Boulevard Magazine Central Island, Spring 2023

Custom cabinet lengths ensure no space goes to waste. Custom oak shelves with metal detailing adds to the light and airy design style.

Standard dovetailed drawers show off customizable cutlery and dishware organizers. The dishwasher is hidden by a custom cabinet panel. The lower cabinets are finished in

Parchement Matte.

Moving the peninsula expanded the entrance and created a larger kitchen layout - making room for an additional bank of drawers and more countertop surface.

flying

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Jane Zatylny

Photo

LIA

CROWE

PHOTOGRAPHER

BRIDE REIMAGINED

PAGE 48

“The real star of our unconventional bridal fashion story this issue is the gorgeous medium of flowers. I loved capturing the different feelings they can inspire and the playful way they can speak without saying a word.” Lia Crowe is an award-winning photographer, creative director and flamenco dancer. With a background in high fashion, Lia brings international fashion experience to the pages of Boulevard. Whether it is photography, directing or dance, visual storytelling is at the core of everything she creates.

BOULEVARD GROUP Mario Gedicke PUBLISHER 250.891.5627 info@blvdmag.ca

MANAGING EDITOR Susan Lundy

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lia Crowe

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan

DESIGN Michelle Gjerde

Tammy Robinson

Kelsey Boorman

ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke

Vicki Clark

THELMA FAYLE WRITER SANDHILL CRANES AND A PHOTOGRAPHER

PAGE 86

“After I undertook 50 interviews with the late Ted Grant in preparation for a book I wrote in 2013, the well-loved Canadian photojournalist introduced me to his dear old friend and colleague, Bil Lingard, a man I chatted with for just two hours, but a person who made a huge impression on me—mostly for his genuine, rare and uplifting humility. I couldn’t resist writing about a pinnacle career event the long-deceased elder described to me, involving the ancient and lovely sandhill cranes.” Thelma Fayle is a Victoria writer working on her MFA at King’s School of Journalism as a celebration of turning 65. She is also working on her second book, Letters to Obasama: Undressing Stereotypes. thelmafayle.com

JANICE JEFFERSON WRITER POWER PUNCH

PAGE 14

“Exploring central Vancouver Island for fashion trends meant digging deep into local shops. I found greens and pinks in all of their tints and shades, and noted that these colours remain in vogue for spring. Enjoy!” Janice is an interior designer based in Victoria. She creates with an eye-catching mix of playfulness and refinement, often incorporating vintage items and found materials. Follow along on her newsletter, Bedtime Stories with Janice.

Andrea Rosato-Taylor

CONTRIBUTING Angela Cowan

WRITERS Lia Crowe

Jen Evans

Thelma Fayle

Janice Jefferson

Sandra Jones

Lauren Kramer

Laura Langston

Susan Lundy

Sean McIntyre

Suzanne Morphet

Kaisha Scofield

Ellie Shortt

Jane Zatyln y

CONTRIBUTING Lia Crowe

PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton

James Jones Photography

Rob Moroto

ILLUSTRATION Sierra Lundy

CIRCULATION & Marilou Pasion DISTRIBUTION 604.542.7411

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada

PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

a hitch in the hitching

While my second wedding to Bruce in 2014 went without a hitch, the same can’t be said for my first hitching back in 1990. And all the wedding talk in this edition of Boulevard has stirred up a few memories.

The fun started the morning of the big day at the in-laws’ house, the designated meeting place for the wedding party, and where everyone gathered to collect and admire bouquets, take photographs and prepare for the journey to the beach, where the ceremony was set to occur.

This beach—a gorgeous bit of privately owned sand and gently lapping ocean that had been shut down to the public—was originally a nudist beach, causing an immediate hush, I’m sure, for those receiving the invitation. But despite the nudist designation, the bridal party and guests wore classy clothes, and the women wobbled through the sand in heels. I wore a calf-length, white dress with a flowered bodice and kept my feet bare. (I liked to pretend that I disdained wedding shoes to aid creation of a beachy-Bohemian vibe, but in fact, I merely didn’t like shoe shopping.)

Derrick, the groom, and his best man slipped down to the beach in the early morning before the wedding and covered the logs and sand with buckets of flowers. A slight misty-drizzle at dawn cleared up and the sun appeared, gently licking the beach for the first time in weeks..

But back at the in-laws’ house, the hour of the main event approached and everyone started leaving for the beach. Each departing group had a designated car. The vehicle deemed nicest was reserved for the three of us in the bridal party and my dad. In this family of rusty station wagons and dusty pick-up trucks, the “nicest” car was a rental belonging to one of Derrick’s visiting brothers. We even decorated it for the journey.

Finally, everyone departed and it was time for the bride to hit the road. Unfortunately, the one remaining, decorated vehicle was locked, the driver (now happily at the beach) had the keys in his pocket, and common use of cell phones was a decade away.

After much drama and a few less than appropriate words from the bride, we managed to catch a ride when the minister happened by. We all squeezed into his four-seater—but the musicians at the beach had to extend their repertoire significantly as we arrived 20 minutes late.

And that wasn’t the only hitch in the hitching. The same brother-in-law offered to videotape the event, and did so with great in-your-face enthusiasm. Unfortunately, he wasn’t familiar with the camera and for most of the filming confused the on and off buttons. The resulting movie featured lots of foot footage as the camera swung at his side, supposedly off. At one point in the film, the viewer can watch a wide shot of sand, shoe and log, while listening to Terry ask, “Say, does anyone know how to work this thing?”

There was also the exchanging of the vows, where Derrick got so tangled in the words, he finally threw up his hands in defeat. (That, of course, is the instant most of the guests captured on their cameras.)

Today, the wedding is a blur (especially if I watch the video). But my favourite photo at the reception was taken while Derrick gave the groom’s response to his father’s toast to the bride. In the photo, I have my hands folded in what appears to be prayer and I’m looking down. Please, don’t let him say anything stupid

Years later, my mom and I came across a box of slides taken at her wedding. With an eyebrow lifted and a small smirk on her face, she passed me a slide, at which I stared disbelievingly. There was the same photo! My mother sitting at a wedding table laden with fancy square desserts, my dad standing next to her making a speech, mom’s head bent, hands folded in prayer: Please, don’t let him say anything stupid.

And while some things don’t change, the wedding landscape itself has definitely evolved. Read on to discover how.

Susan Lundy Editor

Susan Lundy is a former journalist who now works as an editor, author and freelance writer. Her latest book, Home on the Strange, was released last year by Heritage House Publishing.

life.style.etc.

– EXP REALTY

Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Brianne travelled all over the world with a career in digital marketing, but always knew she would return.

“After over 10 years living away from Ladysmith,” Brianne says, “I recently found myself back here ready for the next adventure. I partnered with my mother who has been a local realtor in the area for over 20 years, and together we created the Mactier Real Estate Group.”

Asked what “fires her up” when it comes to her work, she says, “I get to help people find their dream home. I am incredibly blessed to work with such wonderful clients. I think this part of the world draws in people who are generally down-to-earth nature lovers, and who are so appreciative of this incredible place we get to call home.”

Passionate about yoga, hiking with her dog, fitness, nature, travel and adventure, Brianne also loves her role as president of the Ladysmith Downtown Business Association.

“I love volunteering and giving back to my community.”

Asked what adopted practice has led to her success, she says, “Meditation: it allows for daily peace and minimizes stress. The ability to quiet your mind allows you to sail through life in a peaceful way. Positive energy and manifestation is so powerful! Once you understand and can harness the power of your mind, you can do whatever you desire.”

When it comes to style, for Brianne, it’s all about confidence and being comfortable and classy.

She adds: “The best life lesson I’ve learned is to not take anything too seriously, including yourself.”

BRIANNE MACTIER, REALTOR, MACTIER REAL ESTATE GROUP

WORDS LIA CROWE X PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE

Style icon: Dolly Parton.

Favourite artist: Historical: Rembrandt.

Current: Klee Larsen out of Vancouver.

Piece of art: Rembrandt’s Night Watch I was fortunate to see it in person and it made me tear up.

Favourite fashion designer or brand: Vintage.

Favourite musician: Neil Young.

Era of time that inspires your style: 1960s/1970s.

Favourite cocktail or wine:

An Old Fashioned and Italian reds.

Album on current rotation:

Nikki Lane: Denim & Diamonds

Favourite flower: Dahlias or roses.

Favourite app: Star Walk; it’s great for stargazing and learning about the constellations, planets and moon.

Favourite place in the whole world: Abroad: Italy is never-ending romantic travel. South of the border: Utah is absolute magic. My backyard: Heart Lake perched on top of the mountain behind Ladysmith. One thing that consistently lifts your spirits during hard times: Yoga.

FASHION & BEAUTY

Uniform: Black leggings, black boots and a fun coat or sweater to jazz it up. I’m a realtor so I am on the road a lot, and I love mixing comfort and class. All-time favourite piece: I am the master of finding comfortable long black dresses that I can dress up or down. Simple elegance.

Favourite pair of shoes: Black boots.

Favourite work tool: Coats with pockets.

Fashion obsession: Jackets.

Accessory you spend the most money on: Boots…maybe also jackets. Necessary indulgence for either fashion or beauty: Quality! Pay a bit more to ensure things last. Fast fashion is so unsustainable.

Moisturizer: Relativskin.

Scent: I love men’s colognes; they react differently and quite beautifully on women. Currently, Hero by Burberry. Beauty secret: Smile at yourself in the mirror. Love yourself.

READING MATERIAL

What do you read online for style: I’m inspired by vintage pieces, so I follow a lot of vintage pickers on IG.

Fave print magazine: Rolling Stone. Fave style blog: @shopthefaraway on Instagram.

Coffee table book/photography book: Beautiful cookbooks: right now Island Eats: Signature Chefs’ Recipes from Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari.

Last great read: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey.

Book currently reading: Lights on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar.

Favourite book of all time: The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Young.

POWER PUNCH

Spring fashion is as cheery as your grandma’s tablecloth! Colours like kelly green and vibrant pink remain hot, while their softer counterparts continue to ride the wave of this colour combo. Blazers are everywhere, so, for the spring, grab a blazer and layer it over your favourite tank or summer dress. If you have a summer wedding to attend, you are definitely looking for a colour-blocked suit. Add bold jewellery to complete the power punch, and shop locally to find these fashions!

By Janice Jefferson Modhaus Designs

5.

2.

1.

4.

6.

3.

$495

$305

1. Randy’s Dress Part Two Sartorial Boutique $219

2. Turquoise Sweetheart Necklace Blush Vintage $335

3. Bellini Shoe in Bone Tamara London Cardino Shoes $179

4. The Trend Bag in Emerald Cardino Shoes $255

5. Nelian Stripe Knit Part Two Sartorial Boutique $159

6. Milena Blazer in Camellia Rose fransa Wear It’s At Boutique $149

7. Nephrite Jade Necklace Marsh & Son Jewellery $325

8. Trace Balka Blazer Mos Mosh Fabrications

9. Thora V-Neck Sweater Mos Mosh Fabrications

10. Priscilla Shift Dress in Kelly Green Pink Martini Wear It’s At Boutique $70

11. Naxa Blazer In Wear Sartorial Boutique $271

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Meditative matters

WORDS KAISHA SCOFIELD

Several years ago, my mother spent a month in Myanmar (Burma), where she participated in a silent meditation retreat. She spent 30 days eating, sleeping, walking, bathing, engaging in all of life’s activities, without making a sound.

At the time, when I was young and carefree with very little responsibility, I couldn’t begin to understand why she would choose such an activity. Now that I am older—working, existing, raising young children, and constantly searching for morsels of space and peace to fit into my already congested brain—the idea of spending an entire month learning how to streamline my thoughts and actions sounds pretty fantastic.

Meditation has been practised since sometime near the dawn of civilization. The most recognizable figure associated with meditation is Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, who founded Buddhism around the sixth century BCE. It is said that after a journey of

self-reflection, he attained enlightenment sitting under the Bodhi tree, a sacred fig tree in what is now Bodh Gaya in northeastern India.

In every religion throughout history, meditation has been practised through things like prayer, self-reflection and chanting. There is no singular description of what meditation is, but it has been described as a cessation of the thought waves in the mind. In other words, it is the practice of focusing on the mind and allowing thoughts to pass through without engagement, bringing about mental clarity and peace. This can be achieved using a variety of techniques and tools: silently and without movement; with the repetition of a phrase or mantra; through breathing techniques; using prayer beads that are individually passed through the fingers; or with a guide.

So, is it as easy as grabbing some prayer beads, finding an old tree and closing your eyes? Not exactly. Despite the seemingly unanimous agreement that meditation is good for you, the overwhelming promotion of meditation in media, and the mountain of research confirming that meditation improves mood, sleep, mental function, emotional stability, perspective and more, only six per cent of the global population considers themselves dedicated meditators.

It sounds nice enough to sit with your eyes closed in a quiet room or walk silently in a meditative forest, but most of us can’t get past the idea of dedicating concentrated time to what feels like inaction.

One of the biggest barriers to meditation is that it takes time and commitment while offering only a vague landmark for success.

There is no one way to meditate, and maybe because it has been practised for such a long time, through so many cultures and by such a wide variety of people, its meaning depends on the individual.

Internal reflection can also bring up unwanted emotional responses or thoughts that we would rather leave untouched. For these reasons, despite their best intentions, people tend to perpetually put off meditation.

We can get stuck in a loop of needing meditation to help with our overwhelm, yet being too overwhelmed to meditate. But people also seem to get stuck on the definition of meditation. There is no one way to meditate, and maybe because it has been practised for such a long time, through so many cultures and by such a wide variety of people, its meaning depends on the individual.

After all, maybe the lack of definition is because the practice takes place within the mind and is ultimately an internal and unique experience, so the best way to practise meditation is whatever way the practitioner finds most useful.

We are therefore able to look beyond the traditional practices of meditation and engage in whatever method suits our needs and availability. Some meditative practices could include sitting in the sun and listening to birds chirp; running without headphones and tuning into your breathing; laying in bed and listening to raindrops; getting up early and sitting in your quiet home; or going for a walk and listening to a meditative sound bath. All of these activities share a focus on peace and mental relaxation.

If you need something more intentional, why not try a meditation app? There are many highly rated apps that encourage breathwork, mindfulness and self-reflection.

Headspace is generally regarded as the best meditation app. It costs around $70 annually, or $12.99 per month, which can be a barrier, but it boasts the largest variety of meditation styles and practices, along with tools and courses that can be used to work through anything from grief to writer’s block. You can opt for daily meditation, sleep meditation, stress relief, productivity training, and even “mindful fitness and cardio.”

Calm is another paid meditation app, geared more toward the seasoned meditator. There is less structure to its programs, but it offers a deeper and more immersive experience. It is $70 annually and has won several awards for its effectiveness. An interesting feature of this app is its Sleep Stories, read by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Fry and Bob Ross.

Mindshift is a free app developed by Anxiety Canada that combines mindfulness with cognitive behavioural therapy specifically designed to combat anxiety. It works similarly to the other apps, but because it focuses specifically on anxiety management, it can provide a bit more of a targeted approach.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is an aligned meditative practice with very similar internal messaging as it promotes the release of belief systems that can trigger anxious feelings. For many people, especially in our current political and environmental landscape, a large barrier to meditation can be simply calming the mind enough to approach a relaxed meditative state. The concept of meditation can feel so outside of our generally anxious existence that it seems almost out of reach.

Starting with an app like Mindshift can be a necessary stepping stone to bring the mind toward a more manageable level of anxiety before attempting something more involved like Calm or Headspace.

The most important thing to remember when approaching a meditation practice is that it is designed to improve happiness and wellbeing. If you find yourself crammed into a cross-legged position on the floor every morning, chanting “Om” through gritted teeth, about ready to throw your mala beads across the room, you may want to unfurl, step back and consider trying something different. Maybe going for a walk, downloading a mindfulness app, or simply laying on the floor and listening to a sound bath will be a better fit for you.

VILLAGE TOWNHOMES

Fun in the sun

Sun Peaks is a low-key playground promising lots to do all year round

WORDS SUSAN LUNDY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY TOURISM SUN PEAKS

iam balanced slightly precariously on a thick paddleboard floating around the edges of remote McGillivray Lake. One of my daughters drifts by, exuding the confidence of someone who could do a headstand on her paddleboard without creating even a ripple on the lake’s glassy surface.

“Thinking about the story you’re going to write?” she asks. “Yup.”

“Is it still a good story if nothing happens?”

What she means is, “Wouldn’t it be a better story if you fell off the paddleboard into the lake?”

Well, yes! But that doesn’t mean I plan on toppling over anytime soon. In fact, paddleboarding is much easier than I expected and this lake, accessed via a long winding dirt road from nearby Sun Peaks, is blissfully quiet and pristine. I am happy to just float about, story or no story. The air is sultry and the sun heavy, and a delicious languidness has settled over the three of us like a soothing summer blanket.

My adult daughters and I, on our first post-pandemic girls’ getaway, landed at Sun Peaks in mid-August, eager to explore this sweet, year-round playground, located less than an hour’s drive from Kamloops and touted as a “stress-free” destination.

A tiny municipality of 1,400 permanent residents, Sun Peaks is a summertime magnet for mountain bikers, hikers and anyone looking for a low-key getaway. It must turn into a veritable Dr. Seuss Whoville in winter, when its cute resort-town architecture and European-style ski-in/ski-out pedestrian village transforms into a snowcapped wonderland, attracting some 250,000 visitors. The pace here is slower than other resort towns like Whistler (permanent residents 14,000, and three million annual visitors) but still offers 17 square kilometres of skiable terrain (second largest in Canada), 19 feet of snow and 2,000 hours of sun.

In the summer, Sun Peaks serves up a wide range of activities, including golf at an 18-hole, par-72 Graham Cooke-designed course, hiking trails, year-round events and lift access for downhill and cross-country mountain biking. Bikers lined up at the base of the lifts move at a steady pace—“If you have to wait three minutes, you’re wondering, ‘What the heck!’” we’re told at one point.

Sun Peaks has been recognized for its environmental policies and practices and was the first resort in North America and the only resort in Canada to earn the ISO 14001 designation for environmental management. It also has the feel of a place on the verge of a mini boom, with lots of activity and new construction underway.

A testament to its name, the peaks above us and township around us are bathed in sunshine as we park the car and explore the area on foot from our home base at Village Walk 19, a massive three-level, three-bedroom condominium that can sleep a gazillion people within its lavish walls. The three of us, celebrating our first girls’ trip in such a long time, open a bottle of bubbly and move between sitting on tall chairs at the massive kitchen island, lounging around the dining room table (seats 13!) and relaxing into a comfy couch in the sunken living room, as we catch up and decompress.

The next day we are up early and ready to explore. Our plans include heading up the mountain with a guide from Sports School

for the Top of the Mountain Hiking Tour to wander through the carpets of alpine flowers that dot the slopes.

“Just a leisurely walk,” I’ve assured my older daughter, who runs and plays sports but is not a fan of hiking. “Basically, ha ha, we’ll just be ‘tiptoeing through the tulips.’” (Not tulips, of course. But we do enjoy the glorious hues of late-alpine-flower blooms, like ruby-red louseworts, vivid purple fireweed and tiger lilies, and pink and white mountain heather.)

But our “stress-free” getaway takes a bit of a hit as we ride the Sunburst chairlift, soaring to our “leisurely walk” destination, and our guide announces that we’ll jump off the lift one stop short of the top and hike the rest of the way up. To be honest, it almost hurts my neck, stretching it far enough backwards to see the “top,” which will be accessed via a very steep incline. I avert my eyes from my not-ahiking-fan daughter, but I can feel the glare.

However, it turns out to be a glorious experience—we take it nice and easy—and our guide is so interesting and so informative,

I quickly forget that I’m the only one huffing and puffing. (Sun Peaks people are very fit.) The flowers—although slightly past their prime in mid-August—are beautiful and the views from the top are spectacular. We take a moment to gape at the mountainous landscape, rolling into the horizon before us.

After a bite to eat—more on food in a minute—we’re off to the activities desk in the Village Day Lodge to collect everything we need for our trip to McGillivray Lake, except the paddleboards, which await us lakeside. The is road a bit rough but the destination is worth the bumps, and after floating about for a couple of hours, we head back to village relaxed and refreshed—our gruelling mountain hike now a distant memory to our soothed muscles.

Our meals here have been a bit of a revelation: for such a small town the restaurants pack a definite punch. Our favourite meal takes place on a patio beneath a pink sky at Mantles Restaurant, where even selective eaters like us (gluten-, dairy- and meat-free) find ample items to choose from. The divine food and perfect setting is almost even surpassed by the impeccable service, and this restaurant is on our to-do-again list.

We also enjoy two glorious breakfasts, created and then left in the fridge at our accommodation by Ohana Deli Market & Meals To-Go. Ohana offers all sorts of food items, from deli trays to homemade soups and sauces, and our offering included all GF and DF items. A great way to start the day!

We also attend the very-popular taco night at Bottoms Bar & Grill, dining al fresco in the warm evening air, and, although we don’t have time for either, both Mountain High Pizza and Capones Kitchen come highly recommended.

Signature massages at Sun Peaks Spa cap our final morning, and we head back down the scenic road towards the highway home, satiated, relaxed and refreshed.

And I know my story will be a good one, despite the fact I didn’t fall off the paddleboard.

Bikers lined up at the base of the lifts move at a steady pace—“If you have to wait three minutes, you’re wondering, ‘what the heck!’” we’re told at one point.

do.

A Signature Massage at Sun Peaks Spa begins with selection of an oil and scent from the spa’s many unique aromatic complexes. Next, you relax into a heated bed, while heated stones glide over your skin, opening up your pores to draw in the oils and intensify their effects. Your feet are wrapped in warm, steamy towels as your body is massaged with the combination of skilled hands and hot stones. The 90-minute experience allows enough additional time for extra attention to feet and scalp.

see.

Explore the Sun Peaks village with an easy stroll along the paved, multi-use Valley Trail that winds its way around the area. Start at the covered bridge that runs across McGillivray Creek to access the lower loop, or turn left at the bridge and follow Valley Drive briefly until the trail veers off through the forest next to the creek towards the east end of the village.

eat.

Although Bolacco Café was recommended as a local’s favourite for coffee—we discover it is so much more. Step into this cosy cafe and meet a chalkboard menu filled with enough delectable offerings to make your head spin and your decision-making slow. There is seating indoors or out, or take a bowl to go, like we did, pulling over a few minutes later at a glorious lakeside stop just a little ways down the road towards the highway.

All fired up

Potter Mary Fox creates a special place for the young ceramic artists of tomorrow

WORDS JANE ZATYLNY X PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

hether you walk across the threshold of Mary Fox Pottery in Ladysmith or open the book Mary Fox: My Life as a Potter, prepare to be immersed in a world of colour, beauty and imagination. And pots. Lots of pots.

A pretty winter garden leads into a renovated miner’s cabin on a quiet Ladysmith side street. Inside the shop, your eye is drawn to a large selection of pots, tableware, bowls and vessels. Beautiful, impossibly tall pots. Voluptuous oversized vessels. Blown glass and ceramic chalices, mounted in rock. Glazes and textures beyond one’s wildest imagination.

Behind the gallery, apprentice Sarah Wilson attaches a clay handle to a mug in the Creation Room. Shelves upon shelves of pots and vessels await firing in Mary’s massive Blaauw kiln at the back of the house.

Upstairs, in Mary’s private quarters, there are more pots to admire, on low floating shelves under large windows and on higher shelves on the walls. And on her kitchen counter, there are vintage Torquay motto-ware pottery pieces, including her precious childhood egg cup.

Mary uses an adjacent room as a photography studio, and it is here that she has arranged some of her most impressive pieces on wall-mounted shelves, including a rotund saggar-fired pot with the most incredible surface. Made from a mixture of sawdust, copper, and seaweed from the Ladysmith Harbour, it is a prime example of Mary’s artistic ingenuity.

“Ladysmith used to be a coal mining town, so there’s a bit of coal attached to the seaweed, which gives it these red tones,” she says.

The pot looks ancient, very much like it could have been part of an archaeological dig.

“I want people to have that sense of unearthed beauty with my work,” says Mary. “I want them to look and wonder, ‘Is it glass? Is it clay? Is it metal?’”

It’s hard to imagine, looking around, that Mary’s life as a potter almost didn’t happen.

“Ceramics was the only elective left open to me at Central Junior High School in Victoria,” Mary says. “I was positive I couldn’t take the class because I wasn’t artistic; I was a bookworm and a beachcomber.” But take it she did.

“It was love at first touch,” she said.

That elective led to more high school classes, much experimentation and the acceptance of her work at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria gift shop and other Victoria galleries when she was still in her teens.

Mary was ambitious and completely obsessed with pottery. At 18, she planned to apprentice with British potter Michael Leach in Devon. But fate intervened once again.

“I borrowed a friend’s car to deliver some pots to a gallery and had a car accident,” she said. “There was no collision insurance on the car, so that took all my coin and I couldn’t go.”

As a self-taught ceramic artist, Mary has faced numerous personal and professional hurdles, including a devastating autoimmune disease that affected her and her late wife, Heather Vaughan. She persisted through it all, establishing homes and studios in different cities, exploring new methods and materials in her work, and making a living as a potter.

Now 63, she is at the top of her profession and able to look back with perspective on her life as a potter.

“About 20 years ago, Heather asked me what would have made it easier for me as a potter starting out,” she says. “I told her: a lowcost, equipped studio where I could sell what I was creating.”

This conversation marked the beginning of the Mary Fox Legacy Project Society. Mary created an endowment fund through the Vancouver Foundation and the Craft Council of BC, and an apprenticeship program to support young ceramic artists. Today, this project is her focus.

“The world we live in is very different from the world I grew up in,” she says. “It is increasingly important to me to help the youth of tomorrow.”

When she finished writing her book and started putting the Legacy Project together, she realized that she would no longer have the energy to both exhibit her own work and work on the Legacy Project. But that is all right, she says.

“I’ve succeeded in my main life goal of creating pottery and earning my living by my craft. Now it’s time to help the young people—and what better way to do that than by introducing a traditional apprenticeship and an endowment to help future generations of potters?”

MARY FOX: MY LIFE AS A POTTER Stories and Techniques

Part memoir, part instructional how-to book for ceramicists, this beautifully designed and illustrated hardcover book offers an inspiring story of love, loss, artistic growth and friendship that every student, collector or individual who appreciates the ceramic arts should read.

In Part I, Mary shares her development as an artist and the highs and lows of her personal life, including the loss of her wife, Heather, in 2007. She also tells readers about her vision for the Mary Fox Legacy Project.

In Part II, Mary offers valuable technical notes, including “things I wish I’d known,” glaze techniques, marketing ideas, and detailed information about her creative process.

“Baring my soul to the world was not on my ‘must-do list,’” Mary admits. “But inspiring and sharing knowledge was, so I shared it all.”

All proceeds from Mary Fox: My Life as a Potter (2020, Harbour Publishing) support the Mary Fox Legacy Project.

Find it at maryfoxpottery.ca, Munro’s Books in Victoria or via Amazon or Indigo.

“It was love at first touch.”

hot properties

Let the light shine

Mid-century modern meets warm minimalistic in mid-island dream home

QUICK FACTS:

Year built: 2022

House size: 3,520 square feet

Land size: 0.32 acres, or 14,000 square feet

Number of bedrooms: 3

Number of bathrooms: 3.5

One special feature: a see-through foyer with a floating staircase

WORDS LAURA LANGSTON

PHOTOGRAPHY ROB MOROTO (EXTERIORS) + JAMES JONES PHOTOGRAPHY (INTERIORS)

“As soon as I sat on the grassy knoll and looked at the trees and the rocks and the water in the distance, I knew I was home,” said one of the owners of this spectacular mid-island home. “This was where I wanted to be.”

“This” was an undeveloped third of an acre in a quiet community that seemed to call to the recently retired Ontario-based couple (both of whom wish to remain anonymous).

“We wanted to be back by the mountains and the ocean, and we were ready to downsize and

build the home of our dreams.”

Having already viewed and fallen in love with a Sartori Custom Homes show home and wanting that same vision for their new build, they consulted with Dan Sartori before buying the property. The site had the sun exposure and trees they wanted, but it was sloped and rocky. Could he, they wondered, build a home on the site while still preserving much of the lot’s natural beauty?

Dan says it was a challenging request but not an insurmountable one.

“It’s a unique site with the road on three sides. It had many large, geological granite formations and an abundance of trees, so it did present challenges,” he explains. “But through consultation with our structural and geotechnical engineers, as well as our experienced excavation contractor, we were able to devise a plan that preserved the areas in question while creating the space they wanted.”

The result, as seen when you first drive up, is a home nestled among the trees and naturally occurring plateaus of the site, one that feels well-integrated into its surroundings. Much of that is due to Dan’s construction decisions, including using solid Douglas fir timbers, full-bed natural stone custom finishes and longboard siding that so closely mimics wood it’s virtually impossible to tell that it’s aluminum.

“We were going to go with wood, but Dan and his exterior siding contractor asked us to consider longboard aluminum siding,” says one of the homeowners. “It’s very practical and low-maintenance, and we love it.”

Stepping through the oversized front door into the foyer, your eye is immediately drawn to a floating staircase leading to the lower level and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows along the entire south side of the house.

Those windows offer up views of three patios, a low-maintenance, no-grass garden and an abundance of trees that frame the distant

Deep down you want to be together.

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The effect is an open, light-filled space that feels at one with the outdoors—all things the owners wanted. They also wanted a generous and natural flow from one room to the next, which they’ve achieved in an interior that’s a stylistic blend of mid-century modern and warm minimalistic.

Nanaimo · Victoria · Courtenay

ocean. The effect is an open, light-filled space that feels at one with the outdoors—all things the owners wanted. They also wanted a generous and natural flow from one room to the next, which they’ve achieved in an interior that’s a stylistic blend of mid-century modern and warm minimalistic.

To the left of the foyer, a double-sided black porcelain fireplace divides the dining room from the 14-foot-high great room and kitchen.

“I was adamant that I wanted a black fireplace,” says the homeowner, who handled the interior design herself.

With the fireplace being non-negotiable, she built on her chosen palette of black, cream and brown, first selecting the floors (a midtone maple engineered hardwood) and creamy quartz countertops with rich black, brown and gold veining. Everything flowed from there, including her decision to use “hints of gold for glam” and to choose luxurious kitchen cabinets made of rift-cut walnut with horizontal grain.

“Running the grain that way gives more of that sense of flow they wanted,” Dan explains. “It’s also beautiful and easy on the eyes.”

With the common areas located along the southeast side of the house, a study in the northwest corner offers a quieter space. It features more of the rich walnut cabinetry custom-designed with pullouts to hide her sewing supplies and the material he needs for his consulting work. Steps away is the glamorous two-piece powder room finished in dramatic black and gold Schumacher wallpaper, black quartz countertops and deluxe gold finishes.

When asked to choose a favourite room, the homeowners are

In the master bedroom suite, stunning with its black, cream and gold palette, she loves that she can lie in bed and see the trees.

“It’s like being in a tree house,” she says. The corner of the bedroom, where the couple has their morning coffee, is cosy and inviting with its two large side chairs, something else she appreciates.

In the en suite, her favourite feature is the wall behind the bathtub because of the symmetry of the carefully placed wall sconces and the long, horizontal window above, which gives them more of the natural light they wanted. High windows are featured in the walk-in closet and the attached large laundry room too.

The laundry room also has an additional feature that makes it unique.

“We asked for an exterior door from the laundry room so we can go sailing or kayaking or for a swim in the ocean and come in through the laundry area and discard our wet clothes without tracking through the house,” one of the homeowner explains. “Dan and his team went above and beyond in meeting our needs.”

Since main-level living was their goal, the homeowners situated the TV room, guest bedrooms (both complete with en suites) and a bar area downstairs. Designed for guests and to allow any future caregivers to live in, they plumbed in the downstairs storage area for an additional washer and dryer, added a five-foot crawl space for easy access, and left room in the walls to install an elevator should that become necessary down the line.

The practical, structural decisions came naturally to one of the homeowners because of his engineering background.

“I stayed out of my wife’s design way and she gave me latitude on the infrastructure side; we make a really good team.”

One of his main goals was an energy-efficient home, so energy consultants were hired and options were considered. Rigid insu-

lation was installed beneath the lower level and below the skim coat on the main level as an inexpensive way to boost energy efficiency. Thirty-five one- by two-metre solar panels were installed on the roof. Unobtrusive and not visible from the street, the panels provide all the electricity the couple needs over a period of a year.

“In fact, we’re on the books as being an official power generation station for BC Hydro, and we have a charging station roughed in too, so we can draw on that when we get an electric car down the road,” he says.

The couple also installed a heat pump and a battery backup system for extra insurance.

Choosing Dan to design and build their home, finding the right property and then overseeing construction took the couple two years.

“We lived in a 750-square-foot apartment nearby to oversee the construction,” they say, adding that Dan, his team and the tradespeople he uses deserve a great deal of credit for working patiently and professionally through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now happily settled in their new surroundings, the homeowners are deeply satisfied with the choices they made.

Dan is too, noting, “The home meets or even exceeds what we imagined it would be at the start of the process. The way it blends into the land, combined with the warm and inviting interior finishes and details, makes it eye-catching and truly special.”

Designing Kitchens for

SUPPLIER LIST:

Design: Edward Gallagher Designs

Builder: Sartori Custom Homes

Electrical: Clark Electrical

Solar energy: Shift Energy Group

Timber work: Great West Timber Frames

Tile: BEtile

Energy advisor: Bernhardt Contracting

Cabinetry: Heronwood Custom Cabinetry Inc.

Plumbing: Ocean Blue Plumbing / Splashes Bath and Kitchen

Siding installer: Distinctive Exteriors

Windows: Westeck Windows & Doors

Stone masonry: Noble Stone Ltd.

Geotechnical engineering: Lewkowich Engineering Associates Ltd.

Excavation and site preparation: Ellis Excavating Ltd.

Countertops: VI Granite & Quartz Countertops

THANK YOU

to the 3676 donors who gave over 6,500 gifts, helping us reach a record-breaking total of over $5.5 MILLION towards the new Intensive Care Unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital scheduled to open summer 2023.

nanaimohospitalfoundation.com

LEARN MORE about how you can support Phase 2 of the new ICU by visiting our website.

Olive Fertility Centre Victoria Welcoming Vancouver Island Patients

Our new state-of-the-art IVF clinic opening in Victoria’s James Bay Capital Park offers Vancouver Island patients world-class fertility care close to home.

We provide comprehensive fertility care for those with primary or secondary infertility, LGBTQ2SIA+ persons, donor sperm, donor egg, surrogacy, egg freezing and beyond

Dr. James Graham MD FRCSC

Dr. Ginevra Mills MD FRCSC

You come first at Olive. Always.

Fertility FAQs with Dr James Graham

Dr. Graham MD FRCSC, GREI is a fertility specialist and clinical director at Olive Fertility Centre Victoria. He is also Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UBC.

So many celebrities are talking about their fertility struggles. Is infertility getting more common?

We know that infertility (defined as trying to conceive for 1 year) has doubled in Canada over the last 20 years. Of all couples trying to have a baby, 1 in 6 will have trouble conceiving. There are multiple reasons for this. The most significant is that women are having their first child later in life.

When should you get your fertility checked?

For most women under the age of 35, we recommend trying for one-year of regular unprotected intercourse prior to having a fertility evaluation. For women over 35 we recommend that you should have a fertility evaluation after 6 months. If you are over 40 or have any health issues like PCOS, irregular periods or endometriosis you should talk to your doctor right away.

What treatments are available?

It really depends on the cause of infertility. Many treatments used to help a couple conceive are fairly simple and involve minimal or no expense. Often, medications or just counseling can help solve the problem. In some cases the solution requires more advanced technology such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The good news is that we are able to help most couples achieve their dream of having a family.

Are there any recent advances in fertility treatment?

PGT-A is an exciting technology used in IVF that screens embryos for the ‘right’ number of chromosomes. This is helping to significantly increase pregnancy rates with IVF (up to 78%) and decrease miscarriage rates as we are able to choose the healthiest embryos.

Do patients in BC have to pay for fertility testing and treatment?

Many people hesitate to go to a fertility specialist because they are worried about the cost. Fortunately, in British Columbia your consultations with a fertility specialist as well as most fertility testing is covered by our provincial health plan with a referral from your family doctor or a walk-in or virtual clinic like Telus Health MyCare. Depending on the specific scenario, most surgeries are also covered for patients. However, fertility treatments like IVF are not covered in BC.

IVF centre opening 2023 The

With clinics in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna, Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada’s leading fertility clinics, offering an award-winning IVF lab, personal care teams and innovative programs including IVF, PGT-A, donor sperm, donor eggs, surrogacy and egg freezing.

Photo credit Jen Steele Photography

A fundamental component of good art is using top-quality materials. A memorable meal begins with fresh ingredients, ceramics are a reflection of the clay from which they are formed, and a good brush gives the painter greater control over what lands on the canvas and where. In the world of interior design, having the right materials begins with finding the perfect site.

That’s partly what drew Amy McGeachy, of McGeachy Design Studio, to a Victoria neighbourhood for a unique project that’s set to give CHEK television viewers an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes of a full-scale home renovation.

“This site was particularly attractive because it’s perched high up on a rock,” Amy explains, during a tour of the property. “It has a very low-t o no-maintenance yard, beautifully designed rock work, stunning sunsets and a view that looks out over the entire neighbourhood.”

It also didn’t hurt that the architecturally designed home featured expansive skylights, massive picture windows filling rooms with all-day natural light, and vaulted ceilings soaring over a semi-open plan that amplifies the spaciousness of the executive home’s nearly 2,500 square feet.

“The home’s style lent itself well to our project,” she says of the 1980s-era property. “We just had to bring it into the modern era.”

The rehabilitation of Amy’s home into a living space worthy of the 21st century is the premise of I Bought a House, a five-part series on CHEK television. The show gives viewers an insider’s perspective on the year-long process that Amy and her team undertook to restore and renew the new-to-her home.

For six months of the project, Amy and her dog Milo—who offers plenty of canine comic relief during the show—actually lived in the home’s laundry room while her contractor, tradespeople and a television crew had free reign throughout her home, often arriving on her doorstep at the break of dawn.

“Living in the laundry room was a great learning experience, but I’m not going to do that again,” she says.

The spotlight isn’t entirely new terrain for Amy, who has become a recognizable media presence on CHEK’s weekly Trend and as the host of her House Guests podcast.

Amy has lived in Victoria for most of her life, which includes dwelling in almost every surrounding municipality. She has been

“A lot more people are renovating because building [new] costs a lot of money. Because you’ve got to take care of the tear-down as well as the build, many people are deciding to stay where they are versus moving.”

in the industry for 20 years, specializing in kitchen and bath design. Her team were recipients of no fewer than three CARE Awards this past year for the interior design on one of their modern new builds. Knowledge of the area means Amy has experience and local connections throughout the region.

“I love supporting locals whenever I can, as it’s these relationships that I’ve built my business on,” she says. “I have a great team that I work with and they help me to make everything happen.”

Launching a television series is a logical next step towards bringing her design experience, as well as her eye for what’s hot, and personal connections with suppliers and builders across Vancouver Island into local homes, and hopefully inspire other homeowners to realize what’s possible.

“A lot more people are renovating because building [new] costs a lot of money,” she says. “Because you’ve got to take care of the tear-down as well as the build, many people are deciding to stay where they are versus moving. This house really lent itself to being converted to a modern home. If you didn’t know, it could easily be mistaken for a new build.”

Amy starts every project by looking over the house’s floor plans to gain an overall perspective. By looking at elements such as a home’s orientation, floor space and internal layout, Amy develops a general idea of what can be done with the space.

“It all starts with the design essentially—looking at the floor plans and going from there,” she says. “The finishes and such are really secondary, and it’s a lot less money to redo things on paper when you’re at the design stage versus after you’ve started construction.”

Amy knew from the get-go that her property needed to take advantage of its great views, ample sunlight and natural setting. New windows and doors were installed, baseboard heaters removed, and the home’s two fireplaces were upgraded to improve energy efficiency. Superficial walls that separated living, dining and kitchen areas were taken out, carpets were removed and replaced with white-oak engineered hardwood, while wallpaper gave way to walls painted in

airy, yet warm off-white.

“It was literally ripping and stripping wallpaper out of almost every room,” she recalls.

With a sense of cohesive flow now connecting these previously independent spaces, Amy set about accessorizing with wrought-iron railings, local artwork and modernized lighting. Black Norwegian cladding used to give the home’s exterior a contemporary look makes an appearance indoors to contrast the interior’s white spaces.

“Often when you’re in a modern-looking home, it’s common to have a lot of white space and neutrals, which can come off as cold sometimes, so there has to be a lot of wood tone and cladding that adds texture. Even with the furnishings, we’ve done lots of layering and textures as well,” Amy says.

A huge central island, complete with seating and functional millwork, was shaped to configure with the kitchen’s uniquely angled layout. The result defines the kitchen space while keeping it open and connected to the nearby dining room and living areas for entertaining friends and family.

The resulting space is bathed in the natural light streaming through the skylights and windows that run the length of the home. Each window, in turn, offers a picturesque glimpse onto the bright green of rhododendrons or speckled rock that surround the property. Accents and colours used throughout the home’s main living spaces are also featured in the structure’s three bedrooms and three

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Beautiful custom built home, vaulted ceilings, lots of natural light, and an easy-living open concept blends the inside and outside perfectly. Oversized bdrm with elegant ensuite through the breezeway to the 2-bedroom guest suite, everything is done exceptionally well and the quality is evident. 4.97 acre property is fully fenced and the orchard and vegetable gardens have additional perimeter fencing. Walking trails through the perimeter forest are a delight.

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bathrooms. Unseen touches, such as heated bathroom floor tiles, a ductless heat pump with UV germ killing system and a built-in EV charging station complete the home’s transition from a 1980s throwback into modern West Coast wonder.

“It’s these luxuries that you don’t necessarily see, but they are all there to make the home more comfortable,” she says.

As for Amy’s laundry room, it emerged as a work of art that now rivals any luxury suite. Built-in comforts, such as laundry risers and pull-out hamper trays, include an infusion of moodier colours and 100%

more efficient use of space. And Milo? He got a dedicated indoor dog wash station right next to the home’s side entrance so he can be easily freshened up after his walks through the neighbourhood. As they say in show business, it’s important to keep the talent happy. For more information about McGeachy Design Studio, visit mcgdesignstudio.com. I Bought a House, as well as links to Amy’s House Guests podcast and episodes of Trend, can be accessed on CHEK+.

Caitlin, our Lead Coolsculpting technician, would love to see you for a complimentary consult to help you look your best this summer.

• Coolsculpting targets stubborn areas of tissue and can reduce that area by up to 27%

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Iconic Cowichan Valley Equestrian Estate

The original farmhouse, set on 287 acres (four titles) of pastured and treed land, was built in 1896 and has been completely remodeled and updated to a bespoke manor of 6,967 square feet spread over three levels.

The equestrian facilities include a 175’ X 65’ jumping arena with Euro style yellow cedar fencing, and a 65’ diameter round ring for lunging. Hay barn and workshop total 2600 square feet overall.

This is an idyllic location, southern exposure, surrounded by new and mature growth forest land set against the Koksilah Ridge of mountains west towards Lake Cowichan.

bride reimagined

Bold bouquets and brightly coloured bridal attire. Boulevard explores a new trend in nuptials, where brides are throwing out the rule book and daring to be different. Here’s a chance to create with colour, be inspired by texture and accent with blooms that are sustainable, seasonal and locally grown. Created by Julie Rémy, of Fleuris Studio & Blooms, each floral piece here reinvents wedding ideals with bouquets that highlight individual uniqueness and personality, and show different approaches to the wedding dress, with versions of complexity and simplicity. Photographed at Gabriel Ross in Victoria.

PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE STYLING JEN EVANS

Angelica dress in goldenrod by Ulla Johnson ($1,038) from Bernstein & Gold; floral belt from Fleuris Studio & Blooms.

Poppy blazer by Smythe ($795), Poppy pant by Smythe ($450), both from Bernstein & Gold; silk camisole (stylist’s own); “West Boot” in celery green by Alohas ($328) from Footloose Shoes; greenery by Fleuris Studio & Blooms.

Metallic crop jacket by French Connection ($65), from House of Savoy; evergreen skirt by Fleuris Studio & Blooms; gold metallic shoes ($135) by Chinese Laundry from The Bay.

Headpiece by Fleuris Studio & Blooms; vintage fur coat by Kristina Eberts ($625) from House of Savoy; silk camisole (stylist’s own).

Blue strapless dress by Frock! by Tracy Reese ($68), blue satin shoes by Stuart Weitzman for Browns ($125), blue sequin glasses by Dolce & Gabbana ($250), vintage blue bracelet ($28), all from House of Savoy; “Margot” earrings by Avu Jewelry ($65), blue opaque tights by Narasocks ($19), both from Footloose Shoes; florals by Fleuris Studio & Blooms.

Peach gown by KABUInternational ($375), cut glass and gold earrings ($68), both from House of Savoy; floral ice cream cone by Fleuris Studio & Blooms.

Model: Émilie Hamel

Makeup and hair: Jen Clark

Production assistant: Christina Compton

Photographed on location at Gabriel Ross. A huge thank-you to Gabriel Ross for hosting our team.

Worth writing home about

Nanaimo store offers curated collection of stationery treasures

WORDS SEAN MCINTYRE X PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

Some travel in search of sunshine and sand, while others set out for grand adventures. When Cory and Laura Landels embark on a trip, however, they are on the lookout for stationery stores, and their journeys have taken them to more than 25 countries on four continents.

So, when it came to settling down in Nanaimo a few years back, Cory and Laura immediately jumped at an opportunity that had their names written all over it. In June of 2020, their stationery store Common Foundry opened its doors on Wallace Street, a stone’s throw from downtown Nanaimo.

“We wanted to make sure we were creating something that filled a niche in our community, and we thought bringing some of these items to Nanaimo would hopefully be as inspiring to others as it is to us,” Cory says.

Unsure if others on Vancouver Island shared their passion for fine pens and inks, Cory and Laura only had two models of fountain pens for sale when they started out. Those sold out within a week as people emerged from the local community of pen enthusiasts.

“We have been growing and learning with them ever since,” Cory says.

The shop has grown to become central Vancouver Island’s lone purveyor of fountain pens, featuring exquisite models made by premium pen-makers from around the world and a selection of ink in every imaginable shade. The store’s in-house nibmeister can even provide a custom-ground pen nib.

“Part of the reason why it’s important to try out a fountain pen is because there are so many different features to consider, such as the materials, the weight or balance of the pen in your hand, and the size, shape or feel of the nib against the paper,” Laura says. “Finding the perfect combination is very exciting for a pen enthusiast, and we take it one step further by also offering these unique customizations.”

Alongside fountain pens, inks and customized nibs, the couple has used their interest in stationery products to curate a one-of-a-kind collection of tactile delights. Some of these products feature rich histories, cultural influence or design impacts that the couple is keen to share with others.

“Some stuff we like because it’s cute, weird or just fun to use,” Cory says. “We have a range of items to make sure our shop is accessible to someone shopping at any price point, whether it’s a child coming in to spend their allowance or someone looking for a meaningful, high-end gift.”

The shop itself grew out of Cory’s graphic design practice, which occupies the rear portion of the Wallace Street character building. One role of the stationery shop is to create a storefront space enabling more interaction between the studio workspace and people in the community.

When it comes to the retail space, the couple took a distinctive less-is-more approach to product design and layout. Products are

“Rather than overcrowding the space with products, we prefer to curate a space that highlights different items in a way that piques your curiosity and makes you want to know about them.”

kept to a minimum and displayed in a manner that promotes a real appreciation for their quality and craftsmanship. Most packaging has been removed so as to not detract from the product itself, allowing customers to interact with and get a feel for different items.

“Packaging is often designed to sell the product, but it can be very loud and detract from the design of the object. We wanted the shop to be both an aesthetic and interactive experience. As it’s a small shop, we’re able to speak to the history or features of the item, which is usually much more engaging,” Cory says. “Rather than overcrowding the space with products, we prefer to curate a space that highlights different items in a way that piques your curiosity and makes you want to know about them.”

Based on its great reception among locals and visitors, Common Foundry has proven itself a welcome new addition to a neighbourhood and city which continue to find new ways of luring people off the highway and into the heart of downtown to devote some well-deserved attention to the sights, shops and flavours that are to be found in the Harbour City.

“Nanaimo is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, and it’s emerging as a hub for creative professionals and entrepreneurs,” Laura says. “The movement of young families and professionals from larger cities is definitely having a positive impact, and we’re excited to see how it continues growing.

“It’s always fun for us to talk about Nanaimo, especially the area around us in the Old City Quarter and downtown, whether it’s with a regular who is in every week or a newcomer who is visiting the island for the first time.”

Common Foundry is located at 295 Wallace Street in Nanaimo. For a look at the shop’s products and more information, visit: commonfoundry.com.

The icing on the cake

It’s a new era in the world of weddings

WORDS JANE ZATYLNY X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many facets of our lives, but couples trying to tie the knot have faced particularly difficult challenges. In the first year of the pandemic, in particular, weddings were postponed, often multiple times, and uncertainty ruled the day.

Jane Carson and her husband Tyler Leblanc were engaged in 2019 and set to marry in September 2020.

“When the pandemic started in March, we thought we would be in the clear for September, but obviously we were not,” says Jane. “We kept trying to make the best out of a bad situation, but with the ever-changing restrictions, we found it very stressful to try to plan a wedding.”

Jane and Tyler had several small celebratory events along the way to the altar, including a party to celebrate the anniversary of their original wedding date with immediate family. Finally, on their third

attempt, in August 2022, the Victoria couple married on the beach in Tofino.

“It turned out to be everything we wanted,” says Jane.

Cristina Fazio and Sam Powell, also from Victoria, became engaged in the summer of 2021. They’d seen friends forced to cancel and rebook their weddings, but they were hopeful that, with the first year of the pandemic over, they could keep their summer 2022 wedding date.

“We’d always intended to have a good-sized wedding, so we gambled that COVID would let us go through with our plans,” says Sam.

The couple tried to remain flexible and not to get too invested in what they were planning.

“If we couldn’t have had a larger wedding, we would have still kept the date,” adds Cristina.

Fortunately, they were able to proceed as planned with their August wedding.

“Couples now have so much appreciation that they can actually get married,” says Diane Hall, former president and publisher of Weddingbells and senior editor of WeddingWire Canada: “When they plan their weddings, they aren’t taking anything for granted.”

Here’s a look at wedding trends that will likely persist even after the pandemic is well and truly—we hope—in our rear-view mirrors.

HIGHLY PERSONALIZED WEDDINGS

Prior to 2020, wedding styles were heavily influenced by celebrities and influencers, says Diane.

Not as much today: “Couples are personalizing their weddings to a much greater extent and are far more intentional with their wedding spending, whether that takes the form of hiring a diverse wedding vendor team, supporting local suppliers and charities, or reducing their carbon footprint.”

We’re also seeing more “relaxed formal” weddings, she says: “Couples remain interested in stylish weddings, and using Instagram-worthy photography to document their wedding style remains a very important part of the day.”

SMALLER GUEST LISTS

While a mandated requirement during the most serious days of the pandemic, smaller guest lists have remained popular with many couples, says Jessica Minnie, owner and creative director of Vancouver’s Petite Pearl Events.

“As people witnessed beautiful, intimate celebrations, they became more comfortable making that decision for themselves.”

Smaller guest lists also allow couples to create a more luxurious wedding experience for themselves and their guests.

“Couples now have so much appreciation that they can actually get married…When they plan their weddings, they aren’t taking anything for granted.”

HIRING PROFESSIONAL HELP

Hiring a wedding planner is always a wise investment, even more so during uncertain times.

“With this decision, you will have experience in your pocket every step of the way and be able to enjoy the planning journey, as well as the weeks leading up to your wedding day and of course the wedding day itself,” says Jessica.

Wedding planners also help couples demystify vendor contracts and make sure cancellation policies are in place.

FLEXIBILITY

Wedding vendors have learned to build more contingency plans into their recommendations, knowing that things could change. For instance, that beautiful custom floral arch can now be used indoors or outdoors and moved around, says Diane.

“It may have been an altar first, but also can be positioned behind a wedding table or used as a backdrop for a photo booth.”

THE RETURN OF ELOPEMENTS

Sara Laking, photographer/owner with Sara Spectrum in Tofino, has seen continued growth of elopements, or “mini-monies,” where it’s typically just the couple, the photographer, perhaps a wedding planner, and an officiant in attendance for the ceremony, and a party is held at a later time.

“There’s no distraction and they’re really able to relax,” she says. “It creates a very authentic experience.”

Jessica has seen more couples getting legally married before or after the actual ceremony.

“We encourage couples to make it legal during their rehearsal or privately immediately following the ceremony for a very special moment together, toasting a drink and getting some beautiful captures of this huge moment in their lives,” she says.

MORE OUTDOOR WEDDINGS

At WeddingWire Canada, Diane has noticed that the outdoor setting remains very important to Canadian couples—and not just to prevent possible COVID-19 transmission.

“Outdoor weddings allow for a lot more creativity around decor, tent rentals and other details,” she explains. “Couples can have food trucks and mobile bars in old vintage trailers to create a festival vibe.”

Outdoor weddings also open up the possibility for aerial photography.

“It’s about really using Mother Nature to create that beautiful environment,” adds Diane.

HYBRID WEDDINGS

Travel bans originally led to this trend, but hybrid weddings appear to be here to stay, especially in cases where travel costs would be prohibitive for the guests.

“They also give the couple permission to have more of a luxury experience for their in-person event,” says Diane, adding that the virtual coverage can be quite elaborate and inclusive. “Couples can also create a signature cocktail and send their virtual guests a recipe for it or a gift package with a mini bottle of bubbly, wedding cake and party favour so they can feel part of the celebration.”

IT’S PARTY TIME

After the isolation of the first two years of the pandemic, couples and their guests are ready to let their hair down.

“This generation still really wants to get married,” says Diane. “While the onus is now more on the couple as to the safety measures they take, everyone wants to really celebrate.”

Cheers to that!

Couples remain interested in stylish weddings, and using Instagram-worthy photography to document their style.

Willa handbag by

Terry Nicholls

Lilian Broca

Loeppky

Lilian Broca

Loeppky Roxane Campeau

Loeppky

Terry Nicholls

Lilian Broca Sharon Loeppky

Terry Nicholls Lilian Broca

Loeppky

Nicholls Lilian Broca

Loeppky

Campeau

The Downtown Duncan business community has a rich history and culture appreciated by both locals and visitors alike. We have a couple of upcoming celebrations that offer excellent opportunities to participate in events and activities. This season we are celebrating Earth Day and Mother’s Day downtown with dedicated activities.

Earth Day is an opportunity to recognize the importance of caring for our planet. It’s a chance to come together to appreciate and protect the environment and make a collective effort to reduce our ecological footprint. We all have a role to play in preserving the health of our planet, and Earth Day is a great reminder to think about how our choices and actions can have a positive impact. This April 22, join us for a variety of family-friendly activities, music and speakers in the downtown core throughout the streets surrounding Station Street Common Park. Think bees and building and making meadows – right here in downtown Duncan.

Mother’s Day is a great chance to show the moms in your life how much you care. Here are some ideas to help make it a memorable celebration:

• Gift Mom some limited-issue Mother’s Day Duncan Dollars that she can use to shop downtown. These special Duncan Dollars, created in collaboration with Cowichan Women Against Violence (CWAV), will receive 10% of every dollar spent. Supporting CWAV’s programs and services is an awesome way to celebrate Mom. Buy them at the Downtown Duncan BIA office at 111 Station Street or online.

• Plan a special meal together. Have everyone in the family bring a dish to the table or try a new recipe together.

• Create a special gift. Make a scrapbook with pictures and memories of your favourite times together, or a Spotify playlist of songs that she loves.

• Spend quality time together. Go for a hike, watch a movie, or have a game night.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, your mom will appreciate the effort and love you put into making this day special.

For regular updates on events and activities happening in Downtown Duncan be sure to follow us on Instagram at @ downtown.duncan

LITTLE BIRD GIFT SHOP

Come to Little Bird gift shop for a fresh take on Spring - we’ve got textiles, soaps, candles & more!

163 + 165 Station Street, Downtown Duncan

Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5

250-748-6861

EXCELLENT FRAMEWORKS HOME OF THE EJ HUGHES GALLERY

Over 100 EJ Hughes prints, art cards, and limited editions available online.

Professional custom framing services for over 40 years

Locally and indigenously owned.

115 Kenneth Street, Duncan

250-746-7112

contact: www.ejhughes.ca

www.excellentframeworks.ca

BELONGINGS

Carefully selects one of a kind vintage pieces and quality used furnishings throughout the shop. If you’re searching for a statement piece for your home, you’ll likely find it here.

Open Mon - Sat 10am-5pm & Sun 12pm-4pm

250-746-3631

55 Lois Lane, Duncan

All about appies

Nosh and nibble while you mix and mingle

WORDS ELLIE SHORTT X PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

The world is opening up again. After a two-year slumber, we are rubbing weary eyes and opening them to bright and sparkling merriments filled with family, friends and food. We are once again embracing loved ones at jubilant gatherings and clinking glasses at long-awaited celebrations.

Birthdays, baby showers, engagement parties and weddings are finally finding space in our social calendars. You may, in fact, as the benefactor of one of these festivities, be feeling a wee bit rusty following such a lengthy hosting hiatus. What to wear? How to decorate? How to have natural-feeling and normal-sounding conversations with fellow humans again?

While I can’t help you with any of those quandaries, I do have some suggestions on my personal favourite part of a party—the food!

Depending on the venue, vibe, guest list and goals, you might be considering a sit-down dinner or a more casual cocktail-style soiree. Today I’m here to make a case for the latter. If planned optimally and prepped appropriately, a finger-food affair can offer greater ease for the host, and a more manageable mix-and-mingle environment for the guests.

You can take many of your most loved dishes and craftily convert them to bite-sized offerings, which will rest beautifully on a platter, waiting dutifully for guests to help themselves. A stack of napkins and perhaps a few aesthetically pleasing buckets in which to discard used vessels are all you really need by their side, and after all your hard work in the days prior, you—dare I say it— can actually enjoy the party yourself (gasp!). Make as much as you can ahead of time and save any necessary last-minute assembly for day-of duties. If it doesn’t feel too fussy (or confusing for guests), I may even suggest labelling your discard buckets if you’re wanting faster cleanup and easier sorting of food scraps, recyclables and dishware.

If planned optimally and prepped appropriately, a fingerfood affair can offer greater ease for the host, and a more manageable mix-andmingle environment for the guests.

Treat yourself to a stay at our elegant resort and enjoy a world-class spa, three on-site dining options, water activities, nearby beaches and rain forests, and more, only 45 minutes from Victoria. Our Pacific Penthouse also offers an unparalleled experience for the most discerning guests. 250-642-0805

Speaking of dishware: I find when serving appies, it can be frustrating for guests if the dishes are too messy. No one wants to scoop up some slop with the palm of their hand, frantically slurp it up, dumping dribble all down their silk dress or nice white shirt. No one! And yes, I speak from embarrassing experience. Instead, a neat, tidy and inventive vessel can not only provide a safe serving option, but an aesthetically pleasing!

PUT IT IN A BUN

Everything tastes better wrapped in carbs. Fact. And a fluffy little bun is no exception! Slider buns are easy enough to find, but if you’re feeling particularly unstoppable you can make your own. Personally, when hosting an event I want to minimize the busy work (you have enough to do already) and recommend sourcing slider buns from your grocery store, or even contacting your favourite local baker to see what they have on offer. Either way, you’ll want something light and soft (think brioche texture) for maximum eating ease.

Some of my favourite things to serve in a bun include pulled pork sliders with creamy crunchy coleslaw, crispy fried chicken sliders with homemade spicy pickles, or even just classic beef burgers with aged cheddar and bacon jam.

PUT IT ON A STICK

One of my favourite party tricks is taking my most beloved salad-du-jour and putting it on a skewer. Pear, brie and baby kale on a skewer is always a crowd pleaser; fig, prosciutto and arugula is an elegant and eye-catching choice; or simply go with the ultimate classic of cherry tomatoes, bocconcini and basil for a deconstructed caprese. All of which, I might add, go wonderfully with a balsamic reduction drizzle.

PUT IT IN A CUP

Take some soup. Put it in a very small mug. Place something bready across the rim. I promise your guests will thank you. It’s cute, Pinterest-able and Insta-worthy, but also just really delicious and

satisfying. I mean, who doesn’t love a warming shot of soup and a hearty something to dip in it?

And of course, if you’re hosting a party in the summer months, you can easily do this with a chilled soup like zucchini gazpacho with some focaccia. For something a bit more fall and winter appropriate, I suggest a classic butternut squash soup with some rustic sourdough or a soul-soothing tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich slice.

PUT IT IN A SPOON

Something meaty or hearty on something saucy or creamy. It’s a good starting point for constructing your stuff-on-spoon creation. Think Greek-style lamb meatballs on tzatziki, pan-seared scallops on minty smashed peas or crispy roast cauliflower on baba ganoush. Then give it some a colourful zip with a garnish of fresh herbs or microgreens.

PUT IT IN A TART SHELL

Everything and anything can go in a tart shell and taste delicious. Sweet, savoury, rustic or elegant, there’s nowhere you can’t go (and no one you can’t please) with stuff in a flaky crust. Most of all, it can be completely and entirely make-ahead friendly, whereby all you really need to do is warm it (if need be), plate it, add garnish and serve. No mess. No fuss. No extra dishes to wash. Just bite-sized brilliance!

And don’t overthink it. A micro quiche with caramelized onion and goat cheese is always a winner, as is a classic herb and mushroom tartlet. Even beloved pies like pumpkin or apple lend well to the mini-tart-shell option.

Of course these are simply a few of many suggestions. Jars, cones (both paper and edible), wraps and even shot glasses all lend well to a mix, mingle, nibble and nosh sort of do. When in doubt, think of some favourite foods and imagine how you could make them mini, bite-sized, finger-friendly or hand-held and hopefully not too messy. And if guests leave with sauced dribbled down their chins and onto their outfits? Well, like wine spills on a tablecloth, I say it’s a sign of a good time.

Old Farm Garden Stone

Just south of Duncan next to the Old Farm Market 5174 Francis Street, Koksilah B.C. V0R 2C0

New shipment of fountains, fiberglass and ceramic planters.

NEED A BREAK THIS SPRING?

Maple Balsamic Bacon Jam

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Makes about 1 cup of bacon jam

Ingredients

250 g thick cut bacon

1 large sweet onion, chopped

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup water

¼ cup strong brewed coffee (I used decaf espresso)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

Cut the bacon into half-inch slices and add to a large frying pan (don’t worry if the bacon pieces stick together; they will come apart as they cook). Sauté on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is cooked but still chewy (a few crispy bits are okay). Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan. Pour out all but 1 tbsp of the bacon drippings. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, and then reduce the heat to low. Add the maple syrup and continue to sauté until the onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Add the reserved bacon and coffee and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring about every five minutes, until it’s thick and jam-like (about 30 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the balsamic. Taste for seasoning and salt, if necessary.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving (there will be little spots of white fat when you take it out of the fridge, but as the jam comes to room temperature, these will disappear).

*Shown here served in beef sliders made with mini brioche buns, aioli, arugula, and aged cheddar.

Balsamic Reduction

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions

Add the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick and reduced, about 15 minutes. The timing will depend on your desired thickness (the balsamic will also thicken as it cools). Store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Herb and Mushroom Tartlets

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Makes about 24 tartlets

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 large leeks, trimmed/peeled and thinly sliced

1 lb mixed mushrooms, thinly sliced

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

½ cup Parmesan, grated

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed as per instructions

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Stir in the mushrooms, add a bit of salt (about 1/4 tsp) and pepper (about 1/8 tsp), and cook together until the mushrooms are soft (5 minutes). Stir in the herbs and cook together until fragrant (2 more minutes). Turn off the heat and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry until it is about doubled in size. Using a 2- or 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut the pastry into rounds, and fit them gently into a non-stick mini muffin pan. Repeat with a second pan if needed.

In a medium bowl combine the egg, Parmesan and mushroom mixture. Spoon it into the prepared pastry. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan and then serve immediately.

*Note: While best served immediately, store tartlets in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a 350 F oven for 5-7 minutes.

3,219 yards, this beautiful 9 hole par 36 golf course provides an enjoyable challenge for beginners to seasoned players.

A unique west coast golf experience.

www.quadragolf.com

Pan-Seared Scallops with Minty Pea Puree

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Makes 12 canape spoons

Ingredients

12 medium-sized scallops

¼ to 1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, divided

2 cups water

2 cups frozen peas, defrosted

¼ cup fresh mint leaves (plus extra for garnish)

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Add the water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the peas, fresh mint and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the peas and mint in a colander. Transfer to a food processor, add about 3-4 tbsp of butter and purée. Slowly add the olive oil until you’ve reached your desired texture, either chunky or a smooth paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, or transfer to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to one week.

When you’re ready to serve, heat a large pan on high and melt 1-2 tbsp of butter. Turn the heat down

to medium and place as many scallops as can fit (you may need to do this in batches), flat side down, allowing for some space between them. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and flip to the other flat side once one side is just beginning to get golden brown. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper and cook for a couple more minutes until slightly golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Transfer to a plate to cool. When ready to plate, smear a small amount (1 tbsp) of pea puree into a deep canape spoon. Place a scallop on top, garnish with mint and serve.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Makes 6-12 mini mugs (depending on their size)

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatoes (e.g. roma or plum), cut in half or quarters

6 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

¼ cup olive oil, divided

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

½ cup fresh basil leaves

1-2 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1-2 tsp dried)

½ cup broth, depending on how thick you like it

*Note: you can also use cream (e.g. coconut, regular heavy cream) for a richer flavour. I personally like to do half broth, half cream. Optional garnishes include fresh basil, oregano, grated Parmesan, chili flakes, etc.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place tomatoes and garlic cloves on the baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil (about 2 tbsp). Generously season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a large pan on medium and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally and checking every few minutes until it is translucent and golden (20 minutes). Once tomatoes and garlic are done roasting, allow them to cool slightly before combining them in a food processor

with the basil, oregano, onions and broth/cream. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer back to the pot, turn to medium-low heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to simmer 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, transfer to small cups (like an espresso or cappuccino mug), garnish and place a grilled cheese slice on the edge of the cup.

Proms Island Style

Proms Island Style

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023

SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2023

PORT THEATRE | CONCERTS 5:00 PM OR 7:30 PM

PORT THEATRE | CONCERTS 5:00 PM OR 7:30 PM

GUEST CONDUCTOR: Arthur Arnold |

GUEST CONDUCTOR: Arthur Arnold |

GUEST ARTIST: Ken Lavigne, TENOR

GUEST ARTIST: Ken Lavigne, TENOR

PROGRAMME

PROGRAMME

Johann STRAUSS JR.: Die Fledermaus: Overture

Johann STRAUSS JR.: Die Fledermaus: Overture

Pietro MASCAGNI: Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo

Pietro MASCAGNI: Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo

Lalo SCHIFRIN: Mission: Impossible Theme

Lalo SCHIFRIN: Mission: Impossible Theme

Giacomo PUCCINI: Nessun Dorma – from Turandot

Giacomo PUCCINI: Nessun Dorma – from Turandot

Edward ELGAR: Nimrod from Enigma Variations

Edward ELGAR: Nimrod from Enigma Variations

Astor PIAZZOLLA: Libertango

Astor PIAZZOLLA: Libertango

PASTICHE SYMPHONY:

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5, I. Allegro con brio

PASTICHE SYMPHONY:

Gustav MAHLER: Symphony No. 1, Blumine

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5, I. Allegro con brio

Johannes BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2, III. Allegretto grazioso

Gustav MAHLER: Symphony No. 1, Blumine

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, III. Allegro molto vivace

Johannes BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2, III. Allegretto grazioso

…And more surprises!

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, III. Allegro molto vivace

…And more surprises!

Arthur Arnold, CONDUCTOR

Ken Lavigne, TENOR

Arthur Arnold, CONDUCTOR Ken Lavigne, TENOR

The French touch

When our cruise ship comes to a sudden stop in the middle of the Mediterranean, we think something’s wrong. Rising from our loungers, where we’ve been basking in the late October sunshine, we lean over the side to investigate.

Below us, the stern deck opens like a drawbridge. A perforated platform rises up like the mythical phoenix. And what looks like a giant mechanical arm pushes the

Arriving in Valletta,capital of Malta at sunrise.

platform out and over the rippling blue waves. Presto— it’s a dock!

Next, we watch as a couple of crew zip around in zodiacs and rope in a large rectangle of ocean to create an Olympic-sized pool. More crew on deck bring out masks, snorkels and those colourful “noodles” that help you stay afloat.

Then, a flurry of excitement as we realize... we’re going swimming!

Given that most guests on board are retirees, I’m surprised how quickly everyone reacts to this unscheduled fun. Soon, people are gleefully jumping off the dock and bobbing about in the 25-degree Celsius water.

After a delightful swim and snorkel myself, I notice the captain standing on the dock. Wearing shorts and chatting with guests, his hair is slick from a swim as well.

Up on the deck, a pool party has broken out with music, punch, and—because this cruise line is proudly French—crepes bathed in butter and served with chocolate sauce and half a dozen toppings.

Over dinner that night, Richard Henderson, an American we’ve met from New Jersey, who—like us—is on his first PONANT cruise, jokes that if we were in North America, we would have been obligated to sign multiple waivers before ever being allowed to swim so casually off the back of the ship.

Happily, PONANT sees things differently.

And that’s because, as I discover on this week-long cruise, PONANT is different from other cruise companies. Founded by a group of professional sailors in 1988, it’s still the only Frenchflagged cruise line in the world, and genuinely sees itself as a proponent of the French way of life.

Monreale Cathedral, Palermo, Sicily.

What does that mean exactly? It’s the sharing of French culture and know-how, and imbuing each of PONANT’s 13 ships with “the French touch.” There are fabrics by Pierre Frey, for instance, subtle room fragrance by Fragonard and toiletries by Hermès, among other things.

And it’s true that from the moment I’m greeted with “Bonjour, madame,” and handed a flute of champagne upon boarding our ship in Barcelona, to the final “Au revoir, madame,” in Valletta, Malta, this cruise feels distinctly French.

And that’s without even stopping at any French ports. Instead, we explore the Albufera wetlands near Valencia in Spain, where short grain rice is cultivated for paella, the country’s national dish. On the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Menorca, we stroll narrow cobblestone streets, taste local pastries, shop for shoes (PONS makes its Avarca shoes in Menorca) and learn the history of these sunbleached islands.

In the old city of Palermo, Sicily, we are gobsmacked by all the gold in the Monreale Cathedral and the exquisite mosaics in the 12th-century Palatine Chapel. We sip fresh-squeezed orange juice from a street seller to quench our thirst in this never-ending summer of 2022.

While our on-shore excursions provide almost-daily highlights, it’s our sleek, luxurious ship that offers rest and relaxation.

Le Champlain is named for French explorer Samuel de Champlain and is one of six Explorer ships in PONANT’s fleet. Just 131 metres long, it’s cosily intimate with 92 rooms and suites. And while there’s nothing particularly French about that, the fact is, size matters.

I can walk from our room on Deck 5 to the outdoor pool on Deck 3 in about two minutes. Same thing when I go to the panoramic lounge on Deck 6 to read in the light-filled library.

This ship is designed to human scale, rather than for economies of scale. So, I’m not surprised to learn that PONANT was voted the Best Expedition Ship Line and the Best Small Ship Line in the

world in the 2022 Reader’s Choice awards by Condé Nast Traveler

Many of the crew are French, of course, and also a third of the guests, but those of us with only high school French or less (there are lots of Americans, Aussies and Brits on board) don’t feel left out as announcements are made in both French and English, and crew members switch effortlessly between the two languages.

I was more concerned that enjoying haute cuisine each evening might require a variety of elegant outfits and multiple pairs of shoes. Since I’m traveling with only a carry-on, I’m happy to learn that we can enjoy casual dinners outdoors at Le Grill or dress up for a multi-course gastronomic experience indoors with wine pairings at Le Nautilus.

But inside or out, the food on board Le Champlain is indisputably French and fabulous. In 2016 PONANT partnered with Ducasse Conseil, the consulting firm founded by three-Michelin-star French chef Alain Ducasse, to raise its culinary bar. Ducasse’s team now trains all PONANT chefs and creates recipes for them.

One afternoon, I’m reviewing the program and notice that at 5 pm guest lecturer Malene Rydahl is speaking on “How to live happier.” Malene is an executive coach and the author of the best-selling book Happy as a Dane

I figure I’ll go to her lecture, then head to the lounge at the opposite end of the ship for the 6 pm “Tasting of Pata Negra.” That’s the Iberian ham that comes from a dark-coloured breed of pig that’s raised free-range and fed acorns.

When I arrive in the theatre, Malene is on stage speaking, but to an empty room. I look around. Out of 138 guests on board, fewer than a dozen are here.

I think I know why. It’s not because something else is going on, but because PONANT guests have already figured out how to be happy. Enjoying cruises like this one is surely one of the ways.

Traditional sandals of Menorca.

secrets and lives — AND THE 7 SINS WITH DAVID WARBURTON

When David Warburton took on the role of executive director at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre, it was both an exciting new opportunity and a step onto familiar ground, literally.

David, who grew up in Vancouver, came to Nanaimo regularly as his family travelled to their summer home on Gabriola Island, and he’s now been back in the city since last summer.

Having spent the previous nine years with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, David was intimately familiar with the Port Theatre, and was excited to bring his own spin to the programming side of things.

WORDS ANGELA COWAN PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON

“I have the opportunity to support the artists and works that speak to me and align with our strategic mission,” he says.

He adds that it’s been wonderful to work in a collaborative role to help bring attention to historically underserved and underrepresented voices in the local and global communities. The theatre’s Discovery Series—which launched during the thick of the pandemic shutdown— showcases emerging and innovative talent, and the program has evolved to include production support and assistance in building artists’ profiles.

“We want to be an important stepping stone in their career,” says David. “It’s a program I would love to see grow and become much more meaningful. We’re trying to take care of the building and the people inside of it.”

The 7 Sins

ENVY:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

Hayao Miyazaki, who created beloved films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle. I was introduced to his films as a child, and while attending film school I grew to better appreciate his mastery of storytelling, captivating imagery and obsession with detail. Bilbo Baggins is a close second.

GLUTTONY:

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

Italian pasta, any time, any day. I’ve always had favourite foods, but there was something about being introduced to rustic Italian cooking that awakened my senses and appreciation for food and the art of cooking. In some ways, my love for travel is much like my love for food, in that through exploring it I am constantly searching to discover something new about myself.

GREED:

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

I would spend it on experiences until the money ran out. Trips with any friends and family willing to go on an adventure. An expedition to Antarctica, a boating trip to Easter Island, a trek to Iguazu Falls in Argentina, a Michelin-star meal with friends—the list goes on.

WRATH: Pet peeves?

Non-apologies are the worst! “I’m sorry you feel that way” completely misses the point of an apology, which is ultimately to accept responsibility for a wrongdoing and seek to repair and remedy the situation through acknowledgment and forgiveness. Without that, it becomes hollow and might even make the situation worse.

SLOTH:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

I would sit among the orange and olive groves overlooking the Mediterranean in Deià, a small town on the island of Mallorca. It’s perhaps best known as the place where English poet Robert Graves lived after the First World War, serving as the setting for many of his works. I lived there very briefly as a child and returned often throughout my childhood. It’s certainly one of the places I long for and think about often.

PRIDE:

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

Not many know, but in 2015—while I was reconnecting with my Korean roots and searching for my birth family—I co-created a show with my sister that was largely based on my experiences and those of other Korean adoptees I met while on that journey. The production won the Korean national theatre award and has since been remounted and toured in Canada and Korea multiple times. I’ve often felt the work needed to speak for itself. It was a deeply personal project, and I am incredibly proud of the show, of those involved in creating it, and of the impact it had in raising awareness around adoption, which is still a highly controversial and secretive subject in Korea.

LUST:

What makes your heart beat faster?

I’ve often felt the most alive when faced with adversity. I can’t say it’s always been pleasant—usually it’s quite stressful!—but those moments when it feels like my heart is in my throat always stay with me. Being stung by a jellyfish while swimming off the coast of Mallorca; I still have visible scars some 25 years later. Or, as tour manager for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, flying over the Atlantic, learning our connecting flight had been cancelled and having to rebook the entire company through other countries mid-flight. Or, as an adult, walking through the gates of a rural Korean orphanage to meet the social worker who once cared for me. That was a surreal experience.

SANDHILL CRANES AND A PHOTOGRAPHER

As a way of coping through the pandemic, I enrolled in an online biology course with the University of Victoria and learned there are 10,000 species of birds. Charmed by a description of the adaptable sandhill crane, one of the oldest living bird species in the world, I remembered a story I had heard a few years earlier.

Bil Lingard told me he knew early on that he wanted to be a photographer. Under the guidance of a favourite uncle, he was developing film in a “pudding dish” at eight years old.

“In my 60 years of professional photography, I have only one shot that completely pleases me from the perspective of subject, composition and the cooperation of the subject—a pair of sandhill cranes standing almost eye to eye with me.”

Bil spoke with the intensity of a 12-year-old boy having fun. He placed a postcard-sized image on the coffee table and told me about a pair of sandhill cranes he photographed at a tidal brook near his home in Florida. He described the painstaking process of capturing his perfect image.

“Two sandhill cranes came down the creek by my house every day for several months. From a distance, I watched in awe without a thought of shooting. The magnificent wading birds did their elegant and ancient dance and I listened to their powerful bugle-ish calls.”

Bil thought through his plan carefully. He knew that much was out of his control.

“I sat, impossibly still, in the marshy landscape so that they could get used to my presence. As I watched their long spindly black legs, grey-brown bodies, white throats, long sharp bills and red crowns, I was mesmerized by the graceful, bouncing hops as the gangly birds landed. I could understand why some birders see a synchronized and sensual tango in their movements.

“I decided I had to shoot late in the afternoon for ideal lighting.

“Each day, moving in a barely discernible way, I inched closer. I could easily fathom how sandhill cranes were once considered good eating. Those birds are almost five feet tall.”

In the 1850s, sandhill cranes were sold in San Francisco for $20 as a turkey substitute. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1916 stopped the practice due to overhunting.

“When the day came, and the lighting and background were perfect, I collected my camera and made my way to the planned spot. I waited a long time without making a sound; and then, when it felt just right, when they were close enough, I stomped my foot and startled one of them. He lifted both of his

wings in an aggressive display, and I got the shot.”

Ornithology-wise, Bil’s picture shows all characteristics of the birds. Both sides, male and female, broad wings outstretched and wings down.

“That picture pleases me terrifically,” he said. “Looking at it feels like a ‘moment of truth.’ I couldn’t have done that picture with a digital camera. When you print to that size, the process would bleed colors.”

While Bil’s description of stomping his foot to get a reaction from the bird was honest, I have learned that it is not in keeping with the ethical practices of wildlife photography today—which are to not disturb subjects or provoke behaviours that they don’t do on their own.

Three years after he took the shot, Bil told me, he went back to the site and the stream had dried up. Development took over the area and there were no more wondrous flying vertebrates with their lightweight skeletons of hollow bones full of airspace. The sandhill cranes, some of the last remaining ancestors of the dinosaurs, and creatures more evolved than mammals, had disappeared from Bil’s neighbourhood. The natural feeding environment and wetland home to the magnificent birds had been paved over; built on; gone forever.

Bil decided not to publish the best photograph of his working life. He made 24- by 30-inch prints and a postcard-size version as gifts for family and friends.

I wrote to Bil’s daughter in Florida and told her the story her father had told me many years ago. She kindly offered to send the related photograph. I wondered what I might discover in studying the never-commercially-published image.

When the print arrived from its pandemically-delayed, fourweek-long, 5,200-kilometre journey, rolled in a postal tube, I had it solidly mounted and propped up on my desk, two feet from my face.

While the world was sinking into despair with daily reports of the mounting tally of COVID-19 losses and continued devastating news coverage on the scientific findings on climate change, I decided to stare at Bil’s work while reading about sandhill cranes from a stash of carefully selected library books. I wanted to try to understand why this image captivated the photographer; why it was so close to his professional heart.

To my non-birder, non-photographer eyes, at first it was just a big picture of a couple of big birds. The National Geographic Field Guide for Photographing Birds helped me begin to discern Bil’s work.

Were the birds well-suited old mates? Courting youth? Feeding for their nearby young? Did the unique sandhill crane gait capture Bil? Was it the verdant Eden-esque landscape? Or the preternatural lighting? The more I observed his work, the more too-late questions I had for the late photographer.

I can’t tell you about the camera or the lenses or the F-stops he used, but I can tell you that the photograph was taken by a person with a strong moral compass. I only met the elderly man once for a couple of hours at a friend’s house in Victoria, when he told me this:

“I don’t want to be at the wheel of my car when I drop dead. My reactions are not quick enough. So, I volunteered to give up my driver’s license. It would be terrible to kill someone at my age because my reflexes have slowed.”

You just know a person like that will have a thoughtful reason for the way they approach their photography.

As I learned in my biology course, gruiform birds have the best

fossil records of any avian order and stretch back over 80 million years. Despite that glorious history, only 15 species of sandhill cranes are left in the world today—two in North America.

Sandhill cranes are known for being wary, always raising their heads to look around while feeding. But apparently not wary enough. Even their highly evolved lifelong pair bonding, a characteristic behaviour that likely added to their tenacious and staggering survival history, will not help them in 2022. Recently, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology noted that three billion birds have disappeared since 1970.

In my pandemically-inspired biology course—thanks to the UVic continuing education program—I learned that birds are very old, and humans, a much younger species, are wiping them out. Bil Lingard’s hauntingly beautiful still image depicts a microcosmic reminder of humanity’s terrible loss. There may not be many beautiful Bil Lingards left either.

“In my 60 years of professional photography, I have only one shot that completely pleases me from the perspective of subject, composition and the cooperation of the subject—a pair of sandhill cranes standing almost eye to eye with me.”

For Boulevard’s current “bride reimagined” fashion story, we worked with floral designer Julie Rémy, owner of Fleuris Studio & Blooms, who brought us the idea and concept of an unconventional bridal shoot. Her approach to the florals— in this shoot as well as in her business–is about thinking outside the box and designing with flowers in an artistic way to dare to transcend who you are. All the flowers and greenery were either grown directly in Julie’s flower garden or sourced locally from trusted growers, since she works with sustainable floral ingredients and design techniques. In planning the shoot, Julie wanted to show, playfully, how to get creative with personal wedding flowers, asking, “What would happen if you could reinvent your wedding florals? Julie says, “I love when I get to create something that hasn’t been thought of before and figure out how to do it. Flowers to the floral artist are what paints are to a painter— exciting creative ingredients. When we go back to our core, our main limitations, but also our strengths and uniqueness, are our imaginations and the fragile and ephemeral nature of the flowers we work with. Flowers come in almost infinite colours, striking shapes and lines, perfumes and textures to create something big, heartfelt and meaningful: a universal art form offered by nature to celebrate love and connections.”

PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

Julie Rémy, of Fleuris Studio & Blooms.

2022 Lincoln Corsair