Western Living, June 2019

WESTERN LIVING JUNE 2019

B.C. & ALBERTA L VOLUME 48 L NUMBER 5

ESCAPE TO WINE COUNTRY

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How to Make Your Dream Vacation Home a Reality With its vineyards, orchards, and lakeside leisure, the Okanagan

makes an easy getaway to another world.

It’s no wonder so many people decide to move beyond the realm of Airbnb for a place of their own.

While owning a vacation property in B.C.’s wine country may be a dream come true, making such a purchase calls for sound financial planning.

We asked Nicole Ewing, Vice President, Tax, Estate, and Business Succession at TD Wealth, to share her insights on what to consider when it comes to buying that second home.

Who’s on Title

One crucial starting point when it comes to buying a recreational property is knowing how it’s going to be held, meaning who’s on the title. It’s straightforward if it’s in a single person’s name.

“However, if you’re looking at joint ownership or trusts, with more than one person—perhaps if it’s two couples buying together—that may open up many other issues, including tax considerations and how it’s going to be financed,” Ewing says.

Financing

Whether you’re considering drawing from the equity in your existing home or using lines of credit, financing options

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will have different requirements and time frames involved.

With second homes, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has various rules and restrictions related to uses—whether the home is strictly for personal use or if it will be rented, Ewing explains. The CMHC does not insure mortgages on second homes; consequently, you’ll need at least 20 per cent down if you already carry high-ratio financing on another home.

Insurance

Once financing is in place, buyers may want to have it insured. If something were to happen to you or a joint owner, insurance can help maintain the mortgage payments

or pay the mortgage off. Without it, the property may need to be sold.

Different types of insurance exist, including mortgage insurance, life insurance, and joint life insurance.

Then there’s the need for liability and property insurance.

“Insurance can be an intimidating word, but just like other financial products you need to understand what the options are and how it can be used,” Ewing says. “It’s an incredible product when used appropriately.

From a financial perspective, if something goes wrong with the property or in the individual’s own life, are those safeguards in place?”

Taxes

It’s crucial to plan for this financial obligation.

Capital gains tax is triggered upon the sale or gift of the property, or upon the owner’s death.

One tax-savings strategy may be using the principal residence exemption to shelter the capital gain on the vacation home. “The

requirement within the Income Tax Act is not based on where you spend the largest portion of time,” Ewing says.

Ewing notes that certain capital improvements or additions that increase the home’s value could potentially reduce the capital gains tax down the road.

“It’s very specific,” Ewing says. “Consider keeping a separate bank account for the property and paper trail of what was spent and get professional advice on how the expenses are classified for tax purposes.”

Wills and Powers of Attorney

If the property is held in one person’s name and something happens to that person, whether it’s death or illness that renders him or her incapable of making decisions, no one else may be able to handle or authorize related transactions without going to court to get guardianship without a will or power of attorney in place.

Having a will also outlines what happens to the property upon a person’s passing.

“Is it going to be passed on to the next generation or is it to be sold? If it’s sold what

happens to the proceeds? You want to be as clear as you can be,” Ewing says.

“Beneficiaries receive the property after tax, and there can be a lot of confusion around who’s liable for that tax bill,” she adds. “A will can also address expectations and obligations and rights if kids are meant to share the property. It’s not always about money.”

Nicole Ewing can be reached at Nicole.Ewing@ td.com. For more information or to speak with a TD Wealth representative, please visit td.com/wealth.

2019-05-15 4:12 PM

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Stilhavn is a curated collection of top-performing REALTORS®. Our team is comprised of the top 1% and 10% of the industry for 2018, with over 580 homes sold. Our agents sell 11.9x more homes than the average Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver agent, and we sell them 44% faster.*

We take a cultured approach to real estate, designed to deliver the absolute best in the industry. Every member of the Stilhavn team offers skilled and ethical service, without compromise. Here, “better” means leveraging our collective strength and deep market insights to deliver unparalleled results.

Find your sanctuary Your home is your refuge from the world; a place to recover from the day, create lasting memories with loved ones, and plan your next big adventure.

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This publication is not intended to cause or induce breach of an existing contract.

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58 DESIGN

21

Ones to Watch

22

Shopping + Openings

Chic bar carts, low-slung coffee tables and more great pieces and places.

26

Great Spaces

FEATURES

Forage and Feast

Flight of Fancy

A challenging piece of land in Naramata turns out to be the perfect spot for a dream home.

40

Phoenix Rising

–Kevin Harrison

58

At a remote B.C. cabin, a chef and a ceramicist craft a meal that tastes like summer.

PLUS

66

Trade Secrets

Designer tips for the perfect patio.

On land once ravaged by fire, a designer builds a new home that celebrates a rebirth.

46

Reach for the Top

Phantom Creek may be the most ambitious undertaking the Okanagan has ever seen.

22

50

How to Build a Vineyard from Scratch

Two Vancouverites dive headfirst into the crazy world of winemaking.

CONTENTS 1 4 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

Bites

Japanese pancakes, cheese galore and more recipes and restaurants you’ll love.

32

“We wanted a place where every room would be used readily.”

55

Amanda Hamilton gives a tired brunch spot a fresh look—and a new lease on life.

THE OKANAGAN

32

FOOD

26

Cover: Jon Adrian; this page: vineyard: Evaan Kheraj; living room: Ema Peter; cocktail: Lillie Louise Major; Brekkie: Chris Amat

50

Design-build firm Bioi is challenging Calgary’s architectural norms.

GET YOUR SUMMER ON NEW PATIO ARRIVALS

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EDITOR’S NOTE

FOUND FEASTS

The famed cookbook that made me love foraging back in the ’80s.

Q& A This month we asked our contributors, where’s your favourite summer getaway?

Britta Kokemor & Stephanie Jager, “Ones to Watch” page 2 1 Travelling the world is our ultimate passion.

However, during the summer, we stick close to home. We love playing in the mountains; from paddle boarding to camping to hiking, Western Canada has so much to offer that we just can’t leave. Bring on that warm weather!

Jon Adrian, “Phoenix Rising” page 40 My favourite summer getaway is the family cabin at Shuswap Lake. Surrounded by the forest and steps from the lake, it’s a beautiful spot that automatically clears your head and makes you feel away from it all. Outdoor living and dramatic sunsets—yes, please.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Photographers Britta Kokemor (left) and Stephanie Jager of Jager and Kokemor check the lighting set-up for a portrait session with a couple of reliable models: themselves. To see how the final shot worked out, turn to page 21—and get to know our “Ones to Watch,” this issue, Bioi.

VISIT

anick a quin, editorial director anick a.quin@westernliving.ca

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Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, makeup by Melanie Neufeld; outfit courtesy Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com.

Follow Anicka on Instagram @aniqua

Back when I was around eight or nine, on a trip to our local science centre, my mom picked up a cookbook called Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada, and my sister and I became enthralled with it—and with seeing what we could cook up in our kitchen. In one summer, after we’d cruised through safe-as-houses recipes like elderberry jam (from our backyard) and crabapple jelly (from our neighbour’s), we got more adventurous with the wilder recipes, like burdock candy (a real jawbreaker, that one) and dandelion coffee (note, the French vernacular for dandelion is pissenlit—drink in moderation). All these years later, I’m still charmed by the recollection of how excellent it felt to create something new from something found.

There are a couple of stories in this issue that bring back those warm memories for me.

Potter Michele Lafreniere has an annual dinner with her friend, chef and recipe developer Jennifer Danter, that’s based on what they can find in the woods around their cabin on Vancouver Island (“Forage and Feast,” page 58). It’s a slow and lovely process—they are, as writer Rosemary Poole jokes, more or less the originators of the slow-food movement on their part of the Island—and it’s a process they share with a group of friends. (They also “harvest” some local gin from Sheringham Distillery in nearby Sooke for their fresh lemon-blackberry muddle cocktail. I very much appreciate that kind of foraging, too.)

Designer Geoff Orr is a forager of a different sort. In building his dream home in the hills above Penticton (“Phoenix Rising,” page 40), he gathered materials from decommissioned buildings—a SuperValu downtown, an old high school, the former Banff Arena. Even the koi in his garden come from people who had an overabundance of the fish and were looking to rehome them.

So, this summer, whether you gather from your backyard or from the deep, adventurous woods, I hope you get the chance to create your own found feast. And, even better, I hope that you’re able to share it with great friends—and a good toast (or three) to each other.

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HabitatJU

kitchens

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bathrooms

sofas

closets

furniture

doors

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DESIGN N E W & N O TA B L E L S H O P TA L K L G R E AT S P A C E S

O N E S TO WATC H

Made to Order

Jager and Kokemor

Jordan Allen and Raya Trefz, founders, Bioi You don’t have to look further than the non-word Bioi (pronounced “byoh-eye”)—the name of Jordan Allen and Raya Trefz’s Calgary-based design-build studio—for proof that the architectural-graduate duo is all about skirting convention. “We didn’t want to put our names on it,” explains Allen, referring to the eponymous route that many designers take when naming their practices.

“That method doesn’t account for the collaboration involved in our work.”

That cooperative, egoless nature has been a driving force of Bioi since its launch in 2011. The firm begins every residential project by contextualizing the client’s lifestyle, resulting in poetic, “progressively designed” custom homes that simplify the dayto-day while challenging the building norms typically seen in Calgary. A contemporary concrete construction —its facade marked by a bold twostorey window—serves as a sturdy anchor for a travel-happy family; a compact steel-and-cedar-clad homestead, with its multiple decks, facilitates rural farm life.

Bioi believes in “being a good neighbour,” too, which means retaining existing trees and employing materials like brick and timber that make sense for established ’hoods.

“Our projects are very different from one another,” Allen notes, “and that’s simply a reflection of how diverse our clients are.”—Lucy Lau

Build Up

Architectural graduates Jordan Allen (left) and Raya Trefz check in on the progress of a custom home in Calgary’s Scarboro ’hood.

westernliving.ca / j u n e

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DESIGN // SHOPPING

BY LU C Y L AU

Anicka’s Pick

Bowled Over

The subtle legs on each From the Bay powder-coated Pin bowl (from $42) elevate—both literally and figuratively—whatever trinkets, treasures and treats the bowls happen to hold. pompandcircumstance.ca

THG Paris Profil faucet in Blush

From $3,995, available at royalflushboutique.ca; cantubathrooms.com Warm metals have been a mainstay trend over the last few years, while rose gold has reigned in jewellery and accessories (and, ahem, iPhones). So I love that THG Paris has evolved the finishes we’ve been seeing on bathroom hardware into their new Blush line: a rosy-hued marriage of rose gold and copper, and a perfect pairing to its mod Profil cross-handle faucets. Consider it a little bling for the home.

Roll Out

Equipped with hand-finished removable trays and your choice of a silver or gold frame and wheels, Kaymet’s Modern Trolley bar cart ($867) rolls with you no matter where the party goes. informinteriors.com

For more of Anicka’s picks, visit westernliving.ca

On the Low

Originally designed for the modern abodes of post-war America, architect Florence Knoll’s classic, no-fuss coffee table ($1,526) has been updated with a lower profile so you can kick up your feet more easily. grshop.com

NOTEWORTHY New in stores across the West.

Cloud Nine

Arrange Gus Modern’s Nexus modular sectional ($1,365 for armless chair; $2,245 for armless chaise) however you please and prepare to stay a while as you sink into its plush, low-profile and recycled-plastic-filled cushions. fullhousemodern.com

Take a Seat

Cozy up al fresco on CB2’s Ixtapa loveseat ($600), which features an easy, breezy (and rain-resistant) PVC-cord construction that will effortlessly transport you to the sand and waves of Mexico. cb2.com

2 2 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

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DESIGN // SHOPPING

OPENINGS

Touch and Feel

We dare you to keep your eyes—and hands—off of the Touch sideboard (from $7,310), designed by Studioilse for Zanat. Handcrafted in Bosnia and Herzegovina using traditional woodcarving techniques, each piece takes on a look (and texture) that’s all its own. switzercultcreative.com

Hot new rooms we love.

BY C A N D I C E L I P S K I

Shut the Front Door

The reissued Dédé doorstop ($104) designed by Philippe Starck for Alessi more than two decades ago is a paragon of its creator’s aesthetic: quirky, spirited and visually appealing. atkinsonsofvancouver.com

Bright Idea

With its airy wire construction, LED tech and playful inspo (think Christmas garlands and wooden merry-go-rounds), the Titia suspension light ($4,147)—dreamed up by designer Arihiro Miyake for Nemo—is as functional as it is whimsical. ylighting.com

Feel the Burn

Vancouver Candle Co., which brought us a collection of scented soy candles inspired by the city’s ’hoods, is back with its most luxurious creation yet: Discovery, a line of six essential oil-infused candles ($45 for 11 oz; $70 for 26 oz) designed to restore, comfort and invigorate the senses. walrushome.com

Outside the Box

Big-time executive meets from-the-future cool in the Tonelli Naked chair ($7,395) designed by Giovanni Tommaso Garattoni. It’s formed from a black or white adjustable armchair surrounded by glass panels. inspirationfurniture.ca

Calgary Poppy Barley After finding major success with pop-ups around the city, Edmonton-born ethical footwear biz Poppy Barley is putting down roots at Calgary’s Market Mall. Expect a wide range of men’s and women’s leather shoes and accessories, including peep-toe mules, lace-up loafers and buttery backpacks in carry-everywhere shades of grey and tan. The entire line is responsibly produced in Mexico, to boot, so you can feel good about any spontaneous splurges. poppybarley.com

Vancouver King Living Aussie-founded home retailer King Living has made its Canadian debut with a showroom on Vancouver’s tony South Granville. The shop carries an in-house line of furniture and decor—from sofas and side tables to rugs and mattresses—and is known for its clean, contemporary vibe. The pieces are designed to stand the test of trends and time, so expect sturdy fabrics and a palette of neutral hues throughout. kingliving.com

Victoria Rhubarb Too Salt Spring Island-based landscape designer Lorraine Hamilton has opened a second location of her darling design-and-decor boutique, this time on Vancouver Island. Situated in the Market Garden of Vic West, the small but eclectic shop carries a curated mix of modern and vintage pieces, including hand-blown glasses from Syria, scallop-edged ceramics from France and naturally dyed, charcoal-infused Japanese towels. facebook.com/rhubarbdesignstheshop

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DESIGN // GREAT SPACES

RISE AND SHINE

A stark space sees a new day, thanks to a bold surge of colour.

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Bright Idea

Brekkie’s abstract mural (above) was inspired by both postmodern art and the lines on a basketball court. An eclectic mix of knickknacks from HomeSense, Etsy, CB2 and local thrift stores (left and below)—plus custom pieces like the spoon-shaped signs on the restroom doors (bottom left)—helps create a laid-back feel.

Tk Tk

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet elit metus nec um rutrum urna. Sed vesat adipiscing, nunc dolor pharetra dolor nisl leo tempor ipsum. website.com

MORE INSPIRING SPACES Find more great rooms to inspire at westernliving.ca

Chris Amat

When interior designer Amanda Hamilton first entered the industrial West Springs space that would house Brekkie, one of Calgary’s coolest new brunch spots, she was faced with a few challenges. For one, the 1,650-square-foot room felt cold and sterile, all concrete blocks and stark white surfaces (“The exact opposite of what you’d want to have breakfast in,” recalls Hamilton), and there was also a tight budget—and even tighter deadline—to contend with. It turns out, however, that the problem was nothing a bright jolt of colour couldn’t remedy.

An electrifying palette of tangerine, green and navy now saturates the space from the plastic Toou chairs and retro banquettes by Timeless Upholstery to the vintage baskets, ceramics and other knickknacks that line the wood shelves— creating what Hamilton describes as a “relaxed market” vibe. The hues are even carried into the restrooms, where blue spoon-shaped signs

by Q&Co Graphics decorate unmissable orange doors. “There’s sort of a colour explosion,” says Hamilton. “Yet, when you’re in there, it doesn’t feel obnoxious, it doesn’t feel over the top. It feels really good.”

The palette is grounded by hits of black and white in the faux-marble-topped, diner-style tables and existing lighting fixtures—but, of course, we can’t talk about Brekkie without mentioning that mammoth Mondrian-esque mural.

Designed by Hamilton’s team and brought to life by local paint specialists Interiors to Inspire, the installation spans two walls and is made up of 15 graphic variations of the word “brekkie,” which are enlarged and remixed to form a sort of postmodern, geometric work of art. No matter which way you squint or tilt your head, however, you won’t be able to make out the letters. “It was never really meant to be read,” explains Hamilton. “It was sort of our secret Easter egg that we planted in there.”—Lucy Lau

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California Closets design consultant Melanie Baudot created a dream dressing room for her client.

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California Closets design consultant David Adamian helped his clients accentuate their memorabilia without the shelving itself dominating the room.

California Closets designer Sue Lashmore assisted her clients in updating the 18-year-old design of their main living space.

California Closets design consultant Zainub Malik created a perfect closet for her clients’ forever home.

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T HE DIF F ER E NCE I S CL E AR .

T HE DIF F ER E NCE I S CL E AR .

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6 11:40 AM

OKANAGAN S T U N N I N G H O M E S L N E W W I N E R I E S L H O T N E W R E S TA U R A N T S

HOMES

I’m OK, You’re OK

Ema Peter

The Okanagan is the kind of place where, once you’ve had a taste of it—the sun, the wine, the water, the food—you dream of throwing down roots and building a dream home like this one, created by Sturgess Architecture for an Calgary couple.

This issue is the one time a year when we cave in to that collective fantasy, where we highlight not only the stunning architecture, but the amazing wineries and the coolest new restaurants. Like this lucky couple, the stories are all about people who said goodbye to the big city’s bustle and decided to follow their dreams in wine and food.

Here, we get to tag along with them.

westernliving.ca / j u n e

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One Calgary couple makes a fresh start on a striking Okanagan site with the help of Sturgess Architecture.

FLIGHT of FANCY

by Stacey M c Lachlan // photographs by ema peter

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Cozy Modernism

The homeowners repurposed some items from their previous cabin, adding a cozy Canadiana cabin feel to the modern space: a bearskin rug, a collection of heavy blankets and colourful oars.

OKANAGAN // FLIGHT OF FANCY

Full Metal Jacket

The steel panels that make up the exterior of the home were inspired by the reds and oranges of the desert landscape surrounding.

Acid-etched, sprayed with water and sealed, each panel is unique.

“The building needed to complement and enhance the naturescape it existed within.

We wanted the house to float above that, in essence.”

3 4 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

Y

ou can blame Air Canada for a lot of things—lost baggage, missed connections—but in the case of this gorgeous Naramata property, it deserves a little bit of credit.

When the airline stopped flying direct to Thunder Bay, it gave one retired Calgary couple pause: they loved their cottage on Shebandowan Lake, but was the travel still going to be worth it? Ultimately, the pair decided it was time to bring their vacation destination a little closer to home, so they called up Sturgess Architecture to help find them an Okanagan location for a brand new getaway.

A day of scouting with firm founder Jeremy Sturgess took them all over the region, but it was one last spot in Naramata with questionable potential that stopped them in their tracks. It was heavily sloped down into a gorge, and building would certainly be tough, the realtor warned: overall, not a great option. But all the architect could see was the panoramic views, the potential for a small personal vineyard, and the exciting programmatic potential of the unusual landscape. “This is the one,” Sturgess said.

Soon, the sketches were flying for an 2,400-plussquare-foot home-away-from-home, one that embraced the site’s challenges for the better. “This is the reason we do what we do,” says Kevin Harrison, principal with Sturgess Architecture. “We’re excited by opportunity.

The excitement of the gorge and steep slope really captivated us.”

The design took plenty of cues from the clients’ Ontario home: a relatively modest main living space with an additional guest attachment, something intimate enough to be comfortable when it’s just the two of them, yet large enough to accommodate visiting friends and family. But the new home’s Okanagan locale offered a fresh opportunity to “really embrace the landscape,” says Harrison.

“The building needed to complement and enhance the naturescape it existed within. We wanted the house to float above that, in essence.” Now, a dramatic cantilevered building, supported by columns, hovers in the soft forested area above the Naramata Creek.

The arid surrounding region provided inspiration for the exterior material choices, incorporating the oranges and reds of the desert with uniquely treated steel cladding. “We acid-etched it and sprayed with water and sealed it, so it gives it this organic, abstract patterning on the panels of steel—not one is the same,” says Harrison. westernliving.ca / j u n e

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OKANAGAN // FLIGHT OF FANCY

Collaborative Effort

The skulls on the wall are from Montana, selected by the homeowner. “She really participates in the design selections. It’s very fun,” says designer Nyla Free. “She’ll find unique things and we’ll be able to get our creative juices going.” The yellow motif from the kitchen is echoed in the master bath, with diamond tiles in a stunning shade of sunshine. The shower has no door separating it from the rest of the ensuite (though it does feature a floor-to-ceiling window).

“There’s this idea of movement all along the cladding of the house.” The counterpoint to that are panels of dark stained wood and a full west-facing wall of glazing, all perched atop a concrete base.

Of course, functionality was just as important as a striking siting. “Nothing is superfluous in terms of rooms,” says Harrison. “We wanted a place where every room would be used readily.” There was no “overbuilding for the sake of overbuilding,” just the essential components to complement how they live their lives. There’s an intimate terrace that captures the early daylight, perfect for the wife’s treasured morning coffee time; another on the other side of the building is intended to soak up the generous afternoon sun. “We used the interactions between them and how they entertain to help the decisions with the layout,” says interior designer Nyla Free, who collaborated on the project.

The entry bisects what is the main living space and what is guest space; from there, as the public space moves closer to more private areas, it physically starts to narrow and become more intimate. The result is a pure, twostorey volume with a single black box extruding from it, a chamber to house what Harrison calls “the true private spaces” such as the washrooms, laundry and storage. The guest suite—which features a bedroom, a small TV seating area and another beautiful balcony—is surrounded by vertical fins that focus the eye-line west to the lake and mitigates views of the neighbouring properties, all while keeping the space cool during summer months.

For the home’s interior colour palette, Free took inspiration from a humble rug sourced from the Conran Shop in London. The abstract pattern of rusts and mustards worked perfectly with the steel accents, and so Free was off and running, with a warm red velvet sofa and cheery yellow lacquer kitchen island that pop against black millwork. A crow sculpture, rescued from the previous cabin, perches up top to watch dinner parties unfold.

Harrison’s black box continues into the bedroom (the closet is contained within it) and provides some visual weight in a room that otherwise feels like it’s floating on air. Here, a deck extends toward and over Naramata Creek below, should one want to step a little closer to nature. It’s something the homeowners do often, now that they’re just a few hours from their Calgary home base… all thanks, in a roundabout way, to a certain airline. westernliving.ca / j u n e

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KELOWNA’S ONLY LAKEFRONT COMMUNITY

McKinley Beach is a place to call home, a place to make your own, a community created for everyone to enjoy.

This is Our McKinley Beach.

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Starting at $310k

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CONCEPTUAL SITE RENDERING These marketing design drawings are inherently conceptual in nature and are subject to changes and revisions through permitting and construction

Starting in the low $600k’s

2018 04 0

ARTISTIC IMPRESSION

through permitting and construction

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VISIT OUR SHOW HOME AT 3428 WATER BIRCH CIRCLE

MCKINLEYBEACH.CA | 250-980-5555

This is not an offering for sale. Such an offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. E. & O.E.

PHOENIX RISING

On land once ravaged by fire, a designer builds a new home that celebrates a rebirth—namely, of the salvaged materials used to construct it. by anicka quin // photographs by jon adrian

Sailor’s Delight

Designer Geoff Orr named his home Fuego in reference to the fires that once swept over this land. Two-year-old Ruby and guest dog Brewster—both friends of Orr and his wife Katharine—hang out in the living room (opposite), which he designed with all built-in furniture.

W

hen designer Geoff Orr purchased this property in the hills above the city of Penticton more than 10 years ago, there wasn’t much to see. A forest fire had ravaged the area 15 years previous—one of the worst in B.C.’s history—and the land was just recovering. Orr was also going through big changes himself: he’d left Vancouver to move to the Okanagan and open a new firm, Farout Developments, with a friend from school. Transforming this burned-out plot of land into its own kind of phoenix would become his passion over the next decade.

After a season of camping on the property in an old Airstream, Orr crafted a tiny toolshed-cum-cabin using dead trees harvested from the surrounding land. This temporary home was humble—no heat in the winters (“just a lot of blankets”)—but attractive, with floor-to-ceiling windows salvaged from another building, and a lofted sleeping area.

As time and money allowed, he began to envision, and

build, the home that lives here now. “I wanted to test the limits of a lot of different materials,” says Orr. The first was a set of glulam beams recovered from a condemned SuperValu in downtown Penticton. The beams had been a part of a convex roof in that grocery store, but Orr flipped them for his own roofline, creating a dramatic, upturned curve.

It was the start of a design that would be constructed almost entirely from reclaimed materials. “By the time I went to put in the second floor,” says Orr, “I found some more beams. And people started to support it and help out.” Friends and neighbours alerted him to more materials that Orr could use, including fir posts and beams from the Penticton Golf Club, the Banff Arena and the Muriel Baxter school, buildings that were all demolished but now live on within Orr’s home.

Working with reclaimed fir had another advantage: because the wood has already spent decades in the elements, it’s stable—unlikely to twist or settle over time as newer materials do.

Because of this, the glazing that runs floor to ceiling around westernliving.ca / j u n e

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OKANAGAN // PHOENIX RISING

Au Naturel

The water feature beside the home naturally refills with rainwater and is stocked with koi (left). The couple designed a beach beside it as well, complete with handmade benches and patio lights (opposite, bottom right). The penny floor (right) is in the front entry hall, and made from 12,650 pennies laid down one at a time.

the home could be set straight into the structure without intrusive frames, preserving open sightlines to the foothills surrounding the home.

The house is almost entirely open concept—even the secondfloor master bedroom is lofted to the main space below. “It’s open concept to the outside as well,” says Orr. “Really, the house is composed of just beams and glass.” The living, kitchen and dining rooms all wrap around a large, rammed-earth, wood-burning fireplace that’s double-sided. The sunken living room is designed with built-in furniture: beams encircle the room, made cozy with cushions and pillows to create a favourite spot for both Geordie the cat and Coady the Vizsla.

Outside, Orr and his wife, Katharine, constructed what they refer to as “the beach”—an ideal gathering place for family and friends to hang out on nicer evenings, around a firepit. “We’re a little ways from the lake,” he says, “so we thought it would be nice to have a beach to hang out at.” Hand-constructed wood benches wrap around a sandy firepit, and the water feature has become a 4 2 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

Rock On

Geoff Orr sits beside the rammed-earth fireplace that’s central to the main floor (friends Andrew and Christine Dimma hang out in the background). Orr designed the garage to be built into the hillside (with motorcycle, below); on its second floor, he’s created a flex space (bottom left)—a yoga studio, for now.

westernliving.ca / j u n e

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OKANAGAN // PHOENIX RISING To rent one of the cabins on the property, visit Geoff and Kate’s Airbnb page: airbnb.ca/users/show/10696195

natural pond: though they initially excavated to create it, the pond now fills and refreshes on its own with rainwater from the roof and runoff from the land. It’s also home to 100 koi, donated from locals who found they had a few too many, and waste from the fish is used to fertilize the surrounding gardens. (Katharine is a manager at the GardenWorks in town, so she’s the green thumb of the house.)

Orr has since built three cabins on the property, which he rents out through Airbnb: the Rumspringa, Scouse and Shire cabins are under 10 square metres and are also constructed of reclaimed materials—including the glass and windows—and each features 270-degree views of the 4 4 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

valley. There’s no heat or electricity, but the couple provide lanterns, and hot water bottles on cooler nights. “The intention is to unplug,” says Orr. “You’re communing with nature, so there’s no wifi either.”

Given the charming names for the cabins, it’s no surprise that the main home has its own moniker, too: Fuego, the Spanish word for fire. An ode to the forest-fire origins of the home, the name also plays out in the interior design: the ceiling is stained in a charcoal black, and the same shade is reflected in many of the decor accents. “It’s a home that’s risen out of the ashes,” says Orr. “It’s really about transformation and change.”

Low-Key Getaway

The couple designed these off-the-grid cabins for guests and for Airbnb rentals. The Shire (top left) is built right into the rock; Rumspringa (above) is suspended off of a rammed-earth wall.

Both are made from reclaimed materials.

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Rooted in connection

We are founded on connections – to the land we care for and to the Okanagan Valley we call home. Experience the northern Okanagan through our Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and aromatic white wines. From the vine, to our hands, to your table, each bottle forges a line of connection that brings us all closer together.

New restaurant and tasting room open daily

5445 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna, BC |

cedarcreek.bc.ca

OKANAGAN // PHANTOM CREEK

REACH FOR THE TOP Phantom Creek may be the most ambitious undertaking the Okanagan has ever seen—but are we ready for the big time? by neal m lennan // photograph by lionel trudel

IT

was in 2015 that Richter Bai’s quest to find land on which he could construct a world-class winery brought him to the South Okanagan. The Chinese businessman who’d made a fortune first in mining and then in flaxseed had been traversing the wine world—Bordeaux, Napa, Alsace—from his Vancouver home looking for inspiration for a winery of his own here in B.C. Whereas most Okanagan winery owners start out modestly and then expand, Bai had no intention of playing it cautiously. Within a year of first laying eyes on the Black Sage Bench, he was the proud owner of perhaps the most legendary acreage in the area: Harry McWatters’s Sundial Vineyard (since renamed Becker Vineyard). For good measure he purchased Richard Cleave’s equally famous Phantom Creek Vineyard. Later, an acreage in the Golden Mile Bench (Kobau Vineyard) and a huge chunk of land in the Similkameen were added. The final total for this buying spree: a rumoured $50,000,000.

And then, the people. First up was Ingo Grady, who spent 17 years helping turn Mission Hill from a upstart winery to the King

4 6 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

of the Hill, which Bai is presumably interested in knocking off its perch. Two Napa consultants—Cameron and Anne Vawter— were brought in to help steer the red wine program and, in a huge coup, Alsace winemaker Olivier Humbrecht of Domaine ZindHumbrecht agreed to make this his first and only consulting gig, immediately putting the project on the world map. Add to that another rumoured $50,000,000 that’s going toward a soon-tobe-completed 45,000-square-foot gravity-fed winery designed

by Napa firm Backen & Gillam (of Harlan Estate and Cliff Lede fame) with a full-service restaurant and a 500-person amphitheatre—both will open next year with some drop-dead views— and you get the sense that this juggernaut is unstoppable. But there have been hiccups: Grady has departed, as has winemaker Ross Wise (a new bold-name winemaker was being announced as this magazine went to press), but for the most part the path so far has been relatively drama-free. So the finest tools are are in place; all that’s left is that last little step of making great wine.

How hard can that be?

Gutter Credit

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It’s (not so) Lonely at the Top If Phantom Creek wants to be top dog, these are the other Bordeaux blends it’ll have to contend with.

Tinhorn Creek The Creek

($55)

Style This is the full Bordeaux (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot) and it’s a rarity for being cabernet dominant. The result of a wine that has more dark fruits and strong(ish) tannins make this an ager that won’t punish you if you dip in early.

If it were a Beatle it would be George Harrison, as there’s been some variation between vintages. Not good/bad, but different and always interesting.

Hester Creek The Judge

($44)

Style Much more new world here, with a wallop of lush, rich fruit. Napa-esque.

If it were a Rocky character it would be Apollo Creed—ripped with muscles, but still light on its feet and a bit of a showman to boot. A solid value.

Rendering of the winery

Mission Hill Oculus

($150)

Style If this were the Old West and you were a gunfighter looking to make a name for yourself, this is the hombre you’d take on. It’s settled into its role—its fruit has been dialled back, its freshness increased—but don’t underestimate its finesse and ageability.

Phantom Creek Winery

Gutter Credit

Location Oliver Wines made The $100 Phantom Creek Cuvee leads the way and it’s joined by six other reds and three whites.

If it were a Harry Potter character it would be Dumbledore—wise and past the point of needing to impress anyone with fancy theatrics.

Culmina Hypothesis

($46)

Style Patience is a virtue here—in its youth this wine is tight like great Bordeaux used to be but there’s a pay-off with a few years in the bottle: there’s fruit, there’s graphite, there’s earth all melding into one of the classiest bottles in the valley.

If it were stock it would be Apple circa 2004: it looked pricey, but in retrospect is a smoking deal that’s too good to pass up.

Where to buy Only through the winery’s website for now.

At the winery starting next year. westernliving.ca / j u n e

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OKANAGAN // NEW RESTAURANTS

Hunger Games The Valley continues to act as a magnet for those looking to ditch the rat race and get a lot closer to their ingredients. From north to south, here are the hot new tables.

The Spot

Home Block at CedarCreek Estate Winery,

5445 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna The Why Anthony von Mandl’s massive makeover of CedarCreek will be crowned with this gorgeous new spot led by GM Michael Ziff (formerly of St. Lawrence and Chambar) and chef Neil Taylor (of Espana and Cibo). Dishes like Sardinian seafood stew with fregola sarda, sauvignon blanc and saffron are going to seriously ramp up the food scene here. cedarcreek.bc.ca/restaurant

The Coolest Wine in B.C.?

Chef Brian Skinner and carrot popcorn from Frankie We Salute You.

The Spot A pair of Penticton brew pubs The Why Both Neighbourhood Brewing (187 Westminster Ave. West) and Slackwater Brewing (218 Martin St.) are slated to hit downtown Penticton this summer.

Neighbourhood comes from Mike Coghill of Port Moody’s insanely good Yellow Dog (he’s had a place in Naramata for years), and Slackwater is taking over the old Mule Nightclub—we’re betting four steps up in class. neighbourhoodbrewing.com slackwaterbrewing.com The Spot

Sofia Mexican Food,

at the Osoyoos Fruit Basket, 9910 Crowsnest Highway, Osoyoos The Why Seriously, you have to ask? You have an already-legendary fruit stand/store that has the earliest ripening fruit in the country and now you can chow on authentic, freshly made tacos while you shop. That’s a winner. osoyoosfruitbasket.com

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Did you the hear the one about the rock star making crazy low-intervention wines with artist-designed labels?

You probably haven’t, because the past two vintages from A Sunday in August—the winery founded by Mike Shindler (formerly of cult fave Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party)—have flown off the shelves. The good news is that he’s increased production this year up to 1,800 cases, which means you have a decent chance of finding his skin-contact pinot gris, a pinkhued biodynamic marvel of juiciness and clarity, or maybe even his crushably fresh organic merlot/cab. asundayinaugust.com

Two Other Labels That will make You Feel like a Natural Woman (or Man) The Spot

Frankie We Salute You,

6–1717 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna

The Why Chef Brian Skinner helped make the Acorn one of the continent’s best vegetarian restaurants, and now he and wife Christina have found their way to Kelowna’s new District Market development within the Landmark neighbourhood. This 60-seater is going to get serious about veg-to-table. frankiewesaluteyou.com

Neon Eon

The Scooby Doo-fonted label comes from the scion of the family that owns Sage Hills: biodynamic Pét-Nat and nicely wonky sauvignon blanc.

Rigour and Whimsy

A two-month, skin-fermented pinot blanc is not a wine you run into every day. Or ever, really.

An orange wonder of tightness and crisp fruit.

OU R ROOT S RU N DE E P Join us this summer and drink in the spectacular views of our historic 50 year old vineyard. Enjoy live music on the patio, dine in an intimate setting, and experience la dolce vita of Hester Creek. Choose your own tasting experience – with regionally sourced cooking classes, seasonally inspired bbq lunches, and artisan cheese and wine pairings. New this year – our Alfresco Dinner series by RauDZ and Happy Hour with wines and delicious treats to accompany a beautiful Okanagan afternoon on the extraordinary Golden Mile Bench.

W W W. H E S T E R C R E E K . C O M

OKANAGAN // BIRCH BLOCK

OK Outtakes

Gutter Credit

Some of the Bancroft family takes a break from building their vineyard to enjoy the casual sort of wine country lunch that everyone dreams of (on a table of salvaged barn doors, no less). And while the grapes were the draw in bringing them to the area, Murray’s also a trained chef, so the local bounty was a close second in helping fuel the family’s passion.

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HOW TO BUILD A VINEYARD FROM SCRATCH First, you start with a llama farm.

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by Sarah Bancroft // photographs by evaan kheraj

Hey Sarah, look at this,” my husband Murray called one drizzly November morning. His Mac displayed a Google Earth image of a green, sloping plot of land with a small structure on it, surrounded by orchards and vineyards.

My first reaction was: “What’s wrong with it?” Surely it was a former toxic waste dump or sacred burial site. Since when has there been five acres of virgin land in the South Okanagan just sitting there?

But fast forward a month, and there’s Murray in the Penticton courthouse with a sealed envelope. $507,000 was the magic (albeit somewhat random) bid suggested to us by a trusted friend in real estate for this foreclosed llama farm. To make a stressful situation even more so, there were two other groups, envelopes in hand and

both like us: in their mid-40s and starry-eyed with anticipation.

As it turned out, our envelope was the fattest and our bid was accepted by the bank on December 31, 2015, getting it off their books by year end. We popped a bottle (or two) of Blue Mountain bubbly that New Year’s Eve, half incredulous at what we’d done and feeling a serious case of “Now what?”

First thing: relocate the llamas. And in March, once the ground thawed, we set to work designing and building a vineyard with a local management team. Because of the site and the soil (and because it’s our favourite), Murray selected pinot noir Dijon clones, and had the vines shipped from Ontario and Oregon. Meanwhile, we gutted and rebuilt the 1968 A-frame that came with the property westernliving.ca / j u n e

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OKANAGAN // BIRCH BLOCK

Rustic Charm

The property came with an A-frame, so yet another task was to remodel and reinvent the house as a chic getaway (and occasional vacation rental).

into what we hoped would be an Instagram-worthy vacation rental.

The eclectic cast of characters in these endeavours was pure reality TV. Kevin, our trilingual Belgian vineyard manager, moonlighted as Kaptain K, a wedding DJ. Then there were the Kens: Neighbour Ken was grumpy and shot golf balls onto our property; Cowboy Ken was a wealthy landowner in a Stetson who had a knack for carpentry and installing Moroccan tiles.

If you told me 10 years ago that we’d be grape farmers, I’m not sure I’d have believed it. But that April I resigned from my job as president of a digital media company to manage the project. Murray juggled his work as a culinary consultant in Vancouver with other important tasks, such as chasing bucks out of the vineyard with a rake (the kind with antlers, although to get rid of them we forked out $15,000 of the other kind of bucks for deer fencing and an automatic gate). Labour was (and still is) in such short supply that we hired crews of local teenagers to dismantle the old wire animal fencing. An army of seasonal workers from Mexico and Quebec worked through the heat of the summer to get the wires, metal posts and irrigation installed. We bulldozed animal shelters, cut down and hauled out dozens of trees to protect the vineyard from birds, and cleaned out the barn. Murray swears he still has llama shit in the tread of his hiking boots.

There were other challenges—like selling a Vancouver condo quickly for cash flow—and other pests. A woodpecker’s dime-sized hole in our roof opened up living quarters for a family of bats that would dive-bomb us on the porch; the moles (or was it voles?) would not be evicted from the lawn.

On the more technical side, since we committed to organic farming 5 2 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

(i.e., no chemical pesticides or herbicides) we were almost always, literally, in the weeds. Everyone told us to spray Roundup for a few years, then convert to organic. But we resisted, and because the young vines were too fragile for machinery, we bought a Dutch hoe and took shifts like people from some Millet painting.

Right around the time of our third leaf (vineyard parlance for established years) we launched a splash page, and Birch Block Vineyard was officially born, named for the stand of white birch on the top block.

This year, we bottled our first vintage of rosé, called Été Sans Fin (Endless Summer) in magnum format for Cactus Club, and a Pop-Up Chard for Wildebeest with grapes from a neighbour. We made around 120 cases in total, which we hope to double by next year, when the vines are more mature. If we can round up the labour and scurry up some cash we’ll plant another three-quarter acre this year and, hopefully, within five years we’ll be at 800 cases (including a pinot noir and pét-nat in the mix).

It’s been exhilarating, it’s been expensive, it’s been rewarding—in that order. We’ve now met like-minded, small-batch winemakers committed to organic farming and natural winemaking from Cawston to Summerland, and they’ve been generous with their time, equipment and expertise. We’ve learned that there’s no beginning or end to building a vineyard; it’s an ongoing investment financially, physically and emotionally.

But now, when we kick off our boots at the end of the day and watch the wild horses on the hills behind us, the sun setting over Skaha Lake before us and the vines flitting in the cool breeze, we toast to Mother Earth, no computer needed.

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES

3 EVENTS 3 LOCATIONS 3 MONTHS VANCOUVER CALGARY OKANAGAN TICKETS AVAILABLE AT CHEFMEETSBCGRAPE.COM

Small Spaces, Big Style Bright Now

BRIGHT NOW

How One Vancouver Designer Gave His Light-Filled Yaletown Space a Gold-and-Glam New Look EXPERT ADVICE

The Everything Guide to Sofa Shopping

NORDIC ZEN

Inspiration from a Chic, Modern Makeover

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BEST BUYS Design Essentials for Your Dream Home

WL Condo spotlights Vancouver’s most stylish small-scale spaces, from luxury penthouses in Coal Harbour to restored vintage townhouses in Mount Pleasant, and everywhere in between.

You’ll also find hot furniture trends, space-saving tricks, designer advice and insider neighbourhood guides in every issue, helping readers make the most of city life.

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WLSTYLE // title

From the first toast to the final bite, relish every moment and meal.

Cooking. Refrigeration. Dishwashing.

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FOOD R O S É A L L W AY S L N E W R O O M S L P AT I O P A R T Y

R EC I P E

Cheese, Please!

Jennifer Pallian

The humble mozzarella stick has been long maligned as pubgrub drivel, but Vancouver-based nutritionist and food blogger Jennifer Pallian (aka, The Foodess) has pulled off a Pygmalion-level transformation here with her recipe for herbed goat cheese fritters. It’s a simple, sophisticated take on all that crunchy, gooey goodness: a little crispy panko, a mild local goat cheese, a handful of whatever herbs you’ve got kicking around the garden, and you’ve got yourself an elevated (baked!) alternative that’s primed to please a crowd. Turn the page for the recipe.

westernliving.ca / j u n e

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FOOD // BITES

Gram Cafe

Food news to chew on.

1284 Robson St., Vancouver Who An iconic Japanese pancake chain.

Why we’re excited Kyoto’s overthe-top fluffy breakfast offerings changed the way we felt about pancakes forever, and Gram heroically aims to bring the same experience to Robson Street, with both sweet and savoury options on offer. instagram.com/gramcanada

recipe

Herbed Baked Goat Cheese Fritters RECIPE BY JENNIFER PALLIAN, BSC, RD ( FOODESS.COM )

Cheese 2 logs goat cheese (113 g each) ¾ tsp minced fresh rosemary ¾ tsp minced fresh thyme

Coating 4 tbsp all-purpose flour ¼ tsp coarse salt 1 egg 1 tsp water 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tbsp melted butter Combine goat cheese and herbs in a small bowl. Roll a scant two tbsp of the cheese mixture between your palms to form a ball, then flatten into a disc shape of ½-inch thickness. Place on a parchment-lined plate and repeat with remaining goat cheese. (You’ll get about 9 discs total.) Freeze for 10 minutes.

Arrange three shallow dishes side by side. In the first, place 4 tbsp flour mixed with ¼ tsp coarse salt. In the second, beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water. In the third, place 1 cup panko breadcrumbs stirred with 2 tbsp melted butter.

Coat each disc first in flour mixture, then egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumbs (press in to adhere). Transfer each fritter back to the parchment-lined plate as you go and freeze again for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat oven to 425°F. Transfer frozen fritters to sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Serve hot, with dipping sauce of your choice.

5 6 j u n e 2 0 1 9 / westernliving.ca

Lulu Bar 510 17 Ave. SW, Calgary Who Chefs JP Pedhirney and Joe Sokoloff take the lead with the latest addition to the Concorde Group.

Why we’re excited Behind an ornate, nine-foot-tall wooden door, you’ll find the neighbourhood’s new local: snack on crossover palatepleasers like hot dog bao and skewers of Thai sausage in the chic, tile-lined space. lulubar.ca

Cilantro Café Emerald Lake Lodge, 1 Emerald Lake Rd., Field, B.C.

Cera Korean Restaurant 490 Pandora Ave., Calgary Who The creators of Nubo Japanese Tapas and E:Ne Raw Seafood Sake Bar. Why we’re excited The menu is based on han junk sik, the traditional 18th-century Korean emperor’s feast, so consider us royally excited. nubocera.com

Who Canadian Rocky Mountain Resort, champions of the luxe lodge experience.

Why we’re excited Perched on the lakeshore, Cilantro serves up house-made pizza and hearty chili made with bison from the resort’s own game ranch on an oversized, sun-soaked patio. crmr.com/emerald

Hawthorn Dining Room and Bar 133 9 Ave. SW, Calgary Who Hometown hero Bern Glatz (Ten Foot Henry, Anju) is the newly appointed executive chef; Dustin Makarenko (Hy’s, Ki Modern) steps in as GM. Why we’re excited It’s the first new dining space added to the iconic Fairmont Palliser in 60 years, and beyond the family-style menu that taps Alberta’s farm bounty (like kohlrabi, pork belly and grits) there’s local design talent (Frank Architecture), too. hawthorndiningroom.ca

Open Outcry 475 Howe St., Vancouver Who Seán Heather, the man-with-a-plan behind Gastown’s most iconic snugs (Irish Heather, Salt Tasting Room).

Why we’re excited Heather’s leaning in to the history of Outcry’s former stock exchange location with the branding; we’re looking forward to similarly era-appropriate indulgences on the menu. openoutcry.ca

NEAL M c Lennan’S WINE PICK

Saigneé, You Say? The pink tide continues unabated, but for a drink that’s so beloved, it’s odd that so many people have no idea how rosé is actually made. The most common method is to let the grape skins stay in contact with the grape juice during maceration long enough to impart some colour on the clear juice (removing the skins makes the wine rosé; keep ’em in and you’ll ultimately have red wine). But then there’s the less-used saigneé method which, despite its French name, has become associated with new-world wineries who “bleed” a little pink juice off while making red wine. It concentrates the red wine, and produces a small amount of rosé to boot. In the Okanagan, Culmina actually calls its rosé saigneé (high-end producer Mirabel also makes a saigneé), and while some purists scoff at the process, there’s an excitement knowing that your rosé is a little sibling to the famed red Hypothesis. But is it real rosé? It’s definitely kin to a red wine and can conceivably stand up to a steak if need be, but the best way to answer the question is to find a patio and decide for yourself. $24, culmina.ca

Cilantro Café: Dean Cebuliak; Hawthorn: Bonjwing Lee; Seán Heather: Kyoko Fierro

BITES

openings

In the Kitchen

Home Screen on the Range The appliance industry has been pushing smart screens since the early days of iPads, but this GE Kitchen Hub range-mounted number offers both sizzle and substance, featuring video-call technology so you can catch up with your sister while chopping carrots, then switch seamlessly to screening a grilling technique video when you’ve had enough family time. $1,200. geappliances.com

events YYC BeerWeek Calgary, June 3 to 9 Various locations Raise a pint or two to beer itself during a week of celebratory special events scattered throughout the city. yycbeerweek.com

Victoria Wing Fest Victoria, June 8 Roundhouse at Bayview Place Victoria’s top chefs wing it with their best take on the classic bar snack, all accompanied (of course) by an array of B.C. brews. victoriawingfest.com

Tacofino x Strange Fellows Vancouver, June 27 Tacofino Commissary The east-side brewery brings its wares to Tacofino for a night of tasty taco pairings. tacofino.com

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At a remote cabin on Kemp Lake, B.C., a chef, a ceramicist and their hungry family—including friends, kids and dogs—work the landscape to prepare a dinner that simply tastes like summer. by Rosemary Poole recipes and food styling by Jennifer Danter // photographs by Lillie Louise Major

Flowers: Shellie Green, Sundays Chamomile @sundayschamomile: Spirits: Sheringham Distillery, sheringhamdistillery.com

Forage and Feast

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Flowers: Shellie Green, Sundays Chamomile @sundayschamomile: Spirits: Sheringham Distillery, sheringhamdistillery.com

FOOD // FORAGE AND FEAST

The Dream Team Michele Lafreniere (far left) chats with guests as the coals heat up.

Jennifer Danter (above) sets the table for a night to remember.

F

ollow Highway 14 along the southernmost point of Vancouver Island, past the signs for fresh eggs and the turnoffs to summer camps and swimming holes, and eventually you’ll reach the family cabin of Michele Lafreniere. The Victoria-based ceramicist and her husband, Philippe, purchased the property on Kemp Lake in 2013, seeking a place that recalled Philippe’s childhood memories of chalet life in Quebec, and tapping into a quietly happening scene of small-scale farmers and artisanal food and drink producers. It is a serendipitous fit: through her studio, Buttata Ceramics, Michele turns out thoughtfully made stoneware dishes that are used in some of the Island’s best restaurants, including the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino and Olo and Agrius in Victoria, as well as in editorial collaborations with friend, chef and recipe developer Jennifer Danter. Glazed in coastally inspired

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shades of grey, blue, off-white and, occasionally, sunset pinks, the dishes are designed with practicality and presentation in mind, says Michele, recalling a flecked cream plate she once made to complement a brilliantly red Sun Wing tomato salad. “They are meant to be used every day,” she says, “whether to carry a salad to your friend’s table or be washed by your 13-year-old son.”

Life at the cabin follows a similar logic.

There’s an appreciation for simple, beautiful, everyday things, like the spring-fed lake (“It’s one of the best lakes ever to swim in,” says Michele. “Not weedy, not murky.”) or the towering cedars and Douglas firs that provide plenty of blow-down for nightly bonfires.

The generous landscape begets generous hosts. In an annual tradition, the Lafrenieres host dinner for family and friends, most of the ingredients for which are sourced from the surroundings. On this mid-summer day, the

party of 11 is put to work, with Danter guiding the menu. For the first course, herbs and salad greens are clipped from containers on the sunny side of the deck, followed by pit-roasted corn on the cob and a side of salmon brushed frequently with a bouquet of fresh herbs and a glaze made with honey purchased from the neighbour’s stand. For dessert, a blackberry patch down the road provides the filling for a rustic galette and lends tart-sweetness to a fresh lemon-blackberry muddle cocktail mixed with Seaside Gin from Sheringham Distillery in nearby Sooke. Hours in the making—the slow food movement may have originated in this corner of the world—dinner is served on the sprawling deck with seating pulled from every corner of the house: a Tolix bar stool here, a pair of Tulip chairs there.

“Nothing is done quickly here,” says Michele.

“It’s a place where it all just comes together. It is meant to be shared.”

Easygoing Summer Salad SERVES 6

Tomato season has begun, and this salad is the perfect (or at least the tastiest) way to celebrate. We’ve used a type of cress here— soft leaves with a mild tang—that’s best when picked just before serving. Because the leaves are delicate, be sure to add some crunchy cabbage to give the salad more body.

6 to 8 cups mixed greens 3 cups mixed cherry tomatoes, halved ½ English cucumber, seeded and sliced diagonally 1 cup shredded red cabbage 1 zucchini, spiralized ⅓ cup crumbled feta Herbed buttermilk dressing, to taste (recipe follows)

Pit-Fired Corn on the Cob Since you’re going to all the trouble of lighting a fire for the salmon (or at least heating up the barbecue), you might as well take advantage of the hot coals to cook corn on the cob. By grilling them in their tough husks, the corn steams, revealing juicy kernels. You may or may not want to peel back the husks and give them a fiery lick on the flames at the very end!

Be sure to allow time for the corn to soak before grilling.

8 ears fresh corn 8 pieces of twine or foil Gently pull husks away from corn, but don’t detach from cob. Remove silky strands. Pull husks back up over corn kernels. Tie with twine and place in a large stockpot or tub and cover with water; soak at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Place corn into prepared fire pit, setting them along the edges where the coals are cooler, or place on a barbecue heated to medium. Grill, turning occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes if nestled in coals, or 15 to 20 minutes if using a gas grill.

The bright colours and shapes of this salad demand to be arranged versus tossed!

Group veggies together in a wide shallow bowl or platter. Scatter with feta cheese.

Serve dressing on the side, otherwise the lettuce will start to wilt quickly.

Herbed Buttermilk Dressing This is a light yet luscious dressing that works well with most fresh herbs. Tangy dill and bright green parsley go well together—for more robust flavour, try using fresh tarragon and mint or basil. ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp each chopped fresh parsley and dill Sea salt, to taste Cracked black pepper, to taste In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayo and sour cream. Whisk in garlic, vinegar and herbs.

Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.

Refrigerate up to 5 days. Makes 1½ cups.

Carefully remove husks; use a pastry brush to dust off any ash if necessary. If you wish, place corn right on grill grate to blister the kernels.

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FOOD // FORAGE AND FEAST

Sweet Mustard-Glazed Planked Salmon A fresh side of salmon cries out for a slow woodsy smoke over an open fire. The sweet mustard glaze is a perfect partner for fragrant cedar smoke. Don’t have access to a fire pit? Use a plank right on your BBQ grill grate. Be sure to use untreated cedar and remember to allow soaking time.

Glaze ¼ cup Dijon mustard ¼ cup whole-grain mustard ¼ cup local honey 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 bird’s-eye chili, seeded and finely chopped 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Salmon 1 large side of salmon, about 1.5 kg (tip: ask fishmonger to remove pin bones) 1 large untreated cedar plank, about 1 to 1½ inches thick 1 large bunch fresh thyme In a bowl, combine mustards with honey, garlic, soy sauce, chili and ginger. Brush half the mixture over salmon; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal fire (or mix in chunky wood chips if you have them).

Let burn 30 minutes, or until flames die down and coals start to glow. Spread coals to an even 3-inch thickness.

Nestle plank in coals or place on a grill grate suspended over coals. Once plank starts to steam, scatter with thyme, then place fish on top. Barbecue, basting often with remaining glaze, until fish is opaque. This will take anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how thick your fish is and how hot the fire is. Keep a thermometer handy; if you like it medium-rare, insert it into thickest part of fish and aim for 120ºF. To barbecue, preheat grill to high. Place plank on grill; once it starts to smoke, flip over and add thyme, then fish. Reduce heat to medium.

Close lid and grill until salmon is just cooked through and edges are browned (15 to 25 minutes). Brush with remaining glaze halfway through cooking. Keep spray water bottle close by for flare-ups.

Tip: Baste often! Make a herb basting brush by tying leafy herbs such as sage and thyme to the spoon end of a wooden spoon or a long stick.

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“Summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.”

—Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Summer Fruit Galette SERVES 8 TO 10

Galettes are the reason fruit exists! This recipe is infinitely flexible: fill the flaky crust with whatever is in season, whether strawberries, blueberries, or even plump plums later on this summer.

1 recipe galette pastry dough, at room temperature (recipe follows) 3 plums, pitted and thickly sliced 1 to 2 apples, cored and sliced 1½ cups blackberries or blueberries ½ cup packed brown sugar + 1 tbsp (for sprinkling) 1 tbsp cornstarch ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp salt 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 tbsp honey (use good quality honey—go local!)

Roll dough between sheets of lightly floured parchment to make a rectangle of about 15 by 12 inches. Chill in refrigerator while preparing fruit.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Cut fruit, then place in a large bowl; sprinkle with ½ cup brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Using a spatula, gently mix together.

Remove dough from fridge; place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Heap fruit mixture in the centre of dough, leaving about a 1-inch border. Fold up edges of dough to partially cover fruit; lightly brush dough with egg, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp sugar.

Bake on lower rack of oven for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat to 375ºF; carefully remove and drizzle with honey. Continue to bake until pastry is deep golden and fruit is bubbly (20 to 30 more minutes). Drizzle with more honey, if you wish. Let cool 30 minutes before serving.

Handmade Galette Pastry Dough Unlike commercial flours, einkorn flour is rich in vitamins and nutrients, and contains less gluten. This makes it tricky to use in breads or baked goods that rely on a good rise, but it’s absolutely perfect for producing a soft pastry with a mild, nutty flavour— especially when blended with a little all-purpose flour.

1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup einkorn flour 2 tbsp granulated sugar ½ tsp salt ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes 2 heaping tbsp lard, chilled and cut into cubes ¼ cup ice water In a large bowl, stir together both flours with sugar and salt. Add butter and lard. Using your hands, gently toss until pieces are coated with flour.

Using your fingers and working quickly so pieces stay cold, gently rub lard and butter to form smaller pieces—you want a mix of chunky and skinny flat pieces. Drizzle with water, tossing with a fork until ragged dough forms. Add up to 1 tsp more water, if necessary. Using floured hands, gently knead to form a ball.

Flatten dough into a disc and wrap in plastic.

For best results, refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. (This allows the moisture to evenly distribute throughout the dough and relaxes the gluten so it’s easier to roll out.)

Makes 1 single crust.

Tip: Portion and freeze butter and lard before blending. This helps keep the pastry flaky.

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PROMOTION

DESIGNING FROM THE GROUND UP On November 29th designers David Christopher and Gillian Segal joined Western Living’s Executive Editor, Stacey McLachlan, for an evening of inspired discussion. Over cocktails, canapés and beautifully crafted floor decor at North Vancouver’s Pacific Rug Gallery, the panellists shared their thoughts on incorporating rugs into any design for any space.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: THIS IS IT STUDIOS

TRADE SECRETS

D E S I G N E D BY

Chad Falkenbergand Kelly Reynolds, Falken Reynolds

The Look

PATIO PARTY

With its smooth yellowcedar plank decking and furniture that echoes the modern design just inside, it’s almost hard to tell where the living room ends and the patio party begins.

“We wanted it to feel like an extension of the inside,” says Chad Falkenberg, one half of interior design team Falken Reynolds. The long Kettal outdoor sectional offers ample seating space— “People will cozy up together on a sofa,” says Falkenberg— but there are also plenty of alternative places to perch, thanks to a low concrete surrounding wall that functions as a built-in bench. They’re anchored around a boxy Paloform Fold fire table, with a generous surrounding surface area that leaves enough room for one’s feet or for setting down a wine glass. “It’s somewhere between a coffee table and a fire pit,” Falkenberg explains, the perfect fit for a space that’s somewhere between inside and out.

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Ema Peter

A narrow space that makes room for all.

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Only twenty-two homes in Vancouver’s most coveted urban village.

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