Boulevard Magazine Central Island, Winter 2023

WINTER 2023

CENTR AL ISL AND LIFE AT ITS FINEST

IT’S HOT AND COOL

IN FULL VIEW

Entertaining with trendy mocktails

The kitchen is the heart of this airy, ocean-view Parksville home

HOT SHOT Warm up your wintertime feast with a hint of heat

From Concept to Cooking Your Tailored Kitchen Awaits Combining standard & custom cabinetry sizes and features helps create your dream kitchen while optimizing your investment.

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Beauty on the inside. And out.

Fashion for Guys on the Move, Qualicum Beach

Photo by Angel Studio

World Class Couture Brands for Men 138 & 146 West Second Avenue In the Qualicum Beach Downtown Shopping District

250.594.9997 info@opencollar.ca

You come first at Olive. Always.

We understand that every fertility journey is unique.

We are here to support you every step of the way on your path to parenthood.

olivefertility.com/victoria

6 Fertility Tips to Increase Your Odds of Getting Pregnant Ginevra Mills MD FRCSC, GREI is a a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist at Olive Fertility Centre Victoria.

She is also Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UBC. Are you are currently trying to get pregnant, thinking of expanding your family, or planning to freeze your eggs?

Here are some easy lifestyle changes you can make to optimize your fertility.

TIP #1: Take a prenatal supplement

Take a prenatal supplement with at least 1 mg of folic acid. Folic acid helps to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

TIP #2: Don’t smoke

Smoking can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, and low-birth weight babies, as well as negatively affect your fertility.

TIP #3: Cut back on alcohol

Alcohol is harmful to the fetus. So cut back when you start trying to get pregnant and stop from drinking altogether during the last two weeks of your cycle.

TIP #4: Eat a healthy diet

Studies has shown that a Mediterranean style diet may increase the chances of getting pregnant—especially with women who have problems with ovulation, or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Try to have at least 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies every day. Choose unrefined carbohydrates (whole grains) and good fats like olive oil. Eat a variety of protein sources, such as beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, poultry, and fish.

TIP #5: Watch your weight

Women with a body mass index (BMI) of under 19 or over 32 have a lower chance of getting pregnant and an increased risk of miscarriage. If you are overweight, just losing 5-10 pounds can significantly improve your fertility.

TIP #6: Know when you are ovulating

Ovulation problems are one of the most common reasons for women having trouble conceiving. If your menstrual cycle is irregular or far apart (a regular cycle is between 26 and 34 days) then you may not be ovulating regularly.

The easiest way to find out if you are ovulating, and the one I recommend to my patients at Olive, is to use an Ovulation Predictor Kit (OPK) where you pee on a stick, and it measures a surge in the luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine if you are ovulating. The 12 to 36 hours from the time you test positive for ovulation is the best time to conceive.

Photo credit Jen Steele Photography

Olive Fertility Centre (olivefertility.com) is one of Canada’s leading IVF and prenatal diagnosis centres, with clinics in Vancouver, Surrey, Kelowna and Victoria. We offer inclusive fertility care for those with primary or secondary infertility, LGBTQ2SIA+ persons and people needing donor sperm, donor eggs or surrogacy, egg freezing, and beyond.

Same-Day Virtual Referral Option

Olive Fertility offers patients the option to book a same-day, no-fee virtual referral appointment at olivefertility.com/how-to-book The referral will be automatically sent to Olive Fertility Centre, and a member of our intake team will contact you shortly thereafter to book your fertility appointment.

The only IVF centre on Vancouver Island

The new IVF centre is now open at 545 Superior St. Victoria, BC. 250-410-1664 | olivefertility.com/victoria

CONTENTS 26

30 FEATURES

30 Photo by Lia Crowe Model Nadia de Vos photographed on location at Sundance Guest Ranch.

By Don Descoteau

38

FASHION

38

WILD COUNTRY Fashion that calls for adventure and frontier courage

By Lia Crowe + Sarah D’Arcey

48

IT’S HOT AND COOL TO SERVE MOCKTAILS Four mixologists shake up some non-alcoholic flavours

By Laura Goldstein

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The kitchen is the heart of this airy, ocean-view Parksville home

On the Cover

Styling by Sarah D’Arcey and makeup by Jenny McKinney.

IN FULL VIEW

HOT SHOT Warm up your wintertime feast with a hint of heat

By Ellie Shortt

62

ON SAFARI A breathtaking, life-changing experience in South Africa

By Lauren Kramer

38

22

48

DEPARTMENTS

10

CONTRIBUTORS

12

EDITOR’S LETTER Hot tip for shoppers

By Susan Lundy

14

By Lia Crowe

22

Get your sweat on

70

GOOD TASTE Elevated simplicity The Cook + Butcher

26

IN STUDIO Heart notes: Cosette Justo Valdés

SECRETS AND LIVES Kendall Gross

By Angela Cowan

72

NARRATIVE An extraordinary friendship

By Barbara Barry

By Sean McIntyre

FASHION ESSENTIALS

74

BEHIND THE STORY Photo by Lia Crowe

By Laura Langston

Turn up the heat

By Janice Louise

WELL AND GOOD

By Kaisha Scofield

LIFE.STYLE.ETC. Carla Samson

16

18

44

BUSINESS CLASS Agent of change: Derek Gillette

By Susan Joan

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contributors “I lived in South Africa for 20

LAUREN KRAMER WRITER ON SAFARI

years and cherished the opportunity to return. It was especially thrilling to go on safari and, from the safety of a land cruiser, be within arm’s reach of the leathery, wrinkled skin of elephants, the golden fur of lions and the soft inhale of a leopard at rest.” A Cape Town-born writer now based in Richmond, Lauren feels privileged to explore the world as a travel writer and share her experiences and reflections with readers. She also writes stories about food, restaurants and news features for publications in Canada and the United States.

PAGE 62

MAKEUP WILD COUNTRY

majestic ranch and couture all collided to create magic. The makeup? Moody, mirroring the vast landscapes and avantgarde style. Even nature added drama to this shoot, serving up stormy skies (and a huge downpour while we were on horseback!).

Editorial makeup lets us redefine beauty. I revel in crafting art alongside these inspired creators. Each shot feels Vogue-worthy, a testament to our collective vision.” Jenny, an award-winning makeup artist, fuses beauty, personal growth and coaching to serve her clients. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her hiking Knox Mountain in Kelowna.

PAGE 38

“When I started researching this article,

KAISHA SCOFIELD WRITER GET YOUR SWEAT ON

PAGE 18

WINTER 2023

BOULEVARD GROUP Mario Gedicke PUBLISHER 250.891.5627

info@blvdmag.ca MANAGING EDITOR Susan Lundy ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lia Crowe CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan DESIGN Tammy Robinson Nel Pallay Maria Lobanova

“In this fashion story, our team, a

JENNY MCKINNEY

C E N T R A L I S L A N D L I F E AT I T S F I N E S T

I realized my idea of saunas was limited to childhood memories of going to the local pool with my dad in the ‘80s. The sauna was often a dimly lit square room, off to the side of the kiddie pool. I remember trying not to slip on the slick tiled floors, only to sit on hard plastic benches, in the stifling heat.

After a few minutes in the dingy sauna, we would wade through the crowds and jump into a heavily chlorinated pool. It wasn’t the most rejuvenating experience. The saunas of today have been completely transformed into luxurious and relaxation-focused experiences that include raw cedar and hot natural stones, and sometimes finish with a refreshing plunge into a beautiful body of water.” Kaisha is a functional nutritional therapy practitioner and a size-inclusive personal trainer at Well and Strong Health.

ADVERTISING Mario Gedicke Vicki Clark CONTRIBUTING Barbara Barry WRITERS Angela Cowan

Lia Crowe Sarah D’Arcey Don Descoteau Laura Goldstein Susan Joan Lauren Kramer Laura Langston Janice Louise Sean McIntyre Kaisha Scofield Ellie Shortt

CONTRIBUTING Lia Crowe PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton Dirk Heydemann

ILLUSTRATION Sierra Lundy

CIRCULATION & Marilou Pasion DISTRIBUTION 604.542.7411

Victoria Boulevard ® is a registered trademark of Black Press Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Black Press Group Ltd. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents, both implied or assumed, of any advertisement in this publication. Printed in Canada. Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #42109519.

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

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada

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PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

hot tip for shoppers

Holiday shoppers beware. Last January, a few weeks before my birthday, the targeted ads on my social media feed changed. Suddenly, my iPhone was encouraging me to view an array of gleaming chandeliers. I love chandeliers. But I was definitely not in the market for one.

Typically, my social media feed bombards me with clothing ads—a lot of dresses, for example. Dresses are one of those things that I love to look at and almost buy online. I scroll through the offerings, read reviews of the company, figure out the sizing and often get all the way to the “confirm payment” stage before finding my brain. I know (from experience) that it’s almost impossible to buy online dresses (most clothes, actually) that fit well. And also…I rarely wear dresses, so there’s that.

And speaking of those dress ads, I’m not sure when this happened, but suddenly they started appearing with taglines like “flattering for mature women” or “my mom can’t get enough of this dress.” When did I become a “mature” woman?

What does that even mean?

There are a lot of get-in-shape ads too. Wall Pilates. Chair yoga. “Thanks to this app my mom is in the best shape of her life!” And let’s not forget the dog paraphernalia: harnesses, cute little walking outfits, chew toys, doggie treats. These pair with all the “suggested for you” animal rescue sites. Dog rescues, donkey rescues, Thanksgiving turkey rescues, pig rescues, saved-from-a-restaurant lobster rescues…so many rescues. (These stem directly from my fascination with Niall Harbison, an Irish fellow who works with street dogs in Thailand. Check him out if you love dogs—or if you just want to see all the rescue sites that will suddenly pop up on your feed.)

The worst is when you are continually hit with an item that you have searched and already purchased. For weeks following a bathroom renovation I had toilets of every size and sort appearing as I scrolled. Who knew there could be so many options in a standard toilet purchase?

However, I do confess the most recent change in my social media feed’s ad campaign has hit the target with troubling accuracy, sending me spiralling down myriad rabbit holes. With the recent birth of my first grandchild, I have discovered there is a whole new shopping world out there. Adorable-beyond-your-imagination onesies, irresistible tiny shoes, toys for fun, toys for learning, books for fun, books for learning. Knits, gleaming wood, linen, non-toxic plastic.

I was dreading the moment the algorithm figured out how to target me with combined baby and dog ads. And then there it was…I could submit a photo of our dog Zorro and his face could adorn an outfit for my granddaughter!

So, since I was very familiar with all these regular targeted ads, the sudden appearance of chandeliers gave me a moment of pause. I searched my memory to see if I had googled “lights for home décor.” Had I confessed my love for chandeliers within earshot of my phone? But then it struck me. My husband was gifting me a chandelier for my birthday! His searching had changed my algorithm. That sent me diving back to my phone and scrolling through all the opulent options.

And, in fact, when my birthday rolled around there was a huge box containing a sparkling chandelier just for me. (And to be honest, it was quite familiar, having seen it numerous times on my feed.)

The theme of this issue of Boulevard has been built around “heat” and “hot.”

There are stories on spicy cuisine, hot drinks, soothing saunas, an African safari and a sizzling fashion story. As we enter this period of seasonal chill, we hope these stories will warm you from the inside out.

From me, you get a hot tip. Times have changed and there’s no longer any need to sneak over to your spouse’s “secret” holiday-gift-hiding spots, jiggle packages, peek into bags or search for clues by holding things up to the light. It’s much simpler now. Just keep an eye on your social media feed.

Susan Lundy Managing 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 published in 2021 via Heritage House Publishing.

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boulevardmagazines.com | WINTER 2023

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life.style.etc.

CARLA SAMSON, OWNER, QUINTESSENTIAL FASHIONS LTD. WO RDS + PH OTOG RAPHY LIA CROWE

I meet Carla on a grey, rainy Nanaimo afternoon to chat life, style and a few things in between. But as soon as I walk into her bright and beautiful store, Quintessential, I can’t help but want to peruse all the gorgeous wares.

I ask Carla how she came to open Quintessential.

“When I reached the milestone of turning 30, I decided to take a leap and open my own boutique to offer unique items I couldn’t find anywhere else in Nanaimo,” she says.

“I have a background in design and marketing, which has given me a significant advantage when starting my business. It has allowed me to create appealing branding and effectively reach my target audience.”

Now, I wonder, with years behind her, what continues to fire her up about her work?

“I am a strong believer that every shape and size can look fantastic in what they wear. Styling someone and finding the perfect outfit that makes them feel beautiful and confident is very rewarding,” she replies.

Carla says the secret to her success has been to always follow her instincts. And the best life lesson she’s learned is “letting go and understanding that you can’t control everything, having a positive mindset and embracing life as it comes!”

When it comes to style, Carla describes hers as “bohemian classic.”

“I love to combine elements of classic, timeless fashion with the free-spirited and eclectic vibe of the bohemian style.”

She adds, “Good style often reflects the wearer’s confidence.

When you feel good in what you’re wearing and you’ve taken the time to make an effort, it shows.”

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STYLE INSPIRATIONS & LIFE Style icon: Sarah Jessica Parker.

Favourite artist: Diego Rivera.

Piece of art: Hand-beaded bull head from Mexico.

Favourite fashion designer or brand: Zimmermann.

Favourite musician: Michael Bublé and Walk Off the Earth.

Era of time that inspires your style: 1970s.

Film or TV show that inspires your style or that you just love the style of: Sex and the City!

Favourite cocktail or wine: Sauvignon blanc.

Favourite flower: Orchids.

Favourite city to visit: Puerto Vallarta.

Favourite app: Snapchat. I love to send my peeps funny birthday grams!

Favourite place in the whole world: Mexico.

One thing that consistently lifts your spirits during hard times: My family!

FASHION & BEAUTY All-time favourite piece: Ted Baker butterfly mini-skirt.

Currently coveting: Wide-leg denim pants.

Favourite current pair of shoes: Dansko Sarah booties.

The most comfortable shoes to wear all day!

Favourite day-bag: Marc Jacobs quilted bag.

Favourite work tool: My iPhone.

Favourite jewellery piece or designer: Anything gold and lots of it!

Favourite fashion trend: Sets. I love a two-piece set! My fall favourite is our Pink Martini skirt and blouse set.

Fashion obsession: I love prints or anything crochet or embroidered!

Accessory you spend the most money on: Jewellery.

Necessary indulgence for either fashion or beauty: Great shoes.

Moisturizer: Good old Mary Kay Intense Moisturizer.

Scent: Always changing. I love fruity, fresh and spicy.

Must-have hair product: Dry shampoo.

Beauty secret: Daily face regime including face oil!

READING MATERIAL Fave print magazine: Vogue—all-time classic fashion magazine!

Fave style blog: Trinny London.

Coffee table book/photography book: Modern Garden Design: The Big Book of Ideas by Ulrich Timm and Gary Rogers.

Last great read: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.

Book currently reading: The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer.

Favourite book of all time: The Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella.

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fashion essentials

Turn up the heat Words Janice Louise | Modhaus Designs

Baby, it’s cold outside! It’s time to don the layers and look amazing while you do it! I’m loving these red-wine hues and calming winter whites. Gentle prints add to the sophistication and depth of layering. Do you see anything here to add to your wish list?

Darcy vest by Gentle Fawn Quintessential $149

Stevie mini bag Hoxton Home $260

Ingrid dress by Gentle Fawn Quintessential $159

Yellow gold rhodolite garnet ring Marsh & Son $325

Charli cardigan Archer + Arrow $150

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Jack blended yarn cardigan

by John + Jenn Sartorial Boutique $165

Earth & Sky quilted jacket

by Market of Stars Fabrications $165

Charlene cashmere blend sweater Sartorial Boutique $199

Dora cape in pink Quintessential $65 Rose sweater by Pink Martini Quintessential $95

Billy flat by Bueno Quintessential $160

Tree of Life jacket by Market of Stars Fabrications $145

Flight jacket in plaid NYLA Fresh Threads $290

boulevardmagazines.com | W I NT E R 2023

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well + good

Get your sweat on

The many benefits of joining the sauna club WORDS KAISHA SCOFIELD

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Y

ou’re standing outside a small cedar hut wearing nothing more than a small robe and an even smaller towel. You grip a roughhewn wooden handle and pull open a sweet-smelling cedar door. You are consumed by a blast of hot, humid air that immediately floods your body with a wave of warmth.

Walking inside, you are surrounded by a heavy heat that dives into your breath and seems to drench you from the inside out. As your body adjusts to the temperature change, you notice there are other people sitting on the warm wooden benches inside, towels strategically draped over their more private body parts.

You may feel awkward at first, but you quickly realize that your skin is uniformly so warm, and you are sweating so much, that any amount of clothing is unwelcome on your body.

You join the others on a bench, immersing yourself in the heavy hot air. Soon, you find your rhythm, breathing in the humidity that fills your lungs, heat drenching your skin and soothing your body. Welcome, you are now a member of the exclusive sauna club.

The first rule of sauna is to cover as little skin as possible. In fact most cultures practice steam bathing in the nude, simply because it is more efficient and comfortable. However, the degree of expected nudity varies greatly by region, tradition and familiarity to those around you. In Finland and Japan, for example, only tourists wear bathing suits to steam bathe, but in the UK, US and Canada, bathing suits are mandatory, at least in public.

This may explain the popularity of personal saunas.

The first saunas are claimed to have been invented by the Finnish nearly 2,000 years ago and, while Finns are certainly the most enthusiastic steam bathers, the practice of sitting in a hot room, sweating out of every pore, is almost universal. Saunas have been around in various forms and across many cultures for thousands of years, and while we may use it as an occasional way to relax, indulge and maybe add a little glow to our skin, in some cultures steam bathing is a way of life. For example, in the far north where running water is a scarce resource, especially during the winter months, spending time in a sauna or sweat hut is a very practical way of cleansing the outside and inside of the body.

Most saunas are made from cedar or spruce with wooden benches and large stones of basalt or granite. The selection of wood is based on its ability to distribute the heat and its comfort for sitting, while the choice of stone is based on its ability to resist splitting or exploding when heated. This is important because the stones are heated enough to bring the temperature of the room to around 40 degrees Celsius. Steam bathers can then ladle water onto the stones to produce even more steam, heating the room to a recommended maximum of around 80 degrees Celsius.

The high heat and low humidity of the sauna allow the body to sweat continuously; the sweat is then unable to evaporate on the skin where it would normally cool the body. A consistently raised body temperature creates an almost false fever condition, which increases blood flow and promotes flushing of the lymphatic system while increasing metabolism and white blood cell

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Some studies have shown regular sauna practice improves heart health and some respiratory ailments, aids menstrual conditions, improves various muscle, nerve and joint pains, and improves stress management. count. To contend with the increased body temperature, the heart beats faster, increasing circulation without raising blood pressure.

Some studies have shown regular sauna practice improves heart health and some respiratory ailments, aids menstrual conditions, improves various muscle, nerve and joint pains, and improves stress management. There are even some studies that suggest steam bathing can have positive effects on the endocrine system, including potentially regulating cortisol (stress hormone) levels directly after a sauna session, and for the next several hours.

Another exciting and popular area of study is the combination of sauna and cold-water therapy. Most of these studies are conducted on athletes trying to harness the circulatory benefits of long-term body-system heating with the anti-inflammatory benefits of cold therapy. In Finland, hot/cold therapy would involve an 80-degree naked sauna practice followed by a flop into the nearest snowbank.

In BC we are more likely to get a partially clothed spa sauna followed by a nearby cold pool plunge, and while the experience differs the benefits remain.

If you’re feeling ready to get your sweat on, please note that

there is a catch: almost all studies show that in order to experience the benefits of steam bathing and cold therapy, you must do so consistently. Intermittent sauna practitioners are actually more likely to have a negative experience because the nervous system needs enough time to adapt to the regular practice of elevated temperatures in order for it to allow your body to relax into the benefits. In other words, you have to train before diving into the sauna club.

Luckily, there seems to be a growing sauna culture popping up all around our province. No longer limited to the dirty tiles and musty side rooms of public swimming pools, you can now find all manner of sauna experiences. These range from luxurious sauna spa centres designed for sauna/cold therapy immersion to portable barges on the far west coast that include cold plunges directly into the Pacific Ocean. So, break out your softest robe, grab your most absorbent mini towel, and get your sweat on! *Saunas are not recommended for those suffering from certain health conditions. If you have health concerns, please consult your doctor before entering a sauna.

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good taste

Elevated simplicity

A Cowichan Bay classic gets a great new look WORDS SEAN MCINTYRE

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X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

T

he arrival of rainy weather on the West Coast is always a shock to my system. We need the rain, of course, but I’d be lying if I said the winter’s damp days hadn’t landed me in a funk. Thankfully, there’s always food to save the day, and a visit to Cowichan Bay’s The Cook & Butcher was apt for the task.

And so there I was, driving through a steady downpour along Cowichan Bay Road, past the Cowichan River Estuary’s expansive salt flats and onward through the seaside village of Cowichan Bay, misty clouds clinging to the treetops while the puddles grew into lakes seemingly by the minute.

Shoulder season in “Cow Bay” means the crowds are back home and many of the shops close early. My rainy midweek visit proved no exception, although a few rainwear-clad visitors had come to take in the quintessential “wet coast” vibe. Some were headed to The Cook & Butcher, where owner and executive chef Matt Heyne greeted me for a personal and much-anticipated sample of some of the kitchen’s signature items.

Anyone familiar with the Cow Cafe West Coast Grill, Matt’s previous restaurant on the same site, will do a double take upon entering the completely reimagined and masterfully redesigned space, which sits on the fifth floor of the Oceanfront Suites at Cowichan Bay. Matt, alongside Jenn, his wife and business partner, and their family and team, gutted the entire space, redid the flooring, repainted everything and added custom furnishings throughout. The focus is maximizing space for dinners and staff, while ensuring that every seat in the house offers a view of the bay and mountains beyond.

“My real passion is the design and the flow and the functionality of the restaurant,” Matt tells me as we take a seat in a corner booth by the ocean-facing window. “Flow is so important in the restaurant industry. I’d rather offer the guest a great experience than go after more seats. In the restaurant business there’s something called ‘burn and turn’ and that’s not at all what we are about.”

So expansive is the restaurant’s main eating area, it’s hard to

believe that immediately adjacent to the space are two equally spacious rooms—each with its own stunning views of the bay—used for events such as anniversaries, wedding receptions, corporate functions or holiday parties.

As we sit down, we see some California sea lions out hunting for salmon in the waters beyond the community’s vibrant working marina. Just when I think the coastal vibe can’t get any stronger, our server offers up the restaurant’s famed Coast to Coast Caesar, served sans-vodka in this case. This really is a meal in a glass; delivered with prawns, East Coast scallops, a full lobster tail and smoked salmon. The Instagram-worthy behemoth may be more like lunch and dinner in a glass.

The combination of an awe-inspiring presentation and seafood sumptuousness helped the Coast to Coast place second in a nationwide competition to find the country’s best Caesars sponsored in 2022 by Mott’s Clamato. At this point, I could have happily ventured back into the rain with renewed vigour and a feeling that all was right in the world. But there was more deliciousness to come.

Later in our meal, partway through a butcher’s board platter with sample entrees that included a 10-ounce dry-aged New York strip steak, dry-aged tomahawk pork chop with grilled Symphony tomatoes and oyster mushrooms covered in a demi-glace sauce, and braised pork belly with sea scallops, Matt confides that he’s a risk-taker.

It’s hardly a surprise given that he’s been a leader and visionary in the Cowichan Valley’s restaurant scene for nearly two decades. Once he or any of the team members get inspired to create something like the Coast to Coast, they run with it, working as a team to make each meal a memorable eating experience.

Experience, careful research and further input from Jenn, however, mean every decision is actually a carefully calculated risk.

There’s also much input from the restaurant’s head chef, Jacob Post, who Matt credits with playing a huge role in the new restaurant’s menu design. boulevardmagazines.com | W I NT E R 2023

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“It’s those same familiar dishes but taken to new heights. To me, that’s what cooking is about. In life we evolve, and I feel our food evolves as well.”

Many of the dishes offered up at The Cook & Butcher are essentially modelled on old classics, many of which Matt fondly recalls eating as a child. There are comfort classics like mom’s meatloaf and pork chops and fried mushrooms—but elevated to an entirely new and unpredictable level. It’s something Matt likes to call elevated simplicity, and it’s a consistent theme throughout The Cook & Butcher.

“It’s those same familiar dishes but taken to new heights. To me, that’s what cooking is about,” he says. “In life we evolve, and I feel our food evolves as well.”

Here, we see a weeknight staple elevated into millionaire’s meatloaf, a marvel consisting of wagyu beef wrapped in double-smoked bacon and topped with Cajun-seared prawns and a crab-infused hollandaise, with some potato frites added on top for good measure.

“Sometimes you hear about the aha moment, and this was that

aha moment,” Matt says. “It’s from here that the whole concept of elevated simplicity just started to come together and roll out.”

The vision has resulted in a place for folks to gather with friends, family and colleagues. A place where they can celebrate, remember and share, all while taking in the phenomenal views and attentive service.

Matt’s passion for the restaurant business and his latest project are uplifting and reassuring in a sector that’s had its fair share of hard times in between pandemic restrictions and runaway inflation.

But it’s people like this, after all, who are driving the evolution of Vancouver Island’s culinary destination, and, in Matt’s case, making Cowichan Bay a must-visit for islanders, off-island visitors or folks just passing through on their way to points further afield— no matter what the weather may be doing outside the restaurant’s picture-postcard windows.

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in studio

Heart notes The musical devotion of Cosette Justo Valdés WORDS LAURA LANGSTON PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

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i

t’s been said that music is the literature of the heart, and that’s certainly true for Cuban-born and -raised Cosette Justo Valdés, the new artistic director of the Vancouver Island Symphony. One of her earliest memories is hearing her mother sing.

“She always sang to me—Cuban songs, Latin American songs—she knows every song in Spanish. She sang for fun at first and then she did it professionally,” Cosette says. “And my father played guitar and taught me my first musical notes and how to read music.”

Music, says Cosette, is “in the Cuban blood.”

Given the family’s strong musical background, Cosette’s mother wanted to enroll her in a government-subsidized music boarding school, allowing her to acquire musical training along with her academics. Spots at the prestigious live-in school were limited, and entrants had to pass a rigorous talent exam. However, at the age of just eight, Cosette succeeded. It was the last time she would live at home. And when she saw her first symphony orchestra playing at the age of 18, her life path was set: she knew she wanted to be a conductor.

“Music speaks to the most elemental and essential emotions we have,” she says. “It’s also a powerful way to build bridges, and I saw conducting as a way to connect with my colleagues and also with the audience.”

After graduating in 2009 in Havana with a bachelor’s degree in orchestral conducting, Cosette became chief conductor and artistic director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente (OSO) in Santiago de Cuba, directing an 80-musician ensemble for nine years. But Cosette wanted to pursue a master’s degree in Europe and learn more about conducting classical repertoire from a European perspective, although she knew leaving would be difficult.

“In Cuba, if we don’t have family outside the country, we don’t imagine how we can leave,” she says. “And until 2010, it wasn’t even possible to leave without permission from the government. But becoming a musician made it easier.”

In 2012, with the help of friends, Cosette left for Mannheim, Germany, where she enrolled in a master’s degree program, graduating in 2018. And then, Canada beckoned. In January 2019, she was hired on as assistant conductor by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

Growing up in Cuba, she knew a little about Canada. The cold weather was a given, she says, but she didn’t realize the diversity of the country until 2020. Wanting a brief break from the cold Edmonton winter, she spent several months

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“Music speaks to the most elemental and essential emotions we have. It’s also a powerful way to build bridges, and I saw conducting as a way to connect with my colleagues and also with the audience.”

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living in Langford near Victoria. That’s when she realized Canada had everything—forests, lakes, rivers and beautiful beaches.

“I went to French Beach and China Beach. I loved the Sooke Potholes—the water was so warm and shallow—and Vancouver Island became my paradise.

I fell in love with it.”

So, when she saw the posting for artistic director of the Vancouver Island Symphony, she had to apply.

“And when I won the job, not only was I thrilled to be chosen, but that’s when I realized there is a Valdes Island nearby and I felt that I had found my place… that this job was meant to be!”

A musician in her own right (she plays piano and harpsichord), Cosette is also a choral singer, but she will only sing, she says, “with others.” And that collaborative attitude extends to her new position with the Vancouver Island Symphony.

“There are so many great artists to collaborate with here, and my first goal is to get to know them both musically and personally,” she says.

That said, there are several things she’s looking forward to.

“We commission one piece every year with flutist Paolo Bortolussi in charge and this is one collaboration I’m excited for,” Cosette says, adding that the symphony is considering a musical project that would tell the origin story of Vancouver Island’s Indigenous people.

Cosette is also looking forward to February’s performance of Amor, which will feature a piece by her first conducting professor in Havana, Jorge López Marín,

a man she describes as a profound inspiration on her musical path. A few weeks later, in March, Cosette will conduct Cuban Hits, featuring two guest artists she went to school with in Havana: Mayquel González on trumpet and Yaroldy Abreu on Cuban percussion.

Along with conducting for the Vancouver Island Symphony, Cosette is now resident conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta. She keeps strong ties to Cuba, visiting every year and maintaining her position as honorary artistic director of the orchestra in Santiago de Cuba. And at the time of this interview, she’d just returned from guest conducting in Thunder Bay and was about to leave to guest conduct in Sacramento and Montreal.

Music is how Cosette spreads joy—and so is cooking.

“Food is also part of my love language,” she says.

“It’s very important for me to feed people.” Her specialties are some of the Cuban dishes she grew up with (arroz congrí, or rice and beans, lechón asado, or roasted pork, and ropa vieja, or shredded beef) but she’s also developed a passion for Canadian food, adapting her diet based on the meat and vegetables available here.

“I like to cook and eat healthy food and I love Canadian steak,” she says. “It’s so tender.”

Whether she’s conducting or cooking, Cosette is constantly busy, constantly on the go—and she loves it.

“Every day I wake up so grateful,” she says. “I never imagined I could be a conductor, let alone have this wonderful kind of life.”

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hot properties

In full view

The kitchen is the heart of this airy, ocean-view Parksville home WORDS DON DESCOTEAU

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X PHOTOGRAPHY DIRK HEYDEMANN

QUICK FACTS:

• 3,141 square feet of living space • 883-square-foot garage • Waterfront access and views • Step 4 efficiency rating on BC Energy Step Code • 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms • Fully equipped woodworking shop

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W

hen a property two lots down from their large West Parksville waterfront home came available several years back, Dawn and Allan Vermeulen saw it as a golden opportunity to build the perfect empty-nester home.

A more manageable size, energy efficiency, easier patio access and preservation of their spectacular views were high on their list of must-haves.

“We wanted some really nice outside areas, and we wanted them tied in with the rest of the house, but in particular the kitchen, which is the nerve centre of any home,” Allan says.

In their larger home, he adds, it feels like “you have to walk a quarter mile to get to that fantastic patio from the kitchen.”

Such is not the case with their new home. The covered deck, built onto the west side, is accessed through the living room via a sliding glass door located just steps from the kitchen. The door is among a bank of large windows, beautifully encased in cedar, which flood the living room with light and provide breathtaking views of the Salish Sea and French Creek Marina.

Dawn and Allan initially envisioned a smaller kitchen, but as the design phase progressed for their custom home, they realized the new dining/meal prep area would be larger than the one in

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their other home. Noting how much time they spend in the space each day, they appreciate having worked out a great solution with home designer Dan Connolly at Saturna Studios and the team at Pheasant Hill Homes.

The couple, who moved homes in February 2023, are avid cooks and often start their day relaxing with a coffee, checking the news and chatting at their breakfast nook, a cosy partial alcove with a small table and two chairs.

The nook wasn’t in the original plan, but the area had the ocean view they craved for such a spot, so the home’s northwest corner was bumped out by more than two feet. It accomplished the primary request and added space to the living room.

The central heart of this modern cliffside house has an airy, north-south configuration designed to take advantage of the sun and the spectacular view. At the front is a series of floor-to-ceiling windows, including a sliding door that opens onto a garden patio surrounded by lush native plantings. The dining table sits just inside—Dawn wanted to avoid a formal dining room. The adjacent kitchen features a large island with low seating on one side and a range/oven on the other. Generous walkways flank the island and lead to the sink/dishwasher area and the nook.

“It is hard…when you’re looking at plans, to envision it, and so when this all took shape, there was a lot more room than I thought there would be,” Dawn says, without any tinge of regret.

It’s the fourth kitchen design or renovation she has led in their homes over the years.

While the plans called for a galley-style kitchen, the couple was pleasantly surprised as it took shape, Allan says.

“We thought it was going to feel like this long channel, but it actually ends up being a lot of space. I think we probably have the highest kitchen-to-house square footage ratio of just about any house around here.”

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“We wanted some really nice outside areas, and we wanted them tied in with the rest of the house, but in particular the kitchen, which is the nerve centre of any home.”

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Adds Dawn: “That’s where we live. Especially if people are over, this is where you congregate.”

The design integrated a walk-through pantry, a uniquely curved storage and food preparation area that is home to a microwave and steam oven, and a full-sized “garage fridge” for overflow from the main kitchen refrigerator.

The angle of the back wall runs parallel to the east property line, as does the rear wall of the east wing, which includes the master bedroom/bathroom, laundry room, two-car garage and Allan’s high-end woodworking shop.

For the living room, the couple wanted visible separation from the kitchen. This is accomplished with a floor-to-ceiling wall that’s wide enough to hang a large painting of Englishman River Falls on the living room side and install a built-in china cabinet and sideboard on the other.

With sculpture-like LED chandeliers at the entryway and atop the stairs to the lower level, and exposed fir beams on the ceiling and framing the separator wall, the living room is welcoming and conjures visions of tucking under a cosy blanket while storm watching. Not surprisingly, it’s also a favourite hangout for the couple’s two black cats, Inky and Pickles.

Allan, a retired software engineer accustomed to building things from scratch, designed for the kitchen a rectangular inset LED lighting strip that has warm or cool settings, depending on time of year. Similar LED light strips line the angled beams over the living room.

The master bedroom is modestly sized but features a spacious walk-through closet that leads to a full bathroom with dual sinks and walk-in shower.

“We’ve always had gigantic bedrooms that we just sleep in, but we didn’t use, so we took all the space you’d normally put into the master bedroom and put it into the kitchen,” Allan says.

The bedroom does have a cool feature: a doorway opens onto an

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outdoor landing that leads down concrete stairs to an outdoor shower and, down more stairs, to an ocean-facing hot tub. A pathway nearby gives access to the shoreline. The facilities come in handy after kayaking or running sessions, Dawn says, with a nod to Allan.

The lower floor rooms are more function than flash—that is, the spectacular view is not central to their design—but there are plenty of useful elements that add to the overall appeal of the home.

The large family room offers loads of space for everything from hosting games nights to extra storage and, as is currently the case, temporary office space. Two smaller bedrooms provide space for guests, and a sewing room directly under the pantry is filled with Dawn’s supplies and project materials. A full-height dry room is used to store wood for Allan’s fine furniture and other projects.

As for its energy efficiency, Pheasant Hill co-owner and project consultant Jamie Kuhn rates the home “very high” at Step 4 on the BC Energy Step Code, which aims to move new homes toward net-zero energy consumption. It would be rated Step 5 if not for the large windows upstairs, Allan says, “and we’re not giving that up.”

Jamie explains that the ICF (insulated concrete form) foundation and other insulating features, including the triple-pane windows, make the home virtually airtight. The HRV (heat recovery ventilator) system, “which we call the lungs of the house,” provides constant fresh air throughout. Jamie estimates its efficiency rating at about 75 per cent, better than average for such systems.

Other efficiencies include a heat pump to regulate temperature and heat water for the radiant in-floor heating, and the solar panels installed on the garage roof. In sunnier months, the

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165 Craig Street, Duncan, BC

panels produce roughly four times as much electricity as the home uses, Allan says. He estimates usage will net out to almost zero over the year.

Back in the living room with the cats, the couple say there’s much to like about their home, not least of which is the airiness of the living spaces upstairs, “without being cavernous,” Dawn says. She also appreciates that the home’s placement at the rear of the lot means “it’s not a big presence from the road.”

Allan agrees and is happy with the choices for the windows and doors—“more wood than plastic.” They both like how designer Dan Connolly blended a variety of external finishes, materials and colours to give the home its unique look.

But for Allan and Dawn, daily, it always comes back to the views.

As the saying goes, they just don’t make waterfront property anymore.

SUPPLIERS LIST

Builder/Carpentry: Pheasant Hill Homes Home Design: Dan Connolly, Saturna Studios Cabinetry & Millwork: Oak Hills Woodcraft Plumbing: Portside Plumbing and Gas Ltd. Windows & Doors: Fenstur Windows and Doors Exterior: Ravenwood Exteriors Ltd. Flooring: United Floors Appliances: Trail Appliances Countertops: Counter Measures Electrical: Osprey Electrical Solar Panels: Osprey Electrical Plumbing/Hardware: Wolseley Mechanical Group Lighting: Mclaren Lighting Energy Advisor: Capital Home Energy

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fashion

Cape, Christian Dior; top, Zimmerman; necklace, Oscar de la Renta, all from Turnabout Luxury Resale. Belt, stylist’s own; Tuxedo pant, Dolce & Gabbana; earrings, Sarah Bijoux ear cuff with chain; hat, Brixton Reno Fedora.

Wild Country Deep in the interior of British Columbia, near the confluence of the Bonaparte and Thompson rivers, is a golden land of rolling hills and vast horizons, and the home of Sundance Guest Ranch. Here, we bring you fashion that calls for adventure and gives a nod to frontier courage.

PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

X STYLING BY SARAH D’ARCEY

Jacket, Brunello Cucinelli; skirt, Christian Dior, both from Turnabout Luxury Resale.

Earrings, Sarah Bijoux ear cuff with chain.

Gown, Tadashi Shoji; jacket, Prada, both from Turnabout Luxury Resale.

Hat, Babaton from Aritzia.

Gown, Rolla Summers; boots, Isabel Marant, both from Turnabout Luxury Resale.

Hat, Brixton El Paso Reserve Cowboy Hat.

Blazer, Stella McCartney; belt, Prada, both from Turnabout Luxury Resale. Chaps, stylist’s own; shirt and tie, Dolce & Gabbana; hat, Babaton from Aritzia.

Makeup: Jenny McKinney.

Model: Nadia de Vos .

Photographed on location at Sundance Guest Ranch with the help of the Sundance team of wranglers.

A huge thank you to everyone at Sundance for hosting our team.

business class

Agent of Derek Gillette aims to shift real estate landscape change WORDS SUSAN JOAN

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X PHOTOGRAPHY JULIEN PHOTOGRAPHY

i

n real estate sales, the motivating metrics of success are typically found in gross sales and number of units sold. But for Derek Gillette, a top Nanaimo-based realtor, his focus is firmly fixed on a different philosophy that has driven his business for more than 30 years.

“I am passionate about innovation. I’m always looking ahead and seeking ways to create a better experience for my clients,” says Derek. “If you’re not adapting constantly, you risk falling behind. You have to be comfortable with change and the pressure it brings.”

Early on in his career, Derek realized that real estate transactions had been done the same way for many years and that there was an opportunity to do things differently.

“When I started, the multiple listing service (MLS) printed catalogues for agents, and on the back of them was a disclaimer that we couldn’t give them out to clients. At night I would go into the office and photocopy hundreds of them, so that when I went to an open house, I could give customers specific sections that would help them in their search. Having that kind of information to share with my clients made more sense to me and, fortunately, MLS changed the rules shortly afterwards.”

It’s that access to information that Derek still believes is critical to both buyers and sellers in today’s market.

“I see myself as an advisor providing a boutique experience supported by analytics,” Derek says. “Without the metrics we are just listening to the noise, and I’d be guessing rather than offering genuine value to my clients. When we are armed with the data, I can be direct on what I believe is the best action to take. The client is always the boss, and they’ll make the final decision, but they’ll do it knowing the facts. When they are well-informed, I can help them make decisions that align with their long-term goals.”

Transparency is another motivator for Derek and his approach to sales.

“I believe in showing my clients what’s going on behind the scenes. So I’ve built in technology, and a client-focussed dashboard that allows them to see everything from the showing feedback, to their probability of selling. Now they are armed with the same real time information.”

For Derek, the advantage of data-driven information is clear.

“If I can give my clients an advantage by equipping them with market insights, they can make more informed decisions, such as ‘do we stand firm on price or adjust?’ Derek says “I have seen individuals lose money by not acting on market trends or by being influenced by market noise.. Neglecting to align a property’s price with current market conditions can lead to missed opportunities for sellers, while buyers benefit from a more transparent understanding of pricing dynamics.”

As Derek’s’s business expanded, so did his ability to pinpoint actions that would allow him to grow.

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“It’s so easy to get focussed on reactive tasks—your head is down and you’re just churning away. We fail to look up and embrace innovations. Now I pick the top two or three crucial tasks and execute on those. That helps me and my team stay in the mode of growing and learning.”

Derek finds this focus on change invigorating: “Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is probably the most important thing that I strive to do.”

That approach will stand him in good stead as he forecasts the real estate industry is about to go through a dramatic shift.

“I think the next big disruptor in our industry will be artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. The rapid pace of innovation in this field is spiralling and it’s hard to keep up. I’ve been doing a lot of research about the topic, and figuring out how this will impact the world of real estate.”

Instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, Derek is looking to identify areas of his business in which he can utilize AI to help his customers and his team get better results.

“I’m working with an AI specialist in the US to help build technology for real estate and find innovative ways to create smoother, more efficient and transparent real estate experiences.”

As a growing and ever-changing field, it’s hard to predict how AI might impact the industry, Derek says, but its influence continues to create ripples of change in the business world.

“My knowledge level has gone up exponentially and while not all of the areas we’re looking at might come to fruition, I’m invested in the process.”

Derek sees the technology as a way to supplement the personalized service he provides to his clients and he recognizes the stakes are high.

“For most people, their home is the most significant investment and they want to get the best value they can. If anything, the tech-

“I see myself as an advisor providing a boutique experience supported by analytics. Without the metrics we are just listening to the noise, and I’d be guessing rather than offering genuine value to my clients.” nology helps ensure we’re not relying on old ways of doing things with the chance of missing something. Everything we do is crafted and customized, and I think it’s because of these innovations that customers will have a better experience and their success will be amplified.”

After three decades in the industry and over $1 billion in sales, and being named one of Canada’s leading realtors, Derek’s enthusiasm for the business has not waned.

“I really like people and learning about their stories and I’m excited that my daughter, Kyra, has entered the business bringing fresh insights to an industry that is constantly changing. Being at the forefront of those changes is exciting and I feel more creative than ever. If we can help reshape the industry to create a better experience then I’ll feel like that’s the best measure of success.”

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lifestyles

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Jay Frederick.

It’s hot and cool to entertain with mocktails Four mixologists shake up the booming non-alcoholic trend WORDS LAURA GOLDSTEIN

Mocktails, those arty cocktails concocted without alcohol, are making a skyrocketing impact on the drinks market in Canada with an impressive 123 per cent increase in 2023, according to the payment platform Square.

British-owned Seedlip and Canadian companies Sobrii and Village Brewery (CR*FT) are a few examples of entrepreneurial businesses that produce non-alcoholic spirits or beer in hand-crafted small batches, and many of these products are available at your local grocery store. Using pure botanical ingredients like juniper berries, coriander, allspice and star anise to replicate the flavour of either traditional tipples like gin and tequila or herbal and citrus spirits, these products make intensely flavourful mocktails with zero calories and no hangovers.

It was no coincidence that the first mocktail, the Shirley Temple, was invented during American prohibition in the 1930s. The child-friendly, vivid pink-red mocktail is a cloyingly sweet drink named after the feisty child actress who was the biggest movie star of that time. It consisted of ginger ale and a dash of grenadine (pomegranate juice) topped with a maraschino cherry.

Once considered a “girly drink,” today’s mocktails are a no-pressure, healthy alternative to alcohol for everyone who prefers to extend “Dry January” or “Sober October” over the entire year.

“The non-alcoholic beverage and mocktail category is explosive, and it’s honestly so wonderful to see this happening,” says Victoria’s Michael Walsh, a recovery coach and one of Canada’s leading substance-use experts. “I have many clients who are taking a break or quitting alcohol altogether and still have social or work events to attend, and they have a lot of anxiety around it. But

X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

many people can still have a great time without alcohol and be in a safe zone,” he says.

Here are a few mixologists stirring up the industry with delicious mocktails.

JAY FREDERICK (DR. COCKTAILS) Pretty Not Bad and Jacks, Kelowna

You might not think mocktails would be popular at a sports bar. However, contrary to popular belief, “people are requesting mocktails on football Sundays at Pretty Not Bad,” says mixologist Jay Frederick, who developed the non-alcoholic menu at both Pretty Not Bad and Jacks venues.

“Guests are requesting mocktails at each location, so we’ve been finding ways to make them just as exciting and unique as our cocktails. There are so many amazing non-alcoholic spirit options on the market right now that the integrity of the drink doesn’t have to change,” he explains. “The visual aesthetic of a mocktail is something we also want to capture, so we get creative with colours and use a variety of garnishes to elevate them. We don’t use any bitters in our mocktails because many are distilled in alcohol. Instead, we’ve been experimenting with using homemade tinctures [concentrated herbal extracts], which we have found to be a fantastic substitute.”

Recipes: Drinking In The Sleigh (cold) and Santa’s Marshmallow Elation (hot) boulevardmagazines.com | W I NT E R 2023

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Santa’s Marshmallow Elation (hot)

Drinking In The Sleigh (cold)

Method: Build in mug.

Garnish: Toasted marshmallows,* nutmeg, caramel sauce, gingerbread rim.

Served: Large coffee mug.

Method: Shaken.

Garnish: Flamed cinnamon stick,* rosemary sprig, dehydrated orange, frozen cranberries.

Served: In a Tall Collins glass. (pictured on page 48)

Makes one drink Ingredients: 3 oz chai tea cider 2 oz Abstinence Epilogue non-alcoholic whiskey alternative 1 oz gingerbread-infused almond milk 1 oz Simps Toasted Marshmallow Syrup

* Jay suggests using a baker’s torch.

Makes one drink Ingredients: 1.5 oz Lumette LumRum non-alcoholic rum alternative 0.5 oz Abstinence Blood Orange Apéritif 1.5 oz rosemary-infused pineapple juice 0.5 oz Simps Rosemary Syrup 0.5 oz cranberry lime juice

GRANT SCENEY Creative beverage director, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver

“Mocktails are all about the senses because we taste with our eyes,” affirms Melbourne-born Grant Sceney from behind the Fairmont’s upstairs Botanist Bar. The award-winning mixologist, with the nose of a perfumer, has travelled to 28 countries, working in the bar industry for 17 years.

He was instrumental in developing the hotel’s cocktail lab and the cocktail program in the Lobby Lounge.

“When designing a mocktail, I like to look at the end product first.

So, I think about my clientele. If it’s the holiday or winter season I know they might be cold coming in from outside, so I’ll create something hot that they can wrap their hands around. Secondly, the holiday season inspires nostalgia and I like my mocktails to reflect those flavours and colours that we associate with that time of year.

I’m really inspired by the natural bounty of herbs, fruits and spices, especially from our Pacific Northwest, and we work directly with the farmers who plant the seeds and then forage for us.”

Recipes: Cranberry Christmas (cold) and Blueberry Toddy (hot).

Blueberry Toddy (hot) Makes one drink

Ingredients: 30 ml blueberry and thyme oleo* 10 ml honey 30 ml lemon juice/peel 60 ml hot water Method: *Make the blueberry and thyme oleo ahead of time: In a pot, muddle the blueberries and lemon peel with thyme and water. On low heat, gently muddle to break up blueberries and lemon oils, add sugar to taste, and remove once sugar is dissolved. Once combined, move to food-safe sealable container and let rest for 12 hours at room temperature. It’s important to let the oils of the lemon peel and blueberries absorb into the sugar and not be heated into it. It’s a slow flavour extraction method. Then strain and rebottle. Label and date. Keep refrigerated. To serve, build all ingredients into a pre-heated teacup, and give a gentle stir with a spoon to combine.

Garnish: None.

Served: Vintage teacup and saucer.

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Grant Sceney.

Cranberry Christmas (cold) Makes one drink

Ingredients: 30 ml cranberry chai cordial 30 ml lemon juice

30 ml soda water 30 ml ginger beer

Method: Build all ingredients into tall glass, give gentle stir to combine. Gently add ice, top off with extra soda and ginger beer if necessary.

Garnish: Mint sprig, 2 frozen cranberries with dusting of no-melt icing sugar Served: Tall Collins glass.

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TREVOR KALLIES Bar and beverage director, Freehouse Collective, Vancouver, and organizer of “The Science of Cocktails,” coming April 11, 2024 at Science World

A ghostly fog of dry ice billows around a face while a mysterious phosphorescent green concoction is swirled inside a glass beaker. This is no mad scientist’s lair. It’s The Science of Cocktails, Science World’s annual fundraiser that attracts over 1,500 people inside the geodesic dome in Vancouver. It’s organized by awardwinning mixologist Trevor Kallies, showcasing Vancouver’s marquee bartenders.

“The non-alcoholic category is super exciting now,” explains Trevor. “We apply a scientific approach to making cocktails at 35 drink stations.

For example, using dry ice we create an aromatic fog around the drinks. At another station, using liquid nitrogen, we do flash-freezing of herbs, so instead of muddling mint leaves like you get in a mojito, we get a powder that adds a much more intense flavour. And all the chlorophyll gives a bright vivid green colour.” Recipes: Stay-Cation (cold) and Hot “Gin” Punch (hot). maisoncookware.com

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Stay-Cation (cold) Makes one drink

Ingredients: ½ oz passionfruit puree 2 oz peach juice (Ceres) ½ oz lime juice ½ oz simple syrup soda 1 mint sprig Method: Build in a glass and top with soda. Gently stir.

Hot “Gin” Punch (hot) Makes five drinks

Ingredients: 500 ml Seedlip Spice 94 non-alcoholic spirit 750 ml Edenvale Premium Reserve non-alcoholic Pinot Noir Mulling spices: 4 clove (whole), 4 star anise (whole), 2 cinnamon sticks (broken into four-inch pieces) 1 g fresh grated nutmeg 3 chamomile tea bags Lemon (peel from ½ a lemon plus garnish) Orange (peel from ½ an orange) Method: Add all ingredients to a pot. Warm on medium heat until it reaches desired serving temperature (do not boil—liquid should be drinkable temperature when poured into mug or cup).

Garnish: lemon wheels (other half of lemon sliced into wheels) and orange wheels (other half of orange sliced into wheels).

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KRISTINE OSACHUK Beverage director, Boom + Batten, Victoria

Once a male-dominated industry, the mixology scene is seeing more and more women shaking things up with an eye for detail and emphasis on creativity.

“I’ve really seen a change in what men and women are ordering,” says Kristine Osachuk, an award-winning wine director. “Before, men might order a non-alcoholic beer Kristine Osachuk. and women a fancy soda.

But now there is so much more variety in all the non-alcoholic spirits and it’s possible to create great mocktails with them, so it’s really become a 50-50 split. I do think that customers need to be aware that the pricing for mocktails is about the same as for alcoholic cocktails because the labour and ingredients are expensive. It takes specialized craftsmanship to create non-alcoholic spirits. I have so many new ideas for fall and winter mocktails, like a coffee nightcap, adding a fabulous non-alcoholic velvety stout by CR*FT and taking an Irish or Scottish coffee to a whole new level. And don’t forget the whipped cream!”

Recipes: Sobriety in the Highlands (hot) and A Gin-ius Disguise (cold)

Sobriety in the Highlands (hot) Makes one drink

Ingredients 1.25 oz Lyre’s Highland Malt non-alcoholic whisky 3 oz cold brew concentrate 0.75 oz CR*FT non-alcoholic velvety stout 0.25 oz maple syrup Whipped cream Cinnamon

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Method: Heat a specialty coffee glass by filling with hot water, heat up the cold brew concentrate in a saucepan or with a steam wand on an espresso machine, and empty the specialty coffee glass. Add the Highland Malt, CR*FT stout and maple syrup to the glass. Add the heated cold brew concentrate.

Garnish: Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Served: Coffee glass.

A Gin-ius Disguise (cold) Makes one drink

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Ingredients 5-6 basil leaves 1 oz Lumette Bright Light non-alcoholic gin 0.5 oz lime juice 0.5 oz elderflower cordial Zero Lush non-alcoholic sparkling wine Method: Add basil leaves, Lumette, lime juice and elderflower cordial to a shaker tin, muddle the basil, add the ice and shake. Pour into a glass, add more ice and top with Zero Lush sparkling wine.

food and feast

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Some like it hot. I like it simple—especially when it comes to festive meals amid the many merry demands of the holiday season. The great news is that just by adding a bit of kick, otherwise basic dishes can be transformed into interesting sides or memorable mains that will have friends and family asking, “What did you put in those mashed yams?”

Luckily for everyone’s Yuletide effort output, the answer truly is “oh, just a dash of…” There doesn’t have to be a laborious list of obscure ingredients and unattainable techniques that often accompany the casual deception of “It’s really so easy, you just…”

And my secret simple ingredient in the colder months? A hint of heat.

Hot peppers in their various forms, whether powder, flakes, pastes or oils, are, of course, internationally celebrated for their culinary applications, but are also widely (and historically) integrated into diets for their potential wellness benefits. Preliminary animal research suggests that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their spicy punch, may help counteract hypertension.

A 2022 umbrella review in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found a possible link between regularly eating spicy food and reduced risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Some cultures and traditions insist spicy foods increase libido, and there’s a longstanding tale that eating spicy food at the end of pregnancy may assist in bringing on labour. It’s important to note that all these thoughts and considerations, whether studied in labs or passed down through generational wisdom, refer to “moderate” spice levels. Going overboard with the “Scovilles” can cause serious side effects, not to mention some uncomfortable digestive upset.

So, what exactly do I mean by “Scovilles?” The Scoville scale measures the hotness of peppers in units known as Scoville heat units (SHU), named after Wilbur L. Scoville, who developed the Scoville organoleptic test in 1912, while attempting to find a suitable pepper to use in a heat-producing ointment.

The scale is used to measure the amount of capsaicin, the chemical compound found in peppers that gives them their piquant heat and what makes your tongue burn, body sweat

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However you season things this holiday season, I suggest warming up your winter from the inside out with these seriously simple recipes that offer a delightful and delicious kick to your holiday spread, and most importantly, allow for more time to focus on heart-warming experiences of spending time with loved ones around the table. and ears tingle. To determine the Scoville heat unit, an alcohol extract of capsaicin oil from a dried pepper is mixed with a solution of water and sugar to the point where a panel of human taste-testers can no longer detect the heat. The pepper is then assigned a SHU with regards to the dilution required for the “burn” to become unnoticeable.

With that said, that the human palate varies widely from person to person, which makes the Scoville test rather subjective and arguably inaccurate, and individual preference and tolerance is always a consideration when exploring the type of pepper, and how much of it to add to your dish.

Either way, all the peppers showcased in these dishes feature relatively low SHUs. The cayenne that accompanies the Brussels sprouts has an SHU of 30,000 to 50,000. The chipotle found in the mashed yams has an SHU of 5,000 to 10,000. The ancho

sprinkled into the chocolate bark has an SHU of 1,000 to 2,000.

Harissa paste is often made with a combination of peppers, including Baklouti, which have a relatively circumspect score of 4,000 to 5,000 SHUs. It’s worth noting as well that the amount of heat used in each of these recipes is on the mild side of things for those wanting to start on the more cautious spectrum of spice. If, of course, you have a higher heat intensity tolerance, simply up the powder or paste indicated to the point of your spiciness satisfaction.

However you season things, I suggest warming up your winter from the inside out with these seriously simple recipes that offer a delightful and delicious kick to your holiday spread, and most importantly, allow for more time to focus on heart-warming experiences of spending time with loved ones around the table.

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Honey Harissa Brisket Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 hours Makes about 6 servings Ingredients 4-5 lb beef brisket 1 tsp sea salt Freshly cracked black pepper 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground fenugreek

1 tsp ground turmeric 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup harissa paste ½ cup honey 2 tbsp pomegranate syrup

Directions To make the rub, combine the cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek and turmeric, and mix until well-combined. Sprinkle the salt and some pepper over the whole brisket, and then lightly massage the rub all over it. If time permits, leave for 30 minutes to 24 hours in the fridge.

When ready to begin roasting, preheat your oven to 320 F, and transfer the brisket to a large Dutch oven, or baking dish with a fitted lid.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, apple cider vinegar, harissa paste, honey and pomegranate syrup. Evenly spread the sauce over the top of the brisket (it’s okay if some runs down the side) and add two cups of water around the edges.

Cover with the lid and bake at 320 F for four hours, and then uncovered for 30 minutes. Baste every hour or so with pan juices, checking every now and then to ensure the liquid doesn’t reduce down beyond a barbecue sauce consistency (add water if it does). I also like to flip it at around the two-hour mark to ensure the most even cook.

Remove the Dutch oven/baking dish from the oven, carefully transfer the brisket to a large pan, and pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it thickens into a barbecue sauce consistency (if it hasn’t already in the oven).

Turn the oven up to 390 F, return the brisket into the roasting pan, and brush with the reduced sauce, saving some for serving as well. Let the brisket cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the outer surface caramelizes and crusts a bit.

To serve, slice the brisket thinly across the grain, transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with remaining sauce.

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Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes about 6 servings Ingredients About 0.8 kg / 1.7 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and sliced in half ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup pure maple syrup ½ tsp cayenne powder (or more depending on how spicy you like it) 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste) Optional garnish of red chili flakes Directions Preheat your oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the olive oil, maple syrup, cayenne and salt. Spread evenly on your baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes until cooked to your liking (I personally like them soft, but with crispy edges). Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with red chili flakes.

Chipotle Whipped Yams Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes about 6 servings Ingredients 3-4 large yams (2-3 lbs), peeled and cut into chunks ¼ cup unsalted butter 1 tsp chipotle powder (or more depending on how spicy you like it) 1 ½ tsp sea salt (or to taste) 1 cup soft and creamy cheese (cream cheese, fromage frais, crème fraiche, etc.)

Optional garnish of chopped cilantro Directions In a large pot, boil the yams for 20 to 25 minutes until fork tender. Drain and transfer the cooked yams to a stand-up mixer or a large bowl, if you are using a handheld mixer.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter along with the chipotle powder, and add to the cooked yam. Using the whisk attachment in the stand-up mixer, or with a handheld mixer, whisk the yam on high along with the chipotle melted butter. Add in the salt and cream cheese (or whatever soft creamy cheese you’re using) and continue to whip until light and fluffy.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

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Ancho Chocolate Bark with Mango and Pepitas Prep time: 5 minutes Setting time: 1-2 hours Makes about 6 servings Ingredients 450 g dark chocolate chips or chunks 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ancho powder (or more depending on how spicy you like it) ¼ tsp sea salt ¼ cup to 1⁄3 cup pepitas (unsalted) About 75 g dried unsulphured and unsweetened mango, cut into thin strips or small chunks Directions Line a medium-large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently until completely smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and ancho powder until completely incorporated. Spread the melted chocolate out on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet using a spatula. Evenly disperse the pepitas and mango slices, and sprinkle with the salt. Allow to harden for one to two hours (cooling in the fridge is the best option).

Break into pieces and store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer.

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travel

On safari

A breathtaking, life-changing, circle-of-life experience in the heart of South Africa WORDS LAUREN KRAMER

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X PHOTOS COURTESY DULINI MOYA

The

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T

he air is thick with humidity and the shrill cry of cicadas the day we arrive at Dulini Moya, a private lodge in South Africa’s Sabi Sands Nature Reserve. Sweat-soaked clothes stick to clammy skin as my daughter and I climb into a Land Rover, excited at the prospect of our first game drive.

We haven’t even started the engine before the jungle offers its first clue in our search for wildlife: a clucking sound coming from the trees above us.

“That’s a monkey,” says our guide, Riaan Botha, pointing upward at the wizened face of a vervet monkey who is gazing at the dry riverbank. “Chances are there’s a leopard nearby and he’s alerting the troop.”

The monkeys’ warning sounds follow us as we exit the lodge gate, and within seconds we see her: a young female leopard walking slowly towards us and into the bush. We follow her in the vehicle, so close we can see the texture of her tongue as she laps water from a small waterhole.

Completely undisturbed by our presence, she stops for a rest before venturing on.

Sabi Sands is a 60,000-hectare private game reserve created in 1945, when 14 neighbouring landowners moved their cattle elsewhere, eliminated hunting and reintroduced wildlife to the area. Over the years, as new owners took the helm, they built luxury boutique lodges where guests could experience private, exclusive wildlife safaris.

The reserve shares an unfenced border with the famous

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Kruger National Park, and while wildlife moves freely between the two parks, the same isn’t true for human visitors. Millions of guests visit Kruger each year, and the roads are often congested. By contrast, the boutique lodges in Sabi Sands accommodate just six to eight guests at a time, which means the gravel roads are ours and ours alone as we search for wildlife. Our guides also have the freedom to venture off-road to deliver close-up animal encounters—the kind you’d never get on a self-driven safari.

A storm is brewing, and distant thunder rolls across the sky as we drive on. We pass a herd of female elephants with their young, stopping to watch them feed. Again, we are so close to these massive creatures that we could easily reach out and touch them. But this is the African wilderness, and we’re under strict instructions to stay seated and still in the vehicle. The elephants, completely aware of our presence, are unperturbed.

“It’s the buffalo I’m more worried about,” Riaan admits as we drive on, passing a couple buffalo who stop feeding and peer at us sternly beneath their stately horns. “Most animals want to avoid a confrontation—but male buffalo can be unpredictable, grumpy and aggressive. Once they commit to a charge, nothing will stop them short of a bullet, and it would have to be right between the eyes.”

Riaan carries a rifle just in case, but in 10 years of guiding, he’s never once had to use it. As dusk descends, we stop for drinks on the banks of a dam, sipping liqueur on ice as we watch the backs of several large hippos emerge from the muddy water. When a hyena approaches the water’s edge for a drink, they object loudly, voicing their displeasure with loud, guttural grunts and parting their jaws to reveal cavernous pink mouths.

“They pose no danger unless we block their path,” Riaan says.

“But avoid the water’s edge, because a very large crocodile lives here.”

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We drive back to the lodge for dinner as lightning illuminates the sky, pausing only to admire the towering legs of a female giraffe. As she gazes from under long lashes in a single direction, Riaan murmurs that she may have seen a predator nearby. The next day we learn he was spot on: her newborn giraffe calf had been dragged into the bush by a pack of hyenas.

Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory is laid bare on an African safari, where only the fittest and fastest survive. Over the next three days we see a buffalo with a bleeding, lacerated tail and a lion with an open wound—telltale signs of violent encounters with other predators. We touch the skull of a buffalo taken by lions a few months earlier, its remnants licked clean by hyenas and vultures. And we see the limp body of a young impala killed by a leopard, its body dragged high into the branches of a tree where the leopard will return to finish its meal. There is logic, necessity and a brutal beauty to the cycle of life here, and the ability to glimpse it in process is spellbinding.

We settle easily into the magical rhythm of a safari, starting with 5 am wakeups to tea at the lodge, the vervet monkeys scampering in the treetops above us, waiting for a chance to snatch muffins from the breakfast basket. The game drives leave at 6 am, just as the jungle begins to stir. It’s a time when the air is filled with bird song and the flash of their iridescent colour, and the heat has not yet lulled the animals into a state of lethargy.

The day’s second game drive begins in the late afternoon, as the animals begin to stir, roused from the heat of the day and ready to pursue their next meal.

Riaan and our tracker keep a careful eye on the ground, noting the direction and size of animal tracks, the clues in the daily detective journey of finding the animals. The tracks tell us a herd of buffalo passed through the night before, and that the lions

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were circling them. We start looking for the pride, but long before we find them, there are so many reasons to stop, listen and watch.

We spot two giraffes munching on the thorny branches of acacia trees, and learn how the acacia trees raise their tannin levels if they’re being over-eaten, to encourage the giraffes to move on. We watch the red-billed oxpecker birds that hop along the giraffes’ backs, necks and underbellies, eating ticks and dead skin. And we see the African dung beetle push a perfect circle of elephant dung along the path as it prepares to lay its eggs inside.

When we find the lion pride, most of the big cats are fast asleep, their bellies bloated from an overnight feast. We gaze, mesmerized, at the strength in the cats’ massive paws. A young male walks past us, so close we can hear its panting breath and see the blood stain on its chin. Another lion chews on the last remnants of the kill, licking the meat off the bone as a hyena hovers nearby, waiting for its turn at the carcass.

One afternoon we follow rhinoceros tracks until we run straight into a shy male rhino. He watches us carefully from the bushes, giving us only the briefest glimpse of his hornless face. The rhinos are darted from helicopters every 18 months, and their horns are removed in a methodical strategy to save them from the greed of poachers. “The horn removal also helps when two rhinos get into a fight,” Riaan explains. “Without horns they don’t inflict as much damage to each other.”

Back at the lodge, we spend leisurely afternoons in our private plunge pool, watching elephants and kudu as they move along the dry riverbank before us. We dine on sumptuous food, converse with other guests over drinks in the sprawling leather couches and scroll through our cameras to feast on the day’s photographic highlights.

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At Sabi Sands we’ve been whisked away on a timeless journey, watching in stunned silence at the grace and beauty with which life unfolds in the wild.

At candlelit dinners we enjoy sophisticated, wine-paired meals, listening as visiting winemakers from the Cape discuss their viticulture. And at bedtime we are escorted to our chalets by staff—just in case we encounter an animal on the path—slipping into four-poster beds decked in fine linens.

Game drives in the African bush demand patience, and offer no guarantees of wildlife sightings. Some drives are long and yield few sightings, while others are a frenzy of activity, animals appearing around every corner. On our last day, we head off road, our cruiser lumbering through the bush over boulders and fallen trees, until we reach a tree where a leopard cub rests high up in a branch. We

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watch as he looks around in search of his mother, who has likely disappeared for as long as a day or two as she hunts.

“When she’s made her kill, she’ll drag it into a tree and then come back for the cub,” Riaan explains.

“Until then, that cub will wait in those branches, where it’s safe from the lions.”

We pull over on the banks of a dam for tea, admiring the work of weaver birds as they reinforce the nests they suspend from tree branches. A pod of hippos is grunting, just their backs visible above the water, and around us the jungle is thrumming with activity, as animals feed, build, hunt, rest and care for their young.

Riaan gestures to the other side of the dam where a group of impalas is prancing, graceful, light and delicate as ballerinas.

“Can you think of a better place to be?” he asks.

Truth is, we can’t. At Sabi Sands we’ve been whisked away on a timeless journey, watching in stunned silence at the grace and beauty with which life unfolds in the wild. Elephant bulls in their sexual prime competing for the attention of the females in a herd. Lions, fighting for territory and dominance, often until the death. Kudu and impala feeding in grassy meadows, always alert to the possibility of danger.

It’s a breathtaking, life-changing experience to see this up close, and we leave feeling grateful that whatever the state of our chaotic world, this rugged landscape and the animals and birds that live here remain protected.

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A home renovation shouldn’t actually take your breath away.

Asbestos exposure is the number one killer of workers in B.C. Everyone has a role to play in the safe removal and disposal of asbestos.

As of January 1, 2024, any contractor doing asbestos abatement work in your home must be licensed to do that work, and workers must be trained and certified.

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secrets and lives — AND THE 7 SINS

WITH KENDALL GROSS

For Kendall Gross, being president of Island Savings has fulfilled two longstanding dreams: being able to once again call Victoria home and providing the opportunity to help those around him be the best they can be.

Originally born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Kendall first came out to the coast after high school to attend the University of British Columbia, earning a bachelor’s degree in sports administration, while working part-time as a bank teller.

Degree in hand, Kendall was offered a full-time position with the bank and moved to Vancouver Island for what he thought would be a short stint before returning to school.

“I had an opportunity to do a master’s degree at the University of Ottawa, but I decided I was going to work for a couple of years before doing that,” he explains. “And I never left. It turned out to be a great career for me.”

He and his wife, Suzanne, married in Victoria before Kendall’s career took them and their expanding family all over BC. WORDS ANGELA COWAN

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X PHOTOGRAPHY LIA CROWE

“It all revolves around coaching for me.

I really get excited to help people be successful and find their purpose in life, and in my role I get to do that.”

Coaching remained a driving passion for Kendall though, and once his eldest son was about five years old, he stepped back into the world of sports in a big way.

“I started coaching as a parent, and grew to really love it, and I stuck with it in the football realm,” he says, noting he coached football for about 15 years.

And then around 10 years ago he left the bank he’d been with and took a position with First West Credit Union—parent company to Island Savings—setting him on a path that led to his current role. But through his progression through the financial industry, Kendall always kept that coaching mentality top of mind.

“It all revolves around coaching for me. I really get excited to help people be successful and find their purpose in life, and in my role I get to do that,” he says. “It’s who I am, and I really love that.”

“We always wanted to get back [to Victoria],” he adds. “We knew this was the place we wanted to be.”

With their three children away at university, Kendall and his wife now have the chance to explore Vancouver Island and immerse themselves in coastal living.

“My wife and I love to get out and ride our bikes and go hiking, and we love the ocean,” he says. “It’s our opportunity to explore some of the places we missed when we were here before.”

GLUTTONY:

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

Anything breakfast. But if I had to pick one thing, I would say oatmeal. I eat it every day with yogurt, berries and nuts as toppings. And I have been known to eat it more than once a day.

GREED:

You’re given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly.

What would you spend it on?

Travelling and exploring the world.

WRATH:

Pet peeves?

Being late or when people I am meeting are late. Growing up, my mom always made sure we were on time, so punctuality is really important to me. This is now a source of amusement for my family, who find it endearing how I’m consistently ahead of schedule, waiting in the car 15 minutes before we leave. Being early gives me a sense of peace and ensures that I can enjoy the moment without the stress of rushing.

SLOTH:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

Reading a book on a beach in Hawaii.

PRIDE:

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

The 7 Sins ENVY:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

Nick Saban. I think he is an extraordinary individual whose successes as a football coach and leader are unparalleled.

I admire his relentless pursuit of excellence, attention to detail and ability to build winning teams. To step into his shoes would be an incredible opportunity to not only experience the thrill of victory on a football field, but, more importantly, to inspire and empower others to reach their full potential both on and off the field.

In my career, as well as on the field as a coach, I find a secret pride in the ways that I believe I have contributed to helping others discover their success and purpose. I have been fortunate to be in positions where I have been able to help people achieve their professional goals and also guide young athletes toward their full potential. Knowing that I have played a small part in empowering others to reach new heights brings me a quiet satisfaction.

LUST:

What makes your heart beat faster?

Spending time with my wife, Suzanne. We are in an empty-nester phase now, going on new adventures and spending quality time together. Embracing this chapter of our journey as a couple brings a renewed sense of discovery and companionship that makes my heart beat a little faster.

boulevardmagazines.com | W I NT E R 2023

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narrative

WORDS BARB BARRY

X ILLUSTRATION SIERRA LUNDY

“There is a side of friendship that develops better and stronger by correspondence than contact…the absence of the flesh in writing perhaps brings souls nearer.”

— Emily Carr

AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP 72

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i

will never forget the day I first met her in the hallway of my Montreal apartment building. She was surrounded by the detritus of her current life and assuring her distressed companion sitting on the floor that everything would be fine. She was tall, imposing, with the most penetrating blue eyes and a great mane of blonde, disheveled hair. She made a humorous remark about their predicament. It made me laugh and I suspected that this person was someone I wanted to know. Her name was Cathy.

It was the end of the 1960s and I was a typical Baby Boomer.

A “follower of the rules,” I had a university degree and a job as a computer programmer. In contrast, Cathy, slightly younger, was on a pleasure trip from Australia, aiming to see and experience as much of the world and its people as possible. Work was not her priority.

I was trudging along day by day, living in a fog, trying to overcome what I thought was a devastating relationship break-up. I had lost my self-confidence and my focus on the future. Cathy knew none of this, but maybe sensed my need, and immediately began to include me in her world.

And what a captivating world it was! She knew people from all over, some with interesting or sketchy backgrounds, and all ages, sexes and relationship statuses. Their common mantra was enjoying life, planning the next party and seeing the world. As the weeks passed, I was happily caught in their web. No one cared about my past. They were non-judgmental and there was a noticeable lack of rules! I basked in Cathy’s irreverent Australian humour, her self-assurance and lack of care in what others might think.

Eventually, Cathy and her friend decided it was time to head to London and perhaps tour Europe.

“What? No! Wait! Stay here!”

I was catapulted into action; I checked my finances and my lease, and decided to quit my job. My parents were incensed, and my father predicted that I—shy and quiet—would be home in three weeks. But with my new-found friend, Cathy, I would prove him wrong. I had no idea of the adjustments and adversities I would face in the year ahead, as Cathy and I explored the world.

The first stop was London, England in the spring of 1969. I joined Cathy in her flat, sleeping in one room with three others—a first blow to my comfort level. On my own, while Cathy worked, I travelled to Wales and to Owxford, staying in B&Bs, and slowly started emerging from my shell.

Eventually, with much naiveté and meagre finances, Cathy and I spurred each other on to try hitchhiking through Europe. There were many others on the road that summer. The youth hostels offered little privacy, with dorm rooms and communal showers.

Cathy enjoyed the camaraderie, while I usually looked for a quiet corner to unwind and read. It was an early indication of our differences.

Along with the good times came some bad times, like hitching in the pouring rain or finding ourselves in a car with someone with whom we were uncomfortable. How careless we were—fearless and undaunted.

We visited the Scandinavian countries, Germany, walked through the Berlin Wall at Checkpoint Charlie, showered in streams and slept by a lake in Switzerland. As my funds waned, along with the novelty of this adventure, I decided to return to England by train and reassess my plans. Cathy continued travelling with some new friends.

Now more confident, bolder and adventurous, I booked a sixweek passage on a ship from London to Sydney, not really knowing

what was to come when I arrived. I visited Italy, the Canary Islands, crossed the equator, touched down in Cape Town, South Africa, crossed the Indian Ocean and finally landed in Australia. Luckily, Cathy was there to meet me as I had just 10 British pounds in my pocket. She whisked me off to a flat she had rented.

At that time in Australia there were more jobs than people. I worked at a stockbroker’s office, while Cathy took a job serving in a bar. We went to parties, bars, the beach, the theatre. For a time, I took a job as a nanny on a sheep station, wanting to see more of the country. Through it all, Cathy and I began to learn much more about each other and discover how different we were. Cathy loved being with people and made new friends easily. I was still coming out of my shell. Our backgrounds were also different. Australia at the time was still very misogynistic, and she was not encouraged at all to pursue university. She grew up with an absent father and went to a Catholic girls’ school. Hence, I believe she considered me intelligent, with my university degree and IT job. Plus, I had a more natural rapport with men.

A year later, I was feeling homesick and looked forward to returning to Canada. My confidence had grown, and I was thinking about the future. But it was difficult to say goodbye to Cathy. We didn’t know when we would meet again, but I promised, with tears in my eyes, I would return when I was 80 to walk a pristine Australian beach with her.

Now comfortable travelling alone, I booked passage on a ship once again, stopping in Hong Kong, the 1970 Japan World Exposition, Hawaii and California, eventually landing back in Montreal with a more confident outlook on life. Cathy had helped me get out of my comfort zone, and I had gone “around the world” physically and emotionally.

Twelve years passed before we were reunited. I was living in the suburbs of Ottawa, married, with a six-year-old son and a fouryear-old daughter. Cathy was travelling again with stops in Canada and Europe. We had moved on in our lives and yet both still hoped for our friendship to endure. So, our communication continues.

Our emails are long and newsy, and we share our thoughts and emotions about our life choices and the worlds in which we each live.

She began working in the film industry, while I became a busy working mother, moving with my husband’s career to the other side of Canada. We accepted, without judgment, our differences, each realizing that, to some, our friendship of over 50 years does not make sense. Still, we share an intimacy which is not based on the amount of time we spend together, but on the point our lives collided on that fateful day so many years ago.

Our understanding of friendship changes as we mature and then grow old. What makes a good friend and oh-so-rarely a “soulmate?” There are no easy answers, except that it takes some fearless decisions, trust, understanding and commitment. I do know that Emily Carr’s profound and wise quotation about friendship has unquestionably proved true for us.

Cathy and I have not reached 80 years yet, but we are getting closer. I am a grandmother, who just celebrated 50 years of marriage. Cathy is a successful film producer, still working. She has never married or had children. But she has many friends and still enjoys and continues to travel. We are still drawn to each other and respect our life choices. She took me around the world and back, and changed my very being, bringing me to become the person I am today. She is one of the most important people in my life, even though we are rarely together. I am forever grateful and amazed that she chose me to be her friend and she is with me in spirit always. I hope we are going to walk together on that pristine beach in the future. boulevardmagazines.com | W I NT E R 2023

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behind the story

Boulevard had the immense pleasure of photographing its latest fashion feature at Sundance Guest Ranch near Ashcroft, BC. Our team travelled up the Fraser Valley to a beautiful part of the province that boasts views of waving golden grasses, scrubby wild sage and vast stormy skies. Ranch owner and operator Cynthia Nichols hosted our team and shared a little about the history of the ranch.

She said, “The ranch itself dates back to 1864 on paper, but could be even older than that. It started to operate as a guest ranch in 1955, and my family started coming here as guests in 1966. Our parents bought the ranch in the late ‘70s. We used to come as guests and we now have guests who have been coming here since the 1960s. It’s a special place that has a real spirit, which a lot of people connect with. They feel a great sense of [peace and comfort]. At Sundance, it’s all about horseback riding—we generally run 110 to 120 horses. We have a heated pool, AC and Wi-Fi, but the horses are what it’s about.”

Thank you, Cynthia and your incredible team of wranglers, for hosting our team, sharing your story and being a part of our story.

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PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

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