atHOME Summer Living Issue 2016

INTERIOR DESIGN JENNY MARTIN | CHEF DAN HAYES | VICTORIA VIBE DANA HUTCHINGS

MEET

REMI 2016 PET STORY PEOPLE’S

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JUDGING A HOUSE BY ITS COVER EXPERT TODD TALBOT IS TALKING CURB APPEAL

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contents 28 CONTRIBUTORS

4

ISSUE FEATURES

5

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

6

RIGHT AT HOME

10

EDITOR’S PICKS

12

PET STORY WINNER

14

FEATURE HOME

16

THE ART OF SAND

28

WEEKEND DIY

32

CHEF AT HOME

34

REAL ESTATE GUIDE

41

TODD TALBOT

42

REAL ESTATE REALITIES

48

CULINARY TRAVEL

58

THE ARTFUL HOME

64

THE WINE LIST

68

MASTER & COMMANDER

70

ENTERTAIN WITH DOROTHY

74

ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS

76

THE ART OF SUMMER SAND It’s time to hit the beach!

In anticipation of the upcoming Parksville Sand Castle Exhibition, learn about the history of this unique art form and how sand castles are built around the world. by: Jill Lang

42

JUDGING A HOME

BY ITS COVER Whether you are selling your home or it needs a refresh, expert Todd Talbot is sharing tips on how to maximize curb appeal, and it involves numbers, cherries and beach tote yellow. by: Todd Talbot

70

HIGH SEAS TRAVEL ADVENTURE If you have been searching for a true bucket list travel adventure, don’t miss this special summer feature that will take you aboard the Royal Clipper cruise ship, the world’s largest fully-rigged sailboat. by: Peter Mandel

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contributors CHEF DAN HAYES

DESIGNER JENNY MARTIN

VICTORIA GIRL DANA HUTCHINGS

is owner of The London Chef in Victoria. Chef Dan combines classical French training and a love of rustic Mediterranean cuisine to create outstanding dishes, memorable events and cookery lessons.

is one of Vancouver Island’s premier interior designers, and a name synonymous with timeless interiors and truly functional spaces.

She owns and manages Victoria based firm, Jenny Martin Design.

WEST COAST GRILLING

SWEET SUMMER MAKEOVER

THE VIEWPOINT STARTS HERE

p.50

p.56

p.34

ART LOVER EMILY DOBBY

is proud to call Victoria home.

Dana’s family has been here for five generations.

She is an awardwinning journalist and Director of Advancement and Communications at Power to Be Adventure Therapy.

HOSTESS DOROTHY HAWES

is an art professional with gallery and museum experience, currently managing Richard Roblin Fine Art Inc. Emily first fell in love with Victoria while completing a History in Art Master’s degree at University of Victoria.

grew up in a family of 12 and has been used to large gatherings since she took her first step. Dorothy is passionate about entertaining at home and is the energy behind her online blog Any Excuse For a Party.

LOCAL ARTIST ERIK VOLET

YOU HAD ME AT ALOHA

p.64

p.74

HOME EXPERT & TV PERSONALITY TODD TALBOT With a stage and screen career that began at an early age, Todd Talbot currently stars in Love It or List It Vancouver, was a guest judge on Game of Homes and voiced the show Who Lives Here, both for the W Network. Todd has also starred in dozens of award-winning productions around the world, and joins atHOME magazine as a home and real estate expert columnist for 2016.

JUDGING A HOUSE BY ITS COVER

p.42

AH

6

features

FEATURE home

p.16

With water views that never seem to end, this once tired and dysfunctional Dean Park Estates home has been given a shiny new lease on life, with a reimagined floor plan and modern features that exemplify what it means to live West Coast style.

SUMMER LIVING ISSUE Living, dining, entertaining, renovating and travel... in this issue of atHOME we are taking it outside. Take a look inside for hands-on, informative articles to help get your seasonal to-do list done, so you can get out and enjoy your island summer!

THE ARTFUL HOME

p.64

ERIK VOLET A Victoria native whose self proclaimed second home is Mexico, Volet is fuelled creatively by hectic streets; the sometimes chaotic ballet of sidewalks and bustling coffee shops.

atHOME magazine

I

love that our beaches are not soft and sandy and white.

I love that our shorelines are rocky and raw. Luckily, Victoria’s natural imperfections don’t deter locals and tourists alike from loving them too!

With rough edges in mind, I set out to apply this same attitude to a character home; just one of the hundreds that line our streets. In this issue, I took on a do-it-myself challenge to make over a drab guest bathroom in a vintage home, in two days or less, without changing a single piece of furniture, faucet, flooring or light fixture. I think you will agree that the transformation is awesome, in a very fishy way [Weekend D.I.Y, page 32].

Also in this summer issue, I am thrilled to share our feature home in Dean Park Estates that was given a new lease on life [Feature Home, page 16], an outdoor grilling adventure with Chef Dan Hayes [Chef at Home, page 34], and our resident interior designer is dishing her top four ways to refresh your home this summer [Design with Jenny Martin, page 50].

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A must read, as part of our regular segment on real estate in Victoria, television personality Todd Talbot is talking curb appeal [Todd Talbot, page 42] and veteran realtor Rashida Malik is sharing her experience with relocating and how to make the big move as stress-free as possible [Real Estate Realities, page 48].

My editor’s picks are all about being outdoors this summer; my four favourite Victoria patios on which to to drink, eat and spend time with friends [Editor’s Picks, page 12].

As always, thank you for spending time with us. I love sharing our HOME with you.

It’s good to be home,

Tracey Drake, EDITOR IN CHIEF editor@atHOMEmagazine.ca

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PRODUCTION/EDITORIAL TEAM JANE CROSS ELIZABETH DEAN EMILY DOBBY STEVE DRAKE JOHN GROSSMAN DOROTHY HAWES DAN HAYES DANA HUTCHINGS PETER MANDEL RASHIDA MALIK JENNY MARTIN JOSIE SALDAT GREG SZABO TODD TALBOT CREATIVE | PHOTOGRAPHY ADOBE STOCK CHASE CLAUSEN DE GUSTIBUS NYC STEVE DRAKE DANA HUTCHINGS HOMESENSE CANADA OCEAN POINTE VICTORIA PAUL MUENZER (DRONE FOCUS) STAR CLIPPERS DEBBIE STEEPER ERIK VOLET REBECCA WELLMAN

SALES & CIRCULATION DIRECTOR STEVE DRAKE ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING RIGHTS ENQUIRIES 250.595.7870 | sales@atHOMEmagazine.ca | atHOMEmagazine.ca Published by: Glossy Media All rights reserved. No part of atHOME magazine, Victoria edition may be copied or reproduced without permission. atHOME magazine is proudly produced in Canada Canada Post Publication Agreement #42520516

6621 Harbour Hill Drive, Pender Island, BC

10

250-629-6960

© COPYRIGHT atHOME VICTORIA MAGAZINE | GLOSSY MEDIA 2014-2016

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rightat HOME T

his local photograph, titled Summer Sunset was taken in Victoria by photographer RH Fletcher.

WHERE WAS THIS PHOTO TAKEN? Tell us where this photograph was taken and win! Enter on our website at www. atHOMEvictoria.com. One lucky winner will win a custom framed print of this photo courtesy of The Print Lab.

CONGRATULATIONS Melissa Faulkner was the winner of the gallery print Ancient Totem from AHV’s Spring 2016 issue. The correct answer was the fantastic totems at Thunderbird Park.

12

AHV WANTS TO FEATURE YOUR LOCAL PHOTOGRAPH! Send an email to editor@atHOMEvictoria.com for details on how to submit your Victoria photography.

atHOME magazine

editor’s PICKS VICTORIA’S BEST SUMMER PATIOS As soon as summer arrives, as a community, we collectively rush outdoors, often to enjoy a meal or a cold beverage on a hot day. For me, the fresh air and everchanging cityscape makes the food taste better, the company more lively and the days more memorable. Victoria has an abundance of places to eat, drink and enjoy the glorious weather. Here are my four favourites, and if you haven’t been, put these on your summer to-go list. See you on the patio!

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#1 LURE RESTAURANT & BAR

#2 STEAMSHIP GRILL

Nestled inside the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Hotel, Lure has a large, windproof patio fitted with comfortable outdoor furniture and stellar views of Victoria’s inner harbour - just a few of the reasons this is my #1 pick for 2016. The staff are friendly and the food is delicious - I highly recommend the lamb meatballs and house made purple potato chips.

Must try: COCOJITO - A great coconut twist on a traditional mojito - available by the pticher!

100 HARBOUR ROAD | LUREVICTORIA.COM

A relative newcomer to Victoria’s patio scene, and located in the grand Steam Ship Terminal Building, this is the perfect place to sit back and while away an afternoon or evening watching people, sailboats and floatplanes. The West Coast inspired menu will make this a local favourite for you. The Pacific White Fish Tacos keep me coming back!

Must try: STEAM SHIP CAESAR - In my opinion, one of the best caesars in the city, with just the right amount of sass!

1270 BELLEVILLE STREET | STEAMSHIPGRILL.COM

#3 LIDO WATERFRONT BISTRO

#4 FIAMO

This is the way summer patios in a harbour city are meant to be enjoyed - at the water’s edge with boats aplenty, an ocean breeze and the company of good friends. The views from the Lido Deck are great, as is the food and drink menus. Like many others, I habitually order from their signature thin crust pizza menu - tomato basil pizza is my tried-and-true favourite.

Must try: OKANAGAN PEAR CIDER - Even if you are not a cider lover, this fresh drink will win you over.

1234 S. WHARF STREET | LIDOBISTRO.COM

It might seem an odd choice for top patios in Victoria, but you haven’t truly eaten in Victoria until you have spent a warm summer evening dining alfresco on the Fiamo sidewalk patio.

Order up the Caprese salad, followed by the delectable housemade Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli, and you will swear you are sitting in an outdoor cafe in Italy.

Must try: GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA - The perfect mix of freshness and pucker in a flavourful seasonal cocktail.

515 YATES STREET | FIAMO.COM

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Photography of Remi (including cover): Steve Drake exclusively for atHOME Victoria magazine

2016 PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER REMI NOVA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLER COVER #YYJ PET STORY CONTEST The first annual atHOME Cover Pet Story Contest was so much fun! Local pet parents submitted photos of their furry family member online via Ocean 98.5 radio, contest judges picked five finalists, and Victoria pet lovers voted for their favourite at Tillicum Centre.

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As seen on the cover of this issue, Remi, an adorable 4 1/2 month Nova Scotia Duck Toller was the People’s Choice winner!

Remi keeps pet parents, Chris Reid and Kady Merrett very busy.

When she is not camping with her family, Remi loves eating ice cubes, chasing bugs and chewing sticks. Remi came to her

forever home from TollerPride Kennel in Surrey, BC and mom Kady says this little canine cutie is true to her breed. “She loves birds and ducks. Remi also really does have puppy dog eyes, when she is in trouble - they stare right through you!”

A big cheer for our all of our adorable pet finalists - Heidi, Marlo, Spooky and Luna. We cannot wait for next year!

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FEATURE home

DEAN PARK BY: JANE CROSS

BUILDER: BLACK WALNUT PROPERTIES & DESIGN INC. DESIGNER: RYAN HOYT DESIGNS PHOTOGRAPHERS: DEBBIE STEEPER, STEVE DRAKE, PAUL MUENZER [DRONE FOCUS]

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O

one of the biggest perks of living on the West Coast is the views. The vistas on this fabulous island seem to go on for days. I find it fascinating that so many homes don’t capitalize on that built-in feature. So when I find a house that clearly understands the importance of connecting the island to the home design, I get really excited. This is one of those homes.

When Grant and Jill Woytas purchased this property in prestigious Dean Park Estates, Jill admits that initially, she barely noticed the condition of the tired 1980’s residence. All she could see was the incredible ocean views and the obvious potential. “There is a peace and tranquility that comes from seeing all that expansive ocean, island and mountain views.” From first sketch, Jill Woytas knew the redesign of this home needed to

echo that sensibility. Of course, this was always going to be a total renovation. In fact, that is what Grant and Jill do best. Their company, Black Walnut Properties & Design Inc. seek out diamonds in the rough - homes in fabulous locations that deserve a second chance.

Working with Ryan Hoyt Design, a designer who understood the Woytas’ vision for this property, and Wade Griffin from Skyline Engineering, the team got to work taking down walls (lots of walls) and adding windows (lots of windows) and adjusting the roofline.

The design plan for this newly reimagined West Coast Modern home, with 4,400 square feet of living space including five bedrooms and four bathrooms, required a lot of thinking, and then rethinking, to get it right. The attention to detail clearly paid off.

atHOME magazine

FEATURE home

OPEN PLAN LIVING

For a home this size, probably one of the largest entry hallways I have seen - and I mean that in a really good way. With its wide angles, clear glass stair railing and five skylights, it invites you inside and then acts as a conduit that draws your eye quickly through the house and to the views waiting beyond the large main floor windows. The foyer was masterfully designed to be the hinge from which all parts of the home connect.

Without ever feeling boxy or closed in, it leads you to the mudroom, laundry room, bedrooms, wine room, master retreat and of course, the open plan living area.

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With 3,200 square feet on the main floor, there is just so much breathing space in this house - you immediately feel at home.

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FEATURE home

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

- William Morris

270 DEGREE VIEWS The main floor living space consists of a large living room with built-in modern fireplace and television, a centre plan dining room and a beautiful kitchen that boasts Ikea cabinets that look custom-made and sleek built-in appliances including a retractable pot filler over the stove and a high-end coffee bar.

Each area has unique qualities that add interest to this wide open space, but they are unified by two design elements - the impressive 7.5” wide dark grey engineered modern oak floors and the massive windows that offer 270 degree views.

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Jill and Grant Woytas were adament about keeping the interior clean, modern and simple. They didn’t want the design to compete with Mother Nature.

They got it right. “The best feature of this house are the ocean, mountain, island and airport views!

We watch the San Juan ferry come and go in the sailing season, not to mention boating activity and everchanging scenery!” Because the house sits so high up in Dean Park, and on the sloping lot, the night views of twinkling city lights and moonlight dancing on the ocean are as spectacular as daytime views.

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FEATURE home

“The walls throughout the house are intentionally white, so your eye automatically goes to the views.�

- Jill Woytas

MAIN FLOOR MASTERY This Dean Park Estates beauty was built for living, and because of a brilliant floor plan design, this could easily transition from a bustling family home to elegant, single-floor retirement living.

The restful master retreat is tucked away off a private hallway. It features a cozy bedroom, massive walk-in closet, secluded outdoor balcony and a spa inspired bathroom with the most beautiful tub, where you can soak away the stresses of the day while enjoying ocean and mountain views.

The main floor also offers a large mudroom with lots of modern cupboards, a beautiful laundry room adjacent to one of the bedrooms (which could work well for live-in quarters) and a well thought out wine room.

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MAIN FLOOR LUXURIES

The official wine of an Island Summer Modern mudroom off entry with clean lines and ample storage, perfect for a busy family.

Sleek wine room conveniently located off the main living space for easy in-and-out access.

Find Quill today where fine wines are sold. bluegrouse.ca Sunny laundry room tucked into the back corridor on the main floor boasts a window, sink and desk.

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2182 LAKESIDE ROAD, DUNCAN, BC

FEATURE home

WEST COAST MODERN

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Sitting on a 16,350 square foot lot, the property slopes towards the ocean, offering awe-inspiring views, day and night. The front facing rooflines were altered to further emphasis the modern design aesthetic, and then clad in a variety of materials - wood, stone, concrete - each executed skilfully to create instant curb appeal. Down the steps is the private entrance to the in-law suite. At the back of the property, below the stilted exterior, lies a large, natural parklike garden that welcomes birds, bees and deer.

FEATURE home

SO MANY POSSIBILITIES The 1,200 square feet on the lower level wasn’t wasted either. In addition to a large games and family room that is part of the main house, there is a separate suite (with a private entrance), complete with a lovely modern kitchen, living room with ocean views, spacious bedroom, generous four-piece bath and even a laundry room.

With the state of today’s housing market, it’s not uncommon to have young adults still living at home with their parents, elderly family members moving in who need assistance, or a large extended family sharing a mortgage.

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This house was designed for possibilities; a home that is functional, fabulous and family friendly.

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2016-05-12 2:35 PM

Art of Sand the

BY: JILL LANG

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If there is a heaven for me, I’m sure there is a beach attached to it.

- JIMMY BUFFET

atHOME magazine

In the beginning, teams reproduced intricate, miniature castles in competitions, while nowadays anything and everything is reproduced from ancient mystical cities and dragons, to Ferraris and skull graves.

S

andcastles fall from the sky, not because they’re anything less than shockingly delightful, but because the sky is etheric. We need earth to create art as much as we need ideas to sprinkle down from the sky.

Sand art is so organic, so simple and so completely divine. The penetrating detail of this exquisite art form arrests me every time.

In fact, I find the entire gamut of sand art hypnotizing, from simple sculptures like igloos and horses, to more complex sculptures like magnificent castles, small villages and life-inspired portraits. Sand art makes me love the beach even more, though I suppose that I’m not as awe struck by the sand as I am by the artists who transform these elements into spectacular works of art.

32

Sand sculpting has been around for centuries, origins unknown, but I wouldn’t doubt that creative types among the ancient Egyptians constructed sand reproductions of the pyramids. Artists began to profit from their craft in the 19th century, first as unintentional buskers. In the 1970s, Gerry Kirk and Todd Vander Pluym from California began to approach the pastime professionally, and were

among the first of many teams to succeed in the sand-castle-building industry. Kirk, grand master of sand and founder of the World Sand Sculpting Association, holds four Guinness book world records.

For decades professional sculpting teams have travelled to festivals and competitions, vying for prestigious crowns and monetary prizes. Close to home, BC’s Harrison Hot Springs and Parksville on Vancouver Island host sand sculpting competitions each year, while popular international sand sculpting locales include Australia, California, Florida, Russia, and there’s even an offshore competition in Berlin, Germany, called Sandsation. In May and June each year, the world’s top sand artists flock to Fulong Beach on Taiwan’s northeast coast to participate in one of the most popular festivals in the world.

The beach area between Yanliao and Fulong in Taiwan, the Gold Beach, is certified as the best sculpting site in Taiwan by the World Sand Sculpting Academy because of its soft quartz sand, which is flexible and highly adhesive when mixed with water. The festival has been running every year since 2008, and in 2011, 350,000 visitors strolled through a larger than life sand gallery to view sophisticated works of art made with nothing more than water and sand.

A few weeks before the sand festival starts, event organizers prep the beach so that sculptors can basically just show up and start sculpting.

The sand is piled up in layers with the help of excavators, and the resulting sand pyramids are held in place with wooden planks. Each layer is compressed with tamping rammers, with circumference and height varying based on designs submitted by sculptors in advance.

Parksville Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition July 15 - August 21, 2016 Sculptors start at the top and work down, and they can’t go back up and make changes once they’re done. It’s amazing that works of art stay together at all considering the fragile nature of sand, but for competitions and festivals, sculptures are protected by an environmentally friendly sealer consisting of wood glue and water.

Visitors are apparently more of a danger to delicate sand sculptures than heavy rains and typhoons.

Sand art merges sculpture with architecture, entertainment and sport, and provides avenues for artists to create an outdoor gallery for visitors to peruse. Throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, sand sculpting has continued to be an integral component of sandy beaches and beachside resorts world wide, as artists tour the globe in a quest to create art out of sand.

Plenty of things to keep us busy down here, you see? When those sand castles fall from the sky...

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I

adore wallpaper. As it continues to make a comeback (see AHV expert Jenny Martin’s article on page 50), I was eager to show how a room could be transformed without huge expense or renovation - changing nothing but the walls and accessories!

This main floor guest bathroom, part of our charming Victoria character home, had good bones with amazing original hardwood floors and a custom wood and marble vanity when we moved in (before photo - opposite). However, even with ample natural light, it was drab.

Wanting to have fun with this weekend project, and inject some much needed colour and personality into this space, I immediately gravitated towards the Fornasetti II Acquario wallpaper by Cole & Son. I chose this paper for its definitive West Coast connection, whimsical appearance and stunning colours set on a subtle sea blue washed background.

WEEKEND D.I.Y

FABULOUS COLE & SON WALLPAPER TRANSFORMED A BORING BATHROOM INTO AN AQUATIC ADVENTURE BY: TRACEY DRAKE

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Acquario is one of fifteen designs in the Cole & Son Fornasetti II collection. The Acquario pattern used in this project features a fish theme that appears in some of the earliest work by Fornasetti. Italian Piero Fornasetti (1913 – 1988) was an one of the most prolific designers of the 20th century. As an artist and creator of thousands of products, Fornasetti’s legacy is a colourful witty visual vocabulary that is iconic and engaging.

“Pablo Neruda once described my father as the magician of precious and precise magic and I think that this decorative collection

beautifully

captures

the

magic essence of the Fornasetti world.”

- Barnaba Fornasetti

This weekend D.I.Y project took less than a weekend and the quality of this paper meant installation was a delilght. It is not pre-pasted so purchase a good wallpaper adhesive. Each roll measures 68.5 centimetres wide, 10.05 metres in length and has a half drop match with a 76 centimetre repeat.

BEFORE

Great wallpaper, locally sourced colourful accessories and a lick of white paint on the mirror frame - that’s all that changed and yet this space has been completely transformed!

GET THIS LOOK Fornasetti II Acquario 97/10030 wallpaper: Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com.

Striped towels, colourful lidded jars, fish vase, rug: Bungalow, Estevan Village.

Blue glass floor vase, faux coral, blue towels: HomeSense.

White modern branch chair: Standard Furniture.

Beach towel leather carrier: Good Prospects Leather Goods, Tofino.

HALF DROP MATCH The pattern runs diagonally and simply put, odd numbered strips (1,3,5…) are identical and even numbered strips (2,4,6…) are identical. The vertical design repeats every third strip.

atHOME magazine

BY: DAN HAYES | THE LONDON CHEF PHOTOGRAPHER: REBECCA WELLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE MURRAY RESIDENCE EXCLUSIVELY FOR atHOME MAGAZINE

BOCCONCINI

O

utdoor grilling is at the heart of the West Coast summer experience. In this issue of atHOME Victoria, I am in the stunning backyard of friends Mike and Cheryl Murray, sharing a few of my favourite fresh recipes. Let’s start with grilled asparagus with country bread, bocconcini and fresh chilli oil, followed by a main of grilled albacore tuna steaks with Sicilian inspired caper and lemon sauce, and finish off this alfresco meal with fresh peaches grilled on the barbecue with brown sugar, vanilla and marscapone. Bon Appetit!

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• • • • • • •

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Combine ingredients and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 12 hours.

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GRILLED ALBACORE TUNA STEAKS with SICILIAN INSPRIRED CAPER, LEMON SAUCE and CHARRED LEMONS

TUNA • • • • •

1 INCH ALBACORE STEAKS – 1 PER PERSON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER DRIED OREGANO OLIVE OIL SALT

Preheat barbecue to a high heat. Rub tuna with olive oil and season liberally with pepper, oregano and salt. Grill for 2 minutes per side. Set aside to rest.

CHARRED LEMONS • 2 WHOLE LEMONS, CUT ON A BIAS

Place face down on barbecue until brown and grilled. Set aside.

SAUCE • • • • • • •

3 TBSP OLIVE OIL JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LEMON 1 TBSP WELL RINSED CAPERS PINCH DRIED OREGANO PINCH CHILLI FLAKES 1 CLOVE GARLIC, FINELY SLICED 3 CRUSHED ANCHOVY FILLETS (OPTIONAL)

Gently heat all ingredient in a very small saucepan over barbecue. Do not allow to fry.

ASSEMBLE THE DISH – TUNA, SAUCE AND ROAST LEMON. SQUEEZE LEMON OVER.

38

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EXTENDED VERSION ONLINE

40

Go to atHOMEmagazine.ca for behind-the-scenes video and photos of these and other recipes by Chef Hayes.

FRESH PEACHES with CHARRED BROWN SUGAR, VANILLA, MASCARPONE AND ORANGE

• PEACHES, NOT TOO RIPE, CUT IN ½ WITH STONE REMOVED • CANOLA OIL • SMALL CONTAINER MASCARPONE • 1 TBSP BROWN SUGAR • 1 VANILLA POD • 1 ORANGE

Clean one area of the barbecue well. Brush flesh of peaches with canola oil and place peaches flesh side down on hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Mix zest of ½ orange, juice of whole orange, scraped out seeds of one vanilla pod and brown sugar with mascarpone.

Serve cooled peaches with a dollop of mascarpone cream. Can be served with a glass of amaretto or amaretti cookies.

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VICTORIA REAL ESTATE GUIDE Summer 2016 Edition Welcome to atHOME’s real estate feature. Look inside for relocation exper t advice, summer home decor ideas, a Curb Appeal exclusive with Todd Talbot, and local home sale listings that might get you moving!

JUDGING A HOUSE BY ITS

COVER BY: TODD TALBOT

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but people know how they feel about a house by the time they get to the front door.

Which brings me to your first DIY curb appeal project...

1. A PUNCH OF COLOUR What better way to draw people in than the lure of a very obvious, very bold front door? An average front door is about 20 sq feet, that’ll take you 20 minutes for one coat of paint and a huge impact.

What to use? Picking paint can actually be very daunting so I’m going to make it easy for you!

PARA Paints Ultra Exterior Paint. This 100% acrylic water-based paint comes in a velvet or semi-gloss finish. It is specially formulated for exterior use, very durable, providing heightened resistance against weather exposure, mildew, fading, peeling and blistering.

And in terms of the colour, tap into your inner child with one of these colours from Para Paints: Cherries Jubilee (P5079-85) Beach Tote (P5053-52)

On The Runway (P5205-85)

44

REAL ESTATE feature

atHOME magazine

MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION 2. A SPRAY OF WATER If you have never held the magical wand of a pressure washer, you haven’t lived. It’s one of the most satisfying experiences in life (ok that might be a little much, but it’s cool). Attack those gutters, stairs, sidewalks, and decks to rid any trace of mold, mildew, dirt or debris.

You can buy a gas or electric powered unit or if you’re only going to use it once a year, save money and storage by renting from your local hardware store. Tip: gas units take more maintenance but have more power.

To get you started in your search, I have two recommendations:

The cadillac of home gas powered pressure washers is the Simpson MSH3125-S 3100psi at 2.5gpm Gas Pressure Washer Powered by Honda.

The Campbell Hausfeld PW182501AV Electric Pressure Washer 1900psi 4.

3. A BIT OF EARTH The days of the ‘golf green’ lawn are in the past.

In our changing climate the focus has shifted to drought resistant, low maintenance, easy choices.

I talked with my friends at Higher Ground Gardens to ask for their top tips for instant curb appeal keeping in mind cost and the environment.

1. Bark mulch helps retain water in the soil during hot summer months so cover garden beds with an attractive layer that saves water.

2. Ditch the destroyed lawn. Send crows and raccoons packing, and dig out the grubs that are chewing at the roots of your turf. Install drought tolerant easy care plants instead.

3. Clean lines for a clean look. Edge the lawn along all garden beds and pathways. It makes the property look extra tidy with the look of a manicured estate.

4. Make a statement with colourful containers.

Place a pair of well proportioned pots on either side of the entrance and fill with colourful annuals of different heights or choose something simple like boxwood.

46

4. A LITTLE BLING Add some funky house numbers to finish off the look. There are tons of options out there and you can get creative to make a statement. Light them up for extra impact at night and help friends find your place while your at it.

Might as well invite people over to enjoy all your new spring appeal!

TODD TALBOT With Love It or List It Vancouver, Todd has returned to the small screen where he first made his start as a teenager on the hit Nickelodeon TV series Fifteen. A veteran theatre artist for more than two decades, Todd has starred in dozens of award-winning productions.

Todd’s professional life is busy! Todd travels between the U.S. and Canada, speaking at and emceeing a wide variety of events. Todd was a guest judge on Game of Homes and voiced the show Who Lives Here, for the W Network.

An entrepreneur from a young age, Todd’s company currently owns and manages multiple residential properties as well as several real estate ventures in renovation, marketing and design. Todd also leads an experienced team helping clients buy and sell homes.

Visit toddtalbot.ca, for a journey behind the scenes into life on and off screen as well as upcoming projects. Follow Todd: Instagram, Twitter and Periscope @ToddTalbot

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Professional

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REAL ESTATE

REALITIES

BY: RASHIDA MALIK

IT STARTS FROM HOME | THE FACTS ABOUT RELOCATION FOR MILITARY AND OTHER CANADIAN HOMEOWNERS

F

rom my experience of relocating from Pakistan to Germany at a young age and starting a family, then to Calgary and eventually moving to Victoria in 1994, I truly understand the emotional whirlwind that comes with relocation. My own experiences have made me an expert on relocation real estate for those moving to and from Victoria. Relocating is a process that is intimidating to many, and I certainly understand that sentiment. I remember having two suitcases, young children and an unknown city before me; not knowing where I would be planting roots in my new home. Today, after numerous big moves, I look back with no regrets and you should too!

to, speak with a real estate expert that has reliable insider, local information to help you make the right choice. Distance to work, good schools, shops, quality of life and return on investment are all points to be considered and discussed with your realtor.

My husband is in the military, and through my strong ties to the military community, I offer clients extensive experience with the physical and emotional aspects of relocating. Building on twenty years of experience, and a true passion for what I do, I am here to help families moving to or from Victoria, assist them in making sound decisions, and get them settled in their new community. My goal is to make your entire experience less stressful and more enjoyable.

When you relocate, you move more than just homes. Of course, the financial investment is in our home. However, other tangible life investments come into play as well like leaving friends behind and making new ones, changing doctors, schools and bankers, reestablishing favourite restaurants and neighbourhood haunts. Daily routines change and require time and adaptation.

Whether it is a military relocation, career move or you are retiring to a new city, it is a journey that is similar for all of us – a time filled with anticipation, excitement, trepidation and even sadness.

Stay true to yourself. Embrace the changes with confidence and dignity; whether you are coming or going – buying or selling – you can recreate your life in a new community.

RASHIDA’S TOP RELOCATION TIPS

No matter where you are moving, every city and every community has unique things to offer. Let’s take Victoria for example. Our city has diverse and welcoming communities no matter where you might be coming from. If you are unsure on what area to move

• INVOLVE THE WHOLE FAMILY: We all adapt

TOM CROFT

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50

ocated on a quiet street in the heart of Fernwood. arely found newer, modern home with super open an complete with vaulted ceilings. 3BR + Den, 3BA n an easy care 3900sqft lot. Beautiful h/w floors, rround speaker system, spacious, bright Kitchen w/ land. French doors lead to a great backyard space.

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Wishing a peaceful, happy holiday season to everyone & best wishes for 2016

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TASTEFULLY UPDATED TOWNHOUSE RARE OPPORTUNITY IN LANGFORD

Almost 2000sqft of comfortable living in this 3BR, 2BA townhouse in a very popular & well-maintained 29 unit townhouse neighbourhood bordering Langford Lake. Large, modern Ikea Kitchen, LR/DR w/wood-burning insert, new roof, newer vinyl

better if we are part of the process. Depending on age, give each family member an important role in the move.

• SCHOOL YEAR: If you have the option, move at a time that children can enroll at the start of a new school year. It makes the transition much easier.

JIM • EXCHANGE VALUE: If you are moving from another BAILEY 592-4422 TIRED OF SMALL LOTS? know what your money is worth and how much country, Check Out 7020 West Coast Rd. • Over 1575sqft, 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths you can afford to buy. house • Renovated Kitchen, laminate floors • Beautiful wood-burning fireplace • SPORTS & ACTIVITIES: Registering for sports • 0.32acre lot overlooking green space • Plenty of storage teams, camp and other activities can be done online, • $342,500 MLS® 357164 Call Jim now for a private viewing • jimbailey.ca allowing early registration and once you move, children are able to fit right into their new community.

• WEATHER PERMITTING: No point paying movers TAMMI DIMOCK to transport 642-6361 boxes of winter clothing to a location that HOME OWNERSHIP never sees snow. A little homework can be a big help.

FOR THE NEW YEAR?

View the many improvements in this outstanding duplex boasting 3BR & 2BA over 2 levels. Bright Kitchen, inline dining area w/sliding door to entertainment-size deck & fully fenced yard.

Comfortable LR w/space to entertain. Oversized

your LIFE. your STYLE. your C I T Y. Fashion and beauty should be fun, flattering and effortless.

Forget about trends. First, get to know your body and skin type. Next, choose colours you love, silhouettes that compliment your body shape and styles that fit your unique lifestyle.

— TRACEY DRAKE, EDITOR IN CHIEF NICHE MAGAZINE | atHOME MAGAZINE

Join us!

LIFE + STYLE PROGRAM A unique LIFE+STYLE program created by the fashion, beauty and lifestyle experts at NICHE magazine and atHOME Victoria magazine, in partnership with Victoria’s favourite downtown shopping destination, The Bay Centre. Watch for events like Lunch & Learn, Fashion & Lifestyle Exhibits, Beauty Demos, Home Decor How-To Sessions, and Celebrity Guests!

UPCOMING SESSIONS: SHAKE UP YOUR STYLE. 6 WAYS TO CHANGE UP YOUR EXISTING WARDROBE. COLOUR BLOCKING. THE TRICK TO LOOKING LEAN AND STYLISH IN YOUR CLOTHES. COME & LEARN HOW ITS DONE.

magazine.TM

is your local fashion & lifestyle expert.

Our internationally recognized magazine is a go-to source for millions of readers. Our local team of style experts will help you look and feel amazing!

w!WORK WITH A NICHE STYLIST e N

Need a little fashion advice? Do you know your body type and how to dress it? NICHE offers private and small group (BFFs and bridal party) style sessions at The Bay Centre. Fun, educational, affordable!

RE-STYLE YOUR HOME. 10 WAYS TO GO FROM DULL DRAB TO ELEGANT GLAM IN JUST A WEEKEND. LET’S TALK BODY TYPES. DEBUNKING THE MYTHS OF WHAT YOU REALLY CAN WEAR ON YOUR BODY. SECRETS TO A CLOSET PURGE. WHY THIS WILL SAVE TIME AND HAVE YOU LOVING YOUR WARDROBE AGAIN.

Details, pricing, event tickets & style session bookings:

www.NICHE.style

By appointment only.

magazine.TM

™

DESIGN WITH JENNY MARTIN

SWEET SUMMER MAKEOVER

BY: JENNY MARTIN | INTERIOR DESIGNER

Summer has arrived! It’s the time of year for backyard barbecues and patio parties, for beach days and road trips. We know how easy it can be to overlook your home’s interior amidst all of the hustle and bustle of outdoor activity – but a seasonal refresher doesn’t have to be complicated! Here are my top tips on how to keep the inside of your home feeling as fresh as that cool summer breeze!

1. CHALK PAINT

By now, you’re probably aware of this D.I.Y craze. It’s fast become one of our favourite hobbies at JMD; we love making old things new again!

We usually start by cruising online sources like Craiglist or Used.ca for vintage pieces that need TLC. You can also check out secondhand stores like the Re-Store (all profits go to Habitat for Humanity), for potential treasures. Once we find a piece, we either purchase or make our own chalk paint (check out the JMD blog www.jennymartindesign.blogspot.com for more details!) and get to work! It only takes a few hours and once you’ve finished, you have a completely new furniture piece!

2. HARDWARE

One of the hottest trends on the design scene is brass hardware. This throwback to the ‘80s has a much simpler look these days, and is a chic and easy way to add pizzazz to your kitchen or bathroom. In order to keep the look more modern than retro, avoid pieces that are too ornate – stick to clean-lined profiles and silhouettes that add shine and drama without being too opulent. The finish should speak for itself!

4 SIMPLE WAYS TO SHAKE UP YOUR HOME’S STYLE

52

3. BACKSPLASH Changing up your kitchen or bathroom backsplash can seem a little daunting at first, but what a difference it can make to the overall feel of a room! Swapping out old tiles for a classic white or soft grey subway can add just the right touch of understated, modern elegance. I also love Edgewater Studios out of Vancouver, BC – their art glass mosaics come in a variety of colours and patterns that will make anyone swoon!

Designer Tip: Pair brass hardware with navy cabinets & marble countertops for the sexiest look of the season.

4. WALLPAPER I know what you’re thinking – “Wallpaper? Isn’t that SO ‘90s?”.

Well I’ve got news for you! Wall coverings are coming back in a BIG way. And nowadays, they are manufactured specifically for easy installation – and removal. That being said, a little wallpaper goes a long way. I recommend adding drama to a small area (a powder room or a feature wall, for example) to make a statement that empowers the overall design – not overwhelms it.

Jenny’s Decorating Go-To’s

Hardware Hot-spots: Victoria Specialty Hardware, Richelieu, KSC Hardware, Restoration Hardware Best Backsplashes: Oceanside, Edgewater Studios, Tierra Sol, Fireclay Tile (and check out Decora on Quadra for tons of other tiling options) Wallpaper Wishlist: Barbara Barry Designs, Cole & Son, Sanderson Chalk Paint: Annie Sloane

atHOME magazine

CHEF’S DREAM KITCHEN

4920 Nagle Dr

5.70 ACRES OF OCEANFRONT

$998,000

In a spectacular setting only 25 minutes from Victoria is this stunning executive home offering a sophisticated and contemporary décor to compliment nature’s spectacle: a panorama of ocean and mountain views in a serene setting. Exquisite surface materials of slate, fir, glass and quartz combine beautifully in the wide open spaces. The principal rooms wrap around a chef’s dream kitchen, ideal for entertaining. Set in 3.6 private LCP exclusive use acres, the 4 bed/4 bath home is only 10 minutes to shopping and Western Communities conveniences.

EXQUISITE PANORAMA

7450 Thornton Heights

$1,300,000

On 5.70 acres of oceanfront property draped along 1200 ft of frontage with rocky outcroppings and pocket beaches, is this unique West Coast home.

Overlooking a partially secluded cove, the home has a cozy, rustic appeal on 3 levels of living space. There is a 2 bedroom furnished cottage on the property.

For the outdoor enthusiasts looking for a tranquil natural setting, this is a dream location. Bordering the Galloping Goose Trail, 30 minutes to Victoria and located in the Sooke Basin, there is great opportunity for an Eco-tourism retreat or B & B. Several excellent building sites to choose from.

2 level OCEAN VIEW AT SOOKEPOINT

$1,400,000

With over 4,200 square feet of open concept living, beautiful custom interiors and unparalleled views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympics, this immaculate private home is the perfect balance of design and nature.

7180 EAST SOOKE RD

7180 East Sooke Rd

1960 Gillespie Road

23 - 1000 Silver Spray Drive

$949,800

Imagine living on the vibrant edge of nature with surging surf and romantic sunsets This plan can be either 2 or 3 bedrooms.Offering a “lock & go” luxury lifestyle and you have the option to rent when you are not home. It comes fully furnished and equipped! Just bring your suitcase! Price exclusive of GST.

1.7 PRIVATE ACRES

$912,000

Yet to be built, this home offers privacy and spectacular panoramic westerly views spanning the Olympic Mountains, Juan de Fuca Straits and Whiffen Spit. This superb Ridgeco Developments custom home offers 3 levels of luxury living.

tarahearn@tarahearn.com

250-588-2852 w w w. t a r a h e a r n . c o m

376 Becher Bay Road

$599,000

Energy efficient, custom built home set on 1.7 private acres. With sleek concrete radiant heated floors , vaulted ceilings and cedar throughout, milled from the property. There is an engineered rainwater containment system, ‘invisible fencing’ for pet containment, greenhouse, large workshop & so much more. Plus a hot tub! Marinas, fishing & great coastal hiking nearby. Only 22 minutes to Langford or Colwood.

E

xquisite designs, built to perfection...

Discover the Lands at Silver Spray, Sooke Ocean front, ocean view, mountain top, the choice is yours Ridgeco Developments builds a wide variety of home styles, each distinguished by meticulous detail, superior craftsmanship, and spacious indoor and outdoor livability. We give clients the time they need and the level of personal involvement they want, to ensure that the end result is the home that they truly desire.

We use our 35 years of experience, deep rooted business & community relationships, and a team of industry leading professionals to ensure that the construction of each dream home is nothing short of incredible.

ridgeco.dev@gmail.com

250.642.0104

BORROWED time CHIC ENTERTAINING MAKES A COMEBACK

56

B

1.

BY: ELIZABETH DEAN

ar or entertaining spaces are not what they used to be. With less square footage to work with, for homeowners and renters alike, it creates a challenge. For those wanting a transient option, using bold design elements translates into magnificiently movable modern decor. Using a saturated black (or navy) as your anchor, add thoughtfully chosen pieces with graphic details and punctuate the space with bright pops of rich colour. Doing more with less, sleek bar tops are pulling double duty as dining room consoles, with bottles and bar equipment tucked neatly behind closed doors.

BEST ENTERTAINMENT INVESTMENT PIECES (THAT YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU WHEN YOU MOVE) VERSATILE SEATING Chairs that work in the dining room, office or lounge, depending on what you need it for. Unique benches that are space saving and offer a point of visual interest.

2.

CONVERSATION STARTERS It might be a great piece of art or a cool light fixture but adding carefully selected unique objects to your entertaining space attracts attention and draws guests into the space.

FUNCTIONAL ACCESSORIES Beautiful bowls, attractive trays, dishes and storage boxes - choose those that looks amazing while off-duty, but can quickly be put into service for food, drinks, stemware or bottles when company comes calling.

3.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT HOMESENSE VICTORIA: 1.

2.

3.

4.

SET OF PRINTED BAR TOWELS, $5.99 WOVEN ROPE & WOOD BENCH, $129.99 WOOD FRAMED EDISON BULB, $39.99 C O L O U R F U L A B S T R A C T A R T, $ 1 9 9 . 9 9

4. atHOME magazine

VICTORIA VIBE

WITH DANA HUTCHINGS

THE VIEWPOINT STARTS HERE

T

he wilds of British Columbia. The wilds of Vancouver Island. We know it, we love it. That’s one of the many reasons we live here. Recently, when Hollywood star Neil Patrick Harris visited Tofino, something struck me. He said, “It’s the prettiest place on earth.” “It’s so beautiful here.” On Instagram, Harris shared numerous videos with 3.3 million people and many were aflutter that he chose to come here. It was on the news and it was a big deal. Yes the videos are cute and charming and I think NPH is legen-dary! (a reference to Barney, his character from How I Met Your Mother). Yes it is great marketing for Tofino and our island in general. But guess what? We get to live here! We can experience the amazingly glorious forests and the incredibly stunning coast anytime we want...

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Wow! Think about that for a minute.

WE DO LIVE IN THE BEST PL ACE ON EARTH! I sometimes wonder though, do we appreciate it? Do I appreciate it? On a recent hike up Mount Finlayson, a route I have done many times, I almost took the beauty for granted. What I was thinking about was a day with great friends and getting some exercise; what I forgot was my surroundings. When I got to the summit, I got a quick reminder - the stunning vistas, the vast amount of green space, the ocean on the horizon and the snowcapped mountains in the distance. WOW! Gorgeous. It hit me; I am lucky, blessed really.

My trip down the mountain was very different than my trip up and for reasons other than the obvious physical one! On the way down, I slowed down, looked around, really tried to appreciate the lush green forest. The greens got greener, the trees loomed larger and they had been there all along. I love to walk and to hike. I love being outdoors. This was a reminder to slow down, look around and really enjoy it.

Yes I do think, in general, we do appreciate it. I can’t count the number of times I have been on the Dallas Road waterfront and seen people taking photos of the spectacular sunsets; or people jumping out of their vehicles to snap shots of cherry blossom petals “snowing” down; or cameras snapping away at Fisherman’s Wharf. It is truly spectacular. Funny how someone else appreciating where I live, makes me appreciate it more.

I remember when I was at UVic studying Art History, I read about a multimedia artist whose exhibit was simple.

He went to the Santa Monica waterfront, a long stretch, miles and miles of sandy beaches. He posted a sign that read something like, “Viewpoint Starts Here”. Suddenly people were pulling over to check it out. What’s funny, of course, the beach, the crashing waves, the sand had been there the whole time. The message though is clear. We forget to stop and enjoy the view.

So while I’m slightly perturbed that it takes a celebrity from L.A. to remind me of where we live and how lucky we are to live here, I have to thank him at the same time.

I’ve been told I’m one of the biggest advocates of merits and wonders of Victoria and Vancouver Island. While I wear that as a badge of honour, even I need a reminder now and then.

VANC OUVER ISL AND IS SUPERNATUR AL

AND SPECTACUL AR

AND WE GET TO C ALL IT HOME.

DANA HUTCHINGS is a very proud Victorian whose family has been in Victoria five generations, longer than the city has been in existence. Always a journalist, Dana recently began a new career path as Director of Advancement and Communications at Power to Be Adventure Therapy. atHOME magazine

CULINARYtravel

a DELICIOUS secret at MACY’S Women’s coats, bathing suits and duck pot au feu

BY: JOHN GROSSMAN

T

he champagne has been poured. Waiters pass platters of lobster-filled daikon rolls, mozzarella with black olives on toast, and homemade liverwurst canapés. Executive Chef Gabriel Kreuther of New York’s The Modern is at the stove, about to cook a five-course dinner.

New York is awash in tasting meals, but none boasts the pedigree, the revolving roster of star chefs, the sense of theatre the unfashionable nightly seating time of 5:30 pm, or anything remotely like the out-of-the-way, out-of-theordinary location of the dining experience named after the start of a Latin phrase for ‘Of taste there is no dispute.’

To claim your seat you must enter Macy’s flagship store and make your way to the eighth floor. Proceed past the women’s coats (or bathing suits, depending on the season) to a security guard manning a drab workers’ corridor.

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Your password: De Gustibus.

People who love to eat are always the best people. - J U L I A C H I L D

atHOME magazine

Before the term foodie worked its way into the lexicon, long before the Food Network was born, there was the De Gustibus Cooking School in Manhattan, which some have called The Miracle on 34th Street. Considering its humble origins 30 years ago, it is, indeed, a miracle the school survived its salad days. But survive it has, and more than 1,300 chefs later, offers a unique and rewarding dining experience some 130 nights a year.

What it isn’t: a white tablecloth, fine dining night on the town. The stemware and plates are stylish, but you get a paper placemat and paper napkin. What it is: a cooking show come to life, enlivened with questions from the audience, and offering not simply the sights and sounds of gourmet food preparation, but also the beguiling smells and, most importantly, the ability to taste the dishes, which are prepared en masse in a backstage prep kitchen by the chef’s brigade and the De Gustibus staff.

62

This being a cooking school, you sit at one of eight long tables facing the stage-like kitchen set-up, which bears an overhead mirror that now shows Chef Kreuther stirring abalone mushrooms in a skillet with garlic and thyme.

The take home booklet of tonight’s recipes indicates the mushrooms will be combined with mussels, a paprika vinaigrette, toasted almonds, and shredded Iberico ham.

Kreuther adds four of five tablespoons of water to a heating saucepan of grapeseed oil, explaining in his Alsatian accent, “When it gets to the right heat, 160, 170 degrees, you’ll have the water bubbling, and that will tell you to put it on the side and let it steep. This way you won’t burn the paprika. It will stay red and not turn brown.” A dozen pens ink that tip in the margins of the recipe.

Who comes? Dedicated home cooks seeking just such expert advice. Jaded restaurant goers seeking something different. Moms and Dads bringing budding young chefs.

Star-struck food lovers seeking a close encounter with a celebrity chef like Wolfgang Puck or Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Thomas Keller, Bobby Flay or Cat Cora, five of the many visiting chefs whose so-called Forever Young photos--most taken before they became mega celebrities-line three walls of the room. Dating couples come to De Gustibus. Some nights you’ll see a creative business executive treating clients to a novel night on the town.

“How many of you have been to The Modern?” asks tonight’s hostess, Arlene Feltman Sailhac, a last minute replacement for De Gustibus owner-director Sal Rizzo, who had emergency Achilles heel surgery earlier in the day. About one-third of the 48 attendees raise a hand.

C EL EB RI TY C H EF

Wolfgang Puck

Feltman Sailhac, the co-founder and driving force behind De Gustibus, sold the cooking school to Rizzo in 2008, but has remained on board, offering with her husband, Chef Alain Sailhac, gastronomic vacations to such food havens as Provence and Sicily. Clearly, she could not make a complete break from her culinary offspring. Even today, she speaks of the school’s early days like a proud, but once-embattled mother telling parenting war stories.

De Gustibus, Feltman Sailhac will tell you, was born of a visionary, but rather naive notion that she, then a supervisor of the speech clinic at City College, and an equally food-loving colleague shared: “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to invite chefs to come and speak.” The two wrote such chefs as Perla Myers, Jacques Pepin, Paula Wolfert, and Giuliano Bugialli. All said yes. “Then,” recalls Feltman Sailhac, “we realized, oh my god, we need a space.”

A Carnegie Hall annex, hurriedly rented on a dark Monday night, hosted the first class. Myers, the inaugural chef, effectively paved the way when she announced: “I’m not going to speak for three hours, I need to cook.” She made do with an extension cord and an electric frying pan.

Afterwards, everybody left their auditorium seats and came on stage to pick at the chicken breasts she’d sauteed.

A change of venue, to TOMI Hall at the Theatre Opera Music Institute, saw Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, and others on stage (again on a dark Monday night) cooking in front of whatever scenery would greet opera goers the following evening. Students ate off paper plates. Regulars, known

affectionately as ‘the box people,’ improved their lot by improvising personal cardboard laptop tables.

When the school moved to Macy’s Herald Square store, initially in a different spot on the 8th floor, De Gustibus enjoyed its first proper cooking facilities. But it still shared space with the department store’s puppet theatre and had to make way for the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. In 1997, classes moved to the current location off the selling floor, where, as soon as the first sip of sparkling wine hits your lips, you forget all about the surrounding retailing hubbub.

Tonight’s food proves delicious, the dishes all menu favourites at The Modern and on par with the platings there. After the mushroom and mussel appetizer, and basically in step with Chef Kreuther’s demonstrations, the De Gustibus waitstaff delivers: a chilled cucumber soup with white anchovies and manchego cheese; then roasted halibut with seasonal vegetables and a traditional Alsatian peasant burnt bread sauce; next the meat course, a playful duck ‘pot au feu’ two ways--the breast with seasonal vegetables and a basil emulsion, the foie gras on olive toast. Dessert is a light buttermilk panna cotta with concord grape marmalade and Aleppo pepper. After the champagne, a Tattinger brut, comes a dry white Meursault; then a premier cru red burgundy. Second pours are offered on all three wines.

THROUGHOUT, THE TONE IS CONVIVIAL, AND AS THE WINE FLOWS, SO DOES THE STREAM OF QUESTIONS TO THE CHEF.

“What temperature do you sweat vegetables?”

“MEDIUM, YOU WANT NO COLOUR. DON’T CARMALIZE THEM.”

“What kind of white wine do you use for cooking the mussels?”

“A CHEAP WHITE WINE,” says Chef Kreuther.

“NOT THE WHITE WINE WE’RE DRINKING,” jokes Feltman Sailhac.

atHOME magazine

De Scoop on De Gustibus 1. Sign up early: Not just for the classes (degustibusnyc.com), which can sell out, but on the daily signup sheet by the 8th floor security guard. Regulars, aware that the room fills by the order of the names on the sheet, know to stop by at lunchtime to be high on the list.

2. Grab a second row seat: You want to be close to the chef and the aromas, but not in the front row, where mirror views are less than optimal.

3. Take the escalator: Macy’s elevators can be uncomfortably packed with heavily laden shoppers.

Besides, the escalator is an old fashioned charmer.

4. Take notes: Annotate the recipes with the added chefs tips and your comments on the dishes. You’ll do a better job of cooking them at home.

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Rizzo, buttonholed at a later date when he returned to work on crutches, tells of Becco Executive Chef William Gallagher making rice balls and a complementary ragu that several astute students did not feel was completely elucidated in the printed recipe. Someone pressured him.

“What else is in there?”

“Okay,” he said, “I’ll give you my secret.” You could hear a knife slice through pate. “A cinnamon stick.”

Even experienced cooks, like Linda Lewis, a retired New York City French and Spanish teacher who has been coming to five to eight De Gustibus classes annually for years, finds she’s always gleaning culinary tips. “I was going to buy a set of pans and so I asked Jacques Pepin for advice. He said never buy a complete set, because certain pans are better for certain tasks--stainless steel in some instances, nonstick in others. Lots of people make corn bread in a cast iron skillet.”

Even a food industry careerist like Rizzo, formerly director of house operations and events at the James Beard Foundation, finds he, too, learns things, as he did at the sparkling wine class taught by John Ragan, wine director and sommelier at Eleven Madison Park. “He included a $20 sparkling wine from New Mexico [Gruet,

Brut, Blanc de Noirs, Methode Champenoise] that was delicious,” says Rizzo. “That was an a-hah moment for everyone, including me.”

Rizzo encourages his students to visit the chef’s restaurants, to mention De Gustibus when they make the reservations, and ask when they check in with the hostess, if the chef is in that night. Often, he says, the chef will make an appearance at the table, and maybe he or she will send out a special amuse or an extra dessert.

Michael Hill, a computer software exec and frequent denizen of the front of the room, has attended De Gustibus classes since the school’s beginning. He and his partner Ron Bricke have 700 cookbooks in their Manhattan apartment.

Even so, attending as many as a dozen classes a year, they find they often cook from De Gustibus recipes. The reason is simple. “De Gustibus gives you a chance to taste the recipe before you’ve invested all the time in cooking it,” says Hill. My only quibble, I share with Hill after the class has ended: no coffee with dessert.

“Remember,” he says, “it’s not a relaxing meal. It’s a cooking class.” Then he cites another distinguishing feature of De Gustibus. “I’ve just had a wonderful meal and it’s now 8:30.

I can still go out.”

THE ARTFUL

HOME BY: EMILY DOBBY

ERIK VOLET SIDEWALK BALLET

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graduate of the University of Victoria and Concordia, local artist Erik Volet’s work is known for it’s bold palette and dynamic, expressionist themes.

Having spent time in Mexico - which he refers to as his second home - Erik is fuelled creatively by hectic streets; the sometimes chaotic ballet of sidewalks and bustling coffee shops. Erik, a native of Victoria, is also influenced by historic world travellers and has been exhibiting his work in many solo and group exhibitions across town, including several book fairs. He became a professional painter in 2006 and works out of a studio in the Ministry of Casual Living.

Erik’s work is painterly and striking. The viewer’s eye follows the ebb and flow of colour changes and shadows; the brightly coloured buildings and the quirky expressions of the characters moving through the scene. The painterly qualities are balanced by a linearity; the shapes of the bodies and buildings are outlined. He describes his work as neoexpressionist post-grafitti folk figuration.

Erik’s work is well within Victoria’s arts community, and I’ve followed his work for the past few years.

Recently, we sat down to chat about his work.

WHEN DID YOU START PAINTING?

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My first memory of painting was age six - woke up, set up my easel (which had not yet been used, I suppose) and made a painting in the early morning before my parents had awoken. I started to learn how to paint murals with spray paint at around thirteen years of age. At sixteen, I began to paint with oils on canvas.

MEXICO IS A PLACE I KEEP RETURNING TO

things are noisy, lively, and inherently surrealist – ERIK VOLET

atHOME magazine

YOU’VE SPENT TIME IN MEXICO - WHAT DRAWS YOU THERE? Mexico is a place that I seem to keep returning to; everything always seems so synchronistic there-things are noisy, lively, and inherently surrealist. The people there just seem to get it. For some reason I feel at home there, even as an outsider. The difficult aspects of being there provide a challenge, which is also good. I tend to return to Oaxaca whenever I visit, but there is also so much more to experience there, that one can really only ever scratch the surface.

HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR CURRENT EXPRESSIONIST STYLE? As far as style goes, you know, it’s hard to say how one achieves or holds a “style”. Of course there is always the artist’s hand – that certain touch that gives away the identity of the maker. At the same time some eschew this & certainly many change modes continuously. I am somewhere in the middle since I like to have some semifixed qualities, like with line for instance, and with paint too, but I also like to change constantly or else I get bored.

WHAT IS YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS? My process is always changing. I used to paint with almost no plan whatsoever, straight from hand to canvas, two-hour sessions sometimes, no drawing and just hope the painting lands on it’s feet. Lately I’ve been doing studies, then a preliminary sketch, using references, and working on one picture over a series of separate sessions. I always tend to return to the spontaneous mode though, to stay fresh and keep myself on my toes.

WHAT MEDIUM DO YOU GRAVITATE TO MOST? I have done some book art stuff in the past and I plan to do more in the near future. Many of my friends from the graphic side of things, some of whom do comic books, are a big inspiration to me. I would like to do a lot more with the art book format, but honestly it’s been a few years since I’ve made one!

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WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I try to feed off everything going on around me; my surroundings, the city, the country, friends, strangers, music, books, fellow travellers past and present. These are all part of what fuels me artistically.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL PAINTER? The most challenging part of what I do is just managing to get by financially; just to pay my studio rent and buy supplies is often a bit of a stretch, but things have been picking up lately with sales. Also: getting shows - not my forte! I just want to focus on making things-often I can’t seem to be bothered with the other stuff.

HOW DOES LIVING ON THE ISLAND INFORM YOUR WORK? Living on Vancouver Island has influenced me in more ways than I know. The landscape, the art of the First Peoples, the city, the local artists and the island with all its magic and indefinable contours.

You can view Erik’s work online through his website: cargocollective.com/erikvolet/CV

perfect your craft develop your talent leave inspired

1215 Broad Street Victoria, BC V8W 2A4

250.920.5710 info@carreirothestudio.com

THE WINE LIST BY: TRACEY DRAKE

It’s Officially Wine Tasting Season!

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recently went on a wine tasting tour with seven other local ladies and had the most wonderful day in the Cowichan Valley! It was a group wine and limousine tasting tour that we won at the Pamper With Purpose charity auction. The experience was generously donated by Victoria’s own L.A. Limousines.

As we toured the magnificent countryside, stopped for lunch and sampled red, white and sparkling wines from three different local wineries, it got me thinking about how far the wine industry has come on Vancouver Island in its relatively short history. The wines being produced here are of exceptional quality and fast becoming favourites for locals and international wine lovers alike.

According to Wines of British Columbia, a total of 432 acres of grapes are planted in our region, with the most popular grapes being pinot noir, pinor gris, ortega and maréchal foch.

Tasting rooms have come a long way too... Averill Creek staff offer entertaining education along with their tastings, and

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35 LICENSED WINERIES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND [complete list at winebc.com]

SUMMER WINE TOURS

A LES

L.A. LIMOUSINES (LALIMO.CA) IS THE ONLY VANCOUVER ISLAND COMPANY OFFERING CONCIERGE-LEVEL WINE TOURS. ROLLING HILLS, LAKES, AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN COASTLINE ALL CONVERGE TO FORM THE BREATHTAKING COWICHAN VALLEY. EXPERIENCE SOME OF CANADA’S FINEST WINES, FROM SPARKLING TO BOLD REDS AND CLASSIC WHITES. WINERY STOPS ON THE TOUR INCLUDE SOME OF MY VERY FAVOURITES: BLUE GROUSE, AVERILL CREEK, MERRIDALE AND UNSWORTH

WIN ES

have you seen the new tasting room at Blue Grouse? It is West Coast architecture at its finest, which is always best viewed from betewen the vine rows with a glass of Ortega. Watch for more on this winery in the fall 2016 issue of atHOME. There is a foodie movement on Vancouver Island that has not gone unnoticed by the winemakers here. Zannata the first official winery to open in 1992, is known for Vinoteca, its onsite restaurant that offers locally focused cuisine that showcases the flavours in wine and food. Merridale Cidery is worth a trip for Sunday night wood fired pizza with live entertainment, and dining at Unsworth is always a delicious experience - try the spot prawns!

SPIR IT S

“Vancouver Island is home to a passionate breed of family grapegrowers and winemakers. The Island also offers outstanding culinary tourism.” Wines of British Columbia

EXPERT ADVICE TO HELP YOU MAKE THE PERFECT CHOICE 919 douglas street 250.370.9463

lrs@strathconahotel.com

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MASTER AND COMMANDER

Aboard the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world

BY PETER MANDEL

I

t’s sailing time. The Royal Clipper is ready: she twists her lines.

The giant ship is humming itself some low-octave song. A hum that comes from wind? It might be that. Or sounds from a sail that’s not yet unwound.

ROPES THAT, SECONDS AGO, WERE ASLEEP - COILED LIKE BOAS IN THE DECK’S HOT SUNSTART SPINNING AND UNSPOOLING. PASSENGERS SCATTER. SAILORS CRANK AND PULL. THE CAPTAIN MOVES TO HIS WHEEL. I should be watching Bridgetown, Barbados, get smaller, little by little. Instead I am staring up at just-hatched squares of canvas, diagram in hand. “Is that the Mizzen-Topgallant-Staysail?” I say, as a wedge-like sheet comes down.

A man in a green Star Clipper cap takes a look at my chart. “Might be a jigger,” he says. “Might be a jigger up there.”

I notice a woman inching away from us. This type of talk could be contagious.

I’m at the start of my Grenadine-island cruise aboard Star Clipper lines’ Royal Clipper. Although the line has two smaller vessels, Royal Clipper - inspired by a 1902 tall ship and built in Rotterdam by a Swedish firm - is the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world.

With five masts and 42 sails, the 439-foot-long ship can hold 227 passengers and allow them to watch and help out (a little bit) as the crew raises and trims sheets and as the Captain or mates turn the oak wheel on the always-open bridge. Some of the onboard activities have a nautical theme, like lessons in splicing lines or tying knots.

I’d expected quarters to be pretty tight inside but as we roll toward our next port, Union Island, I discover that my cabin looks a lot like those I’ve had on larger cruise ships with its varnished wood.

atHOME magazine

by Peter Mandel | travel columnist

When we reach Tobago Cays, the crew gets ready to barbecue lunch for us in the shade of some oleanders down on the sand. The Royal Clipper’s cruise director, knows five languages and she is using at least three to handle questions about the menu.

“What will you be grilling out there?” asks one passenger. “Caribbean chicken?”

”Just curious,” says another. “Will there be corn?”

Sailing on a clipper ship makes people unusually hungry. And already we’ve gotten used to big buffet lunches on board and dinners with elegant touches like Risotto with Scallops and Marmalade-drizzled Creme Caramel.

When the dinner bell rings, I find out that the ship has a three-deck atrium and multi-level dining room at its core. Eerie shadows from above show off the fact that the atrium’s ceiling skylight doubles as the bottom of the swimming pool up on deck. Murals decorating the central staircase include a boy in a sailor suit holding a spyglass, two seagulls perched on a railing and a woman with enormous earrings serving fruit.

“Nice, isn’t it?” says one of my table mates, 73-year-old Gray Furey of Cincinnati, who, as a birthday present to himself has signed on for his third Royal Clipper cruise. Furey has a pocket watch (‘I just like them’) and a penchant for Stella Artois beer.

Asked why he’s come back again, Furey doesn’t hesitate. “I remember watching the head bartender in the ship’s talent show,” he says. “He made the assistant bartender disappear. I’d never seen something like that so close.”

Union Island’s Chatham Bay doesn’t look like much beyond a stretch of white-sand beach, but heading ashore on the tender I notice a few of the ship’s French passengers bent over the railing peering closely at the shallow turquoise water.

“Une tortue!” one shouts, and suddenly we can all see swimming turtles, heads bobbing up so they can catch their breath.

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Admiralty Bay in Bequia shows us a little pastelcoloured town. The biggest building is the tax office, the smallest a very popular bar called The Penthouse. I decide against having a beer here because I can’t fit inside. Instead I pad around and wait for sunset on top of an upturned rowboat. Here, as in Tobago, chunks of coral tumble in with the waves.

St. Lucia, our final stop, is full of chickens circling around and checking out the port. I try to feed them some bread, and suddenly I am followed by brown and red hens who are interested in more. I half-walk, half-jog, which startles a group of boys stretched out in the shade.

“I like the way you move, man,” says one. Everyone smirks.

During sail-aways, we passengers stand in clusters on the Royal Clipper’s open bridge. If it is nighttime, we can see how stars can make a chart to steer by. At sunset we look out at planets, scattered island lights and silhouettes of far-off ships.

When we’re allowed, we take our turns behind the wheel and try to spin it subtly enough to keep the ship on course. The Gloucester Fisherman could do this, but for us, with tentative hands, it’s hard.

Keel and hull behave like they can sense their short-lived freedom: The huge ship kicks like a bull, or bucks to the side until a crew member steps in.

On the day we are allowed to climb to one of the Crow’s Nests I do not go first. It’s a gusty morning and the ladder up the main-mast-it’s made of ropes and cable--is swinging like a bell. I watch some German passengers climb. They hop from rung to rung. They don’t look down.

“Not so difficult,” says Christina Drewes of Hanover, Germany, after she’s done.

“Were you nervous?” I ask.

“Never,” says Drewes. “I never climbed a mast before, but I dream about it. I read some books about sailing. Horatio Hornblower. Do you know that one?”

I do, I say. But I dream of falling.

Drewes stands back as I click to the safety belt and step on the lowest rung. I move my hands and think that legs and feet will follow.

Passengers are staring which helps to make them go.

It is maybe halfway up that I hear it again. A kind of hum.

Maybe it’s the wind. A wind that’s strumming lines. That’s making a ladder swing.

Or maybe it’s the sail stretching out from the Crow’s Nest, now only a few feet above. Definitely not the Mizzen-Topgallant-Staysail, I think.

Could it be a jigger? I’m just not sure.

When my hands feel wood instead of rope I get some help from the crew to pull up onto the little platform and look around. Bow and stern. Starboard and port. All are perfectly arranged in what must be some detailed model of a ship far below.

The hum is louder here. I hear a crack from a flag. Something about a thump of sail sounds wrong.

I realize this: I am a better listener than before. I could learn this song.

atHOME magazine

ENTERTAIN WITH DOROTHY BY: DOROTHY HAWES

You Had Me At ALOHA! “Aloha is the key word to the universal spirit of real hospitality.”

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, legendary Hawaiian surfer

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o you ever dream about warm summer days on a beautiful island in the Pacific? Well, look no further because here on Vancouver Island, you have it all. No need to book a flight to the Hawaiian Islands! Instead, invite your friends over for your own tropical summer party, complete with décor and food that will rival any Hawaiian Luau!

If you haven’t already set up the patio furniture for the season, or if you need a fresh look for your backyard, check out the wonderful selection of colourful umbrellas, chairs and accessories that are available around the city.

Best of all, you don’t need to tidy up the house or check for dust when you entertain outdoors. Summer parties are less stressful and allow for more flexibility. Where you might find your dining room too cramped for a larger gathering, backyard entertaining means that you can consider a longer guest list.

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HAWAIIAN THEME This is probably one of the easiest themes for a summer party! Just visit any party or dollar store and you will find everything from Hawaiian leis for your guests to paper plates, serviettes, flowers, candles, etc. And be sure to get some tiki torches to light up your patio area; these are readily available at Home Depot, Canadian Tire or Pier One Imports. String up some patio lanterns or mini lights to enhance the tropical ambiance. Check out iTunes for Hawaiian music to help create the mood.

INFORM GUESTS

Let your guests know about the Hawaiian theme in advance, and encourage theme attire - anything from the tackiest Hawaiian shirt to a cute sundress, grass skirt and lei, or colourful shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops. You could even award a prize for best costume!

FOOD & DRINK Put together your favourite sangria recipe for your guests or bring out the blender for margaritas and pina coladas. Don’t worry about trying to make these from scratch, as you will find great tropical mixes available in most grocery or liquor stores. If you are having a large group, encourage your guests to contribute to your Hawaiian-themed meal, perhaps by bringing tropical salads or desserts. Or make a simple handheld dessert by assembling some fresh fruit kabobs using bamboo skewers. Alternate strawberries, bananas, grapes, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon with marshmallows; this provides an attractive and tasty finish to your meal.

So call up your friends and invite them to enjoy the wonders of this Pacific Island!

Here’s one of my favourite recipes for a Hawaiian party.

Pineapple Barbecued Chicken I usually allow 2 pieces of chicken per guest (any combination of legs, thighs & breasts). Sprinkle seasoning salt on your chicken pieces and place on a cookie sheet or pan. Cook uncovered in the oven for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. In the meantime, prepare your pineapple sauce (enough for 15-20 pieces of chicken): 1 tin (14 oz.) crushed pineapple 1 cup brown sugar ¼ cup French’s mustard ½ tsp salt 3 tbsp lemon juice

Pre-heat barbecue to medium temperature. Once the chicken is pretty well cooked through, remove from oven.

Dip each piece in the pineapple sauce and place on barbecue.

Cook an additional 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with remaining sauce.

Remove chicken from barbecue and pour remaining sauce over top. You can also garnish with parsley and pineapple rings. This is always a crowd pleaser.

Blue Hawaiian Coconut Cocktail (makes four 4oz. drinks) 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup coconut water 1/2 cup white rum 1/2 cup blue curaçao freshly shaved coconut fresh or maraschino cherries one tray of ice cubes Chill martini glasses. Rim with a little pineapple juice and shaved coconut.

Place pineapple juice, rum, blue curaçao and ice in blender and blend for one minute. Pour and garnish with cherry.

We’ll teach you how to cook, or we’ll do it for you.

Victoria’s premier cooking school, catering & events.

250.590.1865 thelondonchef.com

ARCHITECTURAL wonders PORTUGAL’S INITIATION WELLS On the outskirts of Sintra, Portugal lies Quinta da Regaleira, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The property has two inverted towers, also known as the Initiation Wells. Visually stunning, the wells are deep stone chasms lined with pillars and steps, and passages to dark grottos and secret tunnels. The initiation wells were solely used for ceremony, including Tarot initiation rites. The larger of the two wells (shown below) features a 27-metre downward spiral staircase and nine platforms, supposedly to symbolize Dante’s Divine Comedy - the nine circles of Hell.

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