Vancouver Magazine November/December 2022

Construction on the largest hospital redevelopment in BC’s history has begun.

The new St. Paul’s Hospital on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus will usher in a new era in health care that will drive innovation and save lives.

Find out how it will transform health care for all British Columbians at helpstpauls.com/newstpauls

Culture

HOT TAKE

We’re celebrating all that sparkles during this festive season (including some very glitzy underwear).

THE TICKET

A play that tells the stories of HIV-positive Vancouverites (plus events, winter reads and a hilarious podcast).

ABOUT TOWN

Highlights and a who’s who from the latest social events thanks to Fred Lee.

11 14 18 20

ON THE RISE

Local streetwear inspired by nightlife and dreamed up by DJs.

CITY INFORMER

What does “resident parking” really mean? Our city informer investigates.

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26

LOVE LETTER

A hidden gem biryani house on Fraser Street.

Feature

NIGHTCAP

An elevated take on hot buttered rum (save this for your holiday dinner parties).

GIFT GUIDE

We’re done with generic presents. Our hyper-specific gift guide is your blueprint for being everyone’s favourite friend/relative/pickleball partner.

29 41 55

23 THINGS TO EAT AND DRINK IN 2023

Don’t read this hungry: from ultra-indulgent dishes to cheap and cheery street eats, this 2023 playbook is totally drool-worthy.

WINTER STAYCATION

The stress-free, jetlag-free getaway guide you need in this extra-busy season: think lazy wine tours, mountain escapes and foodie hubs close to home.

C ON THE COVER Photographer Clinton Hussey and stylist Lawren Moneta captured our list of 23 Things to Eat and Drink in 2023—find it on page 41.

Ed

Coming Up Next Issue

Star Players

You probablY w on’t be surprised to learn that we talk about food a lot around the office here, given how seriously we take our annual Restaurant Awards. Our weekly Monday morning check-in inevitably includes several team members raving about the latest food discovery they happened on over the weekend—a new restaurant, a great bakery, the perfect Fridaynight takeout.

And in a city that’s still buzzing with the thrill of October’s Michelin Guide announcement, I know our team is not alone in our love of Vancouver’s food scene. If there was a theme that emerged the night that those inaugural local rankings were announced, it was this: we’re here for the great food, not for the pomp and circumstance that generally supports a Michelin nod. “Here, it is really relaxed—really informal,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director for the Michelin guides, in an exclusive interview with Vanmag. “There’s a vibrancy of diversity and unique flavours; it’s extraordinary.”

And so, in this issue you’ll find some of our own favourite discoveries from the past year. Plenty of Vanmag Restaurant Award winners and Michelin Guide listees are in there, of course (cheers to Kin Kao Song, Phnom Penh and Vij’s!), but we’re also keen on perfect peanut butter cookies from Beaucoup (#16), spice-packed Jamaican patties from the Patty Shop (#8), a brilliant lemon-forward gin and tonic from Autostrada (#13) and more.

Think of “23 Things to Eat and Drink in 2023” (page 41) as an incredibly delicious scavenger-hunt-slash-road-map for the coming year. Or, if you want to take advantage of the holidays to get a jump on this list in 2022—we’re here for that too. In the meantime, all of us here at Vanmag wish you a holiday season that’s packed with your favourite flavours, new and old. Until we meet again in 2023, we’re raising a toast to you all with an excellent, rum-infused eggnog from Collective Goods (#20).

k The Power 50

It’s our annual deep dive into who runs Vancouver: from the power players in C-suites around the city to the philanthropists behind the scenes, the activists keeping politicians in check (and the political powerhouses themselves) and more—these are the folks shaping the city in 2023.

Vancouver’s Chinese Restaurant Renaissance

For years, Richmond was the place to go for the best Chinese dining in the Lower Mainland. But chefs are returning to Vancouver, and the Broadway corridor between Oak and Cambie has become a hub for highend Chinese meals. Writer Lee Man navigates the go-to spots—and what to order.

On the Web

10 Rainwear Essentials

After a summer of drought, the weather pros are predicting a rainier than usual winter: but we’ve got you covered (literally). Head to vanmag.com for our picks of the wettest season.

PORTRAIT: EVAAN KHERAJ; STYLING BY LUISA RINO, MAKEUP BY MELANIE NEUFELD; CLOTHING COURTESY HOLT RENFREW, HOLTRENFREW.COM

Anicka Quin

Discover wines that become the occasion.

When you are looking for something amazing you’ll find it in our premium Vintages Rooms, where we invite you to explore world renowned finds, limited runs, and exclusives to Everything Wine.

Here, an unparalleled selection of fine wine is expertly curated by passionate and highly knowledgeable consultants who help guide you to a bottle that perfectly suits your influence, your tastes, and become the centre of your occasion.

EverythingWine.ca

6 LOCATIONS IN BC

We’ll make sure you go home with a good story and a great bottle.

Culture

Here’s the greatest gift of all: an insider’s look into the best Vancouver has to offer. We’ve rounded up hyper-specific holiday wishlist picks, fashion created by DJs, fresh local theatre and snapshots from the season’s greatest charitable events. Plus, our city informer answers an age-old question: what’s the deal with resident parking? Santa, read this before landing that sleigh.

On Our Wish List

Don’t feel blue: cast in brass or rhodium, each piece in the new Midnight Blue collection from Canadian jewellery designer Dean Davidson features a signature brushed finish perfected during the designer’s time spent in Paris. $295, deandavidson.ca Turn the page for more holiday party essentials.

Culture Hot Take

Party Time

The holidays are coming up, and it’s time to celebrate. Here are the gold gowns, luxury party games and more that will give you a head start on the season’s circuit of festive fun.

by Amanda Ross

NOW OPEN

Ashish Gupta and Bluebella are bringing bling to the bedroom.

THEORY + ESSENCE

1333 Lonsdale Avenue

In this 6,000-square-foot hybrid dental clinic/medi-spa, a comprehensive blend of dentistry and facial rejuvenation harnesses state-of-the-art technology and the most elevated, hard-to-find European skincare brands (Biologique Recherche, Dr. Burgener Switzerland). Post root canal, book in for a luxury facial: the Biologique Recherche VIP 02 ($255) or the Dr. Burgener precious gold and green caviar facial ($550). theoryandessnce.com

1. Gucci is raising the stakes: this decorative geometric G-print game set features decks of cards, dice and poker chips. $9,595, gucci.com

2. Reach for the stars with Clé de Peau’s new Radiant Sky Holiday 2022 eye colour quad—think earthy shades in shimmering gold and greens. $110, cledepeaubeaute.ca, holtrenfrew.com 3. Party prep starts with the special-edition Dyson Airwrap multi-styler in new holiday Vinca Blue/Rosé. The styler curls, shapes and hides flyaways, all without extreme heat. $750, dysoncanada.ca 4. Drink up with the Kelly Wearstler x Stickyglass collection featuring New York-based Stickyglass’s signature “Bubble” design in an exclusive colourway for the iconic designer. From $110 USD, kellywearstler.com

5. Luxury womenswear designer Ashish Gupta teams up with Bluebella for a high-wattage lingerie collection. From $110 USD, bluebella.com

6. From Dior women’s artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri comes this lace twin set and skirt crafted in gold thread and celebrating Andalusian culture and the iconic flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya. Price on request, dior.com

The Salvation Army’s 21ST Annual

PRESENTED BY

Culture The Ticket

Back to Our Future

The plague years of AIDS in Vancouver’s West End are spotlighted on stage this winter.

by Alyssa Hirose

How do you translate 20,000 pages of transcribed interviews into an engag ing, dynamic and radical live show? Leave it to Victo ria-based playwright Rick Waines. A spark was ignit ed when Waines was in terviewed for SFU student Ben Klassen’s oral history research project called HIV in Our Day —a project that focused on the stories of gay men and their caregiv ers living in Vancouver’s West End from 1981 to ’96, commonly recognized as the “plague years” of the AIDS pandemic. “I’m HIV positive—I found out in

’87,” says Waines, “and I just fell in love with the opportunity to revisit those years, and to unpack some of the feelings and the celebrations and the disap pointments and the terror that those years were.”

Waines became heavily involved in the project himself, transcribing interviews and working on the community-based research team— and, eventually, he turned those transcripts into a piece of verbatim theatre. “Because it’s verbatim, you use every um, every ah, and every restart of the sentence to tell the story,” explains Waines. Despite being born from interviews, this play isn’t just talking heads— audiences can expect high-energy scenes in dance clubs, activists protesting on the street, emotional revelations in doctor’s offices and cruising adventures through Stanley Park. Bygone locales (like Doll and Penny’s) meet modern references (a fairy-

like Dr. Bonnie, perhaps) as the show aims to “reactivate the space of HIV advocacy and mutual support through collective action,” according to Waines.

disproportionately affected communities or work in HIV,” says Waines—to watch the show, tell stories, build shrines and share food.

The show, called In My Day, is produced by Zee Zee Theatre and premieres at the Cultch’s Historic Theatre on December 2. And on December 4, organizers are hosting a community event—“an intergenerational, diverse gathering of folks that are connected to the world of HIV, whether they are HIV positive, from

In My Day doesn’t shy away from the violent realities of HIV in Vancouver at that time, but it also embraces more uplifting moments. “While there is a lot of death, there is also a lot of celebration and survival and working together,” says Waines. “I think that there will be a lot of feels, but it will be all of the feels, not only the grief.”

IN MY DAY

DATE December 2 to 11

thecultch.com

VENUE The Cultch’s Historic Theatre COST Tickets from $29

I think that there will be a lot of feels, but it will be all of the feels, not only the grief.”

GROUP: TINA KRUEGER KULIC; RICK WAINES: DEREK FORD

Curtain Call

In My Day features (from left to right) Allan Morgan, Jackson Wai Chung Tse, Scott Button, Patti Allan, Sabrina Symington, Alen Dominguez, Issiah Bull Bear, Ivy Charles and Kelsey Kanatan Wavey.

Verbatim Virtuoso Playwright Rick Waines.

Culture The Ticket

LIFT&CO. EXPO

GO

DATE January 12 to 14

NIGEL NG: THE HAIYAA WORLD TOUR

Deck the (Exhibition) Halls

cLift&Co. Expo is B.C.’s premier cannabis trade show. Left, Nigel Ng, The Haiyaa World Tour.

ANNE OF GREEN

GABLES: THE MUSICAL

The best events to fill up your winter calendar.

VENUE Vancouver Convention Centre COST From $20 Hopes are high for this cannabis-focused trade show: it’s the first one in B.C. since the pandemic. Expect expert speakers, a retail market, a craft grower’s showcase and what Lift&.Co calls “un-stuff y” networking opportunities (very chill). liftexpo.ca

DATE December 5

VENUE The Commodore Ballroom COST $150 Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng went viral in 2020 for his reaction to BBC’s (dead serious and painfully incorrect) fried rice recipe video. His hilarious rice-related takes kicked his comedy career into high gear, and he’s bringing the laughs to Vancouver this winter. nigelngcomedy.com

DATE December 15 to 31

VENUE Gateway Theatre COST From $35

The world’s second-most iconic redheaded orphan takes the stage in this family-friendly show, a musical adaptation of the classic Canadian tale. All we want for Christmas is a hefty dose of girl power. gatewaytheatre.com

Maritime Musical Kyra Leroux as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Musical.

LISTEN

POOR LIL THING PODCAST

Hosted by Amy Goodmurphy and Ryan Steele New episodes drop every Wednesday

Binge this podcast while you’re tidying for the holidays.

Vancouver-based queer comedy duo Goodmurphy and Steele launched their podcast, Poor Lil Thing, at the beginning of this year, and they’ve already hosted an all-star lineup of guests: think standup comedian Cameron Esposito, Drag Race star Brooke Lynn Hytes and TikTok legend Darcy Michael. On the weekly pod, hosts and guests discuss their most humiliating, pathetic mo ments (the ones that make you shake your head and think, poor lil thing). So yes, that means both hosts have shared many (40+ each) cringey memories since the podcast began—but they’re still going strong. “As comedians, Ryan and I are constantly realizing how embarrassing we are,” says Goodmurphy. Adds Steele: “I keep thinking I’m going to run out of things to say, but I never do.” Listen to Poor Lil Thing on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: DAVID COOPER

Kick back with these new releases.

THE ANIME CHEF COOKBOOK

1Nadine Estero

Estero grew up helping her mother cook (and watching a lot of anime), so it’s only natural that the Vancouver-based social-media star’s first book would be a guide to creating animated food in real life—think a spread worthy of Spirited Away. chapters.indigo.ca

PSYCHED: SEVEN CUTTING-EDGE PSYCHEDELICS

CHANGING THE WORLD

Amanda Siebert

Substance-curious? A Vancouver journalist tells all in this guide—find interviews with psychedelic experts, clinical research and stories from real people who saw mega changes from microdosing. greystonebooks.com

INVISIBLE BOY

Harrison Mooney

This memoir by East Van-based Harrison Mooney is an intimate win dow into religious fundamentalism and transracial adoption: Mooney’s mother was West African, and he was adopted into a white evangelical family. It chronicles his journey “from white cult to Black consciousness”— good luck putting it down. massybooks.com

Culture About Town

Tributes and Feasts

Singer Deborah Cox helps BC Women’s Health Foundation raise $2.67 million, while Raven’s Feast cooks up $100,000 for the Bill Reid Gallery.

BC WOMEN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION’S GLOW GALA

1. Christie Garofalo chaired the Glow Gala, which paid tribute to Women’s Health Champion Dr. Mark Rosengarten.

2. Mona Akhavi’s Vrai jewellers donated an $18,000 diamond tennis necklace to the raffle, which was won by Glow gala past chair Dr. Genieve Burley.

3. Leslie and Gordon Diamond were among the major donors that helped raise $2.67 million.

BILL REID GALLERY’S RAVEN’S FEAST GALA

4. Celebrated Haida artists Dorothy Grant and Corey Bulpitt donated works to a live auction that contribut ed to the $100,000-plus raised for the Bill Reid Gallery.

5. Bill Reid’s wife, Martine Reid, and mentee Chief James Hart were among the capacity crowd that filled the Hornby Street gallery for the annual fundraising dinner.

6. After a pandemic pause, patron Douglas Reynolds and gala emcee Angela Sterritt were pleased to return to the Bill Reid Gallery for its signature soiree.

THE SOCIAL CALENDAR

by Fred Lee

NOVEMBER 25

Launch Holiday Luncheon Pacific Autism Family Net work’s marquee luncheon to provide a network of support for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. pacificautismfamily.com

DECEMBER 3

Reunite Gala Whistler Film Festival’s cool est fundraiser, in support of its 22nd event promoting Canadian films and film makers. whistlerfilmfestival.com

DECEMBER 8

Passions

Dr. Peter Centre’s gastro nomic gala returns to the Roundhouse. Proceeds go toward helping those living with HIV/AIDS. drpeter.org

DECEMBER 31

Concord’s NYE

This inaugural community celebration is a magical dis play of fireworks at Concord Pacific Place in False Creek to usher in the new year. concordsnyevan.com

Culture On the Rise

OUR FAVE

During crisp days, the Sherpa jacket ($170) is a handy— and stylish—outer layer. We’re digging this cozy design in the

Street Smart

There’s a dynamic community of artists behind Taikan Everything’s minimal wares.

by Alyssa Hirose

Let’s get real for a second: the hottest, freshest looks are born long before you see them in the pages of your favourite local city magazine (wink wink). “Trends are coming from the streets, from the clubs, from skate parks, from underground parties,” says Garret Louie,

co-founder of a local streetwear brand called Taikan Everything. “It’s like looking into a crystal ball before they hit the mainstream.”

Louie is a co-owner of Fortune Sound Club in Chinatown, and both he and Taikan designer Mada Phiri are established DJs in Vancouver’s nightlife community. “I work a lot with the queer and BIPOC scene here, and I think a lot of culture and creativity is created in these marginalized groups,” says Phiri.

While Taikan’s designs are on the pulse, the brand always starts with function.

“We prioritize affordable, well-designed staples,” says Phiri. The clothing’s quality sets the company apart from fast-fashion brands—as does the creative community they’re cultivating. Louie and Phiri work with a team

of artists (80 percent of whom are based in Vancouver) on everything from garment design to videography, giving each of Taikan’s collections a story that reaches far beyond the clothes themselves.

Interviews with the brand’s creative collaborators— including models, photographers, tattoo artists and more are posted on their website. And, in classic DJ form, there’s music involved: new designs launch in tandem with their own curated playlist.

I think a lot of culture and creativity is created in these marginalized groups.”

DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love Mada Phiri (left) and Garret Louie (above) of Taikan Everything. taikaneverything.com

Power Pant Taikan’s jogger pant ($85) is flexible enough to add to your weekly rotation.

Culture City Informer

You’ve circled the block for hours, hunting for a place to abandon your Toyota Tercel so you can finally go to brunch with the boyfriend you’re trying to break up with. You’re weary with hunger and you’ve run out of gruesome pre-breakfast murder podcasts to listen to. Not to get too technical on you, but the gas meter thingie has only two

thingies left out of 10 thingies, so you can’t keep driving forever. What if you just left the car in the middle of the road with the hazards on? What court would con vict you? Then, you spot it: a Tercel-length space in front of a Vancouver Special with no roof that recently sold for $9 million. But as you cruise up, your heart deflates: it’s designated as “Residents Only.” Looks like you won’t be making it to break-up brunch after all. You go on to marry your boyfriend and live in a loveless union that you regret until the day you die. And it’s all the parking sign’s fault.

These signs can be found all around the city, partic ularly in park-and-walk hot spots: near Nat Bailey Stadium, the residential roads in the vicinity of Kits Beach, down by the PNE. “Residents of 2400 Block Only,” they warn. “Violators will be towed.” It’s downright rude, if you ask me: I thought the city wanted us to build community, but these sorts of signs are only encouraging segregation of neighbour hoods and/or forcing me to pay for parking. Despicable! Well, we the people will not tolerate it: this is how we lose our freedom, and also four to six dollars at the meter! Let us take to the streets! (Can I get a ride?)

While Residents Only signs are ominous, it’s hard

by Stacey McLachlan

illustration by Byron Eggenschwiler

to know exactly how they’re mon itored. And I personally hate not knowing what I’m up against, be cause parking, for me at least, is an evaluation of risk and reward; this is how I get my adrenaline rush. What are the odds that someone would come ticket me if I ran in to quick ly grab something? (Say, a seat to watch a quick inning of the Canadi ans vs. the Eugene Emeralds?) It’s a delicious game of cat and mouse I’m playing with the poor meter maid (or meter... butler?)—basically like Killing Eve except I can’t do accents.

into the wrong car). Is there some sort of master Locals Only database, or is this purely a watchdog/honour system situation?

Determined to find out, I filed a $2-million budget request with my boss for this story so I could buy a condo near Nat Bailey and investi gate the issue from the inside. Un fortunately, my proposal was denied with the professional equivalent of “Get bent.” Then I considered doing a stakeout, but, ironically, I couldn’t find anywhere to park. I’d have to get to the bottom of these signs the old-fashioned way: calling 3-1-1 and asking the city clerk to write my story for me.

But should someone spot my Tercel (a.k.a. “Tercy”) by their curb, I don’t understand how they could know that I’m not one of their neighbour’s new live-in lovers, or a wayward cousin crashing on a couch for a few weeks. Maybe it’s an idle threat, like when Killing Eve sends me a cease-and-desist about my allegedly derivative meter-butler romance novels. Maybe these are actually totally parkable spots just waiting to be filled: resident until proven guilty, I say!

So, I survey the scene: at a glance, none of the cars parked on the block seem to have any identifying fea tures—but I admit I’m not the most observant driver out there (more than once, I have attempted to get

And through this incredible de tective work, I learned the shocking truth: all Residents Only parking is enforced exclusively via tattletale. If a resident sees an unfamiliar car, they can call and snitch, and parking bylaw officers will check the licence plate’s registration address. Viola tors, as promised, will be towed. It’s a deeply ineffective system that seems like a real waste of time and money— and, in fact, the city is planning on phasing out this particular type of parking permit in the near future. But, in the meantime, scofflaws may see some intriguing opportunity here. In a given neighbourhood, is there one local resident who’s aggres sive enough, attentive enough, to rat you out if you took a chance and parked in a ’hood that wasn’t yours? I’m not a “math guy” or a “suggest in a published article that you break a bylaw guy,” but the risk seems pretty low here (save for in PNE season). And the reward? Park for free enough times, and maybe you’ll one day be able to afford a $9-million roofless Vancouver Special that will make you a real resident after all. Got a question

Determined to find out, I filed a $2-million budget request for this story so I could buy a condo near Nat Bailey and investigate the issue from the inside.”

© Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2022 | ™ The heart and / Icon on its own and the heart and / Icon followed by another icon or words are trademarks of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Home Is Where the Biryani Is

Hyderabad Biryani House finds the way to one new Vancouverite’s heart (spoiler: it’s through her stomach).

by Aastha Sethi

The first time I walked through the aisles in a Vancouver grocery store, I was inspired: from the giant wall of cereal to the questionable amount of canned pasta sauce, the choices seemed unlimited. That is, until I landed in the “Asian” foods section. Would my move from India be seasoned with nothing but jarred butter chicken?

There’s a Hindi saying that is likely familiar in North America, too—“dil ka raasta pet se hokar jaata hai,” which translates to “the way to the heart is through the stomach”—and I started searching for that soul-satisfying meal. I tried cooking daal in my shared student kitchen until my fire alarm respectfully suggested I should find an Indian restaurant instead.

I was wandering through the Indian neighbourhood at Fraser Street when a cozy, curtain-walled eatery caught my eye. Through the glass, I could see that the restaurant was packed with happy (and, notably, South Asian)

people—and a blast of Bollywood music and friendly chatter welcomed me in. This was South Vancouver’s Hyderabad Biryani House, a restaurant that just opened earlier this spring, and this felt like home. I would return again and again, each time ordering the same dish: the Hyderabadi goat dum biryani.

A community of spices— turmeric, ginger, garlic, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron—are at the heart of biryani, along with slow-cooked rice, rose water and fresh goat that’s sourced daily. (At least, that’s what makes up this dish: biryani comes in too many forms to count on two haldi-stained hands.) At first, I was hesitant to agree

with the server’s recom mendation of a “medium” spice level—in Vancouver, I’ve found “medium” to mean “bland” and “mild” to mean “cardboard.” But to my surprise, Hyderabad’s flavourful dish gave me the satisfaction of watery eyes and a comforting burn.

Every time I visit, the first bite lifts me off my seat and gently places me on a sofa crease somewhere in my childhood. It’s eightyear-old me fighting my sister for the greased-up remote, when the kitchen door swings open and my mom heroically walks in with seconds. It’s teenage me ordering delivery at 1 a.m. on a rainy night in Mumbai. And now, it’s the perfect hearty dish to have

No matter how impossibleto-buy-for your giftee is, Vanmag’s got you covered. Arty skateboards, waterproof hiking gear, perfectly pink roller skates, fiery hot sauce, organic skincare, pajamas made to party and so much more—each one a gift that can win the holiday season in 2022.

by DANIWRIGHT

FOR THE DAUGHTER WHO MAJORED IN ART HISTORY

b

Created by La Soufflerie, a nonprofit run by a couple dedicated to keeping glassblowing alive in Paris, this handblown Vase Tête ($78) is made from 100-percent recycled glass and will turn heads with its whimsical-yet-elegant design. obakki.com

FOR THE RETRO-LOVING DAD WHO GOES TO THE TEMPLETON JUST FOR THE JUKEBOXES

Sure, we can all play music from our phones—but this metal Bluetooth portable speaker ($175) from Muzen has a super enviable retro design, comes with an equally vintage-inspired matching carrying case and connects to FM radio. bestbuy.ca

FOR THE DISCO-CRAZY BFF WHO EXCLUSIVELY EXERCISES ON THE SEAWALL

These beginner Rio roller skates ($129) in a Barbie-chic palette are perfect for a roll around the shore. They come with extra ankle padding to keep your giftee protected as they pick up speed (and you protected from sprained-ankle finger pointing). rollergirl.ca

baFOR THE MENSTRUATING SISTER WHOSE MISERY IS CONTAGIOUS

Period pain is real, and local brand Somedays is taking it seriously (and looking good doing so). Their superaesthetic Better Period kit ($119) contains a cramp cream, “magic mud” for soothing baths and a flaxseed heating pad that’s triangle-shaped—so it fits above the crotch area quite nicely. getsomedays.com

FOR THE MOM WHO’S ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE

UP FOR COFFEE

The comfy Slumber robe ($170) from Nineteen Ten takes a classic style and makes it everyday-able with a lightweight, crinkled fabric that can take your giftee from frosty winter into the hottest months of the year. nineteenten.ca

FOR THE KID WHO JUST WATCHED PLANET EARTH

FOR THE FIRST TIME

Symbolically adopt an endangered species ($50)—like this red panda—and your giftee will receive a cuddly plush, a personalized adoption certificate and an information pamphlet about the work your gift will do as part of WWF’s 10-year plan to fight the biodiversity and climate crises. shop.wwf.ca

FOR THE FRIEND WHO MAKES A NINE-STEP SKINCARE ROUTINE HER ENTIRE PERSONALITY

FOR THE BI-COASTAL BUD WHO’S ALWAYS HYPER-CAFFEINATED

This specialty instant coffee ($22) isn’t anything like the Nescafé you grew up with. Sourced from Honduras and brought to you by local Vancouver coffee roaster Pallet, this cup-o-joe tastes like toffee and red fruits, can be made anywhere and conveniently fits in a regulation-size stocking. palletcofferoasters.com

Here’s a 10th step: Clara illuminating vitamin C serum ($81). From Vancouver-based The Other Skincare, this powerful (but gentle) potion is made with vitamins C, B3 and B5, plus extracts from milk thistle, orange, licorice and turmeric. It brightens, regulates oil production and stimulates both collagen and elastin. theotherskincare.com

b

THE ECCENTRIC COUSIN

FOR THE GOTHIC AND EXTRAVAGANT LITTLE BROTHER

b

This fox head patch ribbed hat ($90) from Maison Kitsuné will up your sib’s toque game and keep them toasty warm thanks to its 100-percent wool construction. maisonkitsune.com

FOR

WHO’S THE WORST TO SHOP FOR FOR THE FRIEND WHO

elegant floral candles ($75) are handpoured in Chiapas by Doña Viviana, an artisan whose family has been making candles in the region for over 300 years. With their rich colours and delicate petal detailing, they make for a tablescape showstopper that will stun, lit or not.

The brightly coloured All Over Eyes blanket ($1,272) makes a statement with its signature Anya Hindmarch pattern, but also keeps you warm (it’s 100-percent holtrenfrew.com

Who says dinnerware needs to be tucked away in a cupboard? AritaYaki has been around since the early 1600s, and they’re still using traditional techniques to create pieces that are beautiful enough to display—like this Nikishi gold whirlpool pattern plate ($140). aburimarket.com

FOR YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT

Whether you’re dropping a hint to your partner or picking this up in-store on a treat-yourself kind of day, this heirloom garnet ring ($700) from Mejuri is the type of bling that you can wear for years to come. mejuri.com

FOR THE HOMEWARE-LOVING AUNTIE a a VANMAG.COM NO VEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 33

WHO THROWS A MEAN DINNER PARTY c c

FOR THE DIE-HARD HIKING FRIEND WHO’S DETERMINED TO REACH SEYMOUR’S THIRD PEAK NO MATTER THE DOWNPOUR

Lululemon launched their Hike line this past summer, and it was a thoughtfully designed capsule collection right from the start. The women’s pieces are particularly well crafted—made to stretch, move and work as you scramble or boulder or whatever the most avid outdoorsy type does. This water-repellant fleece ($178) manages to be both soft and cozy, and is perfect for whatever drizzle the skies want to throw at it. lululemon.com

Osprey’s Transporter flap backpack ($130) is sleek and element-ready, and there’s space for all the work essentials, including a padded laptop sleeve and two stretchy water bottle pockets. Perfect for keeping that two weeks’ notice letter dry. sportchek.ca

These patchwork sweats ($169) from Vancouver-based Frankie Collective are made with upcycled vintage textiles that would otherwise end up in a landfill—and they manage to look pretty darn stylish at the same time. frankiecollective.com

Your giftee will dream of tasty treats when they rest their head on this xiao long bao pillow ($20) from Foo Hung Curios. foohungcurios.com

When the chef of Vanmag’s Restaurant of the Year puts out a cookbook, you know it’s going to be incredible. Where the River Narrows ($45) is J-C Poirier’s homage to Quebecois cuisine— and it not only has some of St. Lawrence’s top dishes (I’m looking at you, rice pudding), it also highlights the way he cooks at home. chapters.indigo.ca

The Crofton puffer ($1,050) from Canada Goose can not only keep your winter-loving guy warm at -30°C, it’s also easily packable: it tucks into its own pocket and transforms into a backpack or a crossbody bag. canadagoose.com

FOR THE BUDDY WHO DRIES WILDFLOWERS IN SUMMER TO DISPLAY YEAR-ROUND

These ceramic bud vases ($50) from Kotn are handmade in Egypt’s Tunis pottery village using clay sourced from the area, bringing a uniquely organic vibe to any tablescape. kotn.com

A deck ($90) like this would look just as sick on a wall as it would taped up and ready to hit some pavement. This one’s a re-issue of a classic Ed Templeton design from 1991, which means it’s rolling in hot with vintage appeal. thedriveshop.ca

Vancouver-based

itsblume.com

Vancouver-based Paper Label turns loungewear essentials on their head with the cozy, locally made Nicola playsuit ($89), which can take your giftee from day (couch) to night (bed) with ease. paperlabel.ca

This DoubleNest hammock ($115) from ENO will fit two people, which means it’s the ideal outdoor cuddle spot whether you’re setting it up in the sticks or at Kits Beach Park. nordstrom.com

The Newt suit ($80) from MEC will keep any kiddo dry, whether they’re running around at a rain-soaked playground or hiking on a muddy day—the tapered seams and waterproof fabric has their back. Plus, long zippers make for easy outfit changes, so this is a gift for parents too. mec.ca

FOR THE DAD WHO HAS A HOT SAUCE OBSESSION

muckernextdoor.com

Aji amarillo sauce ($8) is a Peruvian mother sauce made of olive oil, garlic and (surprise, surprise) aji amarillo chilies. This one hails from local Vancouver food and natural wine joint Dachi, and brings a gentle but flavour-packed heat to any dish.

Things to Eat and Drink in 2023

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Never get stuck in that “what do you want to eat” rut again. This is your ultimate bucket list for eating and drinking in 2023, whether you’re on the hunt for cheap eats, pantry staples or that perfect cocktail.

BY THE EDITORS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINTON HUSSEY STYLING BY LAWREN MONETA

THE PATTY SHOP JAMAICAN PATTIES

VIJ'S PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND RED BELL PEPPER CURRY ON PANEER

PHNOM PENH BUTTER BEEF

MAO

KHAO SOI CHICKEN CURRY

Beef That’s Rare (and Hard to Get)

Vancouverites accept some tough truths: it rains constantly, the real estate market sucks and if you want a table at Chinatown’s Phnom Penh you’d better be prepared to stand in said rain (sometimes for over an hour). Is the daringly rare, flavour-packed butter beef (marinated thit bo, $22.95) worth it? Absolutely. phnompenhrestaurant.ca

Neato Frito

Como Taperia pulls off an impressive balancing act with each platter of fried eggplant ($14) they serve up: coated in a batter that hits the crispy-fluff y sweet spot and drizzled with spiced honey and rosemary, it’s a magical dish that manages to tick all of the salty-spicy-sweet-creamycrunchy boxes in each forkful. Another round, por favor. comotaperia.com

Slurp-able Soup

Fat Mao’s khao soi chicken curry ($22) is the chilly day respite we return to again and again. The best khao soi you’ll find outside of Chiang Mai, this soup rocks a full leg of chicken braised in a creamy northern-style curry surrounded by flat egg noodles and topped with pickled mustard greens, crispy noodles and all the aromatics you could dream of. fatmaonoodles.com

The Salad That Speaks Umami

Salads don’t have a reputation for being exciting, but Kin Kao Song’s pomelo salad ($22) defies every soggy stereotype—it’s sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and has a crazy punch of umami. Hot tip: wrap up the juicy citrus in the accompanying betel leaves for the tastiest bite. kinkao.ca/song

KIN KAO SONG POMELO SALAD

FAT

A Sauce for Every Season

How can something be vegan and keto, nut- and gluten-free, and still add an insanely delicious, totally complex spice to almost any dish? It’s a mystery to us, but not to the folks at Kula Kitchen: their Pili Pili sauce ($10.99) is a triple threat. kulakitchen.ca

The Basically Goodfor-You Popsicle

For those dreary winter rainstorms that make warm beach days feel like they happened in another lifetime, these frozen, low-sugar watermelon paletas from Rico ’n Lalo ($7.49 for a pack of 4) offer a time machine back to that summer sunshine. riconlalo.com

Mushroom Kingdom

In some ways, Vij’s is like the rest of Vancouver—it has changed over the last couple of decades. But the move from South Granville to Cambie didn’t displace the aroma, the atmosphere, the female-led kitchen or the long lines that have become part of the deal at the first Vancouver eatery truly worth travelling for. We long ago fell for the portobello mushroom and red bell pep per curry on paneer ($28) and its delicious simplicity—and while the scene around Vij’s has shifted since the restaurant opened in ’94, taste that curry and be convinced that, for some things in this city, time stands still. vijs.ca

The Impossible Travelling Snack

Jamaican patties (from $2.89) from the Patty Shop are easy enough to take on-the-go, but good luck making it more than a few steps out of the shop without devouring that spicepacked flaky goodness. 4019 Macdonald St.

RICO 'N LALO WATERMELON PALETAS

KULA KITCHEN PILI PILI SAUCE

THE PATTY SHOP JAMAICAN PATTIES

VIJ'S PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND RED BELL PEPPER CURRY ON PANEER

ANTOJOS Y SABORES JALAPEÑO AND CHEESE TAMALES

The Dinner Party Lifesaver

A stroll through the narrow confines of the European Deli on Davie is the ultimate treasure hunt—you’ll want to load up on Persian rosewater, German Dominosteine cookies and Polish pickles—but the deli counter itself is the true gold. The daily-made hummus is eat-it-by-the-spoonful incredible, rich with olive oil and just the right balance of salt and tahini. facebook.com/ vaneurodeli

The Cheapest Instant Comfort Food

Sitting firmly in the centre of a Venn diagram comparing delicious and affordable is New Town Bakery’s steamed pork bun ($3.75). Whoever said you can’t make friends in this city never tried passing out these delightfully sweet, savoury, pillowy bundles. newtown bakery.ca

Heavenly Spice

These handmade jalapeño and cheese tamales ($5.99) from Antojos y Sabores are traditionally served during the holidays in Mexico, but we love the punchy spice, photo-worthy cheese pull and tender masa all year ’round. antojosysabores.com

A Beautifully Braided Bread

Only available on Fridays, Livia’s glistening challah ($10) is the bouncy bread of our dreams: similar in texture to brioche (and just as delicious for making French toast!) this braided loaf is soft, semisweet and I-accidentally ate-the-whole-loaf-able. liviasweets.shop

LIVIA CHALLAH

A Trip to the Italian Coast

Happy hour at Autostrada channels an Italian summer, and their Amalfi Limone G&T ($14) ramps that feeling up a notch. Extra lemony thanks to Malfy con Limone gin (made with Amalfi lemons, natch), it’s the perfect pairing to any of the daily cicchetti—though we think the cozy polenta con gamberi offers a warm and wintery counterpoint. autostradahospitality.ca

Nut-oriously Delicious Spread

If Nutella and artisanal nut butter had a baby, this would be it. Mumgry’s luxe, locally made pistachio chocolate almond butter ($20) is rich in roasted flavour, brilliantly creamy and just dessert-y enough that a spoonful after dinner makes total sense. mumgry.com

Dumplings You’ll Have Dreams About

Nothing beats lifting off he top of a bamboo steamer full of fresh xiao long bao ($9.80) at Dinesty Dumpling House and using a chopstick to let the hot soup flow out—but if you’d rather DIY, they’re also available frozen. dinesty.ca

The Cookie That’s Not Missing a Thing

The dynamic duo of Betty and Jacky Hung from Beaucoup Bakery have translated their mastery of buttery French pastries to the vegan and GF world. Their plant-based, gluten-free PB Squared cookie ($4.95)—with its perfect bright note of a raspberry current jam centre—is the best damn peanut butter sandwich cookie in town. beaucoupbakery.com

The Fruitcake with No Haters

This refined take on mango cake is a delightfully airy treat thanks to passionfruit whipped panna cotta—that, paired with a super-soft sponge, makes Remi Patisserie’s passion mango cake (from $50) the perfect refreshing (and cover-worthy) dessert. remi patisserie.com

The Ring’s the Thing

We’re blessed to live in a city that doesn’t want for gourmet sweets, but Their There may just take the (torus-shaped) cake. Come for the excellent breakfast sandwich but stay for the textural experience that is the daily mochi doughnut ($4.50): crispy on the outside, crazy-chewy on the inside thanks to hyper-glutinous rice flour. theirthere.ca

The Two-Bite Wonder

Vanmag’s Best Italian Restaurant 2022 is known for its impeccable pasta, but at happy hour we come to Caffè la Tana for the dreamy whipped ricotta crostino ($16)—a two-biter of ultra-crispy house focaccia drenched in truffle honey and topped with a mountain of luscious ricotta and shaved black truffle. cafflatana.ca

CAFFÈ LA TANA WHIPPED RICOTTA CROSTINO

THEIR THERE MOCHI DOUGHNUT

Holiday Cheer

You haven’t nogged ’til you’ve nogged like this. Dairyland has nothing on Collective Goods’ homemade eggnog ($22). Made from co-owner Andrew Jameson’s top-secret family recipe, CG’s take on the creamy ’tis-the-season bev has a distinctive (and welcome) tang to it that elegantly balances out the sweet notes. Pair with rum for a perfect “tastes like Christmas” moment. collectivegoods.ca

The Ducking Best Chili Oil

It took three generations to get Holy Duck chili oil ($18) just right—adorable birdy brand ing and all—and the ultra-versatile blend of local chili peppers and rendered duck fat only proves that good things take time. holyduck chili.shop

Mostly in Flux

One of the great pleasures of Superflux’s East Van brewery is the variety of rotating taps and collaborations from some of the city’s most inventive minds. One of the other pleasures of visiting Superflux is that the mainstays—the beers that are always, always there—are the absolute top in this city in terms of quality. That’s especially true of the beer Superflux built its name on: the Colour and Shape IPA. Even IPA haters will like its tropical and citrus notes. Be careful—it might even turn you into an insufferable beer snob. superfluxbeer.com

Spice World

We were explicitly told by fans of Zabu not to tell the world about their genre-defining Hot Original spicy Korean fried chicken wings ($14.85 for six pieces). “Don’t gentrify the chicken,” they begged. “You’re going to make it busy and expensive!” So: fine. We won’t reveal that the sticky sauce is stings-so-good and delicately sweet, or that the skin is next-level crispy thanks to a triple-fried cooking method—but the distinctive crunch ringing out over Robson Street might bring the people running anyways. zabuchicken.com

40,000 square feet

Three times our current space

Universal design Ensuring accessibility for all

New library and computer lab Technology that enables

New counselling spaces

For quiet moments of care

Day sleeping room

For those in need of rest

Roof-top Deck

An outdoor gathering area

Interfaith Sacred Space A sanctuary within our city

Multipurpose Rooms

For adaptable programming

Two Drop-in Centres Our neighbourhood’s living room

100+ housing units

Operated by Lu’ma Native Housing Society

It’s a different world up here. Learn why.

Forecast: clear with a chance of who’s a good boy?”

“

Go away. But not too far. British Columbia’s winter getaways are proving that less sun does not equal less fun: ’tis the season for whizzing down a mountain topped with fresh powder, getting lost in museums and art galleries and watching lightning strike from the warm comfort of your chalet. Read on for lazy wine tours, thrilling black diamond runs, Indigenous-focused experiences and the best new restaurants to take shelter (and have a beer) in.

WINTER WONDERLAND

SNOW REGRETS

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort turns timid skiers into downhill daredevils, and fast.

JEFF BARTLETT

A PROPER INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNSHINE COAST

Learning about the land via high-tech museum experiences and high-flying float plane tours.

By Alyssa Hirose

Buckled in the passenger’s seat, I can see one of Josh Ramsay’s Converse shoes waving in the air as he leans across the windshield. He’s outside, spraying the glass with Pledge. “For polishing furniture—and planes!” he says with a grin.

Ramsay is the owner of Sunshine Coast Air, and he’s splayed across the tiny float plane we’re taking up the Sechelt Inlet. His easygoing nature is very much rep resentative of coast folks: there’s a laid-back vibe here that hits the second you step off the ferry from Horse shoe Bay. Rolling ocean waves and impossibly tall evergreen trees paint a picture of an eternally serene—and largely people-less—place. But, like much of Canada’s landscape, it’s not quite what it seems.

The Sechelt float plane base is just a four-minute drive north from the tems swiya Museum, which was our first stop on the coast. Let’s rewind a bit. This Shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation museum was the perfect introduction to the land—after all, isn’t it customary to start at the beginning?

The doors of tems swiya open to reveal a hallway full of handwoven cedar root basket displays, and the main room contains artifacts like stone spears and arrowheads, plus two bricks preserved from a residen tial school that was demolished in 1975. But among the timeworn items on display, there’s also an exhibit that’s jarringly futuristic: a digital facial reconstruction of

UP AND AWAY

The view from the passenger’s seat of a Sunshine Coast Air float plane.

BEAD DEAL

The discovery of 350,000 stone and shell beads in his burial site proved that the Shíshálh chief was a highly respected individual, and that the community lived in peace ful times (because it’s tough to craft hundreds of thousands of beads when there’s a war going on).

Coast with the

four Shíshálh individuals. From behind a screen, the figures breathe, blink and move ever so slightly. Museum curator Raquel Joe tells us that they’re her Shíshálh ancestors who lived around 4,000 years ago, discov ered in a burial ground that’s twice as old. Called ‘kw’enusitsht tems stutula, which translates to Face to Face with Our Ances tors, the exhibit shows a chief (estimated to be 50 years old when he passed), his daugh ter (20) and twin sons (18).

“Like CSI, right?” remarks Joe as she tells us how scientists and designers (some based in France) created the piece, which was first revealed in 2021. From the remains, experts estimated that the chief was fivefoot-seven—making him the tallest person ever found on the coast who lived in that time period. They could also tell that he was absolutely ripped; his muscles were so large that they had warped the shape of his bones. But even more mind-boggling is what he was buried with: 350,000 handmade stone and shell beads. “Nothing like that has ever been found in Canada, the U.S. or South America,” says Joe, who was integral to the creation of this exhibit.

Seeing the living, breathing recreations of this Shíshálh family makes this museum experience drastically different from the norm. It’s a striking statement of belonging, and a reminder of a history that colonizers tried to wipe away. But that history remains. Joe says she can feel the family’s spirits and hear them talking. “If your chest gets heavy, that’s the ancestors,” she says.

Back to the plane. Ramsay is safely next to me in the pilot’s seat as we take off across the water, lifting up just enough to get a bird’s eye view of the Sechelt Inlet. I can see

the roofs of private vacation homes and tiny cabins, but mostly it’s just trees, mountains and water. Now, I can really see the land that Joe’s ancestors thrived in—and I can hear about it, too.

Through noise-cancelling headphones (a must, the plane is loud) I’m listening to Candace Campo of Talaysay Tours. The Vancouver tourism company part nered with Sunshine Coast Air to launch this audio and aerial tour in the fall of 2022. Like Joe, Campo is a member of the Shíshálh Nation—“I was born in Porpoise Bay, the community to the right of you,” she says in the recording. As we fly north up the inlet, Campo tells us about Shíshálh customs and culture (for example, hosting a potlatch during the winter meant your guests lived with you for the entire season, which resulted in a high rate of cultural sharing and multilingualism—the average person spoke three to five languages) and links family stories to geography (as we soar over the Skookumchuck rapids, she tells us that her uncles have caught six-foot-long lingcod there). She also tells us that, today, there are 1,700 Shíshálh people living on the Sunshine Coast. Before colonial con tact, there were over 20,000.

On this stretch of B.C.’s coastline, there’s lots of talk about seasonality—summer is the busy season, when “locals” are over whelmed by vacationers. But tours of tems swiya are available year-round, as is the Talaysay x Sunshine Coast Air flight (weather dependent, of course). To travel mindfully in 2022 is to know whose land you’re on—and, thanks to Indigenous educators, you don’t have to look hard to find the answer here on the Sunshine Coast.

Coast Raven Design Studio 4668 Sunshine Coast Hwy., Sechelt coastraven.com Jewellery artist Richard de la Mare opened Coast Raven in 1970—serendipitously, the same year his future studio partner was born. Now, de la Mare and Tsleil-Waututh wood carver Artie George run this home-based gallery together, sell ing their own intricate necklaces, striking masks and more.

Red Cedar Woman Studio 5511 Wharf Ave., Sechelt redcedarwoman.com

For some hands-on learning, sign up for a workshop from Coast Salish weaver Jessica Silvey—participants can learn how to craft blankets, bas kets, shawls and more. Instudio, there’s handcrafted fibre art for sale, plus bath and body products and sage blends for smudging.

Most Tems swiya has an awesome gift shop (think prints, clothing, homewares and more designed by Indigenous artists). And while you’re in the area, check out these Indigenous makers, too.

48 HOURS IN TOFINO

A plucky pair of adventurers prove that you can do Tofino in a weekend— but stay longer if you can.

By Alyssa Hirose / Photos by Chris Girard

WICK ME AWAY

Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn is a storm watcher’s paradise—it’s designed so all rooms face out, with the hallway running along the back, ensuring that no unit has that dreaded parking-lot view. From a room at the Wick, it’s a short walk down to Chesterman Beach. (But in more drizzly months you can get a just-as-immersive experience simply gazing out your win dow.) wickinn.com

Saturday

4:00 a.m.:

No Regrets

Throwing packed bags and camera gear into our hatchback at 4 a.m. feels less like embark ing on a romantic getaway and more like com mitting a crime in the dark of night. But my partner Chris and I are dead-set on making the absolute most of our precious weekend. The goal is stormwatching—a popular draw to Tofino from November through February—but it’s the first week of October, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for miserable weather.

8:45

a.m.: Happy Trails

An hour west of Nanaimo, Chris wants to stop in MacMillan Provincial Park to take pic tures of trees (he’s brought a DSLR camera, a GoPro, a 360-degree camera, a drone and two film cameras on this trip—no shortage of enthusiasm here). We pull over in Cathedral Grove, home to enormous Douglas firs that are several centuries old. Chris is set on captur ing the largest one, so we head down the route creatively named “Big Tree Trail” and meet the monster (nine metres in circumference) almost

immediately. It’s about the lowest commitment, highest reward pit stop I’ve ever made.

9:15 a.m.:

Here Comes the Bun

To further break up the drive (and to lessen our chances of killing each other in a hangry rage), we stop at Wildflower Bakeshop and Cafe. The Port Alberni bakery opened in 2020, and serves pastries and coffee as well as beer,

wine and cocktails. Their weekend brunch doesn’t start until 10 a.m.—a cold, hard truth that almost has me in tears—and the only nonsweet baked goods on offer are pizza (yes, we are somehow too early for brunch but right on time for pizza) and something called “breakfast buns.” We get the latter, which turn out to be incredible. A warm, pillowy pastry topped with cheese, bacon, a crazy-good tomato-y jam and a sunny yellow egg is the perfect refuel.

11:30 a.m.: What’s in Store

We’re finally realizing the benefits of our grossly early departure—we’ve arrived in Tofino, and it’s not even noon. Time to responsi bly contribute to the local economy (read: shop without consequence because we’re on vaca tion and money isn’t real). We start in the Roy Henry Vickers Gallery, a stunning longhouse showcasing the Indigenous artist’s original work. I’m amazed by the selection at Mermaid Tales Bookshop—despite the folksy name, the small space is stocked with new releases from local authors. Merge’s clothing and home wares are the stuff of Pinterest dreams (think

BOY MEETS WOOD

The tallest tree in Cathedral Grove makes Chris look like a Lego man.

Jacket for Stormy Days

Strolls of Chesterman Beach are basically mandated on any Tofino trip, and on drizzly days the Rebel rain jacket from Lululemon ($248) offers the raingear sweet spot of both style and function. A fully waterproof exterior pairs with a sweat-wicking liner and a breathable back vent to prevent the dreaded wetter-on-the-inside-than-out experience that plagues so much water repellant gear. lululemon.com

handmade checkered ceramics, vintage glass ware and funky jewellery). We grab a burger and spicy mango margarita at Shed—gotta keep this party going.

4:00 p.m.:

Beach Talk

It’s check-in time at the Wickaninnish Inn, our chalet-style digs for the weekend. The Wick is right on the point between Chesterman and Mackenzie beaches, so it’s seriously ocean front—there are views of evergreens, sandy shores and crashing waves aplenty. It’s tough to compete with that kind of beauty, but the hotel’s interior comes close: managing director Charles McDiarmid takes us on a tour, point ing out the western red cedar beams handchipped by master carver Henry Nolla. He tells us that the late Nolla often liked to carve naked, giving his work area the nickname “Henry’s End”—because it was the end of the property, and because passersby might get a glimpse of his “end.” Views, indeed.

6:15 p.m.: Scenic Eats

We dress up (or, look as good as two people running on three and a half hours of sleep can look)—and walk from our room to the Wick’s Pointe Restaurant. The circular dining area is perched right on the edge of the point, and during storm season the onslaught of waves sometimes reaches all the way under the res taurant. At least, that’s what we’re told—it’s been an annoyingly gorgeous day. We order the “Natural Pastures” buffalo mozzarella (which I affectionately nickname “bread salad” because of the toasty chunks of grilled focaccia), confit halibut (light and tasty, a good companion to the bread salad) and strawberry and pistachio cheesecake (made with goat’s cheese, crazy decadent). We watch the sunset and vow to slow down a bit. Tomorrow, we’ll relax.

Sunday

9:00 a.m.:

Fired Up

Okay, not quite a sleep-in—but I learn that Roar restaurant is within walking distance and figure every millennial in Tofino will probably try to eat Sunday brunch there. I’m not wrong. Roar opened in 2021 inside Tofino’s new Hotel Zed, and it has that kitschy-cool mid-century vibe that the Zed hotels are known for (a sunken living room, rotary phones, vintage furnishings, you get it). Our breakfast—a smoked salmon benny and a cast-iron pan with sizzling eggs, sausage, baked beans and chunky potatoes— is cooked over a wood-fired stove, and it’s delicious. Getting in early was worth it; by the time we leave, the restaurant is packed with thirtysomethings in Patagonia Synchilla.

11:00 a.m.:

Absolutely Nothing

This would have been the perfect time to stare out our Wick Inn window at a symphony of rain, wind and waves. But we’re cursed with what locals confirm is some of the best October weather, ever. Instead, we watch families walk the sand, surfers wipe out and couples sun bathe. It’s no storm, but we’re not complaining.

3:00 p.m.: Beer Me

After a very difficult day of eating and lying down, it’s time for a beer. Tofino Brewing is the obvious choice. We grab the Wonders of Nature kettle sour (unseasonably warm weather calls for a summer-y beer) and chill on the covered patio. Next to us, a spotted dog begs for a snack from the Toki Doki food truck. He is unsuccessful, and wanders away okonomiyaki-less.

7:00 p.m.:

Playing Chicken

We have reservations at Jeju for dinner—the little eatery opened in late 2021 and is Tofino’s only Korean spot. We take our server’s advice and get the Korean fried chicken. It’s perfectly

GALLERY GOALS

DO THE WAVE

It’s hard not to spend all dinner looking out the window at the Wick’s Pointe Restaurant, no matter how handsome your date is.

crunchy, topped with a killer gochujang sauce and served with diced pickled radishes that add a nice freshness to the plate. Another win for Alyssa and Chris.

9:00 p.m.:

Moonwatching

Okay, so we didn’t stormwatch. But a night walk on the beach reveals a crisp full moon, a few sparkly stars and a gentle fog settling over the ocean. It’s not quite the dramatic nature experience we were going for—but who needs more drama?

RAINBOW ROAD

This is the face of a gal who is full of eggs benny and thrilled that her clown-like outfit matches Hotel Zed’s colourful exterior.

The Roy Henry Vickers Gallery is packed with the Indigenous artist’s original work (plus art prints, which are a little more financially accessible).

It all starts here

Nanaimo is the perfect starting place for your Vancouver Island getaway — with cycling, hiking, shopping, learning, snacking and more to explore. The moment you gaze over the water, take that deep coastal breath, or open the door to your hotel room: it all starts here!

Plan the Ultimate Staycation in Nanaimo

Vancouver Island’s best farm-to-fork options, including a new concept for The Modern Cafe. The Nest Bistro, Melange, The Mahle House or Asteras are also delicious options with innovative menus. If a great breakfast or brunch is on your list, Gabriel’s Cafe is a local favourite.

Treat yourself to a sweet experience along the Nanaimo Bar Trail with dozens of unique takes on the traditional Nanaimo-born dessert. There are vegan and gluten free options, too!

With a flourishing art scene, endless hiking and biking trails, a variety of restaurants and a very mild climate, Nanaimo is the perfect place for the ultimate Vancouver Island experience—it all starts here!

Get outside and explore Outdoor enthusiasts will love Vancouver Island’s year-round lush landscape. Easy access to the ocean and forest mean there are plenty of fun things to do: Neck Point Park with its scenic and natural features make it a stunning walk along the shoreline. Keep your eyes on the water for seals, seabirds and sometimes even orcas.

Ammonite Falls is an authentic West Coast experience with a forest trail leading to a cascading waterfall that flows in winter and spring. The steady roar of water against the Douglas fir backdrop is unforgettable.

Bowen Park is stunning in the fall and winter seasons with winding

trails along the Millstone River and a duck pond to explore.

History and culture thrive here

The Nanaimo Art Gallery always has an exciting exhibition on the go. The Nanaimo Museum and Nanaimo Military Museum offer self-guided tours so history buffs can fully immerse in the area’s unique history.

Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park is an easy walking trail rich with coal mine history including building remnants and the only remaining coal tipple on Vancouver Island. Download the OnThisSpot app to taking a selfguided walking tour of Nanaimo.

Take a leisurely walk through the Old City Quarter to explore the abundance of unique shops and this special place’s arts and culture. The pace here is laid back and friendly—the perfect spot to enjoy coffee and a Nanaimo Bar!

Sip, savour and enjoy Nanaimo is home to some of

If you love a great cocktail (or coffee!) and live music, Minnoz Restaurant and Lounge, The Vault Cafe or the Nanaimo Bar are the places to be. Popular downtown Ale Trail stops where you can sample a flight of local craft beers are White Sails Brewing and Cliffside Brewing. The Longwood Brew Pub, Wolf Brewing, Arbutus Distillery and Longwood Brewery are a short drive from downtown.

Nanaimo is the perfectly accessible and affordable starting point for your next Vancouver Island adventure. With cycling, hiking, shopping, learning, snacking and more to explore, it all starts here!

Start planning your Nanaimo getaway at tourismnanaimo.com/StartHere

Created by the Canada Wide Media advertising department in partnership with Nanaimo Hospitality Association

Nanaimo is a thriving coastal city with a wide variety of activities for families looking for fun or adventure enthusiasts seeking life-changing outdoor experiences.

PHOTO CREDIT: TOURISM NANAIMO

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO CREEKSIDE

Whistler’s main village gets all the glory, but don’t sleep on this neighbouring community.

By Neal McLennan

Whistler’s Creek side has always been the daytripper’s choice: not only do you save the extra five kilometres to the village, you also avoid the frequently grinding traffic that occupies said five klicks at the end of a ski day. It’s a blessing and a curse: because everyone leaves for home the second the lifts close, Creekside has historically suf fered greatly in the vibe department. But with some big changes underway, this oncetransitory area is making a serious case to be the destination of choice for your next extended stay.

Ace in the Hole

Whistler’s 8,171 acres dwarf every other hill in North America, but sometimes getting up to that expanse can be a bit of a slog, with huge, snaking lines popping up on busy weekends. But this season’s Creeksiders will be greeted with not only a brand-new 10-person gondola, but also upgraded chairs on the Big Red lift, which now hold six passengers each—that’s an increase in uphill capacity of 35 percent. Creek side was already the frequent choice for avoid ing lines, but now the comparison is not even close—this will be easily the fastest way up the hill this coming season. And an added kicker? This new engineering marvel can be viewed from the patio at Dusty’s, which is the best après scene in all of Whistler.

Resting Your Head

Much of Creekside is taken up by the sec ond homes of Vancouverites, and while there are always plenty of Airbnbs (search any of the Taluswood properties for great ski-in, ski-out), there are also two options if you’re looking for more traditional hotel lodging. The first is Nita Lake Lodge, the swankier of the pair and the choice if you have some dough but don’t want the village scene. The rooms are bigger, the prices lower than the hotel’s village brethren and it’s only 500 metres from the new gondola. Even closer is Legends, which is part hotel, part timeshare, but has solid condo-style rooms (done in that ubiquitous cedar and river rock style) right at the base of Creekside. If you need a two- or three-bedroom, this place is frequently the best deal in Whistler for a true ski-in, ski-out.

Filling Your Belly

If you’re looking for caviar and Cristal, go to the village—Creekside skews a lot more chill. Fine dining is covered by the longstanding Rimrock Cafe, and while the food there is no longer pushing many boundaries, the wine list remains one of the best for breadth, sneaky value and commitment to finding cool B.C. produc ers. More typically Creekside is the iconic Creekbread, the heroes who brought proper pizza to Whistler and whose sprawling, high-ceilinged room is always packed. Even take out must be scheduled well in advance if you want to eat a Pemberton potato pie in the comfort of your living room. Creekbread’s success has spawned the new Functional Pie, a takeout-only spot in Function Junction. Many are saying that Functional Pie now wears the crown as king of Whistler pizza (and it has the added bonus of being close to Coast Mountain Brewing, the only real craft beer producer in town—sorry Whistler Brewing—so it’s perfect for grabbing an accompanying growler of Crystal Chair pilsner).

CREEKSIDE AND NITA LAKE: TOURISM WHISTLER/JUSTA JESKOVA; COAST MOUNTAIN BREWING: LEAH KATHRYN ;

IL LUSTRATION: NOUN PROJECT/LASTSPARK

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

B.C.’s billion-dollar wine world might seem cutthroat, but in the South Okanagan, the grape grower hath no wrath.

By Alyssa Hirose

Ilove bad TV. Give me a trashy, con trived, brain cell-destroying reality show over “good” television any day. It’s a guilty pleasure: watching folks who likely need professional help— rather than another drama-filled cocktail party—destroy their personal and work rela tionships is its own kind of therapy. From desperate, starry-eyed singles to impossibly fashionable real estate agents, I’m all in.

And on a recent trip to the South Okana gan, I discovered what I thought could be reality TV’s next hit. Picture this: there are 200 licensed grape wineries in total between the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. Each is at the mercy of the desert climate—wildfires and cold snaps included. They’re all competing in the same mar ket. And there’s a lot of money on the line (according to the BC Wine Institute, the wine industry contributes $3.75 billion to the B.C. economy every year).

Money, alcohol, competition—it’s the perfect recipe for a bingeworthy series that you’re embarrased to admit you like. Right?

Wrong. On my Okanagan journey, at least, there was one reality TV essential that the wineries were missing: conflict. Amanda Elyzen, the ridiculously charming tasting room manager at the Clos du Soleil winery (co-owned by Dr. Bonnie Henry), was thrilled to hear that we were dropping by neighbouring Corcelettes Estate right after. The down-to-earth folks at Covert Farms Family Estate wanted to hear all about our tour of the fortress-like Phantom Creek. It’s community, not competition, that rules this wine region—and Oliver’s District Wine Village is perhaps the best example.

The village is a collection of 12 smallbatch and startup wineries (plus a brewery, distillery and restaurant), all occupying

the same leased land from the Osoyoos Nation. Think: 16 sleek, corrugated metalclad buildings arranged in a circle around an open-air pavilion. It’s beautiful from a design perspective, and even more beautiful from an ambitious—but lazy—wine-taster’s perspective: a dozen wineries, with only a few steps (and a couple of artistic water features) between them.

Darcel Giesbrecht, general manager of the village, gives us a tour of the (notably dog-friendly) district, explaining that it was dreamed up by friends Max Brock and Matt Kenyon. Wine buff Brock had seen the village model work in other parts of the world, and Kenyon’s background in construction (he’s the general manager of Penticton-based Greyback) was an asset in building the community. Brock unfortunately passed away before the dream came true, but Kenyon and wine industry vet Michael Daley brought District Wine Village to life in his honour.

Kenyon and Osoyoos Indian Band chief Clarence Louie had been working together for years, and Kenyon leased the 10-acre property the village is built on from the Nation. An awesome metal statue by Clint George of the Pent icton Indian Band greets guests, invit ing gatherings no matter the season: outdoor concerts in the summer, artisan markets in the winter (get handmade decor, baked goods and local preserves here).

To operate in the village, each winery must produce 2,000 to 2,500 cases annually (for comparison, Phantom Creek bottles eight times as much wine every year). To keep costs down, they share pressing and de-stemming equipment— GM Giesbrecht says it’s common to see the wineries working together, whether they’re moving the industrial-sized winemaking machines or simply chatting over a glass or two. “It really is that community feel,” says Giesbrecht. “Everyone is always recommending neighbouring wineries and helping each other out.”

From my spot on the Canter Cellars patio, I can see folks enjoying a tasting at JoiRyde Winery and a dog resting under a chatty table at Nk’Mip Cellars. It’s truly a good-vibes-only sort of space, so, admit tedly, it would not make a good trashy reality TV show. But it is the ideal place to find the perfect bottle to pair with my next guilty-pleasure binge.

DON’T WINE AND WALK Drinks must be consumed on the property that you purchased them on, so down that glass before hopping to the next winery.

DRIVE SAFE

The village offers shuttles back to your digs in Oliver, Osoyoos or Penticton.

District Wine Village: Jon Adrian; statue: District Wine Village Facebook; illustration: Noun Project/Adricons

Epic snowboarding, snowshoeing, cat- helialpine- cross country skiing and other pow activities.

SHOP & DINE NORDIC & ALPINE SKIING ENTER TO WIN

Photo: Destination

BC/Kari Medig

A FOODIE’S GUIDE TO PENTICTON

My trip to Penticton in February 2020 (dun dun dun) stands as one of my last memories of pre-COVID life—and what a glorious, food-filled memory it is. While the weather outside was truly frightful, the offerings at these restaurants were more than enough reason to brave the snow. Here are the meals I’m still dreaming about.

By Alyssa Hirose

For the Pizza Freak

Pizzeria Tratto

256 Westminster Ave. W. pizzeriatratto.com

Confession: I have put honey on every pizza I’ve made since trying Tratto’s Bee Sting pie (see photo on the right). It’s topped with tomato sauce, fior di latte, gorgonzola, prosciutto, honey and chili, and it’s the ultimate savoury/sweet/spicy combo. There are plenty of classic options as well (margherita, Napoletana, quattro formaggi, you get it) but the Bee Sting is the real queen.

For the Cocktail (or Mocktail) Enthusiast

The Black Antler 215 Winnipeg St. blackantlerpenticton.com Husband-and-wife team Dan Prokosh and Lynn Pepin first opened this Penticton bar in 2019, and while the interior is unfussy, the mixed drink offerings are pretty over-the-top. The extensive cocktail list includes a smoky peach paloma and vodka lavender lemonade (plus an extrawintery drink with whipped vodka, Baileys, Frangelico and butter ripple), along with eight mocktail options.

For the Risk Taker

Bad Tattoo Brewing 169 Estabrook Ave. badtattoobrewing.com Beer purists, brace yourself. Pizza traditionalists, look away. Bad Tattoo’s list of brews includes a peanut butter chocolate porter and a pina colada milkshake IPA (for those much-needed tropical vibes on grey days). The “weird” pie list (their name, not mine) features both a cheeseburger pizza and a pork bao pizza. This is likely the only bad tattoo you won’t regret.

For the Impulse Buyer

The Bench Market 368 Vancouver Ave. thebenchmarket.com This charming little spot has all-day breakfasts big and small (from house-made granola to smoked salmon bennies) and a drool-worthy bakery spread, but don’t sleep on the market itself. Grocery shelves are lined with locally made organic jellies, salsas, salad dressings and snacks—edible souvenirs galore.

For the Designophile

Elma

994 Lakeshore Dr. W. eatatelma.com Scientists say it’s impossible to not photograph this Turkish eatery. Cal gary’s Frank Architecture and Interiors brought the two-storey restaurant to life in a big way—think bold botanical wallpaper, intricate tile detailing, neon signage and a stunning modern bar. The food is just as impressive. Owners Ayse and Mike Barluk serve up elevated takes on classic dishes like pide (Turkish flatbread) and kebabs, and the muhammara is the sort of thing people write love songs about.

Smoked Salmon Benny from The Bench Market

Bee Sting pizza from Pizzeria Tratto

RUSH HOUR

The steeps of Kicking Horse are made for the thrillseeker—and for anyone looking to up their ski game.

By Anicka Quin

Best Spots to Refuel

Even non-skiers will want to summit the resort gondola to hit up Eagle’s Eye Restaurant at the peak of Kick ing Horse. With a 360-degree view encompassing the five national parks that surround the mountain, it’s a place made for long après afternoons (and possibly taking the gondola back down, too). Grab the note-perfect clas sic Cobb salad or, if it’s been a bootpack kind of day, the prime rib burger—bacon jam, brioche bun, applewood smoked cheddar—for a solid refuel.

There’s no way to sugar-coat it: there was a moment on the slopes of Kicking Horse when I flipped into full-on panic attack mode.

It was day one of three tackling those legendarily steep slopes, in a season when I’d skied only once to that point (COVID, scheduling conflicts, blah blah blah). And as most avid ski ers know, Kicking Horse is not a mountain you cruise. Nearly half the resort is rated as advanced terrain; another 15 percent is expert. It’s adored for the peak runs you access by boot packing—off come the skis, up you huff to reach fresh powder and incredible views. As one local told me, “At Kicking Horse, you have no choice but to get good, fast—and you do.”

I’m no boot packer. But even intermediate skiers like myself get a rush from the gorgeous, light, powdery snow you only find in the inte rior of B.C.—a thrilling shift from the heavier coastal snow that falls in my own Vancouver backyard.

That panic moment? My own doing, when a few friends convinced me to take a short black diamond transition to an appealing blue a little farther down. I rounded a corner and froze at the sight of a run that was clearly over my head—though after that initial rush of fear I did take on the challenge, and made it through to the blue. But that wise local I had spoken to earlier was also right. By day two, I had pushed past the fear, and my skiing was bolder, faster… better. And by day three? I was shrugging and saying “sure” whenever my friends led me toward yet another black diamond. The thrill? Glorious—and the panic-sweat I had experienced only two days earlier was already just a battle story to bring home from this gorgeous spot in the Rockies.

In the nearby town of Golden, the Rockwater Grill and Bar looks like a rough-and-ready live music joint—and it is that, too— but it also cranks out one of the most incredible burgers I’ve had in recent years. The bison burger comes perfectly seared, and is topped with both blue cheese and housemade fig compote, pairing nicely with any one of the deep list of craft beers they stock (even Whistler’s Forager gluten-free beer—a happy discovery for my gluten-intolerant self).

The nearby Bacchus Books and Café is one of those gems you’re thrilled to find in a town the size of Golden (population 4,000). The curated selection is excellent—from cabin reads to literary treasures to highlighted local authors—and upstairs is a warm and welcoming café dishing out comfort-food classics like oven-roasted chicken, cranberry and brie sandwiches (with a side of kettle chips, natch) and all-day breakfasts (Belgian waffles for the win)

Well, technically it’s a base layer made for anything that gets your heart racing: Helly Hansen’s Lifa merino base layers ($120) feature a two-layer construction of both breathable merino wool and the moisturewicking magic of the brand’s proprietary Lifa fibre. And, possibly best of all: the layers are soft, totally non-itchy and come in great graphic patterns. hellyhansen.com

A Base Layer Made for Flop Sweat

Eagle’s Eye Restaurant

HANG IN THERE

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is prized for champagne powder and incredible views of nearby national parks.

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It’s been 50 years since TV Week first began bringing British Columbians the inside scoop on the ever-evolving world of television. Since then, the landscape has changed considerably from rabbit ears to digital streaming and a head-spinning array of programming choices. That’s why TV Week plays a more important role than ever, cutting through the clutter and providing readers with reliable recommendations on what’s worth watching, along with insider information on the best viewing options available. With a dedicated and deeply engaged audience base of nearly 100,000 readers, advertising with TV Week guarantees your message will be seen by our loyal readers.

A Place for Every Student

Independent schools in BC implement diversity, equity and inclusion into their curriculum, school life and professional culture so every student feels welcome.

In today’s social climate, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are top of mind in nearly every realm of life, work and play, including the academic environment. Schools across BC are responding with inclusive curriculum, staff training and by ensuring safe spaces are intrinsic to their school communities.

But this is not easy work. Bringing students, staff and families together despite different worldviews and finding time in an already full curriculum to include this material can be challenging. It requires time mindfulness and all hands on deck. Here’s how some of BC’s premier independent schools are breaking new ground in DEI.

STRATFORD HALL

Stratford Hall, a gender inclusive independent school in East Vancouver, has staff committees for DEI, SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity), Indigenous Perspectives, and Neurodiversity that oversee development of DEI principles in the K-12 programs.

“We are an International Baccalaureate school, and DEI principles strongly connect to the curriculum framework,” says Sukh Sandhu, learning support specialist at Stratford Hall. “We have a very diverse student and family population, and we need to create space for all identities represented within our community.”

Meg Chamberlin, senior school principal, says the community members are encouraged to share their stories and engage in open dialogue and exploration around identity in their advisory/community block time, supported by a robust GSA (gender sexuality alliance) and DEI student groups.

PHOTO: GLENLYON NORFOLK SCHOOL

“The K-12 DEI movement has been initiated to shift mindsets, behaviours and practices towards more equitable and inclusive systems,” Chamberlin says. “DEI demands we create more meaningful and purposeful commitments and action plans to include the equity needs of a diverse school community. We aim to ensure all community members feel a sense of belonging.”

An important challenge independent schools face is that the BC curriculum and schooling system is embedded in a colonized model of education. “It can be difficult to ensure resources across all subject areas provide positive representation of marginalized identities,” Chamberlin adds. “It is also a challenge to assess and address how structural systems reinforce lack of opportunities for marginalized identities.

GLENLYON NORFOLK

Glenlyon Norfolk School, an IB school in Victoria, has begun using data collected through the Middle School Development Index surveys and from internal parent surveys in the fall and the spring to measure if students feel a sense of belonging and safety when they are at school.

“If students can see themselves in their learning, that can strengthen their sense of belonging and help ensure each person in the community has a voice,” says Cole Carlson, deputy head of school – academics. “It means GNS can continue to be a safe place for all our students and staff.

For example, younger students, in Nature School, learn about connections to the land and Indigenous principles, and grade ones focus on a Unit of Inquiry

based on the theme: We Are All Connected, which examines family, culture, traditions, celebrations, similarities and differences.

“In our Individuals and Societies classes, students learn through historical contexts relating to race, culture, gender and sexuality awareness,” Carlson says.

Another challenge can be finding the time to add these meaningful things into an already full curriculum. “There is an overwhelming amount of content that could be included, and we want to be able to offer it in an authentic way that does it justice,” Carlson says. “It takes time to do this well.”

MULGRAVE SCHOOL, THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF VANCOUVER

Head of School John Wray says Mulgrave School in West Vancouver is committed to ensuring every student achieves their personal best and fully embraces, among others, the values of global citizenship, inclusion, respect and empathy.

“Our goal is to ensure that all our students, whatever their talents, backgrounds, identities, and intersectionalities, are supported to feel safe, seen and have a strong sense of belonging in their personalised journey to achieve their full potential in education and life,” he says.

Implementing these initiatives authentically and across the curriculum and school community means all hands must be on deck.

To do this work, people require selfreflection, openness, authenticity and a willingness to be vulnerable—both in their personal and professional lives.

“There are difficult questions about how and why we do the work, and we have to be a part of those discussions while not letting them derail our efforts,” Wray says.

“We always come back to our values and goals. Initiatives such as the appointment of a Director of DEIJ, creation of DEIJ curriculum standards, and courses and workshops for faculty, parents, and guardians also help us meet this challenge as we are being deliberate and intentional.”

UNISUS UNISUS is an IB World School, and that forms the lens through which it approaches diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. “We approach DEIB with a desire to understand and celebrate differences within our community, while recognizing and valuing the things we have in common with each other and the rest of the earth,” says Dr. Beverley von Zielonka, Head of School.

The connection between belonging and the IB’s mission is to create a better world through education is clear—and the power in diversity manifests in measurable ways, with students coming at a problem in many different ways.

As a home away from home for students from 11 different countries, UNISIS staff know that diversity makes the team smarter and more innovative, but it can also make things more complex.

“Diversity gives us an opportunity to collaborate effectively through our differences, acknowledging and respecting multiple world views and experiences,” von Zielonka says. “We challenge and empower our students to build intercultural understanding and respect, celebrate similarities and differences while realizing their potential together.”

PHOTO: STRATFORD HALL

PHOTO: MULGRAVE SCHOOL

Stratford Hall: Design Thinkers at Work

Students at Stratford Hall strive for excellence, confidence and service in an academically challenging, pluralistic community where everyone thrives and belongs. But that is only the beginning.

Stratford Hall brings students beyond the globally minded and socially conscious education that full International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum schools are known for and offers kindergarten to grade 12 students something truly special, something that is not learned from a book: design thinking.

Stratford Hall’s reputation for going beyond the traditional is most evident in its Idea Lab on the institution’s East

Vancouver campus, where students of all ages gather to create, innovate, invent, network, explore, and share ideas and resources.

“Creative thinking facilitates critical thinking, and both are vital to the education process and crucial to success in the 21st century work world,” says Andrea Ryan, Idea Lab Coordinator.

This is especially salient to Stratford Hall, given that its intent is to prepare young people for the challenges of the world they will inherit.

The Idea Lab is not only a physical space where students can design and

fabricate objects (among other things, it contains a ‘garage’ full of equipment like laser cutters, plus a fully-functional kitchen)—the experimenting and inventing enable students to develop as creative thinkers.

Meg Penafiel, Stratford Hall’s Primary Years Programme TeacherLibrarian K-5, adds, “The Idea Lab encourages children from kindergarten to think through problems, and while the process is a lot of fun—our students do everything from making 3-D models to creating menus based on the culinary needs of clients—this type of thinking benefits their proficiency in every aspect of our curriculum, from math to science.”

Created by the Canada Wide Media advertising department in partnership with Stratford Hall School

The IB Continuum independent school empowers students with creative, critical thinking and an Idea Lab where, if they can dream it, they can build it.

The independent, gender-inclusive school has a unique genesis. Burnabybased Elaine Lee and Cindy Leung founded Stratford Hall in the late 1990s when they wanted a university preparatory option for their children and decided that IB would be the ideal solution.

Today, Stratford Hall is one of only 239 schools globally offering the complete IB Continuum, and its learning experience has been described as modern, progressive and urban, with a healthy degree of dedication required by all.

But it took considerable planning and effort to achieve these attributes. The school first opened in 2000 with only 40 students, and it wasn’t until 2003 that it gained authorization for the IB Primary Years Programme, the first school in Western Canada to do so. That same year, Stratford Hall was accepted into the Independent Schools Association of BC, and in 2005 it was recognized as a member of the Canadian Association of Independent Schools.

Also in 2005, the institution achieved authorization for the Diploma Programme (DP), ensuring that its first graduating class would be Diploma candidates; four years later it attained full authorization for its Middle Years Programme MYP), making it a full IB Continuum School.

Throughout this lengthy development, parents were attracted to Stratford Hall’s mission and vision— the institution added 40 new students each year, and today the current enrolment exceeds 530 students.

Just as Stratford Hall developed methodically, so, too, did the Idea Lab. The brainchild of the institution’s teachers and supported by students and parents, it began in 2014 in the basement of the DP building for grades 3 and 4 students and eventually encompassed the PYP and MYP with a much larger dedicated space.

“Meg and I pushed the programming aspect of the Lab and ensured that its content remained fluid and flexible, since the interests of students change regularly,” Ryan says.

Stratford Hall students work in the Lab at least once a week for the entire school year, and the brainstorming of ideas and interests leads to the physical act of creation, whether it be developing menus, figuring out how to grow kale, or making stands for iPads. “So, creative thinking goes hand in hand with creative development, with the entire process being a fun experience for them and us,” Penafiel says.

The skills gained from the Lab work dovetail nicely with both PYP and MYP. The former is designed to help students grow and mature, while

equipping themselves with intellectual tools, strength of character, and a global perspective. The latter encourages students to embrace and understand traditional subjects and their connection to today’s world, and to become critical and reflective thinkers.

Combined, these initiatives lead Stratford Hall students to the Diploma Programme, which is designed to equip them with the academic skills needed for university study, further education, and their chosen profession, in addition to developing them as good people who can make a difference in the world.

With the Idea Lab an integral and engrained component of learning at Stratford Hall, Ryan and Penafiel say their job will be to continue to develop new loose frameworks of activity to keep students inspired. “Every year we reinvent the units of the Lab to keep things fresh rather than regimented,” Ryan says.

“It’s especially gratifying that the purpose of the Lab has been so strongly supported by parents as well as Stratford Hall administration,” Penafiel adds. “It goes a long way in supporting Stratford Hall’s vision of students gaining a deep understanding of the world around them and excelling to the best of their abilities.”

UNISUS SCHOOL

SOUTHRIDGE

At Southridge K-12 independent school in Surrey, DEI isn’t enough. The team prefers the term ‘pluralism’ because it means recognizing, valuing and respecting individual differences.

“Being at a school that embraces pluralism, our differences are not seen as threatening,” says Darren Jones, assistant head of school. “They present opportunities to learn from one another and enrich our lives and community with new perspectives and ideas. Every person is free to express the different identities that contribute to uniqueness. Everyone belongs.”

As school decisions are made, everyone uses their PERC lenses, which include considering plural perspectives; environmental implications; potential risks; and impact on the school community.

supporting students with Clubs, and facilitating curriculum that shines light on age-appropriate issues related to diversity, inclusion, equity, accessibility, neurodiversity, and social justice.

“Traditional educational models with desks in rows pose a challenge to this work,” Jones says. “The idea that the teacher or the resource holds all of the knowledge (or the “correct” knowledge) is outdated and not in line with the values of Pluralism.”

This is why Southridge embraces discussion-based learning across its K-12 curriculum, specifically in the senior school, where it uses the Harkness philosophy of teaching.

“When you walk into any of our grade 8-12 classrooms, you’ll see students and a teacher seated together at a large, oval table engaged in conversation,” Jones says. “Harkness teaching is directly reflective of the values of pluralism.”

ASPENGROVE

Aspengrove in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island is an IB school where international mindedness is fostered in everything the school does. “We respect and explore other cultures every day, from JK3 all the way to grade 12,” says J.O. Eriksson, MYP teacher & Indigenous education coordinator. “For example, we have units that explore belief systems, immigration and ways of being around the world.”

Indigenous Ways of Learning and Being in each classroom,” Eriksson says.

One challenge is that all schools have a wide range of family belief systems, and this can sometimes lead to uncomfortable lines of questioning.

“Diversity begets inclusion,” Jones says. “It’s beyond a moral imperative to do this work at Southridge, as there are truly educational benefits to having a diverse and inclusive community.”

Southridge students have demonstrated agency and leadership in many related areas, including uniform updates, cultural event planning and community presentations. Staff Pluralism initiatives include sitting on the Pluralism Committee,

This intercultural celebration continues year-round and in all grades, and in 2022, Aspengrove updated its grade 10 curriculum to include Indigenous learning into Literary Studies and New Media courses.

“We create a sense of value and belonging for students identifying as Indigenous with different action pieces, such as learning greetings and plant identification using basic words in Hul'q'umi'num, reading books written by Indigenous authors, learning about tradition and culture from Indigenous artists and presenters, and acknowledging

ASPENGROVE SCHOOL

“We do our best to educate families, hold information sessions and engage in courageous dialogues with those families,” Eriksson says. “We teach our students critical thinking skills, and this helps to engage in challenging conversations at home as well.”

PEAR TREE

Pear Tree School is a progressive, co-ed, secular, and combined grades school with a culturally and socio-economically diverse school community.

“We view this diversity as a strength,” says Alexis Birner, co-founder and principal. “Everything about our school embodies the progressive DEI values that we collectively represent.”

Even Pear Tree’s non-traditional uniform is designed to break away from the colonial / gender stereotype, mini businessperson appearance. Instead, it embraces a collective school identity and a sense of belonging, socioeconomic and gender equality, and an undefined future career path for students.

“People make or break a school,” Birner says. “As parents have noted, every member of the Pear Tree team makes a daily impact on their child. Teachers view every student in the school as ‘their student,’ not just those in their classroom, and try to foster a positive relationship with every child.

PHOTO:

PHOTO:

PHOTO: SOUTHRIDGE SCHOOL

A PERFECT FIT FOR YOUR PERSONAL BEST

Exploring possibilities, discovering passions, focussing on wellbeing, pursuing personal best…all part of Mulgrave’s inquiry-based, enriching International Baccalaureate experience.

Applications are now open for the 2023-24 school year, with greatest opportunities in Preschool, Kindergarten, Grade 7, 9 & 10. Learn more at personal best.mulgrave.com

FROM HERE THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE.

Enriched academics for Preschool - Grade 12.

Kelowna, BC

Pear Tree School’s theme-based learning approach is designed to appropriately challenge a broad spectrum of learners and to authentically connect to the real world. It also breaks down gender and cultural stereotypes. ePortfolios, individual goal setting documents, and varied assessments ensure that the child is constantly making progress.

“We follow the BC curriculum, but are not limited to it,” Birner says. “The themes and learning that we do reflect the diverse histories and culture within our school and beyond.” ■

Growth in Facility, Program & Community on the Agenda for Urban Academy

The past three years have been pivotal to Urban Academy’s growth and maturation of its facility, program and student population. In September 2022, Urban Academy opened the final two floors of its purpose-built facility, and now has six floors of classrooms as well as specialized teaching and learning spaces for JK to grade 12 students.“These are excit ing times for UA,” said Mike Slinger, Urban Academy’s Head of School. “Our school within a school model is now com plete. Our Jr. School is on one floor, our Middle School is on another and our seniors occupy some fantastic new spaces on the top two floors.” Designed to feel like a university experience, senior school students were excited to begin their classes in the new spaces, which include a state-ofthe-art super lab, art room, kitchen, multiple classes and learning commons. Over the next few years, this ISABC school will reach capacity and be enjoying all of the benefits of its expanded program and brand-new facility. The future is bright!

aberdeenhall.com

PHOTO: PEAR TREE SCHOOL

Vancouver Island’s IB World School

Welcome to Boarding at Glenlyon Norfolk School

A unique opportunity to study and live in Victoria, British Columbia, at Vancouver Island’s IB World School

Located in a historic guesthouse just minutes from both campuses, Gryphon House is the home-away-from-home for approximately 24 students from Canada and around the world.

Culture Nightcap

Visions of Sugar Rums

Who needs a fireplace when you have a mug of something warm, rich, sweet and boozy? This rum-based cocktail from Vanmag ’s 2022 Bartender of the Year, JeffSavage of Botanist, brings the holiday spirit with winter spice and seasonal citrus—and it’s a merry alternative to the classic mulled wine or rum-soaked eggnog. Don’t be frightened by the addition of butter: it dates back to the 1600s and it’s the secret weapon for making the coziest cocktail of the season.

HOT BUTTERED RUM

SERVES 1 45 ml spiced rum 100 ml hot water (plus more for heating mug)

g spiced buttered sugar (recipe follows)

orange peel

dehydrated lemon wheel (optional) Cinnamon stick METHOD 1. Pre-heat a coffee mug with hot water.

Discard the water, then build the rum, 100 ml hot water and buttered sugar into the mug.

Express the oils from the orange peel over the drink. 4. Stir with cinnamon stick, then top with dehydrated lemon wheel. Drink up.

SPICED BUTTERED SUGAR

200 g butter 400 g demerara sugar Pinch nutmeg Pinch cinnamon Pinch clove METHOD 1. Bring butter to room temperature.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, then cover and refrigerate.

Makes enough for around 20 cocktails.

COURTESY BOTANIST FAIRMONT PACIFIC RIM

FIVEYEARS

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CANADA WIDE MEDIA

(CW) is Western Canada’s largest independent media company, privately owned by the Legge family and celebrating 45 years this year.

CW is a multi-platform content studio that provides a complete range of media services and products, ranging from high-end print publications to the latest in digital media. We proudly produce 30 products for leading brands and under our CW-owned titles, and create diverse media products and services, from e-newsletters to corporate video, elegant mobile apps and social-media strategies. CW combines traditional editorial, journalism, design and sales skills with cutting-edge capabilities in content marketing, helping our clients effectively connect with their customers across platforms and channels, showing demonstrable results.

CW traces its beginnings to the purchase of a 10-cents-a-copy television listings magazine, TV Week. During our more than four decades in the industry, the company has acquired new products like industry-leading BCBusiness magazine; has launched new products like BCLiving; and has won contracts to publish for significant organizations like Destination British Columbia, the four western CAA auto clubs, BC Hydro, Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Canucks and non-profits like the BC SPCA.

During this time the company has adapted to the changing media landscape and evolved from producing print-only products to an innovative multimedia company.