YAM magazine Sept/Oct 2022 by Page One Publishing

ISSUE 80 SEP/OCT 2022

yammagazine.com

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Fall back in love with fashion CLOTHING YOU’LL CRAVE RIGHT NOW

PATTERN POWER

For walls that WOW

BRIGHT IDEAS

Illuminating new lighting styles

Top Health Tips for Mind & Body

STYLE ISSUE

Designed to do it all. The Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV helps you take on every day in confident luxury and style. The acclaimed interior blends technology and premium finishes for a savorable and intuitive experience, while the smooth surfaces and thoughtful details come together to form a captivating athletic exterior. Elevate your daily drive with the Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV at Three Point Motors.

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EXCLUSIVE TO D.G.BREMNER & CO. ON THE ISLAND

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Style Issue

CONTENTS COVER STORY STYLE WATCH Page 54

EDITOR’S NOTE

13 H ERE + NOW What’s cool right now, from pretty paints to the best desk.

22 I N PERSON How Taylor Kennedy was seduced by chocolate’s siren call. By David Lennam

HOME + LIFESTYLE A developer discovers his dream oceanside property in View Royal. By Danielle Pope

STYLE WATCH Layer on the textures with autumn’s coziest knitwear.

THE RIGHT LIGHT

PATTERN POWER

From retro chic to sleek modernism, we illuminate the top trends in lighting.

Wallpaper is back in style, and it’s bigger, bolder and more beautiful than ever.

By Erin McIntosh & Joanne Sasvari

By Nessa Pullman

FALLING BACK IN LOVE WITH FASHION

SMART, SUSTAINABLE, SUCCULENT

After two years of yoga pants, we can’t

There are plenty of good reasons why octopus should be on the menu. Then again ...

wait to slip into fall’s gorgeous clothes. By Melissa Gignac

By Cinda Chavich

Styled by Janine Metcalfe

SCENE A pas de deux between writer and legendary dancer Lynda Raino. By David Lennam

DO TELL Bullwhips and academia: A chat with the fearless Christine Taylor Fearing. By Jennifer Hartley

KEEPING HEALTH IN MIND Physical and mental health are inextricably linked. Here’s how to care for yours. By Susan Hollis

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Repeat Cashmere for Fall at Good Bones! #109 -2506 beacon ave, sidney | 250.655.7271

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S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S »

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660 Richmond Avenue, Victoria

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Cheryl Barnes

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Connect with your local experts.

Alenzo Winters

Andrew Maxwell

Victoria 250.380.3933

Andy Stephenson

Beth Hayhurst

Brad Maclaren

Salt Spring Island 250.537.1778

Brayden Klein

Brett Cooper

Vancouver 604.632.3300

Cheryl Barnes

Christine Ryan

West Vancouver 604.922.6995

D’Arcy Harris

Dave Hatt

White Rock 604.385.1840

Dean Innes

Don St Germain

Georgia Wiggins

Whistler 604.932.3388

Glynis MacLeod

Grace Shin

Kelowna 250.469.9547

Harley Shim

Jacob Garrett

Sun Peaks 250.578.7773

Move Beyond Your Expectations S O T H E B Y S R E A L T Y. C A 868 DALEWOOD LANE, SAANICH

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1493 Pebble Place, Langford

250 Becher Bay Road, Sooke

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C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S »

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« C O N D O S & TOW N H O M E S

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PRICE UPON REQUEST

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PH3-1033 Cook Street, Victoria

9-2654 Lancelot Place, Victoria

202-5327 Cordova Bay Rd., Saanich

976 Page Avenue, Langford

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« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S NEW LISTING

N EW L ISTIN G

RECENTLY SOLD

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7071 Rice Road, Duncan

3246 Doncaster Drive, Central Saanich

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Toronto

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Paris

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New York

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 2 1,741 SQ.FT 0.18 ACRES 250.889.4000

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Tokyo

$809,000

573 Nimpkish Place, Duncan

4312 Shelbourne Street, Saanich

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Hong Kong

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Brett Cooper PREC

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Montréal

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Thomas Goodman

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S OT H E B YS R E A LT Y.C A

Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: This information is from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective Purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal. PREC is Personal Real Estate Corporation.

EDITOR’S NOTE

FALL FOR FASHION Conveniently located in the heart of Oak Bay Village! 2185 THEATRE LANE

FOR SALE

861 NOSE POINT RD | SALT SPRING 2 BEDS + LOFT | 3 BATHS | $1,775,000

Sophia Briggs Personal Real Estate Corporation

Sophia.Briggs@TheAgencyRE.com 250.418.5569

Nancy Stratton REALTOR®

Nancy.Stratton@TheAgencyRE.com 250.857.5482

Rebecca Barritt REALTOR®

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Erin Smith REALTOR®

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Joanne Sasvari, Editor editor@yammagazine.com

hen we get dressed in the morning, what we choose to wear is about more than staying warm and avoiding arrest for public indecency. It’s how we tell the world who we are or, at least, who we think we are. That’s what fashion is for. But these last few years have been a funny time for fashion, especially for women’s fashion. It seemed we could go one of two ways: hiding in voluminous maxi dresses and puff-sleeved prairie frocks; or revealing (almost) all with sheers, cut-outs and bras masquerading as tops. No wonder so many of us gave up entirely, seeking comfort from a scary world in yoga pants and nap dresses, not to mention those cozy, fleece-lined Birkenstocks. This fall, though, will be different. This fall is all about clothes that are wearable, flattering, glamorous and fun. Sure, there are still some questionable trends. (Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling can pull off the head-to-toe hot pink of Barbiecore. I’m not so sure about the rest of us.) But there are also lust-worthy pieces like those sleek, mod-inspired moto jackets as well as go-everywhere staples, including the essential white tank, menswear-inspired trousers and cute, comfortable shoes you can actually walk in, and look good while you do. “Style connects us In fact, putting together this Style Issue of YAM was a reminder of just without having to say how much fun getting dressed can a word. And in a world be, and how exciting it can be to where so many things express your personal style. Style, of course, doesn’t just divide us, isn’t that refer to clothing. It’s everything we kind of beautiful?” choose to surround ourselves with, from the furniture in our homes to the vehicle we drive. When people suggest there is a choice between style and substance, I’m always a little puzzled. Style is substance, or at least the outward expression of it. It’s how you tell me, without telling me, about the things that matter to you, the things you find beautiful, what you do, who you are, or maybe just who you wish you were. Style connects us without having to say a word. And in a world where so many things divide us, isn’t that kind of beautiful? So, go ahead. This fall, celebrate your style, whatever that style is. I know you’ll look — and feel — fabulous.

Use our QR code with keyword FREECMA to get your current market evaluation and check out our latest videos by Platinum HD

250.592.1042

briggsandstrattonrealtors.com AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED LICENSEE OF UMRO REALTY CORP

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Joanne Sasvari editor@yammagazine.com

Beautiful furniture • Expert design advice • Unparalleled customer service Quality Canadian & U.S. suppliers • Locally owned & operated

Fall into Fabulous

564 Yates St 250.386.7632 luxevictoria.ca

An inspiring collection of home goods VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri EDITOR Joanne Sasvari DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Amanda Wilson LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jo-Ann Loro, Caroline Segonnes MARKETING COORDINATOR Claire Villaraza ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Lauren Ingle, Rebecca Juetten ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Doug Brown, Cynthia Hanischuk, Brenda Knapik FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cinda Chavich, Melissa Gignac, Susan Hollis, David Lennam, Erin McIntosh, Danielle Pope, Nessa Pullman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS C ollin Franks, Joshua Lawrence, Michelle Proctor PROOFREADER Paula Marchese CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Getty Images p. 61, 66, 68; StockFood p. 65; Stocksy p. 44; Unsplash p. 45

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@yammagazine.com

523 Fisgard Street | 250-382-4424 | fantanvictoria.com

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ON THE COVER Style Watch: Layer On See page 54 Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

Published by PAGE ONE PUBLISHING 580 Ardersier Road, Victoria, B.C. V8Z 1C7 T 250-595-7243 info@pageonepublishing.ca pageonepublishing.ca

Printed in British Columbia by Mitchell Press. Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Page One Publishing Inc. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in all or part, in any form — printed or electronic — without the express permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #41295544

ADVERTISE IN YAM MAGAZINE YAM is Victoria’s lifestyle magazine, connecting readers to the distinctive lifestyle and authentic luxury of the West Coast. For advertising info, please call 250-595-7243 or email sales@yammagazine.com.

1023 Fort Street | 250.920.7653 | heartandsoleshoes.ca

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

HERE + NOW

FEATHERED FLIGHT

COLIN FRANKS

As the days get cooler and leaves drift to the ground, the skies above fill with birds like this Northern Pintail duck. Fall is the busiest season on the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory route between Alaska and Patagonia, and Victoria is a popular stop along the way. That means this is the best time of year to get out the binoculars and head to birding hotspots like Goldstream Park or Rocky Point Bird Observatory. You’ll almost certainly spot these gregarious ducks, with the elegant grey, brown and black feathering that looks so perfectly stylish for fall.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

HERE + NOW

BEAM OF COLOUR How one Indigenous woman harvests pigments for paints.

A PHOTOS: JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

nong Beam remembers falling in love with colour — specifically, the colour green — when she was very little. Her parents, Carl and Ann Beam, were artists and taught her how to harvest hematite pigment in the La Cloche mountain range near their home in M’Chigeeng First Nation on Ontario’s Manitoulin Island. Now she carries on that tradition with Beam Paints, harvesting pigments with tiny pickaxes and transforming them into super-saturated watercolours made with wildcrafted tree sap, gum arabic and honey from her own hives. She shapes them into paintstones wrapped in beeswaxed canvas or pans packaged in cedar and birch. They are almost too pretty to use, but so smooth, luscious and easy to work with, you’ll be glad you did.

STYLISHLY SUSTAINABLE Upcycle Clothing Collective is trending.

ackenzie Wavryk started Upcycle Clothing Collective with her mother in 2019, in part because she wasn’t comfortable following trends or conforming to styles. But in a strange twist of irony, she has become a fashion trendsetter in our community. “I have always had an eye for thrifting. So this is my creative space to celebrate individual styles and offer a space for everyone to shop, without any stereotypes,” she explains. Located on Fort Street, Upcycle Clothing Collective sells quality contemporary and vintage clothing for all genders on consignment. Ira Hémond (Wavryk’s new business partner and life partner, too) says that in the past two years, they have surpassed 1,600 consigners. They also provide space for six specially selected local designers to sell their handmade, sustainable, small-batch clothing, also on consignment. And they donate proceeds from a special rack in the shop to charity. Wavryk and Hémond pride themselves on offering something for everyone. “We want everyone to come in and find at least one thing they are attracted to,” says Hémond. “If you don’t shop for our clothes, you can find natural deodorant or locally made perfume bottles,” adds Wavryk. “That is why I bring in so many options.”

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

These Prussian Blue, Rainforest and Cloudless Sulphur Beam Paints are set into a sugar maple palette. Above, the Mtigwaaki ‘aande Boreal (forest colour) paintstone. Find Beam Paints at Opus Art Supplies.

HERE + NOW

UPGRADE YOUR WORKSPACE From Arostegui Studio, a coolly contemporary desk.

f you’ve been doing a lot of WFH lately, you’re probably getting tired of the same old workspace. It might just be time for a new desk. It might, in fact, be time for something like this gorgeously sleek and sophisticated desk from Victoria’s own Cristián Arostegui G. Originally from Chile, he designs contemporary furniture under the label Arostegui Studio, using local, sustainable products as much as possible. The YK desk is a streamlined design versatile enough to fit in a hallway, foyer or, of course, a home office. Manufactured by skilled makers right here in Victoria, it is available in a wide range of wood and marble tops and different colour options. Working at a desk this beautiful might not feel like work at all.

The YK desk by Arostegui Studio takes its name from its base of two offset triangles that look like the letters Y and K.

New books to fall for ISLAND COOKERY III A TASTE OF LIFE ON QUADRA ISLAND

KINFOLK TRAVEL: Slower Ways to See the World / John Burns

A Taste of Life on Quadra Island is the third community cookbook produced on the Northern Gulf Island since Island Cookery in 1981, but this one serves up more than local flavours. It is also a fundraiser for the Quadra Children’s Centre, complete with 240 recipes, full colour illustrations and tips for foraging and gardening.

THE FUTURE IS NOW: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today’s Technologies Bob McDonald

Kinfolk Travel: Slower Ways to See the World by John Burns (Artisan) is the latest instalment from the folks dedicated to “slow living.” The book features destinations across six continents and offers ways to have meaningful connections and authentic cultural experiences while travelling the world, near or far.

The technology to go green already exists; we just need to use it, writes Bob McDonald in The Future is Now: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today’s Technologies (Penguin Canada). For instance, solar energy is already evolving beyond largescale panels, says the host of CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, adding, “This is really exciting.”

CLEANER BODY CARE Soaps and scrubs as gentle on the planet as they are your skin.

Beba Shampoo Bar

hen Peter and Stephanie Wood, owners of Bear & Joey Café, found themselves with time — and a bunch of leftover coffee grounds — on their hands during COVID, they used it to create a body scrub. “It’s a way to upcycle and repurpose something that was destined for the bin,” Peter says. The vegan-friendly and cruelty-free scrubs are made from dehydrated coffee grounds, organic coconut oil and essential oils, and are just the first products in the newly launched Bear & Joey Cosmetics line. The second is a soap, which is being made by Barbara Marengo, founder of Beba Botanica. She makes gorgeous Earth-and-people-friendly soaps and shampoo bars, inspired by her young son who reacted badly to chemicals in commercial soaps. All of these products are sustainable, beautifully scented and, most importantly, effective. As Peter Wood says: “If we’re going to do anything, we want to make sure it’s brilliant.”

Bear & Joey Cosmetics coffee scrubs

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

HERE + NOW

Cool, Colourful Gallery Merrick Joe Bembridge offers a platform for artists, both established and new.

Best West Coast Contemporary Restaurant Yam Magazine’s Best Restaurant Awards 2022

BREAKFAST LUNCH HAPPY HOUR DINNER THE Courtney Room 619 Courtney St, Downtown Victoria www.thecourtneyroom.com | 250-940-4090

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

PHOTOS: JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

oe Bembridge, the owner of Victoria’s exciting new Gallery Merrick, knows what it’s like to have someone offer a helping hand just when it’s needed most. After all, he grew up a queer, artsy kid in a small town, back when there wasn’t much representation in popular culture. Luckily, his school’s “queen bee,” a fellow artist named Merrick Sheridan, took him under her wing. “She was looking out for me as a gay kid,” he realizes now. “And it’s a gorgeous name, isn’t it? It means ‘fame and power,’ and there’s nothing wrong with having some fame and power in your life.” When he opened Gallery Merrick four years ago in Nanaimo, he named it for Sheridan and made a point of showcasing emerging artists as well as more established ones.

Gallery owner Joe Bembridge pauses in front of a painting by Tracy Bultje, typical of the colourful, contemporary work he champions.

“You’ve got to keep things fresh. You’ve got to keep things exciting,” he says. “And for collectors, collecting an emerging artist can be very exciting.” In April, he moved Gallery Merrick to a soaring 2,800-square-foot space on Victoria’s Government Street. “It’s 120 years old and it’s beautiful. It’s historic and it’s contemporary,” he says. The response so far has been wonderful, he adds, especially from other galleries. “Gallery Merrick is its own identity,” he says. “We love colour, we love expression here. All of the artists here are working in different genres and mediums, but everyone is working at a very high level.” Like Bembridge, Sheridan had dreamed of one day opening her own art gallery, but died, too young, before she was able to fulfill her artistic dreams. “This,” Bembridge says, “is a love letter to her.”

YAM

Contest Alert!

AN ARTFUL G I V E AWAY One lucky winner will receive this limitededition print from Luxe Home Interiors.

La Dolce Vita is a print from the original painting by Kwakwaka’wakw MFA artist Rande Cook, who merges his Italian and West Coast Indigenous heritage in this haunting work. The Victoria-based artist is known for blending traditional with contemporary styles and Indigenous form with contemporary figurative art, and this piece is a stunning example of all he does best. La Dolce Vita is a framed, 20-x-16-inch giclée print on fine art paper, number 12 of a series of 50, with a value of $650. Scan the QR code to enter. Contest closes October 28, 2022. Good luck!

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(Frame may not be exactly as shown.)

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

HERE + NOW By Cinda Chavich

Something’s Brewing As home to the oldest brewpub in Canada and more than 14 independent craft breweries, Victoria is a beer lover’s heaven.

nd even more excitement is brewing this September with the Great Canadian Beer Festival and the annual Brewery & the Beast event connecting breweries and chefs for an afternoon of tasty beer and food pairings. The Great Canadian Beer Festival runs September 9 and 10 with tasting tables and tents

scattered across Royal Athletic Park, near downtown Victoria. It’s Canada’s oldest craft beer festival, and one of the Victoria Beer Society’s flagship events, focused on educating consumers about craft brewers, with more than 90 breweries expected at this 28th annual gathering. Taste brews from the Maritimes to the Yukon, and nosh from local food trucks. Look for the VBS Beer Truck, with 15-plus rotating taps, at events around town, too. This year, Brewery & the Beast gets cooking on Sunday, September 25, at Starlight Stadium in Langford from 1 to 4 p.m. A ticket gets you samples of smoked, grilled and slow-cooked local meats of all kinds — think whole roasted suckling pig, classic southern BBQ and charcuterie — and locally crafted beer, wine, cider and non-alcoholic drinks from brewery partners Driftwood Brewery and Vancouver Island Brewing. Partial proceeds from 2022 ticket sales will be donated to the Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia.

TAMMY ROBERTS/DRIFTWOOD BREWERY

TASTES + TRENDS

One of the The Ale Trail newest tasting Even if you haven’t rooms in town nabbed tickets to is the Driftwood these popular events, Bar and Patio, there are other where a cool Fat ways to tap into the A beer crawl can include cocktails Tug IPA awaits Victoria craft beer like this Raspberry French 75 made (or something scene. with Driftwood’s Parabola Gin. else from their The BC Ale Trail 16 taps), alongside local wine and website (bcaletrail.ca) is a wealth of cider, cocktails featuring their own information, with seven Ale Trail Driftwood spirits, and a menu of Thai itineraries, including stops at craft dumplings, bao buns, chicken wings, breweries, restaurants, pubs and curry and Chiang Mai sausages from cafés across the province, so you can Dumpling Drop. build your own beer-centric trips. And speaking of delightful (Make it even easier to explore by destinations, Category 12 Brewing’s downloading their app.) resident biochemist Michael Kuzyk Here in the cradle of the craft makes creative sours and more beer revolution, there are several approachable beers to match the brewpubs and tasting rooms along Saanichton brewpub’s bistro cuisine. the Victoria Ale Trail. They range Think: refreshing hefeweizen (wheat from Spinnakers (the country’s beer) paired with a Four Quarters original brewpub since 1984) to Meats charcuterie plate or the Czechpioneering craft breweries like style Westy pilsner (with a rendition Phillips Brewing (with its buzzy of the founders’ VW camper van on tasting room on Government the can) to sip with a pierogi flatbread Street). Or you can stroll around topped with bacon, potato, garlic sauce “brewery bay” to taste at a number and sauerkraut. Look for beer-pairing of breweries and tap rooms, or even dinners and comedy nights at this hop the Victoria Harbour Ferry water family-friendly brewery, too. taxi for their Pickle Pub Crawl.

More Spirited Stuff Clive’s Classic Lounge has again landed on a couple of top Canadian bar lists this year. So it’s definitely time to revisit this centre of the local bartending universe for a creative cocktail and an equally creative bite. Chef Josh Chilton’s new menu of small plates is impressive. Think: ricotta dumplings (gnudi) in pea broth with crispy kale; perfectly seared duck confit on citrusy fennel salad; mini chicken sliders with basil mayo and brie. And there are plenty of other reasons to stop by, including their residency events, featuring visiting bartenders from across the country, and Clive’s Supper Club, dinners built around specific spirits and paired with cocktails. Ask bar manager/mentor Shawn Soole or wunderkind bartenders Harry Tham and Kade Russell to shake up one of their specialties. The modernized Deshler, cold smoked with applewood chips, or Beeswax Old Fashioned, literally aged in local beeswax, are current faves. And try their elevated Mai Thai or any of the cocktails on tap. Have it all in the glam lounge with its new “whisky wall” collection and cozy private snug space in the back, or on the breezy terrace out front.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Ricotta dumplings, duck confit and chicken sliders are among the tempting small bites on chef Josh Chilton’s menu at Clive’s Classic Lounge.

Gastropub Delights At the Fox & Monocle Cafe, a new

gastropub at the Canoe Cove Marina, young chefs Tracie Zahavich and Ross Bowles are turning out dishes inspired by their experiences cooking at Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.K. It’s worth the drive to savour pastry chef Zahavich’s sourdough breads, cinnamon rolls and babka; to sample the daily sandwiches and soups for lunch; or to linger over beautiful dinners featuring ingredients from local farms. Among them: SunWing Farms’ tomato salad with Haltwhistle chèvre and garden herbs; farm house chicken with smoked potato mash, morels and green beans; or cod pie with Swiss chard and braised leeks.

Chicken’s On the Way Up Fried chicken seems to be the new nosh of choice in our fair city, where KFC now means Korean Fried Chicken. Get it hot and crisp at local spots like Chicken 649 and Thunderbird. Try the 649 Original or Yangnyeom (tossed in their sweet and spicy The crispy fried chicken red sauce), sandwiches at Thunderbird and visit are trendy and tempting. Thunderbird for similar fried chicken choices, plus their Thunderburger and other crispy fried chicken sandwiches. Crispy fried chicken fingers are also an option at Deadbeetz Burgers, served with a killer kale caesar salad and fresh fried root vegetable chips. They do fried chicken at Jones Bar-B-Que by the piece or the bucket. And at Part and Parcel, the kamut fried chicken sandwich with cilantro slaw is always on the menu. Look for new fried chicken franchises in town, too, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen with its spicy Cajun fried chicken and ghost pepper wings, and Mary Brown’s Chicken, opening in Nelson Square in View Royal in August and in Langford later this year. The company, founded in Newfoundland and known for using fresh Canadian poultry and potatoes, has 200 locations across the country and opened its first location on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo in 2021.

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WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS Over the years, Langford has flourished and attracted large retail stores, smaller owner-operated boutique shops and has cultivated a vibrant, chef-owned restaurant scene. Langford is packed with welcoming patios and eclectic menus, and brimming with year-round events. Be sure to check out the new Langford Station Cultural District with murals, retail shops, artist studios, food trucks and arts workshops. Langford is the perfect place for connecting with family or celebrating with friends. For a directory of shops and restaurants and more information on The Langford Station, visit:

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IN PERSON

SIRENE’S SWEET CALL Taylor Kennedy’s bean-to-bar chocolate is all about putting the farmers first.

f you don’t know Sirene by now, chances are you don’t like chocolate. Real chocolate. Since 2013, the locally made, ethically sourced, artisanal chocolate bars, in their unique flat, not-quite-square shape, have been fêted by the media, winning a passel of awards (they still win six to 10 a year) and delighting aficionados who prefer the unadulterated and sophisticated taste of Sirene to a Mars bar or even, dare I say, a Big Turk. Some have called it the best chocolate they’ve ever tasted — and not just kids devouring a pound of it on a sleepover. (At nine bucks a bar, they probably wouldn’t be allowed to.) There was a great line from Adam Cantor in Eat Magazine some years ago that summed it up better than I could. “The best way to describe trying Sirene chocolate,” he wrote, “is to say that after tasting it, one has to take every other piece of chocolate ever tasted and rearrange them into lower tiers.” The creator of Sirene, Taylor Kennedy, is, steadfastly, not a chocoholic. What attracted him to making chocolate from scratch was his

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

fascination with the cultures that, for thousands of years, have worked with cacao. He sources the beans from small farms in South America, Central America and Africa. He was introduced to some of the farmers during his 18-year stint as a photographer and photo editor with National Geographic. “We in the West have literally just been introduced to chocolate, even though it’s been a couple of hundred years now,” he says. “We’re just barely scratching the surface of the human culture of chocolate.”

PURE AND PRECISE The fortysomething lives in Fairfield and makes his living steps from his back door. As far from Willy Wonka’s confectionary Disneyland as you can get, the modest Sirene factory is a converted workshop that could pass for a garden suite. Several larger-than-kitchen-size stainless steel drums hum and spin, taking cocoa beans from their raw state through a month-long process that begins after three weeks of aging the beans, then sorting, roasting, cracking, winnowing, refining, conching, tempering and moulding. The air is heavy, very heavy, with the fragrance — nay, the taste — of chocolate. It’s almost unbreathable, although for the sweettoothed, drowning in this would be a fitting end. There’s a second, smaller room for aging

By David Lennam

the beans and a third, even smaller, space piled almost floor-to-ceiling with a mound of burlap sacks of imported cocoa beans from Guatemala, from Tanzania, from Uganda. Kennedy says most people, even those who enjoy his bars, don’t understand how his chocolate-making business differs from the big business of chocolate. He’s making pure chocolate from cocoa beans. Everyone else (save for a small handful of tiny operators like him) is making chocolates (with an “s”), like truffles, buying blocks of industrial chocolate and adding their own flavours and fillings. That’s chocolatiering, an art unto itself, but far removed from Sirene, he notes. Kennedy’s small-batch chocolate is made with the precision and passion of a winemaker who grows their own grapes, a craft brewer who harvests their own barley, a whisky distiller who digs their own peat. I ask if he’s obsessive. “That’s the thing about chocolate making,” he replies. “It’s very much like winemaking. Each step of the process — and there’s a whole bunch of steps — is very precise. And if you make one change here, you don’t make just an incremental change here. You need to pay attention … You have to be focused on each step, detail-oriented, take good notes, know what you’re doing. So, with that precision, I can see why people might say obsessive, because you have to be very precise.”

O U T L OOKS

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Custom window coverings, blinds, drapes and motorization At Sirene, chocolate is made painstakingly by hand. The cacao pods are sourced from farmers in Tanzania or Guatemala, then fermented, dried and shipped to Victoria, where they are roasted and cracked. The cocoa nibs are ground and then “conched,” a process of mixing and agitating that evenly distributes the cocoa butter and develops flavour. Finally, the chocolate is tempered and made into bars.

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Sirene is precisely pure bean. No sugar or additives. One should be able to taste the land where it was grown. “It’s an important distinction,” he notes. “If you don’t work with the farm and have access to various cocoa beans, it’s all just the same flavours.” Kennedy’s direct-trade-with-farmers approach is creating an ethical alternative to the chocolates we’re most familiar with — and he’d have it no other way. He visits those farms, hangs out with the farmers, exchanges gifts. And he pays them up to five times more than the set price of the commodity. If he ever expands, he’ll empower those growing the crop. Instead of the farmer shipping the cocoa beans to Kennedy, he’ll teach them how to make the chocolate. They’ll ship it, pre-tempered, so it doesn’t melt en route, and Kennedy will finish it off. “It’s sort of like here in B.C.,” he says. “No raw log exports. No raw cocoa bean export.” Kennedy, who was once destined for medical school and also studied economics

at Cambridge University, found his calling at National Geographic. That’s why I kid him about being the cultural anthropologist of chocolate. He wouldn’t have started selling a bar bearing some throwaway name with no good back story. It seems as much thought has gone into the presentation as goes into the process of chocolatification. (I made that word up.) The name Sirene (pronounced SIR-n) derives from the sirens of Greek mythology whose songs would lure sailors to crash upon rocky shores. Those songs, says Kennedy, promised wisdom to those hearing them. “They were saying, ‘We can tell you anything you want; what do you want to know?’ It was knowledge they were luring people in with.” That’s sort of what he’s doing with Sirene. “I’m trying to give you that knowledge, about this Tanzanian farm, or that Guatemalan farm. Here is their culture. They’re growing this cacao as they have for literally thousands of years in this place. Eat it and learn about it and enjoy it.”

“We’re just barely scratching the surface of the human culture of chocolate.”

Call us at 250.656.7659 to set up your personal consultation.

OUTLOOKSDESIGN.COM 101-9818 Third Street, Sidney

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

THE RIGHT LIGHT

Find that one dramatic focal piece that transforms your home into a place of enlightened beauty. By Erin McIntosh & Joanne Sasvari

The Alora Mood Nouveau Chandelier (lightscanada.ca) captures the lighting mood of the moment: dramatic, eye catching and orb-like.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

PHOTO: MARGARET WRIGHT | DESIGNER: AMY TROWMAN DESIGN

ith just one flick of the switch, the perfect light can turn your home from drab to fab. “Lighting is the jewelry of the home,” says Mike McDougall, a lighting specialist in the design and builder division at Mclaren Lighting. “It’s what people see. Nobody sees the studs and the duct work and what’s behind the walls.” The primary function of lighting is, of course, to brighten our spaces so we can work, read and fulfill our daily tasks. But contemporary lighting is much more than that. At its best, it is a statement piece that not only illuminates a room, but your personal style. As Jenny Martin of Jenny Martin Design says, “We are integrating a lot more fixtures that stand proud as a piece of art, and become a focal point for the home. Less is more, but the right piece is key.”

FROM FARMHOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE Trends in décor come and go, but when it comes to lighting, they move especially slowly. After all, it takes more effort to swap out a bunch of light fixtures than to replace a few throw pillows or paint a wall. So, as long as it’s still functional, we can usually live with an outdated track light or boob flush mount, at least for a while. But when it comes time to replace that outdated fixture, it’s not always easy to decide what to replace it with, especially when you’re looking to make a big, bold statement. You could, of course, stick to the tried and true classics. Here in Victoria, we love the modern farmhouse look: rustic, but with clean white walls, cool dark finishes and lighting that includes barn-style lights, large lantern pendants or wagon wheel chandeliers. “I think people gravitate towards this style because they love the coziness of a traditional farmhouse home but want an updated/ refreshed take,” says Martin. “I definitely think the modern farmhouse look is timeless and will continue to be referenced despite changes in trend.” Mid-20th-century modernism is also a perennial local favourite, whether it’s the bright colours and space age shapes of the Palm Springs variety, or the earth tones and organic feel of West Coast modernism. More and more, though, we are looking to the clean lines and sculptural shapes of contemporary European design, such as clusters of orbs, hanging strip lights or minimalist LED flush mounts. “We think people are gravitating towards post-modern/Italian looks because they are more sculptural, and let a few impactful pieces tell a story about the home,” says Martin. “It’s also a great way to integrate pops of colour and really showcase the personality of its homeowners.”

Above: The freshest way to hang pendants like these Gracie Series lights from Visual Comfort is in pairs, whether over the kitchen island or the dining table (available at Mclaren Lighting).

WHERE FORM MEETS FUNCTION The question is, how to choose that signature piece that will illuminate our space, express our style, draw the eye and still make us happy in five, even 10, years from now? Whether you’re buying lights for your whole house, or for just one room, it’s important to think about where the lights should go, how the lights should look and what function they should serve. Ask yourself: Do these lights actually enhance the space? Do they make the space feel livable and comfortable? Do the lights match the rest of the defining features? McDougall points out that it’s not always apparent when lighting is not doing the job it’s meant to. Instead, you might just feel uncomfortable in a room or find your eyes getting tired when you work. “But when a space is lit well,” he says, “you really notice it! It’s comfortable. Things that are supposed to be lit up are: artwork, photographs, architectural details.” In other words, good lighting should be easy on the eyes, in more ways than one.

Below: Once trendy, farmhouse lighting has become a classic style, whether it’s the linear Barnyard Island Light from Artcraft (available at Mclaren Lighting) or the white Brooklyn Pendant from Hinkley (available at Pine Lighting).

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

LIGHTING STYLES WE LOVE Modern light fixtures aren’t so much about brightening up a space — recessed, under-cabinet or task-oriented lights can take care of that — but about creating a mood and making a statement. Looking to light up your own space? Take your inspiration from these top trends.

The Art of Light There was a time when lighting was meant to blend in, to glow subtly in the background. Not these days. Today’s lighting should be the focal point of a room. Consider it a piece of art that expresses your personality and style. Go big, go bold, go bright and don’t be afraid to create some drama. Gem Ring Chandelier from Hammerton Studio; brand available at Mclaren Lighting

LED Leadership LED technology has revolutionized the world of lighting design. Forget boring old bulb-shaped lights — modern lighting can come in narrow strips, dangling tubes, organic pebble shapes, swooping ribbons, jaunty squiggles and colourful geometric shapes. Pebble Chandelier 3 from ANDlight, Vancouver

Light in the Round The orb is nature’s perfect form, and that’s especially true when it comes to lighting. It is classic, timeless and refreshingly modern, whether it is a single globe used as a sconce in a hallway or a cluster of them dangling over the dining table. Atlas Semi-Flush pendant from Hubbardton Forge; brand available at Mclaren Lighting

Pleat Appeal It’s the retro trend we didn’t know we needed: the pleated lampshade. We’re seeing a return to traditional design — think: plush rolled-arm sofas and ornate wallpaper in vibrant hues — so it’s no surprise that traditional lighting styles have made a comeback, too. Bianca Marble Table Lamp, CB2

Going Natural We’ve all seen those rattan pendants — in fact, you might have one hanging over your breakfast table right now. They are just part of a bigger trend of light shades made from natural materials including wood, clay, shells, glass, jute and wicker. Clockwise from left: Drift pendant from Modern Forms (brand available at Mclaren Lighting); Windward Passage pendant light from MinkaLavery (brand available at Pine Lighting); SURU pendant lamp from Article

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2418 & 2416 Beacon Avenue, Sidney | 250.655.0774 | modenboutique.com

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

DON’T BE A DIM BULB Admit it — choosing the right light bulb can be a little confusing. We’re here to help.

Twice as Nice Nothing looks as fresh and modern as a big, bold, dramatic pendant — except two pendants. Consider hanging a pair of oversized pendants over your kitchen island or dining table, or installing a pair of sconces on either side of the fireplace, or arranging a matching pair of table lamps on a credenza. Pendant Accord Cônico from Accord Lighting, brand available at Mclaren Lighting

Who among us hasn’t stood, baffled, in the lighting aisle trying to decide between a cool white, natural white, soft white or warm white light bulb? And who among us hasn’t taken our purchase home only to discover the light is too glaring for the bedroom, or too muted for the kitchen, or just completely wrong altogether? As designer Jenny Martin says, “The hue a particular fixture gives off can substantially impact the colouring of the items around it, greatly affecting how paint and fabric read within a space.” So here is how it works: The light

produced by modern LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs is measured in colour temperature, in units known as Kelvins. The lower the Kelvin, the warmer the light temperature. The higher the Kelvin, the cooler the light temperature. At light-bulb manufacturer Philips, for instance, the warmest light, known as “amber,” is 2,200K and produces a cozy golden glow; the coolest, “daylight,” is 5,000K and would be ideal if you were planning to conduct open-heart surgery. In between, “soft white” is 2,700K; “bright white” (the most neutral hue) is 3,000K; and “cool white” is 4,000K.

All that said, you may still decide that LED isn’t the right choice at all. Halogen lights can be ideal for detailed work, although they get hotter and burn out faster than LEDs; meanwhile, Martin recommends incandescent candelabra bulbs for “a delicate candlelight atmosphere.” And don’t forget the dimmers, which allow you to set the mood and adjust it for the time of day or the task at hand. “The hue of light should be consistent throughout the space,” Martin says, “but this gives clients autonomy over the strength of light, and can be adjusted depending on the ambience or mood they’re looking to create.”

BUSINESS PROFILE

BODACIOUS

lifestyles boutique Life is too short to wear boring clothes!

orna and her staff at Bodacious celebrate and encourage women to see their bodies as beautiful and worth adorning with classic and fabulous plus-size fashions by Joseph Ribkoff, Grizas, Sympli, Ayrtight, our in-house Bodacious label — and so much more! Enter Bodacious and be welcomed by colourful clothing, silk scarves, stylish sun hats, local handmade jewelry and a witty selection of greeting cards and gift items. We help you make shopping and fashion fun, because life is just too short to wear boring clothes. Celebrate your curves at Bodacious!

FABULOUS PLUS-SIZE FASHIONS

Fabulous Fashion That Celebrates Your Curves | 1965 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria | 250-385-8169 | bodacious.ca

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

BUSINESS PROFILE

VISO DERMATOLOGY Leading dermatologist launches her vision for a next generation skin clinic

r. Tess Peters likes to say, “Have good skin, do great things,” and her newly rebranded boutique skin clinic Viso Dermatology reflects that vision throughout. Designed from the ground up to reflect the changing ideals in skin health and beauty, Viso provides patients with holistic solutions that respect each patient’s uniquely beautiful skin. Dr. Peters and her team of skin experts empower their patients and give them the confidence to go out and make a difference. Since 2017, Dr. Peters, MSc MD FRCPC DABD, has been a leader in the field of dermatology on Vancouver Island, providing care for over 12,000 patients. Double board certified and in demand throughout North America for speaking and teaching engagements, Dr. Peters marries a commitment to the latest in state-of-the-art treatment technology with true artful experience. Tucked away at the corner of Fort Street and Foul Bay, Dr. Peters’ Viso Dermatology is an oasis for anyone seeking to celebrate and enhance their unique beauty. The team of skin experts at Viso personally guide each patient through the dermatologist-designed treatment menu, from laser therapies and injectable procedures to preventative skin cancer treatments. Dr. Peters’ team collaborates on a one-onone basis and provides holistic, personalized care in an inviting, Dr. Peters (centre) and her team provide holistic, no-pressure personalized care in a no-pressure environment. environment. “Improving your skin can be done while celebrating our natural aging process,” Dr. Peters says. Her commitment to the latest technology allows for the achievement of powerful results that are minimally invasive, producing more natural outcomes. Viso was the first clinic in Canada to introduce the CoolPeel, a next-generation skin treatment using one of the world’s most advanced lasers. It effectively targets sun damage, age spots, enlarged pores, acne damage, fine lines and wrinkles. Viso also carries Dr. Peters’ thoughtfully curated selection of clean skincare products and mineral reef-safe sunscreens. In 2019, her practice was the first

Dr. Tess Peters

clinic in Western Canada to partner with Skinbetter Science skincare. Regarded as the gold standard in medical-grade skin products, Skinbetter’s unparalleled product lineup remains Viso’s top-selling and most loved line of products. Dr. Peters and the team of skin experts at Viso take their motto, “Have good skin, do great things,” to heart. Working with the local healthcare community, they routinely welcome patients with traumatic scars, birthmarks and skin changes caused by radiation, offering services at special rates to ensure they are accessible to everyone. True beauty, both inside and out.

1964 Fort Street, Victoria | visoskin.ca | 250-590-3806

An Anintegrated integratedhome homebuilding, building, development developmentand andurban urbanplanning planning team teamfocused focusedon oninnovation innovationacross acrossa a full fullspectrum spectrumofofhousing housingtypes. types.

Rhodo Rhodo 116-1720 116-1720 Fairfield Fairfield Road Road

AAspacious spaciousWest West Coast Coastcontemporary contemporary townhome townhomeininthe the heart heartofofthe theFairfield Fairfield neighbourhood— neighbourhood—

Featuring Featuring • • • •

Chef-inspired • Chef-inspired kitchen kitchen withwith extensive extensive cabinetry cabinetry andand induction induction cooktop cooktop Gas • Gas hook-up hook-up andand hose hose bib bib on ground on ground level level patio patio Two • Two side-by-side side-by-side parking parking stalls stalls Ample • Ample storage storage throughout throughout the the home, home, including including an oversized an oversized detached detached storage storage locker locker

2.5 2.5 Bathroom Bathroom

2,400 2,400 sqftsqft

Designed Designed by Shape by Shape Architecture, Architecture, thisthis unique unique townhome townhome is the is the lastlast remaining remaining unitunit at Rhodo at Rhodo by Aryze. by Aryze. Situated Situated on aon a quiet quiet corner corner lot, lot, thisthis bright bright home home features features overheight overheight lofted lofted ceilings, ceilings, skylights skylights andand oversized oversized windows windows for ample for ample natural natural lightlight throughout throughout the the day.day. TheThe spacious, spacious, private private patio patio overlooks overlooks the the Hollywood Hollywood Park, Park, which which is a is popular a popular destination destination for tennis, for tennis, baseball baseball andand greenspace. greenspace. With With lessless thanthan 5 minutes 5 minutes walking walking distance distance to the to the Thrifty Thrifty Foods Foods Shopping Shopping Centre, Centre, Gonzales Gonzales BayBay andand Ross Ross BayBay Cemetery, Cemetery, Rhodo Rhodo offers offers the the bestbest of the of the CityCity at your at your doorstep. doorstep.

aryze.ca/rhodo aryze.ca/rhodo

4 Bedroom 4 Bedroom

Rotunda 403-430 Parry Street

An architecturally significant penthouse, masterfully designed for refined living—

Featuring • • • •

U-shaped courtyard offering light from both north and south outlooks Gas hook-up, hose bib and electrical outlet on patio EV-capable vehicle stall, secured bike parking and storage locker Extensive storage and walk in-closets throughout

2.5 Bathroom

1,504 sqft

Designed by D’Arcy Jones Architecture, this bi-level penthouse is located in the historic James Bay neighbourhood, steps away from the Legislature. The bright and airy living spaces are achieved by a striking open courtyard, oversized windows and skylights throughout. The chef-inspired kitchen includes a gas cooktop, built-in appliances, double fridge/freezer, quartz countertops and extensive counter space for hosting, which pairs perfectly with the sunset views off of the southwest facing patio.

aryze.ca/rotunda

3 Bedroom

Contact our Sales Team to learn more about these homes and others available for purchase.

Sarah Henderson Director of Sales & Leasing (250) 533-1771 shenderson@aryze.ca

Virginia Bryan Sales & Leasing Representative (778) 535-6633 vbryan@aryze.ca

Photography by Ben Farris + Ema Peter

HOME + LIFESTYLE

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

SERENE SPACES BY THE SEASIDE Falling in love with the perfect waterfront property inspired local developers Chris Walker and Joan Gandza to build a new dream home. By Danielle Pope | Photos by Joshua Lawrence

hris Walker and Joan Gandza were living with their daughter in what they thought was their dream home when they happened upon a property in View Royal. It was a south-facing, oceanfront lot with its own private beach and striking views of Fisgard Lighthouse — and it captivated the family. “It’s very rare that we do this, as developers. We built our last home in 2004, and we thought that would be the forever house, but circumstances changed,” says Walker, principal of Christopher Developments. “This property was close to town, offered true waterfront and ticked all the boxes — it was in an older, established neighbourhood that a lot of people don’t know about. We saw it and fell in love with it.” Despite its allure, the steeply sloping lot would come with some challenges. With little more than an old cottage that had been torn down, the previous owner had started work on a new build but stopped, likely due to complexities with the build. Christopher Developments would take on the full design and build for the project: no small commitment for this husband-and-wife company that typically builds three high-end custom homes a year.

Below: The separate garage-office-suite extension in this home means Walker and Gandza have to leave the house to go to work each day — just as they designed it. In time, the space can be transformed into a private suite for their daughter.

Above and left: Local products were an important characteristic of this build, and the concrete fireplace hearth and sandstone entry feature were both sourced from Valdes Island. The glulams in the vaulted ceiling are curved to add an illusion of extra height, and carry the cedar soffits from the outside in. Right: These homeowners fell in love with a West Coast contemporary look and wanted their design to flow with the surrounding ocean. The clean, modern, white upper cabinetry in this kitchen pairs with natural walnut, and quartz countertops ensure durability. Title page: Because this house is positioned low in its setting, homeowner and developer Chris Walker knew he could create drama with the design through extra height in the roofline. The curvature of the arched roof lifts the height and mimics a wave — a motif Walker wanted to draw on in this coastal setting. He also extended the roofline for additional rain protection.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

“We treated the project as though it was someone else’s home we were creating and followed the same processes, except that the two of us could make changes on the fly,” says Gandza, who focused on the interior design of the house. “I was pretty happy with our last house, but this truly upgraded our waterfront situation, and it made sense for our family now. We’d had a huge yard which was great for our daughter to play in, but she’s 18 now and her needs have changed. We needed to create a space where everyone was comfortable.” That redistribution of priorities was a major factor in this build, and focused on creating enjoyable living and leisure spaces for each member of the family to enjoy — from a lower-level rec room and media centre suited for teens, to a private-entrance room for their daughter in the house, as well as the option to convert a purpose-built suite above the garage into a self- contained unit. Besides that, the private wine cellar for the adults, multiple covered outdoor patios and BBQ station, reflection pool at the front entry and plunge pool overlooking the water makes this residence feel like a vacation villa. “When designing a house, you want the principal rooms to take advantage of the view,” says Walker. “This house had to be positioned low on the property, so we wanted to create a gentle transition down to the water. Our view looks back on Esquimalt Harbour and beyond. You can even see the lighthouse blinking through the house in the evening.”

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Despite the property’s gradients, Walker designed the 3,680-square-foot home as an age-in-place build, with walk-out patios expanding the living space on all levels and 10-foot ceilings on the lower level elevating the views. The property includes a 620-square-foot office attached to the garage so the family can experience some separation from work in their short stroll outside. The home also includes some passive-house design principles for energy efficiency, including Austrian-built windows and doors, which help it remain cool without air conditioning. The impact landed with the design community: the home was a 2021 CARE Awards winner for “People’s Choice Award,” “Best Home Design” and “Best Outdoor Living.”

Walker says his house is “built like a bunker,” and the lower living/entertaining level is one of his favourite places to be when home. With 10-foot ceilings in the lower level and views of spectacular coastal scenery, it’s a fine place to curl up with a movie and a glass of wine on a hot afternoon or rainy evening. The wine room was custom created by Walker to host their collection of vintage bottles and act as a retreat of interest for the adults, pairing nicely with the lower level’s media and entertainment space.

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The walnut millwork in the kitchen was carefully curated, with grains that flow in tandem. Large-format (24-x36-inch) porcelain tile flooring resembles waves, and in-floor radiant heating keeps the home cozy. Aligned wood is seen throughout the home on the ceiling and through the staircases, bringing natural elements to the forefront of this build.

The Austrian-built windows and doors were one of the biggest expenses of this build, but contribute to its passive home principles by keeping the house cool without air conditioning. Whatever the weather, Walker and his family open up the back door to walk directly onto the patio covered by the concrete deck. A fire feature welcomes gathering and entices people to traverse down to the hot tub, plunge pool and the ocean below.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

“One thing we did differently in this house was to create a larger kitchen,” says Gandza. “When people come over, everyone congregates in the kitchen, so we needed to expand. We also built a dining area that’s larger but more casual. And, we have two TV areas — the media room downstairs and a large screen upstairs — which was helpful during lockdown.” Along with function, the family selected finishes that forged a connection with west coast motifs and added elegance to the home, like the sandstone entry feature, walnut millwork and a fireplace hearth with natural stone from Valdes Island. “I wanted a bulletproof house where you don’t worry about taking off your shoes,” says Walker. “The house is built a bit like a bunker. And, because it’s quite low, the arch of the low-pitched roof represents a wave, which connects to its surroundings. But my favourite area is the media room. I love sitting downstairs and watching a movie with that view beside me.”

RESOURCES Designer: Christopher Walker Interior Design: Christopher Walker, Joan Gandza Interior Design Consultant: Iván Meade, Meade Design Group Builder: Christopher Developments Framer: EKB Construction Plumbing and Mechanical: NB Plumbing and Heating Electrician: Motherwell Electric Light Fixtures: Pine Lighting, Mclaren Lighting Doors and Hardware: Slegg Lumber (Lynden Doors) Windows: Gaulhofer Home Automation: OneTouch House Window Treatments: Ruffell & Brown Window Covering Centre Interior Accents/Furniture: Luxe Home Interiors BBQ’s/Hot Tub: Capital Iron Millwork: Hobson Woodworks Finishing Carpentry: AP Woodworks Custom Furniture: Splinters Millworks Kitchen Appliances: Coast Appliances Countertops: FLOFORM Plumbing Fixtures: Victoria Speciality Hardware Flooring: Island Floor Centre Landscape Design: Christopher Walker Landscape Support: Zenith Developments

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

PATTERN POWER New textures, better technology and eye-popping design make this the best time to give wallpaper a second chance. By Nessa Pullman

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

hortly after its mid-20th-century heyday, wallpaper developed a bad reputation in the design world. Wallpaper just wasn’t it anymore, but a fussy, impractical, tackily patterned relic of the past. Then about a decade ago, high-end hotels began showcasing wallpaper in their grand lobbies, magazines started publishing trendy projects with bold patterns and homeowners took a second look. Now rebranded as “wallcovering,” its comeback is complete. In part, that’s because suppliers have drastically improved the materials wallpaper is made from — especially the adhesives used to apply and remove it. With more durable materials, easier installation and the promise of removal that wouldn’t damage the walls underneath, designers were encouraged to create a diverse range

of patterns, textures and designs that could fit any home or style. And all of that has inspired us to view wallpaper in a way we never have before. “Wallpaper is one of those truths of the heart,” says interior designer Jessica Allerton of Bidgood + Co. “It may change over time, but we will always want something else other than just paint.”

A COMPLETE GAME-CHANGER More than 2,000 years ago, the Chinese were the first to paste patterned rice paper on their walls. By the 16th century, wallpaper had made its way along the Silk Road to Europe, where it was often used as an inexpensive way to mimic the luxurious tapestries and damasks of the nobility. Its popularity peaked in the 1950s and 60s, when wallpaper covered almost every wall of the modern home — shortly followed by its downfall, thanks to the sticky, shiny vinyl so popular in the 1970s, and so deeply loathed ever since.

Over the centuries, wallpaper has been made using many different materials, including fabrics such as silk and linen, some more successful than others. Today, wallpaper is created from durable, flexible and natural materials that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life, while also looking modern and polished. Most wallpaper is still made from 100 per cent paper, just as it was centuries ago, but modern technology has transformed this into a durable natural material that can come in a multitude of patterns and colours. Another popular material is grasscloth, woven from natural grasses and dried reeds to create a textured and multi-dimensional look. This material can be dyed to produce any colour, making it versatile in spaces that require a subtler look without any busy patterns. Other organic textures such as cork, bark or wood create a rustic and earthy look.

Opposite page: This retro-inspired Vine wallpaper in the Verde colourway from Little Greene is based on a pattern from 1932. Above, left: Thibaut’s Stablewood grasscloth wallpaper adds texture and colour to a space. Right: Graham & Brown’s 2022 wallpaper of the year in the Midnight colourway infuses this kitchen with character.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

The newest and most non-traditional wallpapers are the removable “peel-and-stick” decals, which are typically made from a vinyl blend and can come in a variety of fun patterns, colours and textures. These have been a complete game-changer, especially for renters or homeowners on a tight budget, but they can’t compete with the durability of a traditional paper or organic material installed with proper adhesives by professionals.

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Josée Lalonde and Melanie Henson, both interior designers from Victoria-based Josée Lalonde Design, love to use wallpaper to create the big “wow factor” in a space. “A dramatic accent wall paired with a soft textile of a couch or headboard really grabs the eye when you walk into the room,”

Left: Who says wallpaper needs to be permanent, or that it has to be hard to install? This Floral Crane Chinoiserie peel-and-stick wallpaper from canvasndecor.ca injects a child’s room with whimsy and charm.

says Henson. Adds Lalonde, “Accent walls are a great way to play around with fun patterns and loud colours without committing to too much.” Allerton prefers to wallpaper an entire room to create a unique experience. “Powder rooms are our ‘go to’ — they are the jewelry box of the home, a perfect way to add a special touch without taking over the whole house,” says Allerton. “And with small rooms, you have the opportunity to go with a large pattern that may otherwise look overwhelming in a bigger space.” There are also lots of creative things you can do with wallpaper even off the walls. “A fun accent applied to the back of a bookshelf or china cabinet can really make an impact,” says Lalonde. “Or placed on the ceiling or even a door for an unexpected surprise.” Such a versatile product does come with complications and challenges. First and foremost is choosing the right wallpaper in the first place — it can be an expensive mistake if you need to replace a pattern that is too big, too busy or simply the wrong colour in a space. Then, Allerton says, “Once you’ve chosen your design, you need to be thoughtful about what you pair with it. If you’re going with a large-scale floral pattern on the wall, then balance it out with a small-scale checkered pattern in a rug or drapery.” One good tip is to follow the Josée Lalonde team’s practice of stopping by their neighbours at Design District to browse samples and place orders.

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Just as important is having enough wallpaper to cover your desired area — which all starts with having the correct measurements. (Allerton suggests reaching out to the supplier or finding a measurement calculator online for help with measuring.) “Each pattern has a repeat, so it’s important that you do your research beforehand to make sure you order enough to line up the pattern correctly,” explains Lalonde. “And always order more than you need,” adds Henson. “Because even if you can order more later on, it could be from a different dye lot and the pattern won’t be cohesive.”

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Whether it has a pattern or not, wallpaper can be tricky to install. “We can’t stress enough how important it is to hire a professional installer,” says Henson. “It takes a lot of skill and patience to create a look that is equal and seamless.” For brave DIYers, there are plenty of tips and tricks for working with wallpaper online. “If you’re just dipping your toes in, then we suggest starting small,” says Allerton. “Choose the room and order a sample you can hang on the wall. Leave it for a week and see how it feels after you’ve used the space.” Choosing the right wall can also be vital. “If it’s an accent wall, try to choose a wall

< Before plastering your home in wallpaper, then deciding you don’t like it, start small with a single feature wall, or even the interior of a cabinet.

“ If you’re just dipping your toes in, then we suggest starting small.”

— Jessica Allerton, Bidgood + Co.

that is corner to corner,” says Lalonde. “This will help avoid peeling of the edges.” Avoiding the wrong wall is even more important. “You also want to avoid moisturecollecting areas,” says Allerton. “Backsplashes or beside a bathtub is a no go.” Still, we have come a long way since the early days of wallpaper. Today’s technologies and innovations make it a flexible and real option. As Henson says, “Wallpaper has become so versatile these days. And with the cost of wood and metal going up, it’s a really good solution to achieve a certain look in a costeffective way.” Most of all, wallpaper gives us the luxury of adding impact to a space in a way that really challenges how we view design. “We’re growing away from some of our minimalism restraints within design,” says Allerton. “People are less afraid of pattern and colour than they have been in a long time.”

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

After two years of stress, uncertainty and a little too much time at home, we’re finally reengaging with the world and rediscovering the joy of dressing for the day. | By Melissa Gignac

t’s fair to say that many of us have become comfort junkies over the course of the pandemic — embracing athleisure that’s spent more time stretching out on the couch than at barre class. As we ease back into dressing with intention, YAM fashion editor Janine Metcalfe forecasts her fashion predictions to take us through fall 2022 and into 2023. From bomber jackets to private-school chic, much of it feels comfortingly familiar. After all, as Metcalfe points out, fashion revolves around a 20-year cycle. Perhaps there’s a solace in embracing familiar pieces after a long period of turmoil. It just takes a little attention to trends in shape, silhouette and colour to take classic to current.

FALL 2022 IS ALL ABOUT BEAUTIFULLY WEARABLE CLOTHES YOU WILL LOVE. LOOK FOR MENSWEARINSPIRED PIECES LIKE THIS TAILORED SHIRT AND CROPPED, HIGH-WAISTED TROUSERS FROM MAX MARA’S READY-TO-WEAR LINE.

FALLING BACK IN LOVE WITH

FASHION 46

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

The Great White Tank InStyle magazine recently kicked up an Instagram ruckus by declaring the white tank a “throwback trend,” risen “from the ashes of Y2K fashion.” While it’s easily associated with the turn of the millennium, the tank has evolved along with the women who wear it. A classic white tank is timeless — that’s why Gwen Stefani looks as fresh wearing it long and lean now as she did belting out Just a Girl in a cropped version. And it’s accessible, too. Whether in a three-pack from Hanes or fresh off the Prada runway, the tank is a versatile piece that’s available at every price point. Worn alone it imparts a little edge to street style; under a blazer it’s a perfect layering piece for the office. And really, is there a more classic look than a crisp white tank and jeans?

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BOTTEGA VENETA

Cher (Horowitz) Chic

DIOR READY-TO-WEAR

The audacious yellow plaids Maria Grazia Chiuri sent down the Dior runway are anything but Clueless, boldly embracing a quirky spin on the classic collegiate look that’s a staple of the back-to-school season. Pleated miniskirts, button-down shirts, neckties and even a dash of argyle plaid impart a prep school panache that can be incorporated as individual pieces, or mixed and matched for a quirkier, more playful approach. MICHAEL KORS SATCHEL

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Masculine Mood At the other end of the style spectrum, the Annie Hall esthetic is back! Slouchy, oversized jackets and menswear-inspired trousers combine with the aforementioned white tanks, plaids and neckties to create softened versions of traditionally for-him favourites. Menswear chic embraces the higher waists and wider legs that have dethroned the skinny jean silhouette. LOUIS VUITTON

TOM FORD

Modern Femininity

ELISABETTA FRANCHI

Pretty never goes out of style; we’ve just become a little lax embracing it. Metcalfe’s fall must-haves play with layers of sheer, ultrafeminine fabrics like chiffon and silk organza, with a dash of sequin glitz. Diaphanous textiles, adorned with delicate beading, bring a textural focus, and monochromatic underpinnings in matching tones ensure modesty isn’t compromised. Feminine doesn’t have to mean dresses — oversized pants in flowy satins recall the ease of pyjamas injected with the glamour of old Hollywood. Paired with a delicate camisole, they flirt over intimate drinks, and matched with a slouchy sweater and your favourite kicks, they say, “Give me the comfort I’ve become accustomed to over the past two years, but make it fashion.” 48

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Paying attention to proportions is key to carrying off more generous cuts, and focusing on one oversized element will keep you from looking sartorially swallowed. Metcalfe suggests that one item in a look should be tailored. “You could do a baggy pant with a more silhouette jacket or a shorter skirt with a bigger jacket,” she suggests. “With a trench do a more fitted — but not skinny — jean.”

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Strive for Sustainability Focusing on earth-friendlier textiles and leather alternatives is a key trend, especially when it comes to handbags. While the mycelium-based mushroom leather with which designers like Stella McCartney are experimenting might be out of reach for the average shopper, more sustainable, animalfriendly options are available at every price point. Canadian brand Pixie Mood’s classic styles embrace ecofriendly measures such as sustainably harvested cork, recycled canvas and PVC-free vegan leather and linings made from recycled plastic bottles.

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90s Minimalism

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It’s not just your barista’s highwaisted, buttonfly wedgie jeans signaling that the 1990s are back. For a decade that didn’t feel like it had a distinctive fashion viewpoint, pre-millennial style is showing up strong. The 90s were the era of the BANANA REPUBLIC supermodels, who BLISS SILK MIDI SKIRT exemplified the long, lean silhouette of the epoch. Slender trousers, cashmere sweaters and sheer tanks layered over opaque bases, all in monochromatic neutral tones, recall the androgynous esthetic popularized by designers Jil Sander and Helmut Lang. Lingerie-inspired bias-cut skirts and slip dresses in slinky fabrics go from date night to street by swapping out heels for chunky combat boots.

VERONICA BEARD NIMAH BOMBER

Da Bomb(er) Just as its predecessor did in the mid-80s, Top Gun: Maverick has brought the bomber jacket back to the forefront of fashion. Originally designed over a century ago to keep pilots warm in open-cockpit airplanes, bomber jackets quickly became a civilian staple. This season they’re back in a multitude of styles, from classic nylon flight jackets to shearling-lined leather. The bomber’s close cousin, the moto jacket, is an equally stylish alternative. This season motos are at their coolest, oversized, giving a more “borrowed from a boyfriend” vibe than previously shrunken styles. Both styles are closet workhorses, pairing with jeans for brunch, tailored trousers for work and adding edge to date-night dresses.

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Cacophony of Colour

HUISHAN ZHANG

The style spectrum is bursting with a rainbow of chic, joyous colours. “Every designer did a bit of colour, especially pinks,” Metcalfe notes. “Pinks are the big thing.” Creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino PP collection is the pinnacle of pink — the monochrome collection embraces hot pink as “a manifestation of the unconscious and a liberation from the need for realism.” It’s a mood-boosting sentiment captured by the moniker “dopamine dressing,” the sartorial equivalent of listening to Lizzo’s album Special on repeat. If head-to-toe brights feel intimidating, ease in by incorporating one bold piece into a more neutral palette. Metcalfe notes that as women mature, they tend to shy away from colour. Perhaps it’s a fear of drawing attention, but there’s no reason to retreat into a subdued palette.

The Finishing Touch

Cross-pollinate your closet

Accessories are an accessible way to up your style ante. “Personally, they’re my favourite thing,” says Metcalfe. “Because you can wear just about anything as long as you have a good handbag and a good pair of shoes.”

Jewelry

> The colour trend extends to how we ornament our bodies. Metcalfe notes that the freshest styles “are fun — that dainty gold and silver that’s been in for so long is getting replaced by chunkier, colourful looks.” Earrings invoke hefty crystal from the 1980s, boxy bangles are back and charm bracelets are making a resurgence. Ornate cocktail rings add instant glamour, and classic hoops take on more ornate shapes.

Handbags > Playful purses are a perfect entry point for shoppers looking to dabble in dopamine. Jewel tones pop against a neutral ensemble, while bold prints and geometric designs offer an opportunity to carry wearable art. The best bags offer versatility, and switching how you carry your bag gives your body a break. Look for multi-strap styles with options to carry crossbody, on the shoulder or in your hand.

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LAFLORE PARIS BEBEBARK CONVERTIBLE CORK PURSE

Shoes

> This may go against everything Islanders hold dear, but it’s time to bust out of the omnipresent Blundstone’s. Utilitarian, functional footwear is a core need, but it can be done with a little more focus on fashion. Combat and moto-inspired boots up the cool factor, and chunky, stacked-heel Mary Janes give workwear a literal lift. Alternately, ballet flats are back, taking the comfort of slippers out of the house. While Blundys might be a one-and-done wonder, there’s a world of footwear options to embrace.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

VALENTINO

ALLSAINTS DONITA STAMP BOOT

All of these trends aren’t mutually exclusive, and there’s a good chance many of the pieces already inhabit your wardrobe. Try choosing one piece — say, the white tank — as a base and styling around it with adjacent trends. It moves effortlessly between the masculine and feminine elements of 90s minimalism, which embrace menswear as well as romantic sheers. A white tank plays a grounding role against a powerful plaid or berry-hued garment, letting the statementmaking star really shine. And, of course, any of these combinations can be completed with a classic bomber. Fashion this fall is all about finding the elements that resonate with your personal style and creating ways to make them wearable for you. As Metcalfe says, “People say to dress your age, but what is that? As long as you style it properly, you can make anything age appropriate.”

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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

This page: Cashmere dress, cardigan, tuque and cape, all available at Black Goat Cashmere. Opposite page: Forest green cable-stitch poncho by SAOI, available at Out of Ireland.

This page: Grey sweater and grey wool cardigan, both by Luisa Cerano, available at Bagheera Boutique. Randine dark navy jacquard skirt by Part Two, available at Bagheera Boutique. Arizona Habana sandals by Birkenstocks, available at Heart and Sole Shoes. Taupe cashmere socks, available at Black Goat Cashmere. Opposite page: Ezra half-zip pullover and Grandpa cardigan in oatmeal by Carolyn Ferreira. The Tomcat ankle pant in café spice by MOTHER Denim. Alpine Tariet vest by Ulla Johnson. Fur City boot by Ganni. All available at Bernstein & Gold.

This page: Worker’s Nobility merino wool knit jumpsuit, Ichi Antiquites turtleneck and cable-knit wool robe cardigan, available at Open House. Brown oiled satchel by Longevity with Provenance, available at Heart and Sole Shoes. Opposite page: Cream blouse by Oui Germany. Falaki knitted waistcoat by InWear. Peruvian cotton hoodie and organic cotton cream pant, both by Eileen Fisher. All available at Hughes Clothing.

Model: Bella Briones/Lizbell Agency Hair & makeup: Anya Ellis/Lizbell Agency Shot on location at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary

SMART, SUSTAINABLE, SUCCULENT

Why we should enjoy more local octopus — if we can get past our preconceptions. By Cinda Chavich

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Peruvian-style grilled octopus with diced sweet potato, aji pepper purée, pickled red onion from Tofino’s Wolf in the Fog.

IT’S MID-AFTERNOON IN PORTO EMPEDOCLE, SICILY, and the octopus that arrives as part of my antipasto lunch fills the plate, its bulbous head tilting jauntily above eight limbs and a swirl of tiny crimson suckers. It’s about the same size as the small specimen I photographed earlier in the fish market in Trapani, just pulled from local waters and still slithering in a wooden box alongside a cadre of calamari. These are a diminutive species by our West Coast standards, where the giant Pacific octopus reigns, the behemoth of the cephalopod family. (Cephalopods are a family of molluscs that includes squid and cuttlefish, as well as octopus.) And although I love the sweet flavour of octopus, and have enjoyed it chopped in a salad, simmered in pasta sauce and served as tapas, I’ll admit that coming face to face with a whole octopus gave me pause. There are other reasons, too, why squeamish consumers might choose to avoid eating octopus, especially because of its perceived intelligence, as illustrated by movies such as My Octopus Teacher and Finding Nemo. But octopus is a local seafood choice that gets the sustainability green light in British Columbia — in fact, for millennia, Indigenous people on this coast created octopus “houses” to trap them for food or bait — and I’m keen to learn how to cook and serve it at home.

OCTOPUS ON THE MENU The thing about octopus is that it’s shortlived, plentiful and has no negative impact on its environment, making it a poster child for sustainable seafood choices. It’s not part of any commercial

fishery here, but is landed as bycatch that would otherwise be discarded, which is why so many chefs like to include it on their locally inspired menus. For instance, Bodega’s tapas menu features a grilled octopus salad made with baby potatoes, crumbled serrano chilies and a nutty red pepper romesco sauce with preserved lemon aioli. At Boom + Batten, chef Matt Cusano serves a similar appetizer combination — grilled octopus with chickpeas, spicy romesco and preserved lemon. At Agrius, meanwhile, octopus is prepared with tomato, cucumber and dill. At Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, chef Ken Nakano serves tender charred octopus with spicy Thai nam prik chili sauce and crisp cubes of confit potato. Octopus (a.k.a. tako) is also featured on the Japanese tapas menu at Nubo, where it is diced and marinated with wasabi and seaweed. And at Niche Grocerant, a local grocer/restaurant in Broadmead Village, the Mediterranean octopus salad with sweet cherry tomatoes, white beans and olives is a delicious and beautiful dish to behold. So, you see where I’m going with this — octopus is a local delicacy that translates to a world of cooking styles and recipes.

IN THE KITCHEN At just around $20 a kilo, octopus seems inexpensive compared with other seafood at the local fishmonger. That’s true, but the cost comes in the time it takes to prepare. To create a truly tender, delicious octopus dish requires care and attention. Chef Nick Nutting at Tofino’s Wolf in the Fog serves giant Pacific octopus in a variety of ways (currently it’s charred with Szechuan pepper, sesame and soy), and when I visited him in the kitchen, it was prep day. There are two 20-pound specimens in the deep sink, the thick arms already removed from the head (mantle). The octopus is then doused with plenty of salt, vigorously scrubbed to remove the gelatinous

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

VOICES IN CIRCLE

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Octopus with tomato, cucumber and dill from Agrius.

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coating and rinsed well. Big pots of boiling water await on the stove, and the octopus is quickly blanched, for just a minute or so. It is then placed in a braising pan, covered with court bouillon (a lightly seasoned broth), and cooked, covered, for one to two hours in the oven, until the meat is fork tender. Cooled in the braising liquid and chilled, it’s ready for salads, marinades or a quick char on the grill. “The key is to keep the temperature of the braising liquid between 65° and 72°C [150° and 160°F],” says Nutting. “You don’t want it to be boiling — too hot and the suckers will fall off.” At Aura, located at the Inn at Laurel Point, Nakano serves octopus on his small-plates menu. “I love the texture, subtle flavour and versatility of it,” says Nakano. “It has really gained in popularity over the years — it’s one of our top sellers.” Nakano’s octopus arrives whole and frozen from the Victoria fishmonger Finest At Sea. It needs to be “thoroughly scrubbed with salt and washed to remove all of its protective slime” and then can be blanched or braised, depending on the particular dish. After cleaning, Nakano uses an overnight brine with salt and aromatics to “plump up” the meat, then cooks it sous vide at 77°F for seven hours, until very tender. Braising octopus for two hours in a 300°F oven gets similar results, he says. After cooling the octopus in its braising liquid, a quick char on a hot grill adds another layer of flavour. “Octopus is very textural, juicy and meaty,” he says, “and takes on any flavour you use with it.” Nakano also recommends classic Japanese dishes with octopus, including takoyaki and okonomiyaki

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

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pancakes, or fresh cucumber sunomono salad. For the latter, simply blanch the octopus in boiling salted water for three to five minutes, then cool and slice into thin pieces. “I like it many ways,” he says. “In the hot summer, I like the classic sunomono with cucumbers, wakame and sanbaizu; super delicious and refreshing, izakaya style.” Niche Grocerant’s chef Andrea Mackenzie serves octopus in a salad, too, but in a dish with a little Italian inspiration. The tender braised octopus is combined with white beans in a lemony vinaigrette and served with fresh local greens and cherry tomatoes. (See below for the recipe.) Mackenzie has the advantage of a commercial oven in her kitchen at Niche — a computerized cooker that comes with an “octopus button” to steam the octopus to tender perfection. Without this expensive gadget, she recommends simmering the octopus with aromatics until tender, rubbing off the skin, then chilling before adding to salads or other dishes. At Wild Mountain Food & Drink chef Oliver Kienast gives octopus “the spa treatment” before cooking — it is bathed and soaked with local seaweed, massaged and scrubbed in Island sea salt and braised in red wine to serve as an appetizer.

NICHE’S OCTOPUS SALAD

Chef Andrea Mackenzie shares this great recipe from the menu at Niche Grocerant — a Mediterranean-inspired salad of white beans and octopus in an herbal lemon vinaigrette. • 1 can (398 mL) white beans, drained and rinsed well • 1/2 cup mixed olives • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • Juice and finely grated zest of 2 lemons • 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes • salt and pepper to taste • 2 lb octopus tentacles, washed well GARNISH: • good olive oil, lemon wedges In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the octopus. Chill until ready to serve. Meanwhile, rinse the octopus well, then steam (or braise) it for 90 minutes or until tender. Chill for at least 1 hour, then peel off the skin and slice the flesh thinly. To serve: Divide bean salad between 4 plates. Top with chilled, sliced octopus. Drizzle with good olive oil and garnish with a fresh lemon wedge. Serves 4.

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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

AT THE SOURCE

understand the provenance of that food to make ethical choices. I asked Dr. Jennifer Mather, a Canadian scientist and one of the world’s Octopus species vary tremendously in size: as small as an inch (2.5 cm) top experts in octopus behaviour, consciousness and cognition, about or up to 30 feet (nine metres) long. the ethics of eating octopus. Mather, who studied marine biology at the The giant Pacific octopus is the largest in the world, and the average University of Victoria and is now a professor at the University of Lethbridge, size caught in local waters weighs in at about 15 to 20 pounds, says travelled to South Africa to consult with the filmmakers of My Octopus Anne Best of Oak Bay Seafood and Better Seafood Supply. As fishers, Teacher and has lots to say about this endlessly retailers and wholesalers, the Bests source fascinating animal. sustainable seafood, and the Pacific Because it has no skeleton, an octopus can octopus in their freezers is bycatch from squeeze through a tiny opening, so there’s the B.C. prawn fishery. (They also make a plenty of urban lore around clever octopuses lovely smoked octopus that’s perfect for and their daring escapes from aquariums. Their “seacuterie” platters.) eight arms contain two-thirds of their neurons, It’s the same story at Finest At Sea, where so an octopus can “taste” via touch, and change they can tell you exactly who caught the fish colour and texture in an instant to mimic its they are selling, when and where it was landed. surroundings and escape detection. Scientists That’s the main consideration for cohave also observed individual personalities in chef and sommelier Brooke Fader of Wild captive octopuses that solve problems, play and Mountain in Sooke, who is a founding recognize their keepers. member of Slow Fish Canada and a Mather’s work studying octopuses has community leader for Slow Food Vancouver given her so much insight into their behaviour, Island & Gulf Islands. “In Slow Fish, we’re she has a special soft spot for these unique always looking for traceability,” says Fader. molluscs. But she’s pragmatic when it comes “In B.C., octopus is a bycatch, so if it’s not sold to eating them. Mather is not a vegan and for food, it’s discarded or ground up for bait.” admits to a weakness for calamari, but “for very Although octopus isn’t fished obvious reasons, I don’t eat octopus,” she says, commercially here, local prawn and crab adding, “In terms of being a carnivore, I have fishers will often catch one by chance — come to the conclusion that it’s not whether hungry octopuses love to climb into their we eat particular species, but whether they are traps in search of food. Serving and eating kept well and killed humanely.” octopus support the fishers as well. “It does Mather emphasizes that animal welfare must help the fishers when we can buy it and go beyond more familiar mammals to include use it,” Fader says. “I think we should eat it all animals, including cephalopods. The latest versus throwing it away.” plan to farm octopus in countries like Japan and Slow Food’s mandate of sourcing “good, Spain is not an ethical choice — wild octopus clean and fair” foods extends to knowing the from sustainable fisheries is preferable. source of ingredients and supporting local Eating octopus is something I’ve mulled for communities. “It’s a reminder that we need years, ever since I watched a Vancouver spot to eat biodiversely, eat what’s in season and prawn fisherman pull a big ruddy creature from eat in sustainable ways,” Fader says. She one of his traps and toss it back to live another suggests shopping and dining in places where day, noting that the octopus is one of the staff know whether the seafood on offer is a smartest animals in the sea. traceable choice. Ken Nakano, executive chef at Aura, prepares local, But the octopus is a carnivore, too, dining sustainable octopus in a variety of ways. ON THE PLATE (OR NOT) on a diet of clams, lobsters, shrimp and even And so, to the elephant, or octopus, in birds. In fact, it’s only because the giant Pacific the room. If you watched the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus octopus has a penchant for prawns that they get into fishermen’s traps — and Teacher, you may be wondering if it’s wise to be eating the world’s smartest so on our plates — in the first place. cephalopod. That’s the omnivore’s dilemma. Like pigs, sheep and even So, I will continue to eat octopus while marveling at its ingenuity and squid, there are lots of animals we consume that are highly intelligent. So, abilities, and enjoy a healthy, local, sustainable seafood choice, fresh from if we choose to eat food of both plant and animal origins, it’s important to our local fishers.

OCTOPUS IS LANDED AS BYCATCH THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE DISCARDED, WHICH IS WHY SO MANY CHEFS LIKE TO INCLUDE IT ON THEIR LOCALLY INSPIRED MENUS.

PREPARING OCTOPUS Most octopus will be cleaned and portioned by the fishmonger, but if you get a whole octopus, you will need to remove and discard the interior organs, eyes, beak and ink sac. (You can retain this if you want to use the ink in pasta or risotto.) If you are using frozen octopus, remove it from the package and defrost in cold water. Cut off the tentacles.

Cut the mantle (head) into large pieces. Place the raw octopus into the sink, sprinkle generously with sea salt and scrub until all of the “soapy” residue is removed. Rinse. Repeat. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the octopus and blanch for 1 minute. Drain well and set aside to cool. Remove any gelatinous bits from the tentacles.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Meanwhile, make a court bouillon with water, onions, fennel tops, carrot and celery. Place the blanched octopus into a large, deep ovenproof pan and pour boiling bouillon over top to submerge. Cover and braise in a 275°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the octopus is fork tender. You want to keep the braising liquid about 150°F — too hot, and the suction cups will fall

off. When the octopus is tender (easily pierced with a fork), let it cool in the braising liquid, then remove and chill. If desired (though not necessary), rub off the purplish skin. Cooked octopus can then be sealed in a bag with marinade or seasoning, chopped to use in salads or other recipes, or simply charred on a hot grill for 5 minutes before serving.

OCTOPUS OKONOMIYAKI

This homestyle recipe for a Japanese octopus pancake comes from Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio executive chef Ken Nakano. Find precooked octopus and other ingredients for this recipe at Japanese grocers like Fujiya.

JULIA HOERSCH/STOCKFOOD

ON NOW BATTER: •4 oz piece of precooked octopus, cut into small, bite-sized pieces • 1 cup dashi broth or 1 cup water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon dashi powder (Shimaya brand recommended) • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 egg • 1 cup chopped green cabbage • 1 teaspoon beni shoga (red pickled ginger), chopped • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • 1 /2 teaspoon sea salt •3 green onions, finely chopped, plus a few extra chopped green ends for garnish • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

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GARNISH: •o konomiyaki sauce (Otafuku brand recommended) •J apanese mayonnaise (QP brand recommended) •a o nori (dried green seaweed) •k atsuobushi flakes (shaved bonito flakes) Preheat a 10-inch cast-iron pan over medium heat. Combine all the ingredients (except vegetable oil and garnish) in a bowl and mix well. This will make enough batter for one large okonomiyaki. Add oil to the hot frying pan and pour in the batter to form a large pancake. When the edges are cooked and the bottom is browned, flip it over. Continue to cook until both sides are nicely browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer onto a serving plate and drizzle some okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise all over it, sprinkle with ao nori, katsuobushi and chopped spring onion to finish. Serves 2.

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Keeping Health No longer either/or, wellness today is seen as a combination of our physical and mental health. Here are six ways to achieve the best of both. By Susan Hollis

he idea of personal health has come a long way in the past decade. Thanks to the diligence of the scientific research community, we now know more about our bodies — how they age and how they get sick — as well as how little any of that means if our mental health isn’t sound. That was certainly highlighted by the pandemic, which brought the issue of mental health — or the lack thereof — to the public sounding boards. Indeed, more than a third of those surveyed by the 2022 U.S. Mindbody Wellness Index report ranked mental health as the most important dimension of wellness. Now, as we get back on track after a strange couple of years, we are not just eating better and exercising more, we are more likely than ever to try emerging therapies like infrared saunas, vitamin IV drips or bespoke nutritional trends that align with improved energy or focus.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

in Mind Meditation, cold and hot therapies, plant-based diets — today’s trends treat the whole human system, but keeping it interesting is also critical to maintaining a routine. After all, a balanced wellness plan means little if it’s so blah that you want to disappear into Netflix and a bag of Doritos by the end of week two. Here’s what you can do right now to improve both body and mind.

BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY

Victoria family doctor Tim McKay says his patients aren’t just correcting bad lockdown habits such as eating poorly and consuming more alcohol. They are also seeking therapies designed to improve both physical and mental well-being. “I have noticed an appreciable change in this overall,” he says. “There have always been a small percentage of individuals who are very focused on health and are frequent visitors to physicians, but I would say this percentage has increased in recent years, yes. Younger patients are now more involved in their wellness and generally have done more reading, research and worrying before they come in to see me.” Data from the Mindbody Wellness Index supports McKay’s observations, with 46 per cent of the American population showing interest in immune health services like red light therapy, detox programs and intravenous (IV) therapy, which infuses nutrients or other wellness solutions directly into a vein. Islanders are also showing an increased interest in regimens to support their health. “I have seen an increase in IV therapy, and I attribute it to the increase in stress and anxiety that COVID has caused with the changes in lifestyle for people,” says naturopathic physician Kristin Bovee, owner of Hydrate IV Wellness Centre in Victoria. “As well, there is an increased interest in staying well [in relation to] the health risks COVID has caused — both prevention and treatment of.”

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Don’t worry. Be happy.

FEED BODY AND SOUL

When it comes to eating more whole foods and upping vitamin intake to improve overall health, Dr. Maria Boorman says she is seeing an increase in the number of people who are approaching their health with an open mind and new dedication. For instance, those who may have previously needed some prodding to take supplements to improve their health outcomes are now far more likely to accept and adhere to the services she recommends. “What used to be outliers now has become more commonplace,” says Boorman, a naturopath at Lansdowne Naturopathic Centre. “In the past 10 years, I’ve seen people embrace it. I don’t have to do any convincing anymore. People come back, they are compliant, they want to feel well, they’re actually committed to feeling better.” She adds, “I think the difference I’m seeing is that it’s not a casual try now. People are convinced that this is what they need to do. They embrace it and they do it.” Naturopath Dr. Maria Boorman

“I think the difference I’m seeing is that it’s not a casual try now.”

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TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

What’s good for the body is good for the brain. No longer is “cognitive wellness” a term relegated to the medical sphere. In the Mindbody study, 26 per cent of those polled say they take care of what they call “intellectual wellness” by doing something creative, taking on new skills and/or challenging their minds through new learning. That’s especially important when it comes to protecting one’s brain from age-related decline. High levels of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the aging public has put the role of the brain in the spotlight. Up to 40 per cent of risk factors for dementia are considered modifiable through lifestyle changes that reduce stress and increase mental stimulation. Now, not only are people starting to embrace dietary changes like getting enough healthy fats (such as those in the Mediterranean diet), they’re embracing other key wellness measures, such as meditation and keeping social, for long-term brain health. Locally, some options for improved stimulation are available through pottery classes, grow-your-ownmushroom workshops at Victoria’s Compost Education Centre or even bike-repair classes at Recyclistas.

BE POSITIVE

Where once we dieted and exercised to become thin, we now seek body positivity, especially through workouts that embrace challenge and fun. Baylea Wilkins, owner of Baylea Wilkins Fitness, says her classes — whether online or in person — are a way for her clients to feel strong and connect with others. And she has noticed a discernible shift away from using exercise solely to drop a pant size. “I see an enormous shift — especially with women in my industry — quite a lot less focused on weight loss,” she says. “Earlier in my career, everybody wanted to lose weight, and they wanted to lose it fast and that was the main focus, but now you will hear women saying, ‘I don’t mind what I weigh, I just want to feel good.’ ”

26%

of those polled said they take care of their “intellectual wellness” by doing something creative.

46%

were showing interest in immune health services, like red light therapy and detox programs. Global survey, 2022 U.S. Mindbody Wellness Index

HAVE SOME FUN

In the structure of good health, the scaffolding must include fun. This is why folks have devised silent raves, goat yoga and stitch-and-bitch knitting sessions at local cafés. When humans are always on the hunt for new ways to feel better, the options for creative self-care become endless. To keep your body moving like it used to in the halcyon days of childhood, hula hoop workouts are Mayo Clinicapproved to nudge your fitness into high gear. (Or low, or medium — it’s all good!) Online classes found on YouTube are easily accessible for all levels, and the only equipment needed is a hula hoop, either weighted or regular. Expect improved balance and cardiovascular outcomes, along with a lot of high fives from the neighbourhood kids. Another option is to take the plunge — the cold plunge. It’s hard to miss the sheer number of people (mostly because they’re shrieking with laughter) parading into the frigid waters off the city’s beaches. Numerous studies have shown cold plunging combats tension and fatigue while improving memory and mood, so there’s no doubt as to why it has gained an enormous following in recent years. Whether you’re looking to improve back pain or get a better sleep, head down to your local beach for a free — if chilly — therapy session.

With a hula hoop workout, expect improved balance and cardiovascular outcomes, along with a lot of high fives from the neighbourhood kids.

ASK FOR HELP

The global pandemic was demonstrably bad for our mental health. More than half of Canadians surveyed in a recent Angus Reid poll said their mental health declined during the pandemic, with women between the ages of 35 and 54 carrying the brunt of the dip and younger people reporting higher rates of emotional stress than ever before. But despite improved technological access to online counseling, services with trained therapists are still hard to come by. Dr. McKay says he sees patients of all ages seeking more support and struggling to find it. “Since the pandemic, most of the usual psychologists I refer to are not accepting new patients due to high volumes,” he says. “Psychiatric services are overwhelmed in many areas.” If finding — or affording — a therapist is tough, try a few suggestions collated from Angus Reid poll Psychology Today. They include: breaking out of self-focused inner dialogue; being firm in your non-negotiables when it comes to things you can’t tolerate; and viewing anxiety and the reasons for it as temporary, as just moments you are passing through. While we are finding our footing after a turbulent two years, many of us can admit that despite the emotional and physical toll exacted by the pandemic, it’s also given us an opportunity to reflect on what’s important. And whether the pandemic is truly over or not, we’re ready to carry some hard-learned lessons into a healthier, more connected future.

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SCENE

PASSION AND PIROUETTES

Author Robin Miller (left) worked with dancer Lynda Raino (pictured with dog Sho Sho) to tell the story of Victoria’s remarkable dance scene in her new book.

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

In Small City, Big Talent, author Robin Miller traces the steps of Victoria’s mother of modern dance theatre, Lynda Raino. By David Lennam | Photo by Michelle Proctor

Come travel with us!

y the sheer number of dance lessons given and dance productions attended, Victoria can count itself a dance town. A modern dance town. Plenty of chances to go all Bob Fosse on a local stage. But it hasn’t always been that way. For anyone wondering how modern dance evolved here, Victoria writer Robin Miller has created a lavishly illustrated narrative chronology, presented as more a series of stories, clever anecdotes and insider gossip than as some serious-minded archival tome. Small City, Big Talent (published by Suddenly Dance Theatre) is a thorough account of the evolution of dance from 1978 to 2021, thumbtacking all the important events as forensically as one can with the arts. Miller, whose byline appears regularly in publications like Dance International and Opera Canada, pinpoints 1978 as the start of a gestation in Victoria that continues to evolve and yield new work. It was in that year that a happenstance reunion took place on Government Street. A 30-year-old Lynda Raino, pregnant with her second son and looking to settle and recharge after a fruitful performance career in Montreal, ran into onetime partner and dance collaborator Constantine Darling, who had also relocated to Victoria. It had been almost three years since they’d seen each other and neither knew the other was here. Raino, now in her 70s, recalls how that meeting made coming to Victoria so wonderful for her. “It was just like, ‘Holy shit, what are you doing here? You moved here?’ ” Raino and Darling had both left Montreal at the same time, he for Florida, she for Texas, California and Oregon. “And then, bam, we’re in Victoria. It was like, OK, let’s start dancing again, just like nothing ever happened.” Their second act was fertile. Darling and Raino founded Victoria’s first modern dance company, the all-too-shortlived Spectrum Dance Circus (featuring Kerry Krich and Kim Breiland), and the city started punching above its weight as a centre for dance. Big names — David Earle and Christopher House, dancers from the Bolshoi, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, New York City Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem — arrived to teach at Darling’s famous summer intensives. The mentorship of Raino, as well as the A-listers Darling engaged, prepared the next wave of dancers: David Ferguson, Lori Hamar, Suddenly Dance Theatre, Crystal Pite. Always the outsize impresario, Darling brought numerous big names and dance companies to perform, including Evelyn Hart, Rex Harrington, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and even Mikhail Baryshnikov. Darling’s passion helped set the course for the Victoria Dance Series, now known as Dance Victoria.

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Through it all, acting as the fulcrum on which all modern dance balanced, was Raino. Everyone has worked with her. Wanted to work with her. Will soon be working with her. “She has taught anybody who’s anybody in dance right now,” says Miller. Her storytelling choreography, her I-can-teachanybody-to-dance attitude, and her inclusive philosophy of “you don’t have to have a dancer’s body, you just have to have a body that dances” have allowed her to thread everything and everyone together, coming full circle in 2004 when Victoria native Crystal Pite, perhaps the hottest choreographer in the world right now, chose to work with Raino on her dance duet, A Conversation. The story of modern dance in Victoria doesn’t just feature Raino. It’s because of Raino. More than anyone else, she’s the architect of all that there is today. The book grew out of short pieces Miller wrote for Dance Victoria’s Footnotes publication. “What started in this book, and writing it, is that it began to encompass everyone who has been in dance here and it’s not just these major figures,” says Miller. David Ferguson, founding artistic co-director of Suddenly Dance, who is currently working on new material with Raino, understands better than anyone how important a role she’s played. And continues to play. “Victoria has an identity in dance theatre, and Lynda Raino being the mother of dance theatre in our area is why the book is important. [The book] is a huge honouring to her,” he says. It’s equally huge for Suddenly Dance. They will be publishing the book during their 30th anniversary year and will donate proceeds from the book to their Fountain of Youth program, supporting new and diverse dance artists under the age of 26. “From our point of view,” notes Ferguson, “what’s great is we get to talk about our history and celebrate it, but it’s feeding our future.” In this spread from Small City, Big Talent, dancer David Ferguson is captured in a quiet moment by his partner and Suddenly Dance co-director Miles Lowry.

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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

Ethical, dedicated, reliable. The book features Lynda Raino on the front cover and another Victorian, Crystal Pite, on the back.

“Victoria has an identity in dance theatre, and Lynda Raino being the mother of dance theatre in our area is why the book is important. [The book] is a huge honouring to her.” — David Ferguson, Suddenly Dance Raino likes to refer to the book as her book. And in many respects, it is. “It’s really Lynda’s book, in the funniest sort of way,” says Ferguson’s partner in life and creation, Miles Lowry. “In truth, you can see Lynda’s thread through the whole thing.” “It’s my book to me,” assures Raino with a laugh. “Robin had to keep telling me, ‘It’s not your book.’ It’s not my book, but it really felt like my book.” By the time Big Dance, Raino’s groundbreaking program for larger women, started to garner international acclaim in the late 1990s, she’d already lived so many lives as dancer, choreographer and teacher (the memory of which exists, she says, only on old VHS tapes). “I remember saying to my sister when Big Dance was just ginormous and anybody who interviewed me only wanted to talk about Big Dance, ‘Damn, I hope that’s not going to be the only thing they remember from me.’ ” Even when Miller had finished the book and was editing it, Raino had more to offer. “I phoned her and mentioned, ‘Did I tell you about the time Cheech and Chong asked me to teach them dance in Vancouver?’ And she said, ‘No you didn’t. That would’ve been nice. Now it’s too late.’ ” For Raino and for modern dance in this city, it’s never finished, it’s never finite, it’s never the end. “There’s always more that you want, always more than you can remember,” she says.

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DO TELL

Fearless Christine Taylor Fearing A Q&A with the comedian, writer, advocate and feminist scholar By Jennifer Hartley | Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

ultidisciplinary artist Christine Taylor Fearing burst onto the national scene in 1990 as a member of Corey and Wade’s Playhouse, a Newfoundland-based comedy troupe that included comedian Rick Mercer. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she left her home province in 1991 to tour her work internationally, eventually finding a new home base in Victoria. She is an advocate for neurodivergence, a comedian, a writer and feminist scholar. She/They (Fearing’s preferred pronouns) are currently curating an accessible performance installation called Fear of Flowers, expected to debut in 2025, as well as navigating a path to an interdisciplinary PhD through Memorial University in Newfoundland. What was the scariest moment of your life? In the Juicy Danger Show, I toured with a chainsaw juggler and I had a flame cannon. My first play, Man on the Moon Woman on the Pill had a bomb threat — sniffer dogs even came to the Vancouver East Cultural Centre! I’ve also performed privately for Madonna — but none of those things are as scary as facing your neurodivergence and the internalized

YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2022

shame that came from years of hiding and not understanding. It’s like coming out all over again. Tell me about your work with neurodivergence. My work is primarily focused around the neurodivergency of dyslexia, with a focus on promoting the strengths of a dyslexic brain. I am very much interested in the history of dyslexia and its development in science, civil society and policy. Through my artistic work and research, I am cultivating dyslexic pride! What do you view as your biggest personal success? Oh wow! I navigated a career in comedy pre-MeToo movement! That’s no small feat. I can extinguish a cigarette with a bullwhip. That’s not really what you are after. I would say ... I earned a thesis-based master’s degree at Mount Saint Vincent University without an undergrad degree. Frankly, being able to extinguish a cigarette with a bullwhip helped me get through a feminist theory class, but I digress.

What do you do in your spare time? I’m a member of the Victoria Horticultural Society. It’s a cult, and we are always looking for new members. Come, even if you don’t have a garden. What makes you laugh? Physical comedy — hands down. That’s what makes me laugh on the outside. Smart comedy makes me laugh on the inside. And, I know it’s corny, but my husband Stephen Fearing seriously cracks me up. I can’t really spill the beans because he is a Canadian folk legend and has a front to keep up, but seriously ... he’s a total eejit! What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? “Make your mess your message,” a quote attributed to broadcaster Robin Roberts. I can lean into that one for a long time. What is the one thing you have had to learn the hard way? Are you kidding me? I’m a queer, feminist dyslexic — was there an easy option to learn things?

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