BELLO mag #125 by BELLO Media Group

Bello

#125

THREE MEN and a BABY APP (The Men Behind the Belly Bump App)

JUSTIN BALDONI, TRAVIS VAN WINKLE and TRAVIS CLARK

Bello PUBLISHER IMAGE NATION STUDIO L.L.C. California, USA editorial@bellomag.com ADVERTISING advertising@bellomag.com Aleksandar Tomovic (editor in chief) alek@bellomag.com Stephane Marquet (creative director) steph@bellomag.com Leslie Alejandro (executive director) leslie@bellomag.com Dio Anthony (entertainment editor) dio@bellomag.com Warren Alfie Baker (fashion director) warren@bellomag.com Nicole Walmsley (beauty editor) nicole@bellomag.com Dee Trillo (senior lifestyle and travel editor) dee@bellomag.com Michelle Ganney (associate entertainment editor) michelle@bellomag.com Fabio Fernandez (fashion news director) fabio@bellomag.com Kimmy Erin Kertes (fashion editor-at-large) kimmy@bellomag.com Hiko Mitsuzuka (entertainment editor-at-large) hiko@bellomag.com Morgan Stewart (lifestyle editor at large) boobsandloubs@bellomag.com Steven Carver (international editor) steven@bellomag.com Brent Lambert (design and technology editor) brent@bellomag.com Jon Norris (european editor) jon@bellomag.com Mark Norris (european editor) mark@bellomag.com Amanda Peixoto-Elkins (creative director, latin america) amanda@bellomag.com INTERNS PAULO ACUÑA (editorial assistant) paulo@bellomag.com CELESTE PIRAINO (social media and communications assistant) celeste@bellomag.com LAYOUT NEBOJSA DOLOVACKI CONTRIBUTING WRITERS COVER STORY: DIO ANTHONY STEVEN CARVER (Fashion) JON AND MARK NORRIS (fashion) CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS COVER: MAARTEN DE BOER

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EDITOR’S

note,

JUNE, 20, 2016

This week marks a special week due to the fact that we are not only re-featuring 2 past covers; the incredible, Justin Baldoni (Jane the Virgin) and Travis Van Winkle (The Last Ship), but we are also featuring their business partner who they have created an amazing app with, We the Kings frontman, Travis Clark. Also featured is rising star, Travis Tope whose film (Independence Day: Resurgence) is attracting a lot of buzz. After all the tragedy and political craziness occurring in the world, we always rely on positive messages and entertainment to keep us moving forward. Enjoy this issue. Hope you like it as much as we do. Please keep sending your suggestions and requests by mentioning @BELLOmag on all your social media platforms. Thank you for your continual support. Always,

Leslie Alejandro, Executive Director

ISSUE#125 June 2016 - BELLO

CO NTEN TS

TB Moment of the Week

Music Northside Festival

TRAVIS TOPE

Entertainment Movie Reviews

COVER STORY Three Men and A Baby App

Travel Victoria Euphoria

SO BELLO

JUNE

2016

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tbMOMENT

of THE WEEK

Photographer and BELLO mag Executive Director, Leslie Alejandro, shootingÂ Independence Day: Resurgence actor, Travis Tope. May 2016

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A Festival Grows In Brooklyn

BY ADRIENNE MCILVAINE (@MIZOCTY)

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at Williamsburg’s Northside Festival. You could spend the entire festival at just one venue and see more music in a weekend than most people see in a year (and I very, nearly did). There was the usual sea of post-punk groups like the NYC-based Decorum and folk rock devotees like Jack + Eliza, but this year the festival offered a diverse range of acts that ran the gamut from riff-heavy jam bands (Steve Gunn & the Outliners) and futureshock R&B (Fade to Mind-affiliate Dawn) to curated show#125 issue - BELLOmag.com

photo credit: Jody Beth LaFosse

ow in its eighth year, the six-day annual event known as Williamsburg’s Northside Festival is a massive celebration of art, music, and everything in between. With 400 bands spread out at dozens of venues across North Brooklyn, an outdoor art walk, tons of panels and conferences, and a forward-thinking expo featuring New York’s leading tech figures, creators, and thinkers, this is Brooklyn’s answer to SXSW.

photo credit: Jody Beth LaFosse photo credit: Mary Dorn

cases like Pitchfork’s Saturday night lineup at Saint Vitus. The tiny venue became a portal into another dimension with a hushed performance from Breadwoman, a legendary 1980s group led by L.A. artist Anna Homler that involved ambient synthesizers, eclectic sound effects, and a mesmerizing onstage performance from a woman with a bread mask obscuring her face. This year’s two-day Innovation conference brought together fashion players like Rebecca Minkoff, and Birchbox co-founder Hayley Barna alongside dozens of other entrepreneurs and experts to explore what’s next in retail, tech, and storytelling. Minkoff and her

CEO brother Uri, who previously ran a software company, delivered a fascinating keynote on how they’re reimagining their retail experience for the digital age with VR-enabled mirrors that allow customers to interact with runway styles and RFID-tagged clothing so salespeople can quickly assist shoppers in the dressing room (sorry guys: all of Minkoff’s retail locations are in New York City). And an intimate chat with Sam Valenti, founder of the influential record label Ghostly International, turned into a thoughtful examination of how the ten-year-old company found success by emphasizing the physicality of its music through artist collaborations, logos, and vinyl. Northside is all about getting ahead of the curve, whether it’s discovering the next big thing (hint: keep an eye on the genre-defying grooves of BADBADNOTGOOD and power pop princess Colleen Green) or connecting with like-minded creators and thinkers at one of the festival’s many pitch sessions and rooftop happy hours. But come Sunday night, celebrating the past was the only thing that mattered as Brian Wilson took to the stage at McCarren Park to honor the 50th anniversary of the seminal Beach Boys album Pet Sounds by performing it in its entirety. The night was warm, but I had chills, thinking of how the past is never as far as away as it seems. And the future is closer than we realize.

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SWEATER ALL SAINTS

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Our Time With The Enigmatic Travis Tope:

From

Scooping

Popcorn To Fighting Aliens.Â WORDS BY JOSHUA BROWN PHOTOS BY LESLIE ALEJANDRO

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ith a small frame, sharp shoulders, and wandering eyes, Travis Tope at first impacts you as shy. With tepid steps he floated to the chair in front of me, sat down, and started running his hands back and forth atop his legs—most assumingly with sweaty palms. Intrigued, I thought perhaps he was dealing with the newfound attention having been thrown into the whirlwind of his first major profile film, Independence Day Resurgence.

I remember when the original Independence Day romanticized, intrigued, and scared the shit out of all us. It impacted us globally in that unique realm that few films occupy, those that captivate a world audience. I would learn that he himself wasn’t really aware of the scope of the film role he had just landed. Laughably, he shared that he mistakenly thought that Independence Day (the original) was the Kevin Bacon film, Tremors. I enjoy rising stars unseasoned to interviews because you get to see someone very raw, very real, and very much coping with newfound fame and attention. Later, after the interview, I would come to see the photos from his shoot and discover the commanding on-camera presence that this young man has. I saw his comfort zone—in front of the camera being directed. I saw what makes him special. When the photographer was scrolling through the photos I could not help but ask to see more. I stalked the entire shoot, start to finish, because he was so damn interesting. Independence day is one of those special films that truly fascinated its audience. Do you remember when you first watched it? What feelings it invoked in you? I never realized just how big of a deal Independence Day was to people until I booked the role. It’s such an important movie to so many people. The scale of disaster movie like this hadn’t really been done before then. I saw it when I was a kid but this is hard for me to admit--I didn’t realize until after I made the movie that movie I thought was Independence Day in my head was actually Kevin Bacon’s, “Tremors”. (hysterical laughter between us ensues) What was it like being on such a big budget set? Being in Independence Day has given me a new appreciation of action movies. I had such an incredible experience working on this movie. It was fucking crazy. I literally never shot on #125 issue - BELLOmag.com

anything other than a soundstage. Everyone was so nice though. I had a fear that big budget like this meant big egos and everyone was gonna be an asshole but it was the nicest group of people. What was your favorite part about shooting on a soundstage? Temperature. Controlled temperature. (Laughing hysterically) Fair enough man. It was always consistent I guess? Yes. Very pleasant temperature. Would you say it’s much easier for you to live in the moment when you have a co-star in front of you versus CGI? I think you have to be more self aware when doing CGI because you have to really monitor that your reactions are intense enough. Especially when aliens are shooting at you. I’d imagine living those moments that aren’t actually happening or having nothing to physically react to has to be challenging. In my last interview, I spoke about the challenge of what is “enough” with Hanna Lawrence and how there is no tangible scale on deciding what is a good take and what is not. Do you deal with a lot that type of self-questioning? It’s tough for a lot of actors to deal with expectations. But I try my best to not have ideas as to how my performance will turn out and just go in and do exactly what the director wants me to do. This way I’m the most free and when I go to see the movie, at the end of the day, I didn’t have ideas about what it should be so I’m not having to be held to those expectations. I don’t have expectations to fulfill so I have maybe an easier time watching my performances and being ok with them. 10

Sounds very freeing. So you just basically allow yourself to be molded by the Director? Yeah because when you go in trying to do what you want to do from the beginning you could end up fighting the director. Because if you go in close minded or with expectations about how it should look you’ll just end up doing something in between of what it should be and what you want. So the choices don’t end being strong and the performance suffers. That’s an interesting way to deal with what is such a daunting issue for most actors. And for the most part it seems like you’ve made up your mind to make it easier on yourself with zero expectations. Well acting is really scary and you don’t want to suck so actors will do everything they can to safeguard themselves against failure. But I feel like I have to prep as little as possible and not figure everything out in my head before hand and roll with the punches when I’m there, because all of those expectations are just going to get in your way. Once you’re there on set and realize the reality you’re dealing with--often you have to rip away all of those ideas so I find it best to just not create those ideas in the first place. Which can be scary because you feel like you’re unprepared but for me that’s what I have to do in order to give my best performance. I’ve noticed something in my stalking of you online. There isn’t much to stalk. About 4 tweets over the course of 4 years and 11 posts on Instagram. (laughing) Is this because of your Men, Women, And Children film? Or you always had a natural aversion to social media? I had Myspace in middle school but I just totally lost interest in it. I got twitter on my first day of work as an actor ever because my co-star insisted I get an account and those tweets you saw were from that first day and never did it again. I started using instagram but I don’t have an intrinsic need. Well I use snapchat to send little things here and there

to the people that I think will appreciate them, so that’s fun for me. What job did you have before being a working actor and have any of those skills transferred over to acting? Scooping popcorn does not translate to acting. I worked in a movie theatre in Plano, TX right up until a month before I moved to LA. I was the only person in the movie theatre who was trained in everything. Concessions, box office, usher, and projection which means I was there too long. Wow, and now you’ve transitioned to the other side. You’re actually on the screen. Yes which is why I am considering doing something really fun. I want to fly back to Plano for opening weekend and watch it in the theatre with my parents where I worked. How cool would that be!? What does that feel like for you? Having dreams come true and now wanting to go back and share it with family? It’s amazing. I can’t believe how lucky I am. I didn’t know that this would work out and I was prepared for it not to. So every job I get is a blessing. If I can keep making a living off of acting for the rest of my life that is the true dream. I still can’t believe this is happening. So there are more stars in the known Universe than there are grains of sand on all of earth’s beaches, many of those stars have planets orbiting them. I believe in an existence of evolved life outside of earth in our Universe. Aliens. Do you? I mean I see it as very probable. The universe is infinite as far as we know. I feel like it’s possible. So WATCH OUT. Anything you’d like to say to Will Smith? Keep up the good work.

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SWEATER ALL SAINTS

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PHOTOGRAPHER LESLIE ALEJANDRO ART DIRECTION ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC STYLIST JORDAN WRIGHT • RETOUCHING (DIGITAL MASTERING) ARTHUR GALVÃO GROOMER SARA DENMAN USING LIVING PROOF AT CELESTINEGENCY.COM 31

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MOVIE REVIEWS BY HIKO MITSUZUKA (@THEFIRSTECHO)

‘Lights Out’ Turns On The Scares dfdfsdsd ‘TICKLED’ TAKES YOU WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Sexual fetishes are a dime a dozen during an era in which the Internet affords millions of people the opportunity to rock their socks off in any way they deem arousing. And for those of you not familiar with the underground phenomenon known as Competitive Endurance Tickling, #125 issue - BELLOmag.com

journalist-director David Farrier’s fascinating documentary, Tickled, will be an eye-opener. The pop culture journalist has made a career out of reporting on off-kilter subjects, so when he receives the opportunity to look into the aforementioned “sport,” his online research leads him

to Jane O’Brien Media, a company behind a sizable portion of the content available to “tickle torture” fetishists. However, when he reaches out to the company for an interview, he’s immediately roadblocked, receiving threats of lawsuits and disturbing responses attacking his character, urging him to stop his investigation. 32

Photo: Instagram

Naturally, this sets off several alarms in Farrier, and his journey to understand the ins-and-outs of this bizarre industry (according to the film, it spans across the globe) takes him from his native New Zealand to Florida, where he interviews an out-and-proud fetishist who runs his own web venture...the Midwest, where he meets a former tickle torture participant who’s been cyberbullied by the same shady company... New York, where he looks into the lineage of a certain Wall Street tycoon... and Los Angeles, where the documentary team briefly (and literally) lifts the curtain to reveal the source of all this digital content. The investigation, as the trailer promises, eventually takes an eerie turn when we learn the true identity of the puppet master behind all of the threats that come at Farrier and his producers

throughout the film. And from there, we’re led down a detour into the murky profile of an individual who’s more like Oz the Shady and Powerful. While the payoff of this semi-exposé may not satisfy some seekers of justice, it does leave you with an unsettling feeling... and a slight hunger for more. RATING: 4/5 Tickled is now available in limited release. 33

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Three Men And A Baby App WORDS MICHELLE GANNEY PHOTOS TJ MANOU

Three men. An app. Two babies. Two wives. A camera. A prosthetic belly. A photographer. So it turns out those are the special ingredients to create a magical photo shoot. Actor, entrepreneur and humanitarian Justin Baldoni, musician and songwriter Travis Clark from We The Kings and actor and buildOn Ambassador Travis Van Winkle, have joined forces for a very special project – the BellyBump app. It turns out working with your best mates is kind of fun, if the boys’ BELLO BellyBump photo shoot is anything to go by. From Clark and Baldoni trying to de-strap the prosthetic belly from Van Winkle, to Clark’s ridiculously smiley baby (seriously, I’ve never met a happier baby) to the three boys re-creating a birth with Van Winkle pretending to be in labour – it’s safe to say we had a fun time on set! The BellyBump app captures one of the most important journeys of your life through time-lapse videos of your growing belly and growing baby once born. It is the only app to capture not just the growth of your belly, but the growth of your child. After over a year of dating, Baldoni married Emily Foxler in 2013 and together they have a beautiful one-year-old baby daughter, Maiya. Clark married his wife Jenny Leigh Robinson in 2014 and they just had their (ridiculously smiley) baby daughter Kinsley last December. Given Baldoni was the first to wed and have a baby, it’s no surprise he was the original mastermind behind the idea. He said, “So when Emily was pregnant with Maiya I really wanted to make her a time lapse movie but I kept forgetting #125 issue - BELLOmag.com

and it was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. And I’m a filmmaker so it should be fairly intuitive for me. So when she was pregnant I thought wouldn’t it be fun if I was able to do something that was unique and make this whole spread of her belly growing but it was really hard. Originally it was going to be something to remind me to take a picture of her belly, then it morphed into this really cool time lapse app.” When asked about the creative process and how both Travis’ came to be involved Baldoni joked, “First thing I thought were who are my two richest friends? Why don’t we be three dudes coming out with a baby app and we’ll call it three men and a baby app.” Justin continued to joke about the reasons for starting the project as he said, “Really what it was, was a way to try and introduce Travis to his soon to be wife.” He teased Van Winkle as when he described women’s reaction to the app he said, “They love it! Everyone we’ve told about it they’ve told their friends and they’re like ‘oh man I want to get pregnant just to try it!’ So that’s when we give them Travis’ [Van Winkle] number.”

them as he said, “My sister just had her first daughter and if BellyBump had been around she could have taken all these amazing photos and made a time lapse video and shared her pregnancy with me that way. That’s why I’m happy I’m involved in this project.” Apparently two men and a baby app wasn’t enough for Baldoni, he wanted a third guy. When I asked Clark about how he got involved he joked, “They facetimed me and they were like yeah we have this idea for three men and a baby and I was like cool I’ll be right back… so I went and impregnated my wife so I could take part in it.” I mean that’s what you call dedication. But back to serious mode, Clark went on to say, “To be able to document things that our parents weren’t able to document you know. We have all these old videos and things like that but it would have been amazing to see what each of us looked like day by day because it does change so much. Every single day my daughter looks totally different, even the time lapse we’ve done so far together, it’s insane how much she’s changed.”

Despite Van Winkle not having a baby or a wife, he was still more than happy to jump on board as Baldoni said, “Travis was like yeah I love it, I don’t know anything about pregnant women but I’m in.” He did admit to feeling a bit left out, however the Last Ship actor has something else he wants to invest his time in, “I do feel a little left out because they both have wives and kids, so I’m going to get a dog instead.”

Justin chimed in, “While yes, this app is fun and it’s been a blast making it with two of my best friends… at its core BellyBump is really about celebrating the journey of motherhood. I’ve never been more in awe of what women are capable of since experiencing my wife give birth and become a mom, so we just wanted to create something that could be useful to moms everywhere and help them in some way capture that magic.”

He might not have his own baby but Van Winkle is definitely no stranger to

The BellyBump app is available for purchase worldwide on iOS for just $0.99. 34

JUSTIN BALDONI CARDIGAN JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN SHIRT MICHAEL STARS JEANS 7 FOR ALL MANKIND TRAVIS VAN WINKLE SWEATER MICHAEL STARS PANTS 7 FOR ALL MANKIND SHOES FLORSHEIM TRAVIS CLARK HENLEY AZUL BY MOUSSY PANTS HUDSON SHOES RED WING JEWELRY TALENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OWN 35

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TRAVIS VAN WINKLE SUIT JACOB HOLSTON WATCH ELICO ASSOULINI TRAVIS CLARK SWEATER MAN X ONE TEASPOON T-SHIRT RAG & BONE JEANS ZANEROBE JUSTIN BALDONI SHIRT LEVIS T-SHIRT JOHN VARVATOS JEANS JOEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SHOES TOMS

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JUSTIN BALDONI T-SHIRT JOHN VARVATOS JEANS JOE’S SHOES TOMS WATCH TALENT’S OWN

TRAVIS VAN WINKLE JEANS ORIGINAL PENGUIN SOCKS TALENT’S OWN SHOES CONVERSE JEWELRY TALENT’S OWN

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TRAVIS CLARK SWEATER MICHAEL STARS JEANS ZANEROBE SHOES NIKE JEWELRY TALENT’S OWN

JUSTIN BALDONI SWEATER AZUL BY MOUSSY JEANS J BRAND SHOES TOMS TRAVIS VAN WINKLE SWEATER JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN JEANS ORIGINAL PENGUIN SHOES CONVERSE TRAVIS CLARK SWEATER MICHAEL STARS JEANS ZANEROBE SHOES NIKE 49

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Victoria Euphoria: 10 Reasons Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Spend My Weekend In Wenatchee BY STEFANIE NOVIK

arrived at Seattle’s SeaTac airport close to 11pm on a Wednesday night, ready to catch my connecting flight to Victoria, BC for a long, 5-day weekend visit to the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

So I was a bit surprised when, after boarding said connecting flight, I struck up a conversation with my seatmate, who casually mentioned he was going to Wenatchee. “Is that a suburb of Victoria?” I asked. He looked at me strangely and said, “No.” Luckily, I’m both chatty and curious, so I pressed him for details on how he was getting to Wenatchee (a town I’d never heard of, up to that moment). This time he looked 51

at me as though I might not be playing with a full deck and said, “That’s where we’re landing.”

so glad I did (no offense to Wenatchee, which, FYI, is somewhere in the state of Washington).

And that’s when I realized I was on the wrong flight, which seems impossible in 2016, but apparently not at this particular terminal late at night. A little bit of panic and a lot of running later, I managed to get on my intended plane to British Columbia, Canada. And I’m

Here are 10 reasons why I’m glad I switched planes: #1: The Fairmont Empress My mini airport debacle was quickly forgotten when I checked into my sumpJune 2016 - BELLO

tuous room at this iconic jewel on the harbor in Victoria. I was met by elegantly appointed décor, a colorful welcome plate of macaroons, and a fabulously comfortable king size bed with crisp white linens (the hotel is undergoing a $50 million+ renovation, and my suite had been recently transformed). All together now: Ahhhhhh... #2: Scenery Beyond Belief From the moment my travel companions and I hit the road on our 5-day adventure to explore the greater Victoria area and surrounding environs of

southwest Vancouver Island, Mother Nature wowed us at every turn. More on that below. #3: Whale Watching in Sidney And then we were welcomed to the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. A quick drive from the town of Victoria and a tight squeeze into a puffy orange astronaut-looking float suit later, we were zipping around the gorgeous Saanich Peninsula, taking in the brisk sea breeze and beautiful waterfront vistas. The whale sightings were sparse, but no one seemed to mind.

We disembarked from our whaling vessel and had a lovely lunch at Poets Cove Resort on Pender Island. This luxury destination is the perfect spot for a wedding – and we did have a bride sighting. (She sported a blackand-white print dress and long magenta hair.) Back in the boat, we made our way to Sidney Spit (Sidney Island), a camper’s and hiker’s paradise. This is the place to spend a full day of hiking, kayaking, communing with nature, and reveling in the spectacular scenery. #4: Sooke The next charming and quaint stop was in a town located in the stunning south island area. About an hour’s (beautiful!) drive from Sidney, Sooke is a must, because where else can you ride a Galloping Goose, have mile-high pie, and enjoy world-class dining with deer, all in the same day? Nowhere, I’m guessing. As for the Galloping Goose – that’s actually a trail, perfectly flat, perfect for biking or hiking, and perfectly poised to give you an exhilarating several hours under a treetop canopy of majestic forest. We opted for electric bikes on the path, courtesy of Rush Adventures, and rode to the famous Sooke Potholes.

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We also enjoyed a pungent wild mussel dish in a kombu white wine cream sauce over pasta, Alder-grilled Coho salmon, and an artisan cheese plate featuring a blue that made my tongue dance. All of the above were paired with perfectly chosen local wines, including a delicious Riesling Icewine that accompanied our dessert of strawberries broiled with a marzipan soufflé and strawberry ice cream. Feel free to drool now. We all did. #6: Hiking

Not to be confused with the ugly/hazardous cracks common on city streets, these “potholes” are magical waterfalls that invite lingering appreciation. The mile-high pie is one of an assortment of crusted beauties in various flavors at a funky diner called Mom’s Café. Among them: a luscious lemon meringue, decadent chocolate hazelnut, and an all-American (make that, Canadian) apple version that utilizes 30 to 40 apples in each pie! Which brings me to… #5: The Food Everywhere we went on this journey the food started out great and got increas-

ingly more delicious as we ate our way though the south island. Case in point: we finished our day in Sooke at the acclaimed Sooke Harbour House, an enchanting, intimate hotel featuring an oh-so-pretty organic herb garden (the fruits of which wind up on your plate at their renowned restaurant), killer views, deer that pay a close-up visit while you dine, and exquisitely beautiful dishes that taste as divine as they look. We feasted on the chef’s tasting menu that showcased the delicacies of the region, including Cowichan-grown asparagus, which made an appearance in a soup with a rose-rhubarb emulsion and later in a savory tart (everyone voted it as their favorite of the courses).

I’ve hiked in some visually impressive places – the Inca Trail in Peru, Banff National Park in Alberta, the Milford Track in New Zealand. But the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, along the Westshore of the southern island, may top them all. Even in the rain. The one day we planned our big hike was the one day it poured, which made for soggy clothes and shoes, but also gave the rainforest a haunting glow – truly a blessing in ‘da skies. Toni Chalk of Rainforest Tours guided us expertly through the wet, muddy wonder of it all. And then came an even bigger blessing at our second hiking spot of the day – Avatar Grove. Named for the James Cameron movie about a mythical planet of impossible physical beauty, this little piece of heavenly forest did its

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Valley. As if the spectacular drive through the valley weren’t enough, this farm’s setting is something out of a romantic movie – on rolling fields of green, with stunning views of the bay in the distance. A picture-perfect site for a wedding, for which they’ve built a beauty of a barn with soaring ceilings and views to make you weep (in case the weekly nuptials don’t). Added bonus: delicious food and a herd of Highland cows that come when called – and pose for photos. namesake proud, embracing us with hundreds of moss-covered branches that gave off an eerie green glow and bathed us in a warm, mystical light. It’s an ethereal experience not to be missed – especially when helmed by TJ Watt of Big Tree Tours, whose passion for the area resulted in the ‘discovery’ of Avatar Grove. Hat’s off to TJ...and hiking boots on! #7: Port Renfrew This former sleepy fishing village has transformed into a must-see wilderness destination (see above hiking spots for details). More gorgeous scenic driving to get here makes the location all the more enticing. And…bunking for the night at Wild Renfrew, a rustic resort of little wood-side cottages, we suppered at the adjacent pub, where we were treated to the Best Seafood Chowder Ever. It featured outrageous chunks of super-fresh sea delicacies in a deli-

ciously spicy and not-too-creamy broth that made me want to take a bath in my bowl. #8: Bird’s Eye Cove This pastoral paradise on 300 acres is a working cattle farm in the Cowichan

#9: Merridale Cidery and Distillery Our last stop on the road though the Cowichan Valley on our way back to Victoria was this charming-as-it-gets tribute to the art of cider...and the art of curating a great tourist destination. Before Vancouver Island, I thought ‘cider’ was a beverage served warm and spiced in the winter. But here, it’s a spirit, so the only thing warm about it is the feeling you get in your chest when the alcohol hits. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, the grounds, and the vibe. Weddings are big here, too – as are ‘faery’ sightings in the orchards. #10: Victoria When I arrived five days prior, it was tough to take in the sights of the city. Luckily, on our last day of this adventure, we returned and checked into the previously-raved-about Fairmont Empress (which should be called the Fairmont Impress). That night, we were among the first to experience dinner at the newly re-imag-

#125 issue - BELLOmag.com

THE VICTORIA CHEAT SHEET: Vancouver Island vancouverisland.travel Victoria tourismvictoria.com The Fairmont Empress fairmont.com/empress Sidney Whale Watching sidneywhalewatching.com Poets Cove Resort & Spa poetscove.com Rush Adventure Biking rush-adventures.com Sooke Harbour House sookeharbourhouse.com ined Q at the Empress. Suffice to say that ‘Q’ should stand for ‘Quintessential Perfection.’ Which could also describe the town itself, a joy to behold in daylight -- oozing charm and old-world European elegance with a relaxed and friendly feel. Built around a harbor, Victoria exudes an easy seaside vibe that makes you want to plop down on a bench and just enjoy the boats, seaplanes, and passers-by. But don’t miss the lovely architecture, historical sites, cool shops, and great eateries that populate the town, most of which are reachable on foot. Victoria is a fantastic walking city.

And the U.S. dollar is currently enjoying a 30% gain on Canada’s so...hello, shopping! A plethora of cute boutiques on Lower Johnson make this activity all the more fun.

Rainforest Tours victoria-hiking-guides.com

I indulged in everything I could in the limited time before my departing flight, including one of the best facials I’ve ever had at the Fairmont’s renowned Willow Stream Spa. (Thank you, Caitlin!)

Big Tree Tours bigtreetours.ca

A fabulous way to end a fabulous trip. And just one more reason why I’m thrilled I didn’t wind up in Wenatchee.

Wild Renfrew wildrenfrew.com

Bird’s Eye Cove birdseyecovefarm.com Merridale Cidery and Distillery merridalecider.com

June 2016 - BELLO