebec City.”

Roy-Bois met his wife, Larissa, in Montreal. The couple eventually moved to New York City where Roy-Bois worked in 2003 as

a studio manager for an artist. He had a residency at the largest studio of his career to date—with Chashama, a non-profit arts organization based in NYC. The organization rented space in the heart of the Tribeca neighbourhood in downtown Manhattan, a couple blocks away from Ground Zero.

He did a project around the empty spaces in New York.

As the couple started a family, they moved to Vancouver to be closer to Larissa’s family.

Roy-Bois started at UBCO in 2013, and for the first few years he commuted between Vancouver and the Okanagan. About five years ago, they decided to settle in the Okanagan.

While there isn’t as much culture in the valley as in Vancouver or New York, there is a lot of potential for growth.

Access to space in Vancouver is challenging. In Kelowna, however, UBC is building a new campus downtown. Roy-Bois is involved in the development of new research spaces that his UBCO faculty is putting together—a mix of visual arts and new research spaces.

“UBC is a powerhouse, there is so much that we can do through that institution,” he says.

Roy-Bois’ latest work, Presences, ran in late 2020. Organized and circulated by the Kamloops Art Gallery, the exhibit travelled to the Esker Foundation in Calgary.

“It’s really looking at how we relate to objects and how everyday objects somehow define us. We fabricate them but they also, in return, construct the world that we live in,” he says.

“When installing the show, I spent a lot of time placing the work in space,” he says, adding that this included determining which piece viewers will see first, how to incorporate negative space and how the pieces speak to one another. “You move the pieces around and look for a secret narrative, an ambiguous narrative the work can provide.”

about your Assante understands understandsthat thatwhen whenyou youask askquestions questions about your finances, you’re finances, you’re really reallylooking lookingfor foranswers answerstotoyour, your,and andyour your have the family’s future. We have the expertise expertiseand andresources, resources,but butalso also empathy and the empathy anddesire desireto tohelp helpyou youachieve achieveyour yourlife lifegoals, goals, whatever they may may be. be.Contact Contactus ustoday, today,and andbe bewell-advised. well-advised.

This is why we’re here. assante.com

Dale Lamb

Financial Advisor Assante Financial Management Ltd. 216-3477 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna BC V1W 0A7 dale.lamb@assante.com 778.940.3607 ext. 102

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hot properties

QUICK FACTS Design time: 10 months Construction time: 7 months Square feet: 6,600 square feet Bedrooms: 5 bedrooms Bathrooms: 3.5 bathrooms Notable features: Custom sauna in en suite, Aquabrass tub filler with marble top in en suite, imported Spanish tile, marble mosaic inlays in kitchen and en suite, arcade room with blacklights and UV-reactive fluorescent carpet, custom stair railings, bespoke octopus chandelier, made-to-order lion head faucet, Buster + Punch switch plates

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Story Lush and luxurious, this redesign weaves a glorious tale WORDS VALAURA JONES

X

PHOTOGRAPHY ALAN VERBEKE

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Every design decision and object in Amanda and Eric Spicer’s home is intentional. Each element tells a story, whether in its acquisition, sentimental value or manufacture.

Storytelling is the essence of what it means to be human. We are the only species that creates narratives, imagines new worlds and new realities. Stories are how we learn, cooperate and communicate. They motivate nearly every decision we make or action we take. They define us.

The best homes weave a story about their inhabitants. When I stepped inside this unique, two-storey lakefront house in Vernon, I instantly knew exactly who the owners were.

Every design decision and object in Amanda and Eric Spicer’s home is intentional. Each element tells a story, whether in its acquisition, sentimental value or manufacture.

Working with interior designer Nicole Verbeke, principal at Copper + Oak Design, planning for the renovation of the ‘90s-era home began in September 2019 with demolition in January 2020. Several weeks later, a global pandemic brought many suppliers to a standstill.

“The biggest challenge was the stress of wondering and not knowing; the tile from Spain, the fixtures from London, the octopus chandelier…Thankfully, we had a lot on order already before COVID-19 hit,” says Nicole.

Taking inspiration from the art world and design trailblazers from around the globe, Amanda and Nicole worked together to create a bold and eclectic space.

Like any great story, it starts at the beginning. Visitors glimpse a mysterious black

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shape—floating above the foyer inside—through the windows around the front door. On entering, they are greeted by a mighty, matte-black octopus chandelier

by Adam Wallacavage. The Philadelphia-based artist hand-sculpts each piece from his maximalist Victorian brownstone home. At approximately four by five feet, this particular chandelier is among the largest he’s ever created, and it hangs from the ceiling asymmetrically as if floating on an ocean current.

An artist in her own right, Amanda has long admired Wallacavage’s work, explaining, “I knew that someday I would have one of his pieces, for real. I just couldn’t go the rest of my life without having one.”

The dramatic-yet-playful entry sets the tone for the rest of the home. A stunning tile imported from Spain resembles a Moroccan rug in the kitchen and breakfast room. The double-raised shaker cabinets provide the stage for eye-catching brass hardware, made to order from the historic Armac Martin in Birmingham, England. Even the switch plates tell a well-travelled story.

“The switch plates throughout are just glorious.

They’re brass from Buster and Punch in London, and they’re just so fun. You don’t get to play with these kinds of finishes that often, so it was such a treat,” Nicole smiles.

The simplicity of the diamond white quartz countertops allows the kitchen backsplash to shine.

Quebec’s Mosaïque Surface delivered a breathtaking marble with a warm veining that’s made all the more

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beautiful by a gleaming brass inlay above the elegant, 42-inch La Cornue range. The grand rangehood above is a “masterpiece” of plasterwork by Kelowna’s Luxury Lime Plaster.

In the living room, a spacious modular sectional from Roche Bobois offers an inviting place to relax after a day on the lake. Designed by the iconic fashion-turned-decor designer Kenzō Takada, the Mah Jong sofa is inspired by the textures and patterns of ancient kimonos used in Noh theatre. It’s a piece that Amanda and Eric had coveted for years, as Amanda explains: “We were staying at a hotel in Montreal, and we overlooked the Roche Bobois store. All we could see were different Mah Jong couches, and we knew that we had to have one someday.”

Formerly a ballet studio, the light-filled library provides the perfect backdrop for an afternoon with a good book or a spot for Amanda’s artistic pursuits, including illustration work for her tarot decks. The House of Hackney wallpaper and love seat are special touches, with the former providing inspiration for the paint colour on the back of the bookcase. A dramatic, oversized pendant fills the raised annex space at the end of the room and plays with one’s sense of scale. Soon it will be home to the homeowners’ baby grand piano, but for now, it provides an intimate setting to enjoy a glass of wine.

Next, I follow Nicole into the formal dining room, which is resplendent in both scale and finishings.

“All of the dentil mouldings were here already, so we worked with the existing elements and added a bit more. Finally, we decided to do a gold plastered ceiling, which is also in that alcove in the foyer, where we’ve placed part of their decorative vase collection.”

The formality of the mouldings and plasterwork is balanced beautifully by the rich, moody wallpaper and contemporary lighting choices. The geometric Kelly Wearstler wall sconces are made with hand-carved natural alabaster. In the centre of the room, a playful

wind chime-inspired chandelier from Arteriors reflects light off of discs of frosted, seeded glass.

“I had a lot of fun with the lighting. I think that lighting is the jewellery of the home, and it was so fun to play.”

Across the hall, we find a spectacularly daring powder room that would be perfectly at home in the world’s most luxurious hotels and bars.

“I absolutely love this room,” exclaims Nicole. “We did the gold ceiling again, and then we just went ‘and, and, and’ in here, adding elements and not holding back.”

The result is a jewel box of a room that is spectacularly over-thetop and an absolute delight. Blue penny tile wraps around the room, crowned with a vibrant tiger-print wallpaper from Clarence House.

Large gold sconces burst from the wall and frame a modestly sized mirror, repurposed from the homeowners’ own collection. A madeto-order golden lion head faucet completes the space and emphasizes Amanda and Eric’s love for the eclectic and playful.

Capturing the homeowners’ essence is something that Nicole is very proud of. As she explains, “This house is so them. I love how unique it is; it’s not like every other space. But I especially love that we’ve continued a relationship since. I think that says a lot about the process of working together through this project—that we’ve come out of it with a friendship is really cool.”

A new friendship is just one story that this house will gift to its guests. Perhaps others will be inspired by its charm, just as Amanda was charmed by the homes of her youth.

“I am sentimental. The houses I’ve loved the most were the ones I grew up around in Quebec. They had the most beautiful, eclectic taste, but they were also so collected, and everything was a prized possession with a story,” recalls Amanda. “And that’s kind of what I love. The whole house tells a story. Everything is telling a story and speaking… This collection is important.”

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Donating useful goods to our local ReStore keeps quality items from going to waste. Your old kitchen will help fund local Habitat for Humanity homes and in return you receive a taxable receipt for our resale value.

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WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT BREVILLE: Clever engineering The Luxe Collection Our expert Lakehouse staff in-store demos High style and quality build

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HOW DOES BREVILLE’S RANGE OF ESPRESSO MACHINES MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO ENJOY THIRD WAVE SPECIALTY COFFEE AT HOME? It’s the end-to-end process—a journey that starts with the origin of the coffee bean and continues with its lighter roasting profile, brewing methods and the technology found inside an espresso machine

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HOW IS LAKEHOUSE CELEBRATING BREVILLE AND THIRD WAVE COFFEE THIS SUMMER? Lakehouse has been named one of Breville’s Destination Retailers, meaning our staff has been trained on all Breville products and can confidently walk you through or even demonstrate any of their appliances. Sometimes you have to taste it to believe it. Come down to the store and see it for yourself!

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIRD WAVE COFFEE? The quality of the bean is key in creating great tasting third wave specialty coffee. This includes everything from the specific microclimates and soils, and where they are grown to the production practices and the way the beans are processed. Innovations in processing techniques have resulted in higher quality taste attributes. Roasters have moved away from blends to single-origin beans, adapting techniques to highlight the unique flavors and qualities of the bean.

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freeSpiriT STYLING JESSICA CLARK WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

Boulevard turns the spotlight on wardrobe stylist and costume designer Jessica Clark—who usually works behind the scenes on fashion shoots—as she displays some of her favourite pieces from BC designers.

Inspired by the richness of cultural dress that she saw during travels in South America and Africa, Jessica studied textiles and clothing at the University of Alberta and fashion and styling at Blanche Macdonald in Vancouver. With nearly a decade of styling behind her, Jessica says she still feels like she’s just getting started.

“Fashion is part of our history,” she adds.

“It’s exciting to be telling our story of today to someone who will look back on it from the future.

Collaborating with so many different creative people, from film directors to photographers to designers to makeup artists, is the most exhilarating part [of my work] because when we all join forces and bring our ideas to life, the experience is incredible and makes it all worth while.”

Jessica feels strongly that local designers are the magic within our communities: “There is so much talent in Canada and locally. I love the focus on sustainability, using ethically produced fabrics that last, and designing pieces that will be timeless. Right now especially, I think we all should take a good hard look at who we are supporting, who we are choosing to buy from and where is it being made. We have been forced into new shopping habits and now that things are opening up again, I think it is important to be aware of our responsibility as consumers to continue to support local. As a stylist, I feel it is my duty to let others know about these talented and innovative people by working with them as often as I can on the projects that I do.”

When it comes to her own style, Jessica says she has trouble defining it because she loves so many styles.

“That said, I love anything relaxed, feminine and effortless. Styles that look like they belong by the sea on a summer day are what you would likely catch me in. If I had to, I would say that I have a hippie soul and my style reflects a sense of nostalgia, romance, freedom and the female spirit. I am curious to see what is ahead of us in fashion; we have seen a major shift in the past few months from couture to comfort, and I think it is a time in our history that will be revolutionary for many in the fashion world.”

fashion

Kea top by Harly Jae ($155); Pomandére wrap from Turnabout Luxury Resale ($130); Calico pant by Jessica Redditt Designs ($189); Plata hat

by Braeden Paterson of Black Tulip Hats ($500), available online; twisted bangle bracelet ($185), coin chain “Lariat” necklace ($175), labradorite Danica Ring ($140) and matchstick pendant necklace ($80), all by Lolo Jewellery; nautilus shell hoop earrings ($189) and “Forged by the Ocean” ring, both by Rauw Jewelry.

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“Totto Bolero” hat by local hatmaker Braeden Paterson of Black Tulip Hats ($500), available online; the “Romance Blouse” by Bohéme Goods ($220) and Dodo Bar Or skirt from Turnabout Luxury Resale ($90).

Zimmermann dress from Turnabout Luxury Resale ($390); scarf

by Aaraei Collective; belt, stylist’s own.

“Totto Bolero” hat by local hatmaker Braeden Paterson of Black Tulip Hats ($500), available online; the “Romance Blouse” by Bohéme Goods ($220) and Dodo Bar Or skirt from Turnabout Luxury Resale ($90).

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Passion.

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Dale Lamb is a pro in the financial world WORDS DARCY NYBO > PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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“We are in the business of planning; I am one part of a great team and we all have a role. It takes a team to create great financial plans for people.”

V

incent van Gogh once said, “Your profession is not what brings home your weekly paycheck, your profession is what you’re put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling.”

Dale Lamb of DKL Financial Group (Assante Financial Management Ltd.) has a profession that he is so zealous about, you can’t help but feel his excitement and listen as he educates you on wealth management. His passion, knowledge, experience and true love of what he does show through in his voice, his choice of words and in everything he does for his clients.

Dale will tell you his career in financial planning began in 1995 after he graduated from the University of Victoria. Dig a

Commitment To Excellence

We are proud to craft homes that are at the forefront of eco-sustainability

little deeper and you’ll find out it began long before that when he was a teenager. He discovered that when he made money mowing lawns and used the money wisely, it went a long way.

“I was responsible with my money even back then. That carried through to adulthood. When I took economic and finance courses, the stock market and the global financial markets interested me. I became passionate about businesses, and I always found the different strategies for investing and the creativity involved in planning for every unique situation quite intriguing.”

Dale comes from an entrepreneurial family, and he at least partially credits this with his love of finance. His parents owned one of the first McDonald’s franchises in western Canada in the

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1970s. When his family sold it and moved west to Kelowna, their entrepreneurial ventures continued as they bought real estate as well as a few Okanagan businesses.

“When I first started in this business, over 25 years ago, I didn’t have a cell phone or the internet. I was always connecting directly with my clients the old-fashioned way. I still like to operate that way today; in fact, the personal touches might be more important than ever in this technology-driven world. The relationships I’ve built in this business are what drive me,” he says.

One thing Dale wants people to know is that he and the team at DKL Financial Group are not, as some refer to them, stock pickers.

“We are in the business of planning; I am one part of a great team and we all have a role. It takes a team to create great financial plans for people.”

He adds: “I am totally committed to providing wealth planning to our clients, with a focus on tax-efficient estate and personalized financial plans for both individuals and corporations. I love to educate people, get them engaged, have them truly listen and follow through on our suggestions. I love it when the results work for them.

“I have clients that are so happy they followed our process. It works and they have the numbers to prove it. Talking about finances can be intimidating; I love to speak in everyday language, so they find it easier to engage. I’m a big communicator, clients can expect open and honest communication from me and my team.”

Dale has the accolades to show it. His industry has consistently recognized him as a top advisor among his peers, not only in Canada, but around the world. He is a big sports fan and thinks of himself as the quarterback for his clients’ financial needs. And like any good quarterback, he knows the value of a strong team and a solid game plan.

As for his clients, Dale and his team love to work with people

who have a goal for retirement and are focused and committed to following the plan that they create together: clients who understand their needs and priorities will change along the way.

Dale says it’s extremely important and necessary that clients provide open and honest communication with their financial advisory team. Those who are patient and understanding of market volatility, listen, ask questions and don’t react on impulse emotions are the type of clientele that DKL loves to work with.

When Dale’s not helping other people financially plan for the future, he’s investing in the future of his community.

“I’m a philanthropist and I like to donate where I see a need in our community. Those needs change as our community evolves.”

One of the most visible results of his philanthropy is the new trades building at Okanagan College.

“I’m a named donor at the college and it’s something I’m very proud of. I took my first-year business course there. I wanted to give back to the community. I am a big believer in the trades sector and wanted to help with the development of a modern structure to help the students learn their craft.”

Dale also likes to unwind from time to time and he takes advantage of all of Kelowna’s four seasons.

“I love the outdoors and everything that it offers. I train every day to keep me at the top of my game. It might be lifting weights or hiking to the top of a mountain. I also love to head to Big White to escape the hustle of the city.”

He also has a soft spot for animals—he’s donated to the SPCA and has been the co-chair of the SPCA Gala dinner for several years. He even has his dog, Capone, come to work with him 90 per cent of the time. Maybe you’ll see him there when you visit Dale for your financial planning needs.

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Finding the mountain Japanese gardens: to think, meditate and be at peace

WORDS ANGELA COWAN

PHOTO COURTESY THE BUTCHART GARDENS.

F

ind the mountain where there is no mountain.

Imagine a Japanese garden and you’ll no doubt picture cherry blossom trees, artfully pruned shrubs, trickling water features and gently sloping bridges. A sense of peace and serenity, and of calm and quiet drapes over the space. A large torii gate brackets the entrance, inviting visitors to enter into the garden beneath its arch, exchanging worry for reflection.

Whether expressed in sprawling multi-acre retreats or miniature trays only a few feet wide, the philosophy behind Japanese gardens is the same: a place to think, meditate and be at peace.

“Most people understand that the style is supposed to have a sense of serenity and peace to it, a place to go and be mindful,” says Susan Hawkins. “People already understand that in Japanese gardens there is an intrinsic value to everything.”

Susan is an instructor at the University of Victoria with a master’s degree in art history, a background in heritage landscapes and a lifelong passion for all things growing.

She’s taught the history of gardens from Versailles to Victoria, touching on Edwardian design, the Age of Enlightenment and the fascination with collecting rarities, Egypt, and everything in between. But there’s an interesting—and unique—aspect to Japanese gardens in that it’s possible to trace their inception back to a narrow point in history.

Muso Soseki, a 12th-century Japanese monk, is considered the first Zen garden designer, notes Susan.

“In the beginnings, the sages or yogic masters went to nature. They went to a tree. They went to a woodland to meditate, to separate themselves from the everyday. One day, [Soseki] has an epiphany. He’s sitting outside his little hermitage and sees a rock and a tree and a little creek.”

He sees how the individual parts can represent the wildness and enormity of nature, and takes that idea to create a temple, and a temple garden. Retreating into the sanctity of nature suddenly becomes much more accessible, and caring for the garden becomes part of the monks’ spiritual practice.

“The idea of learning to do this becomes a very high art,” says Susan. “There’s a particular sense of allowing a linkage to happen to nature, of creating a small space to reflect in. So instead of having to go out to nature, to go on a pilgrimage to the mountain, his philosophy truly was, ‘Find the mountain where there is no mountain.’”

Speaking to Susan, you instantly get the impression that she holds an encyclopaedic level of history and knowledge about everything green; she can pull out facts and boulevardmagazines.com |

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PHOTO COURTESY THE BUTCHART GARDENS.

“It’s about being mindful of the things that are in the garden.

The wind through the trees. The smells.

It’s about engaging with the environment that you’re in. You have pathways, you have stone, you have water features and movement.

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near-lectures at will. It’s fascinating, and utterly absorbing to listen to, and in no small part due to her practical experience as well.

Beyond her academic accomplishments, Susan is no stranger to getting her hands dirty. She’s been in horticulture for over three decades, has a BC certification in landscape horticulture, is a Master Gardener and, among many other notable projects, was invited to do the restoration for the Japanese Shinto garden at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. These days she also has an allotment garden in Oak Bay, which is where serendipity struck when she met Marian Paris.

Marian has been in the process of creating her own Japanese garden for three years now. She and her husband have lived in the same Oak Bay bungalow for more than three decades, but it’s only been in the last few years that she’s picked up her trowel and dug in.

“I’m brand new to caring for a garden,” says Marian, who is gentle and thoughtful as she speaks. “We started to do some much needed work, like putting up a wraparound fence to deal with the deer, and it just evolved from there.”

When the two women met, they quickly got chatting about Susan’s UVic courses, and when Marian asked if Susan consulted on private gardens, Susan agreed to lend her expertise to her Japanese garden project.

Much of the foundational work had been done, with structure and shape and hardscaping already largely figured out. Where Susan became essential was in choosing the actual plants.

“I’ve been so insecure about the idea of committing to plants,” says Marian. “What a gift her expertise is, because she brings her passion and experience to this project.”

When Marian describes the in-progress garden—with its stonework and hanging lanterns and trickling water—you start to actually feel what it is she’s trying to cultivate in the space: a soft, quiet sense of serenity. Of peace and of sanctuary. You can feel the heart she’s put into it, trailing out and over the ground like vines of affection.

“I have a brand new relationship with this garden, and I feel so grateful to have this focus,” she explains. “The garden for me represents recovery from grief. Our youngest of three sons died in 2013. His name is Daniel, and ever since his death— which irrevocably altered us—this project and everything involved has inspired me to look at life differently.”

She adds: “I know how I want to feel, and it’s happening here.”

Marian, and by extension everyone who’s been involved in creating the space, has approached the construction of the garden with a unique sense of deliberate creativity, with her full encouragement.

“It’s been really great to give people the freedom to decide how it should be,” she says.

From the contractor, who unearthed a huge cleft in the bedrock, to the stonemason who created a stunning memorial to Daniel, and the fellow who dug out a huge pit to remove a 4,500-pound boulder and then had to leave to be at his baby’s birth, everyone has left a piece of themselves in the garden.

It feels fitting that in the creation of a garden meant to be a place of reflection and serenity, an entire community of people has come together and made indelible impacts on the process. And it ties perfectly with the entire philosophy behind Japanese gardens, where everything is deliberate, thoughtful and intentional.

Find the mountain where there is no mountain...

KASUGAI GARDEN. PHOTO BY SCOTT BAKKEN, COURTESY OF TOURISMKELOWNA.COM

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CREATE YOUR OWN

Even if an entire garden overhaul isn’t feasible for a DIY Japanese garden, you can scale down the philosophies into your existing property, says Susan.

It’s important to think about the basic foundations of gardening—what type of soil you have, whether it’s shady or sunny, how you’ll get a wheelbarrow in—but with Japanese garden design, one of the main tenets is the interrelationships between the structures and plants, and how you interact with them.

“It’s about being mindful of the things that are in the garden.

The wind through the trees. The smells,” says Susan. “It’s about engaging with the environment that you’re in. You have pathways, you have stone, you have water features and movement.

“Japanese gardens, though they vary greatly, are usually half to two-thirds green and another third colour, especially leaf colour. If you have a shaded area, Japanese gardens typically do very well under certain kinds of canopies. And moss grows very well here,” she adds, laughing. “Things that are within a Japanese garden are in flux. You need corners to go around, paths to walk. And there’s the space between things, called ma.

It’s not an empty space. It’s a space where activity is constantly being seen. If you’re looking through the leaves of a tree, the space between those leaves is the dynamic place where ma is.”

Perhaps most importantly, the garden needs to reveal itself gradually.

“You have to enter into the garden. It doesn’t give itself away all at once,” says Susan.

IMMERSE YOURSELF

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EXPLORE OTHERS

Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your own gardens or just want to explore others, there are plenty of local options.

The Victoria Japanese gardens at both The Butchart Gardens and Royal Roads University are fabulous examples. Both were designed and created around 1910 by Isaburo Kishida, well-known for his creative eye, and have had the benefit of more than a century to grow and mature.

A much more recent Japanese garden was unveiled in 2002 on Mayne Island, in recognition of the early Japanese settlers on the island.

In Kelowna, the Kasugai Garden was co-designed in partnership with Kelowna’s sister city of Kasugai, and offers an oasis of waterfalls, ponds and creeks in the middle of an often very hot city. And in Vancouver, the Nitobe Memorial Garden at UBC is considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan itself.

But wherever you are—whether a century-old garden with pine trees that brush the clouds, or a modest corner of your own back yard that’s been transformed with calming stone and uneven walkways—the philosophy of the Japanese garden is something you can carry with you. Simply take a breath, listen to the breeze in the leaves and find a mountain.

PHOTO BY SCOTT BAKKEN, COURTESY OF TOURISMKELOWNA.COM

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food and feast

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Great escapes Think global and source local with these travel-inspired tastes WORDS ELLIE SHORTT

X

PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

i

have unwavering wanderlust. Often at this time of year I’m lost in blog posts, reviews and suggested itineraries, planning my next big adventure. Wherever I’ve decided to journey consumes my thoughts and frames my days as I eagerly anticipate that sweet moment when the bags are packed, the alarm set and I’m one too-excited-to-sleep night away from takeoff.

Of course, the pandemic paradigm of the past year has meant globetrotting plans are on hold as borders remain closed to non-essential travel. Missing the feeling of having a boarding pass between my fingers, I’ve found myself scrolling wistfully through past vacation photos. I yearn for cobblestone strolls, gelato in hand and an espresso buzz pushing me through a jet-lagged daze.

I long for breakfasts on picture-perfect patios; daydream about picnic lunches consisting simply of fresh bread, meat and cheese, as English-free conversations trickle in and out of the background soundscape. I ache for drawn-out dinners in hidden gems where the generous and wine-soaked owner keeps producing unordered courses of his favourite seasonal dishes. What I could give to eat my way through markets or sip my way through cafes. The things I would do to be fumbling through unfamiliar currency in front of a food cart in the middle of a buzzing summer’s eve festival. boulevardmagazines.com |

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Wandering a bit too far down memory lane, I’ve pulled myself back through appreciative acknowledgment of the place I’m lucky enough to call home, and the realization that some of those experiences can be recreated literally in my own backyard.

I am beyond fortunate to live in beautiful British Columbia, one of the most desirable destinations in the world—a place where we have access to so much beauty, as well as some of the most exquisite ingredients a professional chef or amateur cook could dream of.

So now, as we trudge through another season of pandemic living with no chance of recreational travel for the foreseeable future, I encourage you to evoke vacation vibes even if just for an evening. Put on the music, treat yourself to some special ingredients, take your meal outside and enjoy it the way you would while on holiday—fully and completely immersed in every mouthful as you indulge in the most mindful form of exquisite escapism.

Panzanella with Grilled Peaches, Prosciutto & Honey Toasted Walnuts

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For our honeymoon, my husband and I spent three romantic weeks in Italy. We started in Rome, popped over to the Amalfi coast and then finished things off in Tuscany, where we enjoyed panzanella in the garden terrazzo of our family-run lodgings. If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, it’s an unassuming yet immensely satisfying Italian bread-based salad.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions seem to be a mainstay, and thankfully, these staple veggies also grow in abundance throughout BC in the summer. Italians may also add in whatever else is in season regionally, whether that’s asparagus in the spring, roast eggplant in the fall or peaches in the summer. I suggest enjoying this dish al fresco on a sunny summer evening, along with a bottle of Toscana Rosato, while Caterina Bueno’s sultry vocals serenade you in the background.

Prep time: 15 minutes Makes about 4 servings 1 to 2 loose cups baby arugula 1 to 2 loose cups mixed baby greens 2 mini cucumbers, sliced 1 lb cherry tomatoes, cut in half ¼ to ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced 3-4 medium Okanagan peaches, cut into wedges 8 oz rustic bread, cut into large chunks 1 tsp dried oregano 200 g mozzarella, cut into rough chunks 100 g prosciutto, cut into pieces 1 cup crumbled walnuts 1 tbsp local honey ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 loose cup fresh basil, chopped Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, toss the walnuts with the honey and about 1 tbsp of olive oil until evenly coated. Spread the walnuts on the paper-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a small amount of salt and roast for 10 minutes, until just starting to get golden brown in places. Re-

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Let’s Schvitz!

move from the oven and set aside allowing to cool completely.

While the walnuts are toasting, heat a grilling pan on medium high. Brush the peach wedges with olive oil and grill for one minute on each side. You want them to be soft and sweet, but not so overdone that they fall apart and stick to the pan. Transfer the peach wedges to a plate and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat a large pan on low-medium and coat the bottom with olive oil (about 2 tbsps).

Toss in the bread chunks, a bit more olive oil to fully coat them, a sprinkling of salt and the oregano. Continuously stir and flip the bread bits until all the pieces are just starting to get golden brown, adding more olive oil as needed. You want them to be crispy on the edges, but still a bit soft in the centre. Transfer the bread chunks to a plate and set aside to cool.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss with olive oil (2 or 3 tbsps) and balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp). Transfer to a serving plate or bowl, garnish with a bit more basil, walnuts etc. and enjoy!

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Slow Roast Lamb Shawarma Israel is a small country, but it’s bursting with culinary delights. The mélange of cultures culminates in gastronomic brilliance as many international traditions combine to create unique flavour profiles. I’ve been to Israel four times and one of my favourite experiences is exploring the night markets in Old Jerusalem with a shawarma wrap in hand.

Shawarma is technically the way the meat is seasoned, even though most people associate it as a pita-wrapped street-food hero. For a fun and interactive dining experience, I like to serve it with a big spread of hummus, labneh or thick yogurt, roasted or pickled peppers, greens, Israeli salad (basically just chopped cucumber, tomato, onions and parsley or cilantro, dressed in a simple drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice) and then pita or rice to enjoy it as either a wrap or bowl. Create that Mediterranean night market vibe with some string lights, a cold beer and lively Middle Eastern dance hits (Omer Adam’s Tel Aviv comes to mind) as you feast upon a build-your-own shawarma adventure.

Prep time: about 5 hours Makes about 6 servings 3 lb leg of lamb 1 medium onion, roughly sliced 1 cup of water

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MARINADE:

8 cloves of garlic 2 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp coriander 1 tbsp sumac 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp cardamom ½ tsp cinnamon 2 tsp sea salt 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Preheat your oven to 350 F. Place marinade ingredients in a food processor and pulse into a paste, scraping down the sides as you go.

Arrange the onion slices in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Coat all sides of the lamb thoroughly with the paste. *Tip: if you have time and plan ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight to let the marinade really soak in.

Pour 1 cup water into the Dutch oven, cover with a heavy lid and roast in the oven for 2.5 hours. Uncover and continue cooking for 1 hour. At this point, check the roast and if the pan seems dry, add another ½ cup of water. If the crust seems like it’s getting too dark, cover lightly with foil or even just the lid. Continue cooking until the lamb pulls apart easily with tongs or forks (possibly another hour). If it’s still feeling tough, continue cooking until it’s tender, making sure the top is not burning or that the pan is not out of liquid in the bottom.

Let stand a few minutes before serving with rice or pita, Israeli salad, hummus, labneh or yogurt sprinkled with za’atar, roast or pickled peppers, schug, greens, etc.

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Tarte au Citron with Local Honey and Lavender Fresh out of journalism school I took myself off to Paris to do a culinary program. Run by the iconic Marie-Blanche de Broglie, the course covered classic French recipes including many tart iterations. While we never made lemon tarts in the program, some of my fondest memories of that glorious time include spending many delectable hours after class on café terraces, rewriting sauce-stained notes into a Moleskine while making love to sumptuous spoonfuls of French delicacies, including tarte au citron.

My garden at home is bursting with lavender in the summer, so naturally I sprinkle dried lavender petals in almost anything that warrants it. Using local honey in the lemon curd adds a deliciously dynamic layer of flavour that plain old sugar simply doesn’t provide. I suggest enjoying your tart au citron in some romantic garden with perhaps Piaf or Gainsbourg humming the background, and let your taste buds transport you to La Tour Eiffel or even Provence as you daydream away each summery bite.

Prep time: about 30 minutes plus cooling time Makes 6 individual tarts

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FOR THE FILLING…

2 tbsp lemon zest (about one large lemon’s worth) 6 large eggs ½ cup of local honey ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ¾ cup unsalted butter Zest the lemons, squeeze the juice and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, and set aside. Heat a pan on medium low, and melt the butter. Once melted, add in the rest of the ingredients, stirring constantly so the egg doesn’t overcook and get lumpy. Be patient—this takes a little while. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture has thickened and is just beginning to bubble ever so slightly. Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl, or you can also whir it up quickly with an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.

Set aside and let cool before filling the tart crusts.

FOR THE CRUST…

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup cane sugar ½ tsp sea salt ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks 1 large egg yolk 1 to 2 tbsp ice water, as needed 1 tbsp dried lavender petals Preheat your oven to 350 F and lightly grease six 4-inch by 7.5-inch tart tins with removable bottoms (this is not necessarily needed if they’re non-stick). In a mixer, food processor or by hand, mix together the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter

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until crumbly, either using the pastry attachment (mixer), pulse mode (food processor) or a pastry cutter (hand). Add the egg and mix until well incorporated (the mixture will still be slightly crumbly). Slowly add the water until the dough holds together for rolling.

Divide the dough into six even-sized balls. Shape your first dough ball into a disc and place onto a sheet of floured parchment paper.

Cover the dough disc with an additional sheet of parchment or wax paper, and roll it out to slightly larger than your tart tin, and about one-eighth to one-quarter-inch thick.

Remove the top piece of parchment paper and slip your hand gently under the bottom paper to flip into a tin, carefully peeling back the paper as you press it into the pan. Don’t worry if it breaks apart a little, you can always press it back together with your fingers.

Pierce the bottom all over with a fork and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and tins and arrange them on a baking sheet.

Bake the crusts for about 15 minutes, until they’re just starting to look golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Once cool, carefully remove the crusts from the tins, place on a baking tray or serving platter and fill with the lemon curd filling.

If you’d like your curd filling to set more (be less runny), you can place the tarts in the fridge to cool. Otherwise, enjoy as is!

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weekender

seeking solace Kayaking northern Vancouver Island WORDS LINDA DOCTOROFF PHOTOGRAPHY TOM PERRY

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Swoosh…dip, swoosh…dip, swoosh…dip and smack! Less than 50 metres from our kayaks, the humpback’s fluke whacks the water as it dives deep searching for krill.

Last summer, I left the isolating effects of these strange pandemic times to embrace another form of isolation: to seek solace in nature and to lose myself in a remote marine environment. I signed up with Orca Dreams to kayak in a marine wilderness area near the Broughton Archipelago, nestled between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. I decided to travel solo on this trip. I often prefer it that way. I’m more open to meeting others and experiencing nature.

Base camp is a half-hour boat ride from Telegraph Cove. While waiting for the water taxi, I read about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic that hit this tiny outpost. An eerie feeling echoes through me: 100 years later, we are living with the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we leave this historic village, we spot a pod of resident orcas about 200 metres from us. JD, the owner of the company, cuts the motor.

“There’s A23 and A25,” he says. “They’ve been active in this area lately, hungry for salmon.”

He drops a hydrophone in the ocean; we listen to the orcas sing underwater. They are skilled communicators, making sounds for orientation, navigation and feeding.

You Expect More and So You Should

The treetops sway gently in the wind as if they are welcoming us with a slow dance. I am humbled by the natural beauty and the history of the area.

As the boat approaches our base camp, I am struck by the haunting beauty of the wilderness. A thick forest of western red cedar, Sitka spruce and hemlock covers the island. The treetops sway gently in the wind as if they are welcoming us with a slow dance. I am humbled by the natural beauty and the history of the area.

The campsite is located on small Compton Island, on Mamalilikulla-QweʼQwaʼSotʼEm Band First Nation territory. They have given permission to the company to use their land. We step off the boat onto the midden beach. I imagine how, for thousands of years, Indigenous people have lived here, fishing, farming clams and hunting. The shells are the remains of their cultural heritage and their present-day life.

The first morning, after a hearty breakfast of buckwheat pancakes, fresh fruit and bacon, we set out in our kayaks to Blackfish Sound, a wide channel known for feeding humpback whales.

Humpbacks migrate annually, moving from their summer feeding grounds in the high latitudes to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the equator.

Perched high on a bare branch in the thickly treed shoreline, a bald eagle surveys the scene. It’s watching a seal feast on a salmon, patiently waiting to swoop down and scavenge any leftovers. I

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continue paddling and soon a sea lion joins me, swimming a few metres away. I keep pace with it until it dips down into the ocean.

I paddle to the middle of the sound and pause to watch two humpbacks. They are circling around me, dipping, blowing and slapping their flukes before diving down. Am I intruding on their space?

When I return to the campsite, dinner is almost ready. Amy, our cook, sure knows her way around a kitchen. She has prepared pickled bull kelp, which she harvested that morning in the inlet.

We nibble on the bright mustard-coloured delicacy while she puts the finishing touches on dinner. She is preparing pierogies from scratch, a recipe passed down from her husband’s grandmother, who came from the Ukraine. Grandma made sure Amy was married before turning over her recipe. I bite into the potato–cheddar cheese pierogi, topped with fried onions and a dollop of sour cream; I’m in heaven.

The next morning, we go out on Tenzing, a 38-year-old former US Navy whaleboat, and watch a pod of Dall’s porpoise skim along the shoreline, bobbing up and down in perfect single formation, like large bubbles dribbling.

“They are the fastest cetacean on the planet, swimming up to 56 kilometres per hour,” JD offers.

Another day, I see a purple sea star (or starfish) spread out on a barnacled rock on the shoreline. It’s good to see they are returning after several years’ absence, owing to the sea star wasting disease.

“Forty species of sea stars have been affected by this disease,” JD says, as we glide by. We stop at a small island, and, from our kay-

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aks, we pick sea asparagus that later appears in our salad at dinner that night.

One late, starless evening, we stand on the midden beach and throw stones in the water. We watch the bioluminescence—light generated chemically by organisms—as we swish sticks back and forth in the ocean. It’s as if fireflies are swimming underwater.

Another evening after dinner, we hike the kilometre-long trail to Sunset Beach, stopping along the way to pick ripe huckleberries.

I arrive just in time to catch the sun blanketing across a billowy, cloudy sky as it dips into the ocean, forming a pattern of shooting rays of gold. An orange glow covers the sea. When we return to camp, JD has just caught a 24-pound Chinook salmon.

“They like to bite in the early evening,” he says, as he’s filleting the fish on the beach, and then preparing it in brine to be smoked the next day.

On our last day, the sun shining, we head north on Tenzing. JD’s pulling a double kayak at the stern of the boat. Tom, our kayaking guide, and I are dropped off in the heart of Broughton Archipelago Marine Park to kayak back to our campsite. As we approach Blackfish Sound, there’s action ahead.

Tom excitedly says, “I’ve been here seven weeks and haven’t seen anything like this!” He quickly grabs his camera and starts taking photos. “I won’t have another chance like this,” he exclaims.

Over the UHF radio, we hear the crackling voice of a captain in another boat shout, “This is craziness!”

We see several humpbacks blowing and gliding along the ocean, while a pod of surfing orcas and dolphins cavort between them in the shimmering water. This time the humpbacks are making dif-

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ferent sounds from what we’ve heard before. Their sounds are coming from deep within them, almost moaning, making an eerie-sounding howl. As we leave the scene and return to camp, a flock of red-necked phalaropes skim just above the water’s surface.

I went on this kayaking trip to lose myself in nature during these strange pandemic times; I wanted to be in the richness of a remote marine environment.

But I came away with much more: I gained a new appreciation for the wildlife so abundant in this area.

Indeed, it was a great getaway during a pandemic.

GETTING THERE

Flying: Fly to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island and take a taxi to Telegraph Cove.

Driving: Take Hwy 19 north on Vancouver Island to Telegraph Cove.

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Kwa’lilas Hotel in Port Hardy.

eat. sleep. do. see.

The north end of Vancouver Island reveals itself as a wild and wonderful wilderness playground. It’s a place to discover tiny townsites like Coal Harbour and Zeballos, a chance to escape to sublime spots like San Josef Bay—recently named “best wilderness beach” in Canada by Lonely Planet—and to revel in nature in all its forms.

It’s the gateway to the North Coast Trail, a 43-kilometre wilderness hiking area that traverses Cape Scott Provincial Park. It’s a place to experience wildlife tours on land, sea and even from the air; explore neighbouring islands, where you’ll find charming communities like Alert Bay and Sointula and to visit the historic boardwalk community of Telegraph Cove.

Northern Vancouver Island is also a place to discover First Nations art and culture, and a stay at Kwa’lilas Hotel, owned and operated by the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw people, is a good place to start.

Located at the entranceway to Port Hardy—the area’s largest community at the very tip of Vancouver Island— Kwa’lilas Hotel is a premier First Nations destination. It offers 85 guest rooms—each beautifully decorated with Indigenous art and details. It’s also home to the nax’id’ Pub and a curated selection of cultural experiences.

Kwa’lilas is a kwak’wala word used by Gwa’sa-

la-‘Nakwaxda’xw people, and it means “a place to sleep.” The visually striking structure, built by the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw-owned k’awat’si Construction Company, makes extensive use of local cedar, and the design is meant to resemble a traditional big house with a smoke hole at the top of the building. Traditionally, when visitors see smoke coming from a big house, it means, “welcome.”

Items found on the menu at nax’id’ Pub feature dishes inspired by First Nations cuisine, while local Indigenous art can be found in the gift boutique, lobby and throughout the hotel.

The hotel also offers a number of Indigenous experiences, including wildlife and cultural tours, and activities such as drum-making and cedar-weaving.

Port Hardy has a wealth of beaches and hiking opportunities, including the easily accessible Carrot/Rotary Park, which is a waterfront walkway that offers more than a quarter mile of promenade space. The Harbour Walkway & Nature Trail links Port Hardy neighbourhoods to the many outdoor recreation areas. It’s a paved route for both walkers and cyclists that extends from the Glen Lyon River towards the Quatse River and Estuary Trails.

There’s also the Fort Rupert Trail, the Quatse River Nature Trail and Storey’s Beach, which seemingly goes on forever, when the tide is out.

403-560-0283 | lakevalleyhomes.ca @lakevalleyhomes

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secrets and lives —

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AND THE 7 SINS with JAIME BRIGGS & LEON GABA

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wo-time winners of Coldwell Banker’s Top Ten Teams for all of Canada, Jaime Briggs and Leon Gaba combine decades of business experience and targeted individual strengths to create their husband-andwife dynamo real estate team.

Jaime and Leon transplanted to the Okanagan more than 25 and 40 years ago, respectively, and their roots in Kelowna go deep.

“I always wanted to retire up here,” Jaime says with a laugh. “I remember holidaying up here as a kid, and I loved it.” Born and raised in Victoria, she’s been out here for long enough, she can say, “I’m a Kelowna person now!”

Leon arrived in the Okanagan from the opposite direction, born near Edmonton and raised in Banff until his teen years before his family packed up and moved to Kelowna.

They met 20 years ago at an After 5 Kelowna Chamber of Commerce mixer, and sparks flew. But while they clicked instantly on a personal level, it wasn’t until just a few years ago they melded their business lives together as well.

Leon had been in the wine business for 20 years, and was helping Jaime in his off hours. “It was really a time to make the change,” he says of his transition into real estate.

“It was the only way we could see each other because I was working 24/7,” adds Jaime.

They’ve worked incredibly well as partners for four years now, with an extensive list of sales and awards to prove it.

“Some days we’re together a lot and some days we’re out dividing and conquering,” says Jaime. “We love what we

WORDS ANGELA COWAN

X

PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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do. We both understand where we fit in. Leon’s the people person. He’s understanding and empathetic. He’s the friend.”

“And Jaime’s right to the point,” adds Leon.

Jaime, whose father was also a real estate agent, has unofficially been in the business since she was five years old, and that lifelong immersion in the industry developed into a sharp business sense.

At the end of the day though, it’s the people that make this path a passion for both Jaime and Leon.

“It’s our clients that get us out of bed and get us going,” says Jaime. “After 15 years, we’re working with their family and friends, their kids, their parents. Knowing that we’ve been able to help people, especially with this year being so challenging...

“We’re just really thankful for our clients who have stuck with us through thick and thin,” she says. “It’s about our clients. I can’t say that enough. They’re the only thing that keeps us going every day.”

The 7 Sins

WRATH:

Pet peeves?

She said: Disorganization or untidiness. People who leave their toilet seats up or the toilet lids open. That is totally a pet peeve of mine when showing houses, because a toilet bowl shouldn’t be a first impression.

He said: People who bring Cheetos or Doritos on our boat and then leave orange fingerprints or orange crumbs everywhere.

Nothing personal against the snacks, just not on the boat.

She said: Good thing I didn’t say my favourite food was Cheetos!

SLOTH:

ENVY:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

She said: Honestly, I have no idea. I feel pretty blessed to have lived the life that we have... Although occasionally I do envy people who work 9-to-5 jobs and have evenings and weekends off.

He said: Buster Brown. They were awesome when I was a kid!

She said: Oh my God. There he goes again...always cracking jokes and putting the humour into everything.

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

She said: Having a quiet, lazy breakfast in bed on a Sunday morning! Our typical day starts with our phones blowing up and us running from the moment our feet hit the ground. I would just love to be able to have a few hours where we could relax with no technology, no phones and no iPads. Probably only a few hours, though. Being disconnected too long would make me crazy.

He said: Growing up in Kelowna, I have always loved all activities on Okanagan Lake. Just being out on the boat cruising or wakesurfing brings me inner peace and solitude.

GLUTTONY:

PRIDE:

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

She said: Waffles with real maple syrup and fresh whipped cream. Or Indian Butter Chicken.

He said: (Not together though, obviously. Hah.) For sure anything barbecue! However, becoming a vegetarian recently, all I can eat is salad, which gets really boring. I sure do miss a great barbecue!

She said: Salad is boring!

GREED:

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

She said: Take the family on a world cruise. We used to love cruising together and really miss being able to do that now since COVID-19.

He said: Haha! She actually stole my answer. I’ll go with the next choice, which is a vacation to Tahiti to surf, swim with sharks and snorkel all day.

She said: We already did that two years ago, remember?

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Knowing that we’ve been able to help people, especially with this year being so challenging...

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

She said: Just how much our business has grown in the past 15 years and the huge number of clients we have worked with. Being a realtor is true dedication and people don’t realize how much hard work and effort goes on behind the scenes to make it all work. It makes me feel truly blessed to see a client happy in their new house or have them refer us because we did such great work for them!

He said: My whole family. I am so proud of our son, Jonny, who has grown up to be such an amazing young man. And my wife, who has been a real inspiration for me in the 20 years we’ve been together.

LUST:

What makes your heart beat faster?

She said: He does! For sure, seeing Leon when he’s all dressed up in his business suit and tailored from head to toe. Va-va-voom!

He said: She does. Besides, who wouldn’t have a crush on their hot boss!

narrative

WORDS LINDA MILLS

X ILLUSTRATION SIERRA LUNDY

HOW MY WORLD EXPANDED WITH THE GRANDMOTHER RIDERS

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And seriously, who—who?—begins riding a bike in their 70s?

Foolhardy, ridiculous.

n 2017, I joined the Victoria Grandmothers for Africa (VG4A). I found this group welcoming, accepting and inspiring, especially the annual Cycle Tour.

This involved a bunch of grandmothers, women my age (mid-70s) and older, riding for three days down Vancouver Island from Campbell River to Victoria, raising funds for the African grandmothers they had pledged to help. These women were elite, in my view, and I admired them from afar. But I had no bike, nor a biking background. Maternal worries meant I never owned a bike as a child, and five-odd years in my 30s barely counted.

And seriously, who—who?—begins riding a bike in their 70s? Foolhardy, ridiculous.

Then along came the COVID-19 pandemic, and the whole world shut down—except for the Grandmother Riders. And in pivoting to meet this new reality, the 2020 Cycle Tour decided to accept all newcomers, all distances and all kinds of bikes, including electric bikes and stationary ones, for the fundraiser.

Well, I knew a Grandmother Rider or two. One of them, Laurie Wilson, got me to meet her at a bike shop

(shout-out to Fairfield Bikes!) and I tried an electric bike, wobbled a block or two, and then I bought a helmet. The bike followed within the week. And another Grandmother Rider, Lisbie Rae, volunteered to help me get up to speed.

At first, it was a big thing to get on my bike and ride down the road to Beacon Hill Park, to go through the park and turn around and come back home again. It was maybe a kilometre and a half. It was a huge step forward.

Turning was a challenge, getting started was a challenge, staying on and balanced was a challenge. Remembering I could change gears and didn’t have to struggle was a challenge. Keeping my mirror aligned was a challenge. Then, I was riding in and through the park, going down little slopes without braking, letting myself enjoy the speed— wow! And then riding on real streets, going past parked cars, remembering the lanes and turn signals, stopping and starting and keeping up.

Having cars pass me was scary, until it wasn’t. Turning and starting always meant wobbling all over the road, until it didn’t. Finally, I could add in the turn signals; finally, I could scratch an itch without stopping; finally, I could co-

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ordinate the gears and assist levels to go all the way up to the top of Beacon Hill. That was an accomplishment! I liked the feeling of that a lot!

My first real ride took me through the park down to the Dallas Road bike path, over to Ogden Point (or as close as we could get), then to Clover Point, back to the park and home! I’ve walked that distance and it took over an hour, one way. Here Lisbie and I had done it both ways in about 15 minutes. Six kilometres! Amazing!

And with other riders in the mix now too, I was learning the courtesies, ringing my bell, getting passed by men in spandex at speed.

My world suddenly expanded. Then I went out the very next day and did it all again, all by myself. That was amazing too!

Next came riding on real streets with traffic, not the easy back streets of south Fairfield, but Vancouver Street almost all the way to Fort. And back. Getting braver. Riding with my bike coach, Susanna Grimes, down Humboldt to the bike lanes on Wharf Street, over the Blue Bridge and along Harbour Road to where the Goose, the Galloping Goose Trail—the real thing—turned off!

And on the way back, really riding in the real downtown! Traffic lights and traffic! Eight kilometres! My world expanded again.

Lisbie took me over to the Goose again and up over the trestle and past the switch bridge to Saanich Municipal Hall, where we met some other Grandmother Riders for the first time. For me, it was a destination; for them, just a marker point on a much longer route. My world expanded again, and kept on expanding, with so many firsts: riding longer distances, riding with other VG4A grandmothers, learning how to keep up. Doubling, then tripling, my ride goal of 50 kilometres.

And now I am back at it again for the second time. The bike came out of storage a few weeks ago, and I am getting the wobbles out in our glorious April heatwave.

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Last year, the 2020 Cycle Tour achieved its highest fundraising total ever, with 67 women from ages 61 to 85 completing a collective total of over 27,000 kilometres and raising $145,000 for the Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. They hope to do even better in 2021.

For the 2021 Cycle Tour, cyclists do not even have to be members of a Grandmothers group. We can ride conventional bicycles, e-bikes and stationary bikes. All women aged 55 and over are welcome, from beginner to veteran. We will each set our own personal targets for the four-week period from August 14 to September 10, and report our weekly kilometres to our team captain.

My goal for last year was 50 km; I achieved 150 km. My goal for this year is 200 km, and I’m betting I can do more than that! As the grand total of kilometres grows, everyone taking part will also be guided on a virtual tour of sub-Saharan Africa, to meet some of the women working for the community-based organizations we are supporting.

Registration is $20. To receive the registration package and information (as it develops) about training-ride bubbles, possible group rides and optional single-day or multi-day tours, or if you have questions, send your name to vg4acycleregistrar@gmail.com.

As for me, my kids and my sisters are proud, my friends are astonished and I am on a whole other level of being, with worlds opening before me every time I ride. This grandmother is a force to be reckoned with—I’m a Grandmother Rider, now! What started out as having to ride became wanting to ride, then looking forward to riding, then having riding adventures! And setting a personal goal, and achieving it, turns out to be an effective formula for feeling powerful. Here I come!

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behind the story

The woman behind Boulevard’s Narrative illustrations is Sierra Lundy, a multidisciplinary artist, based in Victoria.

Although she has been creating the illustrations for Boulevard since the feature was introduced two years ago, her creation for this edition came with an added bonus: it turns out she knows the writer. In fact, Narrative writer Linda Mills was Sierra’s elementary school music teacher. Today, Sierra is mostly known as a musician—she plays in an indie folk duo called Ocie Elliott with her partner Jon Middleton.

So perhaps it’s even possible to speculate that Linda Mills played an influential role in the Narrative artist’s life!

PHOTO BY SARA SPECTRUM

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4 - 310 Banks Road, Kelowna | Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm | Sat: 10am - 4pm | Sun: CLOSED 250.861.8637 | dkmodernfurniture.com | info@dkmodernfurniture.com

2021 Registration open from July 15 to September 30, 2021

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS This fall – join the virtual run, support youth resiliency All proceeds go to projects funded by the Blenk Family, the developers of the Wilden neighbourhoods in Kelowna.

The Blenk Family Fund was established to build resilience, heighten awareness and strengthen the network of youth support in the Central Okanagan and beyond.

BlenkFamilyFund.ca

NATURE INSPIRED LIVING

2021 marks the fourth year of the Wild One Run, for the second time it’s a virtual one. You can run your favourite trails wherever you are. Just complete your chosen distance any time from September 15th - October 15th, 2021.

Run the Wild One in Wilden: will The 10K, 5K and 1K-kids routes will be marked from mid September.

September.

REGISTER NOW: WildOneRun.ca

BLENK FAMILY FUND FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH