Boulevard Magazine - October 2013 Issue

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local secrets remote west coast // rebel fashionista // a modern medieval village in nepal fixing our appetite for gold // building a fairytale cottage // office space redux blvdmag.ca OCTOBER 2013

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CONTENTS October 2013 Issue 10, Volume XXIl

October 46 50

26 FEATURES 20

A city of spirits

By Megan Cole

26 I’VE GOT A FEVER

By Matt Whelan COLUMNS 14 HAWTHORN

The power of local

family businesses

By Tom Hawthorn 16

STATE OF THE ARTS Expressing activism through art

By Alisa Gordaneer

34 57

DEPARTMENTS 11

CONTRIBUTORS

12

EDITOR’S LETTER

TRAVEL FAR Medieval beauty in Bhaktapur, Nepal

By Harley Rustad

57

FOOD & WINE Haute dogs are a real wiener

By Cinda Chavich

62

HEALTH & WELLNESS The Jolie effect: testing for breast cancer genes

By Shannon Moneo

84

WRY EYE Faced with a crumby addiction

By William Farrant

67

TRAVEL NEAR There and back again in remote Alberni Inlet

By Evelyn Shaw

86

SECRETS & LIVES Jamie Cassels, University of Victoria

By Shannon Moneo

13 YOUR LETTERS 18

FASHION FAVES Claudia Knoglinger, Rebel Rebel Clothing Ltd.

By Lia Crowe

34 HOT PROPERTIES

French couple

creates a fairytale metamorphosis

By Carolyn Heiman 44

BEFORE & AFTER Tech company thrives in interactive office space

By Sarah MacNeill

74 FRONT ROW

Falstaff; Gabriel

Iglesias; Island Big Band; Harvey; and more

By Robert Moyes

50

81 FINANCE

Talking with Tess:

Mike de Jong

By Tess van Straaten

r on ou

cov

er:

The lap pool at this Oak Bay cottage looks inviting even on a rainy day.

Photo by Vince Klassen.

8

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Publisher

Geoff Wilcox

Editor

Kate Lautens

Design & Production Coordinator Advertising

Pip Knott Pat Brindle Geoff Wilcox

Advertising Director

Oliver Sommer

Advertising Manager

Janet Gairdner

Contributing Writers

Cinda Chavich, Megan Cole, Lia Crowe, William Farrant, Alisa Gordaneer, Tom Hawthorn, Carolyn Heiman, Sarah MacNeill, Shannon Moneo, Robert Moyes, Harley Rustad, Evelyn Shaw, Tess van Straaten, Matt Whelan

Contributing Photographers

Don Denton, Vince Klassen, Susan Quinn, Evan Seal

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

Mailing Address: 818 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1E4 Tel: 250.381.3484 Fax: 250.386.2624 info@blvdmag.ca blvdmag.ca

Circulation Director Bruce Hogarth Group Publisher Penny Sakamoto

Victoria Boulevard ÂŽ is a registered trademark of Black Press Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher's written permission.

Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Black Press Group Ltd. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred.

The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents, both implied or assumed, of any advertisement in this publication.

Printed in Canada.

Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #42109519.

$5.95

ISSN 1196-6807

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER facebook.com/BoulevardMagazine

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twitter.com/BoulevardMag

OUR CONTRIBUTORS MEGAN COLE is a freelance

journalist based in her hometown Victoria and Powell River. After working for Black Press in Fernie and Nelson, she decided to move home and pursue her freelance career. Cole is a regular contributor several publications including The Canadian Press, CBC’s All Points West, and Coast Mountain Culture magazine. This month, Cole explores the spooky and ghostly parts of Victoria’s history in “Came Back Haunted.”

VINCE KLASSEN has had the pleasure

of photographing for Boulevard since the creation of man, shooting features, covers, and Hot Properties. In this issue, he photographs a home which reminds him of a fable cottage.

“I have had the pleasure of shooting some of the most beautiful homes in our region,” he says. “This house has a small footprint, but is really big on craftsmanship, beautiful native motifs, and custom stonework.”

Born on Salt Spring Island, HARLEY RUSTAD spent the last few years

working in several countries including South Korea, the UK, India, and Nepal. Following a journalism degree from the University of King’s College, he interned at the Geographical magazine in London and with The Globe and Mail’s South Asia correspondent in New Delhi.

MATT WHELAN is a Victoria-based

decoratile.com | 250-475-2033

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MAYFAIR MALL

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RETAIL SALES & INSTALLATION CLOVERDALE

writer and photographer with weighty hankerings for travel, the outdoors, nature, and history. His work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, the UK’s Daily Telegraph, and Pique magazine, among others.

Whelan wrote and shot this month’s “Yellow Fever” story, following those who follow in the footsteps of the diggers, panners, and sifters who plied Victoria’s rocks and streambeds, looking for gold, 150 years ago.

11

EDITOR’S LETTER

From Past to Present

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Cottage Paint products and classes are now available at The Old Attic. Call for more information.

12

We live in a historic city — the oldest in Western Canada, in fact, settled in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay trading post — and most of us encounter some aspect of its history on a regular basis. We see it in our street names: Douglas, Blanshard, Finlayson, Songhees. We visit its oldest landmarks: Fan Tan Alley, Ross Bay Cemetery, Craigdarroch Castle, Market Square.

That last spot is the focus of a feature this month. The past, many believe, does not stay in the past when it comes to unsettled spirits, and Market Square is said to be home to ghostly presences that seem unable to rest. We are drawn to these tales, whether by fear, intrigue, or skepticism, but why? We explore the spirit world on page 20.

Of course, one cannot speak of Victoria’s history without speaking of the various gold rushes that brought countless folks here to obtain the mining license and supplies needed to go forth and seek their riches. Victoria’s population boomed as a result, catapulting us toward incorporation as a city and, later, designation as the capital of the new colony of British Columbia.

But the gold itself — ah, we humans are infatuated with it. I recently devoured The Sisters Brothers by Island-born Patrick DeWitt, whose novel won the 2011 Governor General’s Literary Award and Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, among other praises. Focused on the California gold rush of the 1850s, the story follows two hit-men brothers on their journey from Oregon City to find and kill a prospector who has done wrong by their employer, the Commodore. Without giving away too much, the brothers do get a taste of the riches to be had. Narrator Eli reflects on the power of the precious metal, heaped in buckets before him: “Though I had never before pondered the notion of humanity, or whether I was happy or unhappy to be human, I now felt a sense of pride at the human mind, its curiosity and perseverance; I was obstinately glad to be alive, and glad to be myself.”

This appetite for gold perpetuates our history. Victoria even had its own gold rush in — you guessed it — Goldstream, and while it was short-lived, it proved once more that perseverance and curiosity continue to push us forward, no matter what the cost.

Read all about the yellow fever on page 26.

These local secrets are just a few of the many stories — whether fact or folklore — that make Victoria a special city. But when you’ve had enough of the past, you’ll find this issue also has a variety of modern-day treats, from locally made sausages to a gorgeous and utterly unique cottage in Oak Bay. And don’t miss our new Boulevard Buzz, which offers tidbits about this month’s topics as well as some fun goings on around town.

Kate Lautens, Editor

YOUR LETTERS BLOCK PARTIES BRING BACK MEMORIES “Rock the Block” (August) took my mind back to the end of the Second World War in Europe, specifically VE Day, May 8, 1945. We civilians in the UK had enormous public celebrations, which some Boulevard readers will likely remember — neighbourhood street parties and huge community bonfires. The relief, and joy, after six years of war is beyond words to describe. In support, I offer the titles of three cherished books: Children of the Storm (ed. Charles Perkins, MBI Publishing, 1998); Surrey at War 1939-1945 (Bob Ogley, Froglets Publications, 1995); and When the Boys Came Marching Home (Ben Wicks, Stoddart, 1991).

Stephen Lamb

THE TRUTH ABOUT CATTLE AND HORSES I read “Riding Full Circle” (September) with interest, but there were misleading statements regarding veterinary education availability that those trying to get in should be aware of. In addition to the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Guelph, there is also a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary, a Vet Faculty at the University of PEI, and a French language college at Ste Hyacinthe, Que. However, I laughed at the “burly men” floating horses’ teeth. When I applied to veterinary college, you had to pass a physical exam to show you could handle such work, and being tall was definitely an asset when reaching inside a Clydesdale horse from either end.

P. David Green, DVM Both my wife and I enjoy your magazine for many reasons.

Your September 2013 edition Readers Weigh in Online added yet another, which you might label “unintended Live Your Retirement humour for those who have Dream “Island Abundance” is a acquired a Monty Python wonderful theme for this time outlook on the world.” We are of the year. informed photographically @MCI_Design (p. 48) that “Fields of Not looking forward to Guernsey cows line the roads Hawthorn’s “months of misty on the Isle of Sark.” Perhaps misery” but enjoyed the mag on “cattle” or “bovines” would this rainy August day! Thx! have been better descriptors, @ajegilliland along with an apology to the #haiku for the end of summer: Alpha bull in the photo.

Last of summer wine, slipping between my fingers.

Bill Dancer Time to make the most.

Sorry, Alpha Bull, for calling you a cow. Your lack of udders clearly indicates your gender.

@stylinghomes Two thumbs up for your new Fashion Page!

We welcome your letters: editor@blvdmag.ca or visit us on Facebook, and on Twitter @BoulevardMag. 13

photo by vince klassen

 By Tom Hawthorn

All in the

family business

AVAILABLE AT

a kid’s map of victoria includes a special set of landmarks. The Bug Zoo features prominently, of course, as does the playground at Beacon Hill Park. You’d have to include Roger’s Chocolates and the Beacon Hill DriveIn with its soft-serve ice-cream cones.

Curious Comics and Legends Comics are important stops.

At Legends, meet proprietor Gareth Gaudin, creator of the store’s mascot, Perogy Cat. Gareth is a true Victoria character — he is now in his 10th year of drawing a cartoon per day, a task he has pledged to fulfill for every day of the rest of his life. That’s what’s known as perseverance, kids.

Alas, one of my favourite stores has closed its doors.

Murray’s Trick & Joke Shop (formerly Tony’s and originally Crazy Frank’s) was for many decades a purveyor of quality magician’s props, including a $78 vanishing champagne bottle (more expensive than a real bottle of bubbly) and a $250 custom-built guillotine whose name — The Arm Chopper — said it all. You could also stock up on the finest in novelties — exploding pens and fake ink spills, itching powder and sneezing powder, plastic vomit and plastic doggie doo. It was the go-to shop for all your whoopee cushion needs.

The owner, Murray Hatfield, is moving from a bricks-andmortar outlet to a cyber presence. (His website is under construction at the time of writing.) It is a business plan earlier pursued by several local used bookstore owners, who eliminated retail overhead by putting their stock in the home basement.

Pulling the wool over our eyes A stop at the magic shop was de rigueur when my son was 14

young, as we both appreciated legerdemain. (That’s a fancy word borrowed from the French for sleight of hand.) On one visit, I was left gobsmacked as the clerk held aloft what he claimed was the magnetic strip from my credit card. Speechlessness turned to horror turned to anger as I remembered I was to leave the following morning on a crosscountry trip and would be without a credit card. Of course I was duped — the magnetic strip is imbedded and sealed. My boy teases me about my reaction to this day.

We used to go to the store to find proprietor Tony Eng working the counter, showing off his great skills. He liked to borrow a $5 bill from a customer, which he would then fold into a tight wad and blow on it before opening his hand to reveal a $100 bill. He’d then hand over the banknote to the customer On one visit, I but it would somehow transform was left from a brown C-note back into a gobsmacked as $5 bill in the blink of an eye. Tony called himself an Ambassador of the clerk held Magic. aloft what he He learned the skills of illusion claimed was as a boy. “I could amuse and amaze the magnetic my friends,” he once told me. “More importantly, I could amuse and strip from my amaze adults. Being able to pull credit card. the wool over adult eyes was quite the feat.”

Stocking family dreams We owe a debt to mom-and-pop operators like the late Tony and his successor Murray, for it is merchants like them who help make our city seem so neighbourly. We’re lucky to have so many High Streets — Oak Bay Village and Cook Street Village and Estevan Village and the up-and-coming strip along Quadra Street and the People’s Friendly Republic of Fernwood and let’s not forget the oldest of them all along Fisgard Street in Chinatown. All those strips are dotted with retailers carrying not only goods, but the dreams of the families who operate them.

My own rounds include visits with the likes of Happy Coxford, a scissors-wielding wizard at Oak Bay Barber Shoppe, where $18 gets you a terrific cut, some laughs, and insight into the New Orleans Saints’ defence. At Munro’s Books (happy 50th anniversary, by the way), a knowledgeable staff patrols the shelves inside the converted bank. I feel like I’m visiting old friends when I get salamis at the Whole Beast, or brioche at Ottavio’s, or a burger and a beer at The Beagle. At Pic-A-Flic video store, my dogs are as welcome as I am.

My household is no longer in the market for whoopee cushions, but I miss the joke and trick shop all the same. I’ll keep on patronizing family businesses, lest they vanish, too, like a magic store.

15

state of the arts

 by alisa gordaneer

Painting an expression of activism

spreads beautiful messages

Ltd.

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

16

Imagine British Columbia’s pristine coastline smeared black, its marine wildlife washed up dead on our beaches, and coastal ecosystems destroyed as a result of an oil tanker spill. It’s a gruesome image — and one that worries many BC residents. Artists, it turns out, are no less worried than the rest of us, but they’re using that concern to fuel their work.

The thought of an oil-damaged coastline apparently inspired artist Robert Bateman (yes, the same Bateman whose new, eponymous gallery recently opened in the Inner Harbour) to smear black paint over one of his own famous orca paintings back in 2008, as a way of expressing his objection to the Enbridge Northern Gateway project and resulting oil tanker traffic on the coast. And it inspired a group of 50 BC artists to participate in the Raincoast Conservation Foundation’s “Art for an Oil-Free Coast” exhibition, a display of artwork that travelled around BC and Alberta over the past year, and can now be seen in a book published by the Foundation (and downloaded for free from iTunes).

There are countless other examples throughout history of artists using their medium — whether it’s painting or plays or protest songs — to express what they’re really thinking about something problematic happening in the world. And if art provides a glimpse into an artist’s mind, it’s a safe bet that artists in general can get pretty concerned about the state of our planet.

Making noise for the environment This month, art and activism will come together here in Victoria, with a community concert held at Ship Point to celebrate a visit from Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, the Rainbow Warrior. The event, spearheaded by Victoria city councillor Ben Isitt, will bring together local musicians and community

members to, as Isitt says, “raise awareness of the important work that Greenpeace and local environmental organizations are doing to protect our planet.”

Isitt explains that it’s not just artists getting together, but a whole lot of others as well. “The concert is scheduled to coincide with PowerShift, a youth environmental conference that is an anticipated to draw nearly 1,000 young people from across Canada to Victoria.” Plus, local social justice and environmental organizations, including the Social Environmental Alliance and SocialCoast, have partnered with Greenpeace for the event.

An event like this makes sense, says Isitt, because “art and culture hold the potential to connect with people in ways that other forms of communication and political action cannot.”

The idea is audience members, perhaps inspired by the music, might just start paying more attention to the issues that the activist groups are interested in.

“Some attendees may choose to play a more active role working for the protection of our coast and taking action to rein in the tar sands, pipelines, tanker traffic, and fish farms,” says Isitt. “People in Greater Victoria have strong environmental consciousness.”

Creative inspiration from the natural world That’s certainly the case for Pender Island singer-songwriter Mae Moore, who contributed a painting to last year’s Art for an Oil-Free Coast exhibit. It depicted a vibrant forest scene, with old growth trees rising above a pristine waterway.

I asked Moore about how activism informed her work as an artist, and it turns out, as far as she’s concerned, it’s not only an essential part of the arts, but it’s crucial for honouring this part of the world.

“I live in BC because I value the environment, the wildlife, the landscape — and my creativity depends upon the inspiration that I get from these things,” says Moore, whose painting, like the rest of the art in the exhibit, was auctioned to raise funds for the Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

“Activism through the arts has a way of reaching people that other forms of protest may not have,” she explains. “Everyone loves a beautiful painting, even if they don’t agree with the message. Not every protest has to be a shouting slogan. Artists use what tools they have to bring light to a cause or a crisis.”

Moore says she’s a “lifelong activist,” whose first protest was at the Darlington Nuclear Plant outside Toronto back in 1979.

Coincidentally, that protest was also organized by Greenpeace, which began in Vancouver in 1971.

Perhaps a new generation of activists — and artists — will be inspired by this local event. At worst, we’ll end up with some more fantastic art. And at best, we might just end up with a better world, too.

In addition to the free public concert at the Ship Point wharf on the Inner Harbour at 7pm on Sunday, October 6, Greenpeace is hosting free tours of the Rainbow Warrior on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6 from 9 am–5 pm. Everyone is welcome.

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FASHION FAVES

with

Claudia Knoglinger Curator of the world’s luxury goods and fashions for the pleasure of Victorians  By lia crowe One of the “rebels” in the 13-years-strong partnership Rebel Rebel Clothing Ltd. (owners of Reunion and Bernstein & Gold), Claudia operates her businesses from authentic desire. She doesn’t just show up for work — it is her true passion.

Originally from Salzburg, Austria, Claudia came to Canada as a high school student in 1992 and was introduced to the biggest style influence of her life — the garage band. While the garage band uniform of pretty sweatshirts over torn jeans (currently experiencing a resurgence) is still a favourite, her personal staples are feminine cream blouses and ankle boots. The fashion design graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle designs own line, Poeme, continually produces one 1. Pleaseher pop back theLa date in the which first paragraph ......led her to Brown’s of Victoria’s local andThe luxurious handwith knitted, chunky I Florist inmust-haves 2003....... as— theClaudia’s date I started Brown’s – I amcowl. worried that people will think I havewhere just taken over Brown’s and now am making met Claudia at her beautiful James Bay home, I fell in love changes – many people know with her monster dog Charlie, and she kindly let Chris me inthe on previous owner and no one likes change, especially customers.

I never did announce when I bought it, some of the layers that make up her “ je ne sais quoi.”

Chris and I were really quiet and seamless with the transition when it happened – especially since she is still my business coach and bookkeeper, so not much has changed really.

3

2. Anywhere where you can swap out staff for ‘team’ would be great. We are a team –it’s not me and my staff. Brown’s is a team and we work as a 1  could put in ‘girls’ we team. We are certainly not a top down. Or you all happen to be female who work here. If itFashion really doesn’t work then staff is Go-to item: (1) Cream blouse, ok. “because you always feel pretty.”

8

7

She’s wearing this one by Ted Baker.

4 3. Under ‘What set’s Brown’s Apart’ please add a word.....We don’t sell ‘just’ Favourite “Pistol” flowers. please add the word ‘just’ in new therepurchase: – obviously(2)we sell flowers

ankle boot by Acne. Coveting:  Reading Material from Opening 4. At the end where we have theLeather address cap – add in the location name .....

Photo Books: Linda McCartney: Life Ceremony.

Brown’s The Florist – Downtown ..... so that if people just skim the ad – in Photographs, The Prada Book, they will see this is the Downtown shop. and Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. Print: (3) The Gentlewoman, 5. Please everywhere - capitalize T in The so it’s Brown’s The Florist – that biannual magazine. Online: (4) was a change made decades ago and we keep it.

Freunde von Freunden, and the print version is on her desk.

6. Oh and does Courtney Hawkins get credit for the photo? or Rachel and Kate for the writing? Just curious and thought I had better ask.

2

... she kindly let me in on some of the layers that make up her “ je ne sais quoi.”  Style Inspirations Current trend you want to try: (7) Androgynous dressing: “It’s so clean and sexy.” Celebrity you admire: (8) Chloë Sevigny. “She’s brazen, doesn’t follow trends; she’s gutsy.”

Designers you follow: Chloé, YSL, and Lagerfeld, “for his modern and ruthless approach to fashion and photography.”

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 Beauty Makeup secrets: (5) Chanel’s Vitalumiere foundations and NARS Skin Smoothing Face Prep. Scents: (6) HERMÈS Un Jardin sur le Nil for day and Chloé Eau de Parfum for evening.

6 5

advertising feature boulevard business

brown ’ s the florist :

profiles

bloom and grow forever

N

atasha is a graduate of Royal Roads University with a bachelor of commerce in entrepreneurial management, so when her entrepreneurial spirit led her to Brown’s The Florist in 2003, she was ready to bloom.

Natasha is only the fifth owner of Brown’s The Florist, an established Victoria business over 100 years old — but if you think being a century old means you are on the decline, think again. Brown’s is on the go!

“This spring we expanded and renovated our Sidney location on Beacon Avenue, and our customers and team love the space,” she says. An opportunity also arose to expand to the West Shore; Natasha says they are excited open their third location, in Langford, later this month.

“There are lots of young people and families, and they are celebrating so many events — first homes, promotions, weddings, new babies, school plays, graduations, and holiday dinners. We can’t wait to be a part of all that!”

While Brown’s has always delivered regularly to the Western Communities, their new location means more deliveries per day and improved customer service for locals, Natasha says.

WHAT SETS BROWN’S APART? Brown’s stands out from the competition due to its “stability and trust, passion for flowers, community spirit, and caring for the environment,” Natasha says.

The team ranges in age from their 20s to their 60s, and can offer insights into what a university grad would love, or what would bring a nostalgic smile to someone in a nursing home.

“Our team stays a long time,” says Natasha — six for over 15 years, two for 30, and almost everyone else for over five. “They love flowers and they love that we encourage them to

treat every order as if it were the only one of the day.”

The team knows that a Mother’s Day bouquet might be the first attempt of an estranged daughter to reach out to her mom. They know that a 50th-anniversary arrangement can’t wilt on the second day; the flowers have to communicate the success of the marriage. And having fresh, beautiful flowers in a place of business has an impact.

“We don’t just sell flowers,” Natasha explains. “We convey emotion.”

Occasionally, they perform rescue acts, too — Brown’s team can recommend the perfect “I’m sorry” bouquet for most of life’s misdeeds.

WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY? “We are very proud to spend over 50 per cent of our advertising budget in support of community fundraisers and events. It is money well spent,” says Natasha, who actively supports the new BIA in Sidney and sits on the board of Shop Local Victoria. She’s also an active member of the Harbourside Rotary Club, an organization that raises money for local and international projects, fostering peace and understanding.

“I was a Rotary exchange student in high school, and spent 12 months living with a family in Brazil, going to school and learning Portuguese,” she says. “That is where I learned what a powerful organization Rotary is. I am proud to be a member.”

AND THE ENVIRONMENT? “We buy over 75 per cent of our flowers in BC, and when we can’t, we buy Fair Trade from around the world,” Natasha says. “We compost, recycle, and send almost nothing to the landfill. Buying local not only means helping to keep our local economy strong, it also means fewer pesticides too. Canadian regulations are much more stringent.”

Photo credit: courtneyhawkinsphoto.com

Natasha Crawford’s love of flowers comes naturally. She grew up on Cortes and Quadra islands, where nature is exuberant and flowerbeds are lush.

Everyone was a gardener, and her grandfather used to win prizes for his gladioli. In fact, he was so good, winning many of the competitions, that he was asked to be a floral judge.

For more than a century, the message that Brown’s has been delivering is that flowers touch hearts.

“Flowers are a little treat,” says Natasha.

“They’re a little bit of joy. A simple act of thoughtfulness that is so easy to share.”

She finds personal joy with her husband Brad, stepdaughter Aydan, and stepson Evan; they share a small home and a huge garden in Saanich along with their four cats and dog.

Her favourite flowers, gladioli, bring a big smile to her face.

Call or visit Brown’s The Florist in downtown Victoria, Sidney, or the fun new shop on Jacklin Road between Starbucks and White Spot. Brown’s delivers seven days a week and their easy-to-navigate website is open 24 hours at brownsflorist.com.

Brown’s the Florist Downtown – 757 Fort Street, 250.388.5545 Sidney – 2499 Beacon Avenue, 250.656.3313 Westshore – 2972 Jacklin Road, 778.433.5399

BROWN’S Since 1912

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Ghostly sights drift throughout Victoria’s history  by MEGAN COLE

20

 photos by don denton

A

breeze sweeps through a dimly lit hallway and the lights begin to flicker. All of a sudden, goose bumps cover your body as you become aware that you may not be alone.

In a historic city like Victoria, which comes complete with ancient burial grounds and graveyards full of characters with creepy stories of their own, it is no wonder that the spirits of the dead have been known to haunt many of the city’s buildings and homes.

Growing up with a local historian as a father, Chris Adams says stories of days gone by were a common occurrence in his household. Adams eventually joined the family business — the Discover the Past walking tours, lectures, dinners, and bus tours — with his father John. Now a historian himself, Adams says it was difficult when exploring Victoria’s past not to become interested in the city’s many ghost stories. “Telling and hearing ghost stories was a common occurrence in my house growing up,” he says. “Even those without a historian for a father grow up hearing about ghost stories or searching for ghosts. I went to Vic High, which was a very haunted school.”

While Adams and his father offer a variety of walking tours with Discover the Past, including Chinatown Walks and Discovery Walks, he says the Ghostly Walks are the most popular. The participants vary, from aspiring ghost hunters to those simply looking for a good story.

“We’ve been running the Ghostly Walks

since 1999,” says Adams. “And in that time, we’ve collected literally thousands of ghost stories because Victoria is a very haunted place and people are very keen to share the stories.”

A paranormal hotspot

The theories for why Victoria is a hotbed for paranormal activity are as varied as the ghost stories, but Ed Sum of Paranormal Victoria Investigations and Research Society says one of the reasons lies deep below the city.

“The paranormal activity is connected to the crystal that is underneath Vancouver Island,” says Sum. “The quartz crystal is supposed to amplify energy.

If you believe in the idea ghosts are composed of energy or some other kind of essence, then that alone can kind of bring up other spirits buried in the ground or the energy of people walking around.”

Both Adams and Sum say ghosts exhibit the emotions they may have felt at the time they died and, depending on manner of death, those emotions can vary.

“Ghosts are often caused by a gruesome death,” Adams says. “Many people believe ghosts are a form of energy we leave behind after we die and in situations like the murder of Charlie Kincaid, the chances are very high that something will come back.” That murder has led to one of the most persistent hauntings in Victoria.

Charlie and his lover Belle Adams

“ghosts will do whatever is needed to get your attention, and because the living person doesn’t understand what is going on, the common response is fear.”

21

ďƒŁ Chris Adams and his father John are the historians behind the Discover the Past Ghostly Walks.

22

arrived in Victoria during the height of the Klondike gold rush in 1898. “It’s a fascinating story.

Belle and [Charlie] really were a rough couple,” says Adams. “By all accounts Belle was infatuated with [Charlie], but he was a violent man. Many witnesses during Belle’s trial had heard him threatening her, brandishing a razor or a knife.

They were a pretty feisty couple and they became notorious for their domestic disputes.”

A passionate ending

During their time in Victoria, Charlie and Belle stayed at the Empire Hotel — now the Milne Building, a part of Market Square. The other residents of the hotel became very familiar with their fights, but according to Adams, on June 3, 1898, things were worse than ever before.

“It was about 9 pm and the fact of the case still remains very unclear as to what actually happened,” he says. “Belle testified and contradicted herself several times and witnesses disagreed. But ultimately, she was given five years for manslaughter.”

Many people believe that in a fit of passion, Belle sliced Charlie’s throat with his own straight razor. Charlie went staggering out of the room and tumbled down the stairs into the lobby below, where passersby witnessed him bleed to death.

Eventually, Belle came running down the stairs and, according to Adams, some witnesses said she was brandishing a razor, while others said she had nothing in her hand. Belle knelt by Charlie’s body and pled with him not to die.

Since the deaths of Charlie and, later, Belle, tenants of what became Market Square have experienced what many have described as ghostly activity, including sightings of Belle’s ghost. “The building where this took place has had all sorts of things reported, from screams to tapping on the walls, and even the sound of something falling or running down the stairs,” says Adams. “There are law offices in the building and people have had things thrown at them.”

Even though the most common reaction to paranormal activity is fear, Sum says not all ghosts are scary or creepy. “Ghosts will do whatever is needed to get your attention, and because the living person doesn’t understand what is going on, the common response is fear,” says Sum. “When you’re a paranormal investigator you can’t meet every situation with fear. You have to meet it with curiosity and respect.”

23

Our eighth annual check-up measures the health of our region and assigns grades in a number of areas critical to Victoria’s vitality.

Arts & Culture Belonging & Engagement Economy Environmental Sustainability

B+ BC+ B-

90%

Getting Started in our Community Health & Wellness Housing Learning

BB C B+

Safety Sports & Recreation Standard of Living Transportation

89% 82%

B B+ B B-

agreed or strongly agreed that they would describe themselves as happy.

rarely or never feel uncomfortable or out of place because of religion, skin colour, culture, race, language, accent, disability, gender or sexual orientation.

agreed or strongly agreed that they feel supported by loving family, companions and/or friends.

79%

see it likely or somewhat likely that they will be living and working in Greater Victoria 10 years from now.

78%

72% 80%

agreed or strongly agreed that they are happy in their job and satisfied with work.

understanding the grades

Excellent, stay the course

rated their general sense of physical well-being as high. rated their general sense of mental well-being as high.

Good, but improvements could be made

Average performance, suggest additional effort be made to address these issues

Below average performance, additional work is required

Failure, immediate action is required

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26

following the

Yellow

fever

150 years later, some still ply Goldstream’s riverbeds, driven by an enduring, ancient appetite for gold

K  Goldstream River and its tributaries are spawning grounds for Chum salmon, who return each fall.

 TEXT AND PHOTOS by Matt Whelan

neeling in one of the shaded creeks that runs through Victoria’s Goldstream Provincial Park, Cory Norland (whose name I’ve agreed to change) plunges his trowel through the water and into the soft sand and gravel of the streambed, pulls out a sticky scoop of wet rock and mud, and slings it into a galvanized steel dish.

“You want to get down as deep as you can,” he says, up to his elbow in the cold water. “It’s real heavy, so that’s where it is.” Bringing the pan close to his face, he

starts poking around in it with his finger.

“This black stuff’s good,” he says, smearing dark grit onto his forefinger with a grin. “It’s called black sand. Where there’s black sand, there’s usually gold.”

Panning for gold like this in a provincial park such as Goldstream is illegal, and fines can run as high as $25,000 and include six months in jail.

Despite these harsh penalties, Norland says he’s not the only one plying the area with the hope of striking it rich. With a name like Goldstream, it’s not hard to understand why.

27

 “Cory Norland” uses a pan and trowel to search for gold in local rivers and streams.

An ancient love affair

 It only took a year for prospectors’ interests in Goldstream to wane.

28

Gold, like many elements, was born in the stars, specifically in supernovae — stellar explosions of inconceivable force — one of which, billions of years ago, scattered primordial dust over our region of space. This chaotic cloud of stardust slowly condensed, forming the planets and the sun of our solar system. When the Earth was born, it was a purely molten mass, and gold, one of the heaviest ingredients of that hot, glowing soup, sank to the core, where almost all of it has remained, out of our reach, ever since.

Of the gold that we take from the Earth today, which is forged into jewelry and traded as bars; eaten on gourmet desserts and drunk in tacky Swiss liqueur; employed in electronics, embroidery, space travel, motor racing, medicine, photography and glass blowing; almost all of it — an estimated 2,700 tonnes — was deposited here by asteroids during a drawn-out storm of space rock that pummelled the Earth about 4 billion years ago.

It’s a good thing, too, because we really are quite keen on it, and have been collecting the stuff for at least 7,000 years.

The first stirrings of Victoria’s gold rush began in the summer of 1858, and enthusiasm for finding riches was rife by late 1863. But almost all interest and reasonable hope of

finding profitable amounts of gold in the area petered out by the summer of 1864, a historical flash in the pan that lasted less than a year. (See sidebar on page 32.)

Protecting the real gold of Goldstream The region that attracted gold-hungry prospectors a centuryand-a-half ago draws visitors with different interests today.

Well, mostly.

In 1958, 400 hectares were set aside and Goldstream Provincial Park was born. An estimated 150,000 people pass through each year to take in its natural beauty, learn about its gold rush history, and see the salmon runs that fill its waterways each fall. A few others, though, still come looking for gold.

Bre Robinson has worked as a park naturalist at Goldstream’s Freeman King Visitor Centre for five years. Several times a week she dons the floppy leather hat and rudimentary canvas backpack of a 19th-century prospector to give talks about the area’s history, geology, and geography, all in character as timetravelling “Penny the Prospector,” complete with gold pan, leather suspenders and Californian drawl.

When asked if she knows anything about the nefarious 29

 Bre Robinson speaks about Goldstream’s history as “Penny the Prospector.”

activities of a few outlaw prospectors working her claim, her gold pan drops, along with the southwest American accent, as she responds: “I certainly hope not! They’re not allowed to.”

Staff members like Robinson consider themselves the first line of defence against those who would cause harm, knowingly or otherwise. Some people, often motivated by rough finances and unaware that they’d be breaking the law, come to the nature house kitted out with pans and trowels, asking after the best places to pan.

They’re asking the wrong people.

“We just give them the spiel about both habitat protection and lack of gold,” says Tracy Ranchovim, who works alongside “Penny” at the visitor centre.

“We really want to protect everything that lives here.”

Including, of course, the salmon.

While the park’s gold rush history may be what draws many visitors, perhaps the real gold nestled amongst 30

the riverbed rock is the salmon roe.

Gravel beds in streams such as those at Goldstream are vital to salmon spawning cycles. Here, returning females make their redds — shallow excavations into which thousands of tiny golden eggs are laid, fertilized, and buried. Disturbing this pocket of milt and roe will likely end the fragile lives it contains, so panning for gold during salmon spawning and the months that follow can be a harmful hobby.

Fortunately, it’s not one that’s particularly widespread, and is not considered to have significantly adverse effects on salmon populations.

“Gold panning on streambeds in BC is not considered to be a major issue and cases of illegal gold panning are rare,” reports Brennan Morrison, a public affairs officer with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. “Records indicate there have been no recent cases of illegal gold panning in BC Parks.”

Well, no one has recently been caught, anyway.

Staking a claim, online Recreational gold panning — defined as requiring only a small shovel, pan, and pick, is legal in BC anywhere outside of private or protected land. Should an individual find gold in such an area, a stake can be claimed, reserving exclusive rights to all further valuable minerals that claim might hold. Staking — a term leftover from the days one had to physically mark the ground with wooden stakes — has become a relatively simple, online procedure.

Cody Broda, an avid recreational panner who says he will “test the dirt wherever I happen to be, so long as it’s in an allowed area,” owns Gold Hound Industries, his personal prospecting company, along with a placer claim near Port Renfrew.

Gold claims in BC are divided into either placer or mineral claims, the



A sluice box was one tool prospectors used during the gold rush.

former allowing rights to minerals found within the looser sediments at the surface and the latter to those found in the hard bedrock below. Placer claims — popular with recreational panners — are divided into cells, roughly 480 square metres and costing about $110 apiece annually. When renewing, owners must demonstrate that a certain amount of geosampling or other exploratory work — at a cost of up to $500 per cell in Broda’s estimation — has been done.

So is it worth it?

“I’m guaranteed to find flakes every time,” he says. “And it adds up.”

Over the course of one year, Broda amassed 1.2 grams of these flakes, which he sold to a local gold dealer for $47.

“I’m not getting rich,” he says. “But people do!”

Broda knows of a recent jackpot found in a creek near Atlin, BC that was cashed in for nearly $50,000. Closer to home, he says that just last year, four- and six-gram nuggets were pulled out of the Nanaimo river — not a fortune, but inspiration enough to keep him searching.

“It’s a fever!” he says, clearly unfazed.

So too is Cory Norland, who is discouraged neither by the historical absence of gold in the Goldstream area, nor the illegality of trying to find it there, and continues to sift and poke about in his pan, coming away with nothing, much like those who preceded him 150 years ago.

My goal is to help you reach yours.

Looking for timely market insights?

Consider a complimentary subscription to my monthly Letter to Clients.

Roderick MacMillan, B.Comm (Hons) FSCI, CSWP Investment Advisor TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice 1070 Douglas Street, 5th Floor Victoria, B.C. 250-356-4148 rod.macmillan@td.com www.rodmacmillan.com TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice is a division of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Toronto Dominion Bank. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. – Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. The TD logo and other trademarks are the property of the Toronto Dominion Bank, as a wholly-owned subsidiary in Canada and/or other countries.

31

Goldstream Gold Rush Timeline

January–April 1864

October 1863 October 1863 – A party of miners report “paying diggings” and the presence of gold and silver-laden quartz in the general area of present-day Goldstream Park.

Supplies, liquor, and “members of the fairer sex” (as the Victoria Colonist put it at the time) soon follow, as does the construction of huts and sluice boxes.

32

A large quartz reef, reported to contain deposits worth $195 a ton, is reported, this time only three miles from Goldstream.

Many companies attempting to extract samples are hindered or halted by water filling their shafts.

November 1863

December 1863 Optimism starts to wane, with the realization that heavy equipment will be required to reach and process any profitable rock bed. However —

Much investment is made in the construction of crushing mills and roads, as the search for paying lodes continues.

Samples sent for valuation to places as far away as San Francisco show they do contain gold, but the concentration is not high enough to warrant the cost of continued extraction.

July 1864 Almost no interest or hope remains for striking it rich in the Goldstream area, and attention turns to new reports of more rewarding finds in the Sooke and Leech Rivers.

33

HOT PROPERTIES

ďƒ¤ A year-round heated pool, lined in luscious natural green quartzite from Indonesia, shimmers invitingly from the kitchen.

34

look love the

OF

Passion and idealism rule an urban retreat reno  by carolyn heiman  photography by vince klassen

J

ournalist and humourist Helen Rowland once said: “Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling common sense.”

It also applies to the relationship of an unusual little home and its new owners. The home has had a fairytale metamorphosis because a design-sensitive

French couple — who likely could live anywhere they want — fell in love with it, and overlooked its significant deficiencies now erased after an inspired renovation driven more by artistic passion than investment savvy. Despite the home’s size and structural impediments, owners Annabelle and Michel were smitten with the atmosphere in the Oak Bay cottage and

showed their adoration for it during an almost two-year reno affair that transformed it from a quirky cottage into an artistic jewel featuring global and cultural influences.

It has to be said here that this Cinderella cottage now stands out as one of the more remarkable homes in a long list of magnificent Hot Properties this magazine has shown on these pages.

35

There is no drywall or paint anywhere in this home. Lined floor-to-ceiling in rich, brown mahogany from Panama, Africa, and Indonesia, every element of this home has been meticulously thought out, and its included features have deep personal meaning for the owners, who have lived 12 years in Canada but have had homes around the world. For example, Annabelle and Michel lived for years in the Caribbean, where their passion was to dive in the vibrant warm waters. They longed to have elements of that lifestyle in their new home, so a saltwater aquarium with live coral and vibrant tropical fish dominates a 36

stunning kitchen. Their Caribbean home inspired the green natural stone lining the courtyard pool, as well as the full mahogany look.

The mysticism of the First Nations people and their connection to the natural world is strongly alluring to Annabelle and Michel, and as a result, there are a number of related art objects and design elements throughout the home. Most notable is a custom-made totem pole by Squamish Nation carver Klatle-Bhi, who happens to be a regular fishing friend of Michel’s. As well, First Nations motifs are etched in a softly curved glass island in the kitchen, copper

trims on the island, and elsewhere in the home.

A teardown is rescued Contractor Brent Walker of Island Skies calls the project one of the most intricate among a list of “pretty amazing homes we have done.” He sums it up: Most houses don’t have wood walls, ceilings and floors.

Originally built in 1932 and often referred to as the “cobble house” because of its unique curled roof system, the home was subjected to renovation efforts over the years. Nonetheless, when Annabelle and Michel took possession,

 Soft, curved lines along the etched glass island keep the flow of the home moving.  Edge grain fir windows, doors, and other trims keep the fairytale home in the natural world.

37

ďƒ¤ A calm oasis gives not a hint of the significant underground infrastructure and technology required to link all the separate buildings — pool, steam room, sauna — to the automated lighting/smart home controls.

38

they uncovered considerable electrical and structural deficiencies, making the project not for the faint of heart.

Annabelle admits they paused when learning the full extent of some of the problems. “Still we loved the place. We decided to do it the proper way and the house would be just for us. We wanted to do something special with it,” she says.

“It did surprise us [that the owners continued to renovate],” Walker notes, adding that most owners would have torn it down. But “they were adamant they wanted it renovated; they fell in love with the quaintness about it.”

The look may be quaint, but the style of the home, along with a growing list of features the owner wanted to include, required mighty technical solutions.

Trusses in a structure behind the garage are of a magnitude that would have been used for two houses, says Walker. With no space to include a main floor bath and powder room for guests, the solution was to create a round bathroom off the master bedroom that included a curved glass door for access from the living room area.

A curved mahogany inlaid ceiling in the spa challenged the best woodworkers.

Attention to detail in every corner Space challenges demanded that every inch be used effectively. A standalone shed behind the garage is now an elegant studio/bedroom. Large patio doors off the kitchen open to the garden and pool area, effectively doubling the living area size.

A garden shed with a wash-up area was transformed into a serene spa. Upstairs, the attic has been appropriated as a guest bedroom accessible by a mahogany ladder, again featuring that luxury copper trim and etched with a First Nations motif.

An even bigger challenge was sourcing materials for the home. Wood came from Panama, Indonesia, and Africa. Sukabumi green stone tiles for the heated backyard lap pool were shipped from Indonesia. A copper bathtub arrived from Mexico. “It’s a global house for sure,” says Walker.

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 Yes, it’s possible to buy sheets of tile made from river rock. But that was too pre-fab for the owners’ liking, so every stone and pebble was pulled off the mesh and placed individually in the circular bathroom.

It took two weeks of labour, but the result is entirely custom, not a prefabricated look.

40

Aaron Johnson, owner of Deckadence Construction Inc., led the work at the site and notes that based on time per square inch, it was the longest renovation he has ever done.

What stands out for him is the “attention to detail. As far as details per inch, in every direction there is something that grabs your eye. Every place you look. The owners didn’t miss one corner … they knew what they wanted and certainly didn’t cut any corners.”

Apart from a two-page picture of a home the owners offered as inspiration for the renovation, little else was committed to paper in working out the design. Walker prepared rough working drawings for approvals, but the finishing details were more iterative: mocked up on site and then refined, redone, and rethought on sight.

“It was very unique in that there were

“As far as details per inch, in every direction there is something that grabs your eye. Every place you look.

The owners didn’t miss one corner … they knew what they wanted and certainly didn’t cut any corners.” no drawings,” says Johnson. “They were coming up with ideas as we went. They came up with the vision, and we were able to interpret.”

Looking back the project, Walker can’t name one thing that stands out: “Everything … from the pool to the spa area to the totem pole, the round bathrooms and round doors. It’s pretty different and pretty nice.”

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.

41

» Winner of 7 2013 CARE Awards «

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 It took almost two months to re-shingle the rare ocean-wave–styled roof, and every shingle was custom cut.

Supply List General Contractor/Builder: Deckadence Construction Inc. Designers: Homeowners and Deckadence Inc.

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Painting /Staining: Black Dog Painting Finishing Carpentry: Deckadence Inc. and Ground Up Custom Carpentry Custom Mahogany Cabinetry: Deckadence Inc. Countertops: Matrix Marble & Stone Glass Etching in Kitchen and Bath Door: Charles Gabriel Flooring: TDI Hardwood Floors Plumbing Fixtures: Kitchen & Bath Classics Lighting: Mclaren Lighting Plumbing /Mechanical: West Bay Mechanical

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design MATTERS

af ter b e f or e an d

after Using inexpensive finishes and fixtures in unique and interesting ways was a guiding principle in this project.

You may have seen this giant “M” before … except it was a “W” that belonged to the word SAFEWAY on West 4th Ave. in Kitsilano.

Kyla Bidgood’s

Top 3 Design Rules 44

 Push boundaries. I

always strive to push my interiors beyond surface esthetics, shaping not only the interior architecture but, most importantly,

Instead of splurging on hardwood floors, Bidgood added warmth to the space by using wood elsewhere — like the movable panels that enclose the lounge and a wall feature that distinguishes the meeting room as a separate space.

people’s experiences.  Design for the user. Trends are short-lived, and usually get overdone.

I drill all my clients and really get to

know them so I can tailor their space to tell their story.

Following this rule always leads to interesting, original results that have

longevity.  Have fun. Equally as important as the finished product for me is the process along the way.

When clients and

collaborators can all enjoy working together, share some laughs, and support one another’s work, magical things can come together.

fostering creativity Interactive space suits a tech company’s style.

 text by sarah macneill  “After” images by jen steele

W

before

after

hen considering a new office space for its fast-growing team, MediaCore knew it needed a fun-spirited workplace that felt like a second home. The Victoria-based tech company — which, since its inception in 2010, has built a privatized media platform currently used by more than 3,000 educational institutions worldwide who depend on it to help teach students through video — moved out of a cramped Fernwood apartment into a vacant suite in a heritage building in Bastion Square. With a stellar corner view of the Inner Harbour, the new space had potential, but the banal carpet and suspended fluorescent fixtures had to go.

With a passion for creating interior spaces that are not imposed on her clients, but are rather an extension of their personalities or businesses, designer Kyla Bidgood pushed creative limits as far as square footage and budget would allow.

Step one was stripping the style-less space down to its bare minimum and adjusting the layout for improved functionality and a more communal feel. Step two involved a re-imagined application of several finishes and fixtures to maximize cost efficacy and impact, such as powdercoated vintage novelties. Step three was measured by the use of the interactive space by its inhabitants.

Bidgood, who loves pattern and bold colour, found throw pillows on artsy websites like Uncovet and Etsy for the flexible lounge area featuring a giant reconfigurable sectional. MediaCore CEO Stuart Bowness says the new space has dramatically affected company culture.

“One of the biggest things is the relaxed, professional feel that the space gives off. I frequently see people working on the big couches, drawing in our meeting rooms, having lunch together,” he says. “People have started bringing their pets to work and we’ve hosted a number of events in the space, too. It’s really brought our team together.”

Designer Q&a

with Kyla Bidgood

q: Do you prefer residential or commercial projects?

A: My work is half commercial, half residential, but they’re difficult to compare. Residential is incredibly personal. It’s about expressing the personality or lifestyle of a person or family. I love the process of getting to know people and coming up with ways to express them within their space. With commercial work, the client is usually hiring me to design the space for other people: customers, staff, patients, or patrons. I love figuring out how to make every square inch functional, and I can generally go a little more over the top with the design since it’s not catering to one specific person. q: What’s the best salvaged treasure you’ve discovered?

A: A dining table with cast iron table legs salvaged from a demolished factory in Chicago, with a custom top made of reclaimed bowling alley floors, custom made for a client. Also, that “M” was a pretty timely score! q: What project are you most excited about right now?

A: I’m currently working on another tech company office, this one in London, UK. This project has opened my eyes to project possibilities beyond the borders of BC. Skype meetings, video walkthroughs, 3D modelling … the fact that I can be sitting at my desk in Victoria while a space I’ve designed is under construction in the UK is pretty mind-blowing.

Technology is an awesome thing.

45

PRIDE IS EVIDENT IN this well-maintained 3 bedroom plus den residence.

Marble entry, gracious living room w/ gas F.P. Formal dining rm. with crystal chandelier. Family room with gas F.P. adjoining kitchen with eating bar and Oak cabinetry. Master with triple closets, & jaccuzzi ensuite, 2nd bedroom, 4 pce. family bathroom, den, and laundry on main. Lower walk out level with 3rd bedroom, 4 pce. bath plus rec. room. Loads of storage, B.I vacuum, double-car garage, security system, new 40 yr. roof, and charming garden shed. Lovely corner lot. Lochside Elementary & shoping strolling distance. 4675 McMorran Way, Saanich $709,000.00

24 O HR FF . T ER IM PE E C N L D AU IN S G E

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 $1,795,000.00

SPECTACULAR SOUTH WEST FACING WATERFRONT PROPERTY in Ten Mile Point area. This elegant 6,500 sq. ft. home offers entertainment sized rooms, and has 180˚ views from the Olympic Mts. to the sandy shores of Cadboro Bay. Spectacular living room with vaulted ceilings, gas F.P. and feature bar/ conversation area. Spacious separate dining room, 30x13 family room (also with F.P.) adjoining kitchen. Master on the main with private lounge area. 5 bdrms, 8 bath, gorgeous sea side patio complete with dingy launch. Mins from village shopping. Sensational waterfront.

2715 Sea View Rd., Ten Mile Point $2,198,000.00

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LISA WILLIAMS W eLeGaNt & LuXurIous upLaNDs resIDeNce – ComINg SooN! This gorgeous & luxurious 6 bedrm/ 5030 sq.ft. home was completely rebuilt from the foundation up in 2011 and boasts incredible quality and high-end custom finishing throughout with hardwood floors, marble baths & kitchen, imported fixtures and hardware, oversized windows, deluxe media room, exercise room, office, family room and more! gorgeous south-facing back yard is totally private and beautifully landscaped . . . call for more info!

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! $2,249,000

spacIous LuXury on the oceanfront! New custom home with over 5700 sq.ft. and 6-7 bedrooms, 7 baths, 4 car garage parking & so much more! gorgeous HW and marble flrs, high ceilings, 2 master suite options, stunning, gourmet kitchen, deluxe home theatre, 2 bedrm in-law suite, PLUS separate studio . . . perfect for a home office, student space or an artist! Seaside patio with firepit, amazing views from all main rms and close to mt. Doug trails, all amenities, UVic and shopping! $2,228,000

Gorgeous soutH-FacING waterfront property in prime South oak Bay location! Sunny .4 acre lot boasts incredible ocean views toward the oak Bay marina & beyond to the olympic mountains, with ever-changing seascapes, marine wildlife & lots of boating activity to enjoy! 1943 hm is solidly built & well maintained by long-term owners, & features oversized main rooms, 5 bedrms/4 bths & lots of options . . . Fantastic location on a quiet cul-de-sac off Beach Dr. & close to everything; original Boathouse & beach access too! $1,688,000

stuNNING NeW custoM HoMe on a sunny .57 acre property in Deep Cove a short stroll from the ocean! The gorgeous 5 bedrm/5 bth ‘modern westcoast’ hm boasts beautiful HW flrs, gourmet kitchen, airy & open great Room, main lvl office & so much more!

Truly luxurious throughout, w/a sumptuous master suite w/spa ensuite bath & oversized walk-in closet, custom cedar doors & windows, builtin speakers, lg family/rec. room, & exercise area. Enjoy expansive patios, spacious fenced yard/lawns, fabulous southern exposure, & mt. & ocean views too . . . BoNUS: fantastic 610 sq.ft. studio! $1,745,000

GorGeous 20 acre property in Sunny Central Saanich location! All flat/usable property, with a top-quality barn w/8 oversized stalls, tack room, wash stall, 4 paddocks w/ shelters, new vinyl fencing, & fantastic new outdoor riding ring with excellent drainage & NIKE all weather footing. A perfect hobby farm, country retreat, top-notch horse breeding or training facility or build you new dream home! Updated 3 bedrm home is solid & very livable . . . Close to great amenities and less than 25 minutes from downtown Victoria! $1,690,000

BeautIFuL WaterFroNt fully renovated throughout with incredible views and tons of light, including a fantastic kitchen, spacious living & dining rooms, huge rec room, deluxe master suite with sitting area and access to upper deck, 4-5 additional bedrooms, new baths, private area for guest or nanny and so much more! Don’t just drive by . . . you must see inside! Very private outlook and feel with incredible ocean vistas and new stairs down to a fabulous pebble/sandy beach . . . just 5 mins to UVic and close to all amenities! $1,898,000

HuGe opportuNIty! Luxurious new 5 bed/5 bth residence on 2+acres in sunny country setting . . . LEEDs ‘green’ built with amazing custom features and an airy, open design with soaring high ceilings & spectacular entry, amazing gourmet kitchen w/adjacent wine room, HW & marble flrs, main flr master suite, fantastic family & exercise rooms, optional in-law suite, detached games/entertainment room and so much more! 36’ x 56’ barn is ready to finish for horse or other animals . . . or perfect for a car or boat enthusiast too! Walk to country market & close to several beach accesses . . . Now in FoRECLoSURE . . . the cost to finish as per the top quality work thus far is approx $200k and the result will be an incredible estate easily worth $2.5m+ Call for more info! $1,720,000

No step upLaNDs home on a totally private .6 acre lot! This lovely ‘DiCastri’ designed hm boasts a modern, timeless feel w/incredible light throughout; one of the brightest homes you’ll find! Features incl.

HW & tile flrs, huge windows, spacious living rm, 2 master bedrm options, lots of skylights, beautiful architectural detailing throughout, in-flr heating, double garage & so much more! Enjoy the fantastic patio area w/wisteria-covered arbor, built-in seating and gas outlets for overhead heaters. The property is simply gorgeous, flat & totally useable with manicured lawns and mature garden areas to enjoy...with a quiet location closer to Beach Dr. in the heart of the Uplands! $1,328,000

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SHOAL POINT a place you would be proud to call home! Spectacular Harbour front residence with 9' ceilings. Floor to ceiling windows capturing a panoramic inner harbour view. Covered 240 sq. ft. balcony to enjoy outdoor living all year. Gourmet kitchen for the chef in the family.

Open plan perfect for entertaining.

2 master suites for optimum privacy. Separate room with a view for a library, office, TV/family room or dining room.$1,100,000 MLS #319327

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AFFORDABLE 812 sq. ft. 1 bdrm home at Shoal Point. Enjoy the sunsets from your spacious 153 sq. ft. covered deck. Pets welcome. Take in the 25 m. lap pool, sauna, hot tub, fully equipped gym, putting green, concierge and secured underground parking. Travel without worry in this secured building. No lawns to mow.

Walking distance to downtown or a stroll along the waterfront. Immediate occupancy. $410,000 MLS#328204

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VERY CONVENIENT location close to shopping, downtown Victoria, ferries, airport and easy access to up island. Enjoy extensive views to the low maintenance landscaping. Sunroom entry is an extension of the outdoors that can be used for indoor gardening all year round. Exotic teak floors in living room/dining room & hall inlaid with oak and mahogany. Solid cherry cabinets in kitchen and bathroom with granite counter tops. Very versatile home could be a great family home or empty nester.

Come see for yourself! $699,000 MLS#328199

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BEST WATERFRONT IN MILL BAY! 205 ft. of low-bank beach front.

Dramatic views west to Mt. Baker.

Completely landscaped .77 acre lot.

Irreplaceable one bedroom beach house separate studio main residence walking distance to marina, village, and Brentwood College. Only 20-30 minutes from Victoria. A gardeners dream property with established landscaping and pond. Enjoy the endless possibilities! $879,900 MLS#305224

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! PIER ONE two bedroom, two bathroom spacious 2,001 sq. ft. condo in the heart of James Bay. Walking distance to downtown and Dallas road waterfront. Breathtaking view of Inner Harbour. Building amenities include: squash court, hot tub and sauna. Small pet welcome. Underground secured parking.

Immediate occupancy. Boat moorage available. $749,900 MLS#327309

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Desirable townhome at PORT ROYAL ESTATE overlooking the development to views of Brentwood Bay and the marina. Adult living. Vault ceilings in the living/dining rm. 200 sq. ft. deck.

Large main bdrm & 5 pc. ensuite. Den or 2nd bdrm with private courtyard on main level. Lower level provides guest accom. Attached double garage. $549,900 MLS #321503

Short Street near Uptown shopping centre. This 1008 sq. ft. condo is perfect for the professional couple or students! The 2 bdrms & 2 bathrooms are separated by the living area, making it easy for a shared lifestyle. 9 ft. ceilings, engineered cherry wood floors, living room with electric fireplace, Master bdrm with walk-in closet & 4 pc ensuite, in-suite laundry. Secured parking & storage locker. Small pets & rentals OK. $349,900 MLS #326108

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Stunning ocean & mountain views from Trial Is. to the Olympics are yours from all principal rooms of this gorgeous new 4 bedroom home.

The chef’s “Urbana” kitchen features professional appliances & quartz counters & all bathrooms have heated floors. Great room with fireplace opens to 850 sq. ft. deck. $1,785,000

Custom built architect’s home with 18 ft. vaulted ceilings & 6 skylights. Bright and open! Kitchen with new double wall oven, granite counters & custom cherrywood cabinetry. Master with his & her closets. 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, & gorgeous walk-out private garden. Close to UVic & Camosun. $880,000

“West Coast Provencale” - stunning architecturally designed custom built (2009) home backing onto Victoria Golf Course. Vanishing Eclipse doors open to exquisite multi-level patio with hot tub. Chef’s dream kitchen with custom cherry, granite & top appliances. All 4 bdrms are ensuited. $1,750,000

Wonderful corner lot location! 3 bedrooms on the main floor, family room downstairs. Oak floors under carpet in living rm & bedrooms.

Kitchen opens to a west facing sundeck. New energy efficient gas furnace, 4 year old roof, new garage door. Great value for this area! $579,900

Breathtaking views of Brentwood Bay & beyond from all principal rooms in this 1995 home. 4 decks overlook this sheltered bay. Master on main with its own balcony. Serene & private, 3,750 sq.ft. – water view kitchen, 5 bdrms, 4 baths. 105 ft. of waterfront with dock & deep water moorage! $1,750,000

Great street appeal! Great location close to Mt. Doug trails, great schools, rec centre & UVic. Beautifully renovated main bath. 4 bdrms, 3 baths, family rm, office & craft area. Large decks & professionally landscaped yard & gardens.

New roof & windows, newly painted throughout. Easily suited. $599,900

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TRAVEL FAR

medieval resilience in

 TEXT AND PHOTOS

BY Harley Rustad

I’m completely lost, but don’t care. I came to Bhaktapur to get lost and the town was making it easy to wander without aim, direction, or plan.

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 Bhaktapur is a blend of old construction and new renovation, with houses embellished with intricately carved woodwork.

W

orn brick walls tower three stories above me, brickcobbled paving lies underfoot, and at the end of the alley, two men flick black and white pieces on a game of shuffleboard, on a platform of carved wooden pillars.

Behind me a woman bends low to sprinkle marigold blossoms on the head of a stone Ganesha — the elephantheaded Hindu god of fortune.

I recognize the scene, but with so much old brick and carved wood, and so many ancient temples and narrow lanes

in the medieval town of Bhaktapur, it’s hard to say for certain.

Near the edge of the mountainrimmed Kathmandu Valley, 12 kilometres from Nepal’s capital, Bhaktapur is fighting to protect its architectural and historical legacy — against concrete and glass, metal and asphalt — and winning. The evidence lies along the alleys that snake without reason or design, in the pulsating temples and wide squares.

I peer down a passageway just wider than my shoulders as a young girl

in a pink dress pokes her head out of a wooden doorway. “No way, no way,” she says, shaking her head. I smile and continue down the passageway. She is right: the lane ends at a tight cul-de-sac where a woman is drawing water from a round stone well. It’s a world away from the congestion and clamour of Kathmandu. Around me, three stories of wooden windows, many framing curious faces peering down, are set into the brick walls, the wood frames intricately carved with flowers, animals, and geometric patterns.

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Seamlessly blending old and new

Bhaktapur’s buildings are old — some dating from the 15th century when the town was an important trade route stop between Tibet and India — and represent a shining example of efforts to maintain and restore Nepal’s architectural heritage.

In Bhaktapur, unlike much of Nepal, the old blends seamlessly with the new.

One old shop, with brick walls worn and leaning precariously, faces a newly constructed house. The only mark of the new is the colour of the bricks: the old are worn and dusty, the new, bright and red.

52

Carved pillars support covered seating areas at both buildings. Both have elaborate wooden windows and roofs of fired tile.

This resilience against the new and focus on old building materials and techniques not only makes Bhaktapur a living museum, but also protects the livelihoods and skills of the town’s 80,000 residents, many of whom are artisans and tradespeople.

Preserving the legacy

Krishna Prajapati, senior architect at the Heritage Section of Bhaktapur Municipality, has been focused on the

 Nepali men commonly wear a topi, or hat, recognizable by brightly coloured embroidery in geometric patterns.

 Dozens of families around Bhaktapur’s famous pottery square produce their own unique variations.

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town’s architectural restoration and cultural preservation for decades. Using construction regulations and protraditional building incentives, the Heritage Section encourages Bhaktapur’s residents to preserve their town’s historical legacy.

“We subsidize bricks, wood and clay tiles to be used in new construction,” says Prajapati. “And all tourists who visit Bhaktapur pay an entrance fee. This collected money is used for cleaning the city, renovations, cleaning ponds, and street paving.” The entrance ticket isn’t cheap either, at 1,100 rupees — around the same price as the Taj Mahal in India.

But just five minutes walking around Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square or through its alleys reveals a level of restoration and dedication to historical preservation that sets the bar in Nepal.

The Heritage Section is not solely focused on renovations.

“Our first purpose is to clean the city, and health of public,” says Prajapati. “We have big problem with sanitation and river pollution. Now, all the house waste goes into the rivers, but we are changing that.” Throughout the Kathmandu Valley, rivers run black with sewage and are choked with

54

garbage. In Bhaktapur, a network of sewage and clean water pipes run to and from thousands of homes, and soon will be connected to two sewage treatment plants.

Building requirements are strongly enforced

Between the bus stand and Durbar Square, a new building is going up, sounds of hammering and sawing cutting through the street bustle. But all new construction in Bhaktapur must adhere to certain municipally set and enforced criteria: brick walls with wooden windows and a sloped and traditionally tiled roof.

“There is one guest house near Durbar Square that is too tall and has a roof terrace — they are blacklisted,” says Prajapati. The owners could face fines if they do not amend their building to meet the requirements.

For woodworkers, potters, stone carvers, and bricklayers, the town’s building requirements ensure that business remains booming and their skills maintained.

 Potters lay their freshly turned vases and bowls in pottery square to dry in the sun before being fired in straw-covered kilns nearby.

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At a nearby tea stall, Adit, a third-generation woodcarver born in Bhaktapur, sits sipping a cup of lemon tea. At his home-cum-workshop, tucked in an alcove near Durbar Square, Adit shapes and carves posts, screens, and window frames using rusty saws and chisels. “If people build new houses [with new materials and techniques], I won’t have business anymore,” he says. “So it is good for me and makes a beautiful Bhaktapur.”

Craftspeople line Bhaktapur’s many alleys: a man violently hammers copper and brass sheets into water jugs and pans; a woman works a handloom — the rhythmic clattering echoing down the street — turning out bolts of rough cotton fabric; and a man spins lumps of raw clay into elegant vases and pots on a creaking pottery wheel. “My work is respected here,” says Adit. “If people don’t have to buy my wood carving, then the town will of course change.”

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I emerge from the warren of meandering alleys shortly before the sun set, after a day lost in Bhaktapur. I was leaving, back to the hustle and congestion of Kathmandu, but the town was not shutting its doors and ushering out its visitors. What had felt like a museum — both architecturally and artistically — was just home to thousands who live along the brick-cobbled lanes.

The bus to Kathmandu bumped and swerved down into the valley. Tall, concrete houses stud the fields, and terraced gardens are giving way to new developments as the population continues to expand outward from the capital.

But Bhaktapur stands resilient against the constant creep of concrete that is spreading ever outward from Kathmandu — resilient against the new, and a living, breathing homage to the old.

If you go:

Public buses (1 hour, Rs70) run regularly between Kathmandu’s Ratna Park and Bhaktapur; a quicker taxi costs around Rs800 each way. The town is an easy daytrip from the capital, but you can extend your entrance ticket (free with a passport photocopy and photo, up to the length of your visa) for overnight or multiple visits.

Rooms, some overlooking Durbar Square, cost between Rs500 and 2,000.

A plate of momos (vegetable- or buffalo-filled dumplings) or chow mein at a streetside eatery costs Rs50, while a small cup of Bhaktapur’s famous curd — thick, sweet yoghurt the consistency of custard and often served in earthenware cups — costs Rs25.

FOOD & WINE

Making the best

photo by don denton

 by cinda chavich

Nothing says October like sausage on a bun, washed down with a frothy pint. But when top hotels — like Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific — set up “hot dog” stands on their patios, offering artisan sausages with their own house-made condiments, you know there’s something more afoot.

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F

JEWEL OF THE WEST COAST: ERINAN ESTATES

orget the gourmet burger — haute dogs are drawing diners, who are lining up for a Choux Choux hot dog or a chicken vindaloo sausage from Village Butcher. They snake through the Moss Street Market for boerewors every Saturday and wait while George Szasz makes a spicy sandwich with his chorizo, roasted peppers, and arugula at the Victoria Public Market at the Hudson.

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What was once a vehicle to recycle the butchery scraps has definitely morphed into a gourmet food in its own right, with creators of fresh artisan sausages starting with whole muscle meats like pork shoulder or boneless chicken thighs, even making their own sauerkraut, onion marmalade, kimchi, and ketchup to serve on the side.

“Yes, there was a time when ‘sausage’ was a dirty word,” admits Kate Wallace, whose yummy red onion marmalade is the perfect foil for her husband Johan Wessels’ line of fresh, lean Galloping Goose sausages.

Making quality sausage is an art they’ve perfected at Galloping Goose Sausage Co., creating more than 25 fresh and smoked sausages in their shop outside Metchosin in small, 20-pound batches. It was a yearning for a traditional South African boerewors that started the couple on their sausagemaking odyssey 30 years ago. Now their popular products can be found in delis and gourmet groceries around Victoria, even served in local restaurants.

While lower quality, commercial sausages may still be rife with fillers, sodium, and questionable cuts, a good sausage is pure meat, perfectly spiced, and a great convenience food to add to your cooking.

Whether you start with a fresh, spicy Italian sausage for a tomato sauce, combine curried chicken sausage with vegetables in a quick stir fry, or use a traditional chorizo in your famous seafood paella or weekend chili, a good sausage adds instant flavour to any dish. And if you cook with any sausage — that is, take it out of the casing, crumble it, and sauté the meat — you’ll know right away if it’s lean and well-made, or not.

Tricks of the links At Bistro28 and his downtown diner, Black Hat Bistro, Chef Sam Chalmers makes sausage to include in the creative dishes on his menu. A true scratch cook who makes everything in house, from his tasty ricotta-based “Cheese Whiz” appetizer to the ketchup he serves with the house-ground chuck burger, he also likes to make the chorizo sausage he serves with his handcut pasta.

I’ve stopped in on a sausage-making morning, just to see how it’s done.

Chalmers starts his chorizo with pork butt (a.k.a. shoulder) cut into 2-inch cubes and ground using a fairly coarse die on the grinder. You can do this at home if you have a mixer with 58

photo by cinda chavich

 Chef Sam Chalmers of Bistro28 and Black Hat Bistro shows off his freshly made sausages.

a grinding/sausage-making attachment or use an old-fashioned hand-crank grinder. Just make sure everything is very clean and cold.

“Pork butt is the perfect 65:35 ratio of meat and fat for sausage,” says Chalmers, who also adds an onion, a head of garlic, and some chopped fat back to the five pounds of pork he feeds through the grinder.

Then it’s just a matter of seasoning. He uses about ½ cup (125 ml) of his own Spanish spice blend, which includes sweet and smoked paprika, coriander, fennel, and black pepper. Sea salt, and a touch of pink curing salt (Prague Powder #2) finish it off.

Chalmers kneads the spices into the meat by hand and says the secret to juicy sausage is the addition of a little water — about 2 cups (500 ml) to this batch.

“That’s a big secret ingredient; it grabs onto the fat, helps distribute spices, and holds the moisture in the sausage,” he says.

Chalmers uses natural sausage casings — clean pig intestines, available from your local butcher — and soaks them in water before beginning the tedious job of untangling them. Then, it’s onto the end of his hand-cranked stuffer, the individual sausages formed by pinching and twirling the large coil into shorter links.

Chalmers smokes his chorizo for two hours at 225°F (110°C) to fully cook it, but you can freeze your fresh sausage to grill, panfry, or add to other recipes.

The trick to cooking sausage, says Wallace, is never to stab the skin, and to turn it four times while grilling or pan-frying. You can also cook their sausage in the oven — just brush with oil and bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

And as her husband wryly advises: “Practice safe sausage — always use condiments.”

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galloping goose red onion marmalade

breakfast sausage patties

Every sausage sandwich benefits from a good crusty bun and a great condiment. At Galloping Goose Sausage Co., Kate Wallace has created an addictive onion marmalade that goes with almost anything but is best with a grilled sausage on a crusty bun.

Even if you don’t have a sausage stuffing machine, you can make your own breakfast patties. Caul fat — the lacy membrane used to encase classic French ballotines and crepinette (or sausage parcels) — can be used to wrap sausage ingredients and disappears once cooked.

8 cups (2 l) chopped red onion 1¼ cups (300 ml) sugar ⅔ cup (160 ml) red wine ⅔ cup (160 ml) red wine vinegar 2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil Sauté onions in the oil until soft. Add sugar and mix until dissolved. Add red wine, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Cook on low heat for about 1½ to 2 hours, until thick and quite dark. Pile into a jar and refrigerate. Serve with your favourite sausage.

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1 lb (454 g) ground pork

½ tsp. (3 ml) dried thyme leaves

½ lb (227 g) ground beef

½ tsp. (3 ml) fennel seed

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of cayenne

½ cup (125 ml) minced green onion

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 small sweet red pepper, minced

pork caul fat, rinsed well (optional

1 tsp. (5 ml) ground cumin

— get it at a good butcher)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Fry a small sample and adjust the seasonings to taste. Form into small patties, or oblong sausage shapes (wrapped in a single layer of caul fat, if using) and fry in olive oil until well browned on all sides. The caul fat, like a think layer of bacon, crisps and adheres to the meat, holding everything together but essentially disappearing during the browning process.

Serves 6.

Sausage cooking styles determine drink selections

When you’re talking about sausage, the flavour profiles vary widely, but what’s usually pretty constant is spice and salt.

Spice can fight with tannic wines, so if your sausage has a lot of hot chilies and aggressive spice, find a low tannin red or offdry white to serve, perhaps a fruity Gamay, Italian Valpolicella, Spanish Garnacha, a Riesling, or an unoaked BC chardonnay.

Salty foods will tame acidity in wine, so break out that young rosé or crisp bubbly with your hot dogs.

The best beverage match also depends greatly on how you cook your sausages. A smoky, grilled sausage can stand up to a beefy Shiraz wine, but a fresh pasta dish with tomatoes calls out for white or rosé.

A mimosa is undoubtedly the best match with a mess of breakfast sausage and eggs, but a rosemary apple sausage off the grill on a summer day might pair better with a chilled and herbaceous Sauvignon blanc.

And don’t rule out the traditional German-style lagers and wheat beers with your sausage supper. Try a Hefeweizen, like the Hoyne Honey Hefe, or This Is Hefeweizen from Moon Under Water — it’s spicy, smooth, and even has a guy in lederhosen on the label!

QUICK FIXES WITH SAUSAGE  Remove spicy Italian sausage from its casings, crumble, and sauté with minced garlic and onions; then, toss with hot pasta, slivered basil, and Parmesan.  Sauté sweet Italian sausages with onion, garlic, and greens (chard, spinach, broccoli rabe), and then toss with hot penne, chopped black olives, lemon zest, and Parmesan.  Use sliced leftover potatoes, chopped onion, bell pepper, and cooked, crumbed sausage for frittata — sauté together, top with beaten eggs, and cook, covered, until set. Add some shredded cheese and broil.  Try sausage in soups — kale, white bean, and sausage soup is a wintery winner.  Grill sausages on medium heat until nicely browned (never stab them), and then serve with grilled or roasted peppers and caramelized onions on crusty buns.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

taking a weight off her chest?

Genetic testing for breast cancer can offer relief — or anguish. ď § By shannon moneo

22,700 Canadian women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. More than 5,000 will die from it.

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THE JOLIE EFFECT When Angelina Jolie announced in May that she had a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer, jaws dropped around the world. Jolie had inherited a gene mutation that may cause breast or ovarian cancer. Her mother died of ovarian cancer at age 56 and her aunt died of breast cancer at age 61. By July, a US survey of almost 1,100 women found that 86 per cent had heard about the movie star’s radical treatment. Dubbed the “Jolie Effect,” response to her decision has been felt even in Victoria. Since May, there’s been a big spike in calls to Victoria’s Hereditary Cancer Program from women concerned about breast cancer.

WHAT IS IT? Two genes — BRCA1 and BRCA2 (breast cancer susceptibility genes 1 and 2) — are known as tumour suppressors. In normal cells, they help ensure stability of the cell’s genetic material and prevent uncontrolled cell growth. But they can mutate, and if a woman inherits a harmful mutation (not all mutations are harmful), her risk of developing breast cancer increases. About five to 10 per cent of breast cancer cases are hereditary, says Melanie Taylor, clinical co-ordinator with the Hereditary Cancer Program, a BC Cancer Agency initiative.

THE TEST In 2009, White Rock resident Melanie Gaboriault, 42 today, decided to be tested. Her father had died of cancer, one of her cousins had died of ovarian cancer, and another tested positive for the BRCA gene. To be eligible for genetic testing through the Hereditary Cancer Program, a person may be referred by their family doctor or do a self-referral based on various criteria, such as having two or more close relatives who have had the same kind of cancer or a close relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50.

A blood sample taken at a local lab is sent to

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Vancouver for testing, with results available after several months or longer. This test is available for women aged 19 and older; most are in the 30-to-60 age demographic, but those in their 70s and 80s have opted for testing, Taylor says.

The $1,700 test is free to those covered by BC’s Medical Services Plan if done via the BC Cancer Agency. Those who don’t meet eligibility criteria can visit an outside lab for testing, costing $1,600 to $4,000, Taylor says.

In October 2009, Gaboriault, the mother of three young children, two of them girls, found out she was positive for a harmful mutation of BRCA1. “The first question I had when I found out was ‘What about my kids?’” Gaboriault’s mother, who didn’t want to know if she carried the gene, subsequently got tested after Gaboriault’s urging. She too carries it. As for Gaboriault, “I just wanted to get my breasts off,” she says — so she did.

GENETIC COUNSELLING IS VITAL

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Before testing, a patient usually undergoes genetic counselling, said Taylor, a certified genetic counsellor since 2000. Taylor and the patient will discuss the impact on the patient’s life if the test is positive and consider suitable treatments. “It can be difficult information to receive,” says Taylor, who has a master’s degree in biophysics and genetics.

Victoria-based medical researcher Alan Cassels recommends that people do a “thought experiment.” If they were to find out their test is positive, they should ask themselves what they would do next, he says.

For Gaboriault, a take-charge person, it was easy. “I knew I needed to take care of this. I couldn’t live my life in fear of breast cancer,” she says. Gaboriault has since counselled several other women who found out they carried the BRCA1 or 2 genes. “You have to understand who you are and what you can handle.”

In BC, in-person genetic counselling is available in several cities, including Victoria and Nanaimo; video-conference is also possible.

FACING THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF TESTING Knowing that there’s a personal and family risk of developing cancer translates into taking risk reduction and management measures, said Taylor. “It gives a sense of empowerment,” she says. And when someone discovers that they don’t carry the harmful gene, anxiety is alleviated, she adds. Gaboriault’s sister also got tested; the negative results brought comfort to a woman who had watched the anguish faced by her sister and mother.

However, “people vastly overestimate the value of screening and vastly underestimate the potential for harm,” says Cassels, whose most recent book is Seeking Sickness: Medical Screening and the Misguided Hunt for Disease. “If you test positive, there’s no guarantee you’ll get breast 64

“I knew I needed to take care of this. I couldn’t live my life in fear of breast cancer.”

PHOTO BY EVAN SEAL

 Melanie Gaboriault, 42, had a double mastectomy when she discovered she carried a harmful mutation of the BRCA1 gene.

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cancer.” Conversely, if you test negative for the gene, that doesn’t mean you won’t get breast cancer. The test will undoubtedly cause substantial worry for lots of women, he adds. Gaboriault, while healthy and cancer-free, considered her odds, saying she had up to an 80 per cent chance of developing cancer. “My mind was saying, ‘What are you doing to me, cutting into a healthy body.’ But I told myself, ‘I need to avoid cancer at all costs.’”

IF YOU’RE POSITIVE A positive test usually indicates that a person has inherited a known, harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 and, therefore, has an increased risk of developing certain cancers. However, a positive test result provides information only about a person’s risk of developing cancer, not whether an individual will actually develop cancer or when. Not all women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer, Taylor says. And while the Hereditary Cancer Program provides counselling, it does not directly diagnose and treat patients. It does determine future tests, if necessary, and possible preventative care.

EXPLORING TREATMENT OPTIONS Surveillance, meaning more frequent screening, involves mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),

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Taylor says. Patients are also counselled to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes not smoking, regular exercise, eating healthily, keeping weight down, and limiting alcohol consumption.

Surgery, usually bilateral mastectomy, is another choice.

In December 2009, Gaboriault had a complete hysterectomy and was catapulted into full-on menopause. She had follow-up mammograms and MRIs every six months as she recovered to ensure she hadn’t developed breast cancer. She didn’t.

In April 2012, Gaboriault had a double mastectomy.

As she was wheeled into the operating room, Gaboriault was crying. Waking up hours later after a general surgeon and plastic surgeon had finished the breast removal and first step of breast reconstruction, she was in a great deal of pain. “But there was a load off my shoulders,” she says. “The decision had been made.”

for more information

screeningbc.ca/hereditary cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/BRCA

S

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alberni inlet photo by susan quinn

 By evelyn shaw

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photo by susan quinn

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enerators, building supplies, food, a fridge, and even a queen-sized bed — this assortment of items is placed in the hold of the MV Frances Barkley by its crane. At 7:30 am on a foggy April morning, 75 of us are about to board the ship for its 8 am departure. It is a Saturday, one of three days each week that the working packet freighter delivers supplies to secluded destinations along the Alberni Inlet.

If you’re looking for a day-long, scenic, Vancouver Island adventure, come aboard the Barkley for a nine-hour exploration of remote West Coast Living. With more than 100 islands offering a diversity of marine and plant life along with campsites and lodges, this area is heaven to kayakers and canoers. Scuba divers enjoy the clear waters and shipwrecks that provide reefs for marine life, while the sport fishermen can find some of the best salmon fishing. In summer, the vessel sails more frequently and offers routes to Ucluelet and other spots in Barkley Sound.

Fellow passengers on this day include a few ruggedlooking locals, friendly dogs with their owners, students with backpacks, a seniors’ group on a day adventure, and scuba divers. It is the first trip for some; others have returned numerous times for the abundance of scenery and marine life. Locals rely on this ship to take them to their home port, or to and from Port Alberni.

My husband and I had driven from Victoria the previous

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afternoon, dining at the popular Clam Bucket seafood restaurant in Port Alberni and staying overnight at the Riverside Motel. We parked our car for the day in the ample lot beside the Barkley’s dock.

One of a series of fjords that break up the western coast of Vancouver Island, the Alberni Inlet runs 56 kilometres from Port Alberni to Bamfield, the ship’s turnaround destination.

It will take us four hours to reach Bamfield, as the ship makes stops shuttling supplies and people to isolated settlements along the way.

Stops at colourful waypoints We settle in for the ride. The ship’s three levels include seating on the first two, and an observation deck and wheelhouse on the top. The restaurant, located on the lowest level, offers breakfast and lunch, from bacon and eggs to burgers or homemade soup, all for under $7.50. Beer and wine are available on the return trip.

Two hours out and the sun’s heat finally breaks the fog as we turn north into Uchucklesaht Inlet to Kildonan, our first stop for the day. Settled in 1903 when a cannery was built, Kildonan saw its population peak at 300 in the 1930s. The cannery closed in 1960 and now, just 25 summertime and 13 year-round residents are here.

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with the ocean, dot the shoreline.

Coloured roofs and white-painted pilings contrast with the solid background of Douglas firs. We all agree that we could live here — well, for the summer, at least.

It’s one of the rainiest places in Canada in winter, setting all-time highs for annual rainfall. A boat comes alongside us and our crane gently sets a propane tank on its deck; we drop another resident and his supplies at a dock. At the Kildonan post office, one of the few remaining floating post offices in all of Canada, a deckhand jumps off and quickly delivers the newspapers and mail.

Our next stop is Haggard Cove, a summer-only community of 50 homes developed in the 1980s. Again, access is only by boat, and Haggard Cove has a full marina to moor them. Two of our passengers disembark while the crane unloads their scuba diving gear and a generator for one of the residents.

Once past Haggard Cove, the Alberni

Inlet opens into the Broken Group Islands and Barkley Sound.

Archaeologists estimate that at one time, 3,000 to 5,000 indigenous peoples lived in the sound. Here, you can find tyee salmon (spring salmon of at least 14 kg, or 30 lbs); migrating grey, humpback, and orca whales; sea lions; elephant seals; porpoises; eagles; and black bear.

Our last delivery is a letter-sized parcel handed to a resident who meets us in an old 10-foot open aluminum boat in the middle of the inlet.

The beauty of Bamfield The ship’s horn blows at 12:30 as we enter a protected inlet and head to the government dock on the west side of Bamfield. “I’ve lived here all my life,” Tish Wenstob tells us. She is returning home after travelling to Port Alberni for minor surgery. She points out her house

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on the boardwalk lining the west side of the harbour, connecting all the houses and docks along the waterfront. The 20-minute walk twists and jogs from the government dock to the general store, through a garden of gnomes in the trees, and all the way down to Mills Landing. The Boardwalk Bistro, right on the walkway, is a popular spot for locals and visitors to stop for a snack, a coffee, or a drink from the bar.

Once the western terminus for 4,000 kilometres of trans-Pacific telegraph cable that linked Commonwealth countries globally beginning in 1902, Bamfield is best known today for the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a teaching and research facility supported by five western Canadian universities on the site of the old cable station. It’s open to tourists on summer weekends, and each July, the centre hosts Music by the Sea, a weeklong symphony festival.

With just an hour’s stop, there isn’t

time to take in Brady Beach, or catch the water taxi to Bamfield East, home to many of the almost 200 permanent residents. We mentally commit to returning for a longer stay.

For our return trip we are joined by four backpackers who have just finished the famous West Coast Trail, which ends three kilometres south of Bamfield. We have no scheduled stops, but when we spot a pod of several killer whales in Barkley Sound, the boat slows to an idle. The whales surface and dive off our bow for over 10 minutes.

Spray and dorsal fins are all we see at first, and then one whale breaches. We collectively fall silent and feel a sublime connection to nature.

We dock at 5:30, back in Port Alberni, satisfied with our day-long adventure.

Our cost is less than $100 each for fare and food. And we’ve had an unforgettable experience of the West Coast.

IF YOU GO Lady Rose Marine Services: 250-723-8313, ladyrosemarine.com Year-round schedule: Bamfield & Waypoints — Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays Summer schedule: Uclulet & Broken Group Islands — (June 3–Sept 30), Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Bamfield & Broken Group Islands — (July 7–Sept 1), Sundays Accommodation: Riverside Motel — albernivalleyriversidemotel.com Best Western Barclay Hotel — bestwesternbarclay.com

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IMAGINE living right on the Avenue… steps to cafés, galleries, shops & more. Stunning new condo development by award-winning Abstract Developments. This 2 Bed, 2 Bath + Den offers an open plan with over-height ceilings, wood windows and a generous patio. Sophisticated interior details include $624,900 gourmet kitchen w/ premium appliances, quartz counters Now Over 25% Sold and two-tone cabinetry, 778.265.2050 VillageWalkVictoria.com 50” fireplace, spa-like bath, in-floor heat and generous storage. Your new home in the Village awaits.

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Beautiful acreage, near the beach and close to the town of Qualicum Beach. 3 bed, 3 full bath home has a terrific floor plan. Lots of light from oversized windows. Spacious master suite upstairs with 5 pce. ensuite. 2 bdrms on main floor plus one ensuite, are perfect for family or visitors.

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FRONT ROW  by robert moyes

WHEN THE FAT MAN SINGS  Joni Henson (Alice Ford) and Rachel Fenlon (Nannetta) join Brian BannatyneScott (Falstaff) in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Falstaff.

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Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi was a huge lover of Shakespeare, and adapted several of the Bard’s works for opera. Perhaps fittingly, the last of his 28 operas was Falstaff, composed when Verdi was 80.

“I’ve waited 30 years to do this,” declares a passionate Timothy Vernon, conductor and artistic director of Pacific Opera Victoria. “It’s one of the greatest, most brilliant operas ever written ... it’s incredibly virtuosic.” According to Vernon, the score is so complicated that Victoria’s orchestra probably couldn’t even have played it 10 years ago. “But there have been so many improvements made under conductor Tania Miller,” he adds. Despite being dismissed by some as little more than a portly rascal who embodies most of the seven deadly sins, Sir John Falstaff is arguably one of Shakespeare’s best-drawn characters, appearing in both Henry IV plays as well as The Merry Wives of Windsor. “There’s a grand, protean energy to the man … Shakespeare wrote as well for Falstaff as any character,” says Vernon. “And I think Verdi even transcends the source material, turning Falstaff into a deep, deep character.” Falstaff is very much a comedy — and is also POV’s 100th production. According to Vernon, the audience should expect a fast-paced ensemble piece with no real singing star, just the compositional genius of Verdi.

“The opera ends with a brilliant fugue, combining all the voices as well as the chorus,” adds Vernon. “It should be heart-stopping and breathtaking all at once.”

Running from October 17–25 at the Royal Theatre. For tickets, call 250.386.6121.

THE FLUFFY SIDE OF COMEDY

It takes persistence to become a stand-up comic, but Gabriel Iglesias’ comedy quest bordered on extreme recklessness. He chucked his real job to apply himself full time to being a funnyman, getting evicted from his home and losing his car in the process. “It was passion more than anything else that kept me going,” says the California-born Iglesias. “I just really wanted to do it.” He persevered and, after several years, the buzz started to build.

Initially riffing mostly on his oversize girth — “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy!” was a trademark quip — Iglesias has expanded his stage act to include personal storytelling and sly parodies. His two in-performance DVDs have sold a million copies, and he’s now performing for audiences of up to 12,000. The genial and polished comic also does Hollywood work that has ranged from playing a DJ in Magic Mike to doing character voices in animated movies like Planes and Haunted House 2. His Victoria debut is likely to be a sellout. Expect a few fat jokes, sure, but mostly plan on laughing at some of the finest comedy you’ll hear this year. “I just keep it broad and friendly,” shrugs Iglesias.

“I stay away from politics and religion.”

Appearing October 5, 7:30 pm, at UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium. For tickets, call 250.721.8480.

 The genial, polished comedian Gabriel Iglesias, also known as Fluffy, comes to Victoria October 5.

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 Bi Yuan Cheng’s work, including The West Shore (16 x 20", oil on canvas) will be at the Avenue Gallery.

HANDEL ON THE HOMEFRONT

George Frideric Handel, one of the world’s most celebrated composers, is best known for larger-scale works such as operas and oratorios. Yet the versatile and enormously expressive Handel also wrote lots of brilliant chamber music. That is the focus of “Handel at Home,” an intimate performance of trio and solo works by the London Handel Players, a quartet of specialist performers of Handel who have been thrilling audiences since they formed 13 years ago. “These are the finest musicians from the London Handel Orchestra, the cream of the crop,” declares James Young, artistic director of the Early Music Society of the Islands. For their Victoria debut, the Players will perform such notable pieces as the Trio Sonata Op. 5 No. 4 in G major for two violins and continuo and the Violin Sonata in D major. And harpsichord fans will revel in Laurence Cummings’ solo reading of the amazingly virtuosic Harpsichord Suite in E major. According to Young, Handel was a peerless composer whose output was particularly accessible. “He was the first major composer who was a freelancer, meaning he had to make a living by selling his music directly to the public,” explains Young. “Of all the great composers, his music speaks most immediately to the audience.”

Performing October 5, 8 pm, at Alix Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora. For tickets, see earlymusicsocietyoftheislands.ca.

 “Handel at Home” features trio and solo works by the London Handel Players.

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EAST PAINTS WEST

As many as 20 artists a week, portfolio in hand, traipse hopefully into the Avenue Gallery; almost none of them get further than a cursory interview. Not so with Chinese-born Bi Yuan Cheng, who achieved great fame as an artist in his homeland before immigrating to Vancouver two decades ago. “As soon as I saw his work I knew he was special,” says Gallery owner Heather Wheeler. “The technical quality of his paintings is amazing … he is so in tune with his brush that if his mind thinks it, then his hand can do it.”

Although he has the skill and training to paint in any style, Cheng is most passionate about landscapes; his interpretations of West Coast wildness have a powerful verisimilitude, at the same time as his profound early training introduces hints of calligraphy and ink-wash Chinese nature paintings. Cheng exclusively works with oil on canvas, and there will be between 15 and 20 paintings at his upcoming show, Luminous, his second-ever solo exhibition at Avenue Gallery. According to Wheeler, although Cheng’s formal training and formidable technique are immediately apparent in his canvases, they never overwhelm the subject matter. “You can see how his early training has shaped his approach, but he effortlessly captures the serenity of nature,” explains Wheeler. “He has the ability to impart the spiritual quality that you feel while walking in a forest.” Cheng’s pieces sell very quickly, although he’s not well known at all outside of Western Canada. “He hasn’t been ‘discovered’ yet,” says Wheeler. “And he’s such a lovely man.”

Running from October 27–November 7 at 2184 Oak Bay Avenue. For information, see theavenuegallery.com.

 The Island Big Band returns to Hermann’s Jazz Club after their summer hiatus.

SUCH SWEET THUNDER

The fall season heralds many things, not least of which is the return of the Island Big Band, which resumes its monthly gigs at Hermann’s Jazz Club after the summer hiatus. This 20-member ensemble has been together for a quarter century, and its combination of deft musicianship and room-shaking power makes for a heady evening of American Songbook classics performed with brassy panache. (And the $10 cover charge means it’s one of Victoria’s greatest entertainment bargains.) According to trumpeter Bryn Badel, who’s been with the band almost since the beginning, the group is a mix of professional and amateur musicians, many of whom are retired from the Naden military band. “And they’re all really talented,” he adds. The IBB’s “library” comprises a couple of thousand tunes, and in any one year they prepare up to 100 songs, anything from All of Me to Shiny Stockings and Jumpin’ at the Woodside. Big bands get their power from the trumpet, sax, and trombone sections, which function like “harmonic pyramids,” according to Badel. Add in the piano, bass, guitar, drums, and a vocalist, and you’ve got a full-throttle, hard-swinging music machine like no other. “The whole is greater than the individual parts … the focus and power is intoxicating,” says Badel. And these musicians literally play for the love of it, as no one takes a paycheque. “We practise and perform together just because it’s such a thrill to play this music,” he grins.

Performing October 28, 8:00 pm, at 753 View Street. For information, see hermannsjazz.com.

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PULLING THE RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT

Heather Jarvie, who has both acted and directed for Langham Court several times, was one of a handful of hopefuls “interviewed” about directing Harvey. Maybe it was the fact that she’s watched the beloved 1950 movie version about 10 times with her mom, but Jarvie’s ideas about how the play should be done got her the job. “I’m definitely attracted to the nostalgia of Harvey,” she admits. “And Elwood Dowd is such a fantastic character, so good and kind and charming.” For those who don’t remember, “Harvey” is a six-foot invisible rabbit, the (presumably imaginary) best friend of the eccentric Elwood Dowd. Elwood talks to his furry friend and happily introduces him to other people — so much so that Elwood’s sister tries to get him committed to an asylum. Due to a farcical mistake during the admission interview, the sister initially gets locked up. And as the comedy rolls merrily along, the audience ponders whether a carefree oddball should be left alone or “cured” via psychiatric intervention. The play, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1945 and ran for five years on Broadway, isn’t often revived these days. “Some of the ideas are a bit dated,” admits Jarvie, who points to the sexism in the relationship between the doctors and nurses at the asylum as an example. “But Harvey is wonderfully lighthearted and has lovely feel-good sentiments,” she adds. “It’s a perfect fit for the Langham audience.”

Running from October 3–19 at Langham Court. For tickets, call 250.384.2142.  Harvey — a six-foot-tall invisible rabbit — is Elwood Dowd’s presumably imaginary friend in Harvey, playing at Langham Court.

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we also

recommend:

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA WIND SYMPHONY: A Celebration of British Wind Music under conductor Eugene Dowling, the University of Victoria Wind Symphony performs works by Sir William Walton, Gustav Holst, and others. October 4, 8 pm, University Centre Farquhar Auditorium, 250.721.8480, finearts.uvic.ca/music/ events.

Brahms, Bubbly and Brunch: Join the Lafayette String Quartet, cellist Paul Katz (Cleveland Quartet) and violist Yariv Aloni for a fundraising celebration launching Canada’s first Masters Degree in String Quartet Performance. Sunday, October 6, 11 am, Inn at Laurel Point, 250.721.7904, lafayettestringquartet.ca.

Nourishment To Your Door Victoria’s Organic Food Delivery

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Three Cornered World: Local artist and visual arts grad Anne Heeney presents her Three Cornered World, a dynamic collection of narrative paintings and abstracts. October 7–19 (closed holiday Monday), 11 am–4 pm, Audain Gallery, in UVic's Visual Arts building, 250.721.6222, finearts.uvic.ca.

#Strangelings – Paintings by Pixel Wizards: These three artists have made professional careers in the technology industry. Going analogue, these pixel wizards use paint and canvas.

Opening reception: October 24, 6:30 pm–8:30 pm. Runs October 17– November 10, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 250.384.4171, aggv.ca.

Enchanted Halloween: A family-friendly celebration featuring artistic displays, lanterns, train rides, crafts, food and more in support of Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.

October 18–20 and October 25–27, 5–9pm Fridays and Saturdays; 12–5 pm Sundays, Heritage Acres, enchantedhalloween.com.

Deva Premal & Miten Concert: One evening, two blissful performances by Deva Premal & Miten with Manose and special guests the GuruGanesha Band. Experience the beauty and bliss of the world’s most sacred mantras! October 23, 7 pm, Farquhar Auditorium, 250.721.8480, BrightStarEvents.net.

Shoshana Litman: Victoria Historical Society presents Seven Generations of the Jewish Community in Victoria. Shoshana Litman is Canada’s first ordained Maggidah (a female Jewish storyteller), as well as an inspirational speaker and teacher. October 24, 7:30 pm, James Bay New Horizons Centre, victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca.

Ghost Hunt: Experience the Maritime Museum of BC like never before with a ghost hunt searching for the building’s more mysterious residents. October 26, 10 pm–3 am, Maritime Museum of BC, 250.385.4222, mmbc.bc.ca/programs/for-adults/.

Ted Grant: Heritage House presents a book launch for Ted Grant: Sixty Years of Legendary Photojournalism. There will be an author reading by Thelma Fayle and an illustrated talk by Grant himself. Free and open to the public. Sunday, October 27, 2 pm, UVic David Lam auditorium, 250.360.0829.

Visit our website, blvdmag.ca, to submit arts and culture event details online. Listings for the November issue must be received by October 8 to be considered for inclusion.

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THE 2013 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR: THE LUXURY OF VERSATILITY

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FINANCE

Talking with Tess  By tess van straaten

featuring Mike de Jong

H

e’s been British Columbia’s finance minister for just

over a year, but in that short time, Mike de Jong has driven home the message of not spending more than you make. First elected almost two decades ago, defeating Social Credit Party Leader Grace McCarthy, de Jong has held a number of high-profile posts in government. But this former lawyer, who turns 50 this month, practices what he preaches. As Tess van Straaten found out, the man in control of our province’s purse strings is a saver, not a spender, and drives a car from the ’90s with more than 400,000 kilometres on it.

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 What’s the hardest thing about being finance minister? You say no a lot. You’re constantly trying to find a balance between people’s desires to build and create versus the ability of those same taxpayers to afford breathing life into those projects.

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 What’s the biggest challenge facing BC? At a time when we’re confronted by a myriad of exciting opportunities, the biggest challenge going forward — and it’s a nice one to have — is ensuring we have the right people with the right skills and training. We’re on track with the investment that’s taking place, and with our proximity to Asia Pacific, our future is incredibly bright. We have to make sure we’re positioned to take advantage.

There are lots of other challenges that go with that, but that’s the biggest.

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 That sounds very positive, but having been a reporter in the last couple budget lockups with you, the financial picture has been pretty doom and gloom. We’ve created a pressure by insisting the budget will be balanced. We’re committed to realizing that objective on behalf of British Columbians. I’m constantly watching the bottom line and looking for ways to reduce expenditures and increase economic opportunities and the revenues that fall to government as a result.

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 Why is balancing the budget so important at a time when

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most provinces and countries — and people, for that matter — are getting farther into debt? Accumulated debt and deficits ultimately reduce options. It ties up money that would otherwise be available for more productive expenditures and opportunities. The good news is that our debt servicing is amongst the lowest in the country. Our debt-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest and our debt servicing costs are way below most jurisdictions, which is why we have a triple-A credit rating. We’re one of the few jurisdictions in North America that does.

 Where do you see opportunities right now? Obviously on the

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 What’s your personal financial style — are you a saver or a A Retirement Concepts Community

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resource side, it’s liquefied natural gas — a new industry that’s attracting investment measured in the billions and tens of billions of dollars, job creation in the tens of thousands, and benefit to communities and the province in the hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s a unique generational opportunity that we need to take advantage of. We’re not alone — there’s a competition — and that’s why it’s important to expedite our plans to proceed. Other sectors seeing a renaissance are forestry, technology and aerospace. Aerospace is one of those areas that’s quietly gone about building and acquiring expertise. BC now services aircraft and provides expertise internationally on a level that most people don’t know. Companies like Cascade Aerospace, Conair, Viking — they’re world leaders.

spender? I’m pretty conservative. I drive a 22–year-old car

(Mazda Miata) with 405,000 kilometres on it, and I resolved when I bought my home to pay down my mortgage, which I did.

 And your biggest splurge? I took my folks to Europe — probably my biggest spurge — and I replaced my deck at home.

 What’s been your biggest financial mistake, either politically or personally? I don’t have any regrets individually. In terms of the provincial finances, I believe there’s more we can do to alert the world to the opportunities that exist here in BC. I think we’ve been very slow in Canada in capitalizing on opportunities that exist in India, which is why I tend to focus a lot on that part of the world. They’ve got a new economy and we’ve been slower than we should on developing those opportunities. The art of business is to look ahead to the next opportunity before others do.

 What’s your most important money lesson? It’s pretty basic, but it’s one my parents taught me at the dining room table that I still sit at in the home I bought from them: don’t spend more than you make.

 Why do you think we’ve gotten so far away from that in last couple decades? If you think of the money that’s borrowed to build roads, hospitals, and schools as the equivalent of a mortgage, there’s nothing wrong with carrying a reasonable mortgage, as long as you’re able to service it. But it must be reasonable. In many other jurisdictions where those debt levels become unreasonably high, it exposes them to real risk. That’s occurred at the governmental level and also individually. We’ve become a society that’s less patient and less willing to save — a society that wants everything right away. My best example that drives me crazy is the ad that says, “Get your new bedroom set, your new electronics package, your living room ensemble, and don’t pay a cent until 2017.” If you really, really can’t pay a cent until 2017, you should probably reconsider the purchase.

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 As you get ready to prepare your next provincial budget, you’re involved in province-wide consultations to see how taxpayers want their money spent. What are you hoping to get from that? How spending is prioritized lies at the heart of the consultations, and it’s your money, so don’t be shy. Admittedly, it’s not carte blanche — the spending will be in the context of a balanced budget, our second balanced budget in a row, so significant spending increases in one area probably involve decreases somewhere else. At the end of the day, being finance minister means saying no when politically, it’s far more popular to say yes.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

Tess van Straaten is an award-winning journalist, television personality and fourth-generation Victoria native.

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WRY EYE

cold chippy  By william farrant

Concerned at one point about my 10-year “tradition” of eating barbecue chips on a daily basis, I typed the word “addiction” into Google: “Addiction is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behaviour despite adverse consequences or a neurological impairment leading to such behaviours.”

As far as I was aware, potato chips were not a mood altering substance. Sure, they tasted great — always — and I couldn’t imagine eating my lunch without them, but at no point had they had a negative impact on my life. Relieved, I opened a bag of chips.

I purchased my first bag of barbecue chips in my early 20s while at university. It was a good bag of chips, but at the time, I would have never have thought, “These are so wonderful I will eat them every day of my life for the next 10 years.”

I’m not sure where the switch flicked and they became a necessary part of my diet. But they did. And before I knew it, it was as if I had become reliant on them for my existence.

The “purchase and avoid” technique In my early 30s, despite having a university degree, I had to take a job delivering auto parts. It was difficult, but I made the most of it and tried to keep a level head. “Things will turn around” became my mantra.

While most luxuries had to be scaled back (mid-week 84

drinks, movies, dinners out), I still managed to find room for barbecue chips at $1.67 per day. The bonus of being a delivery driver was that I had access to several gas stations and convenience stores around Victoria, all of which sold my brand and flavour. As a result, I developed a complex system of “purchase and avoid.” If I went on Monday to the Elk Lake Petro Canada, then I wouldn’t return there for another eight business days, thus eliminating the possibility of being recognized as a “Monday Chip Regular.”

At some point I casually mentioned this to my sister, and having worked in addictions in the Downtown Eastside for several years, she said this was classic behaviour. Not acknowledging what she had to say, I carried on with my rotation policy.

Charging the company card Taking my lunch in my vehicle afforded me a degree of privacy I’d never enjoyed with my chip-eating habit before, but it was here that I faced, for the first time in 10 years, the reality that I might not be able to have barbecue chips whenever I wanted them.

It was a Thursday, the day before payday. I’d checked online that morning; I had 35 cents in my bank account. I’d already borrowed a couple bucks from some co-workers, so I didn’t want to ask them. However, I did have the company gas card. So began a lengthy process of self-discovery and self-loathing.

For the next two hours I contemplated using the gas card to purchase chips. I reasoned that I could put in $50 of gas and tack on a bag, the total coming to $51.67. But I was worried about the receipt. I’d been told there was a strict “no personal use” policy on the cards and I wondered if I could be fired from my minimum wage job for illegally using the company gas card to purchase a bag of barbecue chips. It struck me that it was a very real possibility that I could.

I pulled over at a Shell station on Interurban and didn’t get out of the truck for 15 minutes. I lobbied the pros and cons of using the card. I eventually did the next best thing and searched between the seats. I came up with $1.30. I did a two-part pay, debit and cash, and used two pennies from the “give-a-penny, take-a-penny” cup beside the till.

In hindsight, I suppose the biggest lesson I took from the experience at the time was that I needed a better job, one that wouldn’t leave me in a position near payday where I couldn’t afford a bag of barbecue chips.

I would eventually get that job, as an anthropologist, and several years later, after I noticed the long-term effects of potato chip consumption on my physique, I’ve quit cold turkey and replaced them with grape tomatoes. It’s a start, and by no means is it easy, but I can assure you I’m not taking it “one chip at a time.”

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SECRETS & LIVES

 By shannon moneo  photo by don denton

 What’s your top priority as the new UVic president? One of the most important roles for a leader of any organization is to listen carefully and then reflect the common purpose of the enterprise to the community, so I’m going to do a lot of listening, making sure I don’t assume that I know it all or have heard it all before.  Why were you chosen? It was a competitive process. I’ve been lucky to find that I’ve got skills and abilities that are helpful in understanding and leading relatively large, complex organizations like a university. Maybe more importantly, I’ve got a real passion for this place. I’ve got a track record. I’ve been a dean of a faculty. I was vice-president of UVic for 10 years.

 UVic continues to face budget cutbacks. How do you reduce budgets while maintaining the high quality UVic is known for? UVic is regarded as one of this country’s finest universities. I’d be lying if I tried to pretend there’s no relation between resources and quality, but I’m entirely confident in the strength and resilience of UVic. Our teachers, researchers, and staff are utterly dedicated to our mission. We’re in a business that’s wonderful, the noble enterprise of education. What could be better than that?  If a student’s sole concern is to get a good job, what are the top three faculties at UVic? Programs in engineering, business, and law are all highly successful in student placements. Our faculty of Human and Social Development has virtually a 100 per cent placement rate. An equally important point is that immediate employment is not the top priority for lots of students. My undergraduate degree is in philosophy. I didn’t expect to get hired as a philosopher. But in the long term, it taught me to think critically and systematically.

The cost of an education is one of the best investments you can make.  With more people holding degrees than ever before, and a high demand for skilled tradespeople, ho w concerned are you that students will choose trade schools over universities? I’m not concerned at all because the world needs both. Young people will have different skills and abilities and we should encourage them to take whatever path where they’ll flourish most. Any stigma about skilled trades is probably diminishing.

There’s no competition or tradeoff. The world needs it all.

Jamie cassels, 57 university of victoria president

 You’re a lawyer and author of legal books. What are you first: lawyer, professor, or president? I’m a professor first. Early in life, I found that I had a passion for the world of ideas and the activity of teaching and engaging with students and others about ideas. As president, I won’t be able to carry a full course, but I’m going to teach and make sure I get invited to give guest lectures.  How many canoes have you built?

Maybe 50 — I put myself through university partly by building fibreglass canoes. A friend and I had a little canoe-making company in Ontario. Subsequently, I learned to build cedar-strip canoes; I’ve built half a dozen.

Any way of getting out on the water is good by me. Plus, I have a romantic attachment to the canoe. It’s a gorgeous form, a classic Canadian icon. I grew up doing a huge amount of wilderness tripping in the Northwest Territories and Ontario.  Diesel engine repair: why? Safety on the water. I own a 40-foot trawler, Outbound.

I’ve been to Alaska and back several times and circumnavigated Vancouver Island this spring. If you run into trouble, you want to be able to handle emergencies. It’s come in handy many times. Diesel engines are beautifully simple machines.  What makes you angry? I tend not to be an angry person, but maybe intolerance.

The last thing the world needs is closed minds. We need to open ourselves up to the diversity of the human experience.  What’s more important to success, brains or perseverance? Like they say, it’s 50 per cent inspiration, 50 per cent perspiration. Success does depend on a certain degree of intelligence, but I don’t think intelligence is the only component.

I almost failed high school and then just caught on fire in university, Carleton. I found philosophy so interesting and I could do it.

It’s an issue of fit, finding a pathway where you’ll flourish.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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