Boulevard Magazine - August 2012 Issue

AUGUST 2012

u st au gp a n y

c o m a visionary

hiker

an upcycling

designer

a triumphant

trombonist + More creative people & enticing stories inside

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CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL: Craig Gibson, Lake Cowichan, British Columbia As a designer of exceptional homes I understand the value of using the best of materials and manpower. This intimate knowledge helped me and my wife when it came time to research floats for our cottage on Cowichan Lake. Recollections from my sailing exploits and the hundreds of marina’s I have tied up to gave me insight into what materials survive the elements the best. As a good sailing buddy once asked me “ Why do we put the things we love the most in the harshest environment on earth?” That question had a lot to do with the decision my wife and I decided upon.

We decided to go with a concrete float because of durability, longevity and stability but we also liked the fact that with concrete we were not introducing toxic chemicals from treated lumber into the lake. The lake our family and friends swim in and the lake our communities’ drinking water comes from.

The next step was researching manufacturers. It made sense to look locally but there were only a couple of manufacturers doing concrete floats.

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The people at Surefloat were very helpful and showed us the entire manufacturing process. Surefloat’s plant has been around for a long time and their personnel were very knowledgeable so we felt comfortable in ordering a float. The float was 10 ft. by 20 ft. and it was going to be light terracotta in colour. We liked it so much that first year we ordered another the following year. When the second float arrived the Surefloat team simply through bolted them together and boom we doubled the size of our float. They explained to us that the floats have been engineered to bolt together many different ways so if we wanted to expand they would be happy to sell us another. You never know!

As we enter our 4th summer on the float all we had to do was wash off the winter, add a few chairs, put up our shade, grab a refreshment and enjoy the warmth of our concrete float. Best thing we ever did!

Craig & Marjorie Gibson Craig Gibson Design

our VISION

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CONTENTS August 2012 Issue 8, Volume XXI

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46

PROFILES in CREATIVITY

COLUMNS

16 Classic car doc to the stars

By Stuart Eastwood

20 HAWTHORN Olympians among us

By Tom Hawthorn

22 She Knits her way across the country

By Brennan Clarke

26

24 A hiker charts a mega-trail

By Andy Ogle

DEPARTMENTS 12

CONTRIBUTORS

28 A trombonist keeps on giving

By Rick Gibbs

14

EDITOR’S LETTER August company

34 She turns cast-offs into couture

By Shannon Moneo 36 A Cowichan

breeder creates a world-class dog

By Shannon Moneo

STATE OF THE ARTS Kids reap Fringe benefits

By Alisa Gordaneer

15 LETTERS

Hip hip for Hawthorn 32

SOCIAL CAPITAL Care for a scone and tea?

By Alison Gardner

70 40

46

58

62

66

FRONT ROW Little Shop of Horrors; Stinking Fish art; and more

By Robert Moyes

74 70

FOOD & WINE Wholly fish!

By Maryanne Carmack

74

HOT PROPERTIES Nautical flourishes float this home

By Carolyn Heiman

LIVING LARGE What money can buy

By Kayleigh von Wittgenstein

78

DESIGN MATTERS Building appetite with design

By Sarah MacNeill

CAR CULTURE The joy of car washing on a summer day

By Stuart Eastwood

80

WRY EYE Last days with Mariah

By Valerie Rolfe

82

SECRETS & LIVES Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries CEO

By Shannon Moneo

HEALTH & WELLNESS Getting bent out of shape with yoga

By Shannon Moneo TRAVEL NEAR The cowboys, beer and beauty of Bend

By Lora Shinn

On our cover: Classic car restorer Rudi Koniczek; Photo by Dean Azim

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TEL 250.598.3300 | TOLL FREE 1.877.598.3380 | WWW.COSMEDICA.CA |

FACEBOOK.COM/COSMEDICA

Proud supporter of

LIFE AT ITS FINEST

President John Simmons Vice President, Sales Geoff Wilcox Managing Editor Anne Mullens Associate Editor Vivian Smith Acting Art Director Sarah Reid Ad Production Jenn Playford Advertising Vicki Clark, Katherine Kjaer, Pat Montgomery-Brindle, Geoff Wilcox Marketplace Programs Scott Simmons Business Manager Janet Dessureault Administrative Coordinator Kayleigh von Wittgenstein Editorial Interns Karolina Karas, Shandi Shiach Printing Mitchell Press Media Contributing Writers Maryanne Carmack, Darryl Gittins, Alisa Gordaneer, Tom Hawthorn, Carolyn Heiman, Sarah MacNeill, Sharon McLean, Shannon Moneo, Robert Moyes Contributing Photographers Dean Azim, Vince Klassen, Gary McKinstry

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1196 6807

Stuart Eastwood began

writing about cars more than a decade ago in The Dynamo, the newsletter of the South Island Branch of the Old English Car Club of British Columbia and has since contributed to Western Driver, The British Canadian, and Auto Life Quarterly. Eastwood this month debuts his motoring column for Boulevard and profiles car restorer Rudi Koniczek.

is a former science writer with the Edmonton Journal who moved to Victoria in 2009. An avid back-country skier and hiker, he looks forward to exploring more of the Island’s trails with Gil Parker, whose plan to create a wilderness trail the length of the Island is the subject of Ogle's story in this month’s issue.

Rick Gibbs loves writing about music and musicians. His stories have appeared in local and national publications. His blog (islandjazz.ca) covers the jazz scene on Vancouver Island and beyond and was featured on CBC’s Hot Air. Last year he produced a one-hour documentary for CBC Radio 2 on jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny and Canadian guitar builder Linda Manzer. An avid jazz fan, he studies jazz guitar in his spare time and dreams of one day playing a tune with Ian McDougall, who he profiles in this issue.

is a Seattle-based freelance travel writer and photographer for publications like National Geographic Traveler, AAA Journey, Whole Living and Northwest Travel. Her favourite regional destinations? The Oregon Coast, Bend, Central Washington, Vancouver and Victoria, which she visits twice a year to get her fill of eggs Benny and Victoria Gin (not at the same meal, of course). She writes about Bend in this month’s Travel Near.

12

andy ogle

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2

EDITOR’S LETTER My favourite journalist perk is meeting inspiring, creative people doing nifty, innovative things. Southern Vancouver Island is full of such people and Boulevard always features at least one or two of them in our pages. This month, however, we have a magazine full of ‘em.

We call the issue “August Company” — as per the meaning of “august” as inspiring, admirable, and worthy of our respect. And inspiring and admirable company it is — and a bit quirky, too. These Victoria-area residents have found success in places many of us might pass by, doing things most of us would find too daunting to try. As we laze in hammocks in the summer heat, it is hard not to be inspired by the energy, creativity and passion these characters exude.

We bring you Gil Parker, who is leading the charge to build a hiking trail along the entire length of Vancouver Island. We take you to Cowichan to meet the mother-and-daughter team of Bev and Emily Dorma and their Havanese dog Reo, which won “Best in Breed” at New York’s famed Westminster Dog Show. Alisa Gordaneer profiles Intrepid Theatre’s Janet Munsil and her work bringing children’s events into the popular Fringe Festival. Tom Hawthorn writes about two inspiring Victoria Olympians. Shannon Moneo sits down with new BC Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan and also profiles “trashion” designer Jennifer Bell and her unique recycled dress creations.

The impact of some of these people extends well beyond our shores. Car writer Stuart Eastwood, who also debuts a new car column for us this month, profiles the world-renowned classic car restorer Rudi Koniczek, on our cover, whose automotive works of art are bought by the world’s rich and famous. Jazz trombonist Ian McDougall has an international following, too, and as a Yamaha-sponsored artist, he also inspires up-and-coming musicians across North America. (I once saw a poster of him with his trombone prominently posted in the music room of a Toronto high school.) Even modest accomplishments can make a big impact. Retiree Dela Wilkins is putting her particular mark on the world by teaching travellers on the cross-Canada VIA Rail the arcane art of railway knitting, while getting free passage to see her family back east.

In all, it’s an eclectic group of fascinating individuals. We hope you enjoy your August reading in their august company. VB Anne Mullens, Managing Editor 14

YOUR LETTERS Hip hip, jolly good show old chap I always read Tom Hawthorn’s column and especially enjoyed “It’s time to ditch the faux British hype to celebrate what we really are,” in your July issue. It included wonderful snippets from Victoria’s history, insightful observations, and that great and redolent quotation from Rudyard Kipling. I want more. Keep it coming, Tom! Patrick Wolfe

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DRY EYE Boot Camp

let us get your eyes into shape

Rolling down a window might stump her, too The Wry Eye (July) article on keys reminded me of a friend’s story. Driving down the road, he saw a young woman standing by her car. When he stopped to ask if he could help, she explained she had locked her car, but that the remote control on the key fob was no longer working. She was wondering if he thought the store a couple of miles away would have batteries. He asked if he could see it and when she handed it to him, he inserted it into the door, unlocked it and handed the set back to her. Just shows the more dependent we become on technology, the less we think.

Mike Nelson Pedde

Pleased with the cheese, and more Enjoyed the July issue. The cover was drool-worthy, and gives us hope for summer picnics! Always have to check out the Hot Properties first, and this one did not disappoint.

The State of the Arts feature is also one of my favourite reads, am looking forward to the Moss Street Paint-In again this year. Thank you for another interesting and informative Boulevard issue.

Susan Orlesky

Corrections and oversights for cars and flowers In the July issue’s Social Capital article on car clubs, incorrect information was provided about the Old English Car Club (South Island). The English Car Affair is at Fort Rodd Hill on September 10th only and the club holds barbeques a few times a year, not monthly. In the Hot Properties story about the Deep Cove cottage, the supplier for floral design was not credited. Petals Plus Florist (petalsplus.com) kindly provided floral arrangements for the photo shoot. We apologize for the errors and the omission.

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Do you have a wedding coming up in your family or among your friends?

Visit Boulevard’s website at victoriaboulevard.com to sign up to receive wedding-based information, tips, promotions and local event notifications.

We welcome your letters: editor@victoriaboulevard.com or visit us on Facebook, and on Twitter @BoulevardMag.

Dr. Sara Buckley BSc, O.D. OPTOMETRIST #300-777 Royal Oak Drive in Broadmead Village 250.590.1859 • optimed2020@shaw.ca 15

CREATIVE MINDS

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Rudi Koniczek:

a passionate, artistic restorer of classic cars

By STUART EASTWOOD photography by dean azim

Vancouver Island is home to countless artists, from painters to potters to carvers, jewellers, and glass blowers.

A restorer of classic automobiles — defined by the Classic Car Club of America as distinctive in engineering or coachwork — might not be an obvious candidate for inclusion in this group. Rudi Koniczek, however, more than merits it: the cars he restores are significant examples of 20th-century automotive art.

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On its own, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, under whose spell Koniczek fell as a young man, would qualify as art. “It’s one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen,” recalls Koniczek, now 63, interviewed recently in his casual, comfortable workshop near Victoria. So sexy, it turns out, that the car steered a newly immigrated Koniczek down the road to becoming a mechanic and eventually, a world-renowned 300SL restorer. With its low, wide stance, long

nose, and top-hinged, gull-wing doors, the 300SL combines the attributes of elegance and sportiness with performance that remains impressive by contemporary standards. It dashes from zero to 60 mph in about eight seconds, and can attain a top speed of 150 mph.

Another young man, MP Justin Trudeau, drove his bride, Sophie Gregoire, away from their May, 2005 wedding in a Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster. Inherited from his father Pierre Elliott Trudeau, that

Rudi Koniczek has restored hundreds of classic cars at his Prospect Lake-area garage over the years, including Porsches, Bugattis, and the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Most have found homes with collectors throughout the world, but a number remain in his personal collection.

300SL is one of more than a hundred that Koniczek and his craftsmen have restored at Rudi & Company. As well as restorations, the company does market valuations, appraisals, and buys and sells historic autos.

From its introduction in 1954 the Gullwing appealed to celebrities of the era with Sophia Loren, Clark Gable, and Pablo Picasso becoming owners.

Contemporary owners include designer Ralph Lauren, and Jay Leno, who has

written extensively about his car.

Oprah Winfrey sold her 1954 Gullwing in 2008 to benefit the Arts and Culture Workshop at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which she established in South Africa.

A WORLD-WIDE REPUTATION Other famous Mercedes owners bring their precious vehicles to Koniczek, including celebrities and heads of states, but he wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t name

them out of respect for their privacy.

Flamboyant, irreverant, quick to laugh and jest, and an engaging conversationalist, Koniczek seems to derive great joy from life, and anticipates his clients will do the same. Before accepting a commission, Koniczek insists potential clients travel to Victoria for a few days to become acquainted. Sharing conversation over a few meals, Koniczek decides whether expectations and enthusiasm for the 17

Koniczek is the creative "engine" of his busy enterprise, assisted by long-time staff, like production manager Ross Morrison, seen here.

project are mutual, and if there’s a basis for friendship. Occasionally Koniczek declines to offer his services.

Besides overseeing the restoration of more than 100 300SLs to date, Koniczek and his craftsmen restore a plethora of significant motoring icons, including Mercedes-Benz from the ‘20s and ‘30s, Bugattis, Talbot-Lagos, and Lagondas.

The list of countries from which cars arrive testifies to the quality of his work, with clients in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the United States. Koniczek never advertises, relying on the strength of his reputation. With 63 cars waiting to receive attention, the business plan seems to work. island TRIP CHANGED HIS LIFE Koniczek’s childhood was difficult.

Born in Germany in 1949, he immigrated to Canada with his family in 1953, settling in Toronto. His German heritage prompted bullying by his classmates.

Recalling these experiences provides the foundation for one of the truths that guide his life: “Never hurt anybody, and never be hurt by anybody.”

An apprenticeship with Mercedes-Benz 18

showed his talent and skill. Koniczek then became the national troubleshooter for the company, travelling across Canada to repair vehicles and training others in the mysteries of fuel injection and diesel engines. In 1969, he made his first trip to Victoria, a journey that changed his life.

Koniczek left Mercedes-Benz in 1971 to work for himself and returned to Victoria, where he eventually opened Autohaus, a shop dedicated to the service and repair of European cars. Despite its success, Koniczek decided to follow his heart and turned to the restoration of Mercedes-Benz 300SLs. “Always follow your passion” informs every aspect of his life, and is often mentioned in his conversation. “What I do isn’t work, it’s a way of life and money will follow passion. And if it doesn’t, you’re still having fun,” he says.

The 300SL Gullwing remained in production until 1957 with 1,400 cars completed. This was followed by the 300SL roadster in the same year. Once a car arrives at Rudi & Company, the tear-down begins. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, a full restoration can take up to 18 months at a cost of

about $300,000.

In the calm, bright workshop, 300SL components are quietly being repaired or refurbished. Says craftsman Ross Morrison: “The cars are so valuable, it’s necessary for everyone to maintain focus.

A moment’s inattention can result in damage that can be expensive to repair.”

GARAGE FIND Turned heirloom Eight craftsmen work with Koniczek, the least experienced of whom has been with him for 17 years. Once a car is completed, Koniczek and the owner will take it on a 500-kilometre or longer drive on Vancouver Island. If satisfied, he delivers the car with a one-year warranty.

Gooding & Company, a premier international auction house, recently sold a special light-weight 300SL that had passed through Koniczek’s care, having been discovered in a rat-infested garage in California. The pre-sale estimate was shattered, with the car realizing $4.62-million (US) when the bidding ended.

“Rudi has gained a reputation for quality craftsmanship and integrity. His business stems from a distinct passion

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for the cars, which is abundantly present in each finished project,” says Gooding & Company specialist Paul Hageman, who adds that Koniczek is widely regarded as a leading expert on the 300SL. The most important thing he can pass on, says Koniczek, is his passion for “What I do isn’t life, particularly in work, it’s a way relation to young of life, and money people. Since the early 1970s Koniczek will follow has welcomed passion. And if it students doing work doesn’t, you’re experience into his still having fun.” shop. Two have made a career with Koniczek, working with him over 20 years.

Students who go elsewhere are offered Koniczek’s support in finding the career that will best suit them, as whatever they do should “not be a job but a lifestyle,” he says.

With a happy marriage to Patti, seven successful adult children, and his professional success, Koniczek is a man — and an artist — who seems to have found both recognition and contentment living the values he espouses. VB

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By Tom Hawthorn

Inspired by the

extraordinary

everyman Olympians among us

Simon Whitfield went from unknown athlete to Olympic champion in one hour, 48 minutes, 24 seconds.

It happened 12 years ago on the sun-baked streets of Sydney, as a clapping crowd of Australians urged on two front runners in the debut of triathlon as an Olympic sport. Within sight of the finish line, Whitfield made up a gap of 20 metres to sprint past a German rival. On television, the announcer Don Wittman repeated the athlete’s name like a mantra: “Here comes Simon Whitfield of Canada! … Simon Whitfield takes the lead! … Simon Whitfield has done it!”

As he breasted the tape, Whitfield leapt across the finish line like a kid in the schoolyard on field day. He threw his arms in the air in exaltation, then bent over to capture his breath, spent from the exertion of his final surge.

This month, the Victoria athlete will be competing in his fourth Olympics, an astonishing accomplishment in a sport as demanding as his. He won Olympic gold at age 25, finished a disappointing 11th at Athens at age 29, added a silver medal at Beijing in another thrilling end-of-race performance at age 33. Now, he is back for further punishment, still impish and playful in personality, though now a family man and father of two young girls, at 37, an advanced age for an Olympian.

Whitfield was selected in mid-July to be Canada’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremonies, a great honour. He was ranked 10th in the world in his discipline a month before the London Olympics were to start. Over an extended lunchtime on August 7, he is expected to take a dip in the lake known as the Serpentine before running in the surrounding Hyde 20

Park and cycling around Buckingham Palace. This will not be a lark in the park. The Olympic triathlon mandates a 1,500-metre swim followed by a 43-kilometre cycle, ending with a 10-kilometre run. The winner will likely cross the finish line in less than the time it takes mere mortals to enjoy a leisurely lunch at the pub. It is not for the fainthearted. To compete at this level demands years of dedicated training, as Whitfield has done for more than half his life.

Our city is busy year-round with world-class athletes in training — rowing on Elk Lake, cycling on city streets, running along the Dallas Road waterfront. This small corner of southern Vancouver Island has made an outsized contribution to the Olympic movement over the years.

(Though, it must be acknowledged, all in the Summer Games, as if Victoria were a Caribbean island state for whom winter sports exist solely for comic appeal.) Some of the names are legendary (such as Silken Laumann, who bravely returned from a grievous injury to claim a medal in rowing), while others are nearly forgotten.

One of the latter is Chuck Chapman, one of a trio of local athletes who were the first to return from far-off Games with an Olympic medal. Chuck, his brother Art, and their friend Doug Peden were all added to the roster of basketball’s Windsor Fords of Ontario, chosen to represent Canada at the 1936 Games. They travelled by train and ocean liner to get to Berlin, training on the deck of the ship — and losing a basketball when it went over the railing into the Atlantic.

The Victoria trio wound up leading the Canadian team into the final match against a much taller American team. The game was played outdoors on a sand court. “It was horrible.

Slippery,” Chuck Chapman once told me. “After a while, it looked like horses had been running around the court.” In the end, the OUR CITY Americans prevailed by 19-8.

BUSTLES WITH Chapman died less than a month WORLD-CLASS shy of his 91st birthday in 2002. I ATHLETES. visited him in his Fernwood home a few years before his death. He walked stooped at the waist, as though old age left him bent over to dribble a basketball. He sang me hymns, recited long stanzas of poetry committed to memory more than a half-century earlier. I asked him where he kept his medal. He reached over to the end table beside his living-room couch, opening the drawer to reveal a palm-sized black box. Inside was a silver medal with which he returned from the Olympics so many years earlier.

After returning from Australia, Simon Whitfield took his gold medal to Victoria schools to encourage children to pursue their dreams. He let kids hold the heavy gold souvenir, even placing the ribbon around their necks. Undoubtedly, some of those kids took up sports, triathlon even, because the world stage did not seem so far off if this friendly neighbour had returned with such a prize. VB 21

RAILWAY YARN

By BRENNAN CLARKE photography by gary mckinstry

How a Saanich woman knits together train travel with classes in her unusual craft

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D

ela Wilkins never cared much for flying. It’s probably just as well, since she prefers to carry foot-long needles with sharp hooks at one end, just the kind of implement that attracts the attention of airport security.

Fortunately, Wilkins does most of her travel by train, where her hobby, coincidentally known as railway knitting, is more than a creative way to while away the miles. It’s a free ticket to ride the rails from coast to coast anytime she wants.

Surrounded by bags of multi-coloured yarn and bookshelves stuffed with how-to books in the craft room of her Saanich home, Wilkins demonstrates the stitch that has landed her the

22

gig with VIA Rail, teaching other passengers an art form she learned from her Dutch-born mother, who called the craft by its more common name, Tunisian crochet.

“Pick up a loop; put your crochet hook through; pull the hook back through the loop, and then repeat,” explains Wilkins, 62. “It’s a combination of knitting and crocheting with a bit of weaving thrown in.”

Knitting her way across Canada has an addictive quality, says Wilkins, who visits her two grown children in Ontario by rail. The gentle repetition of stitching mimics the clicketyclack rhythm of the wheels. Uniform rows of crochet even look like train tracks. And the scenery can’t be beat.

Dela Wilkins loves to play with yarn and to travel by train. With railway knitting, she indulges both at once. You can join her.

Simpler and less restricting than regular knitting, railway knitting lends itself to experimentation. Students on the train have turned out mittens, toques, cell phone cases, flowers, slippers and even a crocheted iguana.

“You don’t need rules, you just need guidelines,” says Wilkins. “If you went by the rules you’d never discover new things and I love to experiment and play with yarn.”

Popularized by WOMEN’S COMMUTE Wilkins grew up in southern Ontario in the 1950s, learning the art of Tunisian crochet and creating potholders, sweaters, scarves and mittens. The ancient craft earned the name “railway knitting” during the late Industrial Revolution, when its ease appealed to working women. “In the 1880s, women in England who commuted to their jobs would do this on the train,” says Wilkins, a former Vancouver Island Health Authority employee. She spent three decades in the northern Ontario forestry town of Sioux Lookout, where her husband worked as a log scaler. The remoteness afforded Wilkins, an accomplished seamstress, time to knit, crochet and sew.

Meanwhile, the railway became her primary connection to larger cities. When Wilkins did the largely unknown stitch on her travels, she always got a lot of questions.

She took a few extra hooks and yarn on a trip in January 2011, and taught railway knitting to curious fellow travellers.

Nine months later, on her next trip, Wilkins approached VIA Rail activity co-ordinators and offered to teach a class. When more than two dozen people signed up, VIA staff urged her to apply for the company’s program that provides free passage and food for musicians and other artists to ply their trade during the trip. Her application spurred an invitation to launch a pilot project on the Vancouver to Toronto run. The popularity of the first official “Railway Knitting with Dela” prompted VIA to offer her three more trips in 2012.

EVEN YOUNG MEN GET hooked On the December trip Wilkins brought three dozen regular crochet hooks (for learning and practice) and three dozen longer hooks for those who wanted to take one home. She brought 36 sets of six colours of yarn, representing VIA Rail (blue, white, yellow and red), the train cars (grey), and evergreens (green).

Service attendant Sean Pidgeon, who was on the trip, says he was surprised that eight of the 20 people who signed up were men. “I looked out the window when we stopped in Jasper and saw three or four guys in their early 20s sitting on a bench crocheting,” Pidgeon says. “It was pretty funny.” VB

TM

custom homes | renovations | landscapes 250 381 8700 www.landeca.ca

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GIL PARKER

A man with backbone works to create the Vancouver Island Spine Trail

By ANDY OGLE

photography by dan Shugar

“I never was much of a climber,” says Gil Parker, a lanky, bearded explorer who has tackled most of Vancouver Island’s highest peaks. Reminiscing in his Fairfield home, Parker seems more than a bit modest, considering he’s climbed mounts Rainier, Shasta and Hood and other peaks in Alaska, Russia and India. He’s explaining, however, his switch from climbing to long-distance hiking in his late 50s, after being hooked by the Pacific Crest Trail, a meandering path that runs from Manning Park in southern BC through to Mexico.

Over the years he’s covered most of its 4,200 kilometres. Now 75 and sporting new hips and knees, he’s still an avid longdistance hiker.

His lifetime passion for hiking and climbing has manifested in a new challenge: to create the Vancouver Island Spine Trail, running the length of Vancouver Island. The proposed trail would wind up the middle of the Island for roughly 700 kilometres from Victoria to Cape Scott, following existing trails 24

wherever possible, such as the Trans-Canada Trail as far as Lake Cowichan, taking in the recently re-opened Kinsol Trestle. While passing through or near several communities, the route would retain a wilderness character whenever possible. Some sections may also be suitable for mountain biking, horseback riding and skiing. Now about 225 kilometres of the trail is in place, mostly on Southern Vancouver Island. It is to be a free trail for explorers of Vancouver Island’s back country.

Love of mountains grew out of a prize Parker, the driving force behind the grand plan, grew up in Alberta’s Peace River country, the youngest of five children. He won an essay-writing contest at age 13 that awarded him a sixweek stint at the Banff School of Performing Arts, but while there he neglected his writing assignments and took to the surrounding hills to explore. In his memoir, Aware of the Mountain, he describes being hooked by the experience.

After graduating from the University of Alberta in 1959 and working as a structural engineer, he settled in Victoria in the late 1960s. He credits yoga for mellowing his Type A persona.

“It changed me from always trying to get to the summit to enjoying the route a bit more,” he says.

That outlook no doubt helped in the three years he’s already spent developing the Spine Trail. “I didn’t realize the kind of political and regulatory climate that we’d have to deal with to get a trail such as [this] built,” he says.

The route passes through six of the Island’s seven regional districts, crosses the territory of at least 10 First Nations, and goes through private and Crown land leased to forestry companies. All have to give consent to the trail right of way, something Parker has been doggedly working at, travelling up and down the Island to meet local politicians, representatives of the regional districts, First Nations, and forestry companies, as well as outdoors associations. Many groups, including the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities, have endorsed the concept. Getting formal go-aheads and the money — anywhere from $2-million to $8-million — to build trails is another challenge, but Parker remains determined. “I still like to get to the summit now and then,” says Parker, who has personally contributed some $20,000 and thousands of hours of time and commitment. our version of Spain's Famous Camino In 2009, Parker founded the non-profit Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association (VISTA). Among the first to join was his friend Peter Berrang, who says, “Very few people would have the vision and the ability to pull off something like this. It’s like the West Coast Trail down the centre of the Island.”

Former Oak Bay mayor Chris Causton, who met Parker through the local Rotary Club and through Parker’s business, Ark Solar, is another backer. “It’s a great initiative,” says Causton, whose treks along Spain’s Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail taught him its importance to local villages. The same would apply to Vancouver Island. “It’s a big adventure and a big challenge, but it’s got the right ingredients.”

In 2010 some 120 people participated in an Olympics-style torch relay to publicize the trail along almost 500 kilometres of the trail’s length, running, cycling, snowshoeing and more.

Now VISTA’s plan calls for negotiating a complete route with land owners, the regional districts, BC Parks and First Nations next year, with construction of major remaining segments in 2014 and 2015, aiming for completion by 2016.

For Parker the attraction of a long-distance hike is simple: “Every day is different, the scenery is beautiful, sometimes it’s challenging and sometimes easy,” he says. “You only have to think about the direction you’re going, where water is and how much further you have. So it gives you lots of time for meditation and thinking about what’s really important in life.” VB For more information on the trail, go to vispine.ca.

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photo by gary McKinstry

by alisa gordaneer

On the fringe no more: kids get their own shows now at the Fringe Festival

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When Janet Munsil was growing up in Seattle, she’d often attend plays put on by the Seattle Junior Repertory Theatre — an opportunity that helped her become who she is. “Those shows totally changed my life,” she says.

They inspired a passion for theatre that led Munsil to become an internationally-produced playwright. It also gave her the ability to recognize, in her day job as the Executive Director of Intrepid Theatre, that by developing audiences, even those of a very young age, a theatre company can create life-long theatre-goers. “Your first experience of going to the theatre, as a kid, can be really magical,” says Munsil.

So now she’s helped create a young audience component of the Victoria Fringe Festival, Intrepid’s annual 10-day end-ofsummer extravaganza of independent and alternative theatre productions.

To me, Intrepid’s efforts represent a case study in how to build an audience that keeps supporting the arts, from childhood on. When the Fringe fest began, some 26 years ago, it took place in the first weeks of school, when students had returned to the University of Victoria and wanted something fun to do. Munsil says many of those early audience members still regularly attend the Fringe, and now, they’re bringing a new generation of Fringe-goers. And that creates an excellent opportunity to develop a new audience, which ensures sustainability.

To capture this audience, Intrepid has built in a new Fringe Family Venue component, which will allow kids of all ages

to experience Fringe theatre. For the past 20 years, the festival has hosted a popular (and free) Kids’ Zone in Market Square, where kids have an opportunity to get excited about the festival itself. Kids get to paint a cardboard castle, watch singers and short performances, and enjoy various theatrical activities. But this year kid audiences can actually sit in a real theatre, watch real Fringe plays, and feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Four productions for young audiences — two from local director Jim Leard’s acclaimed Story Theatre, one from a newly created local company called Decades Theatre, and one from wacky and ever-popular kids’ comedian Trent Arterberry — are scheduled to run in rotation at Langham Court Theatre for the duration of the festival. The productions were selected in the same way as other Fringe performances are chosen — first come, first-served — but this year, organizers made sure to reserve four slots for young people’s theatre.

The bare-bones nature of the Fringe performances, where extras like elaborate sets and costumes are at a minimum, encourages kids to use their imagination. “You have to use your brain to make the story happen,” says Munsil.

The kid productions are aimed at audiences 12 and under, but Munsil says they’ll be enjoyable for parents and caregivers as well. Langham’s cosy but theatrical setting is true theatre experience that can whet their appetites for years to come.

The performances happen during the day and on weekends, giving kids something to do in the last week before school starts, and leaving their chaperones free to choose Intrepid’s efforts other performances in the represent a case study evenings. in how to build an If you have never been to any Fringe shows, come see audience that keeps what all the fuss is about. supporting the arts, It’s one of Victoria’s most from childhood on. exciting theatre events of the year. If you’ve been to one or a hundred, you know what I’m talking about when I say the event creates a kind of magical “pop-up community” of theatre-goers. “People love the community of the festival.

They like the community of standing in line, seeing people they maybe haven’t seen since last year,” says Munsil.

It’s a great way to wrap up the summer, and a great way to support independent artists by becoming an audience member. And now, it’s also a way of showing kids that entertainment is sometimes even more imaginative than the blockbuster movie of the season. Just ask Munsil — it could even be life-changing.

The Victoria Fringe Festival runs August 23 – September 2.

Fringe Visa buttons aren’t required at the Family Fringe Venue, where children’s tickets are $7, and a family pass of five tickets is $35, adults included. See IntrepidTheatre.com for more details. VB 27

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W

hen Ian McDougall began playing trombone professionally, the LP had just been invented, Elvis Presley had yet to make a record, and the Sputnik launch was still several years away.

He’s been at it a long time, and at 74, has no intention of hanging up his horn. “I don’t think it’s possible to stop,” he says, perched on a stool in the music studio at his Ten Mile Point home, while his wife Barb, a 60-something professional violinist, tidies the music charts scattered atop their grand piano.

Ian McDougall For this philanthropic trombonist, the music — and accolades — go on and on

By RICK GIBBS photography by dean azim

“It’s 62 or 63 years I’ve been playing that stupid trombone.”

He doesn’t think it’s stupid, of course. It’s meant musical accomplishments few can claim.

Start with the Order of Canada that Governor General Michaëlle Jean awarded him in 2009 and the accompanying citation that mentions his work as a jazz and classical composer, top-ranked studio musician, bandleader, principal trombonist, Professor Emeritus at the University of Victoria, and dedicated mentor.

The composing has been for the likes of the Toronto Symphony and the Boss Brass. The leading has included the BBC Big Band. And the playing has been worldwide, in groups large and small. Last May, about 7,000 Victorians saw him — the white-haired gentleman with the earphones and baton — conduct the orchestra at the David Foster benefit concert.

Probe more and you realize his life story would make a colourful biopic. The film would start with an 11-year-old McDougall taking up the ‘bone in a tiny, post-war James Bay apartment and playing a B-flat scale within five minutes.

OFF to LONDON to PLAY with dudley moore By age 12, he’s already on his first professional gig, dodging drunks at the smoke-filled Sirocco Supper Club on View Street.

At 21, with 50 bucks in his pocket and trombone case in hand, he boards an old steamship for London, where he runs out of money but lands a prized seat with the world-famous John Dankworth band, featuring a young Dudley Moore on piano.

Homesick for the West Coast, he returns home, joins the Vancouver Symphony, and starts gigging with the house band at the Cave Supper Club, backing the likes of Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, and The Supremes.

Somewhere in there he earns a BA and MA at UBC, plays CBC gigs, marries Barb and has three kids in two years (twins), launches an influential jazz-rock group called Pacific Salt, and then moves to Toronto, where he and Barb enjoy first-call careers as studio musicians. He’s offered the lead trombone seat in the Grammy- and Juno-winning Boss Brass while she plays violin for the Toronto Symphony.

Studio work drying up, they return to Victoria, where he takes what he calls “my first real job” as a university professor, a position he excels at for 16 years before retiring.

The film could end there but his story isn’t over. Back in their home studio, Barb points out that musicians never retire and Ian says, “No, I’m not retired; shit, I’m doing something every day that’s to do with music.”

Which brings us to the potato story.

While teaching at UVic, McDougall saw a student buy a single potato in a grocery store. Realizing he was broke, he ran out to give him a few bucks but couldn’t find him. He never forgot that incident.

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FROM a SPUD to a STRING ORCHESTRA In 2011 he was talking with friend Jim Crawford, a chartered accountant and ardent UVic supporter. Crawford asked if he had any projects in mind. McDougall said that for 40 years he’d wanted to record an album of standard ballads with a string orchestra. Crawford liked the idea and involved Tony Gage, another UVic supporter. McDougall told them the potato story. They decided the recording’s profits would benefit needy UVic Fine Arts students by creating an emergency fund. Crawford and Gage, with a few others, agreed to underwrite the whole thing. “Which flabbergasted me quite frankly,” says McDougall. “It’s not an era when you do this kind of album.”

It’s also expensive: $80,000, plus hundreds of hours of pro bono work provided by Ian and Barb. But it’s done.

The Very Thought of You, reminiscent of the great Nelson Riddle albums and featuring a 20-piece string orchestra, launched in April with $10 of each sale going to the student fund.

McDougall’s generosity wouldn’t surprise Victoria composer Tobin Stokes, who studied with him at UVic. “Ian once gave me an opportunity to play jazz with the big guns. It was an amazing gig I’ll never forget. He also helped me negotiate my first contract writing music for a television series, in exchange for me buying him lunch.

Then he paid for the lunch too. He’s definitely one of the good guys,” says Stokes.

‘NOT OVER YET FOR ME’ McDougall’s latest project features 12 of the best jazz players on the West Coast, including a few multi-Juno winners. In March the Ian McDougall 12-tet recorded a live album of mostly original compositions, to be released this coming November.

He calls it a “hot band” and says he’d like to get it on the road because the music is good and he wants to create more work for his fellow musicians. “My colleagues are starving … everything you hear on television and radio is synthesized, all the beep, beep, beep, and blop, blop, blop …” He says he’ll rent a bus and barnstorm the band around the province if necessary.

Fortunately he isn’t alone in his efforts. Barb helps with PR, produces and mixes his albums, supports him on tour, and even provides photography. Their daughter Jo, a graphic designer in Toronto, designs the covers. Family is important to McDougall, as are his friends and colleagues.

And then there’s that instrument he first picked up in 1949 and plays with a warmth and elegance admired around the world. “I still want to be a trombone player.

This is not over yet for me.”

Visit ianmcdougall.com for upcoming concert dates and information on where to buy his latest albums. VB

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SOCIAL CAPITAL

Suit your desires

to a tea:

the ritual of afternoon tea plays out locally in great vari-a-tea

By Alison Gardner

Victoria has long been associated with tea, the world’s second most popular beverage (after water). And chances are, if you are hosting visitors this summer, many will want to experience “afternoon tea” — that refined British ritual of nibbling on tasty creations, both savoury and sweet, all washed down with a nicely steeped blend of tea. It’s a social and satisfying way to spend a summer afternoon with friends and family. Dozens of outlets in the region offer a version of afternoon tea.

Social Capital this month explores local tea destinations with surprising variations in menus, locations and prices.

White Heather Tea Room: Tucked into a store-front at 1885 Oak Bay Avenue, the White Heather afternoon tea is consistently rated one of the best in town for quality and price and remains popular with locals wanting an authentic tea without the posh atmosphere of other more famous spots. The Scottish-themed tea service comes in three sizes to serve appetites from small to large — Wee Tea $16.50; Not So Wee Tea, $21.25; Big Muckle Giant Tea, $24.25.

See whiteheather-tearoom.com.

Reservations: 250-595-8020.

Tea in a lovely garden: Brand new on the tea outings list is the volunteer-run Cary Castle Tea Room at Government House, in the Rockland estate of the province’s Lieutenant Governor. Take tea indoors or on the deck, with a pick-and-choose menu of scones and special sweets from His Honour’s kitchen. All funds raised go to maintaining the remarkable public gardens, tended by an army of volunteers.

Open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May to September. No reservations except for groups of 20 or more. See ltgov.bc.ca or call 250-387-2080.

First Nations tea in Duncan: It is worth the 40-minute trip over the Malahat for afternoon tea with a Coast Salish twist at the Riverwalk Cafe at Duncan’s Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre. Sit overlooking the treelined banks of the Cowichan River, sipping native tea blends and feasting on candied salmon, crab cakes, blackberry scow bread, and clam fritters, all served on a thick wooden board; $26, Tuesday to Saturday, June to September, 11:30 am to 3 pm. See www.quwutsun.ca. Reservations: 250746-4370.

Add an historic tour to an Empress afternoon tea: The Fairmont Empress Hotel is Victoria’s grand-dame of afternoon tea, now embracing vegan, gluten-free and diabetic diets upon request. A 90-minute tour, from WalkAbout Historical Tours, led through the hotel by a guide in Edwardian costume, is the perfect precursor to the elegant tea service. The tell-all tour ($13 for adults, $6.50 for children 6 to 12) runs every day at 10 am in high season and 11 am in low season. Tea is served daily from 12 to 3:45 pm and in the evenings on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday, May through September. Afternoon tea is $59 in high season and $47 in low. For children 12 and younger, tea is half price. For more info on tea or the tour see fairmont.com/empress or call 250-389-2727.

Venus Sophia Tea Room and Vegetarian Eatery: Through the Chinatown Gates on Fisgard Street, the Venus Sophia Tea Room and Vegetarian Eatery is as much about decorative atmosphere as the innovative menu, which includes a signature tea service offered any time of day. The bright and airy decor reflects a relaxing European tea room, and a place to linger with a good book or friends. Choose from 30 looseleaf black and herbal teas, all organic and served in a whimsically random collection of fine china. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, $25.50. See venussophia.com. Reservations: 250-590-3953.

Take a harbour ferry to Point Ellice House: Dating from 1867, Point Ellice House retains a touch of elegance in the industrial area of the Gorge waterway by the Bay Street Bridge. The best way to experience the tea is to arrive by Victoria Harbour Ferry. Enjoy tea served by staff in period costumes in the English garden every Thursday to Monday, May to September, 11 am and 2:45 pm. Included in the $25 price is a self-guided taped tour of the heritage home, complete with stories of its original occupants and famous guests. See pointellicehouse.ca. Reservations: 250-380-6506.

Edwardian charm in Gatsby Mansion: The Queen Anne-style Gatsby Mansion, built in 1897, has new ownership, a new executive chef and a new afternoon tea menu that are taking this familiar property in some fresh directions. Overlooking the Inner Harbour, the stain-glass-laced dining room is the perfect backdrop for a varied collection of sweet and savoury treats and teas ($32) with a strong emphasis on Vancouver Island products; 2 to 4 pm daily. See bellevillepark.com. Reservations: 250-388-9191.

Grand Pacific West Coast tea: Overlooking the Inner Harbour, Hotel Grand Pacific offers a West Coast Afternoon Tea with a focus on wild seafood and organic local farm choices, together with handmade sweets and 11 tea blends. Offerings include the green-tea cured smoked salmon lox and the goat cheese tart. Chef Michael Minshull’s children’s tea menu of parfaits, peanut butter & banana sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies, washed down with kid-friendly tea and juice concoctions, are served in high style. Offered daily from 2 to 4:30 pm, Adults $38; Kids $16. See hotelgrandpacific.com. Reservations required: 250-380-4458. VB

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jen bell

THIS DESIGNER di sc ov e r s DISCARDS a nd c r e ate s FA BULOUS ‘ TRASHION’

By SHANNON MONEO photography by paul kerins

On Saturday mornings, Jen Bell gets into her grey Toyota Matrix, never knowing what her travels will unearth. The Sooke resident hits local garage sales, Bear Mountain yard sales and makes a circuit through Broadmead, Gordon Head, Oak Bay and Rocklands. If she notices fabric poking out of a dumpster, she’ll take a gander. “But I don’t go ‘into’ the dumpster,” Bell makes a point of saying. Her foraging has limits.

Bell’s sights are set on discarded curtains, quilts, tablecloths and clothing, the funkier or more vintage the better. Leather, beaded apparel, items with fantastic buttons and real silk (which she tests with a match; the real item burns to black ash, synthetics melt) are particularly prized. Even wedding gowns with trimmable stains aren’t jilted.

Once home, she washes the fabric by hand or has it dry-cleaned. Then she goes into her workroom and turns her fabric finds into one-of-a-kind, utterly divine dresses, that have been, you could say, saved by the Bell.

“People throw out so much,” she says. “I’d see this stuff, some consider it waste, but I realized I could make something out of it.”

One year ago, Bell, 40, launched her Discarded Couture label, featuring dresses and the occasional shirt made from found “stuff.” Like haute couture, Bell’s products showcase exclusive materials but hers have been deconstructed and reborn into fairy-tale-like confections, gothic punk creations, Southern Belle cotillion gowns, sari-inspired dresses, medieval frocks, funky office wear and more.

FLORAL WASTE INSPIRED ‘UPCYCLED’ FASHION The idea of using old clothes to create new — upcycled fashion, she says — dawned last spring and summer when she worked at Victoria's Verbena Floral Design (where she still works part time). Bell would take home discarded 34

design items, bits of flowers and greenery and return the next morning with amazing arrangements. When business slowed, Bell shifted from flowers to fabric. After starting her Facebook page, word spread of Bell’s couture and she was invited to the Sooke Women’s Wellness Show at Sooke Harbour House, where 25 of Bell’s dresses debuted. Harbour House co-owner Frederique Philip, who buys only secondhand clothing or artist-made attire, says Bell is on the right track. “In our society, we don’t need to buy new things. In England, they say they import the same amount of denim as they throw out.”

One month later, Bell was thrust into Vancouver’s fashion scene. She arrived as a volunteer at the fourth Eco Fashion Week, where sustainable, innovative fashion from cutting-edge designers bedecked the catwalk. After a designer dropped out, Bell got her chance to participate. Organizers even waived the

Sooke designer Jen Bell searches out cast-off clothing and fabric for her Discarded Couture creations, like these former prom dresses turned wedding gowns.

$4,000 entry fee, she says. There she unveiled 15 new dresses that played the backdrop to Polish designer Natalie Strzelecka’s avant-garde jewelry. “They couldn’t believe I’d never gone to design school,” Bell says of the “fashionistas” she encountered.

FROM COACHING to CAST-OFF COUTURE For the part-time swim coach, paying $20,000 for a twoyear fashion design course wasn’t in the cards. Born in Prince George, Bell grew up in Castlegar. She began swimming when she was five, specializing in the butterfly stroke and eventually earning a US scholarship, which she passed up in favour of coaching, a role that took her to Dawson Creek, Masset and other BC communities. After meeting future husband Brian while rollerblading in Victoria, she moved with him to Sooke in 2003, where she coached swimming and focused on raising daughter Loganne, 10. Fashion design wasn’t familiar territory.

“I couldn’t even draw a stick person,” says Bell, most often found wearing Lululemon gear.

“She does love her Lulu,” says Bell’s first model Melanie Allard, who met Bell when both were lifeguards at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre. Allard, a size 0, happily became Bell’s mannequin. She also photographs Bell’s fashions. “You know how everyone says, ‘One man’s trash is another one’s treasure,’ that’s Jen,” says Allard.

Allard, 20, owns two Discarded Couture dresses. One is a slim, black dress remade with a wide-open back that’s very wearable, Allard says. Originally a long cocktail dress that was ruined on the bottom, Bell got it for free from a thrift store.

“I LOVE HER DRESSES TO PIECES” The second dress is a cream-coloured, lacy and layered Victorian-style dress of medium length. Bell chanced upon it in a free pile on UVic’s Ring Road. She added pieces to the garment, which originally went to the ground. “I love her dresses to pieces,” Allard says.

One of Bell’s first creations was a dress made of duct tape.

She also made dresses with recycled paper and cardboard.

As her designs became more intricate, she hired Colwood resident Maya Gabrovska, a talented seamstress, to assist with finer details. While she keeps up with trends, Bell also follows her instincts. “I drape the fabric onto the mannequin and it tells me what to do,” she says.

This month, from August 4 to 7, 15 of Bell’s dresses will be featured during the 7 to 9 pm Artz4Re-Fashion presentation at the Sooke Fine Arts Show. VB For more information see discardedcouture.org. Jen Bell wishes to thank Elena Roberts of Conscious Hair, Melanie Baird Makeup and Verbena Floral Design for help at the photo shoot.

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HAVANESE DAY:

Eat, play and throw your regal Best of Breed weight around By SHANNON MONEO

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Emily Dorma and Reo win “Best in Breed” last February in New York.

photo credit: Jeffrey Hanlin

n a rustic Cobble Hill neighbourhood, Bev Dorma’s kitchen has gone to the dogs.

Amid renovation construction mishmash and dog paraphernalia, sits Umbie, a peewee puppy who was born prematurely with her umbilical cord coming out of her toe. Unheard of in dog annals, Umbie is a dog that Bev painstakingly kept alive, raised to health and that’s now bound for the show circuit. Umbie shares space with another dog and her four puppies that Bev is dog-sitting.

In a nearby room is new mom Cruiser with four coffeecup-size puppies. Presiding over the eating and peeing, the pooping and playing, is what’s likely the top Havanese dog in the world, MistyTrails Double Stuf’d Oreo, aka Reo, a furry sandwich of black and white.

Last February, Reo, Bev, 50, and daughter Emily, 16, boarded a New York City-bound plane for the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, one of the world’s pre-eminent dog events. Under their Misty Trails Havanese breeder banner, the team licked the competition. Reo was crowned Best of Breed, beating 17 other Havanese from around the world. “Winning was not expected, so it was a pretty overwhelming feeling, very emotional,” Bev says.

Back at her Cowichan Valley digs, you could say Reo is queen of the pack. “Reo rules the house,” says Emily, a part-time model who handpicked Reo from a litter with the mission to create a champ. Reo’s eating out of the other dogs’ dishes and cadging human treats has produced a bit of a tummy on her once trim figure. An expert dog groomer, Emily was going to trim Reo’s silky hair, but “it’ll show her fat,” she says.

REO THROWS AN IMPRESSIVE TANTRUM The bond between the two is strong. When Emily, who does all the dog show-handling, attended a competition with another Misty Trails product, she left Reo at home.

The chippy champ pulled many of Emily’s 45 show suits out of her closet.

Bev wasn’t surprised. Havanese are very intelligent, she says. Not always a Havanese fan, she initially bred bloodhounds for police departments but developed health problems working with the large breed so moved to the smaller Havanese.

Under the name Elite Havanese, Bev and partner Gail Dame have spent the past 15 years breeding the dogs, culminating in the Westminster win. Into her sixth

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generation of puppy production, Bev prides herself on producing healthy, long-lived and champion Havanese. In Canada, being top dog had become fairly commonplace. For almost the past five years, Misty Trails has produced either the country’s Number One or Two Havanese.

Beyond taking a bite out of the Big Apple, two months earlier, Reo claimed Top Female in North America at the Eukanuba National Championship held in Orlando, Florida.

“That was huge,” says Bev of a win that moved her breeding operation into the international sphere.

The Dorma home is arguably now one of the world’s hotspots for Havanese, a popular family dog that is lively, friendly, gentle and hypoallergenic. When Bev effortlessly trims Reo’s nails, there’s nary a snarl from the star.

Havanese outside cuba descend from 11 dogs “Havanese were bred to play with children in the courts of Cuba. They were given as gifts,” says Bev, who likens the funloving dogs to golden retrievers in small packages. Developed in Spain and Italy, the breed became Cuba’s national dog.

According to the Canadian Kennel Club, all Havanese, excepting those still in Cuba, come from 11 dogs taken out of Cuba during the 1950s revolution.

Entrance into Westminster was by invitation only.

Performing for a real-time, world-wide audience of millions, Emily displayed her ability to handle Reo intuitively and calmly in the high-stakes show-ring. Dog treats in her pocket and comb tucked in her hair, Emily was ready for any command barked out by the judge. “She kept [Reo] sparkling for 45 minutes,” says Bev proudly. “She nailed it.”

At first Bev worried that the judge appeared to ignore Reo; then she realized Reo was already the winner and the judge was picking the runners-up.

Emily, who has shown dogs since she was four, was blasé about the experience. “It was just another dog show,” she says.

In fact, Emily rarely gets nervous. “She can show anything. It doesn’t get to her,” says Bev. the phones are ringing for puppies In Manhattan, Team Reo stayed at the pet-friendly New Yorker Hotel, steps away from Madison Square Garden. Reo was right at home amid the luxury. Her beauty routine was about one hour of washing and primping the night before and five minutes of combing before the limelight.

Winning Best of Breed didn’t bring big bucks. “We got a towel, a ribbon and a medal,” Bev says. More telling is that after the show, Bev was dogged with dozens of calls and emails from people wanting a Havanese. But she considers her breeding business a family hobby. “It’s not something you make money at,” she says, despite the demand for a Misty Trails pedigree. Puppies sell for about $1,800, a price necessary to recover rigorous health and genetic testing costs.

Now retired from shows, Queen Reo’s next prize performance may be motherhood. VB 39

photo credit: Michael Wilson

FRONT ROW

Jackie Richardson will play legendary blues belter Big Mama Thornton at the Belfry Theatre this month.

August by robert moyes

40

BIG MAMA ROCKS THE BELFRY Although freelance director John Cooper has worked in the theatre world for over 30 years, his first love was blues music. He went from “banging away” on a guitar as an 11-year-old in his bedroom to performing in some pretty hot blues bands for a dozen years. After eventually realizing he was an imitator and not a creator, Cooper went into theatre — but never forgot his roots. Not surprisingly, this skilled musician has done many musical revues during his career. One of the highlights was a dozen years ago when he was brought in to help create a tribute to Big Mama Thornton, the largerthan-life blues belter most famous for Hound Dog (which she recorded three years before a skinny white kid named Elvis had a bit of a hit with it). The resulting show was Big Mama!, a rollicking and funky slice of musical theatre that starred Canada’s legendary Jackie Richardson. Mama! — and Richardson — both got rave reviews at the time and the Belfry decided it was time for a summer remount. Richardson and Cooper are both on board, and this high-powered blast of the blues will later be heading to the

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National Arts Centre in Ottawa. “Willie Mae Thornton was a kick-ass gal, a black woman living a man’s life in hard times,” says Cooper. “The play is about perseverance and about transcending the pain and challenges of what was happening in the ‘50s and ‘60s.” According to Cooper, Richardson offers an interpretation more than an impersonation of the powerful Thornton, who was both a gutsy performer and a talented songwriter. “Jackie knows a lot about the blues and she can really sing ... she grabs the spirit of the woman,” says Cooper.

The three-piece band features Victoria’s own Juno-winning guitarist Bill Johnson. Get ready for the grit and swagger of vintage blues and R&B. At the Belfry Theatre until August 19. 250-385-6815.

Subscriptions on sale now!

250.385.6515 victoriasymphony.ca

41

L to R: Warehouse afterparty; Nic Vanderguten's Bridgework #1, 24” x 18” lino cut; V. Edgarr's Carnival Swing, 4 1/2” x 9” cardboard intaglio.

TRACKING DOWN ART When it premiered six years ago, the Off The Grid art crawl was a one-day event that featured a half-dozen artist-run galleries. This year, the roster has expanded to 30 galleries, it now runs for two days, and a new name — the Integrate Art Crawl — better represents the wide-ranging event that now includes such mainstream venues as the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Participants are encouraged to go on foot or hop on their bikes to visit as many different galleries as possible, from the Ministry of Casual Living and Ground Zero Printmakers to Winchester and Alcheringa. “Our intention is to show that Victoria is a vibrant place and that art is really happening here,” explains Aubrey Burke, an artist and curator who has coproduced a couple of “crawls” over the years. He is especially excited that extra funding is allowing them to produce several off-site works that involve multi-media and installation art.

“One project will be a building-side projection of imagery of Victoria’s 150 years of history,” he says. “It will be from the perspective of an artist mediating that information ... it’s the merging of historical content with the understanding of what that means to a contemporary audience.” A Friday night artmeets-music after-party starting at 9 pm is slated for the Vic Theatre. The second night there is going to be a multi-media “happening” at a yet-to-be-named warehouse that should appeal to anyone’s inner hipster. Downloadable maps and other information will be available from their website, while actual paper maps can also be grabbed from participating galleries. “This will enliven Victoria,” says Burke. “We want to amp up the energy and really turn the city on.”

Running August 3-4 at numerous galleries. For information, google Victoria Integrate Art Crawl.

KILLER ENTERTAINMENT In the first weeks of August The Mac will be under attack by a monstrous carnivorous plant named Audrey II. Created 30 years ago, the musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors has retained all its amusingly gruesome charm: blame that ‘60s sci-fi vibe as much as the Motown-style music and the doo-wop Greek chorus. “It’s a goofy yet clever Faustian tale and the music really is incredible,” says local playwright Jacob Richmond, who will be helming this season-closer for the Blue Bridge Theatre. Richmond, who has had fantastic success with his plays Legoland and Ride the Cyclone, was a great choice to direct this twisted tale of a nerdy shop clerk who sells his soul to a giant, blood-slurping plant.

Loosely based on a schlocky 1960 drive-in movie by Roger Corman, the original off42

Broadway production created a sensation and graduated to Broadway; eventually it was performed all over the world. What was camp is now ironic nostalgia, but Richmond thinks audiences still connect with it because ultimately it’s a comingof-age story. It is also killer entertainment, thanks to a five-piece band, great songs, and a horticultural horror that eventually grows more than three metres high. “It’s been very challenging for our puppeteers to create something epic that can still be manipulated,” admits Richmond. “It has to dwarf the actors so that the audience really feels the menace.”

Playing from July 31 to August 12 at the McPherson Theatre. For tickets, call 250386-6121.

The Motown Greek Chorus of Jana Morrison (left), Sarah Carle (top), and Kelly Hudson (right) with Audrey II, the horticultural horror.

FISHING FOR ART What’s in a (smelly) name? Quite a few visitors, if you’re one of the artists lucky enough — and good enough — to land a berth on the Stinking Fish Studio Tour. Named after the aboriginal term for Metchosin, the SFST is a collective of well-known artists who live in Metchosin and East Sooke. This is the tour’s 12th year, and it is one of the best and most popular events of its kind on the South Island, attracting many hundreds of visitors over its 10-day span.

There are 21 artists this year, including seven guest artists who were juried in. “We’re looking for quality and diversity,” explains Cheryl Taves, a painter and printmaker who is now a tour veteran. According to Taves, it takes two days to take in the full route properly. She advises studying the map available from the website and making an appropriate plan based on geography and one’s personal interests. She also recommends dropping in on one of the area’s classic restaurants such as the My-Chosen Café, the Broken Paddle, or the Smoking Tuna Cafe, which is right on the water in East Sooke’s Becher Bay. “Many of the artists have amazing gardens that add a whole experiential layer to a studio visit,” notes Taves. All participating artists are listed on the website, including woodworker Doug McBeath, internationally renowned potter Robin Hopper, and award-winning Jennifer Kivari, a mosaic artist who recycles found materials like coffee beans and beach pebbles. “There is so much great art to be seen,” says Taves. “Make a day of it!”

From August 3-12 at various studios. For maps and information, go to stinkingfishstudiotour.com.

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Clockwise: Judi Dyelle's Star Bowl, porcelain; Lorraine Thorarinson Betts' Witness, mixed media oil; Bonnie Coulter's Canned Salmon II, salmon tins and other metals.

In Uptown, below Future Shop 250.382.2482 43

Clockwise: Japan’s Ryuzanji Company in A Tale of the Playing Cards; Johnnie Walker, in Redheaded Stepchild; Tim Motley, in Dirk Darrow.

TALES FROM THE FRINGE

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Joseph and the

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Nationally renowned playwright Janet Munsil knows more than she ever planned to about the Victoria Fringe Festival. After directing a play at the second Fringe and working as a venue technician the following year, Munsil became general manager for 1992-‘99. When her replacement failed rather spectacularly, Munsil was parachuted back in eight months later on a rescue mission and never left. Munsil produces one of the country’s most popular fringe fests, especially with performers. “We’re one of the smaller fringes in the country, but we’re the second pick after Edmonton for artists applying for the ‘touring lottery’ that guarantees them a berth at numerous festivals,” explains Munsil. And local audiences also love it: 20 years ago ticket sales maxed out at 6,000; last year they topped 27,000 for this do-it-yourself theatre. The Fringe turns 26 this year, and many popular performers will be back, including spoken word artist Jem Rolls and heart-on-his-sleeve monologist Randy Rutherford.

Seven overseas acts are booked, including a “melodramatic mime” troupe from Mexico. Munsil is excited about the return of Japan’s Ryuzanji Company, whose “really rigorous artistic work” sets new heights for what can be accomplished at the Fringe.

If you want to beat the crowds that show up after glowing media reviews, head to the Fringe Eve Preview on August 22 at Centennial Square. “Every group gets two minutes to pitch their show,” explains Munsil. “A lot of people have a big red pen and mark up their program with ticks and crosses.”

August 23 to September 2 at various venues, victoriafringe.com.

*

we also

recommend the following

Boulevard readers may be interested in the following performances, events and gallery showings also on this month:

Summer Salon: View Art Gallery presents paintings by gallery artists including Michael Pittman, Yuri Arajs, Cheryl Taves, Ronan Boyle and more. All August until Sept 29, 104860 View St., 250-213-1162, viewartgallery.ca.

23rd Victoria Symphony Splash: Highlights include violinist Eehjoon Kwon, 17, and two compositions to celebrate Victoria’s 150th along with the usual eclectic selections and 1812 finale. August 5, Inner Harbour, victoriasymphony.ca.

Cit y United: In honour of the United Way’s 75th and the City of Victoria’s 150th anniversaries, a day-long celebration of music, food, crafts, and more. August 6, 11 am to 4 pm, St. Ann’s Academy; 7 pm to 9 pm Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park; victoria.ca.

Arlo Guthrie and Family: Called “the Guthrie Family Reunion,” three generations of a musical dynasty perform on the concert lawn. August 7, 7:30 pm, Butchart Gardens, 250652-4422, butchartgardens.com.

Land Sea Sk y: Alcheringa Gallery presents prints and etchings by internationally renowned Australian artists Dennis Nona and Alick Tipoti. August 9-September 6, 665 Fort Street, 250-383-8224, alcheringa-gallery.com.

Victoria Tango Festival: Three days of free outdoor performances around the city, plus workshops, lectures and classes. August 10-12, 778-432-0112, passion4tango.com.

Henry IV, Part 1: KeepItSimple Theatre presents Shakespeare’s play. August 10-18, 7 pm nightly, Metro Theatre, 250-590-6291, ticketrocket.org.

Dr. John: The legendary New Orleans piano master brings his funky jazz/rock/cajun musical gumbo to town. August 13, 8 pm, Alix Goolden, 250-382-8422, hightideconcerts.net.

Bowker Creek Brush Up: Annual art show and sale, plus food and entertainment along the banks of Bowker Creek in Oak Bay. August 12, 11 am to 4:30 pm, 250-294-1944, oakbayartists.com.

Fibr ations: A community-based celebration of fibre artists sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm through demonstrations, hands-on-activities, displays, sales and auction. August 21, 10 am to 4 pm, St Ann’s Academy, fibrationsvic.wordpress.com.

ROMP! In the Square: Free outdoor showcase of eclectic dance (plus beer garden) presented by Suddenly Dance Theatre. August 21-25, 6 pm to 10 pm, Centennial Square, 250-389-6059, suddenlydance.ca.

Joe Walsh: This veteran rock guitarist of Eagles fame showcases his new album for Victoria fans. August 28, 7 pm, Esquimalt's Bullen Park, 250-386-6121, hightideconcerts.net.

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HOT PROPERTIES

time-honoured

nautical craftsmanship

comes ashore

On a moist West Coast day, baking bread scents the home as Thelma Kooijman’s mother sews chair cushions at the dining table built by Thelma’s husband Maarten. Tea is served on an alder nesting table so beautifully designed by the couple’s 15-year-old son that he’s sold replicas to admirers. Upstairs, a sleek bamboo bed frame shows off daughter Gussie’s eco-mindedness as well as her way with tools. She designed and built it under her father’s supervision.

Here lives a family that makes things. Their gracious, comfortable, high-gabled, sloping roof home off Lands End Road is a monument to the creative and masterful talents of the family that emigrated from Holland in 1996.

Thelma, mother to Maarten Jr. and daughter Gussie, says a magazine picture gave them the idea for their house. But the result, adapted in hundreds of small but significant ways, is far from a copy. The curved counter edges, bevelled glass fir doors, even how the carpet is tucked into the curved, nosed stair treads that lead to private rooms, reflect the Kooijmans’ vision of what makes a house a home. So does that fact that very few nails hold it all together.

Maarten is the founder and owner of ProNautics Custom Interior Projects, which specializes in the manufacturing, servicing and installation of boat interiors, including those for luxury yachts. It’s a world where precision and taste rule and construction techniques are time-honoured. He brought many of those principles into the family home.

NO PLASTIC on THIS HOME Of particular note is that screws have been used where others would have driven nails.

Their recessed heads are tidily concealed

46

The homeowner's Dutch

throughout this country

roots are evident at the

home, from the slope

doorstep while European

of the roof to the hefty

craftmanship shows

front door.

By Carolyn Heiman photography by gary mckinstry

47

ship-shape

European, stained beech, carried through the house, was chosen for its durability and warm hues, which complement the kitchen's slate floor.

with wood bungs. This is true whether one refers to the wide-plank European steamed beech floors or the exterior facia board trimming the windows.

Nor has Maarten left the security of any corner angle to chance. Each has been epoxied, limiting the chance any shifting will result in cracks. And 48

outside, cedar soffits surround the roof perimeter. “I didn’t want any plastic on my home,” says Maarten.

For the main floor layout the Kooijmans rejected the idea of a formal dining room, preferring a banquet-style nook with cushions that playfully pick up on the punchy colours throughout

this part of the home. “I’ve never liked formal dining rooms,” says Thelma, adding that she can’t imagine their family lifestyle needing one.

Practicality also rules in the bathrooms. Vanities hover with no legs, making cleaning easier, as does tiled baseboard. There are three bathrooms in

Boulevard Magazine ADVERTISEMENT PROOF FAX: 250.598.3183 Boulevard strives at all times for accuracy however mistakes can occur.

Please proof your ad very carefully.

Arch

rival

A deep soaker tub in the ensuite nestles under a curved alcove that has a touch of nautical. "The Dutch always use the roof space for living," says Maarten.

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approved The kitchen/great room (opposite page) keeps dining, cooking and family living in one area. Meanwhile a tidy

den (upper left) off the great room offers a quiet escape. Clean lines and practicality rule the three bathrooms.

approved with changes

VICTORIA

NEWS

Call now to arrange your free shop-at-home appointment

250-412-5733 Showroom: 2745 Bridge Street Mon - Fri 9:00-5:00 Sat 9:30-4:00

www.ruffell-brown.com www.ruffell-brown.com BLINDS • DRAPERIES • UPHOLSTERY • SHUTTERS 250-412-9569 1-2745 Bridge Street 49

Professional, Suppliers and Trades: Contractor/Builder: Gary Nunn and Maarten Kooijman; Interior Designers: Maarten and Thelma Kooijman; Exterior/ Interior Painting: Gary Nunn; Cabinetry: ProNautic Interiors; Counters: ProNautic Interiors; Flooring: ProNautic Interiors/ Versaint Joinery (Derek Escher); Appliances: Wolf/Sub-Zero/ Asko (supplied by Coast Wholesale); Plumbing fixtures: Edge Plumbing and Gas Ltd.; Windows: Eurostar (Supplied

by Starline Windows); Lighting: McLaren Lighting; Floral arrangements: Clare Day Flowers.

Poster

perfect

Furnishings adhere to tidy principles while a wrap-around veranda adds dining and living space to the 3,000 squarefoot home.

50

the 3,000-square-foot home, including the powder room, but sibling competition for the space is minimized by installing a small makeup room with a sink just off Gussie’s bedroom.

These convenient wash-up areas off of bedrooms are very common in European homes, says Thelma, adding it trims the space and cost requirements for extra bathrooms.

The kitchen, again with honey-hued steamed beech cabinetry, has two islands where cooking and clean-up can be a family affair. Thelma says she couldn’t decide what kind of counter tops would be best and for the time being a wellchosen Formica, edged with sapele (wood), fools the eye into thinking it is something extremely high-end.

ATTENTION to DETAIL was a PRIORITY The large pedestal dining table, meanwhile serves double duty as a working area and has an electrical plug-in in its base for a toaster, sewing machine or other appliance that might be needed. Its multi-purpose function ensures that the kitchen great room stays the central activity zone for the close family, whose children were home-schooled.

As Thelma and Maarten speak more about building their dream home, it’s evident they did have to make sacrifices. At the early part of construction they lived with their children in a friend’s basement and then moved to a one-bedroom, 900-square-foot suite on top of the garage of their new home for the remaining part of the year-long project.

What they didn’t sacrifice was attention to detail. Nowhere are construction short cuts evident.

Being in the business, Maarten built window frames and doors at his industrial shop, bringing them on site when those parts of the home were ready. Even before the foundation was poured, he had constructed the oversize mahogany front door.

At three-inches thick, it would also suit a castle and signals to anyone crossing the threshold that a special home awaits.

The rounded nosing on the stair treads and a patch of burled arbutus topping a stairway post are other unique details, the former being noted by a carpet installer as something he’s never seen in 30 years of business. Every closet is lined with pre-finished birch, which Maarten says is cheaper than drywall if one factors in labour and paint costs. Another benefit: the birch will never damage and marks are easily wiped clean.

All these old-world features, along with the willingness to invest time, work to create an artful end product. Yet Maarten dismisses the notion that the home’s features are particularly laborious or challenging. “It’s a square box. That’s really what a home is. Compared to a boat, how hard can it be?”

Proving, of course, that quality is in the eyes of the beholder. VB

Carolyn Heiman explores beautiful Island homes each month for Boulevard. If you know of a gorgeous home you’d like to see profiled she can be contacted at cheiman@shaw.ca.

51

boulevard $19,500,000

real estate

Jim LeBlanc

250-812-7212 luxurybchomes.com

Boulevard magazine supports Southern Vancouver Island's top Realtors representing the region's finest real estate. In our pages, we hope you will find your next home, whether it is in the listings of the Great Homes/Great Realtors or here in the Boulevard Luxury Real Estate listings.

Both of these monthly advertising features bring you the finest selection of homes and condominiums Victoria has to offer. $10,999,000 Donald St. Germain 250-744-7136 1069beach.com

stevenson doell

law corporation

$2,299,000 Bil Greene 250-744-3301 isellvictoria.ca Camosun

Regal and elegant country manor created on 4 acres on a private point.

Extravagance is evident throughout the 12,500 square feet. Features include two storey great room, wood burning pizza oven, billiards room, wine room, rich hardwood floors, 9 fireplaces, 2200 sq. ft. guesthouse, conservatory and the landscape of a million flowers.

This magnificent 8,970 square foot stone manor offers spectacular ocean views throughout the principal rooms and master suite. With timeless stone walls and elegant gates, you can be assured the utmost privacy. Over 2.92 acres and 277 feet of waterfront with breathtaking views of San Juan Island and Mt. Baker. In this sought after Beach Drive neighbourhood, you will fall in love with this prestigious 1912 home, next to the Victoria Golf Course.

LAKEFRONT Without a doubt one of Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest lakefront residences. Natural light spills into a dramatic entry, highlighting the elegant stairway and 25â&#x20AC;&#x2122; waterwall.

The kitchen is a dream, with edge grain fir cabinets and ample granite counters.

The award winning theatre offers billiard room and full wet bar. Custom doors open the entire home to the lakefront. Video tour: www.VictoriaLakeFront.com

BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$2,099,000 Scott Piercy 250-686-7789 luxurybchomes.com

Private waterfront property with ocean, island, and mountain views, situated on a half-acre in the Tsehum Harbour. Meticulously landscaped grounds.

Custom built, 4 bedroom 4 bathroom; Master suite with bed & bath water views; large, bright kitchen opening to family room & oceanfront patio. Open concept design perfect for entertaining. Low bank waterfront beach at the gateway to the San Juan and Gulf Islands, enjoy watching the active marine life.

$2,080,000 Karen Love 250-386-8875 karenlove.com

Sophisticated Elegance.

Active ocean & marine views. Incredible night skies. Quality & thoughtful finishes draw the natural beauty from outside in.

Huge windows, open plan, expansive decks & patios & sea to sky views! Amid 1.09 acres of landscaped native plantings, meadows & wild flowers in a south facing warm back yard, give this 4bed 5bath home a peaceful open feeling.

Separate suite & direct beach access.

Alliance

$1,875,000 Alex Burns 250-744-3301 victoriarealestate.com

This remarkable 6200 sq ft. custom french country estate is perfectly located in the popular Saanich West, minutes from Victoria, with gorgeous water views of a nature sanctuary.

The craftsmanship and custom design is present the moment you walk up the front steps.

Open the front door and you can’t escape it. Traditional timber frame accents and magnificent reclaimed fir floors, custom rock fire places, granite countertops and venetian plaster walls show the impeccable attention to detail found throughout the home.

MLS# 308766 Remax Camosun.

$1,499,000 Karen Love 250-386-8875 karenlove.com

1st Time on the Market Ever!

Waterfront property with M5 zoning & a rare, legal, foreshore dock in North Saanich, for private boat moorage & marine recreation off lovely Curteis Point. The dock, completely rebuilt, can house a number of boats.

3bed 2bath home in private setting, is amongst million dollar homes. It offers vaulted ceilings, sunken living room, newer roof, quiet streets & active marine life. Very pleasant.

Alliance

$1,249,000 Walt & Nicole Burgess 250-384-8124 nicole@nicoleburgess.com

BREATHTAKING panoramic OCEAN VIEW 2Bdr+den 1886sf PENTHOUSE with 14’ high windows overlooking UNOBSTRUCTED southern ocean views of the innerharbour! This new luxurious suite has a gorgeous customized gourmet kitchen & a resort styled master suite w/ FP and 6 pce marble ensuite. All surrounded by an oasis of tranquil water gardens, exotic plants, waterfalls, 75’ infinity lappool, 2 whirlpools, sauna & gym. 2 parking spaces incl.

MLS 311464

$1,200,000 Wayne & Cindy Garner 250-881-8111 cindygarner.ca

Outstanding custom built 4 bed, 5 bath home located on 10 very private acres. Enjoy expansive easterly views while entertaining on your 500+ sq. ft. deck. Radiant heated floors, abundant windows, skylights, vaulted ceilings, creative lighting, built in audio system, heat recovery system, and the list keeps on going.

One bedroom suite, perfect for the in-laws. Boat and RV parking and a detached 600 sq.ft. workshop/boat house with a bathroom in it makes this home complete.

MLS 311267

We, the lawyers at Stevenson Doell Law Corporation, have experienced staff that specialize in Real Estate, Wills & Estates, Family Law & ICBC claims. For help, call Bob Doell, Brent Kitzke, Mary McManus, Heather Sweeney & Mark Walton at 250-388-7881.

250.388.7881

53

$1,200,000 Nancy Vieira 250-514-4750 nancyvieira.com

$1,195,000 Dave Lynn 250-592-4422 davelynn.com

$1,048,500 Shaunna Jones 250-888-4628 shaunnajones.com

Worthy of being considered in a class by itself, extraordinary oceanfront private 3 acre estate lot in exclusive Silver Spray Resort just west of Victoria. Most desirable waterfront lot in resort, coveted by the owner developer. More than 500 feet of private waterfront enjoy breathtaking sunsets and views to Juan de Fuca Straight and Olympic Mountains. Private pathway to an enchanting peninsula with a secluded pocket beach.

Subdividable property.

Custom Queenswood Tudor home on secluded sunny 1 acre. The 3500 sq. ft. home borrows influences from a Dutch farm house with large rooms, rich woodwork, wideplanked hardwood floors and a master bedroom fireplace.

A large covered patio leads to a fabulous tennis court.

For your projects, there is a separate 2 car garage with workshop area and loft.

Walking distance to beaches, Cadboro Bay Village, schools, parks and trails.

MLS 310467

AMAZING OCEAN & CORDOVA BAY GOLF COURSE VIEWS This 2700 sq ft, elegant, corner unit has 3 bdrm, 4 bthrm & is located in the popular Sayward Hills development.

Walk right out from the kitchen to a private, sunny S/W landscaped patio with terrific built in gas BBQ area. Don’t miss out on the expansive views & sunsets of Haro Strait, Mt. Baker & the Gulf Islands!

$1,199,000 Donald St. Germain 250-744-7136 506landsend.com

$1,125,000 Toni Vincent Joanne Brodersen 250-477-7291 tonivincent.com

$999,999 Jane Johnston 250-744-0775 briarhillgroup.com

It all starts here at The Finishing Store. With an extensive selection of floors, moldings, mantels, doors, stairs, closets and windows we’ve got your renos covered!

54

A private, waterfront piece of paradise so close to Victoria, but a world away!

Great 3 bedroom 3-level designer home in the most sought after area of Lands End. .38 acres with own beach, boathouse & separate studio. Main floor features open concept living area w/ vaulted ceiling, gourmet kitchen w/ walkthrough to living & family areas. Large deck w/ hot tub provides scenic views of Salt Spring Island & Cowichan Bay.

Luxury living at its finest.

Entertain with class in this executive custom built home nestled in the gated community of the Terraces at Gordon Point. Main level entry with master bedroom on main floor, radiant in floor heating.

Bright, open concept- 9 ft ceilings, barrel vaults in some areas. Enjoy spectacular views while working in your dream gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops, cherry cabinets and high end appliances.

Sweeping ocean and island views. MLS# 310289

luxury rea

OCEAN VIEW Exceptionally priced custom built, immaculate West coast 4 bed/3 bath residence with retro accents and ocean views of Gulf islands. Set on private, corner lot, and nestled within mature trees with cultivated garden.

Spacious floor plan includes great room with cathedral ceilings, sauna, games room, 2 car garage and lots of unfinished space for a suite/ office! Great access to the airport & ferry. Lower level is easy to suite! Text “house 352117 to 32075.

250.384.3003 www.finishingstore.com

BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$999,000 Susan English 250-217-5268 susanenglish.com

al estate

$994,900 Barbara Scott 250-383-1500 barbarascott.ca

Slegg Realty

$910,000 Nancy Vieira 250-514-4750 nancyvieira.com

A perfect location - The Cherry Bank Residences - just a short stroll to the Inner Harbour, numerous restaurants, shopping & all that’s happening in downtown Victoria.

This magnificent 2 Bed, 3 Bath home enjoys air conditioning on it’s 2 levels.

A concrete & steel building, this sub-penthouse offers fantastic outdoor living.

Enjoy your private patio, 845 sq. ft of sunny SE exposure with ocean and mountain views. Perfect for entertaining!

Stunning custom home finished on 3 levels, nestled on .22 acre with EXPANSIVE WATER VIEWS . Rarely do you see homes of this quality & attn to detail at this price.

Over 3,500 sq ft 4+bdrms,4 baths, open concept main floor great room, soaring vaulted ceilings, dramatic 2 way FPs, dream kitchen.

Master suite to die for with 2 way FP, corner spa tub, dressing room, dbl sep shower, & more. Easy inlaw suite down. $200K below replacement. Must See! MLS 310070

Escape to East Sooke!

Custom European home set on 3 plus water front acres, panoramic vistas of Sooke Basin surrounded by older forest. Enjoy views from your spacious entertainment sized deck over looking the lily pond. Home was built by old world schooled European Master wood craftsman. The feature fire place is the heart of the home. Area is nicely fenced off to protect your flourishing gardens from wild life.

$999,000 Kami Norman 250-477-5353 kaminorman.com

$989,000 Cheryl Barnes 250-413-7943 cherylbarnes.ca

$889,000 Sharen Warde & Larry Sims

250-592-4422 wardesims.com

On a quiet street in the sought after Ten Mile Point area, this three bedroom home is set on a private, tranquil & absolutely gorgeous .73 acre lot with ocean views! Some of the features include oak hardwood floors, a newer roof, skylights, many new thermo windows and a heat pump. It’s a prime location within walking distance to Telegraph Cove, Cadboro Bay Beach & Village, excellent schools and UVic. MLS#309246

New 6 Bedroom Luxury Home: This home has all the extras with high ceilings, high end appliances, hard wood floors, spacious master suite with walk in closet & separate office/yoga studio & spa inspired bath, city/mountain view great rooms, elegant dining room, main level library/ den. Bonus 2 bedroom suite & extra parking. A peaceful tranquil Bear Mountain setting amongst hiking trails, golf & more!

Dramatically different and unique! Every room has a view into the park.

One level living (1956 sq. ft) with/full lower level.

Versatile kitchen/fam rm area w/3 sets of sliders to the deck (53 x 20’). Great entertaining home, lower level boasts rec rm, fam rm, office & separate bdrm wing. Easy care garden w/a lovely water feature.

Large dbl garage w/lots of storage space. You’ll feel like you live on an acreage without all the work! service@wardesims.com

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250.477.6514 hendramoving.com

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BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$875,000 Melina Boucher 250-385-2033 melinaboucher.ca

$799,900 Karen Jensen 250-744-3301

karenjensenrealestate.com

Situated in the prestigious Lansdowne slope, this property offers an opportunity to own a 1 year old Platinum Green built home. 2/3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, luxury finishings, hardwood floors throughout, open concept kitchen for entertaining with high end appliances & quartz countertops.

Views overlook mountain sunsets! Separate self contained suite/studio.

Stellar value for this private retreat.

1983 Watson Street

SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEW. Across the street from the ocean in Sidney by the Sea. Single family home 2244 sq. ft. on a small minimum care lot. Only 5 yrs old on new home warranty.

3 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, air conditioned /heat pump, elevator, back-up generator, fireplace and double garage.

Far from the madding crowd, yet only 15 minutes from town... imagine your new home in a peaceful forest, with absolute privacy and seclusion. On a 6.7 acre lot, this 4 or 5 bedroom home has many recent upgrades and extras, including hot water heat, 3 fireplaces and beautiful new teak floors. This is truly a special home in a unique area, offered at $799,900. karenjensenrealestate.com for more photos and information.

MLS# 306690 Providing expert advice since 1989.

Camosun

$849,000 Susan English 250-217-5268 susanenglish.com

$795,000

Roxanne Brass 250-380-8055 roxannebrass.com

5220 Worthington Road MLS 312046

luxury real

1 - 9628 Second St. Sidney MLS# 309249

Rene Blais 250-655-0608 reneblais.com Camosun

Rare offering in Cordova Bay!!

Lovely 4 bedroom updated home on a no-thru quiet street in Cordova Bay. Private level west facing yard. New windows, roof, hardwood floors, cherry wood cabinets, a kitchen island, pantry, and eating area that opens to family room with gas fireplace.

$769,900

SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEWS including Juan de Fuca Strait & the Olympics from every room on the main. This luxurious custom designed, 5 Bed/4 bath, two level home is exquisite: formal dining room, open kitchen, beautiful Italian granite counters, large master with 6 piece ensuite, heated floors & walk-in closet. The lower level boasts two large entertainment rooms with views plus a lovely spacious one bedroom, selfcontained legal suite.

$749,900 Jane Johnston 250-744-0775 briarhillgroup.com

SANCTUARY HOME: Wake up to the sounds of nature in the woods behind your home. Enjoy cooking in your custom kitchen with quartz counter top and solid maple dove-tailed cabinets. Relax with quality surroundings in the 4300 sq ft. with 6 bed, 4 baths. High end accents are vaulted ceiling on main floor, slate tile, Fir floors and trim are hand stained and milled from property, 9’ ceilings, smart wiring. Includes one bedroom additional accommodation. Text “house 95066 to 32075”

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$739,500 Sharen Warde & Larry Sims

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250-592-4422 wardesims.com

estate

$685,000 Melina Boucher 250-385-2033 melinaboucher.ca

$685,000 Tara Hearn 250-588-2852 tarahearn.com

Dream property for the avid hiker and nature lover. This custom-built west coast family home was designed to complement the rural ambience of the Highlands.

Open home site provides lots of light from the southeast exposure, sitting on a high bluff overlooking the expansive yard, deer fenced garden, greenhouse and Mt. Work. Offering 4 bdrms, exercise/meditation room, open plan kitchen/ family room, great deck for entertaining & much more! service@wardesims.com

“With Harbord’s High Value policy, we’re insured against Identity Theft.”

Located on an idyllic block in Fairfield with a wonderful community feel and easy walking distance to Cook St Village, parks, excellent schools & the ocean. This lovely light filled home offers over 1500 sq ft on the main floor with an open concept kitchen and a newly built master suite addition. Enjoy the back deck & oversized lot with beautiful gardens for outdoor entertaining.

1230 Chapman Street

One of the finest remaining oceanfront lots at Silver Spray Oceanfront Estates!

Waterfront lots of this calibre are difficult to find and this fabulous address offers full southern exposure, exceptional views, and a trail down to your own private rocky shore. This gently sloping, low bank estate lot is ideal for your luxurious oceanfront dreamhome.

MLS# 310270, see also MLS#s 310268, 310269, 310271

Harbord’s High Value policy.

Insurance designed exclusively for high value homes.

If your property’s market value is between $700,000 and $5 million, contact our High Value department for an in-home consultation with a Senior Insurance Advisor.

tel: 250 475 5720 highvalue@harbordinsurance.com harbordinsurance.com

Harbord Insurance : I.D. Theft

DESIGN MATTERS

When it comes to enjoyable restaurant meals,

design really does matter

By Sarah MacNeill

photo credit: Hélène Cyr

Dining out can be an artful experience, whether it’s a cup of joe in solitude or a catered five-course meal. Like most experiences, our satisfaction is influenced by design intentions and oversights. We express our dining delight or despair to our friends, i.e. the flavours were wonderful, the service mediocre, the music too loud, the atmosphere energetic or uncomfortably clamorous. There is value in enjoying food and drink in thoughtfully created environments, especially if the pleasures leave us with an intuitive feeling of ease.

Here are five unpretentious local establishments (they are by no means the only ones) that to me stand out for varying design choices, demonstrating attention to design detail and dedication to the communities they serve.

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photo credit: sarah macneil

 The Parsonage Café Popular with the lunch crowd and re-designed in 2011 by interior designers Kyla Bidgood and Amber Kingsnorth, the Parsonage (1115 North Park St.) now has a modern atmosphere without losing its funky and familiar Fernwood appeal in its menu of hearty sandwiches, vegetarian quiches and homemade soups. Working with a small space, the designers used a single material, maple plywood, for the walls, ceiling and the comfortable booths. “Repetition keeps things simple and economical,” says Bidgood. Punchy red industrial-style light fixtures give a playful spirit to the interior and a stow-away bench doubles as extra seating and a toy box. The designers also studied the process and workflow of customers and staff, conscientiously locating service stations to maximize efficiency and comfort. “Design should make things easier, not more difficult,” says Bidgood. Small details complete the experience — orders arrive not on a plate but on a butcher-paperlined wood cutting board, the perfect presentation for this revitalized yet unassuming place.

Rustic walls, vintage maps and abundant natural light give a homey charm to Jam Café, far left, while a wide range of comfortable seating is available at the Superior.

“I like our guests to be entertained or even reminded of things that they had in their youth,” says Jam’s Jim Walmsley.

 The Superior Lisa Boehme opened the Superior Café (106 Superior St.) in a brick heritage building six years ago and just completed its 30th seasonal room transformation — think quarterly art installation. This summer, wooden swings hang from the ceiling beams and an ever-present murder of (faux) crows inconspicuously changes locations (ornithophobes beware).

As Boehme readies the forest-like patio for the busy season, local regulars appear — a hummingbird named Henrietta, squirrels, and goldfish that live in a tabletop pond. On the periphery of downtown in eclectic James Bay, the Superior feels like it could be in Montreal or New York. Its nightly live music and mix of curious décor embody a design attitude that is more about creative evolution and authenticity than trend. Dinner on the patio can make for a memorable summer evening when an old black and white movie is projected on an outdoor wall.

 Jam Café The interior of Jam (542 Herald St.) was a great space to begin with — high ceilings, coved window seats and abundant natural light is an ideal recipe for a comfortable dining environment. The space is accented with reused novelty items collected from garage sales and auctions. A gigantic chrome pancake flipper, a working traffic light, vintage maps and metre sticks give visual interest to the clean, white-washed walls. “I like our guests to be entertained or even reminded of things that they had in their youth,” says owner Jim Walmsley. Indeed, there’s a “see-spot-run” charm to Jam. The all-day breakfast and lunch menu is equally creative: red velvet pancakes, buttermilk biscuit sandwich, mac & cheese grilled cheese. There’s a purposeful connection between the menu offerings and the interior environment.

“We want to portray our menu as comfort food and to reflect that we wanted to design our space in the same way,” says Walmsley.

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Drumroaster Coffee has an appealingly minimal colour palette.

 Drumroaster Coffee Owned and operated by the Oglend family, Drumroaster (1400 Cowichan Bay Rd.) occupies over 4,000 square feet, including their roastery, in Cobble Hill — a short distance north of Mill Bay at the Cowichan Bay turn-off. The colour palette is simple: the walls and ceiling — exposed ducts and all — were painted cream, while the wainscoting is matte black. The only colour is found on the graphically impressive packaging of their freshly roasted beans. Drumroaster’s minimalistic esthetic communicates an honest, no-nonsense approach to their product: great-tasting coffee. East-facing windows maximize light in the morning, when most people come in for their daily dose and an orange coconut brioche, while the early roasting of beans ensures an appropriately timed aromatic effect.

 De’lish De’lish is a polished sweet and savoury café and catering business just off Oak Bay’s Central Avenue (677 Saint Patrick St.). Mark Davies and Lorelei Debelle had decades of international hospitality experience before opening De’lish a block away from the beach five years ago. The design, based on a desire to engage the senses and resist trendy restaurant décor, evokes European style with its top-shelf imports, although Davies assures that if there is any global influence, it’s Australian. The café doors open onto a shaded terrace fronted by a picnic-perfect lawn and tabletops dotted with red flowers in white bud vases. Davies and Debelle live around the corner and describe De’lish as an extension of their own dining room.

Carefully selected art and fresh floral arrangements are fixtures that complement superbly executed edibles like the grilled asparagus tart and Davies’ signature short-braised ribs.

In short, attention to esthetics and to the design of a restaurant space can greatly enhance the flavours of the food and the experience of dining. VB

HEALTH & WELLNESS

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Don’t get bent out of shape by yoga critics, but

strike a careful pose

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hen the new york times article entitled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” hit the mats last January, criticism was harsh and swift, so unlike the serene image typified by the stress-busting, restorative exercise.

The article, an excerpt from The Times science writer William Broad’s book, The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards suggested that a majority of practitioners should abandon yoga because odds are too great that it will cause harm to less-than-fit bodies. Possible injuries included strokes, ruptured discs, overstretched ligaments and retinal tears. Pushy or inattentive teachers and compliant, not-yet pliant practitioners who don’t pay attention to their bodies were the ingredients.

So, when I put my middle-aged, fairly fit body through the Heated Flow class at Ahimsa Yoga and Fitness in Sooke, I was curiously cautious. Not quite hot yoga, it was a challenging, 90-minute workout that left me with sore muscles the next day, akin to having played some hardhitting tennis.

My teacher, Trisha Bartlett, guided her class of eight women of varying ages and one middle-aged man, with clear instructions in a room progressively warmed to about 30°C. There were no commands to push deeper; instead, the restorative Child’s Pose was offered as an option when certain poses proved too challenging.

Surprisingly, Bartlett, who has taught yoga for over two years, had her own yoga-induced injury. At a hot yoga session, Bartlett felt that a drill-sergeant-like teacher pushed her to go harder and she suffered a minor muscle injury as a result. Hot yoga also sometimes gets a bad rap for causing new practitioners, especially those unaccustomed to heat or who arrive already dehydrated, to faint, get dizzy and feel nauseated, said to be caused by the 40°C temperature and high humidity. Yet aficionados swear by the healing properties of the heat combined with yoga.

Metchosin physician Dr. Joan Rosenberg has been doing yoga off-and-on for 40 years and has been a doctor for 25

years. In her experience, yoga teachers work hard to ensure their pupils don’t crash and burn. As for hot yoga, Rosenberg speculates that those who get injured are more of the Type A personalities who push past their limits, seeking an aggressive challenge lacking in gentler forms of yoga.

DOING NOTHING IS RISKIER “Everything we do has risks. The food we eat, walking, sitting,” says Rosenberg, who, through her profession, has found the greatest risk is inactivity. Under the guidance of a good teacher, yoga has more advantages than perils, says the doctor who took up yoga to improve her flexibility.

The NYT article was “alarmist” because it didn’t examine yoga’s benefits versus the risks, preferring to focus on the risks, she says.

Her second beef with the story is that there was not a convincing cause and effect correlation. Without iron-clad, scientific proof, you cannot say that the stroke someone suffered while doing yoga was caused by yoga. It’s possible they would have had a stroke anyway. Most people assess the risks of an activity and adjust for pain, she says. “People respond very quickly to discomfort.”

Jesai Chantler may beg to differ. A reiki master, personal trainer and reflexologist, Chantler was hurt twice while practising yoga, an activity he embraced about five years ago.

The first injury was in Vancouver, about two years ago, at a workshop for Ashtanga yoga (sometimes called Power Yoga). The instructor put him in a handstand pose, then left Chantler on a wool blanket on a wood floor. Chantler fell over, hurting his shoulder.

LUCKY not to be PARALYSED The second injury occurred in December 2010 in Los Angeles during the final minutes of a multi-day workshop. In excellent physical shape thanks to 15 years of teaching highintensity aerobics, Chantler was in a pose where most of his body’s weight was on his forward leg. “I suspected the pose could cause trouble, but because I was in such good shape, I

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thought I could go deeper,” recalls Chantler, a Victoria resident.

When the G.I. Joe-like teacher moved his leg, Chantler felt something unusual and after numerous tests discovered that a disc in his lower back had imploded. “I’m very lucky I wasn’t paralysed,” he says.

Chantler didn’t feel the full effects of the injury until the next morning, when he couldn’t get out of bed. It’s only in the past few months that he’s been pain-free, thanks to acupuncture and use of an incline board.

His hard-earned advice: “Even great teachers can make mistakes. The trainer has to be aware of pupils’ abilities. Even if you see them doing great poses, you don’t have to replicate them. And listen to your intuition.”

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) doesn’t have statistics that indicate how many Canadians have been injured doing yoga. What’s known is that in the past decade or so, yoga has become wildly popular. In the US, four million people did yoga in 2001. By 2011, it was estimated that 20 million squeezed into a yoga class. As for yoga-caused, emergency room visits in the US, there were 13 in 2000, 20 in 2001 and 46 in 2002, probably not reliable numbers because the injured may opt to visit a family doctor. But it’s only logical that if the number of yoga disciples increases five-fold, so would the injury tally.

In comparison, in July 2011, the CIHI reported that in 20092010, 4,324 Canadians were hospitalized as a result of a cycling injury, 665 of those with serious head injuries.

NO PAIN, NO GAIN? NO WAY One telling indicator that yoga is no longer the quaint, easygoing activity practised by the blissed-out is the availability of liability insurance for instructors and yoga studios. On its website, Waterloo-based Lackner McLennan Insurance advises instructors: “Students can slip and fall, activate old injuries, move too quickly into poses, or push themselves too hard.

Liability insurance is the safety net for you.”

While Ahimsa Yoga owner Paula Hamilton agrees that the NYT article painted an accurate picture of some yoga classes, in her business the “no pain, no gain” philosophy does not apply. “I wouldn’t have teachers here who pushed past the pain,” she says. She also advocates knowing “where your edge is,” which is where the pain starts. Don’t go over that cliff, says Hamilton. “Yoga is about letting go of ego. Some are naturally inclined to be competitive. That’s discouraged. “We start every class saying, ‘Be kind to your body.’”

Ann Kilbertus began practising yoga in 1984. Four years later she was teaching at Victoria’s Iyengar Yoga Centre. She’s made seven trips to Pune, India to study with Iyengar yoga legends. She also has an occupational therapy degree. In her classes she gently corrects students who need guidance.

“But there’s a responsibility upon the student to listen, to be discriminating, to ask questions as you might of a health practitioner,” she says. Her philosophy: “If it hurts, it harms. If it harms, it’s not yoga.” VB 65

TRAVEL NEAR

AROUND THE BEND

Bend, Oregon offers cowboy culture, volcanic wonders, hopping brews and more

By LORA SHINN

photo credit: lora shinn

W

hen I was a child, the family trip to Bend, Oregon, was an annual treat. I loved riding my bike along dry, sage-scented paths near the Deschutes River, then enjoying an ice cream cone. As an adult, I find even more to explore and delight.

Bend is a small town with big-city attitude. Located in the foothills of Oregon’s Eastern Cascade slopes, Bend (pop. 76,000) offers dry days warm enough for a cowboy (27°C is the average in July and August). Evenings

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photo credit: lora shinn

bring mountain breezes that cool your boot heels. It’s a pleasant mix of down-home Western hospitality and cosmopolitan pleasures. Visitors have a wide choice of lodgings; rentals and hotels are as plentiful as mountain wildflowers. Most people opt for a kitchen-equipped rental and stay for a week, then head out for daytime treks like spokes on a wagon wheel.

I enjoy staying at the Sunriver Resort (sunriver-resort.com), located about 24 kilometres south of the city limits.

Sunriver offers plenty of on-site

entertainment amid a forest environment: cycle more than 56 kilometres of paved paths, splash in two pools, hit the trail on a guided horseback ride, look for owls on a nighttime excursion, or hit a few balls on the 26 tennis courts or four golf courses. Visitors dine at one of the resort’s restaurants (expensive) or cook in a condo or room (cheaper). Stock up on groceries in town, which boasts the usual chain picks.

Outdoor sports like rafting, canoeing and cycling draw waterlogged locals from the westerly side of the mountains.

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But the region’s explosive history — it was once a hotspot for volcanic action — offers activities unique to the area.

On a getaway to Bend take in the Miller Living Ranch

hike the Lava tubes At the 106-metre-tall Smith Rock (oregonstateparks.org), enjoy scenic daytime hikes and views of rockclimbers scrambling up rhyolite cliffs.

Look for the eponymous “Monkey Face” ledge and watch where you step — this is rattlesnake country.

To get beneath Bend’s surface, the Lava Lands Visitor Center (google “Lava

at the High Desert Museum; hike inside the lava tubes; enjoy the mountain vistas; sip away at the many local brew pubs, and more.

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Lands”) lets you explore more than 400 lava tubes, essentially long, pitch-black, tunnel-like caves pirouetting beneath Central Oregon’s juniper-dotted earth. Pack a flashlight or headlamp for each hiker, wear good footwear and warm clothing (interior 4°C temperatures are the norm). For something different, hike nearby Lava Butte, an impressive cinder cone; pack tank top, shorts, sunscreen and a water bottle.

Before heading out for my day exploring, I stop by AlpenGlow Café (alpenglowcafe.com), which never uses frozen or canned foods. Indeed, the café promises $100 to anyone who can find a can opener in the building. Tuck into a smoked salmon eggs Benedict or a Baja Oregon omelet, served with home fries or café-made coffee cake.

Downtown Bend’s Oxford Hotel (oxfordhotelbend.com) is a fine home base for venturing out to the town’s upscale grid of breweries, cafés and boutiques. A few of my favorite shops?

Bend Bungalow (bendbungalow.com) lays out Pendleton wool blankets and Oregon pottery, but the Arts-and-Crafts-era and art-nouveau pieces (artwork, tiles, table linens) truly make the store special. Cowgirl Cash (cowgirlcashbend.com) rounds up vintage and new Western apparel. And Powell’s Sweet Shoppe (powellsss.com) candy selection, sold by the pound, astounds.

BREWERIES ABOUND in BEND Bend has more breweries per capita than Portland so top off your trip with a frosty glass or a tour at one of the local pubs: The Deschutes Brewery (deschutesbrewery.com) offers tours, where you can touch hop flowers and admire the steel tanks where craft beers are brewed. Afterward, dig into great sandwiches and suds in the light-infused brick building. The Old St. Francis Pub (mcmenamins.com) was converted from a 1936 schoolhouse into an upscale pub and hotel; try an Oregon-raspberry-infused Ruby ale. Want intimate? Try the cash only Boneyard Beer (boneyardbeer.com).

With all Bend’s action, could a museum keep you indoors?

The High Desert Museum (highdesertmuseum.org) makes a compelling case. Impressive and large, the museum and surrounding site feature life-size insight into the historic forces that created Bend. The museum’s outdoor “Miller Living Ranch” gives cityfolk a chance to watch (and help) re-enactors act out the olden days. And it has Gila monsters!

Anytime in summer is a good time to visit, but late August brings the Art in the High Desert (artinthehighdesert.com), a juried festival featuring more than 100 artists from the US and Canada. The festival gets convivial in Bend’s Old Mill District (theoldmill.com), a collection of vintage timber-milling buildings amid wildflowers and perennials. Art galleries and schools rub shoulders with organic coffee shops, outdoor-gear stores and upscale women’s fashions.

With so much to do, you may find yourself extending your stay by one day, then another — as I did. VB Located in Central Oregon, Bend takes about eight to 10 hours to reach from Victoria by car, including ferries.

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FOOD & WINE

WHOLE FISH:

Don’ t let it SCARE you or STARE you down by maryanne carmack

Why would any sensible person attempt to cook a whole fish?

My simple answer: wonderful taste!

And it’s healthy, cooks quickly and is a canvas for fresh herbs and exotic flavourings. Easier to cook than a roasted chicken, a whole fish won’t stink up the house as searing fish filets will, and is one of the most impressive family-style dinners you can serve. “Eating a whole fish is sustainable, because you can drop the bones in a pot and the next day make wonderful stock. It is also about respecting and celebrating the fish, bones and all,” says Dan Hayes of The London Chef.

A whole fish yields meat from between the bones, in the cheek, and other nooks and crannies. It retains more flavour and moisture than fish pieces, and always ends up tastier, 70

more succulent. Small fish such as sardine, herring and mackerel (all of which run in local waters, yet rarely make it to our plates) would give an abysmal showing if you tried to cut out fillets around their many little bones, but roasting the fish whole simplifies the process. An enthusiastic diner with clean hands will enjoy small fish. Large fish can be placed in the middle of the table, roast-like, and served with cold, white wine and warm crusty bread.

Satellite Fish in Sidney offers sole and other ground fish caught that day or the day before. You can also get whole fish at Finest at Sea and perhaps at your local grocery store, although you may have to pre-order.

When choosing a whole fish, look for freshness square in its eye. It should be clear and bright, not sunken and cloudy. Look for bright, red gills and

flesh that feels firm, bouncing back when you press it. Hayes learned early in his career that a whole fish tells no lies. “One can immediately tell its freshness, its method of capture, its exact species, and ultimately its quality.”

People use many techniques to prepare fish, from burying them in salt to a complex fast-sear and slowbake. Each diner will need one to 1 1/2 pounds of fish. For salt baked fish, choose a fish with a heavy scale structure of thick skin, such as rock fish, with intact scales (a line-caught fish would be perfect) or a halibut with thick, leathery skin.

Cleaning and preparing: Wash the fish with tap water. Scrape off the scales with a fish scaler or dull edge of a knife. Use short strokes from continued on page 72

ROASTED & STUFFED WHOLE FISH

SALT-BAKED WHOLE FISH

1 whole fish, gutted, scaled and gills removed with head, tail and fins left intact Good quality rock salt Fresh thyme Lemon Olive oil Basil Cherry tomatoes

1 3-lb whole fish, head, tail and scales on and fins intact; carefully gutted through the smallest, neatest incision possible and gills removed. Note this must be a fish with intact scales or thick leathery skin 2 kilos coarse rock salt High-quality extra virgin olive oil (finishing oil) Splash of water

Pre-heat oven to its hottest setting, using convection bake or roast setting if you have it.

Slash the fish to the bone three times on each side with a sharp knife. Season fish generously with salt, ensuring a little gets into each slash and inside the belly. Put two or three sprigs of thyme into each slash, and a few sprigs into the belly. Slice the lemon into 1-centimetre slices and lay them on a baking tray to keep the fish off the tray and prevent frying. Lay the fish on the layer of lemon slices. Surround with halved tomatoes.

Generously sprinkle olive oil over the fish and roast for around 20 minutes (depending on size).

Look into a slash, ideally the one closest to the head where the flesh is thickest, and see if the flesh pulls away from the bone. Flesh should be opaque when cooked. Rest fish for five minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Courtesy of Dan Hayes

Pre-heat oven to 400째F. In a deep-sided, large roasting tray build a mound of rock salt, using approximately 1/2 kilo. Place the fish on top of the mound on its side and push down so the mound supports the fish on all sides. Be careful that no salt gets into any of the open cavities (this is why spine and tail were not removed and scales must be intact). Pour remainder of the salt over the fish. If the head and tail stick out, simply cover them with a small piece of tinfoil if they are not covered by salt. Sprinkle approximately 1/8-cup of water over the salt to help it compact.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes and allow resting for 10 minutes. The salt will have formed a hard shell around the fish.

Use a small knife to break away salt from around the bottom of the fish if it has solidified. Using two big spatulas, carefully lift the whole fish, including the salt cap on top, onto a large serving platter. At the table, break the top salt cap away to reveal the succulent fish. The scales, skin and salt cap should be discarded.

Finish with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. NOTE: This recipe can be done with multiple smaller fish; adjust the quantities and baking time accordingly.

A Local Story.

tail to head. Make a cut from the gills to the vent. Remove the entrails with your fingers. Check the cavity to make sure everything’s been removed and rinse it well. You can trim the spines along the dorsal, pectoral and tail fins, but this is not necessary. Wash the fish inside and out with cold water.

If you’re unsure of your dinner companions’ whole-fish tolerance, cover the eyes with a mint or basil leaf. Savour the cheeks; luscious, velvety morsels considered by many cultures to be the finest part of the fish. Eat slowly (there may be small bones) and relish in sharing a whole fish with family and friends. Let your dinner and conversations naturally linger; this dish needs attention and will be remembered. VB

If it's fish, does Wine have to be white?

By Sharon McLean

Time to rebel! With so many different fish, cooked in so many ways and served with any number of sauces, it’s silly to limit ourselves to white wine.

The cuisine of Provence, France is dominated by the seafood of the Mediterranean, which pairs wonderfully with the region’s famous dry rosés. These are typically blends of Grenache, Mourverdre, Cinsault and Syrah and have enough structure to pair well with fish served with flavourful herbal sauces. A great selection is in the BCLDB (some in very eye-catching packaging!). Look for 2011 Chateau d’Esclans, Whispering Angel, which has a velvety texture and a core of ripe strawberries (BCLDB $27.99). For a red wine, look for a lighter style because tannic red wines can react with the fish oils to create a

Local fisherman Tim Webster fills our dockside crab cage each Friday, where the crabs thrive in the ocean currents.

Look out the window when you order and you’ll see our crew hurrying down the dock to get your dinner.

Simple, natural and incredibly fresh.

Just one of the stories that make up our plates each day.

bitter taste. Pinot Noir is one of my favourite varieties to pair with salmon and meatier fish, such as tuna. A Beaujolais Crus is another option and, again, the BCLDB has a great selection — the 2010 Chateau de Pierreux has bright acidity, beautiful red and black fruit and white pepper notes. It is stunning value at $18.99 and would be perfect with a roasted and stuffed whole salmon recipe.

And for the traditionalists — look for an un-oaked white wine to pair with fish that has been lightly seasoned, as in both of this month’s recipes. Try a fruity Muscadet from the Loire Valley. This region lies on the Atlantic coast in northern France and both salt water and fresh water fish feature in the local fare — oysters, mussels, perch, pike,

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OB 5591 Oak Bay Marine Group Boulevard 3.875 x 9.75 prepared June 27, 2012

eel, whelks, lobster, crabs and more. The region is also home to deep salt marshes and is famous for fleur de sel — a sure sign to pair these wines with salt baked whole fish. The 2005 Chateau de la Gravelle Gorges, Muscadet Serve et Maine AC from the Loire has a permanent place in my fridge (BCLDB $21.99) with its great fruit and a depth of flavour from seven years of aging.

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LIVING LARGE

*the

specs

What: Port from Portugal's Douro Valley, aged more than 150 years in oak casks How many: 1,400, bottled in 2010, each 750 mls Price: $3,495.49 ea

history:

bottled

Suppose you're among those Victorians with money to spare.

What's the most expensive bottle you could buy at the Fort Street BC Specialty Liquor Store?

Why it’s Taylor Fladgate’s Scion Very Old Port in a hand-blown crystal decanter, one of only six in BC and the only one on Vancouver Island.

From wine harvested in 1855 before the plant louse Phylloxera destroyed many of the vineyards in Europe, three “pipes” or 550-litre casks of port were kept in a Douro Valley

BY Kayleigh von Wittgenstein

family’s private reserve and passed down through generations. One of those pipes is said to have been acquired by Winston Churchill.

“This extraordinary port, which has spent 15 decades in oak casks, may be one of the only wines to survive from the pre-Phylloxera era in faultless condition,” said Adrian Bridge, Taylor’s managing director.

What does it taste like? Supposedly rich molasses and fig with complex hits of roasted coffee, black pepper, cigar leaf, and cedar. Its full, mellow

flavour is cut by a vibrant acidity mixed with the subtle aroma of oak.

It looks almost as good as could taste: presented in a solid teak box with dovetail joinery and brass fittings.

The port comes with a hardcover book, with ink illustrations by Sarah Coleman, detailing the Scion’s history.

The Fort Street liquor store acquired two bottles last year and sold one to a local collector. Once this remaining bottle sells, it is unlikely they will be able to restock this exceedingly rare item. VB

A Brilliant Thank You

Custom designed ring using 3 of the client’s diamonds.

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Kathy was presented with 3 gorgeous stones from her son who wanted to say ‘thank you’ for putting him through school.

She came to Barclay’s to have a very special piece of jewellery created. After consulting and discussing Kathy’s lifestyle, tastes and personal jewellery style, we decided a white gold classic trinity style ring, with a beautiful feminine detail on the under gallery, would be the best way to show off the stones. The look of joy on Kathy’s face told us the finished custom design was even better than what she had imagined. She was thrilled with the ring and excited to show her son how fantastic it looked. We later had the chance to meet her son and share in his pleasure at the beautiful design she chose.

Custom Design EXPERT

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the CowiChan

Wine & Culinary Festival septemBer 8-16 The Cowichan region has matured over the past 10 years to become a unique wine-touring destination. A comprehensive website and touring brochure featuring 15 wineries help you tour the back roads and enjoy the many fun events that take place at the wineries throughout the season. The Cowichan Wine loop is a great, multi-day vacation with some stunning scenery along the route. it weaves through fertile valleys, up mountains, across rivers and beside the ocean. The season culminates with the Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival from September 8 – 16. The festival kicks off with a grape Stomp at the annual Cowichan exhibition and continues with winemakers’ dinners and tasting events throughout the week. At the grand finale weekend all of the participating wineries hold special events at their locations. See wines.cowichan.net

1

Unsworth Vineyards

Premium wines reflecting the unique character of the Cowichan Valley, complemented by casual elegant dining. Unsworth & Amuse: celebrating the best of local food and wine.

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damali laVender & winery

Complimentary tastings including sparkling ‘rosea,’ ‘Alba’ Pinot grigio, estate grown red ‘maillette’ and delicious fruit wines with lavender. Special festival activities include a Sangria Party, Wine Writer’s Workshop, live music, Artisans, Self guided Farm Tours, lavender Crafts … with plenty of parking!

3500 TelegrAPh rd CoBBle hill, BC 250.743.4100 damali.ca

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silVerside farm & winery

making great wine has to begin with growing top quality fruit. Fortunately, we have the Cowichan Valley to call home!

While you are immersing yourself in the region’s unique terroir, drop by and try our premium quality estate grown wines.

Silverside Farm lies nestled in the heart of the Cowichan Valley. We began successfully growing outstanding blueberries in 1988. in 2005 came the production of berry wines: Blackberry, Blueberry, Tayberry and raspberry.

Award winning wine and dessert wines are available for tasting. Come and tour our wine room and two acres of blueberries, taste our unique wine blends, and discover jams & jellies.

Come savour our berry flavours.

6552 norTh roAd dUnCAn BC 250.709.9986 aVerillcreek.ca

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aVerill creek Vineyard

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We’re more than just another stop on the wine route!

Join us at one of the few true cider-apple orchards in north America. Cider and spirit samplings, lunch and dinner in our bistro, artisan foods and functional art in the farm store.

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Godfrey Brownell Vineyard

Saturday September 15th Special Chef — Special live music Same wonderful wine, food and ambiance 6 pm to 10 pm reserve on our site.

4911 mArShAll roAd 250.715.0504 GBVineyards.com

Whether it’s adrenaline or unwinding your crave … Cowichan has it all.

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lUxUry wine toUrs relax and travel in style as you tour some of the best countryside Vancouver island has to offer and we whisk you away to taste some fantastic wines. With tastings and lunch included, this will be an afternoon to remember! inFo@lUxUryWineToUrS.CA 250.391.9000 lUxUrywinetoUrs.ca

CAR CULTURE

Bring on those

lazy, hazy, car-washing days of summer

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To me, time spent on a sunny afternoon washing the car is quietly satisfying, both from getting the job done and from the simple pleasure of moving soap and water along the lines of a well-made car.

I well remember washing my first car at age seven: a Ford Falcon belonging to my father’s friend, Hans. Stopping by our London semi-detached home for a chat on a brilliant summer afternoon as my two mates and I were playing with the garden hose, he suggested we tackle his car. We gleefully set to work with bucket, soap, and rags. He even paid us.

I’ve loved cars since childhood. My earliest prized possessions were toy cars. I bought my first car by age 17 and have now owned some 18 vehicles, including a prize 1980 Rover 3500 V8.

Our relationship with our cars is complicated. While we enjoy personal mobility unimaginable a century ago, we can’t deny the societal and climatic costs of our car-oriented world.

Due to emerging technologies, however, enjoying a car and protecting our environment no longer need to be at odds.

12:33 PM This column will touch many topics, from new design and engineering, to the benefits of professional driver training, to the perceptions and challenges facing senior drivers, to the profiles of some interesting people involved in the local automotive industry.

But back to car washing, a perfect activity in these (hopefully) sunny August days. Cars are usually our second largest purchase after our homes. Protect your investment.

Ernie Kowal is a local expert in the care and restoration of automotive paints and finishes. Kowal owns Victoria-based Shiney Car Products, which offers soaps, waxes, and polishes produced in Chemainus by Victoria Wax. “Many habits have been handed down about car washing, but there is really only one way to wash your car,” says Kowal.

Kowal recommends using a natural sea sponge, as do I. They are gentle on finish, long-lasting, easy to clean, and a bargain — relative to the cost of new paint — at about $30.

Take a bucket of Super Soap (available from Shiney Car) or a quality automotive soap such as Meguiar’s Gold Class or Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo and Conditioner (Canadian Tire, Lordco, et al), a garden hose, and a couple of large cotton towels. Automotive soaps are specifically formulated to clean gently and preserve the protective wax coat, unlike dish soap, which contains detergents capable of removing vital protection.

about applying wax or cleaning with a clay bar.

Tree sap and bird mess should be removed quickly as they can permanently mar the finish. Bird deposits require gentle removal as they often contain abrasive material. If the dropping is still soft, water pressure from a garden hose should be sufficient; if dried, cover with a soaked paper towel until softened. For light tree sap, remove with Orange Oil cleaner. Rub larger accumulations with vegetable oil, working slowly and carefully. Apply a fresh coat of wax to the affected area when finished.

For those who prefer to leave car care to others, go to a professional detailing company. I have had good results with Diamond Detailing and Sticklers for Details. Then again, providing your children with a garden hose and a bucket may create a few lasting memories.

See shineycar.ca or call 1-877-477-4929. VB

August Inventory Sale!

20%-50% off

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Photo by Toni Bonsall

1. Rinse car thoroughly from top to bottom.

2. Wash first one half of the roof with a soap-soaked sea sponge. Rinse well. Then wash the other half. Rinse.

3. Wash hood and trunk lid.

Rinse.

4. Wash upper door panels, fenders and tail section. Rinse.

5. With a dedicated towel (so you don’t transfer grit and grime) wash the lower door panels, grill and wheels.

6. Clean accumulated brake dust with an acid-free wheel cleaning product and a soft bristle paint brush. Rinse.

7. Remove hose nozzle and thoroughly rinse car, allowing water to sheet away to ease drying the car. Towel dry carefully. Use one towel to push the water off the car gently; follow with a second towel to dry all door jambs and seals.

8. Now for the inside. Wipe interior surfaces with a micro fibre cloth. If necessary, spray a light mist of the diluted soap solution onto the surface and then dry with the micro fibre towel. A very light coating of 303 Aerospace Protectant can be used to protect vinyl surfaces. Vacuum the interior before celebrating a job well done.

9. Cars don’t need to be waxed all the time, but it is a good idea to do it a couple of times a year. Concours Red Wax or Collectors Yellow Wax will help to protect the paint and will enhance the car’s finish. Cleaning with a clay bar during the wash will prepare the car’s finish for better wax performance. Contact Shiney Car for more information

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Life with Mariah, warts and all

By Valerie Rolfe

ILLUSTRATION SHELLEY DAVIES

My dear old lumpy yellow Labrador retriever turned 14 in March. Warty and sporting an assortment of benign tumours, she has attained a revered status in our family, earned through perseverance and optimism.

Every day now is a gift with Mariah, bought from a breeder at age one. She’d been handpicked as a breeding bitch, but we suspect the owners saw her emerging Margaret Thatcher and cancelled plans to pass on the genes. For years, we struggled with her bossy personality, employing experts in aggression and dominance.

When she was younger, we tried all manner of collars, leashes, and harnesses to restrain her. Sixty pounds of pull and drag, she could rip your shoulder from its socket with one whiff of squirrel.

It’s a wonder we all still have our fingers, as Mariah — like most Labs — is fixated on food. She eats everything, anything 80

from apples to dead seagulls. The vet recently asked me whether she’d like beef- or chicken-flavoured vitamins.

Seriously? She’d eat the box.

Mariah greets guests with a house “goose” — front and back. She employs her whole mass to target and then torpedo herself at an unsuspecting groin regardless of gender or family affiliation. Those in the know stand at the door like a soccer player guards his gonads in a penalty kick.

Neighbours pass on lifts in our car, as Mariah sheds endlessly. “I like to take the bus,” they chirp into a rolleddown window, eyes darting about the interior, where fur hangs from the ceiling like stalactites.

Mariah rides on the duct-taped back seats of the old Volvo, her great blonde head out the window, ears flopping, nose twitching. She looks like a kid on a midway ride. Her favourite destination is the beach, for a swim and a roll in the sand, ensuring a gritty kitchen floor for days.

It was not that long ago that the old girl tackled waves well beyond her size with zeal, dragging huge logs as she went.

Now she’s content to raise her nose aloft from the deck of our boat, named Mariah in her honour, to catch the scents of otter scat and fish.

As most Lab owners can attest, the breed is bomb-proof.

Halloween, thunderstorms, the Snowbirds flight team in low formation overhead — all ignored. One evening, Mariah ran into a light standard at full throttle. She was once accidentally beaned with a bocce ball. She barely registered either blow and in fact throws herself against the walls of our home like a whale rubbing against submerged rock surfaces.

Just as many people mellow as they age, so has Mariah.

When the doorbell rings, she no longer roars down the hallway, skidding sideways on corners, launching herself at the metal door.

On walks, Mariah now trails along with a cheerful countenance — not just her tail wagging but her whole bumpy self. Her harbour seal face looks up at me with watery brown eyes, completely loyal and loving.

Mariah now enjoys freedom in our house. She saunters into the previously forbidden bedrooms, rummaging around in the wastebaskets, picking out Kleenex and banana peels. The kids complain that she’s made a mess, but we all shake our heads with the same refrain: you can’t get mad at Mariah.

She gives us an uncomplicated optimism in her dotage, despite the aches and pains she must feel. For years she faithfully watched over the house, the car, and the kids. Now in whatever time she has left, it’s our turn to watch over her, dispensing her meds, doling out treats, indulging the Labrador’s innate and almost desperate desire to touch and to be touched.

Mostly, though, we just love her more than ever, warts and all. VB

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SECRETS & LIVES

By shannon moneo photo by gary mckinstry

When you hear of a “hard landing,” what’s your first reaction? Is everyone safe?

That’s always my first question.

You’ve said BC Ferries must build a ship each year for 15 years. Where’s the money coming from? Where will they be built?

The money comes from internal cash flow, what we raise on the debt market and government in service fee increases.

We’ll do a world-wide procurement. As a British Columbian, I hope they’re built in BC, but we have to make sure it’s the best value for our customers and the company.

Riders demand a lot. How do you prioritize? Three levels. Whatever we do has to be safe first. Second: reliability, the ships have to go back and forth on time.

Third: customer amenities. If we can give people extras they’re willing to pay for, that’s where we’ll focus. The gift shops are a huge success. That’s our biggest growth area.

As a monopoly, does BC Ferries need to advertise? There’s a lot of competition, sea planes, tug and barges for commercial business, people choosing not to travel.

Customer surveys say one of the highlights is the ferry ride so we have to make people aware how great it is. I was blown away by my first trip.

Why are you paid less than (former CEO) David Hahn ($564,000 vs. $1 million)? Maximum compensation is now set out in legislation. I knew that coming into the job. If I stayed as COO I would get paid more because I wasn’t subject to Bill 20 legislation.

Will we find out what happened the night the Queen of the North sank? The best chance is the criminal proceedings next year, when the bridge team will likely be asked questions under oath.

You were drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1980 but never played in the NHL. Why? I played exhibition games and played in the American and International Hockey Leagues. I don’t know if I had the skills to play long-term in the NHL. I realized early on it’s a tough battle when you get to that level. The last two years that I played professional hockey, I also went to college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, studying business.

Which acronym is a tougher position, NHL or CEO? You probably have more control as CEO than in the NHL. The professional sports world is cut and dried. In business, there’s pressure but you’ve got a board and senior team that can help you through.

How do you unwind? I have a supportive family. My wife Shari runs everything at home, which makes my life a lot simpler. I work out at the Y as often as I can. I also have two dogs, a black Lab and an Australian terrier, that demand a walk as soon as supper’s done. It’s an opportunity to walk for

MIKE CORRIGAN, 51 CEO, BC FERRIES 82

an hour and talk to my wife. I ski, golf and play old-timers’ hockey with the Shoreline Canadians.

Any memories of growing up in Sudbury, where your dad was a miner?

Sudbury’s turned into a beautiful place now, compared to what it was. My dad went into the mines when he was 14.

He had Grade 10 education and got up to mine superintendent. He did a great job and was very well-respected. You learn what it’s like to work hard, to start with nothing. You take that with you for the rest of your life. He had a lot of workplace safety issues, which is why I’m so passionate about safety. Growing up in Sudbury, with so many miners and unions, you see both sides. I certainly understand the need for unions and worker rights.

Do your vacations include ferry rides?

Every summer Shari and I travel to northern BC. Shari loves the Prince Rupert to Port Hardy run. I try to get out in the fleet as much as possible. It invigorates me more than anything to be out on the ships.

Tell us a secret about you. I wish I could actually drive one of the big ships.

The closest I get are simulators. VB This interview has been condensed and edited.

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