Boulevard Magazine - March 2013 Issue

sp

ri

n

g

in

The Sharper Shapes

of spring fashion

from MacTeens to MetaLab

Raw Food

A Fad or FIx for Health?

before & after

Rebirth of a rockland Rancher

hot properties Morocco Moves to the uplands

d

fa e: sh

blvdmag.ca MARCH 2013

plus

si

“I think that what Victoria needs to sustain great businesses is not just people who give young people money, but opportunity.�

io

n

DOUG FRASER Locale AVIS RASMUSSEN New England Seascapes ANTOINE BITTAR Transient Moments March 9 - 30, 2013 Opening reception: Saturday, March 9, 1 - 5pm 2260 Oak Bay Avenue harold klunder & michael morris: March 9 - 30, Winchester Modern, 758 Humboldt Street david mayrs: March 9 - 29, 796 Humboldt Street / Will Millar: March 15 - April 20, Oak Bay Beach Hotel

Doug Fraser, Bus Stop, o/c, 36 x 56 in.

W I N C H E S T E R 2260 Oak Bay Ave. 250-595-2777

G A L L E R I E S

Winchester Modern 758 Humboldt St. 250-386-2773

winchestergalleriesltd.com

796 Humboldt St. 250-382-7750

SUPPORTS THE

4 TH ANNUAL

Once again Social Media Camp is featuring some of the brightest minds in social media for three days of exploring, sharing, teaching and networking.

MAY 6-8, 2013 at the VICTORIA CONFERENCE CENTRE Some of our 30+ speakers include:

RECE IV SUBS E A FRE E TO B CRIPTION OULE MAG VAR A REGI ZINE W D IT STRA TION H SMC 2013 TO

Mari Smith // Facebook Marketing Expert, Social Media Trainer C.C. Chapman // Author, Entrepreneur and Motivator Scott Monty // Head of Social Media for Ford Motor Company Amy Porterfield // Social Media Marketing Consultant and Speaker Jaime Stein // Manager – Social Media, ING Direct Nicole van Zanten // Social Media Coordinator, Canucks Sports & Entertainment Chad Wittman // Founder and CEO, EdgeRank Checker Janni Aragon // Senior Instructor, University of Victoria . . . and many more

Engaging speakers // Panelists // Workshops // Learning Pods // Keynote Presentations // Knowledge Cafe // Social Showcase // Tradeshow // Coffee & Tea Provided // SMC Awards // Limited Gold & Platinum Passes Available This Year // Networking with some of the smartest social media professionals in the country

Get your tickets today for $349 at Boulevard Magazine 1845B Fort Street Victoria, BC V8R 1J6

8

1

.8

8

11

IT PA ED A LL SS G JA E OL N SA D ET V & AT A P I 25 LA LA 0. B TI 59 L N 8 E U

M

8

8

8 8

8

8

8

C

LI

M

8

A pinnacle of style just reached new heights.

2013 Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI quattro Every so often a car is made that perfectly delivers upon the desires of the times.

Right now that desire is the handling of a sport sedan, the higher ground clearance of an SUV, and the cabin of a luxury car — an apt description of the Audi Q5.

Audi Autohaus

2013 Q5 MSRP from

41,895*

$

Includes Freight & PDI

(A new division to the German Auto Import Network)

1101 Yates Street at Cook, Victoria | 250.590.5849 | audiautohaus.com

AudiAutohaus @AudiAutohaus

© 2013 Audi Canada. European model is shown. “Audi”, “Q5”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. To find out more about Audi, visit Audi Autohaus today. *Based on a 2013 Audi Q5 2.0 TFSI model. MSRP of $39,900 plus freight & PDI of $1,995. Doc ($395), levy, taxes, PPSA up to $45.48 for finance/lease where applicable and other fees are extra. Please see Audi Autohaus for full details and features. DL4991427 #31246.

CONTENTS March 2013 Issue 03, Volume XXIl

20

24

32

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

20 The Master of metalab

By Adrien Sala

12

24 FASHION: THE SHAPE OF SPRING

By Lia Crowe

15

LETTERS

32

HOT PROPERTIES Layers of antiquity in a modern home

By Carolyn Heiman

56 What’s cooking with raw food?

By Anne Mullens

COLUMNS 16 HAWTHORN A social policy revisited

By Tom Hawthorn 18

STATE OF THE ARTS We’re meant to sing together

By Alisa Gordaneer

CONTRIBUTORS

50

14 EDITOR’S LETTER

42

DESIGN MATTERS Before and after

By Sarah MacNeill

46 PERSONAL FINANCE

How to minimize

income tax payments

By Tess van Straaten

FRONT ROW Black Grace dance; Love Letters; Leonard Cohen and more

By Robert Moyes

61 TRAVEL NEAR Feasting locally at Wild Mountain

By Pirjo Raits 64

FOOD & WINE The spud is NOT lowly!

By Cinda Chavich and Sharon McLean

68

HEALTH & WELLNESS Men, don’t dance the beer belly polka

By Shannon Moneo

50 78

CAR CULTURE New safety gadgets deconstructed

By Stuart Eastwood

80

WRY EYE A wake-up call for a cell-phone addict

By Lauren Kramer

82

SECRETS & LIVES Murray Rankin, MP

By Shannon Moneo

On our cover: MetaLab founder Andrew Wilkinson.

Photo by Dean Azim.

Above, fashion photo by Dean Azim Model Myki wears locallydesigned and made Tria' Dress in orange/white by Eliza Faulkner $470. Find at elizafaulkner.com.

8

Vision Accomplished

On time. On budget.

Custom homes • Renovations • Kitchens • Sunrooms • Commercial

250-380-4605 horizoncontracting.ca

9

…bye bye, bulges Hello,

coolsculpting

®

Publisher Geoff Wilcox Managing Editor Anne Mullens Associate Editor Vivian Smith Art Director Sarah Reid Fashion Editor Lia Crowe Ad Production Pip Knott Advertising Vicki Clark Pat Montgomery-Brindle Corlie Sleen Geoff Wilcox Marketplace Programs Scott Simmons Business Manager Janet Dessureault Editorial/Administrative Assistant Kayleigh von Wittgenstein Contributing Writers Cinda Chavich, Darryl Gittins, Pamela Durkin, Alisa Gordaneer, Tom Hawthorn, Carolyn Heiman, Anna Kemp, Lauren Kramer, Sarah MacNeill, Sharon McLean, Shannon Moneo, Katherine Palmer Gordon, Robert Moyes, Tess van Straaten

CoolSculpting is a new, non-invasive procedure that uses a revolutionary cooling technology to reduce areas of unwanted fat.

Contributing Photographers Dean Azim, Vince Klassen, Gary McKinstry, Leanna Rathkelly

®

Subscribe Enjoy the convenience of Boulevard delivered to your door each month by subscribing online at blvdmag.ca or email subscribe@blvdmag.ca Advertise Boulevard Magazine is Victoria’s leading lifestyle magazine, celebrating 23 years of publishing in Greater Victoria.

To advertise or to learn more about advertising opportunities please send us an email at info@blvdmag.ca

– the cool way to lose fat!

Available in Victoria exclusively at MD ESTHETICS info@blvdmag.ca

Is CoolSculpting® right for you?

Call 250-478-2336 or visit www.lookamazing.ca to schedule your FREE consultation today.

blvdmag.ca

Victoria Boulevard ® is a registered trademark of Boulevard Lifestyles Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher's written permission.

Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Boulevard Lifestyles Inc. or its afiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents, both implied or assumed, of any advertisement in this publication.

Printed in Canada.

Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #42109519. $5.95

Suite 201 - 1910 Sooke Road at Colwood Corners 10

CLIENT: MD ESTHETICS PUBLICATION: BOULEVARD

ISSN 1196-6807

1196 6807

The Elbers Financial Group

“We believe that in order to earn a reasonable investment return in the current difficult economic environment, equity investors should turn to high quality, dividend paying stocks that display price-leadership. This principle is the foundation of our High Income Portfolio.”

Why Work With Us? • Own individual securities in discretionary investment portfolios with active risk management • Work directly with a Portfolio Manager, avoiding third party management fees • Earn tax-efficient investment income • Benefit from financial and inter-generational planning Gain an advantage by dealing with CIBC Wood Gundy, a leading investment advisory firm with over 100 years of history and backed by the collective resources of the CIBC Group of Companies.

Advisor Managed Program Composite Annualized Performance Returns (as at December 31, 2012) 1 Year

2 Years

3 Years

Since Inception

Elbers' High Income Portfolio

7.1%

5.7%

11.8%

17.8%

S&P/TSX 60 Index

8.1%

-0.9%

3.8%

10.2%

Adrian Elbers, CFA

Eric Elbers, CIM, FCSI, PhD

Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor

Portfolio Manager, Associate Investment Advisor

250 361-2283 (Victoria) • 1 800 561-5864 www.cibcwg.com/Elbers-Financial-Group CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor. Past performance may not be repeated and is not indicative of future results. Performance returns are gross of AMA investment management fees, and other expenses, if any. Each individual account’s performance returns will be reduced by these fees and expenses. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns. Inception date for the High Income portfolio is January 1, 2009. This information, including any opinion, is based on various sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. All investments carry a certain degree of risk. It is important to review objectives, risk tolerance, liquidity needs, tax consequences and any other considerations before choosing an AMA strategy.

Dean Azim is a Victoria-based photographer, photo-journalist and videographer who focuses on portraiture, lifestyle, commercial and human-interest works. Azim, who travels the world to take photos, recently started Cinderbloc Studio with Antonio LaFauci, where they collaborate with other creative people to realize projects that include promotion, film, publication and more. This month, Azim shot the Andrew Wilkinson story and the fashion feature.

Boulevard’s new fashion editor, has had an international modelling career for more than 20 years, working in London, New York, Paris and Milan. Now building her career in fashion editing and creative direction, she conceived of and executed this month’s spring fashion spread. “This year’s prints and shapes are reminiscent of a late ‘60s esthetic, which led me to a concept of a fashion and art scene. And the AGGV’s show, Traces, turned out to be just perfect as a location.”

Lia Crowe ,

Many beautiful Victoria homes have been opened to longtime writer Carolyn heiman since her first Hot Properties feature in 2011. But none has blended the mysterious East with family comfort like the home in this month’s issue, in which exotic Morocco meets West Coast chic. The result is a dramatic and unique home for its owners, who looked to create tranquillity along with family traditions. vIVIAN SMITH has been an important part of Boulevard’s growth as a sophisticated publication these past four years. She took the helm as Managing Editor and then became Associate Editor while working on her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Victoria.

Now “Dr.” Smith is leaving Boulevard for new horizons. “I’ll miss Boulevard but I’m excited about what comes next,” says Smith. She spent nearly 15 years as a staff writer, editor and manager at The Globe and Mail before moving to Victoria, where she became a newspaper columnist, university journalism instructor and media consultant. Boulevard has benefited from Smith’s editor’s eyes, expert coaching of writers and her input on creative story assignments. We thank her for her work and wish her great success in her new endeavours.

12

SUPPLIED IN VICTORIA AT:

PHARMASAVE BROADMEAD VILLAGE #310 777 Royal Oak Dr. 250.727.3505 www.pharmasavebroadmead.com

LIFESTYLE MARKETS 2950 Douglas St. Victoria • 250.384.3388 343 Cook St. Victoria • 250.381.5450 9769 5th St. Sidney • 250.656.2326 www.lifestylemarkets.com

13

EDITOR’S LETTER

Dr. Chambers & assoCiates

Dr. Rick Chambers and Dr. Karen Leavitt

• Preventative & Restorative Care • Fully Integrated Digital X-Rays • Custom Teeth Whitening • Laser Dentistry & Periodontal Laser Therapy • Implants • Invisalign • Velscope System

Dr. riCk Chambers & assoCiates #400-1312 blansharD st.

250.382.1541 www.drrichardchambersdmd.com

Among family and friends I am known as the “kale queen” because I find ways to work that trendy brassica into almost every meal. (Says my husband: “Stop her before she kales again!”) And I was eating gluten-free long before it became the latest fad, since I was diagnosed with celiac disease at 10 months of age, eons ago. So I know first-hand how some foods cause illness in susceptible people. It makes sense to me that other foods may prevent illness, too.

So I suppose I was ripe to investigate the burgeoning trend of raw foodism and its health and wellness claims (p. 56).

At first, I thought eating raw was too rigid and extreme.

And, cooked food tastes kinda great, dontcha think? (Mmm, baked potato with melted Stilton and sautéed kale!) I also shared UK primatologist Richard Wrangham’s belief that cooking makes us human. My investigation, however, has made me warm up to raw. I can hear friends’ gasps: “You’ve gone raw, too?!” Well, no, but I am now working more raw food into my diet and I do have my eye on a food dehydrator, if only to make the delicious gluten-free vegetable pizza crust and crackers from Heather Cunliffe’s best-selling cookbook, Blissful: Raw Food Recipes from Café Bliss.

We’re on top of cutting-edge trends here at Boulevard. This month our new fashion editor, Lia Crowe, shows us the angles in this year’s geometry-inspired runway trends. Many thanks to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and its featured artists for allowing us to shoot among the current exhibit, Traces: Fantasy Worlds and Tales of Truth, running until April 21.

Other features this month include a profile of Andrew Wilkinson, the hot, young, trend-setting founder of MetaLab. Take a look, too, at the eclectic waterfront Hot Properties home that boldly defies designer trends. As well, writer Pirjo Raits shows us a new local take on farm-to-table eating with Metchosin’s Wild Mountain dinners.

Of course, you cannot miss our bold new cover masthead that takes 23-year-old Boulevard into its next era. While we’re still called Boulevard, our shortened blvd tag brings us up-todate with what we have all been writing in texts and emails.

Congratulations and thanks to our artistic director, Sarah Reid, for constantly giving Boulevard a fresh and zesty look.

Remember, too, we have started a subscription service. For a reasonable fee, the magazine will be mailed to your door each month. Visit blvdmag.ca for more details. VB

Anne Mullens, Managing Editor 14

YOUR LETTERS On! On! Here’s to Victoria’s Hash House Harriers I was thrilled to recently read in an old Boulevard that hashing is alive and well in Victoria (September: Health & Wellness). It brought back great memories of our regular hash runs through the rainforests of Brunei, when I was working there in 1994-95 as a teacher. My (now-grown) children Sheenagh and Callum became accomplished hashers over two years. They thrived on the physical challenges that the tropical rainforest presented. Great bonding activity! ON! ON!!

Keith Morrison

PSA test must be an individualized choice I take exception to Alan Cassel’s potentially lethal advice (January) about avoiding the PSA test. Had I not had one, my prostate cancer might have taken my life. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, in 2012 about 26,500 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. On average, 11 men in Canada will die of prostate cancer every day. PSA tests, while medically controversial, can lead to early detection and may prevent some of those deaths. I encourage all men to explore in full depth the pros and cons of the PSA test. It must be an individualized choice, but I am glad I chose to have one.

Geoff Johnson

Pressure cooker risotto a no-stir hit I tried the pressure cooker risotto recipe (January). It was wonderful and so much easier than the stir, stir, stir method.

I have been using a pressure cooker for more than 20 years, ever since my husband read in Pacific Yachting about its benefits on a boat where space and fuel are important. My question: What happens to the cooking time if I double the recipe? Does Cinda Chavich’s cookbook (which I will be purchasing) address formulas for changing recipes?

Wendy Kirkby

FREEZE TIME REVERSE AGING TM

Through Thermal Magnetic Rejuvenation

Non-surgical body contouring for the face, neck and body

DR. JULIAN HANCOCK DERMATOLOGY INC.

Yes it does, as well as gives many other tips for adapting recipes and working out cooking times. The risotto recipe can be doubled with the cooking time staying at seven minutes. See Chavich’s website tastereport.com

DrSkinlaser clinics offer three paths to excellence in skin care through cosmetic, surgical and medical dermatology.

“Venus Freeze offers effective, economical & comfortable skin tightening.

My family saw the change in my face after just two treatments!” says Dr. Hancock.

A chocolate lover weighs in While most of the places listed in your February chocolate story are wonderful, you didn’t mention Chocolat at Fort and Douglas. My favourites include its Thai lemongrass with coconut cream and a hint of curry, saffron flower with a hint of cardamom, and chilies steeped in dark chocolate ganache.

They’re not only the best in Victoria but on the entire planet!

Heather Keenan We welcome your letters: editor@blvdmag.ca or visit us on Facebook, and on Twitter @BoulevardMag.

LASER FOR ROSACEA, HAIR AND MUCH MORE, IPL, BOTOX, JUVEDERM, HYDRAFACIAL, METVIX PDT, FRACTIONAL CO2 LASER RESURFACING

VICTORIA 214-911 Yates St. 250-384-9268

NANAIMO 101-5281 Rutherford Rd 250-729-2468

www.drskinlaser.com

Convenient lunch and evening appointments 15

By Tom Hawthorn

Secured Real Estate Investments

photo by vince klassen

Celebrating 40 Years of Service

TIME TO RETHINK A DISASTEROUS SOCIAL POLICY

Averaging 5%+ return to investors

Proud to provide secured first mortgage investments since 1973 101-727 Fisgard St. Victoria, BC V8W 1R8

16

250.388.5441 www.firstisland.com

A high school yearbook is a familiar object from our teenaged years. The photographic formula is so conventional as to be a cliché — teachers at blackboards, pimply undergrads with classmates, mugshots of grads in black gowns with the young women cradling roses. Add pages for clubs and the school play, not to mention sports teams, and you have a standard yearbook.

Towards the back, one sometimes finds a page that is out of place amidst all the youthful exuberance and promise.

The “in memoriam” page usually salutes a classmate fallen to lengthy illness, or killed suddenly in a car wreck. The most recent edition of The Camosun, the annual Victoria High School yearbook, includes a memorial page to a classmate whose absence from graduation ceremonies was keenly felt.

On a warm June evening nearly three years ago, Justin Wendland stood waiting for a bus with about a dozen other people in front of the Times Colonist building on Douglas Street. An agitated man with a dog on a leash approached. In the ensuing commotion, some would mistake an altercation for a hug. Instead, as the court learned earlier this year, Justin suffered two stab wounds to the chest. He never made it home. The Grade 10 student was just 15 years old.

ROLL CALL OF THE FALLEN The death of the young man was one of a handful of local crimes involving the killing of teenagers. A simple roll call of the fallen immediately conjures the terrible details of unspeakable crimes. Kimberley Proctor. Reena Virk. And, now, poor Justin Wendland.

The man accused of attacking Justin has been on trial on a charge of second-degree murder. (The outcome of the trial was pending at this writing in early February.) At issue was the 41-year-old defendant’s mental state.

Whatever the outcome in court, the case is a reminder of a disastrous social policy. About 30 years ago, the provincial government began closing mental hospitals. A program launched with the best of intentions — in the wake of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and patient advocacy in behalf of greater independence — was not followed with sufficient supervision and assistance for those released to the streets.

Successive provincial governments saw a savings.

LEAVING THE ILL TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES The result is all too obvious in any urban setting: disturbed and desperate people are all too often left to fend for themselves. The mentally ill need doctors and nurses and social workers, not cops and judges and jailers. They need medication and supervision, not self-medication and a failed War on Drugs.

When matters go awry and an untreated person goes haywire, the outcome can be tragic for them — and sometimes for others. A quiet apartment block in Vancouver’s West End was the scene recently of a series of unprovoked attacks involving a knife and hammer. The accused was described as a “nice, charming guy” struggling with mental illness.

Or the result can be a teenage boy bleeding to death in the arms of a police officer on a downtown sidewalk. The spot where Justin was stabbed became a shrine in the now-familiar ritual — balloons, flowers, stuffed animals. Many left notes at the scene, including a heartbroken mother who wrote words her son could never hear. Her employer, a tow-truck company, offered to cover the cost of the youth’s funeral, an expense for which no family budgets.

On Facebook, a memorial page has 1,313 members who share memories of the boy they knew as Pudgy. Last December 8, his sister and several classmates gathered at the bus stop to mark what would have been his 18th birthday.

Justin’s grad photo would have appeared between classmates named Welch and Wenger on page 106 of The Camosun. Instead, his photo is shown three pages later on a page dedicated to his memory.

“We miss your sense of humour and your positive outlook on life,” the yearbook staff wrote. “This was our year to have fun and be free and we all wish you could have spent this last year with us.”

Justin Wendland could have been your son, or mine.

Sadly, the same can be said of the man charged in the killing. VB Tom Hawthorn is a freelance newspaper and magazine writer who lives in Victoria. Deadlines, a collection of his favourite obituaries for The Globe and Mail, was released by Harbour Publishing in October.

17

state of the arts

by alisa gordaneer

When you know the notes to sing, Alisa finds, you can do most anything

UTOPIA.

No longer a state of mind.

C O U N T E R T O P S

F O R

T H E

W E S T

731 Summit Ave Victoria, BC | 250.472.1200

“Doh, doh, doh, doh… weh-weh-weh!” And again: “Doh, doh, doh, doh… weh-weh-weh!”

No, not the cry of an endangered bird, but rather the somewhat unified voices of 70 intrepid singers taking a stab at a new vocal arrangement of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance.

It’s not only the first time the group has sung together, it’s the first time many of us have sung in a group at all. On this rainy night, crammed into the Larsen Music instrument showroom, we’re jumping into the deep end of a musical adventure.

As members of The Choir, Victoria’s newest vocal ensemble, we’ve signed up (and paid $125) for this 10-week participatory experience led by Victoria singer-songwriter Anne Schaefer. If we weren’t making odd noises by now, we might feel something wasn’t quite right.

As it is, we’ve already sort-of sorted ourselves into vocal sections. “If you can sing this note, you’re definitely a bass,” Schaefer instructs, playing a low E on an electric piano. If you can hit a high G, you’re on the other end of the scale: soprano. But because participants are mainly women of all ages, including one with a baby in a sling, the vast majority gathers in the centre as altos. Schaefer explains that if it feels bad to sing a note, it is bad — for your voice and your throat. Who knew there was also an element of danger?

FROM RADIOHEAD TO BJÖRK

877.FLOFORM | floform.com

18

There’s also an element of surprise. While many of the dozens of choirs in town tackle traditional music, typically based in the classical or religious repertoires, this one is all about contemporary pop music, from Radiohead to Björk, specifically arranged to take advantage not only of participants’ singing voices, but, well, our basic sound-making abilities: the sheet

music we’re handed includes “waka-waka-waka” in the lyrics.

It’s strangely enticing, and not a little intimidating for those of us who, like me, are pretty new to the whole choir experience.

Schaefer encourages the more experienced singers to buddy up with the newbies, and we quickly sound better.

“We forget we know a lot,” she explains later. “Everyone there knows how to sing. Some people are more experienced, some have more natural ability, but everyone has an ear that can take in information. It’s a bit of practice, that’s all it is.”

Resurface and tighten.

It’s you, only better.

VULNERABLE AND PERSONAL Even so, it’s scary. Singing brings out our vulnerability — there’s something so personal about it, coupled with the fact that it’s impossible to ever really hear our own voice.

We’re fragile when we sing, and confidence can easily be undermined. But not here.

“I believe in you,” Schaefer tells the group, more than once in the evening. “Now, try again.”

By the second rehearsal, we’re a bit more confident, even those of us who haven’t practiced much beyond the shower stall. We’ve also moved to a more spacious, and less secular, venue. The stage of the Hope Lutheran church is made for a choir, and it occurs to me that, given how few people go to churches now, and how many people watch television shows like Glee, it’s not surprising that a growing number of people are looking for any chance to get out to sing. If part of the joy in church-going comes from singing hymns as a group, clearly singing together in any context, from campfire to arena concert, can make people feel good — and there’s nothing like singing with a group to get over that individual feeling of vulnerability.

“We’re meant to sing together,” Schaefer tells me later. “It’s good for our cellular makeup. We should vibrate those cells. It’s therapeutic, it makes us happy!”

While some choirs only invite experienced singers who must audition to join, the Getting Higher Choir, led by Shivon Robinsong and Denis Donnelly, the Joy of Life Choir, led by Daniel Lapp, and others encourage the less-experienced. Any of them are a way to get involved, and to learn more about music from the singers’ perspective.

“At some point, choirs did the music of the day, not delving into music from centuries ago,” says Schaefer, who’s created all the original arrangements, and even wrote one piece especially for The Choir. “I got really inspired at the prospect of having such new, innovative stuff on the go. I’m testing out all my creative choir ideas with this great group of people.”

So, we all win, it seems. Schaefer gets to try a new musical challenge, audiences will get to hear something new and unusual, and we participants? We get to build skills and have fun, just “weh-weh-weh”-ing along. VB The Choir performs at the Church of Christ the Scientist, 1205 Pandora, on Sunday, March 10, at 7:30 pm. New members can join beginning in April. See larsenmusic.ca.

You can also find out more about other choirs in the Capital Region at bcchoralfed.com.

eMatrix™ SKIN RESURFACING and TIGHTENING

The latest and most effective technology for treating acne scarring, lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, and loose, saggy skin.

aker

FACIAL REJUVENATION CENTRE

DR. STEPHEN M. BAKER M.D., FRCS(C) Dipl ABO, Oculoplastic Surgeon www.drstephenbaker.com 302-1625 Oak Bay Avenue 250.382.0392 Proud Community Sponsors

19

by adrien sala photography by dean azim

strikes. Unlike many traditional businesses where absolute focus is expected from 9 to 5, employees here are free to do as they please with their time.

They can arrive and leave when it suits them, run out to appointments, or simply disappear for a break, just as long as the work gets done.

STARTUP TO MILLIONS IN SIX YEARS

alking through the large glass doors on the thirdfloor entrance of a multimillion-dollar company in downtown Victoria, you might expect to encounter someone at a front desk to greet you, perhaps take your coat and show you into a waiting room.

But at MetaLab, a successful web and design company run by its 27-year-old founder, Andrew Wilkinson, there is no such person. In fact, there isn’t even a front desk — or receptionist for that matter. Instead, one is greeted only by a faint but savoury smell of a recently microwaved lunch that has likely fed one of the 20 or so twenty-somethings sitting alongside each other in front of rows of Apple computers.

Bright and open with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and windows, the recently renovated office space is one of two floors MetaLab leased 14 months ago to accommodate a staff that swelled from 15 people in 2011 to 55 by the end of 2012 after finding increased success with projects that included an interactive phone app for the 2012 TED conference in California, and a task management system called Flow, which generated over $20,000 in revenue on its first day alone.

The third-floor office of MetaLab is divided, with one half of the room separated from the other by a long dry-erase board filled with sketches of ideas and design illustrations. On one of the few perimeter walls not made of glass, a large, iconic image of Apple founder Steve Jobs looms as if challenging the staff to raise their game; opposite that, an arcade game older than the majority of the employees sits waiting for someone to take hold of the controls, which at MetaLab can happen whenever the mood

“Why would I want someone at work who isn’t being productive?” asks Wilkinson, who at 9 am on any given day is unlikely to be at the MetaLab office himself. Most mornings, if the tall and angular CEO is in Victoria and not on one of his many trips to San Francisco, Vancouver or New York, he is still in bed, sleeping like a teenager at home in his own house in Oak Bay, bought in the last year with some of his MetaLab earnings. Despite running a company that can boast Apple, Google and Disney, as well as a host of Fortune 500 companies as clients, Wilkinson doesn’t usually arrive until 1:30 pm.

“It works for me,” he says over a late-afternoon coffee at Caffé Artigiano on Government Street, shrugging his shoulders unapologetically. It’s hard to argue otherwise. In the past six years, his company has grown from a small, coffee-shop enterprise hunting for clients, into a company that doubles its business every year and now enjoys revenues of $6 million annually. For Wilkinson, who dropped out of journalism school at Ryerson University after one semester because the prospect of a reporter’s salary seemed bleak, it is a dream come true.

“Originally I thought if I could work alone in my underwear in my apartment and get up whenever I wanted, I’d be happy,” he jokes. “I got that and then thought if I could just have an office with people in it — that would make me so happy. And then I got that, too.”

“Why would I want someone at work who isn’t being productive?”

WEBPAGES, INTERFACE DESIGN, AND YOUR IDEA, HERE Divided into three main divisions, MetaLab’s scope is wide-ranging. Pixel Union, its design division, creates themes (customizable webpages) for Tumblr that are hugely popular with people all over the world, including major celebrities like Zooey 21

Deschanel, John Mayer and Snoop Dogg, who all use them for their own sites. (To date, Pixel Union has the most popular themes on Tumblr, with over two million downloads.)

MetaLab also has an interface design division, which focuses on the interaction point between humans and computers. (If you’ve ever visited a website or used a software or phone app that is confusing or clunky, you might well understand the importance of interface design.) What really makes Wilkinson tick, however, is the consulting division of MetaLab. “I like the challenge of helping people turn their ideas into something great,” he says, stressing that large challenges don’t always need complicated solutions. Wilkinson prefers websites and applications that are intuitive and easy to understand so the ideas behind them can speak for themselves.

“That’s what Andrew loves,” says Luke Seeley, the 26-year-old product director of MetaLab’s software division, who was Wilkinson’s first-ever employee. “His passion lies in creating something, a business, and seeing it grow. Bringing people together is one of his best skills.”

FROM MACTEENS TO STEVE JOBS HIMSELF The passion for developing businesses began early in Wilkinson’s life, shortly after his parents moved with him and his two younger brothers to Oak Bay from Vancouver in 2001, when he was just 15 years old. Uninterested in sports and recreational activities at school, he collaborated with a friend living in Hawaii to create a website called MacTeens, which was a forum for young fans of Apple computers. It quickly grabbed a wide audience and evolved into a site where teens could read reviews of products and discuss the latest technology.

“We were getting stuff FedEx-ed to us every day because of MacTeens,” recalls his father, architect David Wilkinson. “He became a tastemaker and reviewer.”

The site grew to the point where Wilkinson started receiving invites to major technology conferences,

“I think that what Victoria needs to sustain great businesses is not just people who give young people money, but opportunity.”

including one at MacWorld in New York.

“I got to meet Steve Jobs and all these senior Apple people,” says Wilkinson proudly.

Following his experiences with MacTeens and his short stint at Ryerson, Wilkinson returned to Victoria in 2005 without any major plans, other than to pay rent. After realizing that working for minimum wage at a local espresso bar wasn’t going to cut it, he looked for other options, teaching himself how to build websites through online video courses. “Within two weeks I [talked] my way into a job,” he says. Confident and perhaps a bit cocky, he decided after couple months that he might be better suited to working on his own. “I realized I could do it myself,” he says. So he quit.

“I managed to really quickly get two kind of big clients: one in San Fran and one in NYC,” he explains. It was enough work that he needed to contract out some of it, so he hired a friend and MetaLab was born.

EMPLOYER TO VICTORIA’S CREATIVE YOUNG “We’re one of the companies that not only employs young people — is full of young people — but also gives great salaries and gives them the opportunity to really move up,” says Wilkinson. “I think that what Victoria needs to sustain great businesses is not just people who give young people money, but opportunity.”

Despite his company having predominantly international clients, Wilkinson is firmly set on remaining in Victoria and growing his business with the talent pool that is here. He has even hired both of his younger brothers to work for him and is open to anyone who is keen and willing to learn.

Wilkinson continues to look for new opportunities and has branched out into other side projects, recently working with Steve Job’s widow, Laurene Powell, on her Dream is Now project. He’s also involved with an online medical service (essentially a virtual walk-in clinic) called Medeo that has the support of the BC Ministry of Health.

He has had inquiries from those wishing to buy MetaLab, reportedly in the millions, but he has refused to sell, and has no plans to take the private company public with an IPO. “Ultimately I don’t want to follow the traditional route of building and flipping companies because what if these are my best ideas? And these are the best people?”

And now that he finally has the money to do what he wants, Wilkinson has had a realization that will hopefully keep him here, contributing as a job creator for the young people he talks about.

“I’ve realized that I actually love Victoria,” he says. “I now have a bunch of employees and I love it here.” VB

Oak Bay Broadloom & Fine Floors Ltd.

PORCELAIN TILE NATURAL STONE CERAMICS WOOL CARPETS CORK FLOORING HARDWOODS INSTALLS

1990 Oak Bay Ave. Victoria, BC V8R 1E2 250.592.7672 www.oakbaybroadloom.com

23

24

Geometric prints, shapes and details are spring-fresh and bold enough for the season of new beginnings. by lia crowe photography by dean azim on location at the art gallery of greater victoria

Christopher: Denham coated grey denim jeans, $210; Altru Polariod lens graphic tee, $38; Converse Chuck Taylor All Star canvas shoes, $55. All at Citizen Clothing.

Leah: Joseph Ribkoff jacket, $205, at W&J Wilson; Minimum sigma print dress, $79, at Still Life for her; Fiel, “Thompson” acid-wash cow hide heel, $260, at Footloose; Orly Genger by Jacklyn Mayer “Brian” collar, $275, and “Annabelle” bracelet, $136, both at Public Boutique.

Myki: Finders Keepers shattered geo print pant, $145, at Suasion; La Poeme silk tee, $115, at Bernstein & Gold; Fiel, “Thompson” acid-wash cow hide heel, $260, at Footloose; Isharya black pyramid luxe earrings, $108, at Public Boutique.

Artwork: Alison Norlen's Glimmer (Zeppelin), 2009, chalk, charcoal, 2.9 x 1.8 m, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2013.

25

Myki: Locally-designed Olivia Coat by Tatum and Olivia, $375, at Tatum and Olivia.

Artwork: Alison Norlen's Glimmer (Zeppelin), 2009, welded/soldered wire, 1.06 x 1.2 x 1.5 m, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2013.

Caption here... xxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxx xxx

26

Leah: Judith & Charles “Dizzy Dress,” $395, at Scala Boutique; Robert Clergerie for Barney’s NY shoes, $250, at Verve Fashions; Isharya nude pyramid luxe flat cuff, $278, Isharya black pyramid luxe stackable ring set, $118, and Orly Genger by Jacklyn Mayer “Brian” collar, $275, all at Public Boutique.

Myki: Judith & Charles “Dizzy Dress,” $395, at Scala Boutique; Marie Turnor “lunch clutch,” $205, at Public Boutique; Miu Miu shrug, $165, Nine West shoes, $40, both at Verve Fashions.

Artwork: Ed Pien's Play Rope drawing, 2012, rope, 2.7 x 3m, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2013.

27

28

Leah: Joe Fresh print dress, $49.

Artwork: Ed Pien's Twelve, 2012, ink on cut 3M film, laminated on Kegon paper, 2.4 x 3.6 m diameter, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2013.

Christopher: Wings + Horns navy knit blazer, $490, Ingram red gingham shirt, $165, both at Outlooks for Men. Denham coated grey denim jeans, $210, at Citizen Clothing. Sunglasses, stylist’s own.

Ben: Sand, from Denmark, checked blazer, $575; Omega slim blue dress shirt, $175; Dion wool tie, $110. All at Outlooks for Men. Jeans, model’s own.

29

Credits: Styling and editorial Lia Crowe Photography Dean Azim Hair Ila Meens for Hive Hair and Barber & Fritz Makeup Jen Clark Models Myki Engelland-Swift, Leah Meens, Christopher Lawry, and Ben Wilson Styling assistant Danielle Janess Lunch provided by The Mint for Lunch TRACES | Fantasy Worlds & Tales of Truth: Daniel Barrow, Alison Norlen & Ed Pien Curated by Nicole Stanbridge, January 18 – April 21, 2013, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss Street, Victoria BC

Myki: Locally designed and made, custom “Diamond ring” dress by Bridget Savard designs, $328, bridgetsavarddesigns@gmail.com. Marimekko “fokus” tray, $82, at Leka Designs.

Artwork: Ed Pien's Twelve, 2012, ink on cut 3M film, laminated on Kegon paper, 2.4 x 3.6 m diameter, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 2013 30

2013 RANGE ROVER SPORT

LAND ROVER VICTORIA

3351 Douglas Street, Victoria • Tel. 250.475.3313 • landrovervictoria.com Monday-Thursday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday-Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm CALL SHANE MOSS (General Sales Manager) TODAY!

ALL WHEEL DRIVE 2013 JAGUAR XF

JAGUAR VICTORIA

3351 Douglas Street, Victoria • Tel. 250.475.3313 • jaguarvictoria.com Monday-Thursday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday-Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm CALL SHANE MOSS (General Sales Manager) TODAY!

HOT PROPERTIES

by carolyn heiman photography by vince klassen

unique [juːˈniːk] adj 1. being the only one of a particular type; single; sole 2. without equal or like; unparalleled 3. informal: very remarkable or unusual

33

nique is the singular word that best describes a waterfront home whose interior has been metamorphosed from classic English-style formality to casual, eclectic internationalism.

Everything about this home — from the Moroccan sconces lighting the passageway upstairs, to the porcelain chandelier nostalgically acquired in a small Italian town where the owner’s grandmother lived — has been guided by personal panache. Gone are the sleek kitchen cabinets and granite-topped island and counters installed by a previous owner. In their place are roughhewn tables, open-plank shelves, Grecian columns, and beefy-wooden archways.

Trendsetting pronouncements do not guide the esthetics in this home. Its interior director, Sabrina Jardine, wife and mother of three children eight and under, is sure-footed when describing the result of a more than year-long renovation.

“I knew from the beginning that I wanted a more eclectic home that reflected me, my love, my travels and my family ... it is definitely not a home that goes by the book. It is not structured, but we love it.”

34

No rules bind the comfortable, eclectic interior of this house, which has furnishing collected from at least 10 countries.

Heightened awareness

Clusters of bulbous Murano glass fixtures drip from the living room ceiling.

35

Country kitchen and thickened walls At the top of the Jardines’ must-have list was an open, countrystyle kitchen that seamlessly connected to the dining and living rooms, which was achieved by blowing out formal doors and widening archways. Next, conventional-width walls were given a mega-thick plastered look, lending the space the centuries-old feeling of an Italian or possibly Moroccan villa.

Ultra-modern furnishings — a purple Roche Bobois sofa — rests comfortably alongside other décor touches from at least 10 countries that speak of ancient antiquity: fine metal filigree pendants, French chandeliers, Murano glass light fixtures, Syrian dressers, and Iraqi chairs. Taken as a list of ingredients, it logically should create a “Tower of Babel” effect, but instead peace and harmony emerge from this globalized mash-up. It’s as if generations have occupied this space and with each passing century the legacy of their travels and acquisitions has been lacquered in layers onto their physical space.

Children Keano, Isabella and Angel feel right at home in the familycentred kitchen. Granite countertops and tidy cabinets were removed for a more rustic look.

“Your home

should represent what you love and you will always feel blessed in it.”

36

Montana beams

Aged oak beams, imported from Montana, add to the feel of a centuries-old villa.

Unique design decisions Sabrina admits the contractors, Abstract Developments, who took her direction on transforming the home once owned by a Hollywood star, often seemed puzzled by her requests, which were counter to current design thinking. “They all thought I was crazy.”

“The Jardine family was extremely committed to their vision for the home in their requests,” says Mike Miller, president and founder of Abstract Developments Inc. “At various stages throughout the process, our project team ‘took a step back’ from the renovation to regroup and ensure all of these components would come together. There were

a few key ‘ah-ha’ moments during the project process where we were finally able to see all the various parts of the home come together synergistically.”

Husband Kevin Jardine notes Abstract was “flexible enough to execute our desires.” Now the home is “the most comfortable house we have ever lived in,” says the founder of the Sport Mart chain, who has lived in a number of houses. He credits this to its authenticity, derived from its nearly century-old existence and from their choices to create their own signature space influenced by global travels.

No matching drawer pulls are in this kitchen.

Instead, there's a whimsical collection of mismatched hardware.

37

The master bathroom features a deep, lounging tub overlooking the ocean. Natural light is enhanced by a Moroccan pendant light and beeswax candles beside the tub and on pillars.

Stories among the storeys As Sabrina shows off the threestorey home, each space tells a story.

The biggest chapter involved two shopping trips to Marrakesh, where in a series of 12-hour shopping days she combed the souks for carpets, finelypierced wrought iron lanterns, dressers and desks inlaid with mother of pearl, and even an assortment of building materials such as doors, arches, and distressed cabinetry.

“I didn't have a plan when I went to Morocco other than I knew I wanted lighting and antique doors” from the country that “has earned the reputation 38

as the hub of interior design.”

A 12-metre shipping container was required to get the treasure trove home. Other pieces were acquired over numerous trips to Europe, the US and Mexico. If anything was missing, she turned to the web, where Berbere World Imports offered the wares of 40 some countries (berbereworldimports.com).

Then came the daunting task of figuring out how the items would be incorporated into the home.

Her brother-in-law Gary Jardine, an interior designer, helped with the

architectural renderings. More than 100 imported light fixtures for the interior and gardens had to be adapted and brought up to the Canadian Standards Association’s requirements.

“Whenever you find something from abroad that you fall in love with, when you take it home, the memories of the place, the people you met, or the tagine that you shared, you are surrounding yourself with love even through home décor,” says Sabrina. “I definitely recommend doing this. Your home should represent what you love and you will always feel blessed in it.”

InsulatingÊ airÊpockets.

InspiringÊdesign.

Energy Wise

Manufacturer’s Rebate

100

$

Min.

A set of ancient doors, shipped from Morocco, are repurposed as a headboard.

Some 100 light fixtures were imported and upgraded.

Up to 50% of a home’s heating and cooling energy is lost through its windows.

With the ‘honeycomb-within-ahoneycomb’ construction and three insulating air pockets, Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades increase energy efficiency.

Purchase three Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades between January 1st and April 30th, 2013 and you’ll receive a $100 manufacturer’s rebate.

Also, purchase any number of additional Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades and you’ll receive an extra $25 for each.

A+ Rating

Ph. 250-384-1230 1-2745 Bridge St. Victoria, BC Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00 ; Sat 9:30 - 4:00

www.ruffell-brown.com

Voted

Best City

of the

VICTOR

1

IA NE WS

18 th

39

A home where light shines There is no shortage of things in this 10,000-square-foot home to limit Sabrina’s blessed feeling.

At the front entrance a Middle Eastern bench from a mosque in Syria serves as a place to rest while putting on shoes. Immediately across a casement of distressed double wooden shutters, a Juliet balcony has been cleverly and creatively repurposed to hold wet umbrellas.

Sabrina turned to a craftsman, now returned to Mexico, to adapt many imported architectural building materials and to artistically distress other contemporary built-ins for cohesion.

Her favourite acquisitions are silver crosses now sitting on top of the refrigerator, which she later learned likely came from Ethiopia, the home country of the couple’s middle, adopted child named Angel.

The once-dim smoking room is now a cheerful and bright children’s room. Vibrant and distinctive tables and dressers by Sticks (sticks.com) play off the Roch Bobois Mah 40

A basement area was converted into a wine cellar with exotic flare.

Jong modular sofa featuring padded floor cushions. This is a happy room where Isabella, Angel and Keano romp with other children or curl up to watch a movie with mom and dad.

The master bedroom, now pillared and beamed, is a place of calm family retreat. In the corner a metal shrine — Sabrina believes of Jewish significance — encases photos and other family memorabilia. It’s not a functional furnishing, but is definitely mystical. A large tub in the master bath overlooks the ocean and is big and roomy enough so her children can join her. It’s a reminder of a comment Sabrina made earlier: “We are all about family and about being together ... I wanted our home to be loving to my children.”

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. VB

Ltd.

Building Beautiful Homes P + 250.857.5349 E info@gtmann.com www.gtmann.com

41

design matters

af ter b e f or e an d

after

illuminating idea Skylights, patio doors and large window openings maximize natural light.

simplicity Simple window coverings don’t interfere with the fresh and open design.

bar stool cool Contemporary bar stools stand out against the dark kitchen islands.

sleek & sophisticated A continuous Lapacho hardwood floor is a stunning feature against white walls.

42

designer clarity Philippe Starck’s elegant Ghost Chairs add an iconic spirit to the dining area

beforehave a & after you ’d like to share

Email us B ef o r eAnd at blvdm Af ter@ ag.ca

before

?

 by sarah macneill

C

lean, contemporary, open and fresh describe the makeover

received by the kitchen and dining area of this Rockland house.

Designer Jenny Martin considered her clients’ requests to modernize and open up the dated, peach-walled 1950s home, and implemented her vision and prowess to turn the homeowners’ wishes into a bright and elegant reality.

A spacious kitchen allows for two large islands with polished granite “Bianco Toscano” countertops. Two-tone cabinetry is a creative feature that juxtaposes finishes (wood grain and smooth acrylic). The dining area is posh and sophisticated, while a nearby architectural fireplace can take a dinner party from cool to cosy in an instant.

Colour is used sparingly throughout the space, and reserved instead for floral arrangements and fruit bowls.

Renos like this are more complex than just choosing cosmetic elements like fixtures and finishes. Architectural and structural challenges in need of problem-solving included a load-bearing wall between the original kitchen and dining area that was removed to achieve the open floorplan but required the addition of an engineered steel beam.

“It’s a wonderful and exciting process,” says Martin, the recipient of several CARE and Georgie awards. “No two projects are ever the same!”

Designer Q&A functional fireplace Gone is the old mantel and hearth. Now cool turns to cosy instantly.

Q: What was the inspiration for two kitchen islands?

A: It came from the understanding that parties always end up in the kitchen, so let’s plan for it!

Q: How was light — both natural and artificial — used in the transformation of the space?

A: Lighting is always one of the most important factors when working through the design process. The skylights and large patio doors bring in lots of natural light and the recessed fixtures create overall general lighting. We wanted to keep the rectilinear lines of the kitchen uninterrupted by island pendants but chose to suspend a feature pendant over the dining table to define the space.

Q: What is your favourite element in this project?

A: The polished stone countertops. They make such a statement against the neutral backdrop of the cabinetry. VB Interior Design: Jenny Martin Design Cabinetry: Swiftsure Woodworkers Countertops: Jivko Stone & Tile 43

Dallas Sells Victoria/Oak Bay PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

SONGHEES WATERVIEWS 3rd floor south facing end suite. 9 ft ceilings, upgraded bathrooms, new designer kitchen with Bosch appliances. Spacious layout, twosided gas fireplace in living to family rm.

2 parking spots, steel & concrete bldg with excellent maintenance & mgmt. $749,900

PARLIAMENT, CRUISE SHIPS & MTNS Fully furnished corner suite at the Astoria. 2 balconies, bamboo floors, stainless steel appliances. Secure steel & concrete bldg. near the Inner Harbour, Empress, restaurants & museums. Excellent investment to live or rent. Beautifully appointed. $487,000

OAK BAY Lovely 3 bedroom home with updated bathroom & kitchen. Private & secluded south facing back yard & sunny back deck. Oak floors in 2008, guest bedroom w/sitting room downstairs. Close to UVIC, great schools & rec centre. $719,900

MOUNT DOUG The fabulous open floor plan is great for entertaining. Heated tile floors, granite & quartz counters, s/s appliances, & gas range. Deck with hot tub. Mortgage helper downstairs. $829,900

“My goal is to find your dream home and ensure that the decision you make stands as a wise investment over the long term.”

UPLANDS WATER VIEWS Wonderful water views from all principal rooms. Renovate or rebuild on .84 acre.

Beautiful terraced gardens. 4 bdrms, 5 baths, 3 fireplaces, 4,719 sq.ft. Gorgeous gardens & former tennis court. $1,895,000

THE HAMILTON IN OAK BAY Elegant living at this prestigious address.

9 ft. ceilings, crown moulding, marble vanities, granite counters, custom kitchen.

2 BD, 2 BA, almost 1,500 sq.ft. South-east outlook. Walk to shops & beach. $649,000

Dallas Chapple RE/MAX Camosun • Tel: 250.744.3301 • Toll Free: 1.877.652.4880 www.dallaschapple.com • Email: dallas@dallaschapple.com

LISA WILLIAMS W EXCLUSIVE 5 AC WATERFRONT ESTATE, unlike anything else in Victoria! Offered for sale for the first time, this totally private, world-class property boasts a 8900 sq.ft. main house, 5 car garage, separate guest house, pool cabana and tennis court; your own personal country club! Completely renovated over a 3 year period, the home boasts top of the line custom finishing and all the luxurious extras you would expect, with incredible views, 7700 sq.ft. of patio space, expansive lawns, private beach access & more! $8,900,000

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY! This 5.95 ACRE parcel is the largest remaining privately owned property in sought-after Broadmead neighborhood . . . just 6 mins from UVic, 12 minutes from downtown Victoria, close to trails, parks & all amenities! Subdivide into multiple lots . . . this listing includes 3 addresses: 1063 Gardenwood Court, 1105 and 1109 Gracewood Terrace.

CALL FOR INFO!

SPECTACULAR & LUXURIOUS NEW 10 Mile Point home w/boathouse! Over 7700 sq.ft. on stunning, S/W facing .79 acre property in exclusive setting w/hi-ceilings, HW & travertine flrs, huge windows, elevator, & incredible ocean views! Gourmet kitchen opens to gorgeous breakfast area w/access to expansive patios & dining terrace! Elegant dining & living areas plus main floor family rm, office & music rm! Self-contained guest suite, huge games rm, 5th bedrm or office & tons of storage too . . . $4,498,000

INCREDIBLE 1.68 ACRE WATERFRONT property on its own point, w/private pebble beach, 800’ frontage & panoramic views in every direction! A world-class 10 Mile Point, w/a totally private feel & sunshine all day . . . build your new dream home on this stunning oceanfront paradise! Solid 50’s bungalow has a huge deck & 3-4 bedrooms . . . a super rental while you design your new home, and charming Cadboro Bay Village is just a stroll away . . . this property is definitely a one-in-a-million! $2,668,000

SUNNY ‘TUSCAN’ GATED ESTATE on a spectacular S/W facing, 2 acre property just 15 mins from downtown on exclusive ‘Tuscan Lane’! Stunning & luxurious custom 3+ bedrm, 5 bath villa w/incredible design & detailing, & elegant finishing throughout every aspect! Enjoy sun all day and lots of privacy, gorgeous salt-water pool, hot tub, heated outdoor dining terrace, professionally landscaped grounds, tons of parking and an unbelievable Italian feel! $2,448,000

WORLD-CLASS WATERFRONT in prestigious 10 Mile Point! This sunny .55ac SOUTH/WEST facing property on a quiet cul-de-sac is one of the best in the area; exceptionally private w/out-of-this-world views! Over 150’ of low bank frontage w/large building envelope & lots of options to create a simply incredible new oceanfront estate!

Enjoy abundant marine wildlife & easy access for boating, kayaking & fishing! $2,495,000

STATELY & ELEGANT 6420 sq.ft. home in a private, gated Oak Bay setting . . . totally peaceful & quiet yet just steps to the Village! Beautiful architecture & tons of character throughout w/lots of options for family & entertaining!Incredible formal living rm, expansive formal dining rm, cozy den/library, sunny kitchen with adjacent family rm, conservatory, billiard room, 5 bedrms/5 bths & more . . . Gorgeous new slate/marble terrace boasts sun all day, perfect for outdoor living! $1,598,000

SOLID UPLANDS FAMILY HOME on a super .55 acre south-facing property that backs onto Uplands Park! This well-maintained home has seen many upgrades & boasts a spacious layout with large living, dining & family rms, huge windows, HW floors, French doors, granite/stainless kitchen, heated tile floors & more! Large rec room great for the kids, and the expansive patio & totally private property fabulous for family, pets & summer fun! $1,349,000

FABULOUS UPLANDS HOME w/tons of character and beautiful new reno’s! Stunning formal living rm, gorgeous new gourmet kitchen with all the extras, cozy sunroom, formal dining area, and fully finished lower level perfect for the teens or in-laws with a sep. entry & lots of space! Main floor master plus 2 bedrms up and room to expand in unfinished attic too! Circular drive w/lots of privacy . . . a lovely Uplands home! $1,388,000

c: 250•514•1966 t: 250.380.3933 ext 617 f: 250.380.3939 lisa.williams@shaw.ca www.LisaWilliams.ca

L I K E N O OT H E R sothebysrealty.ca

Independently Owned and Operated

FEELS LIKE A MALIBU BEACHFRONT LIFESTYLE HOME! Breathtaking Ocean & Mt. Baker views are yours from this exquisite 5100 sq. ft. custom home. Stroll from your ocean side patio, with gas fire pit, onto miles of sandy beach. Situated on a quiet lane, with elegant privacy gates, & intercom controlled entry.

10’ ceilings. Gourmet kitchen, Viking 6 burner Gas stove, dual ovens & warming oven. 2 dishwashers 2 fridges. 3 Ens bedrooms.

5185 Agate Lane Cordova Bay 2,678,000.00

SUPERB PARKER AVE. WATERFRONT. Recently refurbished Pamela Charlesworth home will impress even the most discerning buyer. Gleaming Brazilian hardwood floors, soaring vaulted ceilings, & sweeping views of the Ocean to San Juan Island and Mt. Baker’s glowing glacier beyond. Fabulous new kitchen. 4 bedroom, master with commanding views. Private .33 acre lot with patio hot tub, to enjoy the views.. Dbl car garage.

5255 Parker Ave. Cordova Bay $1,898,000.00

STUNNING OCEANFRONT. 2.3 acre, 7302 sq. ft. home custom built.

Soaring ceilings, marble, hardwood floors. 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, kitchen with eating island, pantry, 6 burner stove and granite countertops. Spa-like ensuite baths. Studio suite. Balcony with spectacular view. Close to golf. 425 La Fortune Rd. $2,675,000

UPLANDS CHARACTER HOME. 6100 sq. ft. residence beautifully updated. 6 bedroom (master with F.P.), 4 baths. Bright kitchen with granite countertops and stainless appliances, formal living room with fireplace, conservatory, games room, secluded garden with hot tub. Nanny area and double garage.

3380 Upper Tce. $1,790,000

OCEANFRONT CONDO. 2000 sq. ft. waterfront, steel & concrete building. One owner since 1990! Exceptional pond and waterfall adjoining the patio. 2 bdr plus office, living room with gas F.P. Private garage plus secure 2nd underground spot. Stroll to town in minutes & enjoy a great lifestyle. #100 636 Montreal St. $598,000

PROUDLY SERVING VICTORIA FOR 30 YEARS PHONE 250.744.3301 • EMAIL lynne@lynnesager.com WEBSITE www.lynnesager.com Get the results that you desire. Call Lynne for professional representation, when you wish to sell your home.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Tax Time Tips:

Maximize your income tax savings, not what you owe the government

By TESS VAN STRAATEN

I

t’s tax time again. And like most people, you

probably don’t look forward to riffling through receipts and dealing with increasingly complicated paperwork.

“It’s one of those things that we all know we need to pay attention to and plan for, but people look at taxes and think it’s an unpleasant subject and don’t really want to talk about it,” says TD Waterhouse investment advisor and branch manager Roderick MacMillan.

As a result, investment advisors and accountants often see a spring rush as people try to max out their tax savings to minimize their tax bill.

But tax planning should be a year-round thing and not just a March-April thing, experts say; not taking advantage of year-round tax planning can have nasty consequences. We also often leave deductions on the table, miss out on free money, or make errors that could cost us big-time with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

COMMON and COSTLY MISTAKES The most common mistake accountant Rod Munro sees is missing information slips, “especially T3 slips,” which come from mutual fund and trust companies.

“They have investment accounts all over the place and they don’t realize they’re missing the slips, but if you don’t include them the Canada Revenue Agency charges a 20 per cent penalty for not declaring the income.”

KPMG tax expert Dave Denley agrees that reporting investment income is an error-prone area, particularly when it comes to publically traded stocks and bonds. If you sell those investments or other assets and realize a capital gain, it can be even more complex.

“Capital gains are an area where things really get complicated,” Denley says. “It makes life a little more difficult for the

average person.”

If you have investment income or foreign income, want to pension split or RRSP split, are self-employed or have complicated deductions such as medical expenses, you should Nationally, the average consider talking to an expert.

“It amazes me when RRSP contribution people who have worked amount last year was really hard in their $4,670 — far less than professional lives to Revenue Canada allows accumulate significant net worth don’t take advantage for most individuals. of qualified tax planners and qualified investment advisors to make sure their affairs are structured as well as they can be,” MacMillan says. “Too often we’ll see people file their taxes themselves or use an inexpensive bookkeeping service, but it can be penny-wise and pound-foolish.”

A good tax professional will make sure you take advantage of all the deductions available to you. For example, did you know you can claim the cost of travel medical insurance? Safety deposit box fees, investment consultations and administration fees are also tax-deductible.

ARE WE MAXING OUT OUR RRSPS? For most of us, the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) deduction can yield the largest benefit.

According to the latest BMO RRSP study, 65 per cent of British Columbians have an RRSP, up from 51 per cent in 2011.

Since company pension plans are becoming

FOR THE WAY IT’S MADE®

SAVE 15% on the purchase of 3 or 4 Qualifying KitchenAid® Major Appliances

Cook Up The Savings Event

For A Limited Time Only February 28–March 24, 2013

SAVE 20% on the purchase of 5 or more Qualifying KitchenAid® Major Appliances

450 Burnside Road E., Victoria 250-385-1123 Providing expertise in sales and service for Jenn-Air, Maytag, Amana and KitchenAid.

48

increasingly uncommon, people are becoming more self-reliant with RRSPs, says BMO financial planner Jake Nemec, but he notes: there’s definitely room for improvement.

Nationally, the average RRSP contribution amount last year was $4,670 — far less than the CRA allows for most individuals.

Sixty per cent of those surveyed by BMO say they either seldom or never max out their annual contribution room. By 2011, the total unused RRSP contribution amount in Canada stood at about $500 billion — a figure estimated to exceed $1 trillion by 2018. But don’t feel bad, contributing the full amount might not even be wise.

“Maxing out an RRSP isn’t a very realistic option for most people and it may not even be the best option,” Nemec advises.

“If you have to dip into it and take money out it will cost you or if you have too much in an RRSP, your old-age security may get clawed back.”

Take control of your portfolio.

Markets remain volatile and interest rates low.

Take a tactical approach to protect and grow your wealth.

If you want to ensure your portfolio is constructed to maximize returns and minimize risk, call Bruce to arrange a complimentary review of your portfolio.

Bruce Cafferky, B. Comm, FMA Investment Advisor and Financial Planner

INVESTING OPtIONS PLAY a ROLE There are more investment options than ever so it’s important to know the differences among the tax benefits of an RRSP, which is tax-deferred growth, TFSAs, which are tax-free growth, and the various tax rates of other investment vehicles.

“Too often investors miss tax savings opportunities in terms of the investments they pursue and how they structure those investments,” explains MacMillan, adding that the CRA makes a distinction between savers and investors, so something like a GIC is fully taxable, while dividends are usually the most attractive tax option at most levels of income.

Another way to save is by rethinking how you donate to charities. Instead of money, giving shares-in-kind can further reduce your tax bill.

“People are very generous here and they will often give a cash donation,” MacMillan says. “But if you have an investment that’s made money and you donate shares-in-kind you avoid the capital gains and you still get the tax credit.”

If you plan to leave money to charity in your will, MacMillan points out that giving money each year, versus leaving a large legacy when you die, can have a much bigger tax benefit.

Ultimately, the goal is always to pay the minimum tax required. But while most of us would probably like to get a big refund, getting too much money back may also signal a problem.

“If your employer is taking off too much at the source, that’s something you should fix because it’s essentially giving the government a free loan on your money,” says Nemec.

Now that you’re armed with some timely tips, tax time isn’t really that scary, right? Except for that big bag of receipts you still have to sort through … VB Readers might like to try the free Ernst & Young tax calculators at ey.com/CA/en/Services/Tax. Tess van Straaten is an award-winning journalist, television personality and fourth-generation Victoria native.

Serving clients in the Cowichan Valley and Southern Vancouver Island www.brucecafferky.com 250.746.2412 1.888.668.1622 #3, Unit 201-2755 Beverly Street, Duncan, British Columbia V9L 6X2

RBCDominionSecuritiesInc.*andRoyalBankofCanadaareseparatecorporateentitieswhichareaffiliated.*Member-CanadianInvestorProtection Fund.RBCDominionSecuritiesInc.isamembercompanyofRBCWealthManagement,abusinesssegmentofRoyalBankofCanada.®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2012 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.

No Fee Self Directed RRSP & RRIF Secure investment with quarterly payments

Ω integrity Ω experience Ω performance

RETURNS UP TO 8.4% Established in 1975, Bancorp specializes in real estate lending and manages Mortgage Investment Corporations providing a structured way for individuals to invest in the Western Canadian real estate market.

250.479.3999 Victoria Vancouver 604.608.2717 1.888.966.2717 Toll Free www.bancorpfinancial.com

This advertisement does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to purchase securities. Any investment in our Mortgage Investment Corporations is to be made pursuant to an Offering Memorandum available from our offices. There are risks associated with mortgage investments, investments in our Mortgage Investment Corporations are not guaranteed and there is no assurance that historical yield will be representative of the yields that will be obtained in the future. An investment in Bancorp’s Mortgage Investment Corporations may not be suitable for your own particular investment needs.

49

FRONT ROW by robert moyes

DANCING BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company, Black Grace, performs March 15 and 16 at the Royal Theatre.

50

Few artists have had to negotiate as many opposing worlds as bankerturned-dancer Neil Ieremia. Born in New Zealand of Samoan parents, Ieremia was all set to be fitted for a closet’s worth of three-piece suits when he chucked it all for a life onstage. There, too, he faced stark choices: the primal rhythms and ceremonial dance forms of Samoa and his adopted Maori homeland versus the modern choreography of Balanchine and Ailey. Ieremia looked to his roots and started Black Grace, an earthy, percussive, and explosively powerful troupe that became wildly successful.

That first group totally fell apart just as they were achieving international fame, and Ieremia had to rethink the why and wherefore of his path.

According to Dance Victoria producer Stephen White, he was averse to being pigeonholed as a brown-skinned, anthropological dance novelty. And so Ieremia — now more a choreographer than a dancer — took the DNA of his Pacific heritage and infused it into a framework that emphasized contemporary dance. The resulting hybrid turned Black Grace into New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company, one that increasingly commands the world stage. They dazzled at the 2010 Winter Games “Cultural Olympiad” and are making their Victoria debut with a 90-minute program that covers the gamut of their power and expressiveness. “Grace are so gutsy and yet technically skillful,” says White. “They’re the sort of troupe that is loved by both audiences and critics,” he adds. “The work of theirs I’ve seen on video is remarkable.”

Performing March 15-16 at the Royal Theatre. For tickets, call 250-386-6121.

V i c t o r i a S y m p h o n y 1 2 /1 3

march muSic!

Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish founded Digging Roots.

THE ‘GLOBAL BLUES’ OF DIGGING ROOTS They’ve played with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, opened for Creedence Clearwater Revival, and jammed with the indigenous Sami reindeer herders of Norway. For Ontario’s genre-straddling Digging Roots, it’s all part of pursuing their musical truth while trying to earn a living playing non-commercial music in an iTunes world. One of the most remarkable First Nations bands in North America — they’ve been tagged as everything from “aboriginal alternative” to “global blues” — Digging Roots is funky, layered, eclectic, and very, very good. Whether it’s a bohemian blues shuffle à la Tom Waits, a jolt of rockabilly, or touches of reggae and hip-hop, this is music that grabs you by the throat and makes you feel things (or maybe just feel like dancing). “I saw them at Pacific Contact [a presentation event for promoters] and they were a rockin’ great band ... they impressed me the most of 24 acts I saw,” says Ian Case, director of UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium. “I couldn’t wait to book them.” The hardtravelling quartet is currently on the road in support of their just-released CD Love Drive. “We’ve been touring pretty incessantly since 2009, and the new CD contains both love songs and stories about being on the road,” explains Raven Kanatakta, who co-founded the multiple award-winning band with his now-wife ShoShona Kish back in 2004. “Our music has an aboriginal core, but then we take it into a modern context,” says Kanatakta.

“Much of what we write is based in tradition, but ultimately we’re a product of the world we live in.”

Performing March 10 at UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium. For tickets, call 250-721-8480.

march 1, 2 & 3

The Beatles Sergeant Pepper vs pops jeans ’n classics

march 9 & 10 Elgar Cello Concerto

signature series zuill bailey

march 25

Lisiecki Plays Chopin legacy series jan lisiecki

VictoriaSymphony.ca | 250.385.6515 S E A S O N M E DI A S P O N S OR S

51

LOVE, ABSOLUTELY

Hollywood star Bruce Greenwood joins Janet Wright, of Corner Gas, in Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre’s production of Letters, running March 26 to 30 at the McPherson Playhouse.

Playwright A.R. Gurney, esteemed bard of the middle class, was nominated for a 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Love Letters. Pulitzer buzz notwithstanding, Letters should really have received an award for being a surefire theatrical moneymaker: it’s a crowd-pleaser requiring nothing more than two chairs and side tables, with a pair of actors who sit facing the audience. “It’s poignant and genuinely wonderful,” says Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre’s artistic director Brian Richmond.

“And it’s also what we need right now to help us eliminate a deficit that we built up over the summer.” This so-called “epistolary” play has the actors read out a series of cards and letters that represent 50 years of correspondence between two soul mates who never quite managed to have a life together. Letters is usually a star vehicle and some of the more notable performer pairs have been James Earl Jones with Elizabeth Taylor, and Jeff Daniels with Sigourney Weaver. Although Richmond can’t quite compete with that wattage of star power, he has secured suave Hollywood leading man Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, Thirteen Days) for the role of Andrew. Noted Canadian performer Janet Wright will play Melissa. Most famous for her role on CBC’s Corner Gas, Wright regularly appears at Stratford and has been in numerous movies ranging from Perfect Storm to McCabe & Mrs. Miller. “I think the play reaches people because this extraordinary and haunting bond makes such a profound statement about the possibilities of malefemale relationships,” says Richmond.

Running March 26 to 30 at the McPherson Playhouse. For tickets, call 250-386-6121.

organized & stylish

custom closets... custom blinds... beautifully designed

SIGNATURE S-VANES™ SILHOUETTE

offers precise lighting control cordless & motorized lifting disappears into headrail when lifted enhanced child & pet safety 2", 3" & Quartette® 4" vane sizes available

For more innovative window shade ideas, book your free in-home consultation today.

Exclusive Dealer

Victoria 250.590.8060 Cowichan 250.929.2219 www.vicbc.ca SERVING SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND: GREATER VICTORIA • SOOKE • COWICHAN

52

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! For the latest inspiration & ideas

“SAINT LEONARD” — HE’S YOUR MAN For most people, having your life savings plundered by a sleazy financial planner would be devastating. For revered singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, it was also a harsh lesson in the Zen of non-attachment. Ultimately, though, it sparked a latein-life renaissance that began with a new CD and led to a triumphant world tour that’s still going strong four years in. Cohen delivered a three-hour Rolls-Royce of a show in Victoria back in 2010 and is returning to give fans another chance to hear those classic songs of love and loss. I’m Your Man, Ain’t No Cure For Love, the now-immortal Hallelujah — the song list is a catechism, and “Saint Leonard” invariably inspires a quasi-religious experience wherever he performs. Sporting his trademark dark suit and fedora, Cohen embodies a unique spirit of class, wit, and humility that is light years away from anyone else on the arena circuit.

“You may never see him again ... so you have to go,” says local music veteran Joe Scarfone, who caught Cohen two years ago in Victoria, then saw him in Vancouver last November. Is Scarfone going to this latest show? “He’s worth it,” is the emphatic reply.

Performing March 6, 8 pm, at Save-On Foods Memorial Centre. For tickets, see selectyourtickets.com, the Save-On Foods box office, or phone 250-220-7777.

photo credit: Dustin Rabin

The incomparable Leonard Cohen performs March 6 at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre.

photo credit: photo credit: John Taylor

ARTISTS WITH A GOLDEN TOUCH

Anthony Thorn’s Midnight Garden, 16” x 12,” ink and acrylic on watercolour paper, dewaxed shellac and 22-carat fine gold leaf, with over-glaze and second gilding.

Gilding — the art of using gold leaf or powder as a decorative accent on solid surfaces — goes back many centuries. Its medieval beauty, as well as some surprisingly modern expressions of this unique art form, are presented in Three Gilders at Eclectic Gallery. “I wanted the exhibition to be an expansive look at gilding, one that showed the work itself but where you also got a sense of the history of it,” says gallery co-owner John Taylor. His most senior gilder is Anthony Thorn, a master now in his 80s who uses techniques that are literally 1,000 years old. “His intricate and minutely detailed pieces are in significant collections around the world,” says Taylor. Aside from paintings, Thorn also creates tiny “wall jewels,” exquisite sculptural pieces comprising unusual materials such as bone, ivory derived from piano keys, and parts of antique Asian umbrellas. Georgia Angelopoulos has a very different practice, specializing in calligraphy and illuminated letters. “Georgia is an amazing artist, one who’s widely respected internationally,” notes Taylor. Well known from Oxford University to Russia (land of the gilded icon), the Greek-born Angelopoulos expresses the purest traditions of this ancient art form.

The third member of the trio is Horst Molleken. Although world renowned as a glass sculptor, Molleken will mostly be showing his paintings at this exhibit. These works incorporate gilding, with the gold lying beneath the pigment and subtly illuminating it. “Horst’s work is beautiful, layered, and very modern, almost like abstract landscapes,” explains Taylor.

“You feel the brightness of the gold.”

Running until March 23 at 2170 Oak Bay Avenue. For information, see Eclectic Gallery, eclecticgallery.ca.

53

The classic melodramatic tale, The 39 Steps, is now a madcap, comic play, which Langham Court Theatre presents March 7 to 23.

CLEANSE • REPLENISH • REVITALIZE Helping People Attain Optimum Health

RADIANT HEALTH SAUNA For health and relaxation. Real wood throughout, no plywood veneer. Lowest EMF (below Swedish standards).

DETOX rid the body of toxins and heavy metals RELIEVE PAIN ease arthritis, fibromylagia, sports injuries and chronic pain conditions LOOSE WEIGHT burn 600 calories in 30 min.

RELAX sweat your stresses away at lower, more conventional saunas GLOW excellent results in the treatment of acne, eczema, psoriasis,and cellulite Triangle Healing Products offers an amazing range of well-researched products that enhance well-being!

770 Spruce Ave.

250-370-1818

trianglehealing.com

IT’S A COMICAL THRILLER DILLER!

Written by

Alan Janes Featuring

Zachary Stevenson 2013

1.800.565.7738

Book online @

chemainustheatre.ca

Theatre Getaway Packages / Playbill Dining Room open before every show

54

Zachary Stevenson - David Cooper Photography

February 22 to April 7

Although best known in its 1935 incarnation as a spy thriller by Alfred Hitchcock, The 39 Steps was reinvented in 2005 as a wacky stage play with a large debt to Monty Python (it won many awards in the process). Aside from an actor playing only the hero, and another actor performing the three female leads, there are two “clowns” tumbling their way through more than 70 different roles that rely on split-second changes in costume and accent to cue the audience. “It’s a maelstrom of madness,” chuckles theatre veteran Keith Digby, who is co-directing the play with his creative (and life) partner, Cynthia Pronick. The script follows the narrative outlines of the melodramatic original, but contains within it a multitude of frenetic sequences that are crazy-funny and so fast-paced that the audience can barely keep up. “It’s the theatricality I like as much as the absurdist humour,” says Digby, who has codirected a half-dozen plays at Langham Court over the last decade. “The trick is to make it seem as though it’s almost being improvised on the spot — which of course takes an enormous amount of rehearsing.” VB Running from March 7-23 at 805 Langham Court. For tickets, see langhamtheatre.ca.

*

we also

recommend:

Side by Side By Sondheim: A retrospective of composer Stephen Sondheim's greatest works. Cast includes Victoria's sensational Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Mike Delamont and Alison Roberts. March 1-3, 2013; Metro Studio, 250. 590.6291; saltwaterinc.ca.

All over the map: The Greater Victoria Concert Band presents works from Broadway to Middle Earth, featuring music from Les Miserables, Lord of the Rings, and more. March 2, 8 pm, Alix Goolden Hall, gvcb.ca.

Visiting artist series: Research-based conceptual artist Dave Dyment and multimedia artist Sarah Anne Johnson appear at UVic’s long-running Department of Visual Arts Visiting Artist series. March 6 (Dyment), March 13 (Johnson), 8 pm, UVic Visual Arts building, room 162, 250.721.6222, finearts.uvic.ca.

Tom Green: The outrageous comedian who paved the way for today's MTV comedy shows is on a world tour.

March 9, 8 pm, Club 9one9, tomgreen.com. games without frontiers: A showcase of UVic faculty and local high-tech companies using videogaming techniques for research and positive social impact, with talks, demos, panels, screenings, and a Kid Zone. March 9, 11:30 am-6 pm, UVic David Strong building, gameswithoutfrontiers.uvic.ca.

Martha wainwright: Returning to Canada for a headline tour for her new Come Home To Mama album, she brings her captivating sound to Victoria. March 10, 8 pm, St. Ann’s Auditorium, marthawainwright.com. spark festival: The Belfry’s annual Spark Festival features new plays and new ideas. Shows this year include A Brimful of Asha, Oh My Irma, One, and Little One. March 11-24, Belfry Theatre, belfry.bc.ca. you’re a good man, charlie brown: Good grief!

Twice a runaway hit on Broadway, this popular musical brings Charles Schulz’s Peanuts gang to life. March 1423, Phoenix Theatre, 250.721.8000, finearts.uvic.ca. culinaire victoria: Victoria’s premier food-tasting experience. Discover new restaurants and sample a variety of food and beverages from around our region.

March 21, 5-10 pm, the Crystal Garden at the Victoria Conference Centre, culinairevictoria.com. a Captain’s journal: The Victoria Historical Society presentation on The Private Journal of Captain G.H. Richards (1860-1862) provides new insights into the work of the Royal Navy in the colonial period.

March 28, 7:30 pm, James Bay New Horizons Centre, victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca. wine islands spring tasting: Sample offerings from 30 winemakers, cidermakers, meadmakers and distillers from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Crystal Ballroom. March 29, 6-8:30 pm, Fairmont Empress, wineislands.ca.

Visit our website, victoriaboulevard.com, to submit event details online. Listings for the April issue must be received by March 8 to be considered for inclusion.

55

Rah, rah for

raw food?

Is it a passing fad or a return to our ancient roots, shoots and leaves? by anne mullens illustrations by pip knott photos courtesey of café bliss/ariel rubin

O

n a drizzly Victoria day, the bone-cold dampness calls for curling one’s hands around a steaming bowl of stew. A friend has invited me, however, to join her at Café Bliss, on Pandora Avenue, for a raw food lunch. “I’m craving it,” she texts.

“I like my food cooked,” I reply.

“You’ll love it — it’ll make you live longer,” she says.

“Or does it just feel longer?” I quip.

The place is packed. As suspected, I see hemp-wearing, dreadlocked clients sipping frothy green drinks from Mason jars. But also at the handful of plain wooden tables are middle-aged women in business attire like us, some zippy

56

retirees fresh from kayaking, hip genXers relating to iPhones, moms with babes. In fact, people of all ilks and ages steadily line up for take-away or swoop in to snatch vacated tables.

The chalk-written menu notes everything is wheat-, meat-, dairyand gluten-free. Fruit, veggies, sprouted nuts and seeds in various combinations populate the choices.

There are salads — I like salads — but what’s with the raw “burgers” and “pizza?” And those yummy-looking chocolate cakes and goodies in the glass dessert case, you’re telling me those are raw, too?

“I know,” whispers my friend, a local lawyer. “I thought it was nuts

at first, but a client loves the place and brought me here, and now I’m hooked.”

I order the pizza while watching the bustling staff, all reed thin, with well-defined biceps and ridiculously glowing skin.

I’m skeptical about this whole raw thing — until I bite into my “pizza,” a dehydrated vegetable crust, laden with mushrooms, avocado, tomatoes and other goodies. It is delicious, bursting with fresh and prominent flavours. I have never tasted anything quite like it.

This is raw food?

And so my exploration into the growing raw food movement — its facts and fallacies — begins.

Fiery debate Chimpanzees, from whom we parted some five million years ago but with whom we still share 99.4

Fact: humans are the only species that cooks its food.

per cent of our genes, eat raw. We know that Lucy and her Australopithecus pals some three million years ago ate raw. Some two million years ago, when homo erectus, our nearest biological ancestor, stood up in the African savannah, it was likely to reach for a tasty raw leaf, or crawling raw cricket.

So just when did homo sapiens start doing that? The question is hotly debated.

5,000,000 years ago

3,000,000 years ago

UK primatologist Dr. Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Makes Us Human (2009), argues that around two million years ago it was the use of cooking fires that liberated enough calories in our diet to increase our brain size, enabling us to spend less time foraging, chewing and digesting and more time dreaming up tools, language, music — and recipes. But most other anthropologists argue that charred bones only start appearing in hominid habitations from about one million years ago — and those may have been accidental, say a tasty roasted rabbit leg found after a brush fire.

In fact, widespread use of controlled fire may be relatively recent in our evolution. In 2011 two archaeologists, Wil Roebrooks of Leiden University, and Paola Villa of

2,000,000 years ago

the University of Colorado, studied 141 ancient sites in Europe dating back one million years. They found that the habitual use of cooking fires emerges only about 400,000 years ago.

Stated another way, if the last two million years of hominid evolution were a 24-hour clock, we have spent almost 19 hours eating our food raw and just five hours eating it cooked. That, in a sprouted nut shell, is the argument raw foodists use for promoting the lifestyle: it is the fuel our bodies have been designed to run on, enzymes, nutrients and all. Feed it cooked fuel and we gunk up with disease, proponents say.

One hundred years ago Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner, the inventor of Muesli, was the first in modern times to argue that he could cure diseases by

1,000,000 years ago

400,000 years ago

feeding patients a diet of raw fruits and vegetables. Since then, many have followed, including Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Dr. Brian Clement, Dr. Douglas Graham and more.

Now dozens of books on raw food and its purported miracles of healing and improved vitality line the health food bookshelves.

Websites abound. Some of the celebrities who promote the lifestyle include Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore, model Carol Alt, Sting (of course Sting!) and singer Jason Mraz.

Zealous adherents prepare and consume all foods at temperatures below 60°C, believing higher temperatures destroy natural enzymes. Some raw foodists are strictly vegan, while others consume raw fish and meat, too. A dehydrator, set to low temperatures, is often used to help prepare many of the foods.

57

Crazy, or crazy good?

experience skanda Buy unique pieces created by our talented in-house designers or create your own!

Classes start at just $50. Discover your inner designer. stunning gemstones

•

intimate classes

exclusive handmade pieces VICTORIA • 1033 Fort Street, Victoria, BC • Tel: 250.475.2632 DUNCAN • 126 Station Street, Duncan, BC • Tel: 250.597.2632 www.skanda.ca

When I bring up the raw food diet as a story idea in an editorial meeting, staffer Scott Simmons admits he tried it: “I lasted three weeks. I was starving. It’s insane,” he says.

At my yoga class, one of the teachers, a buff, fatless noodle named Scott Erickson, 29, exudes radiant good health. He’s been eating raw for more than two years, consuming veggie smoothies, huge salads, and dehydrated concoctions.

“I used to get chronic colds, now I never get sick,” says Erickson, who has written a Khalil Gibran-like treatise on the virtues of the raw life. (See www. foodwisdomaparable.com.)

Over lunch at Bliss he tells me he was an Alberta meateating boy with skin problems and fatigue, who went vegetarian at age 20, then raw at age 27. For 18 months he ate 100 per cent raw but now is about 80 per cent. His parents think he is crazy, “but I have never felt better in my life.”

Neil Tran, owner of Leap Web Solutions, believes he has cured his degenerating discs and arthritis by his conversion to a primarily raw diet. Tran, 38, says he was so ill a year ago that he was unable to push open a door or pick up his young child.

He took high doses of pain killers and anti-inflammatories. A neurosurgeon told him he needed a spinal operation.

When a friend sent him a link about how raw food’s alkalinity can help build bone, reduce inflammation, and cure back pain, “I was so desperate I would try anything,” says Tran.

He now eats two of his three meals raw, with simple steamed fish or chicken and vegetables for dinner.

Within three months of changing his diet, his discs had improved, he’d eliminated his inflammation and his need for daily pain killers. “I am a changed person,” says Tran, whose wife just started eating raw. “She has seen my transformation.”

Medical science weighs in Okay, enough of the anecdotes, what does medical research say? Very few well-designed studies exist, but the few that do show that compared to the regular population, long-term subjects on raw food diets had much lower BMIs and healthier blood lipids profiles, with high rates of circulating carotenes and folates — known to help prevent cancer — but deficiencies in vitamin B12 and lycopene. Women adherents often stop menstruating because of low body weight. A few medical papers raise the theoretical risk of food poisoning or the risk of malnutrition, particular from low levels of B12 and low protein.

www.badenbadenboutiques.com AVAILABLE AT BARBARA’S BOUTIQUE Baden-Baden Boutique 2485 Beacon Ave. 250.655.7118 Barbara’s Boutique 2392 Beacon Ave. 250.655.0372 Barbara’s Showroom, 104 - 9840, 5th Street SIDNEY BC 58

The American Dietetic Association advises that anyone on a raw food diet should ensure they get enough iron, B12, vitamin D, calcium and omega 3 and should take these as supplements.

Healthy, mindful food “Everyone eats raw food — apples, salads, celery, carrots — it is not that different,” says Joe Cunliffe, 31. He and his sister Heather are the co-owners of Café Bliss. We are sitting in the booth in the window, talking about the café’s philosophy and the people who frequent it.

“We are not a strictly raw café, we always have some cooked food, like steamed brown rice or steamed root vegetables. It is about healthy, mindful eating of good, wholesome foods,” says Heather, 33. Growing up on Salt Spring with earth-conscious parents, the Cunliffes were raised on fresh, local food. When Heather was 27 she apprenticed for three months at Dr. Gabriel Cousen’s Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona, where patients with serious illnesses like cancer and diabetes are fed raw food diets. “It changed my life,” she says.

She opened Café Bliss in 2008. She creates all the menu items, changing them every two months. Her brother left a job in Boston to help her with the business. They now employ 11 people and in 2012 alone, their sales increased by 30 per cent.

They don’t like to put a number on the population that might be eating raw in Victoria, but it’s likely a few hundred.

“We have a solid clientele who come often, but new people walk through the door every day,” says Joe. Heather’s self-published cookbook, Blissful: Raw Food Recipes from Café Bliss, has sold 2,000 copies in just eight months. It’s sold in the café, as well as at most bookstores, and even London Drugs and BC Ferries.

I try a “Sherpa Burger.” It’s a raw curried coconut yam patty, with apple goji berry chutney, cucumber, lettuce, sprouts, and cashew “sour cream” on Bliss onion bread. It’s spicy, a bit crunchy and delicious. The flavours are pronounced and fresh.

Joe cuts off a slice of the raw, dairy-free chocolate “cheez” cake. “Try this,” he says. Back at the office, I and two others gobble it down in disbelief and near rapture. “It’s so silky,” says our business manager Janet Dessureault.

And so it is that on a recent drizzly day I find myself texting a friend I’m meeting for lunch. “Let’s go to Bliss for raw food.

I’m craving it,” I say.

“Are you nuts?” she texts back. VB

Café Bliss's dairy- and gluten-free pizza makes a fresh, crunchy veggie meal.

59

Designing some of the finest and most creative homes across Canada

SOLID

HANDCRAFTED WOOD FURNITURE

Let our multiple-award winning design team help you create your dream home

was

is now

Please call or visit our web-site SAME OWNERS窶年EW LOOK

keithbakerdesign.com 250.384.1550 home design

KBDesignJan2013.indd 1

...

innovative and inspired

Quality Furniture.

Locally Owned and Operated.

1-2745 Bridge Street, Victoria, BC 250.590.7133 maxfurniture.ca

12-11-21 11:51 AM

60 south island boulevard ad green h.indd 1

1/7/13 12:12:42 PM

TRAVEL NEAR

WILD MOUNTAIN unites diners at a grand table for a farm-to-table feast to remember text and photo By PIRJO RAITS

W

e stand on the spacious veranda savouring canapés as we wait for the rest of our dinner companions to arrive. The first appetizer for this evening’s feast in the historic Metchosin farmhouse is the extraordinary view: mossy outcroppings, meadows with arbutus and Garry oak, and unobstructed views of Pedder Bay. Our group of 18 has come together, strangers for the most part, to experience the pleasure of sharing conversation and good, locally sourced

food. We are seated at a fine table set for being involved in the entire process, with fresh flowers, linens and sparkling from garden to the table. “Our mandate glassware, as succulent aromas emanate is to do wild foods with a modern twist,” from the kitchen. says Kienast.

We are joining a Wild Mountain We move to the one long table, and dinner or “farm table feast,” essentially soon our diverse backgrounds (and BC a private party organized for paying wine) have conversations flowing about diners by Glenrosa Farm owners Brooke Fader and her chef husband,  U pco m i n g f easts  Oliver Kienast. The idea of Lunch at Glenrosa Farm preparing food from the Sunday, March 10 & April 7 at 1pm freshest sources available Pop-up Dinner at Ulla in Chinatown is not new, but the couple Sunday, March 24, at 6pm doing it here has a passion 61

Making our customers happy since 1948 Your happiness is our guarantee.

For over 60 years, we’ve built our reputation through quality, service and a wealth of experience. If you want your next flooring project done right, give us a call. We’d be happy to help you.

victoria’s trusted name in flooring 477 Boleskine Road, VictoRia t 250.475.2401 | F 250.475.1654 www.houRigans.com

62 JOB #H123-14106

GENERAL CONTRACTING ■ CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ■ CHARACTER RENOVATION

David Dare 250-883-5763 roadsend.ca

our various food loves, travel experiences, jobs and individual interests.

S EVEN S PLEN DI D CO U RS ES The first course is a cold, creamy summer soup with fresh crab, cucumber, fava beans, mint, nasturtium leaves and chili oil served with a Sauvignon Blanc Semillon from the Similkameen Valley, or an elder-flower water.

The second course is a stacked salad of fresh local heritage tomatoes, water buffalo mozzarella, hand-made pancetta, and eggplant, paired with a crisp Cowichan Valley Pinot Gris.

Each of the seven courses is more complex and intriguing than the last: we follow the first two with smoked wild Pacific salmon, quail with succulent crispy skin, elk carpaccio, homecured bacon, and fruit, all sourced locally.

Jason MacIsaac, a frequent diner at Wild Mountain, says he goes because of the food and because of the whole idea — the set-up, the single table, the farmhouse and the view. “It’s fresh, seasonal and it all adds up to an excellent end product,” said MacIsaac, who is also a chef. He describes a sea angel oyster course tasting as fresh as an ocean breeze. “You almost feel it.

Oliver captures the real taste of the season.”

Fader says that diners have included young urban professionals, a retired Supreme Court judge, celebrated architects, visiting Germans, artists of varied backgrounds, chefs and local farmers. “It’s so wonderful to serve farmers their ingredients like they have never imagined them,” says Fader.

“We’ve even served three generations of one family.”

C REATIVE PARTN ERS H I P Kienast, 32, and Fader, 36, are a creative team both in their work and their marriage. As a chef, Kienast is a forager. He gathers plants in the wild, grows the produce he uses and cures his pork products. He can be seen along the shoreline out in Sooke gathering sea asparagus, or in the blackberry patches picking fresh berries. Fader, cellar master at Sooke Harbour House, finds the perfect wine pairings for each dish.

Kienast worked for free at Café Brio to gain experience, eventually working up through various resorts and restaurants before creating Wild Mountain dinners. “It was a huge shift in our ideals and the way of dealing with food,” says Kienast. “My dream was a one-menu, one-setting scenario. I knew there was something that could happen at a big table. It’s a lot of work and a lot of reward.”

Along the way, he has forged friendships and done business with people who share his farm-to-table mandate. “It’s about knowing your environment and what’s out there. There is so much great produce grown,” he says. “Local hands, local foods.”

Wild Mountain dinners are $65 per person with a $25 charge for wine pairings. Afternoon lunches will be held Sunday, March 10 and Sunday, April 7. A pop-up dinner is taking place at Ulla in Chinatown on March 24. Vegetarian options are available.

For more information go to wildmountaindinners.com. VB

NON SURGICAL PROCEDURES  Botox Cosmetic®  Dermal Fillers  Skin Tightening  Skin Resurfacing  Skincare Products

SURGICAL PROCEDURES  Facial Surgery  Rhinoplasty  Breast Surgery  Abdominal Surgery  Liposuction/Body Contouring

250.595.3888  805 Fairfield Rd

www.clinic805.ca

DR. KENNETH A. SMITH CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON 63

FOOD & WINE

In kale-and-quinoa kitchens,

the

earthy potato

retakes — and expands — its culinary ground

By CINDA CHAVICH

64

T

he potato may be ubiquitous, but I’ve never understood why it’s so often called “lowly.” I prefer to think of the potato as a foundation food, essential in famous dishes from steak frites and shepherd’s pie, to chowder and vichyssoise, frittata, gnocchi and mixed with cauliflower in aloo gobi.

Today, when we can opt for basmati rice or risotto, corn grits, bulgur or even quinoa on the side, choosing potatoes is intentional. Unique, tasty and heirloom varieties are the new darlings of local growers and, finally, the potato is getting the respect it deserves.

Check out Victoria restaurant menus and you will see what I mean — potato pancakes stuffed with Hungarian goulash, Kennebec fries for poutine, New York steak with crushed Yukon Golds, pork cheeks with cheddar whipped potatoes, Pacific Rim chowder with red jackets, fresh market fish with warm fingerling salad.

You’ll often see Pemberton potatoes mentioned on these menus now. The potato may have originated in the Andes but in BC, Pemberton is the centre of the potato universe.

Once Canada’s main seed-potato-growing region — thanks to its isolated valley where diseases were kept at bay — it’s now home to some of the province’s most creative growers.

Helmer’s Organic Farm, for instance, grows 16 to 18 varieties of specialty potatoes, from banana fingerlings and Bintje, to Chieftain, Desiree, La Ratte and Seiglinde.

At Across the Creek Organics, Bruce Miller has about 20 hectares of organic potatoes, his German butter potatoes bagged and shipped to city grocers.

Five varieties of Pemberton potatoes are also used in Schramm Organic Potato Vodka, a velvety spirit they say evokes the local terroir with flavours of coffee, vanilla and natural sweetness.

Now back to putting potato to plate:

?

Over 30 Years of Making

Home Renovation Dreams a Reality!

Which potato for which dish?

With all of the options, it’s wise to choose the right spud for the job. Most potatoes fall into one of two broad categories: good for baking, as they are dry, mealy and starchy, or better for boiling, because they are firm, waxy and less starchy.

Among the dry varieties are White Rose and tasty Purple Viking, though the all-purpose Yukon Gold is great for baking and mashing. The Russet Burbank (aka Netted Gem) is a dry variety, too, and a nice shape for baking and fries.

Red-skinned Pontiac and Chieftain are good for boiling or roasting, as are white Warba. Chefs love yellow Bintje, a Dutch potato that absorbs the flavour of whatever it’s cooked with, or waxy Banana and French fingerlings, which slice nicely for salads and make artful additions to baby vegetable garnishes. For ethereal gnocchi, they choose the starchy varieties — Idaho Russets, Yukon Gold or Desiree — and for French fries, Kennebec.

R E N O VAT I O N S “A contractor you can trust” Relationships are the most important thing we build as a company.

We have forged many long lasting relationships with our clients over the years due to our attention to detail, integrity, and the personal service we provide to turn your dreams into reality.

Give us a call, visit our web site, or drop by our Home Comfort Centre showroom to get your renovation dreams started.

www.macreno.ca • 250.412.8012 825 Viewfield Road, Victoria, BC

65

You’ve picked your spud: Now how to cook them?

For the silkiest mash, potatoes are boiled or steamed in their jackets (unpeeled), then peeled while still hot, pressed through a ricer, and mixed with butter and cream. It’s the same technique for gnocchi — dry, riced potatoes are spread on the work surface, sprinkled with flour and mixed with a light hand to form a soft dumpling dough.

Dry varieties are best for fries, too, and are fried twice — blanched in 325-degree oil for three minutes, then drained well and fried a second time at a higher temperature until crisp.

Potatoes have always been the classic side dish — roasted, baked, mashed or layered with cheese in classic French gratins. But don’t be afraid to experiment with potatoes. Make a mash of white and orange sweet potatoes with sautéed onion and ginger; mash new potatoes with their skins on to include their healthy fibre and a nice, rustic texture; or season roasted potatoes with garam masala and cilantro. I like to lightly steam fingerlings or baby potatoes, crush them lightly, just to flatten and break the skins, then drizzle them with olive oil and bake in a hot oven until crispy and golden. Great with aioli, or toss them with a spicy tomato sauce for Spanishstyle patatas bravas.

In Ireland, where potatoes were once the staple crop, potatoes go into breads, scones, and Irish stew, champ, and, as featured on the right, colcannon and boxty pancakes.

Potatoes

By Sharon McLean

This traditional Irish dish is related to champ (potatoes mashed with green onions) but adds kale, for extra nutrition and taste. Feel free to substitute chopped green cabbage, and serve it alongside lamb shanks braised in dark Irish ale.

6 medium potatoes (Russet or Viking), peeled and quartered 3 cups finely chopped kale or shredded cabbage 1 large onion (or a bunch of green onions), chopped 2 cups water seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup cream ¼ cup butter freshly ground pepper

In a large, heavy saucepan, layer the vegetables — half the potatoes, kale and onions — then repeat. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over top. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, tightly covered, until soft.

Drain well and use a potato masher to mash everything together, forming a chunky purée. Stir in the cream and butter. Season with pepper. Serves six.

make a perfect pairing primer

Wine pairing wisdom says match intensity and weight. The potato, with low flavour intensity and lots of weight, illustrates the difference.

Wine intensity comes from the sheer power and complexity of the aromatics and flavours. Some varieties — Gewurztraminer, Viognier, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc — have naturally pronounced aromatics. Other varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc are more neutral, but can pick up intensity through winemaking options such as malolactic fermentation (adds buttery and popcorn notes) or the use of oak (adds spice and vanilla notes).

Complexity layers on top of this. A

66

COLCANNON

wine can pack an aromatic punch but be one-dimensional. A $12 bottle of Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon likely has a powerful hit of black fruit, but not much else. A highend Pinot Noir, however, likely has many distinct fruit flavours, floral notes, nutmeg and forest floor.

Weight — or body — describes how the wine feels in your mouth. High alcohol, low acidity, sweetness and the use of oak all add body. A Californian Zinfandel with 16% abv seems much fuller than a Beaujolais Nouveau with 12% abv. A sweet Chenin from the Loire has more weight than its dry counterpart. Oak builds body and mouthfeel — think of a Sauvignon Blanc versus a Fume Blanc (an oaked Sauvignon).

Now to the potatoes. Served straight, pair with a relatively neutral wine with a fuller body like a lightly-oaked Chardonnay. The 2009 Rodney Strong, Chalk Hill, Sonoma ($26.99) is heavenly with butter-laden mashed potatoes. Fried with lashings of vinegar, forget about neutrality and reach for a wine with crisp acidity, like the 2011 Dog Point, Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough ($27) with lime, gooseberry, melon and smoky notes.

The spicy Patatas Bravas moves us into reds and the 2010 Yalumba, Bush Vine Grenache from Barossa ($24.99) is perfect with its plum, red cherry, pepper, spice and clove notes.

Known for

BOXTY

pancakes

These Irish potato pancakes make a classic Irish breakfast, served with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, or with rashers, sausages, black pudding and fried eggs. Some make a batter-style boxty, but I like a soft, rollable dough for these tasty flatbreads to enjoy hot or cold with sweet fruit spreads.

WING'S

delicious oriental cuisine aT very reaSonabLe priCeS 90

250-385-5564 open 11 am - 10 pm

Free

gorge road west

licensed premises

RESTAURANT

daily

Ho deli me ver wit h min

$20 or imum

y

Take-out or eat-in menu Lunch & dinner buffets Combination dinners for 1 to 8 Seafood & deluxe dishes

der

2 cups raw shredded potato salt 2 cups hot mashed potatoes 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup milk (or buttermilk), divided 2 tablespoons butter or canola oil Place the shredded raw potatoes in a colander in the sink, sprinkle with salt and let drain for 10 minutes. Squeeze dry.

In a bowl, mash the boiled potatoes with 1/4 cup of the milk.

Combine the mashed potatoes with the grated potatoes.

convenience

selection

expertise

Victoria: University Heights Mall, Tuscany Village, Brentwood Bay Kelowna: Downtown Cultural District | metroliquor.com

Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over top and mix well. Stir in the remaining milk to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a floured surface, divide into eight smaller balls and pat or roll into flat cakes. You can make thinner pancakes for rolling, or cut thicker pancakes into quarters and cook like griddle scones.

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add a little butter or oil to the pan, swirl to coat, cook the boxty four to five minutes a side, until there are brown spots on each side. Serve warm. Serves four to six. VB

Cinda Chavich is an award-winning food writer who has just moved to Victoria from Calgary. Her cookbook, 225 Best Pressure Cooker Recipes (Robert Rose), is out this month.

land ’ s end the height of luxury

Board your cat worry-free with a trusted veterinarian. Our new and unique resort has 16 bright, private rooms with heated tile floors, AC, large windows and very comfortable beds. Proprietor Dr. Blythe Baillie provides exceptional care and over 20 years of veterinary experience. Give your cat a vacation too! quiet rural setting

– cats only – close to airport & ferry

1434 laurel road, north saanich, bc // 250-656-1999 info @ landsendcat . com // landsendcat . com

67

HEALTH & WELLNESS

but you can defl ate that not-so-yummy tummy

by SHANNON MONEO

Whatever it’s called — beer belly, potbelly or spare tire — that telltale sign on middle-aged men has a way of creeping up and staying put. But the paunch need not be a permanent belly ache.

The Vancouver author of the 2009 book Beer Belly Blues says men’s bellies begin to inflate when testosterone levels deflate, usually starting when they’re in their 30s.

“Men have to wake up and realize they also suffer from hormones.

It’s called andropause,” says Brad King, in his mid-40s and the author of 10 health-related books.

After age 30, men lose about 1 per cent of their testosterone each year, which causes muscle loss, which slows down metabolism. By age 60, King says men have half the testosterone they had in their 20s. Combined with testosterone loss, men also begin producing more estrogen, which causes weight gain around the waist and the dreaded “man boobs,” King notes.

Not only do men gain weight, their

risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially increases, along with one other potent aspect. “When you talk about lost libido, you get men’s attention,” King quips. The “blues” part of his title, meanwhile, refers to depression and moodiness linked to testosterone loss.

TAME THE BELLY BEAST A nutritional adviser and media commentator, King advises reducing stress; maintaining a positive attitude; getting at least seven hours of sleep nightly; reducing caffeine consumption; exercising; eating enough protein; and consuming good fats found in olive oil, nuts and avocados. Perhaps not surprisingly for a creator of nutritional products, he also advises taking supplements (Peruvian maca, chrysin with bioperine, stinging nettle root).

Dr. Dave Hepburn, one half (with Dr. Rob Sealey) of the well-known WiseQuacks radio hosts and a syndicated newspaper columnist, characterizes beer bellies as visceral or truncal obesity.

“It has nothing to do with beer,” says

7” 45 ¼” 30”

26”

14 ½”

74 ½”

74 ½”

78”

17”

27 ¾”

18”

10 ⅜”

13”

17 ¼” 26” 7 ½” 6 ¼”

Conception to Completion “working with you every step of the way”

Builder Tested, Homeowner Trusted #102 - 4226 Commerce Circle 250.744.4416 250.744.4416 www.bcshowerdoor.com www.bcshowerdoor.com #102 - 4226 Commerce Circle

Hepburn, a Victoria family doctor for over 25 years. “But it’s bad news to have it. I do worry about men’s bellies.”

Too many calories, whether beer, bread or bonbons, cause big bellies. According to 2011 Statistics Canada figures, 40 per cent of Canadian men aged 18 to 79 were overweight and 27 per cent were obese.

The good news is that getting fat off bellies is easier than from hips, Hepburn says. The bad news is that belly fat is more damaging to health because it surrounds vital organs like the heart and pancreas.

Belly fat jams up the liver, affecting the removal of insulin. Insulin makes triglycerides, the bad fats, which get driven back into the belly. The cycle can lead to heart attacks, stroke, dementia and diabetes.

“Fat is not an inert substance,” he says.

Fat also produces two influential hormones that affect weight gain: leptin, which signals fullness, and ghrelin, which signals hunger. When they’re out of balance, a person eats too much.

Testosterone has roles, or you could say rolls, in this belly dance. Testosterone is made at night, while you sleep, so adequate 69

The New No-Sweat Bra Amoena Mia, the world’s first wired and non-wired, temperature-equalizing bra line that gives weightless support and ultimate comfort combined with sophisticated style and femininity. Sized from 32-46C-H cup. Exclusively at

Suite 210-2250 Oak Bay Ave. 250.384.1791

A Boarding Kennel that loves your pets as much as you do.

Your most important investment starts here…

tarahearn.com • Comfortable, clean & healthy fresh air environment • Quality, nutritious foods • Exercise yards up to one quarter acre • Feline “Cuddle Time” • K-9 Playschool course • All managerial staff “Certified Kennel Technicians” • Recommended by veterinarians • Full grooming services available

2918 Lamont Road, Saanichton 250-652-2301 puppylove.ca email: info@puppylove.ca Just minutes from Victoria Airport & BC Ferries Terminal 70

1-866-806-0982

250-384-7663 250.592.4422

tara@tarahearn.com

sleep is crucial. But as you age, you sleep less well, Hepburn notes. With less testosterone, more ghrelin is produced, which means more hunger. Lower T levels also cause the loss of muscle, libido and robustness.

AN EPIPHANY, THEN SUSTAINED EFFORT Like women, some men battle the belly bulge with hormone (testosterone) replacement therapy via injections or gels.

Hepburn encourages lifestyle changes in the form of an intermittent, low-carbohydrate diet and dedicated exercise.

Kim Reynhoudt knows about busting a gut. The 51-year-old franchise owner of the View Royal Canadian Tire found out eight years ago he had Type 2 diabetes.

At 5-foot-10, he weighed over 250 pounds, had a 44-inch waist, couldn’t do a push-up, ate take-out food, rarely ate fruits or vegetables, drank beer and had serious back problems.

One morning, lying in bed, Reynhoudt had an epiphany. “I had no energy. I saw, if I kept doing what I did, I wouldn’t be healthy.” Thus began his transformation.

Via exercise and a healthy diet, he lost over 40 pounds, much of that from his belly. His waist is now 36 inches, his loud snoring has stopped, he no longer uses Metformin for his diabetes, the back problems are gone and red wine is his alcohol of choice. “But it hasn’t been all roses. I’m a guy that loves food. Don’t put a pizza in front of me,” he advises.

THE REWARDS OF A TAMED GUT Helping Reynhoudt has been Narina Prokosch, owner and trainer at Victoria Wellness Professionals. Prokosch, a registered nurse, works often with men, busy with their careers, who leave little time for exercise. Most clients are 40 to 60, about 40 per cent of them male, and half have belly concerns. When they show up for fitness evaluations, they often wonder how they got the paunch, Prokosch says. Poor nutrition and no exercise are the culprits, combined with testosterone loss.

“You can’t out-train a bad diet. If you don’t eat well you won’t lose weight,” says Prokosch. Her credo? Eliminate packaged and junk food, don’t eat anything white (like flour), and limit wheat products (breads and pasta).

One-hour workouts at least three times per week are recommended, with a warm-up, weight-training and aerobic exercise. Prokosch advocates high-intensity exercise punctuated with short rest periods. Vigorous cycling, stairrunning and running uphill are suitable outside options.

Reynhoudt, who admits he has to be vigilant about weight gain, visits Victoria Wellness four times a week, where he builds core muscles and does cardiovascular workouts. The married father of three daughters has no intention of going back to his old self. “I remember a picture of me on a boat in Shuswap. I had on an orange shirt and there was a big gut there,” he recalls. “Now, I have a huge amount of energy.” VB Shannon Moneo is a freelance journalist who graduated from the University of Regina’s School of Journalism in 1990.

She’s lived in Sooke since 1992 with her family.

Helping you find your new front door Terry STockuS Century 21 Queenswood realty ltd.

STUNNING OAK BAY HOME Completing a major renovation in 2009, this beautiful home in the University Woods neighborhood of Oak Bay is ideal for family living and entertaining! The home is bright and light, enjoying sun all day long! A beautifully landscaped terrace is perfect for relaxation at the end of the day! Over 4,000 sq.ft. of living space, 5 large bedrooms (3 with en-suites!), 5 baths, gourmet eat-in kitchen, pantry, gym, theatre room...the finest attention to detail.

A truly warm and welcoming home...$1,395,000

Century 21 Queenswood realty ltd.

Terry STockuS

terry.stockus@century21.ca 250.477.1100 www.terrystockus.com 71

BOULEVARD REAL ESTATE

$8,488,000 Lisa Williams 250-514-1966 lisawilliams.ca

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. $7,900,000

stevenson doell

Deedrie Ballard 250-744-3301 deedrieballard.com

Magnificent gated estate on 2 acres w/gracious 11,000sqft residence, sports court & separate games/ entertainment bldg PLUS sep. 3461 sqft fully renovated guest house w/separate title.

Enjoy spectacular views & privacy boasting seperate expansive office suite, movie theatre, amazing indoor pool, exercise room, dramatic living, dining & sitting rms, exotic HW flrs, high domed ceilings, expansive patios, boathouse, water features & tons of parking too!

Magnificent Uplands Waterfront home. Luxurious & elegant, this home has been completely updated & is situated on a spectacular secluded bay. Main floor with living room, library, dining room, kitchen with & family room - all with access to the expansive heated patio w/ fireplace that spans the length of the home. The upper floor features the master suite incl. powder room, walk in closet, sitting area including fireplace & balcony to enjoy the views.

law corporation

$5,400,000 Terry Stockus 250-477-1100 terrystockus.com

This magnificent James Grieve design captures the splendour of the English Cotswolds. The 1.8 acre gated manor comprising of 2 separate land parcels that have been combined since 2002 into an exquisite estate that is extremely rare.. A 5300 sq.ft Main House, 2000 sq.ft Guest house, 2 Boathouses all with ocean views. Enjoy all day sun, decks and 280 feet of shoreline. The finest construction and finishing materials have been used, all executed by local artisans... attention to detail is evident throughout the home.

BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$3,150,000 Leslee Farrell 250-388-5882 lesleefarrell.com

Elegant Samuel Maclure, meticulously transformed in 2007 to the grand & welcoming family manor it is today. .34 acre garden backing on to Victoria Golf Course. Main floor offers magnificent principal rooms, 18’ dining room, 20’ living room with feature gas fireplace, welcoming family room also w/ fireplace & an unbelievable 24’ by 17’ gourmet kitchen with Center Island. The lowest level features a home theatre & family room.

EXCEPTIONAL SANDY BEACHFRONT!

$2,678,000 Lynne Sager 250-744-3301 lynnesager.com Camosun

Beach Drive Water Views

$1,875,000 Julie Rust 250-477-1100 julierust.ca

Luxurious Four Bedroom Oak Bay ocean view home, located on Beach Drive in South Oak Bay. Completely renovated and modernized, fine finishes & custom millwork throughout, high end contemporary kitchen, and open floor plan on the main. This expansive property features a stunning master bedroom retreat with magnificent views of the Ocean & Olympic Mountains. Enjoy West Coast Living at its Finest.

$1,577,000 Dolores Todd 250-744-3301 dolorestodd.com

www.360beachdrive.com

$1,445,000 Dallas Chapple PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION.

250-744-3301 dallaschapple.com

OAK BAY WATERFRONT Rare waterfront offering, south of Oak Bay Marina & Victoria Golf Club. Two extraordinary prime waterfront properties for re-development or renovation at 1231 and 1237 Beach Drive.

Prime location of .33 acre & .25 acre properties may be purchased separately or together. Several tenanted suites in each house. 1231 for $1,445,000 & 1237/1239 for $2,091,000.

Ocean & Mt. Baker views from this 5100 sq ft. custom home. Stroll from your ocean side patio with gas fire pit, miles of sandy beach.

Situated on a quiet lane, with elegant privacy gates, & intercom controlled entry.

Heated Travertine floors, welcome you to a modern open floor plan. 10ft. ceilings, gourmet kitchen, two dishwashers, two fridges, and three ensuite bedrooms.

Two lots sold as one with approx. 100 ft of waterfront.

This Spectacular 0.42 acre south facing waterfront enjoys stunning views of the Olympic Mountains,Fisgard Lighthouse,Esquimalt Harbour and the open ocean. Much potential as either a stunning building site or 2 separate lots.Very private, deep moorage,and a spacious view deck on the waters edge to enjoy the abundance of sea life. A rare find.... and a beautiful place to live.

Give up the commute for this spacious property (approx. ½ acre) in peaceful residential Rockland. Enjoy the picturesque distant ocean & Olympic views from both floors of this charming home. The living & dining rooms stretch across the sunny south side overlooking the gardens, tiered decks $1,325,000 & vista. The nanny, mom or older child will enjoy the Sharen Warde & Larry Sims independent upper 1bdrm 250-592-4422 accommodation. Traditional, wardesims.com roomy & snug, the perfect place to call home.

Camosun

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!

250.412.3824 www.finishingstore.com

3

$1,099,900 George Papaloukas 250-888-5335 sothebysrealty.ca

This new 4405 sq/ft, 5 bedroom home boasts quality workmanship and attention to detail - custom kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, quartz countertops, professional Electrolux appliances, 6 burner propane cook top, wall oven, Teak hardwood, heated tile floors and custom Pella windows with built in blinds, 3 fireplaces and pantry.

Panoramic views of Victoria, the ocean and the mountains while sitting on the huge main level deck or in your sunken outdoor hot tub on the lower deck This home has it all!

Situated perfectly in North Saanich this 2005 built Custom Home is sure to please.

Offering over 5300 sq ft w/ 8 beds, 5 baths, 2 kitchens, 2 propane f/p’s over 3 flrs, it has everything a large/extended family could want. Large master bedrm on main w/ 5 piece ensuite & heated flrs.

Downstairs feats 2nd kitchen, 3 bedrooms, & theatre room. Two $999,900 double garages leave plenty of room for the toys, & a .99acre Kyle Kerr lot w/ a heated outdoor pool 250-590-1775 homesalesvictoria.com give you lots of space to play with them. Priced 82K below assesment for a quick sale.

$1,049,000 Jordy Harris 250-385-2033 jordyharris.com

Simply Beautiful Victorian Queen Ann style, legal triplex w/ designated Heritage status. Your main floor features a 2bedroom suite w/ gas f/p., in suite laundry & a garden area, plus funky bachelor’s suite. You will love the fabulous two level owner’s suite that’s been completely redone & features three $999,999 bdrms., formal living & dining rooms, eat-in kitchen w/ cork Kyle Kerr flooring, s/s appliances, its 250-590-1775 own laundry, a private roof homesalesvictoria.com top deck w/Ocean Views & barbecue area. Spectacular!!

Six Suite Revenue Property.

$990,000 Wayne & Cindy Garner 250-881-8111 cindygarner.ca

Classic style character home in Cook St Village area that contains four 1 bdrm & two bachelor suites. Converted from a single family to a legal 5 plex in the 1940’s and has been well cared for. On site parking, fire alarm system, entry system combined with old world charm & elegance, plus only 2 blocks to ocean makes this a great location & investment. Call for more information.

Beautiful west facing, low bank waterfront in the desirable Ardmore area. Built in 1966, this .61 acre lot, has over 100 feet of stunning beach frontage. Nestled in a near perfect position, the home and property are situated to take advantage of the sun, views and sheltered bay. With incredible bones and a well laid out floorplan, it offers a great opportunity to renovate or build new to suit your lifestyle.

$999,000 Shaunna Jones 250-888-4628 shaunnajones.com

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!

Hendra Moving & Storage is locally owned & operated and has proudly served Vancouver Island since 1982. Our fully insured, friendly, reliable service has helped us to become an A+ BBB Accredited Business.

74

250.477.6514 hendramoving.com

BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$889,000 Nancy Vieira 250-514-4750 nancyvieira.com

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.

BEAUTIFUL BRAND NEW POWERSMART GOLD HOME!! This Saanich East home has been built to high standards by a quality builder and includes a 2-5-10 warranty and an efficient heat pump. With nearly 2700 sq. ft. of living space on an flat lot of almost 9000 sq. ft. this home includes $799,999 a 1 or 2 bedroom legal suite with separate hydro Manpreet Kandola meter, HWT, laundry, and 250-813-1705 sound-deadening insulation. manpreetkandola@gmail.com Amazing value, must see!

Don’t miss this opportunity, call now!

$718,000 Ivan Delano P.R.E.C. 250-744-8506 ivandelano.com

Beautiful NEW home on a private quiet cul-de-sac in a great neighbourhood, yet still in the middle of the city...

Spacious Low maintenance Cottage style living with all the conveniences are featured in this custom built home with a great floor plan, lovely kitchen with bar eating area, dining space, living room with gas fireplace & a 3 piece bath off the generous den/office/ guest room. Upstairs you’ll find 3 more good bedrooms, laundry, 4 piece bath + a generous master with a walk-in closet & 5 piece bath w/heated floor.

$889,000 George Papaloukas 250-888-5335 sothebysrealty.ca

This home is on the right side of the lake! This south facing property means all day sun, even in winter! Custom built in 2010, with approximately 2900 sq.ft. on 3 levels. This home has 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, and a lower level walkout to the lake. Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, custom cabinetry, fir floors, and travertine tile within floor heating. Relax and enjoy the views of the lake from the deck, lakeside patio, or the new dock. This home is ready for you to move in and enjoy!

PANORAMIC VIEWS of Sooke Basin on 2.56 rocky private acres.

•Lindel Cedar home with TWO master bedrooms plus den.

•Entertainment sized decks with sound system & endless views.

$799,900

•Incredible slate flooring.

Nancy Vieira 250-514-4750 nancyvieira.com

•Gourmet kitchen.

•Solarium overlooking garden.

$699,000 Wayne & Cindy Garner 250-881-8111 cindygarner.ca

Prestigious Rockland, spring flowers, blossoming tree lined streets, views of the gardens of Government House. Imagine this being your neighbourhood.

Meticulously cared for, large bright windows, glistening hard wood floors, French doors & gas fireplace. What a home! Choose to relax in your spacious living room or in the bright sun room that overlooks the back yard. Marble counter tops & plenty of cabinetry make this kitchen a chef’s delight. A dream master closet, ensuite with a soaker tub & separate shower!

Shaw EXO is THE ULTIMATE NETWORK that delivers unmatched TV, Internet, and Home Phone. Our upgraded network yields more HD content, faster Internet speeds, and new user interfaces.

310.SHAW EXO.SHAW.CA

75

BOULEVARD LUXURY REAL ESTATE

$638,000 Ivan Delano P.R.E.C. 250-744-8506 ivandelano.com

$525,900 Margaret Leck 250-413-7171 margaretleck.com

$469,000 Bev Carey & Peter Gaby 250-920-8965 gabyassociates.ca

NEW Beautiful Show home Ready & waiting for you to enjoy in this enclave of quality custom built residences.

Rancher Style Living + Bonus Lower level with loads of extra room & Possibilities - Just outside Victoria and a 20 minute ferry away from Sidney & the Victoria Airport, you’ll find that there are world class schools, golf, boating, lakes near by and some of the best nature and hiking trails around.

Executive living in a sub-urban location, worth a closer look, NO HST HERE

Bright south-facing 2 bedroom, 2 bath suite, uniquely zoned live/work, gives you the option to enjoy a pied-a-terre in Victoria or to operate a home-based non-retail business with a private courtyard entry.

Shoal Point is surrounded by mature landscaping, easy access to the Inner Harbour, James Bay’s parks, seaside walkways, and downtown shopping. The excellent recreation facilities include a lap pool, steam room, sauna, fitness centre, putting green, bike and kayak storage.

Elegant corner suite with Vista Views of Broadmead Nature Sanctuary. Quality built in 2005, separated bedrooms, entertainment size living/dining area, 9’ceilings, crown mouldings, mantled fireplace, hardwood floors.

Corner windowed kitchen w sunny breakfast nook.

Outdoor tranquility, complex grounds w gazebo, lush lawns, manicured gardens, ponds & fountains or cross street to walking trails. Premium location mins. to shopping, dining, recreation.

$619,900 Peter Veri 250-920-6850 peterveri@gmail.com

$471,750 Tara Hearn 250-588-2852 tarahearn.com

$429,900 Peter Veri 250-920-6850 peterveri@gmail.com

Uptown Group Presents...A design masterpiece. Once you step into the foyer of this well designed home, its ambience will take you over. All the entertaining areas are on the main floor, with a nice sized TV room. MOVE UP to the top floor to enjoy the 16X14 Master + luxurious ensuite and generous walk-in closet. Forget having a “Closet Laundry”-you can finally have a separate dedicated laundry room! All this topped out with super-efficient heat from a heat pump, and a nice sized entertainment deck.

One of the finest remaining oceanfront lots at Silver Spray Oceanfront Estates! This fabulous Ocean Park Place address offers full southern exposure, exceptional views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and snow-capped Olympic Mountains, and a trail down to your own private rocky shore. Set in a small cove the shore is protected from crashing surf. This gently sloping, low bank estate lot is ideal for your luxurious oceanfront dreamhome.

luxury real

Uptown Group Presents...

Executive living on the Westshore.

Walk to RED BARN just around the corner, as well as trails, hiking & biking.

Close to Westshore Center Mall, Bowling Alley and the Soccer Field too! 1771 Sq Ft of comfort. Hardwood in kitchen, dining area & living room. Ensuite with luxurious in-floor heating.

Call for personal tour TODAY!

Shoal Point Condos •South Facing 2 bed, 3 bath, den, water and mountain view $1,200,000

stevenson doell

law corporation

•Facing Fisherman’s Wharf 2 bed, 3 baths, den. NEW LISTING $1,150,000 •Pied-A-Terre 2 bed, 2 bath $625,000 Margaret Leck 250-413-7171 margaretleck.com

boulevARd ReAl estAte

estate Thinking of selling your home?

Here’s a few reasons wHy a realtor Helps: • You’ll likely get a higher price and sell faster • Your home will get wider exposure • A Realtor knows how to market your home and show it at its best • A Realtor knows various financing options • A Realtor can write legally binding contracts tips for selling your Home: • Keep the garden tidy and the lawn trim • Paint or freshen the exterior and repair anything broken • Give the home a thorough cleaning and remove all clutter inside • Make kitchens and bathrooms especially clutter-free, bright and spotless • Air the home well

Stevenson Doell Law Corporation has been serving the Victoria community with expertise and respect since 1970. Our lawyers have years of experience in our areas of practice: real estate, wills and estates, personal injury, and family law. We’re ready to help you with any of your real estate needs; whether you need help with a sale, purchase, refinance, or any other real estate issue. Take comfort in knowing that our experienced lawyers are on your side, and that we offer competitively low fees for these transactions.

At Stevenson Doell, we focus on you. All of your calls during working hours will be answered by a member of our team, never a machine or an answering service. If you do leave a message, either a lawyer or a member of our highly trained and experienced staff will return your call in a timely manner — you won’t be ignored. We’ll work for you to achieve the results you want.

999 Fort Street (at Vancouver Street) Victoria, BC V8V 3K3 tel: 250-388-7881 fax: 250-388-7324 stevensondoell@shawcable.com

CAR CULTURE

When you learn the Wallace Way every student receives highway instruction and negotiates the majority of the top ten fatal crash site intersections.

Wallace

Learn to drive the Wallace Way... be safe and skillful everyday

250.38.DRIVE wallacedrivingschool.com

Your very own little piece of

heaven.

Voted #1 Best Pool / Spa

SALES

R E PA I R

SERVICE

Locally Owned and Operated For Over 30 Years.

VISIT LOTUS & SAGE YOGA AND MEDITATION SUPPLIES 250.590.1224 Located inside Borton’s

2614 Sooke Rd. 78

250.478.9808

bortonspas-pools.com

New safety systems may reduce accidents, but are no substitute for a skilled driver

By STUART EASTWOOD

Innovative automotive safety technologies frequently enter the marketplace, making it difficult for people to make informed choices when buying unfamiliar systems. They are expensive too, underscoring why we need to understand them. To appreciate just how clever some of these systems are, let’s take a look at some new technologies.

Just remember: cool systems won’t save a bad driver.

Active Parking Assist (APA): Drivers who fear parallel parking will find support through the APA system. Once engaged, APA ultrasonic sensors begin the parking sequence by measuring the intended parking space. Approving the dimensions of the space, APA asks for permission to continue. The driver retains responsibility for shifting the transmission and operating the gas and brake pedals. Once under way, the steering system guides the car into the space, hands-free. But parallel parking isn’t that difficult. Learn how to do it from a driving instructor, or even the Internet, and save the cost of what may be an unnecessary feature.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) reduces the demands on the driver by helping to maintain a predefined minimum distance to the leading vehicle. Forward-facing sensors provide the ACC with the necessary information to maintain the desired speed set by the driver and then adapts it to the traffic situation by accelerating or decelerating automatically.

Front Collision Avoidance Technology (FCAT)

systems feature a camera that scans the road ahead. Audio and visual alerts warn drivers of any impending collisions likely to occur if corrective action isn’t taken. Predictive Emergency Braking (PEB) is often combined with the FCAT

system, which automatically begins emergency braking to reduce impact speed when a collision is imminent.

Blind Spot Detection Systems use radar or rear-facing cameras to warn of vehicles travelling in the driver’s blind spot.

The system will typically illuminate a warning light mounted inside the appropriate door mirror. Further warning may include the steering wheel vibrating if the driver tries to move into a space occupied by another vehicle.

Driver Alert Systems are intended to warn the driver of tiredness or distraction. By comparing a stored reference of the driver’s normal driving style against data supplied from steering commands, the system can determine when the driver should take a break. A dash-mounted warning light gives the alert.

Lane Departure Warning systems monitor road position and warn against a deviation from the lane of travel. A dash light or, in some cases, a shaking of the driver’s seat, alerts the driver. Research from the US Institute for Highway Safety last year found, however, that vehicles fitted with this feature had more crashes than vehicles without. Why? They aren’t sure. However, a similar spike in accident rates occurred when antilocking braking systems debuted. Traffic safety experts largely agree that drivers didn’t fully appreciate what ABS was intended to do, and tended to drive more aggressively, believing the system offered extra margins of safety. Education is the answer.

RECEIVE A NO-EXTRA-CHARGE

2013 LINCOLN MKT

LINCOLN MAINTENANCE

PROTECTION PLAN WITH THE PURCHASE OR LEASE OF ANY NEW 2013 LINCOLN MODEL FOR A LIMITED TIME.

ALL-NEW STATEMENT IN LUXURY Suburban Motors 3377 Douglas St. 250.475.2255 www.suburbanmotors.com HOURS OF OPERATION: MON - THURS: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM FRI - SAT: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPMENT Car-to-X technology is being developed in Frankfurt by engineering and electronics company Bosch. The “X” in the equation represents a vehicle’s ability to connect with other cars, emergency services, and traffic control systems. Intended to improve traffic congestion, and enhance safety, Car-to-X may include convenience functions such as locating available parking spaces. Bosch now has a 120-vehicle test fleet.

Autonomous Cars ask little of the driver except the desired destination. The car senses its surroundings and navigates through a GPS system. Interpreting sensory inputs, an autonomous car identifies appropriate routes, and recognizes relevant street signs. Google, Nissan, Toyota, and Audi have all developed successful cars. Nevada issued the first licence to an autonomous car in May, 2012. The belief is that it may be possible to increase both traffic density and flow by having groups of cars travelling closely together, creating more space on roads, and reducing travel times. The Google research team found during testing that when accidents did occur, a human was driving the autonomous car in normal mode.

In the end though, as driving education instructors rightly point out, lack of knowledge and skill in a driver cannot be solved by technology. While advanced automobile technologies have a role to play, roads would be much safer if more people understood and applied the rules of the road. VB 79

WRY EYE

Get Canada’s leadinG banks to Compete for YOUR mortGaGe Jodie Kristian can help you get the best possible mortgage rate. it’s what she does best.

Give her a call and find out how easy a professional mortgage broker can make your mortgage negotiations.

prime Mortgage Works

Call Jodie Kristian 250-885-5738

jodie@primemortgageworks.com www.primemortgageworks.com

The DESPER ATE wife of a cellphone addict has a MESSAGE for him

By LAUREN KRAMER

ILLUSTRATION SHELLEY DAVIES

Some women fantasize about handsome, muscle-sculpted men, others about luxurious, tropical resorts. Me, I fantasize about dropping my husband’s iPhone into a tall glass of water and watching the bubbles as it drifts slowly to the bottom.

Of course, the repercussions of such an act would be serious, so I keep this fantasy under wraps for the most part. But what I can’t contain is my loathing for this portable device, the symbol of technology’s control of our lives, our dialogue and our freedom.

How can you be in the present moment when you are being beeped and buzzed with incessant messages?

“I need it for work,” he argues on a Saturday morning as we head to synagogue and I wonder out loud why IT is joining us. “What if something urgent comes up? I need to be available.”

It’s hard to come up with a counter for that argument, especially when your husband is a doctor. But the truth is that the messages are not terribly important. “Play poker 80

Wednesday night?” a friend texts. “Check out this song on iTunes,” another emails. Each message is diligently read and responded to.

A CELLPHONE IS NOT FOR ME A little history: after using a cellphone for a few months some six years ago, I paid up my account and pressed the little button that would turn it off forever. I hated being constantly available and distracted by a telephone. Friends wonder how I can be a good mother without a cellphone (“what if something happens to the kids and they need to reach you?”), but the kids have been just fine.

I capitulated recently when my husband upgraded his iPhone to a newer model and implored me to take over the old one. “Just stick it in your handbag,” he insisted. “If there’s ever an emergency, at least you’ll have it.”

It’s there, in my bag, usually with a dead battery and a slew of old messages I haven’t checked. It is not an accessory I truly want in my life.

What I yearn for is peacefulness, especially the peacefulness of life we had in the days before IT joined the family. I know I’m not alone. “My husband is addicted to his cellphone,” my friend Mickey confesses when he’s out of earshot. “We can’t go anywhere without it. When it rings, it takes precedence over any conversation we have. It drives me crazy.”

My friend Belinda sat silently at my dinner table a few weeks ago, watching her husband’s fingers splayed across the keyboard of his cellphone all through the meal. Yes, he made conversation. But the entire time, his eyes were riveted to the screen. He wasn’t truly with us at all. IT somehow gives permission to defy social niceties.

1950 B Oak Bay Ave. 250-361-9243 www.heatwave.me

High Efficiency Natural Gas Fireplaces

THE PHONE COMES FIRST Connectivity has become a pure addiction, blurring the lines between necessity and desire, fuelling feelings of self importance, power and control.

Whatever may be going on at the time a message or call comes in — be it the questions of a curious child or the teary confessions of a frustrated spouse, IT comes first.

My fear is that it has the potential to change relationships irrevocably through the power of distraction, teaching those we love that they are less important than a digital device.

I’m picturing myself 40 years from now in a home for the aged. There are no visits from the kids or grandkids, only digital messages with abbreviated words and a screen capture so I know what they look like. Even on the screen, they’re not making eye contact. They’re too busy sending and receiving new messages that are more important than the one in which they are presently engaged.

If the phones have their users in such a stranglehold today, what does that bode for tomorrow?

Me, I have my eye on that tall glass of water. VB 81

SECRETS & LIVES

By shannon moneo photo by gary mckinstry

We are talking by Skype from Ottawa.

What are you doing today as a new member of Parliament? I’m interviewing potential staff. I’m going out later to look at possible apartments. I hope to bike to work, except in the winter. Last week, it was -30. I’ve been living in Victoria too long to bicycle in -30.

as Victoria Harbour, water pollution.

I’m very concerned about housing in Victoria, of the homeless and how the federal government needs to find solutions. And also, housing for the rest of us. I’m also concerned with the local economy … providing jobs of the future, green jobs.

Your initial Ottawa impressions? My impressions are coloured by the fact that we’re in full winter mode here. I had to buy a winter coat, one of those parka coats, the Canada goose jacket.

It’s surprisingly cold.

What’s happening with sewage treatment? My bottom line is, sewage treatment is the law and has been ordered by the BC Liberal government, been ordered by the federal Conservative government. We need to get on with it but we need to do so in the most cost-effective way.

I’m meeting with federal ministers and community leaders in Victoria to find less expensive ways to comply with the law.

Have you used your French yet? Yes. It’s wonderful to be part of a caucus that has 58 or 59 members who are from Quebec, most of whom speak French as their first language. I’m committed to being a strong member of the team so I’m using my French every day now, which is fun.

What are the top issues on your agenda? I’m very concerned about environmental issues, and specifically, the Enbridge pipeline. When I knocked on all those doors during my election campaign, it was astounding the one issue that came up constantly. British Columbians are utterly opposed to this project and I intend to do as much as I can to stop it. There’s also the environmental impact where federal activities are involved, such

In January you were named Official Opposition Critic for National Revenue. Why not Environment?

I joined the caucus mid-stream: the 100-plus members had already been appointed to positions for over a year and a half since the last election. Megan Leslie of Halifax is the environment critic and doing a terrific job. I am really looking forward to my new role. I’ll be dealing with things like the government’s policy on tax havens and its attacks on the charitable status of certain environmental organizations.

Any tips from Denise Savoie? Her best advice to me was to make sure I listen to people and demonstrate concern for their interests.

You advised Liberal Bob Rae, right?

Should the NDP and Liberals merge?

Many years ago, I was a classmate with Rae at law school so I knew him when he was an NDP person and we’ve continued our friendship. I’m not in favour of a merger of Liberals and NDP. I’m in favour of the NDP becoming a place where people, centrist, left of centre, environmental values, come under the big tent of the modern NDP. What do you do to unwind? I’m a yoga addict. I’ve found a place in Ottawa. I attempt to go three times per week.

There’s also a gym on Parliament Hill, in the same building as my office so I’m hoping to take advantage of that. I bicycle a lot.

You had an interesting classmate growing up in Thunder Bay. I was in the same class as Paul Shaffer, music director on the Letterman show. Even then he was an amazing piano player.

I remember he consistently beat me in Rotary Club piano competitions when we were in elementary school.

It got quite demoralizing! We had a crush on the same girl in Grades 5 and 6. A few years ago I tried to see him when I was in New York but tickets to the Letterman show weren’t available.

Dropping his name didn’t seem to do any good either!

Your most prized possession? My old bicycle, a 15-speed Norco. It’s a wreck.

No one wants to steal it. I don’t need to lock it when I’m downtown, but I do. Every time I see it, it reminds me of the places we’ve been to together.

It’s had better days, but I love it. VB This interview has been condensed and edited.

MURRAY RANKIN, 63 NEWLY ELECTED MP for VICTORIA

ANOTHER QUALITY DEVELOPMENT BY:

FIND YOUR SPOT 3 TOWNHOMES 16 CONDOS PRICED FROM THE LOW $200’s

CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED!

DON’T MISS OUT, CALL TODAY

Tired of the ordinary? Yearn for something different?

How about amazing? Brizo 19 will get you out of the mundane and into one of nineteen sweet suites.

Stellar floor plans, awesome appliances and finishings, the best location. Need we say more?

WWW.BRIZO19.COM

SALES CONTACT: SCOTT MUNRO, JAMES LIU & ALLI MUNRO CALL: 250.477.5353

This is for informational purposes only and not an offering for sale. An offering may only be made by Disclosure Statement and/or Prospectus. All pictures used are representative only.

FAMILIAR FACES, FAMILIAR PLACES

THIS IS

PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL BY GARY MCKINSTRY

FFION ELLIS

WITH HER

While the IS 250 has all of the qualities you expect in a Lexus — luxury, reliability, comfort — its youthful styling and performance sets it apart in the world of luxury sedans. “It’s a young car,” says Ffion Ellis, Chartered Accountant at Schibli Stedman King Chartered Accountants. “It’s the perfect car for where I am now, as a young professional.” The IS 250 matches the fun of a small sports car with the quality and reputation of a Lexus. It is a joy to drive, whether you’re on the highway, travelling up the Island in the sun, or in town, travelling between home and work.

Just as its youthfulness is unexpected, the IS 250’s price is a surprise. Ffion walked into Metro Lexus with the IS 250 in mind,

2013 LEXUS IS 250

but expected her budget would limit her to used vehicles.

“Metro Lexus was able to show me options that fit within my budget and were more affordable than I expected,” she says.

As someone who built her success on being practical and detail oriented, Ffion has discovered that she loves all the little things that make the IS 250 a Lexus. It is impeccably designed, with an attention to lines and surfaces that results in a beautiful interior and a sleek and stylish exterior. Its keyless entry and push-button start save time spent rummaging in her purse for keys. Add the service quality at Metro Lexus to the exceptional fuel economy and safety features of the IS 250 and that’s a good bottom line.

2013 Lexus IS 250 Nicely equipped from $40,045

Includes Freight and Pre-Delivery Inspection.

THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION

DOUGLAS AT FINLAYSON, VICTORIA 250-386-3516