Vancouver Magazine July/August 2022

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JULY/AUGUST 2022 // VOLUME 55 // NUMBER 4

Culture

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HOT TAKE

We’ve carefully curated everything you need for the most stylish picnic of your life— and that’s not a blanket statement.

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AT ISSUE

Fuelled by a crowdfunding spectacular, Maya Preshyon writes the Vancouver Black Library’s first chapter.

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ON THE RISE

These might be the best bike bags in B.C.—and they’re made by a couple of travel bloggers in Vancouver.

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THE TICKET

Top Gun and Grey’s Anatomy meet in a new CBC show following the turbulent lives of pilots and flight nurses.

LOVE LETTER

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REVIEWS

We check out some of the buzziest pizza, brunch and sandwiches that Chinatown has to offer in 2022.

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ABOUT TOWN

Fred Lee shares snapshots and hot tips on the city’s best social events.

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CITY INFORMER

What did we do before getting on board with BC Ferries?

Pretty park seating proves that, sometimes, it’s totally okay to be a benchwarmer.

Feature

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MADE IN VANCOUVER AWARDS Our fourth annual celebration of the city’s best food, drinks, fashion, beauty, home goods and more: it’s a maker’s world, we’re just living in it.

Contents

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k COVER STORY Marta Sanderson from La Bomba Florals and Jennilee Marigomen teamed up to capture our MIVA winners (page 35).

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sarah Roa (Puck) Photo: Emily Cooper

BOOK NOW FOR BEST SEATS!

Publisher Samantha Legge Editorial Director Anicka Quin Art Director Stesha Ho Associate Editor Alyssa Hirose Associate Art Director Jenny Reed Assistant Editor Danielle Wright Editor at Large Stacey McLachlan Wine & Spirits Editor Neal McLennan Contributing Editors Frances Bula, Melissa Edwards, Amanda Ross Editorial Intern Tu Lai Editorial Email mail@vanmag.com

Sales Manager Anna Lee Senior Account Executives Johnny Alviar, Charie Ginete-Ilon, Brianne Harper, Mira Hershcovitch, Amy LaJambe, Sheri Stubel Production and Studio Manager Landon Spenrath Digital Ad Coordinator Kim McLane Production Coordination/Design Nadine Gieseler Sales Email sales@canadawide.com U.S. Sales Representation, Hayes Media Sales Lesley Hayes Tel 602-432-4868 Email lesley@hayesmediasales.com European Sales Representation S&R Media Sylvie Durlach Tel +33 1 44 18 06 62 Email srmedia@club-internet.fr

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VANCOUVER MAGAZINE is published six times a year by Canada Wide Media Limited, Suite 130, 4321 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7. Phone 604-299-7311; fax 604-299-9188. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission.

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BC

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They never stop fighting.

What if you never stop giving?

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Ed Note

On the long list of things I dearly missed over the past couple of years, running into Fred Lee at any and all events in the city is high up there. If you know him, you love him—and love the exuberant “Aaaaaaah!” he gives when he spots someone he knows and wraps them in a hug. And it’s no overstatement to say that he a) is everywhere and b) knows everyone. I’m not sure there’s a harder working supporter of charitable events and openings in this city.

And now that these kinds of events have finally (finally!) returned, I’m also thrilled to welcome Fred back to this magazine. He’ll be out photographing galas and more for both our print edition (turn to page 22 for his “About Town” column) and over at vanmag.com.

You’ll also notice a refresh of our look this issue, thanks to our incredibly talented art director Stesha Ho—and, with that refresh, we’re welcoming a new columnist, too: Amanda Ross joins us with her Hot Take (page 13) on what’s trending in the fashion and style world each month, along with some of her favourite buys in stores around town.

Given the heat wave we’re experiencing as I write this, I’m particularly charmed by the theme she’s chosen for her inaugural column: The Picnic.

And speaking of great shopping—it’s our 4th annual spotlight on the best makers in the city with the Made in Vancouver Awards. This year our winners range from purveyors of one of the best condiments I’ve ever tasted (The Preservatory’s Salted Lemon and Nori—run, don’t walk, to your closest supplier) to a gorgeous daybed made in North Van by the talented duo from Ffabb.

I’m betting that the list of this year’s winners will have you heading out to our local shops to sample as many as you can. I hope that, as you do, you’ll cross paths with longmissed friends, and get to experience a few of those wonderful “Aaaaaaah!” moments for yourself.

Anicka Quin

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k The 2022 Restaurant Awards We’re back, baby. After months of our expert judges diligently eating their way through the city, we crown the best restaurants in Vancouver.

Minimalist Underwear That Does the Most Is mineral-infused underwear really worth the hype? Vancouver-based Huha says yes.

On the Web Where to Buy Orange Shirts by Indigenous Designers Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day) is September 30th— support Indigenous artists and order yours now.

FOLLOW US ON

editorial director

anick a . quin @vanmag . com

Coming Up Next Issue

@ aniqua

PORTRAIT: EVA AN KHERA J; ST YLING BY LUISA RINO, MAKEUP BY MEL ANIE NEUFELD; CLOTHING COURTESY HOLT RENFREW, HOLTRENFREW.COM

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Culture

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e’re fully embracing these precious sunny days and warm evenings. Turn the page for the makings of a great summer: the hottest outdoor fashion and accessories, warm-weather eats and drinks, beach reads and road trip-ready songs from local artists. Plus, man-abouttown Fred Lee returns, Chinatown’s new Black Library celebrates community, and City Informer digs into BC Ferries’ history. (Soft serve is worth the $80 ticket, right?)

Let there be (night) light with Menu’s lightweight and portable Carrie LED lamp with a brass or powder-coated base and detachable handle. $257, informinteriors.com

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Culture

Hot Take

Picnic Perfect

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The word picnic comes from the French “piquenique,” a term referring to a Middle Ages practice of eating an elegant meal outdoors. It used to be an interlude from hunting, but later evolved into the al fresco respite from kitchen tables that we love today. And our hunting is now just a NOW bit more focused on OPEN this stylish gear-to-go. _ by

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Check your fashion-and-footwear carbon footprint with this new 2,600-square-foot Kitsilano flagship. Clothes come crafted in natural material—sugarcane, eucalyptus and merino wool—and natural construction, too: the brick-and-mortar store is sealed using a chemical-free process called shou sugi ban, a Japanese method that chars the wood siding to increase its longevity. allbirds.ca

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Durable, waterproof and laundry-friendly: an outdoor asset

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1. Picnic basket or purse? Yes, with the Hermès Mini Kelly picnic handbag in Osier wicker, Jaune de Naples Swift leather and palladium hardware.

Price upon request, Hermès, hermes.com 2. Dress for summer in Ba&sh’s Ilona maxi dress with a sun-approved seersucker headscarf print featuring halter-top ties and hip cutouts. $654, ba-sh.com 3. Infused with lemon and mint essential oils, Oribe’s Balmessence lip treatment hydrates post-hot heat. $44, oribe.ca 4. Crafted with lemongrass, geranium and lemon eucalyptus essential oils, Diptyque’s new Summer Essentials body spray doubles as a natural mosquito repellant. $76/100 ml, diptyqueparis.com 5. Stylish fun in the sun starts with sage green foam beach rackets

by Sunnylife. $50, holtrenfrew.com 6. Yeti’s brand-new, limited-edition Alpine Yellow collection brings a splash of sunshine to rugged outdoor feasts everywhere. $25 to $480, yeti.ca

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SPO

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W S

Culture

At Issue

Book Smart

A 20-year-old’s dream to open a library run by and for Black Vancouverites is becoming a reality—and thanks to the powers of social media, crowdfunding and community, it’s taken less than six months.

by

16

Alyssa Hirose

Constant construction has long been the plight of the Vancouverite. Delayed commutes, jam-packed traffic and ugly sightlines (do cranes of the construction variety outnumber every other bird in the city?) are proof that this city is always growing. But somehow, as we build up and out, there are fewer and fewer places to be—especially if you’re not paying. Libraries remain one of the last indoor community spaces that don’t come with a price tag.

It’s not surprising, then, that the idea for a library is what uplifted UBC student Maya Preshyon when she was feeling disheartened and disconnected this past January. “I was feeling a

k School’s Out “I tried for a while to make more diverse spaces [at UBC], but I just found that no matter how much you do, some preexisting infrastructure is going to remain immovable, and that was very dissatisfying for me,” Maya Preshyon says.

little bit discouraged, and not really sure what my place was or how to make the changes that I wanted to see,” Preshyon says. At that point, she didn’t have all the details ironed out—after all, she was only 20, not yet finished her degree in social work and Indigenous studies, and had never taken on a project of this scale. Still, she imagined a place run by Black organizers and dedicated to BIPOC community members, where all would feel welcome and cared for.

So, Preshyon set a fundraising goal of $6,000, and made an Instagram post laying out her thoughts. Her vision had the power to ignite hope in a lot of other Black folks, too. Likes, shares

COURTESY OF MAYA PRESHYON

R E T

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At Issue

and comments flooded in—from general praise to book donations to volunteer offers. Better yet, money was coming in, too. On February 2, Preshyon increased her goal to $35,000. “There was just so much demand and excitement for VBL that I realized we needed to make something a lot bigger,” she says. On March 23, the goal became $60,000.

That kind of rapid growth meant learning on-the-job for Preshyon, who had some past experience in arts organizing and was holding the vice president position at CiTr and Discorder, UBC’s campus radio station and magazine. Unlike initiatives she might launch within such legacy institutions, VBL was hers to build.

Through the crowdfunding, Preshyon and her team have secured a cozy space in Chinatown’s Sun Wah Centre. “It’s really close to Hogan’s Alley, which was a goal,” says Preshyon.

The demolition and expropriation of Hogan’s Alley, “the only identifiable Black neighbourhood and community in Vancouver,” has been top of mind for Preshyon since her very first Instagram post. Today, she and her team have laid out a comfortable, home-y design that makes the most of the site’s 560 square feet. “We wanted to create a space that was made with a lot of intention and a lot of care,” says Preshyon. “A space that is excellent, so people can foster that excellence in themselves—especially the Black community.”

VBL is scheduled to open to the public in the summer.

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LISTEN Add these fresh songs from local artists to your favourite playlist.

The feeling of others trusting your capacity to do something important means so much, especially when you feel it from your own people.”

It’s a library first and foremost—folks will be able to donate and request books on an ongoing basis, helping the library continuously build its inventory. But the space will also operate similarly to a community centre, particularly for BIPOC artists. “In the creative community in general, there’s a support network where you share opportunities, ideas and connections that help people learn and grow,” Preshyon explains.

“But the BIPOC community is so separated and segmented in Vancouver that we are kind of disconnected from that web of resources.”

To fill this gap, VBL will be hosting free workshops in photography, visual arts, ceramics, music production, financial literacy, urban ecology and more. “We’re also hoping to do Black hair workshops, where parents of Black kids or people who have adopted Black kids can learn how to do Black hair,” Preshyon adds. Also on the list of things to do are book clubs, poetry readings and gender-affirming resource sharing.

The project’s scale is enormous, especially as it involves maintaining a physical space in the rental hellscape that is Vancouver.

But Preshyon’s ambition

remains strong—and why shouldn’t it? Crowdfunding for the Vancouver Black Library has stayed steady, and the community support has been overwhelming. “Even when VBL was an under­ developed concept, there were so many people that were so excited and supportive and affirming,” she says.

“There is something about it that is different than other initiatives—I really see this becoming something special.”

Preshyon admits she’s been fumbling her way through at times, but says that advice and guidance— mostly from folks reaching out on social media—has kept her anchored. “I by no means represent the entire Black community. I’m just one person trying to make things a little bit better,” she says. “And honestly, everybody in the DMs is also making VBL happen.”

The sense of isolation that first inspired the Vancouver Black Library has been eclipsed by tenacity and hope. “The feeling of others trusting your capacity to do something important means so much, especially when you feel it from your own people,” Preshyon says. VBL’s story is just beginning—but it’s already a page-turner.

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k DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE Amanda Sum Get the full impact of this heartfelt new track by tuning into the dim sum-rooted, karaoke-fuelled music video. @amanduhsum

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HOLD ON Dacey Kick your vacation into high gear with this dreamy pop/R&B song from a local ensemble born out of South Granville’s Nimbus School of Recording and Media. @daceytheband

3

UP GRANVILLE Peach Pit Can you get more Vancouver than a song named after the downtown strip? Blast this for feel-good vibes on your next road trip. @peachpit17

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Culture

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A N EW E R A I N SENIOR LIVING

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Culture

The Ticket

READ Channel your inner bookworm with these fresh picks.

1

ATACAMA Carmen Rodríguez What happens when the son of a communist miner and the daughter of a fascist military leader meet in 20th-century Chile? Characters ground major historical events in this fast-paced work of fiction (with a surprising local twist). fernwoodpublishing.ca

2

VANCOUVER VICE Aaron Chapman True crime lovers, this one’s for you: Chapman’s latest book covers turf wars, sex work and police violence in the West End circa the ’70s and ’80s. It’s a real-life murder mystery. arsenalpulp.com

3

GOOD MOM ON PAPER Stacey May Fowles and Jen Sookfong Lee Mom’s the word in this collection of 20 essays from creative mothers. It’s a bold and hopeful anthology that deals with the realities of balancing being a parent with being a person. massybooks.com

Flight Risk

CBC’s new medical drama starring Vancouver actors has us looking up—way up. by

Alyssa Hirose

Wild animal attacks, freak accidents and bizarre illnesses are staples in any medical drama—but on CBC’s new show Skymed, all that action happens at 20,000 feet. It’s Top Gun meets Grey’s Anatomy, according to Vancouverite Morgan Holmstrom, who plays badass flight nurse Crystal Highway. Holmstrom was born and raised in Manitoba, where Skymed takes place, and the coincidences don’t stop there: her father worked in health care, and as a student she considered a medical career herself.

Instead, the arts called— but she still ended up learning how to put in an IV (on 20

It’s the classic medical drama balance of extreme storylines and comic relief we know and love, and it’s all Canadian—so expectations are high.

TV, anyway). On-set EMTs taught Holmstrom and the rest of the Skymed cast all there is to know about the magic of on-screen medicine, from treating flesh wounds to emergency tracheotomies. Holmstrom is Red River Métis, and she speaks both English and

Nêhiyawêwin in the show (one of her first lines translates to goddammit, and is followed by an excellent eyeroll). It’s the classic medical drama balance of extreme storylines and comic relief we know and love, and it’s all Canadian— so expectations are high (yes, that’s a plane joke).

“It has local talent, plus all the intensity that people are really drawn to,” says Holmstrom.

X Skymed premieres on CBC on July 10, and runs on Sundays at 9 p.m. until September 4.

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Culture

About Town

The Kids Are All Right Galas are back on the circuit— and For Children We Care raises an astonishing $6.1 million.

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by Fred Lee

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1. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Malcolm Berry with FCWC event founder David Choi. The inaugural benefit generated $300,000.

2. After two false starts due to the pandemic, chairs Jane Young and Susan Chow finally saw their 25th For Children We Care Gala benefitting BC Children’s Hospital go off at the Hotel Vancouver.

3. Phoenix TV’s Lisa Wu and Global BC’s Paul Haysom welcomed 650 guests to the record-setting night.

4 5

4. Now 17 and bound for UVic, Caden Teneycke credits the BC Children’s Hospital orthopaedic team for his good health after undergoing more than 20 surgeries since he was born.

THE SOCIAL CALENDAR

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JULY 21 Pride Cocktail Kickoff Dr. Peter Centre’s summer soiree is back. Rooftop venue, fabulous entertainment and delicious food and drink—it’s the party to kickstart your Pride celebrations. drpeter.org

AUGUST 27 Reveal: A Night in All White An extraordinary summer finale hosted by Paolo and Clara Aquilini in support of children on the autism spectrum. canucksautism.ca

SEPTEMBER 24 A Night of Miracles The South Asian community’s biggest night returns with a Moroccan-themed affair to support B.C. families battling childhood diabetes. bcchf.ca

(ILLUSTRATION) NIMA GHOL AMIPOUR

5. FCWC honorary chair Patsy Hui and her daughter Denise were among the 14-member, all-female committee that orchestrated the gala’s silver anniversary celebrations.

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Culture

On the Rise

OUR FAVE _

The bike basket bag ($95) is designed to fit—you guessed it— snugly in your bike’s basket. Keep your valuables and farmer’s market finds in here.

Life Cycle Megan McLellan (left) and Emanuel Smedbøl are photographers, bike bag makers and travel bloggers: check out fieldandforest.co.

Bag Race

“We started making bike bags for ourselves,” says Field and Forest’s custom McLellan. “And then we technical gear has local had lots of friends asking bikes dressed their best. if we could make bags for

by Alyssa Hirose them, too.” They officially launched Field and Forest, a custom handbuilt bike If Megan McLellan and accessory company, in DeEmanuel Smedbøl aren’t in their Commercial Drive stu- cember 2020. McLellan and Smedbøl both sew, and he dio, you can probably find handles the design, which them outdoors. The pair’s blog covers everything from is unique for every project: “Each bike has a different canoeing in the Kootenays to biking all the way to Mexi- geometry,” Smedbøl exco to conquering the Skeena plains. Their made-to-order technical bags fit snugly Mountains by horseback. within the frame (it’s a minAnd properly equipping their bikes has been its own imalist look that happens to also be very aerodynamic). adventure.

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We make things we want to use, and, before we launch any new products, we try them out on a trip ourselves.”

Along with their custom creations, Field and Forest crafts standard-sized basket bags, rack packs and snack sacks. But all of their

accessories have one thing in common: they’ve been field tested on the duo’s many expeditions in the PNW and beyond. “We make things we want to use,” says Smedbøl. “And,” adds McLellan, “before we launch any new products, we try them out on a trip ourselves.”

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Small Batch Artisan Wines.

Locally handcrafted wines on the family farm in Richmond BC, with grapes from our Estate and Okanagan Vineyards.

Visit our Tasting Room 7-days a week.

Monday to Thursday 12 pm to 7 pm Friday to Sunday 12 pm to 8 pm

www.countryvines.ca

@countryvineswinery

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Answer the Call…

Klahoose Wilderness Resort is Canada’s newest Indigenous cultural experience.

We are an authentic all-inclusive luxury eco-resort in the British Columbia coastal wilderness of the Klahoose people. A resort that reflects the Klahoose traditional values and offers an immersive exploration into this pristine region rich in diverse wilderness, cultural significance and wildlife including grizzly bear viewing tours in Desolation Sound.

klahooseresort.com | info@klahooseresort.com | 1-250-935-8539 | KlahooseWildernessResort.indd 1 VM.JulyAug2022.indb 25

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Culture

Reviews

Keeping It Casual

We’re entering our gowith-the-flow era—it’s a laidback, relaxed kind of summer. And these two Chinatown rooms (and three Chinatown restaurants) take casual dining to new heights: sandwiches, pizza and brunch best served with a side of sunshine.

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Fiorino

212 E Georgia St. fiorinovancouver.com

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Focaccia If You Can Jute Design and Management dreamed up Fiorino’s space (above); the Michelangelo sandwich is a lunchtime go-to (right). by

Dani Wright

traditional Italian ingredient) adds freshness without the peppery bite that a green like arugula would.

The Diavola ($15) is the aptly named devil to the Michelangelo’s angel. It’s a suckerpunch to the mouth with loud flavour and sharp spice—but hey, no pain, no gain. The scamorza brings a deep smokiness that’s brightened by the funky and heavy-duty spice of ’nduja red pepper cream. Soppressata brings an even fiercer heat, and in this case the peppery note of arugula feels necessary, not ornamental.

The best part of both dishes is their composition: somehow, each bite feels like the perfect one. I never found myself needing to rebuild or angle the sandwich in an attempt to combine all of the best bits.

Take-out is an option here, making these sandwiches a perfect packalong to a summer park picnic.

Add a couple sides of roasted potatoes or a piled-high panzanella and you’re set for an Italian fantasy of your own.

“It’s a suckerpunch to the mouth with loud flavour and sharp spice— but hey, no pain, no gain.”

2 Hunnybee Bruncheonette & Thank You Pizza

789 Gore Ave. hunnybeebrunch.com typizza.ca

There’s something that feels both sustainable and very Vancouver about a single space that houses two very different restaurants: one by day, another by night. Such is the case with Hunnybee Bruncheonette and Thank You Pizza, two concepts that share the same little corner of Chinatown.

On the surface, they don’t seem to belong together—pizza and eggs? But both offer natural, local and hard-to-find wines and an

atmosphere that encourages you to take your time. Even if splitting the space was born out of necessity (I’m looking at you, real estate market), nothing here feels forced.

The Hunnybee menu is short and sweet—nine items, the priciest one coming in at a hot $15. That’s the hash benedict, which I shared with my partner, along with the egg and avocado toast ($8) and sweet ricotta pancakes ($11).

The hash benedict is a glorious mess—think currywurst meets benny meets hash. This is a hearty plate, but sauces keep it bright: the curried ketchup and hollandaise mingle to create an intensely flavourful topping that’s umami-forward yet creamy and acidic. Once you get that poached yolk in there, you’ve got an

FIORINO: STUDIO SANTIAGO

In my Italian summer fantasy, I’m lounging in flowy fabrics à la Gwyneth in The Talented Mr. Ripley.

And while I can’t quite depend on Vancouver’s warm(er) months to deliver that kind of escape, I can find a taste of it at Chinatown’s latest Florence-inspired street-food joint, Fiorino.

The restaurant has an orangeygolden glow that’s visible from outside—it comes from contemporary Edison bulbs, but the effect is that of an old-school trattoria. The beigeand-white floor tiles, industrial-chic ceiling, mandarin-coloured leather booths and mismatched photos on the walls all add to the vibe: Fiorino feels like a space that’s been around for decades, though it only opened last October.

Lunch is decidedly sandwichfocused here: housemade focaccia is the base of each ’wich, with topping combos that aim to elevate the classics. The menu is all about “schiacciate” (or squashed) sandwiches. Not quite panini-style, the focaccia comes crispy-cornered and lacquered with olive oil, but still maintains a soft centre to soak up all the different spreads and cheeses on offer.

The Michelangelo ($14) features ultra-salty guanciale and parmesan that’s muted just enough by the sweetness of honey; a rich crema studded with walnuts adds a key textural crunch. Cherry tomatoes up the acid, and the frisée (while not a

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unstoppable mix (and you’re also on the fast track to a mid-afternoon nap).

My hashed veggies could have been crisper, but I was dousing everything in sauce anyway, so that’s easy to forgive. The accompanying sausage leaned German, rather than sage-y and breakfast-y. It rocked a mean snap, and was seasoned enough to eat solo.

The egg and avocado toast (cue apologetic millennial shrug) is several levels up from your DIY weekday brekkie. Atop a monstrously thick slice of sourdough sits a pretty fanned avocado, a fried egg, pickled red onions, and a sprinkling of micro greens. The bread is the star of the show here: perfectly toasted with a punchy sourness, and featuring a brioche consistency that maintains its integrity even with the hefty pile of toppings. The avocado on mine was at peak ripeness, and the pickled red onion had a sharp bite that was only slightly dulled by the drippy yolk.

It’s one of those dishes that seems oh-so-simple, but the quality and preparation make it sing.

The sweet ricotta pancakes were my favourite item here, and I’m not typically a sweet-breakfast person.

(Give me eggs, bacon and hot sauce any day.) But the pancakes called, and I’m so happy I answered. Two giant, very fluffy flapjacks are topped with a seasonal jam, maple syrup and cultured cream. My jam was rhubarb, which, when paired with the cultured cream, turned into a tart, creamy situation reminiscent of a rhubarb custard pie. But the winning bite for me was by far the plain ol’ hotcake with maple syrup. Sometimes you don’t need to mess with a classic.

When the sun goes down, the pizza oven fires up—from the back of a curbside truck—and Thank You Pizza is officially open. They sling elevated ’za with fun toppings that lean luxe but don’t deviate far enough from the classic combos to scare off any newbies. All of the natural wines and local beers available during the day at Hunnybee are still in rotation for the evening spread, and pair particularly well with Thank You’s produce-forward toppings. (They also stock cult faves like Scout and A Sunday in August.)

On my first trip to the evening-only pizza joint incarnation of the space, I tried the capocollo ($19) and vegan mushroom ($16) pies. A punchy tomato sauce acts as the base for the capocollo—it had the zing of summerfresh tomatoes, with none of the metallic tang that often accompanies something tinned. The toppings are simple but bold: Napa cabbage and aged mozzarella melt together to create a funky, textured base for the crispy, charred hot capocollo. The sausage had just enough heat for spice enthusiasts without blowing out your palate, and the sprinkling of fresh dill added an element of freshness.

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The vegan mushroom pie forgoes a traditional tomato sauce, and instead comes with an EVOO and garlic base. Topped with oyster mushrooms and frisée tossed in lemon and oil vinaigrette, my pizza felt light due to the brightness and greens—and I didn’t find myself missing cheese at all. The sourdough crust was just foldable enough to preserve the integrity of the heavyduty toppings while still maintaining a chewy bite.

Either way you swing your visit to this two-in-one space at Union and Gore, you’re lined up to find good food and good vibes.

Hunnybee and Thank You Pizza have each achieved something pretty great on their own, but the unexpected combo adds a buzzy layer of energy to the space.

The Best Twofer in the City Hunnybee’s hash benedict (below) and Thank You Pizza’s capocollo pizza (bottom).

Like us on Facebook @WESTERNLIVING MAGAZINE

Follow us on Instagram @WESTERNLIVING

Visit us at WESTERN LIVING.CA

2022-07-05 10:22 AM

Culture

City Informer

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PREHISTORIC PASSENGERS A peek into the mind of illustrator Byron Eggenschwiler: “Are phone rocks a good idea?” The answer, of course, was yes.

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How Did People Get to Vancouver Island Before BC Ferries?

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Stacey McLachlan illustration by

Byron Eggenschwiler

I suppose there are other ways to get from the mainland to your island of choice—e.g., a revolutionary yet extremely wet new way of travel I am beta-testing called “gull-surfing”—but most BCers go with the obvious transportation solution: BC Ferries.

Sure, our local ferry service is a veritable monopoly that’s run by a government

with no incentive to improve service or pricing, but if I may offer a counterpoint for all you panicked capitalists (my target demographic with this column): soft-serve is available on board?

So as you step aboard the grand Spirit of Burquitlam this summer, take a moment to appreciate the fact that this service exists at all, and that romantic weekend getaway to bustling downtown Ladysmith will only cost you a mere $80 plus $17 for your reservation plus whatever you spend on caftans and novels from local authors (you simply must read The Qualicum Sister) in the gift shop. But ocean travel hasn’t always been so accessible and so caftan-rich.

Of course, individuals who knew their way around an oar (or, presumably, who could harness a passing pterodactyl for a ride to Prehistoric Nanaimo) could come and go as they pleased in the early days. But in the 1830s, the Hudson’s Bay Company operated the first official passenger service along the coast, the most notable vessel being a steamship called Beaver—a name I think we can all agree is superior to The Queen of

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SHOWROOM: 8585 123 St. Surrey, BC V3W 6E2 HOURS: M-F 8am – 4:30pm 604.590.5999 | sales@pacificartstone.com | pacificartstone.com @pacificartstone

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Culture

A “NO U V E AU ”

TA K E O N R O S É

City Informer

Surrey—which was crafted primarily of African teak—a material I think we can all agree is superior to barf-proof turquoise carpet. It was a fine option for ocean travel until the crew got too drunk and ran it into Prospect Point (what we in the marine-journalism world call “a big oopsie”).

By 1901, Canadian Pacific Railway had taken over—going “off the rails” if you will— with lightning-fast five-hour trips between downtown Vancouver and Victoria aboard its “Princess Fleet,” which allegedly featured first-class accommodations, but without an Arcade Zone, how luxurious could it really be? When private company Black Ball Line floated onto the scene in 1948 with its own passenger service, the competition was on. There was nary a drop of Triple-O sauce to be found on board, but it wasn’t that much different from today, in the sense that there was no working wi-fi. Passengers revelled in the glamour of sea travel, with trips that took just under two hours.

But when ferry union employees went on strike in 1958 and the public found themselves stranded on either side of the Georgia Strait, cursing themselves for not investing in human-cannon technology, the government stepped in to remedy the situation. The province paid $6.7 million for five ships and seven terminals, launching a proud tradition that lives on to this day: enraging the province’s citizens with its spending.

Got a question for City Informer? stacey.mclachlan@vanmag.com

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Cascadia

SEAWEED: The Ocean’s Superpower

Kove Ocean Foods is on a mission to improve human health, support coastal communities and heal the Earth, by creating the tastiest, most delicious and nutritious foods made with seaweed. demonstrates meaningful examples of Indigenous reconciliation.”

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hy Seaweed? Because it’s the Ocean’s superpower!

It creates habitat, produces oxygen, captures carbon and improves marine ecosystems as it grows, while holding the powerful properties needed to provide nutritious food and ingredients and produce bio-packaging, natural dyes, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, fertilizers and more.

Ocean cultivated seaweed does not require arable land, freshwater or pesticides—everything it needs to grow is absorbed from the sea and the sun.

But the climate-friendly superpower is only the beginning of what makes Kove Ocean Foods a special story.

“The Kove brand is powered by our company, Cascadia Seaweed,” says Desiree Dupuis, VP of sales and marketing, “And Cascadia partners with First Nations communities to grow our seaweed in the cold, pristine waters of British Columbia.

Not only is our crop a champion for a healthy planet, our business model

Cascadia Seaweed currently has seven farms in six different territories, with plans to install another large farm this summer in time for the winter growing season.

“We are growing to be the largest ocean cultivator of seaweed in North America,” Dupuis says. “We value the opportunity to work with local people in remote places. This industry represents an opportunity to create thousands of jobs along the coast of BC, while directly supporting the development of Canada’s Blue Economy.”

Red Barn Market and Lifestyle Markets, or get a bottle (or three for free shipping) at koveocean.com/ products/sea-spice In the Kove innovation pipeline there are a variety of other products elevated by the superpowers of seaweed, including tortilla chips and healthy protein puffs. This is a brand to watch, as they strive to make seaweed a pantry staple.

For thousands of years, people have used the nutritional benefits and healing properties of seaweed. Kove Ocean Foods entwines Traditional Knowledge with modern techniques to produce a delicious line of products in a way that any sociallyresponsible, climate-conscious consumer would be proud of.

Kove’s first product packs a powerful punch of flavour, enhancing the taste of everything it touches. It’s a furikake-style sprinkle made with dried sugar kelp flakes, nutritional yeast, a mix of sesame and poppy seeds, garlic and onion flakes, nonGMO canola oil, and is available in three varieties—Original, Sriracha, and Lemon. Sea Spice definitely puts the ‘sea’ in ‘seasoning’!

Learn more at: koveocean.com @koveocean @koveocean @cascadiaseaweed

Kove’s Sea Spice is available at independent retailers, like Pomme,

Created by the Canada Wide Media advertising department in partnership with Cascadia Seaweed

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Start your future today with a bachelor’s degree from UCW

Undergraduate programs are an essential way for students to gain the practical skills and industry-relevant knowledge needed to launch their careers.

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ancouver-based University Canada West (UCW) offers three undergraduate degree programs that help prepare students for a successful career path in their chosen field.

Established in 2004, UCW is a business and tech-oriented institution that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees for domestic and international students. The university currently offers three undergraduate programs—Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication (BABC) and Associate of Arts (AA).

UCW offers flexible schedule options with four intakes per year, and the BCom and BABC programs are offered both online and oncampus.

BACHELOR OF COMMERCE UCW’s BCom program combines theoretical and practical learning to give students a full understanding of modern business, preparing them for successful careers in business or management.

For students looking to focus their degree, UCW offers two elective areas in the BCom program. The Business Communications elective area prepares students to produce effective communications materials for a wide range of contexts and in the framework of business strategy.

Accounting skills are consistently in demand, and the Accounting

elective area, combined with the rest of the BCom degree program, prepares students for entry into a professional accounting program.

Additionally, UCW has an articulation agreement with the Chartered Professional Accounts of British Columbia, and students can transfer UCW credits to the CPA Professional Education Program for some courses.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION UCW’s BABC is an interdisciplinary program that helps develop students’ understanding and knowledge of media, cultural studies and business. Students refine their core skills in writing and research, equipping them with a comprehensive understanding of all types of business communication.

The program includes the Communications Management elective area, which provides relevant training for students interested in learning the skills to manage complex communications projects and departments.

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS The university’s AA program is a two-year degree that prepares students for life as educated people and lays a solid foundation for further study.

transfer into a bachelor’s degree program or serves as a credential to enter the labour market.

Interested in learning more about University Canada West? Register for an upcoming open house at ucanwest.ca/about/visit-us.

For more information about UCW’s undergraduate programs, visit ucanwest.ca/undergraduateprograms. ucanwest

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@university_canada_west It is the equivalent to the first two years of a four-year degree in the arts and prepares students to

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Undergrad FEATURE

Real-World Learning

More than ever, undergraduates want to be prepped for career placement

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s the world continues to re-open, several trends are becoming apparent with regards to what undergraduates are seeking from post-secondary schools - and what these institutions are providing.

University Canada West is a prime case in point. UCW offers MBA and Bachelor degrees to prepare its students to be effective workplace leaders, and its president, Sheldon Levy, points out that students more than ever want their studies to provide good career placements via co-ops and internships.

He says, “They also want professional designations or credentials that employers recognize, which is why micro-credentials validated by industry are growing in importance as part of university studies: they give students additional credentials within their degree.” UCW’s micro-credentials are focused on technology, business, and innovation, and courses include CONNECT: Blockchain Entrepreneurship, Data and Web Analytics, and Supply Chain INSTAGRAM: @university_canada_west Management and Logistics.

LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/school/ucanwest

Students also expect career centres to help them with job placements

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ucanwest during their studies. On that score, UCW’s Career Development Centre TWITTER: @ucanwest

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Undergrad FEATURE

in the traditional sense, they expect faculty members to have a solid academic base combined with real life professional experience. Similarly, they want to learn using the same tools and software employed by business today. “This is why UCW partners with leading business and tech companies: to bring their professional expertise into the classroom so that what we teach - and the hardware and software students use - is current with industry standards,” Levy says. works with students and alumni throughout Canada to provide career and employment preparatory information through the assistance of an online career services program. This program can be accessed when required online, and it can generate numerous documents relevant to positions for which the students and alumni are applying.

UCW is adept at responding to other trends as they evolve. For example, while students want faculty

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Levy takes obvious pride in his institution’s ability to bridge the gap between what prospective employers seek and what post-secondary learners want. “We provide a solid education by working with industry partners to ensure the curriculum is current and relevant,” he says.

“We develop capstone projects and case studies with industry as our partners, and in many cases we also provide students with employment opportunities while in school.”

Finally, while the composition of first-year full-time undergrads remains basically the same (they continue to come straight from high school), more and more students are taking undergraduate courses for a second degree. “Or, we get college students looking to turn their diploma into a Bachelor’s degree,” Levy says. “So given that students are coming from such diverse situations and pursuing diverse opportunities, universities need to provide multiple points of entry.”

For more information about UCW’s undergraduate programs, visit ucanwest.ca/undergraduateprograms. ucanwest @university_canada_west @ucanwest

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ow lucky are we?

As we geared up this spring for our fourth annual Made in Vancouver Awards, our offices were flooded (as every year!) with a tangible reminder of what a creative, colourful, wonderful place we live in: a place full of masterful makers, people who pour their hearts into crafting fantastical wooden bicycles, soothing serums, it-burns-so-good hot sauces and wearable works of art that make buying local a true joy. We’re thrilled to announce the gold medallists and the incredible contenders who were hot on their heels in the pages that follow— but, ultimately, this competition always leaves us feeling like the real winners.

COVER STORY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNILEE MARIGOMEN STYLING BY LA BOMBA FLORAL

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WIN NER A MOVABLE FEAST Edna’s excellent zero-proof cocktails wowed our judges, as did Anh and Chi’s nostalgic Chili Fish Sauce and The Preservatory’s complex Salted Lemon and Nori Preserves.

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WINNER (SAVOURY)

WINNER (DRINKS)

Me’s . Chili Fish Sauce

Mojito 0% Alcohol

EDNA’S NON-ALCOHOLIC COCKTAIL COMPANY

ANH AND CHI

There is much to love about Anh and Chi restaurant, and just about all of it is packed into this nước chấm sauce. It’s the “we put that sh*t on everything” of Vietnamese cooking: a timehonoured classic. The Main Street eatery that makes it is just as time-honoured: the biz first began as pho specialty shop Phở Hoàng in 1985 by owners Lý and Hoàng Nguyễn. The sauce is deeply rooted in family—a mother’s cherished recipe—just as the restaurant is, now taken over by Nguyễn children Amélie and Vincent. And, of course, it’s damn tasty.

A confession: Anh and Chi entered three micro-batched, hand-bottled sauces in our 2022 awards, and when it came to deciding the gold, they were fighting against themselves.

The Sweet Soy Sauce and Artisan Peanut Sauce are spectacular, but, in the end, it was the Chili Fish Sauce that truly stole our judges’ hearts.

The spicy/sweet blend has the perfect mix of acidity, sugar and fire—instead of a late-addition condiment, you’ll find yourself building entire meals around it. The restaurant first started producing the nước chấm in 2020 as a COVID necessity to keep cash flow up and the fourdecade-old establishment afloat as restaurants were forced to shutter their doors. Every once in a while, we find a little silver lining in these trying times, and this sauce is it. To salad rolls, and beyond. $9 (8 oz) and $15 (16 oz), anhandchi.com

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Burnt Miso Chili Oil WESTCOAST POKÉ This chili oil smacks you in the face (in a good way) with umami richness thanks to shoyu-marinated shiitake mushrooms. Chili, garlic, ginger, makrut lime leaves and lemongrass bring some hardcore aromatics, and the namesake burnt miso creates an almost-nutty flavour. It’s a topping that holds its own on everything from pasta to poke. $13, westcoastpoke.com

The non-alcoholic cocktail biz is growing, but in a gamechanging move, this one actually tastes like the mojito it’s meant to be. Rather than straight-up sparkling water, Edna’s Mojito is made with apple cider shrub (a tart, vinegar-based drink), which provides a ton of complexity right off the bat. It tastes freshly muddled thanks to some very well-balanced Cuban mint, and a squeeze of lime transports you straight to summer. A surprising but subtle rum note seals the deal on authenticity and drinkability, rounding out any citrus-y sharpness. This is the ideal porch sipper for those looking for something a little less indulgent but still heavy on flavour (and it also makes for a pretty great mix if you’re looking to make the real thing). Our judges got hooked on the citrus-y paloma, too. $4, ednascocktails.com

HONOURABLE MENTION

Zing!

ALIMENTARIA MEXICANA Alimentaria’s Zing! seasoning has all the tang and heat of the everpopular Tajín that inspired it, but with an added depth courtesy of an array of native Mexican chilies. Made locally with lime and salt, this shaker makes for a punchy topping on fruit salad or a killer cocktail rim when you’re looking to raise the Scoville level on something sippable. $11, alimentariamexicana.com

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Ceviche

Summer mode on.

Reserve your patio table online.

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WINNER (SWEET)

Salted Lemon and Nori Preserves THE PRESERVATORY

It scooped the gold in this category, but these preserves dance the line between savoury and sweet for our judges: its careful blend of lemons, nori and sugar nearly defies categorization. However you identify it, it’s delicious.

The Salted Lemon and Nori Preserves are a more elegant, indulgent and complex substitute for lemon: in salad dressing, fish, tea and cocktails.

Some look at preserves as backup plan for faulty fruit, but that’s not how The Preservatory rolls. Working with traditional copper kettles, the team cooks up fruit at its peak. (“If we wouldn’t eat it, we won’t use it for jam” is their philosophy.) And it shows. A little of this super-versatile product goes a long way, and it makes everything you add it to just a little more special. Plus, the lemon rind used in the preserves comes from offcuts of lemons juiced in-house—it’s a step toward zero-waste jammin’. The Preservatory celebrates their 20th anniversary this year, and we raise a glass (of salted lemon and nori martini, perhaps?) to them. $13, thepreservatory. com

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Bee-Mindful Hunnie MINDFUL FÜD PSA to B.C. apples: abandon your flaky pie dreams—this honey is the ultimate sweet sacrifice. No bees are harmed in the making of this sticky goodness (the only ingredients are apple juice, apple cider vinegar and vegan sugar) and the end product is even better than the original: it’s delightfully fresh and subtly fruity. $13, mindfulfud.com

HONOURABLE MENTION

Jalapeno Cheddar Bratwurst HOME ON THE RANGE ORGANICS–THE MAD BRIT SAUSAGE CO. You’ve heard of the song of the summer. Now presenting: the sausage of the summer. Oh-so-oozy cheese and a hot, pepper-y kick bursts from these ’wursts, and they’re incredibly BBQ- and beer-friendly. Plus, the company sources 75 percent of ingredients from within 100 miles of their Mount Pleasant store. $12, hotro.ca

HONOURABLE MENTION

Nuba Hummus Trio NUBA NATURAL FOODS It’s no secret that Nuba’s Lebanese-style hummus is a Vancouver favourite. As always, the classic is incredibly smooth and dippable, but new flavours elevate the go-to spread: pomegranate molasses and sumac produce a zesty yet savoury bite, and the jalapeño spread rounds out the trio with lingering heat and herby freshness. $7, nuba.ca

HONOURABLE MENTION

Holy Duck Chili Oil HOLY DUCK CHILI It’s hard not to fall instantly in love with Holy Duck’s cheeky name and adorable logo, but inside the jar you’ll find a family recipe perfected by three generations.

This kickass, use-it-in-everything oil is made from local chili peppers and rendered duck fat, so it has a higher smoke point than other cooking oils—it’s spicy, crunchy, sweet and every kind of awesome. $18, holyduckchili.shop

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Your local glass tile manufacturer. Don’t see it? We’ll make it!

THE ORIGINAL MODERN GLASS TILE SINCE 1977

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1 800 667 1566 | www.interstyleglass.com | info@interstyleglass.com

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HOME

WIN NER

IMAGE CREDIT

COZY UP The Ffabb Daybed is the sort of design that invites you to cuddle up and stay awhile.

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WINNER

Fawcett Daybed FFABB HOME

The curved, cozy Fawcett Daybed from North Vancouver furnituremaker Ffabb Home is exactly what the word “dreamy” was made for. But it’s not just the sculptural style of the piece that impressed our judges; the interlocking notched frame beneath the latex-andmemory-foam seat showcases a thoughtful craftsmanship. The plump, weighted backrest is movable, and features a clever non-slip bottom—reposition it to support the sitting, lying or lounging position of your (here it comes again) dreams. From $4,700, ffabb.com

HONOURABLE MENTION

IMAGE CREDIT

Hansem Juxtaposed Wall Panels FFABB HOME It’s the local furnituremaker so nice we awarded it twice: in addition to winning the category this year with its daybed, Ffabb Home gets an honourable mention for these beautiful upholstered wall panels, too.

Crisp lines and smooth contours create a striking and elegant wall backdrop that’s an affordable, sustainable alternative to custom built-in panelling. From $3,400, ffabb.com

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REBUILDING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE The Salvation Army needs your help to construct a new facility that will help address some of our biggest social issues while supporting individuals and reshaping one of our most storied communities.

Join The Salvation Army’s vision to transform the Downtown Eastside. ninestoriesofhope.org

YOUR ONE-STOP SOURCE FOR WHAT’S ON 1 YEAR FOR ONLY $64.95 CALL: 604-299-2116 TOLL-FREE: 1-800-663-0518

OR YOU CAN EMAIL US: SUBSCRIPTIONS@CANADAWIDE.COM

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BEAUTY

HONOURABLE MENTION

WINNER

C-Major

Bakuchiol Smoothing Serum

NEO NATURELLE

It’s fair to say we’ve become a little obsessed with this fresh-citrus-scented, vitamin C-packed serum. There’s a reason vitamin C has become the go-to for wonder-serums: it’s a booster for helping skin naturally regenerate, and, when applied to your face, its antioxidant nature helps to counteract UV damage and air pollution. Neo Naturelle uses an oil-soluble, highly potent derivative of the C that’s still gentle to sensitive skin types and around the eyes. The formula is lightweight without being greasy (and boosted with niacinamide, aloe vera, vitamin E and squalene), and absorbs quickly under your daily moisturizer. And, possibly best of all, it’s naturally clean beauty, with no preservatives, sulphates, phthalates, artificial dyes, GMO or animal-derived ingredients.

Plus, they’ve nailed it on the packaging: glass bottles, beautifully designed.

Neo Naturelle founder Nila Cook first created the company back in 2019 when she was looking for hormone-friendly, safe products for her pregnant daughter Marina, and the mother-daughter duo now run the company together. And we can’t wait to see what else they come up with. $120, neonaturelle.com

JUBEL NATURALS This little serum in a UV-protective glass bottle is packed with nearly a dozen oils, including argan, jojoba, rosewood, lavender and damask rose. But the real magic is the bakuchiol, a naturally derived retinol alternative that refines skin without harsh side effects. $40, jubelnaturals.ca

HONOURABLE MENTION

Wild West Room and Linen Spray HEIM The pandemic baby of queer couple Matt Osborn and Parker McMullin, Heim (“home” in Old English) is a line of room and linen sprays with partial proceeds directed to helping homeless LGBTQ2S+ youth find shelter through Covenant House. Their Wild West scent is a warm and wintery blend of clove, myrrh, sandalwood, patchouli and frankincense— perfect for turning a space into one big cozy blanket. $25, heimgoods.ca

HONOURABLE MENTION

Bare Blue Tansy and Hyaluronic Serum FLORA’S BARE Flora’s gorgeous products are exactly what your skin wants—organic, gentle, packed with moisture—and their latest serum is lovely. Intensely hydrating with two different weights of Ecocert-approved hyaluronic acid along with rosehip and squalene oils and cocoa butter, it’s also scented with cedar wood and blue tansy, a naturally soothing flower extract. $56, florasbare.com

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WIN NER A DOSE OF VITAMIN C This Neo Naturelle C-Major serum is practically a magic potion.

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WIN NER GOING SWIMMINGLY Rosaseven’s period bathing suit takes a relatively new idea— period underwear—and goes next-level.

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FASHION

WINNER

Alice Period Bathing Suit ROSASEVEN LINGERIE

It’s an exciting thing to see innovation happen in your lifetime. When it came onto the scene earlier this decade, period underwear was a true game-changer for the menstruating citizens of planet earth. What’s even more exciting, though, is when a technology enters the stage of refinement, and the market introduces competitors who tweak a great idea to an even more elevated realm. All of which is to say: yes, Rosaseven Lingerie certainly didn’t invent the idea of flow-absorbing garments, but the Squamishbased lingerie brand has taken the idea to new heights with its flattering, beautifully cut Alice period bathing suit.

It’s swimwear with a surprising social impact. For the three-quarters of people who avoid swimming while they’re on their period, the Alice provides reassurance in a chic package. “Our bathing suit gives menstruators back the freedom to do whatever they want on their periods,” says Rosaseven co-founder Delphine Veilleux.

And while the Alice keeps pads and tampons out of the landfill, this isn’t the design’s only claim to sustainability: the one-piece is also made from recycled polyester and spandex. $169, rosaseven.com

HONOURABLE MENTION

Josephine Satchel ATELIER ELI The design is old school—literally.

Atelier Eli’s Josephine satchel is inspired by schoolbags of the ’40s and ’50s.

The methodology is similarly (and admirably) oldfashioned: designer Maggie Li cuts out each piece of fullgrain Italian leather by hand and personally stitches it all together into something beautiful. $450, ateliereli.shop

HONOURABLE MENTION

Chelsea Boot with Medallion Detail HD RUSSELL BOOTS AND SHOES HD Russell’s designs are the opposite of fast fashion, and we’re here for it.

Each pair of bespoke handmade leather boots is crafted from raw material in the brand’s East Van workshop, and sized to fit just right. These are shoes meant to last a lifetime: a pair of these chelseas can last 20-plus years with proper care. $870, hdrussellboots.com

HONOURABLE MENTION

Wholecut Oxford AMY SLOSKY HANDMADE SHOES Is it a magic trick or pure craftsmanship that designer Amy Slosky manages to create oxfords from a single piece of ultra-soft calfskin leather? Can’t it be both? Handpunched brogue details and elegantly chiselled toes complete the too-lovely-tobe-believed effect. $1,300, amyslosky.com VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/AU G U S T 2 0 2 2

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WIN NER WOODEN WONDER Picture spinning around town on this gorgeous wooden bike frame

by Workbench Studio—woodn’t that be nice?

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WINNER

Ash Wood Bicycle WORKBENCH STUDIO

We know—a wooden bike? But the shock of seeing such a traditional material used in such an unorthodox way is part of the design’s charm.

Designer Mario Paredes (the mad woodworking genius behind Workbench Studio) has crafted something truly unique with his ash wood bicycle: a high-performance, shockingly lightweight hollow frame that celebrates the West Coast’s natural, renewable material in a new light.

Says Paredes, “Our practice focuses on creating work that is honest and speaks the language of architecture.” But with this one-of-akind design, he’s speaking to bicycle nerds, too—and saying something truly beautiful in the process. $15,000, workbenchstudio.ca

HONOURABLE MENTION

Eos Floral Arrangement THRIVE FLOWERHOUSE “My goal is to re-engage people with nature, in a contemporary way,” explains Thrive creative director Tina Wilson. Her meticulously handcrafted bouquet is composed of foraged and painted sea grass, handmade paper palms, painted faux anthuriums, faux orchids, and dried and painted leaves—a coordinated vision in lemon and lavendar hues. $250, thriveflowerhouse.com

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Rediscover Your Joy at the Bloom Inspiration Summit Are you feeling uninspired and lost as you adjust to the new normal?

Struggling to find your joy as you return to work and social events?

Looking for advice and guida nce to reignite your fire? If you need some serious motivation to get you back into the groove, you won’t want to miss the Bloom Inspiration Summit.

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE VANCOUVER, B.C. SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

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FLIP THE PAGE to meet the distinguished speakers.

Visit simplybeautifulbox.com/bloom to reserve your ticket today.

GET 10% OFF WITH CODE: BLOOMSAVE10

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$350

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Bloom is a life-changing experience you won’t want to miss

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND TOPICS

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What is Bloom?

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Presented by Vancouver-based Evalina Beauty and the award-winning Simply Beautiful subscription box, the Bloom Inspiration Summit features an extraordinary lineup of brilliant women speakers who will inspire you to live your best, brightest and fullest life. The event takes place on Saturday, September 24th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver.

The day will focus on empowering women, and experts will cover topics like grief and joy, sleep and intimacy, home organization and reaching your potential.

The highlight of the event will be an intimate conversation with eight-time Juno award-winning Canadian entertainer and bestselling author Jann Arden.

“The very essence of Evalina Beauty is to give women the confidence to be their authentic selves,” says Samantha Legge, president and founder of the clean beauty brand. “For years, we’ve wanted to create an event that reflects this ethos and embodies the mission of Evalina Beauty. Bloom is the culmination of that dream.”

“After two of the most difficult years of many of our lives, it’s time to live out loud again,” says Simply Beautiful brand manager Janine Verreault.

“Simply Beautiful has always been more than just a subscription box. It’s about self-care, treating yourself, and adding more joy to your life. Bloom is the perfect way to reconnect in-person and to restart our lives in a positive, collective way.”

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Dr. Shimi Kang on tools to help you build and practice essential life skills and the importance of play to improve your personal life through resilience, innovation and connection.

Megan Golightly on simplifying your life so you can enjoy the small moments and transformation within your home and life.

Jessica Janzen on loss, massive heartache, and bringing joy to your life— to build a life by design, regardless of what you are walking through.

Dr. Carolin Klein on intimacy, opening our hearts to ourselves, and talking bluntly and openly about sex and sexuality.

Claudia Chirico on powerful healing tools to elevate your thinking, evolve your self-awareness, and empower you to expand to your full potential.

All tickets to the event include access to the speaker presentations and to the marketplace forum. Guests will take home a gratitude journal, a seasonal Simply Beautiful gift box ($225+ value), an Evalina Beauty gift ($100 value) as well as a gift bag.

The past few years have been tough on everyone—we distanced, isolated and retreated. But now is a time for us to reconnect, gather and celebrate, so don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to rediscover your joy.

Plus, an intimate conversation with eight-time Juno award-winning Canadian entertainer and bestselling author Jann Arden, who will share her personal journey, explaining the importance of adaptability, being built for change, and finding good—and even funny—things, even in the most difficult of situations.

There will also be a special musical performance by ZADA, an Ethiopian-born and Canadian-raised singer-songwriter who will remind us of our powerful connections— to our own purpose and to one another.

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Meet the Speakers: Psychiatrist Dr. Shimi Kang

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ward-winning Harvard-trained physician and bestselling author Dr. Shimi Kang is an expert on the neuroscience of innovation, leadership and motivation.

Providing science-based solutions for health, happiness and achievement, Dr. Kang provides practical tools to help us maintain our health and connection during life’s stressful moments. We chat with Dr. Kang about how to improve your personal life.

BLOOM: After two long pandemic years, how can people start to rebuild connections?

SK: Social anxiety went up during the pandemic and people are having a harder time looking at each other, seeing each other’s faces and talking in person—so you have to override that anxiety. Treat it like a new habit. You have to schedule it in.

For example, every Friday you could plan to see friends, and make it fun at first so you don’t have those difficult, stressful conversations. Instead of texting and emailing, call someone—it’s so much better than reading a text. Or when you’re in a coffee lineup, look up and say hi to the person in front of you. These micro everyday moments add to a feeling of greater connection and well-being.

BLOOM: How can we support our loved ones while also finding time for ourselves?

SK: A lot of people I know, especially women, want to help, but we have to remember to say, “I need to go for my walk, or I need to get to the gym, or I need to sleep in.” There’s no point in being compassionate to others when you’re not compassionate to yourself. We have to build that primary relationship with ourselves, and it’s not easy.

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BLOOM: How is sleep connected to reaching our potential?

SK: Sleep is 100 percent the centrepiece of our physical and mental health. When we sleep, our body undergoes repair and recovery. Our brain wires and

“There’s no point in being compassionate to others when you’re not compassionate to yourself. We have to build that primary relationship with ourselves.”

rewires processes, our body heals, and we have what’s called a full lymphatic drainage of our nervous systems.

So how do we make sleep a priority? Ideally, you start with a routine regular, where you generally go to bed around the same time and wake up at the same time everyday. Power naps are really effective also—just 10 to 20 minutes. When your body is telling you it’s tired, you want to listen.

BLOOM: Who or what inspires you every day?

SK: I think it would be my relationship with myself. I’ve had to spend a lot of time on who I am and what my purpose is.

I got really sick about 10 years ago. I couldn’t work and actually had to go on disability, and I realized what got me up in the morning was my connection to the things that I really truly care

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about, which were my kids and my work. And I think having a passion—and wanting to contribute to the world, but in a way that is uniquely mine. And for me that that’s neuroscience and my work. I believe our drive has to be internal versus any kind of external reward.

BLOOM: What three words do you live by?

SK: Play, others and downtime— these are the three critical human activities we need to do every day, but we’re not. We’re meant to play with meaning; we’re meant to explore and learn something, be curious, and try new things; we’re meant to connect with others, and we need downtime. We need the basics of rest and a self-care routine that includes regular sleep, exercise, water, a healthy diet etc. These things aren’t always easy to fit in, but they’re essential.

BLOOM: What lights your fire?

SK: The concept of play. It’s a word that we don’t understand, but play is an essential human activity and it is absolutely sacred. That’s why children love to do it. It’s natural. And it actually develops that front part of our brain that makes us uniquely human and innovative and adaptable.

And the opposite of play is perfectionism. And perfectionism is on the rise, particularly with girls and women, and we’re seeing more and more of it with links to social media and links to anxiety, depression and actually lower life achievement. So I feel a spotlight on play is really important.

drshimikang.com @drshimikang

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Meet the Speakers: Bio-Energy Healing Practitioner Claudia Chirico

BLOOM: Can becoming the best version of yourself be learned?

CC: Yes, our human experience is remembering and forgetting, and in the remembrance, that’s when we’re living and expressing the best versions of ourselves.

But with trauma, pain, shock and wounding, there’s a closing-down effect. Hence, the theme “bloom,” and why my service is called Bloom Energy Therapy. When we are in full expression, where we are in a state of love, trust and allowing, we naturally, organically, authentically open.

And so when I talk about being the best version of myself, there are many moments where I was not. But then I’ll see something, or be prompted by something, and I suddenly see that bloom effect start to happen. I’m seen, I’m felt, I’m heard and so, yes, it definitely can be learned, but more than learned, it can be remembered, especially through guidance.

BLOOM: What values are important to you, and how do you ensure you live by them?

CC: They’re just absolutely ingrained in me: family, truth,

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honesty, and living a life in service and humility. There are a lot of sayings in my house. I say the evidence lies in the actions. We can talk and talk and talk, but the evidence truly does lie in the action taken.

Also, listening to self. That’s always a work in progress. I’ll often ask myself: How is this serving me? How is this not serving me? I recognize in pausing and introspection what I’m really frustrated with. And I’m frustrated with myself because I haven’t been listening. You’re responsible for your peace, and it’s just being tuned into that.

BLOOM: How would you define being content?

CC: When I was younger, it was more superficial, to be honest.

Now, it’s being comfortable within myself. I can sit with myself in quiet, whereas before I would not be able to. I was really caught up in the madness of my mind, and now I’m content with myself.

Shedding comparison, I can look at somebody and if there’s something that they’re doing, I want to be inspired and empowered by them. If any other emotion comes up, I look at myself and say, “I have some healing to do there.” We’re all human, we all have these emotions that rise up, so I’m always looking at myself.

I’m very content in my family, my marriage, my children, but it really comes from me. It’s internal, I’m really content with myself.

BLOOM: What are your recommendations to help others reconnect to their purpose?

CC: This is really important, because for me, it comes down to the conditioning. And so ask

“Our human experience is remembering and forgetting, and in the remembrance, that’s when we’re living and expressing the best versions of ourselves.” yourself simple questions: What do you enjoy? What lights you up? What are your passions?

And it’s not clear for people in the beginning. They have to go through life experience first. It really is your passions, and then moving in that direction. Taking that course, reading that book, talking to people. Taking that one course can open up so many doors and potential for you. Just

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say yes... because when we say yes, we open ourselves up. Ask yourself what aligns, what’s your yes. It’s about honouring the yes.

BLOOM: Describe your passion/ what you live by in three words.

CC: Self-love, connection... deep connection, and, of course, it’s my family.

BLOOM: What lights your fire?

CC: That’s easy. It’s when I connect with someone authentically in that heart-to-heart space.

When they light up, I light up.

It’s simple. That’s beautiful.

bloomenergytherapy.com @bloomenergytherapy

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IMAGE CREDIT

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hile in the midst of experiencing a variety of physical and emotional health traumas, Claudia Chirico was introduced to Bio-Energy Healing, which in turn led to the discovery of her own natural healing abilities. More than 15 years later, Claudia has helped others connect to their body, mind and spirit. We chat with Claudia about powerful tools to elevate your thinking, how to empower yourself to expand your full potential, and more.

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Meet the Speakers: Home Organizer Megan Golightly

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ith a degree in psychology, home organization guru Megan Golightly is curious about how our brains work, and has a passion for working with families to see their homes and lives transformed. Megan believes when your life is simplified, you can enjoy the small moments.

We chat with Megan about how to create an organized space without feeling overwhelmed.

IMAGE CREDIT

BLOOM: What do most people struggle with when trying to get organized and why is it so difficult to declutter?

ML: Organizing and decluttering are two different things, and people always want to organize first because that’s the fun part.

But first, we need to think about the clutter. Nobody wants to declutter because it means dealing with the things that you haven’t dealt with for whatever reason— maybe you have an emotional attachment—so it’s hard to get rid of them. Clutter really is items that haven’t earned the right to be in your house or haven’t yet found a home. And usually why it’s hard to start decluttering is because everything you use is out on countertops and on surfaces, and the things that you don’t use are in cupboards taking up space. So people get paralyzed because they want to put all this stuff away but they don’t have anywhere to put it because they haven’t dealt with the clutter that’s in the cupboards.

BLOOM: Can people learn to be more organized, or is that more a part of our nature?

ML: We are hunters and gatherers, so we’re working against Mother Nature, and it’s a little contradictory to how we are hardwired, so I think it’s a skill

and one that can be learned. I always tell people to start with the easiest room, which is the bathroom, because there aren’t sentimental things in there.

Take everything out, then slowly put back in the things that you like and use. Categorize your belongings into different piles: what you’re donating, what’s trash, what you want to keep, and then the things that you keep, you sub-organize, and then it earns the right to come back into your space.

BLOOM: What is your go-to home organization hack?

ML: To always think outside the box. For example, if you have a lot of kids and their bedrooms

are upstairs, their socks should be by the back door, ready to grab and go, which people don’t usually think of. It comes down to efficiency and ergonomics.

If you have a bin that you’re going to put winter clothes in, you label one side winter clothes, and you label the other side summer clothes so that you can then turn it around seasonally.

There are certain tricks—like medicine can be kept in a linen closet instead of in the bathroom, or bed sheets can be kept in the bedroom they belong to. I think we sometimes get defined

“Clutter really is items that haven’t earned the right to be in your house or haven’t yet found a home.”

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by rooms, and we need to be a little flexible when that just may not be working.

BLOOM: Do you have any tools for when life becomes overwhelming? When you can’t shake the feeling of having multiple tabs open in your brain?

ML: I personally do a practice called Yoga Nidra every day, which is a guided meditation that basically is all about letting go. I’m in people’s homes every day, so it’s very important for me to let go of their things as well and their emotions. I’m a bit of an empath, and as important as it is for my clients to let go, it’s important for me to let go.

BLOOM: Who or what inspires you every day?

ML: I think what inspires me every day is the challenge of going into a client’s home, and knowing that nothing is impossible. And at the end of the day, we leave the house knowing the person feels light and lifted and free. That inspires me knowing that it can be done.

BLOOM: Describe your passion/ what you promote/live by in three words.

ML: Just do it. I would say just do it. You know, don’t be afraid just go after it.

BLOOM: What lights your fire?

ML: I think just growth, change and freedom—life just being less complicated and helping people get to the relaxed state they’re so badly looking for. I really work to not show perfection, and instead show progress. It’s not about perfection, it’s just about progress.

go-simplified.com @gosimplified

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Love Letter

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Ode to the Park Bench

I have a favourite. It’s actually two benches, slightly angled, facing out over the bluffs high above the Stanley Park seawall, accessed by climbing north up Merilee’s Trail from Third Beach and making a left at the top of the slope. On my bike, it’s a pretty steep climb—I am not a young man—so a spot on one of these benches doubles as a viewpoint and a wheezing rest stop. Just down another short, steep path is one of Stanley Park’s hidden treasures, the catwalk above Siwash Rock. But it’s the bluff benches I love most— this is my favourite reading spot in the city. Not that it’s always peace and quiet—one day my reading was interrupted by a gang of raccoons brawling with someone’s dog. Also, the squirrels can be very assertive.

I do feel weirdly proprietary about my park benches.

They’re mine and any other occupant is trespassing. They are scattered around, each offering a different perspective, an opportunity to appreciate a particular space.

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Another favourite is deep in Stanley Park on Lover’s Walk, near the intersection with Squirrel Trail. Nearby is the roughly spherical wooden Listen sculpture by John Hemsworth and Peter von Tiesenhausen. It’s the silent heart of the park, a place where I feel enclosed in solitude, despite the occasional passing bike. Someone else who loves this bench is obviously a chain-smoker, which means I often bring a plastic bag to clean up the space. It is, after all, located on Lover’s Walk, and lovers of the park must become its custodians.

There are benches for more social moods as well.

The dog park on the eastern tip of Ambleside in West Van-

couver has a bench facing the Lions Gate Bridge. You meet the most adorable quadrupeds there, and they all seem to want to meet you, too.

Clearly I am not the only one who claims ownership of a cherished bench. Many carry memorial tributes, secured with a $7,500 fee.

The benches don’t need to be memorials, either. Back in Brandon, Manitoba, my four siblings and I dedicated one to my parents on their 50th anniversary. The plaque read “Dear Mom & Dad—It’s been 50 years. So sit. Love, the Burgess 5.” They were thrilled. My parents became unpaid civic employees, regularly visiting to clean up their special place. They are

gone now, but when I come back to town I take my shift, picking up garbage from the surrounding shrubbery. It seems people do love to join my parents for a drink or two.

In Vancouver those plaques are not permanent.

Your $7,500 buys you a 10year residency, after which you must renew for another decade. It’s a bit disconcerting to think that a dedication would expire like that. But it’s somehow fitting, too.

Park benches are not about putting down roots. They are about moments, hours, when the world pauses for you.

So sit for a bit. And I think my parents would be pleased if you would kindly refrain from littering.

STEVE BURGESS

Sometimes if you want to be transported, you have to stop. That’s what park benches are for. by Steve Burgess

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Bloom Join us for the Bloom Inspiration Summit, a day that will light a fire inside you, leave you dreaming big, and show you how to spark more joy in your everyday life. Topics will include everything from grief to joy, sleep to intimacy, home organization and how to reach your potential, plus much more.

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