YAM magazine May/June 2017 by Page One Publishing

ISSUE 49 MAY/JUN 2017

yammagazine.com

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

FOOD+DRINK ISSUE COOKING WITH FIRE // AN ABSINTHE FAIRY TALE GETAWAY TO THE VILLA EYRIE // VICTORIA’S 25 BEST EATS FEED YOUR MIND // A REIMAGINED HISTORIC HOME

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CONTENTS

25 BEST EATS It’s that time of year! YAM presents our picks for Victoria’s tastiest eats for 2017. BY CINDA CHAVICH

LIGHT, BRIGHT AND EVERYTHING NICE

FAIRY TALES

FEED YOUR MIND

A weekend escape to the Villa Eyrie reaffirms there are things you can only see when you slow down.

Smart design and a refreshing palette transform a colourless space, making for vibrant and functional living.

Absinthe, the mysterious and once-scorned spirit, is taking its place in cocktail culture thanks to some creative B.C. makers.

YAM sits down with inspirational speaker and bestselling author Danielle LaPorte to talk about nourishing one’s mind.

BY ATHENA McKENZIE

BY ADEM TEPEDELEN

BY ALEX VAN TOL

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

THE VIEW FROM HERE

BY ATHENA McKENZIE

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IN EVERY ISSUE 10 EDITOR’S NOTE 15 YAM

CONFIDENTIAL Calling all foodies for a special giveaway, plus an electrifying event with violin extremist Kytami

17 H ERE & NOW

Style goes tutti-fruitti, kitchen couture, temptation times two and a party on two wheels

22 FOOD & DRINK

Chefs have a new tool in their culinary arsenal — fire By Cinda Chavich

28 GREAT SPACE

Create a rustic modern retreat for sleep and rejuvenation By Kerry Slavens

30 HOME & LIFESTYLE This beautifully restored heritage home comes with modern amenities and its own backstory By Danielle Pope

80 STYLE WATCH This season, it’s all about accessorizing

By Janine Metcalfe

84 SCENE

The AGGV’s imminent expansion inspires a special exhibition of its iconic holdings, plus Vic West’s street scene and Culture X3 By David Lennam and Danielle Pope

90 DO TELL

A Proust-style interview with Nate Caudle of Little Jumbo By Athena McKenzie

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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Studio Revisions

used to think the world was divided into two kinds of people: those who love lists and those who don’t. I was firmly in the camp of those who don’t. I’d never create outlines for essays, I’d grocery shop by free form, and my days would unfold organically rather than by 1, 2, 3. It wasn’t that I didn’t have plans, but I tended to organize more by mindmapping diagrams than by lists. I’ve long suspected my abstract ways drive the list makers in my life crazy, but Freud said you forget what you do not want to remember, so I suppose there is method in my madness. Then, a few months ago, I bought a notebook filled with graphing paper. At first, I thought to use the book for doodling, but something about page after page filled with tiny pale-blue squares just seemed to beg me to create lists. And so I began. Kerry Slavens, Editor-in-Chief At first, my lists were workrelated, but then, as I became more productive, my lists grew to encapsulate my personal life. Clean storage locker. Buy new shoes. Pay parking tickets cluttering my glove box. I actually found that once a task was listed, I began to feel less nagging anxiety about it. Apparently, that nagging is actually the unconscious mind (which is not designed to plan) pestering the conscious mind to come up with a plan. Soon I became obsessed, not only with my lists but with other people’s “listicles” on the Internet, like the “Things to do before you die” lists. To inspire and challenge myself, I tried to add elements of other people’s lists into my own. The results weren’t promising: 2546 Government Street, Victoria, BC, V8T 4P7 • T 778.406.1380 Ext 459

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WHY LIFE IS NOT A LIST

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Starting from

Effortless, on and off the road. 10

EDITOR’S NOTE

1. S ee the northern lights in Finland. I’d really rather vacation where it’s warm. 2. Run a half marathon. No. Just no. 3. Swim in the ocean nude. Done. Overrated. 4. G o bungee jumping. I figure this will accelerate my dying so maybe this should be at the end of the list? 5. Climb Mount Fuji. I’m not even going to climb Mount Finlayson, so scratch that. Lesson learned: you cannot live someone else’s list. Make your own. Umberto Eco said lists help us make sense of our world. I think that’s true for some people, but for me, it seemed to be the opposite. The more lists I made, the more I came to think something was missing. My rebellion accelerated after seeing Taking Off, a one-woman play at the Belfry Theatre about a middle-aged obsessive list maker who realizes even the best lists can’t fix unsatisfying lives. Slowly but surely, I returned to that free-association, mind-mapping way of being that felt natural for me. (I still make lists for work, because they do work.) Sure, maybe my way of organizing my life is not completely in control, but most of what really matters to me are those feelings and experiences that can’t be numbered, but are just as valid — perhaps more so — as the 1, 2, 3s.

Email me at kslavens@pageonepublishing.ca

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VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kerry Slavens

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz

EDITORIAL DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant DEPUTY EDITOR Athena McKenzie MARKETING & EVENTS Erin Virtanen PROOFREADER Vivian Sinclair CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Jo-Ann Loro CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cinda Chavich, David Lennam, Danielle Pope, Adem Tepedelen Alex Van Tol CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeffrey Bosdet, Janis Nicolay, Simon DesRochers, Joshua Lawrence

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Stocksy p. 17, 58, 28 ThinkStock p. 18, 19, 27 ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Vicki Clark, Sharon Davies, Cynthia Hanischuk

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@yammagazine.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@yammagazine.com TO SUBSCRIBE TO YAM subscriptions@yammagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES sales@yammagazine.com ONLINE yammagazine.com FACEBOOK YAM magazine –Victoria TWITTER twitter.com/YAMmagazine INSTAGRAM @yam_magazine

COVER B ao’s Korean fried chicken bibimbap with kimchi, pickled cucumber, scallions, a fried egg and sesame seeds.

P hoto by Jeffrey Bosdet with styling by Janice Hildybrant/YAM magazine

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

Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Printing. 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 us at 250-5957243 or email sales@yammagazine.com.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

YAM CONFIDENTIAL

ENTER TO WIN

CULINARY ADVENTURE GIVEAWAY

Cooking class for

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Whether you want to learn Thai cooking, perfect your pasta making or sharpen your knife skills, Cook Culture in Victoria features cooking classes for every interest and skill level. Experience the fun and excitement of learning and mastering new skills from chefs who are genuinely knowledgeable and passionate about great food. ($180 value)

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Visit yammagazine.com for details and to enter. Good luck!

ALL IN GOOD TASTE

CASSIE O’NEIL

LISTEN UP Violin extremist Kytami is definitely a Vancouver Island talent to watch. We certainly didn’t discover violinist extraordinaire Kytami, but when this Vancouver Island musician headlined the recent 10 to Watch Awards held by YAM’s sister publication, Douglas magazine, we were so impressed we wanted to shout her name from the rooftops. If you loved Kytami as co-founder of Delhi 2 Dublin, you’ll love her solo as well. As it says on kytami.com, “If a line exists between classical and electronic, between ancient and new, synthetic and organic, Kytami has sliced them all using only a violin bow ...” Look for Kytami’s new EP Renegade at digital recording label eastvandigital.com.

ne of the many perks of being part of the YAM team is the opportunity to watch some of our region’s best chefs and culinary creators in action, preparing and plating their offerings. For our “25 Best Eats” feature on page 46, writer Cinda Chavich, photographer Jeffrey Bosdet and graphic designer Janice Hildybrant experienced everything from Fudo chef Shingo Sano’s preparation of the perfect sashimi (pictured below) to AURA pastry chef Kimberley Vy’s sumptuously plated chocolate brownie with candied cocoa nibs, bruléed banana and malted milk with molasses and bourbon ice cream. Heaven!

Barbara’s Boutique 2392 Beacon Avenue, Sidney 250 655 0372

Baden-Baden Boutique 2485 Beacon Avenue, Sidney 250 655 7118

See page 48 for the finished dish!

www.badenbadenboutiques.com www.facebook.com/badenbadenboutiques

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

PHASE TWO NOW SELLING! The community of Eaglehurst Homes is taking flight! Every home is certified Built GreenTM by Citta Group with top-tier energy efficiency ratings and comes standard with premium finishings and fixtures. With a 2-5-10 Home Warranty and a 1-year bumper to bumper warranty from Citta group, both quality and peace of mind are built in. Our show home is now open five days a week - come see for yourself what Eaglehurst Homes has to offer!

DEXTER ASSOCIATES REALTY

Presentation Centre

2387 Beacon Avenue, Sidney Open Saturday - Sunday 11am - 5pm

Show Home

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HERE &NOW TABLE TALK

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”

JILL CHEN/STOCKSY

— Ruth Reichl, American chef and author of Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

HERE &NOW

2 1

TUTTIFRUITTI Spring fashion and décor is all about having fun — and nothing says happy like a bright and colourful fruit design or motif.

1 Life’s a bowl of cherries in Esther Williams’ classic sheath swimsuit (Paradise Boutique, $139) // 2 Brighten your kitchen with Kate Spade’s juice glasses (Hudson’s Bay, $34/set of four) // 3 The Electra lamp adds that touch of retro charm (retroprintrevival.com, $484, plus air freight) // 4 Stir it up with pineapple swizzle sticks (crateandbarrel.com, $15/set of four) // 5 Rifle Paper Co.’s signature florals get a tropical update (hyggeandwest.com, $190US/roll) // 6 Give your phone a fruity punch with Sonix clear cases (chapters.indigo. ca, $45) // 7 The Alessi Ecco fruit holder is on point (Gabriel Ross, $180 // 8 Cherries are the perfect complement to Christian Louboutin’s iconic red-lacquered soles (christianlouboutin. com/ca_en, $875) // 9 Alice and Olivia’s Drew bag is a sweet slice (aliceandolivia.com, $554)

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Believing that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it, Victoria-based Jusu Bar has evolved its zero-waste practices to create a plant-based, organic personal-care product line.

NATURE’S LITTLE HELPERS “We have this beautiful organic pulp left from our juices,” says Jusu Bar co-founder Brandon Mullen. “Instead of wasting it, we started to make food out of it, such as crackers, wraps and granola. The other use was putting it in soaps, scrubs and things like that. On our second anniversary, last November, we launched Jusu Body.” Handmade here in Victoria, the line includes lip balms, scrubs, soaps and lotions in yummy scents such as ginger citrus and vanilla peppermint. Ten new products, including items from the newly developed face- and hair-care lines, will launch this spring. “Any personal care product, we want to replace with beautiful, organic products,” Mullen says. “The goal is to remove all the chemical products and nourish skin with healthy ingredients, rich in vitamins and minerals.”

design insider

By Lana Lounsbury

KITCHEN COUTURE

Jusu Body products are available locally at Jusu Bar and Lifestyle Markets, and at jusubody.com.

Lana Lounsbury of Lana Lounsbury Interiors is a registered interior designer who passionately believes interior design is an essential, transformative tool to reinvent oneself throughout life.

Layers are a big trend this year — even in kitchens — as interiors move from minimalism to a moodier, more interesting visage. And layering isn’t just about fabrics; in fact, you can layer in your kitchen with texture, colour and mixed materials. Here’s how we do it.

From left: Vista Alegre Biarritz Crystal Highball (alchemyfinehome.com, $65); Colour Concept tumblers in Amber and Lagoon (villeroyboch.com, $40 each)

mad for stonewear

play it up with polychrome After a decade of stainless steel, it’s nice to see some choice appearing in kitchen appliances. Leading the change is black stainless, which can be substituted for stainless steel in any kitchen scheme (and looks particularly sophisticated in a white or wood kitchen). But for those of you with an eye for what’s next, the coloured artisan range has no equal. La Cornue’s Château 150 is spectacular in any shade, and BlueStar has also launched their Precious Metals collection, which is available in hundreds of colours. Pictured above: Château 150 cooker from La Cornue features both gas and electric ovens (lacornue.com/en-ca, price upon request)

You can’t mention kitchen trends without talking about handmade ceramics and stoneware. We’re seeing a strong shift from stark white dishes to patterns and colour again. Indelicate, hand-painted motifs bring youthful vitality to traditional schemes and give modern and eclectic schemes a wonderful, anti-mass-production sensibility. There’s no need to buy a set; purchase individual plates and mugs and mix them together to capture the spirit of the stoneware trend. Stripes, hatches and geometrics mix well with solid colours or organic prints.

Elizabeth Benotti porcelain dessert plates (elizabethbenotti.com, $44 each)

layer it on You can also layer with things you already own and just haven’t put together. Place cut crystal, like this highball glass from Alchemy Fine Home, with a tinted water glass from Villeroy & Boch. And do take the layering concept to your windows: pair simple shades with open-weave sheers and coloured casements. Finally, fringe is walking straight off the runway and into your kitchen in the form of chunky tassel tablecloths (layer one on top of the other), napkins and tea towels.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

HERE &NOW Pick your cycling style this season

BAGS

SPIN OUT

+ SHOES

TEMPTATION TIMES TWO

Second only to cherry blossoms, a true herald of spring is the constant trill of bike bells along the Lochside and Galloping Goose trails. For a bike that inspires leisurely rides and trailside picnics, consider the Linus Dutchie, a classic Dutch bike, with a sweeping curved frame and refined upright posture. Just add a wicker panier to achieve instant European flair.

Shelagh Macartney in the door of She She Shoes, one of her two accessory boutiques.

The Linus Dutchie 3 ($834) available through Fairfield Bicycle Shop. Also available in fixed gear and eight speed.

If you prefer a more pumpedup pedalling experience, then SPINCO on Pandora might be more your speed. The fitness studio features 50-minute “high-energy” workouts designed to engage every part of the body. Classes use high-beat music, with the volume up and the lights down low — there’s even a disco ball. “We essentially have a party on a bike with our riders every class,” says coowner Hayley Gustavson. Gustavson and her business partner, Victoria Courtnall, wanted to create a welcoming space for all levels of participants. “We call it our spin community or spin family,” Gustavson says. “Our instructors are more than just motivators up on the stage; they all have unique relationships with our riders, on and off the bike.” Every Monday, SPINCO hosts Spin-ItForward, where proceeds from its 7 p.m. by-donation class go to a local charity. “It’s a great way for first timers to try us out,” says Gustavson.

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

For those of us hooked on handbags, walking into She She Bags in Trounce Alley recalls the childhood happiness of a candy shop. Pastel Matt & Nat saddle bags, The Trend’s tasselled tote, and Hobo’s classic Lauren wallet in assorted hues are the temptations that beckon from the shelves.

ALEXA VAN CAMP

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

It was 16 years ago that Shelagh Macartney first opened her bag boutique, inspired by a trip to San Francisco, where she saw women wearing ordinary outfits but carrying fabulous bags.

“It came to me that there wasn’t a store in Victoria, Vancouver or even Seattle that just had handbags, so I started collecting and curating for it,” Macartney recalls. “That first day, it was crazy. Women in the downtown federal building were using the internal messaging system to tell each other about my bags.” Shoppers then started asking for shoes to go with the bags, so Macartney transformed her other Trounce Alley business, All in Bloom gift shop, into She She Shoes, creating a sartorial destination for the accessory obsessed. “My background is working in art galleries, so the shoes have to be little pieces of art, something different,” she says. “You can wear a little black

dress or an ordinary outfit and change it up with these shoes or bags.” Macartney tries to carry as many Canadian designers as possible, but does bring in some international flair with items such as the “crazy character shoes” from British shoe designer Irregular Choices. She’s particularly excited about a new launch this spring, with the arrival of Rifle Paper Co.’s collaboration with Keds. The limitededition canvas sneakers will feature the playful, floral illustrations from Rifle Paper Co. “I love looking at what’s coming up, getting the insider scoop and figuring out what the ‘in’ colour is going to be,” Macartney says. “This spring and summer it’s definitely going to be pink.”

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

TINY SPACE, BIG TASTE

ou’ve heard of molecular gastronomy? One could say Victoria now has micro gastronomy. Chef Liam Quinn has evolved his popular lunch delivery service, Salt & Pepper Fox, by setting up shop in the teensy spot on lower Johnson Street made famous by Smoking Lily. “People are definitely curious about the space,” Quinn says. “Some are a bit hesitant to come in because it’s so small, but once they’re in they realize it’s much roomier than you’d think.” The grab-and-go lunch spot will feature a full menu, prepared at Salt & Pepper Fox’s commercial kitchen. From the Korean roast beef sandwich with kimchi to the soba noodle salad with togarashi crumbs, the meals typify Quinn’s commitment to fresh and unique flavours. “It’s basically an extension of what we’ve been doing with the lunch delivery service,” he says. “But now you don’t have to plan ahead. We’re there when you need lunch.”

When the owners of designHouse Salon heard about a recipe contest by Italian eco-beauty brand, Davines — who wanted to highlight the foodgrade ingredients in their hair products — they teamed with Northern Quarter chef Torin Egan. Their dish is one of 31 recipes selected from across North America to be featured in the book 31 Days of Local Food,” says Kurtis Brown, co-owner of designHouse with Chantelle Pasychny. Because the contest called for ingredients from local farmers or fishers, Egan’s dish features sustainable Island lingcod with celeriac miso purée

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

FOOD&DRINK By Cinda Chavich

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S FIRE Chefs have a new tool in their culinary arsenal — fire. Pushing back against high-tech kitchen trends, many are ditching the thermo-circulators and foam siphons for something far simpler: a smoky wood or charcoal-fired grill.

On a custom-made Texan grill, the culinary team at The Livet have turned charcoal grilling into a high art.

ou’ll see the new buzzwords on many menus — burned, blackened, smoked, charred. It’s the latest way to add pizzazz to the plate, whether it’s the blackened edge of a charred Brussels sprout leaf or a dusting of lemon ash across a piece of pristine white halibut.

COOKING WITH FIRE At The Livet in Victoria, a big charcoal grill sits in one corner of the new restaurant kitchen, the tool that turns out their smoky charcoal chicken and burgers, grilled pork belly ribs and charred steaks. They even cook whole onions in the smouldering ash until they’re smoked and jammy, and blacken oranges for creative cocktails. The Livet grill was custom made in Texas, complete with a cranked lift to raise or lower the grates, says owner Graham Meckling. Once the lump charcoal burns down, chefs manipulate the distance between the food and the fire to adjust the heat. Meckling says it’s a style of cooking that requires both careful timing and technique. “There are two sides and zones on the grill to control the heat — it can be searing hot or gentle,” says Meckling. “Cooking this way is both an art and a science.” Perfecting the caramelized sear and delicious smoky nuances that come with cooking over coals is an old world skill, but one for any serious chef to master. Which is why it seems to be sweeping the nation’s top restaurants. At Charbar in Calgary, a custom wood-burning grill from Grillworks informs the rustic menu. It’s the same kind of equipment — a massive professional Grillworks Infierno — that has long fired the creative Italian cooking at CinCin in Vancouver, too. Cooking with wood was the inspiration for celebrity chef Michael Smith’s FireWorks in P.E.I., recently named one of the top new restaurants in Canada. Smith based his new concept on a 25-foot, wood-fired behemoth where a fire brigade of cooks create the nightly communal feast, from smoked salmon to wood-roasted meats, using the wood-fired oven, grill, rotisserie, plancha and smokehouse.

THE SLOW BURN Ironically, chefs seem to be following home cooks when it comes to the resurgence of charcoal grilling. The wood-fired cooking craze has its roots in the smoky specialties of the American south:

CHOOSE YOUR GRILL In Victoria, Capital Iron has an impressive selection of charcoal grills, ceramic smokers and wood-fired pizza ovens. Barbecue sales supervisor Rob Collins says charcoal cooking has enjoyed a resurgence and is now the fastest-growing segment in the downtown store’s substantial barbecue business. While nearly all customers start with a convenient gas grill, serious barbecuers gravitate to the smoky flavours of slow-cooking with charcoal. The eggshaped Kamado Charcoal Smoker is

particularly popular for its ability to hold the heat low for hours of slow cooking. Weber, the world’s largest barbecue company — and creator of the original 1950s kettle charcoal grill —recently launched its Summit Charcoal Grill, a double-walled, enameled steel cooker designed for slow smoking or searing. And the sky’s the limit when it comes to wood grills, from a stainless steel “dual fuel” grill that allows you to switch easily between gas and wood grilling, to an internetconnected “smart grill” that sends updates to an app on your phone. And if you really

traditional smoked brisket, tender barbecued ribs and pulled pork butt, cooked by a new tribe of amateur barbecue enthusiasts. At Jones Bar-B-Que in Victoria, Chris Jones is adapting traditional Texas barbecue techniques for urban diners. His big electric smokers burn local maple, alder, cherry and oak to add smoky flavour to the pork and beef roasts that spend 10 to 12 hours in the pit to reach tender perfection. The secret is not high-searing with wood, but rather long, slow, patient cooking at 250˚F. Jones’ advice to home smokers? “Don’t cut corners on the meat,” he says. “If you’re going to cook something for 12 hours, make sure to start with AAA beef and goodquality pork. Hit your local butcher and look for large racks of pork ribs and well-marbled pork shoulders.”

COOKING WITH WOOD With a raft of new websites, chat rooms and TV shows dedicated to the art of slow cooking over smouldering charcoal fires, it’s a hobby that’s fun to explore. I’ve been smoking (my food) for many years and use some basic techniques for almost anything that goes on the smoker. First, create a basic barbecue rub — equal parts of brown sugar, kosher salt and sweet paprika are the base notes, with herbs and spices ranging from garlic powder and cumin to ground ginger, dry mustard, onion powder, chili powder and oregano rounding out the mix. Everything I smoke, whether it’s pork shoulder, ribs, chicken or beef, is first rubbed heavily with everyday ballpark mustard (the sugar in it is important), then sprinkled heavily with barbecue rub on every surface before going into my ceramic smoker. A load of charcoal will last all day, the 6 to 8 hours you’ll need to smoke a three-pound pork butt or the 12+ hours for a whole beef brisket. Don’t use charcoal briquettes (infused with chemical starters and binders) — buy natural hardwood charcoal. Light the charcoal and get the smoker up to the magic 225 to 250˚F, then put the meat on the grill, close the lid and leave it. Adjust the air supply to the fire to keep the temperature low. Add wood chunks or chips for a burst of smoky flavour during the first few hours of cooking — lighter fruit woods for pork and chicken, more assertive woods like mesquite for beef. It’s a process that takes time, but one taste of the delicious results, and you’ll be hooked on fire and smoke!

love barbecuing, Capital Iron’s Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill, known as “the Rolls Royce of barbecue grills,” may be the grill you’ve dreamed about. A stainless steel The Kalamazoo monster, with three Hybrid Fire Grill — the Rolls Royce of solid brass gas burners barbecue grills and a “hybrid drawer” for wood or charcoal cooking, it’s the wood, charcoal, or even wood ultimate freestanding backyard pellets for slow smoking. There’s barbecue. And it comes with an extra-large firebox, with the ultimate price tag — a cool burners a full 10 inches below the laser-cut, stainless steel grates to $25,000. reduce flare-ups. The grill can be The unit in the showroom at turned down to 250˚F or cranked Capital Iron in Victoria is built by up to a blistering 1,000˚+, perfect hand and literally signed by the to slow smoke a brisket, char workers who welded, assembled a steak or a pizza. Yes, it’s an and polished every part. extravagance — but you can’t Cook with gas alone or pull out cook on a new car! the fire drawer and load it with

Weber’s Summit Charcoal Grill is designed for slow cooking

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

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Chefs at The Livet use rib eye or “chuck flat” (the well-marbled cut between the shoulder and short rib) for this dish. Salt and pepper are the main seasonings, with the smoke adding additional flavour. Use hardwood lump charcoal and light it well in advance: the charcoal will take about 45 minutes to be ready. When the charcoal is white on the surface and glowing orange, it’s ready. Position the grill about 15 to 25 cm above the charcoal, depending on how hot it is. Choose a thick steak and grill for about a minute per side,

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and turn the meat every 1 to 2 minutes, so the meat will cook evenly. Once the meat is cooked to medium, let it rest for a couple of minutes to allow the juices to settle, then slice to serve. Make sure to slice the meat against the grain for tender results.

ASH-COOKED ONIONS Place unpeeled onions directly into the ash around the smouldering charcoal. The heat should be low, as it will take about 2 hours to cook large onions. Once the onions are soft to the touch, they are ready. Serve with coarse salt and olive oil. Char-grill some carrots for some fresh-veg sweetness if desired.

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JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

PEBRE Pebre is a Chilean condiment/sauce that’s much like chimichurri or pico de gallo. You can serve it as a salad, but it is delicious with beef. • 1 red onion • 2 cloves garlic • 1 tsp salt • 2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped • 1 hot pepper, chopped, or chili flakes to taste • 2 lemons, juiced • 1 tsp red wine vinegar • 2 tbsp olive oil Dice red onion and garlic and toss with a teaspoon of salt. Let stand 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water and drain well. In a bowl, combine the onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro and parsley. Stir in the hot pepper, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Season with additional salt to taste. Mix well and let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

WHAT TO DRINK There’s something about a backyard barbecue that just cries out for beer, and with so many great local craft quaffers on the market, you can simply pick your seasonal favourite. Chill down a few growlers in a tub of ice on the deck or get a keg from your favourite local brewer. Pale ale, lagers and IPAs — even refreshing wheat beers — fit the bill when you’re serving chicken or pork on a hot day; a darker red ale pairs well with beef. It’s not easy to match wine with sweet barbecue sauces, though a fruity sangria will work with many grilled foods. But also consider a more powerful wine to pair with your smoky meats — a toasty barrel-fermented chardonnay for charcoal chicken, a juicy cherry-berry pinot noir with pork, a big Aussie cab or shiraz with smoky beef brisket. Look for peaty spirits (smoky single malts, bourbon or Canadian whisky) for cocktails to complement barbecue meats.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

THING

The Galloping Gourmet

Beach Scene

Strawberry Season

Realm Food Co.

When TV chef Graham Kerr galloped into people’s living rooms in the 70s, wineglass in hand and butter and cream bubbling in every pan, he was part sexual innuendo and part slapstick, a Brit with a love of the camera and a savvy producer, his wife Treena. Like TV contemporaries Julia Child and Martin Yan, Kerr’s daily dose of high-paced French cooking may be what inspired a generation of Canadians (like me) to embrace the fascinating world of food. But Kerr long ago mended his gluttonous, wine-swilling ways. On a recent visit to Victoria to promote his biography, Flash of Silver, he spoke about his focus on how we gain harmful habits and how to escape that cycle. The Galloping Gourmet ran for just a few seasons but was a huge success until a car accident sidelined the show. The couple changed course, bought a sailboat and embraced a clean, lowfat lifestyle. Though his partner of 60 years, Treena, has passed away, Kerr continues to write and cook at his Washington State home, sharing “flashes of hindsight” and lessons at grahamkerr.com.

Exploring the spectacular stretches of sand around Parksville and Qualicum is a summer tradition. After you shake the sand off your flip-flops, check out the growing food scene along the Old Island Highway. At Realm Food Co., a Parksville diner, “real, local, flavour” is chef James Hannah’s mantra — from healthy takeout bone broth to crispy local ling cod tacos in rice tempura. There’s a local vibe, with live music and comedy to encourage you to stay for another glass of Island cider or local wine. Bread & Honey is the locals’ breakfast stop. Sustainable Island ingredients show up on the early-morning menu: a big breakfast sandwich, classic eggs Benedict or orange “creamsicle” French toast. Then head to Morningstar Farm near Qualicum Beach and the Gourlay family’s Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Their computerized voluntary milking system, a robotic milking machine, lets happy dairy cows choose when to be milked. Do stop at the cheese shop. If you’re lucky, you’ll find fresh, warm, squeaky curds along with tasty Brie, Raclette and more.

Sweet, juicy, red-all-theway-through — it’s what a strawberry should be, and now they’re ready and ripe for the picking. Whether you’re into a U-pick experience or just want to grab a basket of berries from a farm-market stand, local strawberries are a seasonal specialty.

And, thanks to new varieties, the first strawberries are ready in June, and we can enjoy them right into September.

Volkswagen

If you haven’t had a chance to discover the incredible flavour of a just-picked strawberry, head out along the Saanich Peninsula Flavour Trail (flavourtrails.com), by car or by bike, to one of our local farms. There’s an annual Strawberries and Wine Festival weekend every summer (this year it’s June 23 to 25) when growers, restaurants, wineries, cideries and distillers celebrate this local taste of summer with specials, from strawberry sangrias and cocktails to strawberry pies and preserves. Bring your appetite — and bring your cooler!

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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YAM’s food columnist Cinda Chavich explores our region to discover the latest palate-pleasing offerings, culinary talent and fresh picks.

Starting from

By Cinda Chavich

Turns heads. Wins hearts.

tastes + trends

TRINETTE REED/STOCKSY

GREAT SPACE

RUSTIC MODERN RETREAT By Kerry Slavens

When it comes to creating the ideal space for sleep and rejuvenation, throw open windows and doors to the fresh air of spring and early summer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and bring in some wild-inspired style. Combine a plushly upholstered sleigh bed with rustic furnishings, earthy accessories, natural-fibre throw, and floor coverings in vibrant geometrics. When you style all of these treasures against walls painted in Farrow & Ball All-White (Bespoke Design), the look is rustic but chic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and wildly enchanting.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

GET THE LOOK 1 Black painted 60" ceiling fan (McLaren Lighting, $1,193) 2 Canyon Kilim woven rug (Madison & Muse, $176) 3 A wide variety of custom and brand-name hardwood flooring products are available through West Wind Hardwood in Sidney // 4 Hideaway clear glass table lamp (Illuminations, $301) // 5 Wanderluxe HORIZON wood wall hanging (Picot Collective, $138) // 6 Shoe the Bear Aiko white sandal (Still Life, $62) // 7 Herman Miller Polygon wire table (Gabriel Ross, $749) // 8 Timothy Oulton Xylem side table with driftwood or hand-charred wood suspended in liquid acrylic (Luxe Home Furnishings, priced from $3,760) // 9 Tom Dixon stone candle (Gabriel Ross, $135) // 10 Buckingham tufted linen headboard and frame (Chintz & Co., price upon request) // 11 Animana alpaca throw made with sustainable wool and ancestral techniques (espacedonline.com, $975) // 12 Decorative Ikat handmade pillow cover in ocean, pewter and barley (Company TwentySix, etsy.com, $17) // 13 Leather Bensen Edward sofa (Chester Fields, from $7,000)

2 1

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

HOME&LIFESTYLE

AT HOME WITH

HISTORY Located in one of Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most coveted neighbourhoods, this fully restored heritage home comes with its own backstory. By Danielle Pope // Photos by Joshua Lawrence

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

ore than 100 years ago, a man named Charles Beaven stood just below the front steps of the home he built for his daughter, looking proudly at 526 Michigan Street. It was 1911, and the twoand-a-half-storey house with double-bevel siding and a front gabled roof stood out next to many of the neighbouring buildings. The full-width veranda with its Doric columns seemed to invite in passersby, and the unique arrangement of the double-hung wood sash windows showed off a touch of Beaven’s Nova Scotian influence. Nearly 20 years earlier, Beaven had snapped up a similar home at auction and moved it to his own property at 524 Michigan, where he would rent it out until moving in himself in the mid-1920s. This new house, situated closely beside his auction beauty, was designed with his daughter Mary Ellen in mind. She would own it until her death, but would use it almost exclusively as a boarding house for rental tenants. This would mark only the beginning for the home now sitting at 222 Dallas Road — a house that, for all its history, has only recently been granted heritage designation. Through perhaps a lucky twist of fate, this particular house — and its slightly older sister, originally from 59 1/2 Superior Street — would outlive the adventures of many more owners. The two would even spend time as government buildings, situated close enough to Victoria’s Legislature to be of practical use. Then, in 2016, with new developments growing up around these structures, the homes would see their greatest adventure of all, undergoing a massive move by trailer and barge from their locations on Michigan to their new, hopefully permanent, spots on Dallas Road. Today, as soon as you set foot on the original fir floors of 222 Dallas, the home has a way of welcoming you. Made from timber that likely predates the 1800s, there’s a sturdiness here as real as the stories that live in its fibres. The home had to be entirely gutted and rebuilt after the move, but the floors and refinished windows — along with much of the exterior charm — remain original.

This page: While the dimensions of the kitchen and main floor have been reconfigured, many heritage elements, such as the original fir banister toppers, accessorize this space with history. Hanging lamps with vintage-looking Edison bulbs carry on the feel of this originally Edwardian-era home. The 13-foot coffered ceilings and custom millwork build dynamic character around this level.

Previous page: This reimagined heritage home offers the rare opportunity to live in a meticulously renovated 106-year-old house. With an openconcept main floor, vintage-inspired millwork and fir flooring that predates the 1800s, the home blends old and new in seamless unity.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

The gas fireplace, with its elegant hearth, acts as the centrepiece of the open-concept living area, while the decorative millwork and mouldings throughout each room add dimension and character. In a contrast of new and old, the patina of the original flooring reveals genuine wear from decades of use, adding wonder and the hint of story.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

“The beauty of working on a project like this is that you have the opportunity to really make a home come alive again,” says Ryan Goodman, owner of Aryze Developments Inc., who custom-designed the home. “Our goal was to recreate the interior to match the historic exterior, while updating it to modern standards that could work for a family in 2017.” It’s hard to imagine the 3,475-square-foot house would have once offered room for likely more than a dozen boarders, with only a single toilet to share. Now, with five full bedrooms, four bathrooms, a customized high-efficiency hydronic heating system, modern-day seismic upgrades and even heated bathroom flooring, 222 Dallas is sophisticated and ready for the next century. The main floor has been reimagined as an open-concept living space, stretching from what was once the front parlour through a glorious dining room, living room and kitchen. The room is adorned with 13-foot coffered ceilings and vintage-inspired millwork, with the gas fireplace acting as centrepiece and reclaimed radiators offering heritage charm. The kitchen holds a modern feel, with single-slab quartz countertops and backsplashes pairing with matte-bronze fixtures to juxtapose contemporary and heritage looks. Soft-close doors and floor-to-ceiling cabinetry add additional touches. Upstairs, the fir floor landing retains the patina of the home’s history. Five generous

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Striking white single-slab marble brightens the kitchen and breakfast bar, paired with classic country blue and matte-bronze fixtures to create a wholesome feel. While the cabinetry is new, the crescent awning over the sink blends into the heritage feel, and the oversized sink and stainless steel appliances ensure this kitchen will be up to modern standards.

bedrooms — two found in the unique thirdfloor loft — each offer their own stories, with the original windows and millwork carefully restored. Yet the main bedroom is the house’s masterpiece. With views directly onto the ocean and Dallas Road walkway, this room comes alive with sun. The ensuite offers a character soaker tub, with large octagonal porcelain tiles and walk-in shower. Down the hall, the upper bathroom and laundry area make this floor family functional, with the level above offering a retreat space perfect for guests, or teenagers. It’s easy to imagine the history still to unfold in this house. “My favourite part of this home is the heritage plaque on the front,” says Goodman. “To see a house with history like this, and have a chance to work with it, you want to protect it. A heritage home isn’t for everyone, but for the right person, this is a dream come true. It’s not every day you find a brand-new 106-year-old house.” YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Each bathroom in the home offers elements of heritage wrapped into modern expectations. Heated octagonal porcelain tile flooring will keep out the cold like it never could in decades past, yet milled wood paneling, Edison bulbs and vintage circular mirrors strategically emphasize the old-fashioned feel of the powder room. The ensuite bath offers a character soaker tub and walk-in shower, complete with black iron trim and brass fixtures to carry on the vintage look.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

LIGHT, BRIGHT and everything nice

A refresh of this Victoria home by designers Kyla Bidgood and Kristine Hageland of Bidgood & Co Interiors introduces playful elements of colour and pattern â&#x20AC;&#x201D; making for a vibrant and functional living space. By Athena McKenzie // Photos by Janis Nicolay

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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Pale neutral walls and colourful accents were used to brighten this open-concept space. In the dining area, Muuto Nerd chairs in dark green, succulents from Rook & Rose and the stone-banded orb pendants from Siemon & Salazar add pops of vibrancy.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

decorating with colour seems a bold move, how about hiring your interior designer over the Internet? Maybe, but Anna Shetty knew Kyla Bidgood of Bidgood & Co Interiors was the perfect match for her new house, purchased in Victoria while her family was still living in Ontario. “Her esthetic seemed bright and fun but you could tell it was wellthought out design.” Shetty says. “I liked her fresh perspective, and I wanted that for our family home.” The result? The transformed space created a home that “feels like it embodies bright colour and pattern but also a blend of restrained simplicity,” Shetty says. With three young children, Shetty’s According to Kyla Bidgood, main focus for the refresh was a cohesive a key element to making a family room and dining area that led into space feel bright is to set the kitchen. She wanted the rooms to your anchor points and flow into each other but feel separate. then add in other elements “The way it was set up before, the in complementary tones. dining table looked like it was in the Here, the Bensen Morgan family room,” she says. sofa and the Salari area rug The layout of the home presented a (both from Chester Fields) challenge, but Bidgood worked with her act as those anchors and colleague, Kristine Hageland, on possible set the palette of the concepts for the space. space. Heath ceramic tiles “We played around with several add visual and geometric layouts before we landed on this one,” interest to the fireplace. Bidgood says. “It’s very open and The unique exposed backs connected and includes a desk space, of the sculptural Tenso a living space and an eating area. The chairs contribute to the built-in elements were one key to tying feeling of openness and allow for room flow.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Custom built-ins, such as this white oak desk and shelving unit by Strong Construction Group, are an efficient and stylish solution in small or challenging spaces.

it all together. The dining table is actually connected to the kitchen island. So rather than being freestanding, it’s an extension of the kitchen. It’s not done in the kitchen-cabinet finish but in the finish of the built-in desk area. That’s one way to create that connectivity.”

PALETTE & PATTERN The refresh of the open-concept living area and the home’s smaller bedrooms embraced a rich palette. The designers were excited to work with someone who “loved the tasteful use of colour — it’s all about the balance of neutral pieces and those that draw your eye,” Hageland says. The family needed a new sofa, so that was used as an “anchor point,” with the designers choosing a deep blue that became one of the main themes in that space’s palette. “The key thing with making a space feel bright and colourful is not everything in the space has to be bright and colourful,” Bidgood says. “If you’re going to have colourful furniture, it’s

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

better to have neutral wall colours and play with art and accessories. And vice versa. If you’re going to have a really bold colour on the wall — like in the bedroom — pick more subdued colours for your furniture.” There are also a few geometrics at play in the space, with a subtle repetition of Another way to add brightness is to bring colour and pattern to the walls while choosing neutral furniture and accents. In the guest bedroom — which will eventually become a little girl’s room — custom wallpaper was created by artist Lauren Mycroft, graphic artist Sarah McNeil and Kyla Bidgood. Below: A second bedroom is given a wash of colour with a wall mural by Lauren Mycroft.

pattern connecting the distinct areas, from the stitching in the sling chairs to the pattern in the tile surround of the fireplace insert to the horizon line that runs from the desk area across the fireplace. “The space has a lot of personality, but the colours and patterns don’t make it feel juvenile,” Bidgood says. “It’s definitely an adult space but also very approachable.” A favourite element of the designers and the homeowners are the distinctive pendant light fixtures that hang down over the table. “They completely work with our colour scheme,” Shetty says. “They don’t give off a ton of light, but we always put them on because they add a touch we really appreciate. There is so much cohesiveness to the space.” For a resource list, visit yammagazine.com.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Before

BEAUTY THROUGH THE AGES 30’s

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Every city has its signature foods, and every year creative chefs, cooks, butchers and bakers add more tasty treasures to the list. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve enjoyed some delicious diversions in Victoria, dishes and noshes both old and new. Herewith, in no particular order, are 25 of some of the best things I tasted this year. By Cinda Chavich // Photos by Jeffrey Bosdet

BEST EATS

The halloumi kale salad from Yalla

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Yummy Yalla

Yalla’s Middle Eastern street-food menu was inspired by their killer falafel recipe, but there’s more to explore — hand-cut Kennebec fries, dusted with Hawaij spice mix and served with a minty yogurt sauce, with a citrusy hit of preserved lemon, or the hearty halloumi kale salad, topped with cubes of crisply-fried cheese, cherry tomatoes, fresh mint and parsley, with some nice chewy bulgur to bulk it up.

Parachute Ice Cream’s blueberry and vanilla bean flavours in a waffle cone

> 1011 Blanshard Street / letsgoyalla.ca

Artisan Ice

Victoria is blessed with several great ice cream artisans, and the latest is Parachute Ice Cream, creating cool confections with both fresh water buffalo milk and cow’s milk sourced from local farms. The blueberry ice cream is a veritable taste of summer, perfect paired with vanilla bean. And do check back often — flavours change all the time. If you’re lucky, Apple Pie-scream might be on the menu. (Co-owner Robyn Larocque also owns Victoria Pie Co. along with this Rock Bay scoop shop.) > 105-2626 Bridge Street / parachuteicecream.com

Pig Out

Magic happens when you take a lean pork roast, roll it in herbs and a rich layer of pork belly, and cook it to crispy perfection on a rotisserie. And it happens every day at Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop in the Victoria Public Market at the Hudson, where you can buy this perfect pork by the pound to serve at home or piled onto their porchetta sandwich, complete with loads of crispy crackling. > 6-1701 Douglas Street / roastsandwichshop.ca

Fry’s Faves

Yes, there are always big rustic loaves at Fry’s Bakery. But this artisan bread baker fires up his wood oven and turns his hand to some seriously savoury stuff too — pork or lamb sausage rolls, meaty hand pies (tourtière, Korean BBQ, or smoky brisket and potato) or breakfast-in-bed pastries filled with squash, tomatoes and a just-baked egg. Instant, portable gratification. > 416 Craigflower Road / frysbakery.com

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Fudoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sashimi with ponzu and frizzled leeks

Fresh from Fudo

Fudo is a new Japanese spot with a serious focus on the most exquisite fresh fish for its sushi and sashimi. Think bluefin tuna sashimi or local amaebi spot prawn sashimi, sea urchin, geoduck and sockeye. You will appreciate chef Shingo Sanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skill and the fresh seafood when you try his creative sashimi with ponzu and frizzled leeks. > 425-777 Royal Oak Drive, Broadmead Village / fudovictoria.com

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Korean chicken bibimbap from Bao

ON TH COVERE

Bao Wow

Bao has a great selection of steamy filled bao (the Chinese equivalent of the taco) but the menu also includes some yummy bowl food, from ramen to the classic Korean rice bowl bibimbap. I like the version with spiced Korean chicken, kimchi and fried egg — warm, rich and satisfying comfort food anytime.

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Jewel of a Breakfast

When I think of The Ruby, the café on TV’s Corner Gas comes to mind — and though our favourite rotisserie chicken joint goes beyond that kind of diner fare, it’s still a great spot for a mug of coffee and a killer breakfast. The whole menu revolves around their tender poultry, but a must-have breakfast dish is the Rotisserie Chicken Hash, a big crispy hash-brown potato patty topped with pulled molé chicken, black bean and corn salsa, and a couple of perfectly poached eggs. Ole! > 3110 Douglas Street and 642 Johnson Street / therubyvictoria.com

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Mexican Moments

If you’re looking for the city’s finest selection of tequila — and a killer margarita shaken with fresh lime juice — look no further than the reimagined Cafe Mexico. Pair either with a sizzling fajita board, the tender skirt steak arriving with hot corn tortillas and guacamole, refried beans and Spanish rice. It’s a recipe for fun. > 1425 Store Street / cafemexico.com

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

A Tasty Parcel

Try the fried chicken sandwich, crusted with kamut and topped with house-made bacon, bread-and-butter pickles and coleslaw at Part & Parcel — it’s the “fast food” choice from this scratch kitchen which also makes healthy vegetarian offerings, like the beluga lentil and broccoli falafels with sunflower tahini or the beautiful roasted beet and quinoa salad with goat feta and poppy seeds. Nom, nom, nom. > 2656 Quadra Street / partandparcel.ca

Part & Parcel’s fried chicken sandwich

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Best Baguette

Start with flour milled on site, develop the dough with slow, natural fermentation, form your breads by hand, and bake them in a wood-fired oven — it’s a long process, but it’s the recipe for a perfect baguette. And that’s how artisan baker Cliff Leir does it at Fol Epi bakery. Crazy, wild, slow, tasty bread. > 101-398 Harbour Road / folepi.ca

Korean Kool

Dak is a popular breakfast and lunch spot with the Fort Street tech crowd. Their spicy Korean rotisserie chicken is flavoured with sweet and spicy gochujang (red pepper paste) and turns up in rice bowls and bahn mistyle baguette sandwiches with sliced cucumber, avocado and crunchy fresh greens. It’s a start-up savvy idea, the perfect hand-held lunch to fuel your creative career. > 838 Fort Street

12 Roll With It

Before there was a fast-food chain slathering supersized cinnamon buns with gooey icing, there were perfect, home-baked coils dusted with cinnamon and other spices, and baked to caramelized perfection. You can go back to that simpler time at Roost Vineyard Bistro & Farm Bakery, a busy bakery/café in rural North Saanich where cinnamon buns, topped with crunchy glazed walnuts, are about as close to Mom’s as you’ll get. > 9100 East Saanich Road / roostfarmcentre.com

Eataly.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

The Beatrice burger from the Deadbeetz food truck

Beets & Burgers

One of my favourite food trucks takes beets into gourmet fast-food territory. At Deadbeetz, chef Karrie Hill tops her signature Beatrice free-range beef burger with slabs of house-pickled beets, a shockingly simple but effective combination. Find her parked behind the Royal BC Museum with other tasty truckers. > 675 Belleville Street (Royal BC Museum) / deadbeetz.com

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Memories of Lima

The silky salmon ceviche served at The Livet, with its citrusy “tiger’s milk” marinade, slivers of sweet red onion, fresh chilies and garnish of crispy salmon skin, takes me right back to southern climes. It’s an appetizer that’s true to its Peruvian roots with a West Coast twist, and the perfect plate to share on Livet’s sunny patio. > 201-804 Broughton Street / thelivet.ca

Better Bacon

I’m a bit of a bacon snob and always searching for the ultimate, doublesmoked, salt-cured, Polish-style bacon. The product that most mimics the bacon of my dreams is the rosemary bacon from Four Quarters Meats. It’s smoky, subtly sweetened with brown sugar, lean and not overly salty — what great bacon should be. > 2031 Malaview Avenue West, Sidney / fourquartersmeats.com

Killer Calamari

The giant Pacific Humboldt squid is the latest darling on Ocean Wise menus. At Fishhook, chef Kunal Ghose does some tasty things with this monster squid, from his crispy squid pekora with coconut chutney to my current favourite thing, the tender tandoori-spiced squid, sautéed until perfectly caramelized and piled over rice.

Pasta done right since 1999

> 805 Fort Street / fishhookvic.com

Apple a Day

When you’re slammed for time, or just want some homestyle stuff in the freezer for emergencies, turn to the cooks at The Apple Box. Using fresh Island ingredients, they are cooking from scratch when you can’t — from homey pot pies to soups and curries. Try the Thai meatballs, made with lean local turkey and pork, swimming in an addictive coconut-peanut sauce to dump over rice or a big bowl of Chinese noodles. Stop in or order online for pickup (and delivery).

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> 1725 Cook Street / theapplebox.ca

Speakeasy Specials

FIESTAWARE

Little Jumbo is a hip, off-street speakeasy that’s known for its creative cocktails, but there are some tasty specials on the simple menu here too. Have them shake up The Bear Necessities — with bourbon, nutty Frangelica, honey and citrus — and order the duck!

Made in the USA DURABLE OVEN, MICROWAVE AND DISHWASHER SAFE. Receive 15% off the regular price when you buy 16 regular price pieces.

> 506 Fort Street / littlejumbo.ca

NEW COLOUR!

Watch for

Daffodil this summer

Charcuterie, Chinese-Style The tender, sweet, exotically spiced barbecue pork (char siu) that comes off the smoker every Friday at The Whole Beast Artisan Salumeria is addictive. Wrap it up with shredded carrot and cucumber in rice paper, add it to your bowl of Bun, or just rip into it while it’s still warm in the car on the way home. A rare and coveted commodity, it sells out fast. So go early or simply stock up on chef Cory Pelan’s other cured creations.

An American Icon

130-777 Royal Oak Drive www.pennakitchen.com 250-727-2110

> 2032 Oak Bay Avenue / thewholebeast.ca

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

VANCOUVER ISLAND’S LARGEST SELECTION OF FOUNTAINS AND PLANTERS

Antipasto with seared albacore tuna from Table 21

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Nostalgic Noshing

At Table 21, the sharable menu includes some of chef Jason Clifford’s favourite comfort foods, from braised shortribs with cheddar grits to a house-made Ho Ho dessert. But a personal favourite of mine is Clifford’s take on his mom’s “antipasto” appetizer — a deconstructed version of this vintage party food, with seared albacore tuna and a chunky relish of tomatoes, artichokes and olives, artfully plated to share. > 777 Douglas Street / table21.ca

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Crunchy Croissant

There are many good croissants to try from city bakers, but the buttery version from The French Oven Bakery is a toothsome, Lyon-style pastry that I love. Try the plain croissants, chocolate- or almond- filled croissants, and bacon-and-cheddar breakfast croissants. Or pick up the frozen products to bake at home. Don’t miss their monkey bread, a tasty tangle of croissant pastry laced with cinnamon and sugar. > 1701 Douglas Street / frenchovenbakery.ca

Bold Bar-B-Que

Channeling Texas Q on the west coast is Jones Bar-B-Que, with juicy pulled pork, ribs and smoky beef brisket from the wood-fired pit. I love it all — the coleslaw and especially the baked beans, cooked perfectly from scratch with the trimmings and burnt ends of the Q for extra flavour. But don’t miss the brisket, a true Texas treat. Yee-ha! > 1725 Cook Street / jonesgotmeat.com

Something Fishy

Whatever your pleasure, from spot prawns to sockeye and halibut, Oak Bay Seafood has the fresh, local catch. But this fishmonger (formerly Cowichan Bay Seafood) also has a talented chef who’s cooking up all kinds of goodies, from crispy, gluten-free fish and chips to richly flavoured cioppino broth (just add shellfish for instant dinner parties). Some of their house-smoked treats are among my favourites — fat oysters and smoked salmon fins, a waste-free way to snack. > 2024 Oak Bay Avenue / oakbayseafood.com

Breakfast of Champions Go to the Fernwood Coffee Company for their beans, but stay for the breakfast (and lunch) at the Parsonage Café, the real roots of this neighbourhood haunt. I’m particularly partial to the breakfast bagel, filled with free-range eggs, Slater’s bacon, creamed spinach or tomato — pure, portable morning fuel. > 1115 North Park Street / fernwoodcoffee.com/pages/parsonage-cafe

Oldest bakery in BC Serving comfort food made from scratch Victoria’s favorite all-day breakfast and lunch Outdoor heated patio ✽ Licenced 537 Johnson St. (in the heart of Victoria’s LoJo District) 250.381.8414 www.willies.ca YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

DOING DESSERT AURA waterfront restaurant + patio is a stunning culinary destination at The Inn at Laurel Point, with a menu that fuses French and Asian cuisine. Everything is top-notch, but save room for pastry chef Kimberley Vy’s beautiful desserts. She’s the ice-cream queen, and there’s nothing more addictive than the molasses-and-bourbon ice cream served alongside her dense, chewy chocolate brownie, with tasty textural additions like candied cocoa nibs, bruléed bananas and creamy malted milk!

AURA’s chocolate brownie with candied cocoa nibs, bruléed bananas and malted milk with molassesand-bourbon ice cream

> 680 Montreal Street / aurarestaurant.ca

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W W W. B E A R M O U N T A I N . C A Host of the 2017 Pacific Links Championship September 11-17, 2017

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

JEFF WASSERMAN/STOCKSY

C The story of mysterious but once-scorned absinthe, dubbed the “green fairy,” has a happy ending. By Adem Tepedelen

all absinthe the drink of ill repute. Its reputation is the sum of decades of innuendo and rumour, unfairly cast but cemented all the same. What some saw as a mysterious, beguiling and enchanting spirit, others saw as a poisonous corruptor of souls. Absinthe’s history is clouded by misinformation, propaganda and outright lies. Popularized in France in the mid-19th century — though created in Switzerland in the 18th century — in many ways it was no different than other herb-based spirits of the time. There was nothing especially unusual about the combination of anise- and fennelbased aromatics and accompanying herbs that flavoured it. It was perhaps only the addition of grand wormwood (artemisia absinthium) for bittering that ultimately sealed absinthe’s fate and led to its ban in many European countries and the U.S.

A BITTER TRUTH Wormwood had many uses before it became a key ingredient in absinthe. It was a bittering agent for brewing and it was known to have medicinal uses as well. It’s also poisonous. In large amounts, one of its components, thujone — also present in sage and oregano, among other aromatic herbs — can cause seizures and kidney failure. All absinthes, however — even historic examples from the 19th century — don’t contain nearly enough thujone to cause any physiological issues. But just the suggestion that there was a “poisonous” or illicit ingredient in absinthe may have sullied its rep permanently, and inevitably made it much sought after. “Anytime you have something that’s banned, people want access to it and stories grow out of that,” says Tyler Dyck, CEO of Okanagan Spirits Craft Distilleries, the first North American distiller to bring absinthe back — called Taboo — after the U.S. lifted its ban on the sale of the spirit in 2007. “There’s lore around it that it was banned because a gentleman killed his whole family [under the influence].” It was outrageous folklore like this that helped impugn absinthe. It was said to cause psychosis and hallucinations and encourage all kinds of bad behaviour. But fear not, absinthe will not kill you, nor will it turn you into a killer. It will, however, rather pleasantly intoxicate you. YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

The amount of The Absinthe Drinker thujone present by Viktor Oliva, 1901 in absinthe is minimal. It doesn’t cause hallucinations, it has no special psychotropic properties, and you would die of alcohol poisoning long before the thujone would kill you if you decided to overindulge in the name of spiritual exploration. Absinthe, endearingly known as the “green fairy” for its chlorophyllenhanced pale green colour, is a strong and delicious spirit with black licorice and herbal notes, but completely safe and harmless when enjoyed responsibly.

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Ted (Theodore) Snider is registered with Robson Capital Partners Corp and the BC, AB & ON Securities Commissions. This is not an offering of securities.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

its sale in the U.S. in 1912, shortly before Prohibition shut down the entire (legal) alcoholic-beverage industry until its repeal in 1933. Curiously, Canada never banned absinthe, but the spirit’s propaganda-sullied reputation quashed the market for the misunderstood beverage. Inferior “faux” absinthe from Eastern Europe, made with food colouring and distilled in nontraditional ways, was available in Canada, but it was harsh and bitter and a poor approximation of the vaunted green fairy.

LIES, DAMNED LIES AND PROPAGANDA Thujone, as it turns out, was ultimately just the scapegoat for the resulting late-19thcentury backlash against absinthe. Absinthe is stronger than most spirits, typically at 65%+ alcohol by volume, and became quite popular in France during a time when the wine industry was decimated by a vineyard-destroying pest called phylloxera. “At the turn of the 19th century [absinthe] was gaining in popularity among the Impressionists, the poets and the artists at a time when the wine industry was taking a bit of a hit,” Dyck explains. “With phylloxera knocking out a lot of the vines right at the same time as there was an uptick in absinthe consumption, it apparently led to lobbying by the vintners in the area to get it banned,” Dyck adds. “Even “It’s heavy in anise though it was banned on the but not cloyingly so. auspice that it was potentially This allows one to dangerous for individuals to pick out the other drink, a lot of that has been herbs hanging out proven to be quite wrong. It in the background, was more of a financial (or like mint, lemon trying to keep the market share) ban, with the vintners balm and the screaming foul as they were wormwood with its losing market share.” bitter herbal notes.” Following the lead of France and other European countries, Michael Pizzitelli, the U.S. picked up the “evil Arbutus Distillery thujone” narrative and forbid

HERB-AN LEGEND Traditional absinthe is made from a fruit-based spirit, such as grape eau de vie, that botanicals such as grand wormwood, green anise and fennel have macerated in. This herb-infused spirit is redistilled to concentrate the aromatics and provide complexity. The result is a clear spirit in which additional botanicals such as hyssop, lemon balm and petite wormwood are steeped to add the signature chlorophyll green colour as well as additional herbal complexity. The spirit is cut with water to achieve the traditional strength before being bottled. Properly made absinthe based on traditional recipes has made a strong comeback since legal barriers were lifted. Absinthe is once again being made in Switzerland, France, the U.S. and even right here on Vancouver Island. Nanaimo’s Arbutus Distillery recently introduced its Baba Yaga Absinthe, which is made with botanicals grown in the

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distillery’s garden. “With Baba Yaga, I wanted to make an absinthe that was well rounded and not overbearing in any one direction and, of course, make it genuine,” says Arbutus owner/distiller Michael Pizzitelli. “It’s heavy in anise but not cloyingly so. This allows one to pick out the other herbs hanging out in the background, like mint, lemon balm and the wormwood with its bitter herbal notes.” Because absinthe out of the bottle is stronger than most spirits, it is meant to be diluted with ice water (see the sidebar “Conjuring the Green Fairy”). This not only creates the louche effect, where the clear pale-green liquor becomes opaque, but also frees the aromatic oils and smooths out the heat of the alcohol. The ritual of preparing it can be complex and elegant, like the French method, with ice water slowly dripped over a sugar cube (to tame the spirit’s bitterness) into a proper absinthe glass, but it doesn’t have to be. “I usually recommend a somewhat lazy approach to start: simply pour an ounce [of absinthe] over a few cubes of ice and be patient,” says Pizzitelli. “As the ice melts — moderate stirring will speed this up — the spirit will

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

Conjuring the Green Fairy Absinthe’s appeal is as much about the optics and the ceremony of preparing it as the spirit itself. The French method, as it is known, is a simple transformative ritual that brings out all of absinthe’s best qualities and provides a visual feast for the eyes. It all begins with the glassware. An absinthe glass is elegant and fine, with a demarcated dose line for the absinthe and another indicator for the proper amount of water (which typically equates to one part absinthe to three or four parts distilled water). Absinthe goes in the glass first. An absinthe “spoon,” which is actually flat, slotted and ornate, is set across the rim of the glass and a sugar cube is perched over the slots. Ice-cold water is then dripped onto the ice cube to slowly dissolve it into the absinthe. The sugar provides a contrast to the bitterness in the absinthe, though some would argue it’s not mandatory. (And no, the traditional French method does not involve lighting the sugar cube or absinthe on fire.)

ABSINTHE FRAPPÉ

TABJITO

A spin on a classic — absinthe and fresh mint with egg white. Herbaceous and silky smooth.

• 1 oz Taboo Absinthe • 1/2 oz blueberry liqueur • 1 oz lime juice • 3/4 oz mint syrup • Sparkling wine • Fresh mint

• 1 1/2 oz Arbutus Baba Yaga Absinthe • 6-8 mint leaves • 1/2 oz simple syrup • 1 egg white Start off by clapping the mint in the palm of your hands to release the oils, then add to a shaker. If you want some serious mint flavour, you can blender-muddle it. Place absinthe and simple syrup on top of the mint in the shaker and finally add the egg white. Dry-shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again. Double strain into an absinthe glass and serve with a mint-leaf garnish.

(Courtesy of Matthew Hattersley, bartender at Arbutus Lounge)

Add all ingredients (except wine) to an ice-filled shaker. Strain into an absinthe glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a mint sprig.

(Courtesy of Okanagan Spirits Craft Distilleries)

The real magic occurs when, as the water is dripped into the clear, pale-green absinthe, the spirit begins to cloud, as the oils in certain botanicals (mainly anise and fennel) come out and turn it a delicate milky green colour. The addition of water also releases the potent aromatics and subtle flavours (much as water in whisky does) as the absinthe is diluted to a suitably enjoyable potency. Behold the intoxicating green fairy that’s captured the imaginations of absinthe drinkers for centuries.

From top: Absinthe spoon with intricate wormwood-leaf design; the blown-glass reservoir of the Magnifique Reservoir absinthe glass takes on the appearance of an opaque, swirling globe while louching; the Tarragona absinthe glass is a classic Spanish belle epoque design (All available at absintheonthenet.com)

louche and from there simply sip and find a dilution point with which you are happy.” Like other anise-based spirits, absinthe is also wonderful in cocktails. In fact, many classic pre-Prohibition cocktails, such as the Sazerac, Corpse Reviver No. 2 and Monkey Gland, were made using absinthe. Ernest Hemingway was known to enjoy a jigger of absinthe poured into a champagne flute and topped up with iced Champagne until the absinthe clouds, a drink known as Death in the Afternoon. “Absinthe’s potency in flavour and aroma makes it quite useful behind the bar,” Pizzitelli confirms. “A small — say, 1/4 ounce — addition to a cocktail preparation or even just a glass rinse with absinthe will contribute noticeable hints of black licorice and herbal tones, which can add depth and complexity to drinks. Other spirits used in the same manner would be lost, but absinthe is so concentrated that it will [shine] through even in small amounts.” It’s safe to say that in the 10 years since traditionally made absinthe returned to the market in the U.S. and began production here in B.C., we have seen no evidence that it is anything more than an enchanting but misunderstood spirit about which many yarns have been spun. These stories certainly enhance its mystique, but today we can see them for what they are: fairy tales.

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

FEED YOUR MIND

A conversation with Danielle LaPorte When it comes to finding ways to feed the mind, bestselling author Danielle LaPorte knows the right ingredients. YAM recently enjoyed some mentally nourishing one-on-one time with this member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 and author of The Fire Starter Sessions, The Desire Map and now White Hot Truth, to be released May 15. BY ALEX VAN TOL

IT’S

the morning after author Danielle LaPorte’s keynote at the McPherson Playhouse, where she addressed a jam-packed theatre to open the fifth annual Victoria Yoga Conference. At 9:30 a.m., I knock on the door of the Fernwood home of LaPorte’s good friend Candace, where LaPorte stays when she’s in town. In her jeans, knitted jersey top and slouchy socks, LaPorte is more petite than she appears onstage, and smaller than you’d think given her global presence as a spirituo-energetic powerhouse. The woman has touched — indeed shaped, healed and energized — the lives of soul seekers the world over. Standing in the kitchen pouring water over her tea, LaPorte is only human. Yet for those who have spent years reading her books, #truthbombs and blog posts (Forbes named DanielleLaPorte.com one of its top 100 websites for women), LaPorte has an exalted role as an unflappable, unapologetic, rock ’n’ roll bank of spiritual guidance and certitude. And yes, with that kind of reputation, it’s easy to believe she has all the answers.

She readily admits she doesn’t. She stirs honey into her tea as we trade stories about the agonies of raising children in the information age. Her aches resonate with those of other women. As she curls up on the sofa, she admits (as she does in her new book White Hot Truth) that she’s far from finished her truth-seeking journey. Our conversation ranges across her writings past and present, her philosophies, her epiphanies. She considers before she answers. She communicates her thinking with no excess words, often finishing her comments with a pause, then a reflective “Yeah.” She swears. She smiles less, laughs less than I would have expected — but then, Danielle LaPorte isn’t about pleasing anyone or needing to being liked. She has freed herself of that burden and prefers to define her path. In fact, in White Hot Truth, she writes about how she was once introduced in a radio interview as a spiritual teacher, and she came back with, “NO, NO, NO! No. I’m a writer. I’m a seeker. Philosophically inclined.” And so we started our interview from that place ...

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YAM: We’re looking at what we should be feeding our minds. Let me start by asking: What are we feeding our minds too much of? LaPORTE: Everybody else’s opinions. Here’s what I suggest: go on an input fast. Just for three months, don’t take anybody else’s opinion on board. No coaching. No therapy sessions. No astrology readings. If you’re in crisis mode, of course, call on all of your support systems, but most of us are not in constant crisis mode. And what’ll happen when you stop seeking to feed yourself other people’s opinions and directives is you’re going to flail a bit [laughs]. You’re going to feel a bit lost and uncomfortable — kind of that sweaty-palm feeling of “Am I going to do the right thing? What’s the right direction? What’s the best decision to make today? Should I sign the contract? Should I buy the ranch? Should I break up?” Your own decision-making muscle is going to feel weak. And then what happens is there’s some stillness. There’s some silence. Because it’s not constant input, and your system can start to recalibrate itself. You’re going to hear yourself. And lo and behold, you’re hearing your own opinions, you’re hearing your own intuition, your own wisdom, and then you’ll act on it. I’ve done this myself. In the line of work I’m in, I get offers all the time: “Would you like an energy session? I know this great psychic. There’s this channeller who wants to give you a reading.” And I’m a no. I’m a no to all of it now. And this is a big change because I was always having some kind of reading. Some kind of foretelling. Now? No, I’ll figure it out on my own.

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With her books, Danielle LaPorte brings a fresh approach to the well-travelled road of self-improvement. The Desire Map posits that the world has achievement all wrong. Instead of goals and aspirations, we should focus on how we want to feel and base our choices on achieving those feelings. White Hot Truth, out this May, looks at when self-help goes too far and becomes self-criticism. Using humour to share reallife examples of when self-improvement goes wrong, LaPorte provides the guideposts for how it can be done right.

“If

you round out your edges, you lose your edge.” Danielle LaPorte

YAM: When you’re saying “go on an input fast from other people’s opinions,” what about all the external input, like the web and social media? LaPORTE: Yeah, that’s a great question. I noticed this with the U.S. election. A lot of people around me needed to take a break from social media — because it was too much. And there’s something to be learned from that. You could just go full-tilt and unsubscribe from all of your motivational inspirational blogs. Except for mine [laughs]. Stay off Instagram — or engage in all of that in a way in which you’re not comparing yourself to all of those people. I call it “engage as a grown-up.” Know that not everybody is an authentic teacher. There’s a lot of noise out there.

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YAM: So, less input. What else are we feeding our minds too much of? LaPORTE: I think we’ve become numb to vulgarity and violence. We laugh at a lot of things that we should be crying about. We make a lot of disgusting things palatable, and a lot of what’s happening culturally, especially on social media, is actually toxic and spiritdamaging. It’s poisonous. A lot of people are waking up to the toxicity of sugar or of GMOs or of gluten; we need to look at a lot of the stuff that’s happening in entertainment as those kinds of toxic substances. YAM: Can you give me some examples? What pops to mind? LaPORTE: We live in the time of Photoshopping, so first of all, we’re not even looking at reality. We are constantly barraged by lies, and we’re told to try and aspire to those lies. Aspire to things that are impossible. These are fantasy lives. I think violence in movies is out of control. I constantly have to stop films and say to my son, “If someone was punched like that in real life, they’d have brain damage. That guy would be dead. And when you see your first fist-fight in a parking lot, you’re going to be YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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all-my-dreams-aredeeply affected.” It’s going-to-come-truevery upsetting to see because-it’s-on-myviolence in real life. vision-board. And then Women have it faith. Faith that you rough, from too will have what you much face filler to the need to do what you Photoshopping; there want to do. are a lot of women out there who are hypersexualized, and YAM: So why do people it’s being couched as resist less input? empowerment. And LaPORTE: We don’t this is really f-ing with tend to choose less the feminine psyche. input because it’s so So you see, say, a lot of much easier to give The Brave Love symbol — hand-designed women in pop culture, by LaPorte and available on her notebooks our attention to all the music, entertainment and as temporary tattoos — first existed as interesting things in the who are, like, really separate heart-key and arrow elements. But outside world. There’s as LaPorte explains on her website, “You stripped down and always something need both to make it happen in life. Love hypersexual and around the next click opens the door, always. But to actually walk they’re parading like through the door, to make the most of the — better advice, a ‘I’m empowered, I’m opportunity, you need focused intention.” better article. Call it in charge,’ but actually whatever you want .... the system is just playing them — and you YAM: So what’s the antidote? know, who would you be if LaPORTE: Meditation is medicine. And it’s an it was just about your talent and your smarts? essential practice. You’ve got to come to it on your own terms. We need to clean our minds YAM: Okay, so no toxic garbage. What should just like we clean our homes and take care of we feed our minds, then? our bodies. We don’t take care of our minds, LaPORTE: Just less of everything. Less input, which is our most powerful asset. less media, less imagery. More stillness, more contemplation, more space. More quiet time. YAM: You mentioned five words at the Victoria More time with the people we really want to Yoga Conference keynote last night: Truth, be with. Like, really, really want to be with. light, faith and ... Going out of our way to be with the bestLaPORTE: Joy and love. These concepts quality people in our lives. Get on the plane, sound soft because, really, they’ve been comake time. And then once you’ve detoxed opted by the New Age. But these are fierce your system — we have to be constantly qualities and elements of life. Being a truthdetoxing, by the way; it’s not like you go on seeker is not always comfortable. It requires one retreat a year — you should be feeding some courage. I think it’s really cosmically yourself truth, light and faith. The basic sexy to want to know the truth. To speak the truths — self-honesty — and then seeking truth. And you know, light is … when you universal truths: “Why am I really here?” commit to the light of things, to the upside of And the light is positivity, and I don’t mean things, to wanting to know how things really sugared positivity. I mean what I call deep work. Your life will shift. positivity. Life-is-on-my-side positivity, not

#TRUTHBOMB Danielle LaPorte believes that sometimes a sentence is all it takes to “change your mind, break open your heart, soothe your soul or hit you like a #Truthbomb.” Her card deck includes 134 messages to treat as a daily divination, an inspirational buzz or as love notes to yourself or others. #Truthbombs include sentiments such as, “Make space in your life for the inevitable arrival of what you want” and “Authenticity is magnetic.”

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One of Victoria’s chief soul-seekers, connectors and community-builders is Carolyne Taylor, founder of YoUnlimited, an organization that creates experiences designed for women who want more connection and community in their lives. As host and organizer of the Victoria Yoga Conference, Taylor invited Danielle LaPorte to speak in Victoria on February 10 because she has long recognized LaPorte’s messages as resonant with her own drive to bring people together in a heart-centred way. “I wanted Danielle to come because we’re in a challenging time right now,” says Taylor. “When I open up my social media or read her blog posts, I feel like she always has the right words for me. I felt like she would have the right words to deliver our message in this time, in this location, at this conference.”

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Springshould is hereyou andcontact curb appeal is key!before listing your home? When our team Contact our team to help you make a great first impression when selling your home LaPorte’s focus on learning to love ourselves as a prerequisite to being able to properly love others rings true for Taylor. “We only need to do one thing for one person, and then one more thing for one more person, and then one more thing for one more person,” says Taylor. “That’s what I personally believe. And we can’t do that if we don’t take care of ourselves.” And that, says Taylor, ties into her vision for YoUnlimited: to nourish the soul. “There’s no mistake that we hold events at Nourish Kitchen and Cafe,” she laughs, fully understanding that whether we are talking of the mind, body or the spirit, we are deeply affected by what we choose as our nourishment.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

THE VIEW FROM HERE A visit to the Villa Eyrie Resort reaffirms that there are things you can only see when you slow down.

By Athena McKenzie

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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he Island Highway drive through Goldstream Park will never lose its ability to inspire wonder. I admit, it could be my status as a relative newcomer to Victoria, but the curving road seems carved from the primordial forest; the green light, filtered through the moss-covered trees, a soothing balm to the modern world. My partner, Robert, and I are on a mission this weekend: to embrace life on the West Coast and start soaking in the natural beauty all around us. How many months have passed since our last hike or beach walk? The answer could explain why we’ve both been feeling stressed and rundown. Too much Netflix, not enough fresh coastal air. We’re headed for a weekend getaway at the Villa Eyrie Resort. Approximately halfway between Victoria and Duncan, this retreat offers nature and seclusion in a luxurious setting — a mere 30 minutes from our downtown address. In Haemin Sunim’s The Things You Can Only See When You Slow Down, the renowned Buddhist meditation teacher writes that the boundary between the mind and the world is actually thin, porous and illusionary. “If we can train our mind and choose wisely where to focus, then we will be able to experience the world corresponding to our mind,” Sunim says.

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In the past year, Robert and I have been brought down by family illness, exhausted by work deadlines and the demands of everyday life, and wearied by the craziness of world affairs. It’s time for us to hit pause and reconnect with the good things in our lives. “When you feel overwhelmed and busy, remember you are not powerless,” Sunim writes. “When your mind rests, the world also rests.” As our car passes the turnoff to Shawnigan Lake, I point out the black silhouettes of two bald eagles soaring high above the old growth. They’re making lazy circles over the exit to the resort. Robert finds my endless fascination with the local eagles endearing and in the past has indulged my need to spend a portion of any B.C. ferry ride scanning the treeline for their distinctive white heads. A recent national news story celebrating the species’ return to Southern Ontario — where I lived for 25 years and where the bald eagle was practically extinct — has given him some perspective on my joy every time I see these stunning birds. The eagles are a fitting welcome to our get-away. Eyrie is an alternative spelling for aerie, the original name for the famed resort, which was closed between 2008 and 2016, and both names mean “eagle’s nest.” The Villa Eyrie’s elevated perch on the summit of the Malahat gives a bird’s-eye view of the area’s extraordinary mountain-backed scenery.

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PEAK LUXURY Confession time: I have never stopped at any of the lookouts along the Malahat — despite weekly treks to Nanaimo and the enticing glimpses of the mountains and the glimmer of water through the trees. As the only driver in our household, I’m always the one with my eyes on the road as it snakes over the summit. Now, from the Villa Aquila, the full splendour of the panorama is laid out before me. The terrace faces west, looking across Finlayson Arm on the Saanich Inlet, and the dramatic heights of Gowlland Ridge in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park provide a scenic foreground to the Olympic Mountains. To my delight, the eagles are in view, riding the air currents. According to Amanda Semco, the resort’s horticulturalist, the raptors are a regular sight, along with owls and other birds of prey. Semco is working to transform the grounds of the recently reopened resort. In addition to creating flowers beds, planters and even an interpretive nature trail, she is working on the farm at the neighbouring Prancing Pony, which the resort also owns, to establish a food-production program for the Villa Eyrie’s Summit restaurant. “We have two orchards and two small beehives,” Semco says. “Last year we harvested quite a bit of fruit from there. And this year I’ll be building two raised vegetable beds to grow produce for the chef. It’s really unique to have this amount of space and it’s going to be TERRANCE LAM

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The resort is set into the hillside and its exterior design is inspired by the architecture found at Italy’s Lake Como. Our room is the spacious Olympic Suite in the Villa Aquila. Along with a wood-burning fireplace and a deep soaker tub, an inviting terrace with lounge chairs and heat lamps promises hours luxuriating in the vista.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

amazing to see what we can do with it.” French-trained chef Terry Pichor melds the resort’s Mediterranean vibe with a local farm-to-table focus, using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The area is also rich in wild edibles, and when the season arrives, Semco is planning to host foraging walks for guests, to be paired with cooking classes. “There is Miner’s lettuce, as well as sorrels and other edibles,” she says. “Then guests can come back and help prepare a meal. It should be a really immersive experience.”

ENGAGING THE SENSES Saturday is our first full day at the resort, and after indulging in Chef Pichor’s eggs Benedict, Robert and I plan on spending the morning apart. As a fiction writer, he’s hoping the room’s remove from all the regular distractions will spark a new creative project, and I’m hoping a massage in the resort’s spa will provide some much-needed relaxation. The spring-morning air still carries a touch of chill, but I head to the Tuscan Spa’s outdoor deck — the resort’s view is simply irresistible. Luckily, the fireplace is ablaze, and I tuck in with my herbal tea. When it’s time, spa director Kristen Humphrey leads me to the cozy treatment room for my Bozzolo Sacra body wrap. She assures me that, contrary to other wraps I may have experienced, this one will not involve being oiled up and tightly bound in plastic wrap. After a full-body exfoliation, the treatment will focus on a tension-releasing massage; and then, after I am cocooned in warm linens, she will finish with a soothing head and foot massage. Once I rinse off the sea-salt scrub, Humphrey uses aromatherapy oil as she kneads my neck and shoulders. I am shocked by how tender the area is and how many knots she works out along my shoulder blades. But while it is slightly uncomfortable, I don’t want it to end.

The heated saltwater pool is one of many places at the resort from which to enjoy the 180-degree views of the Saanich Inlet.

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

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Executive Chef Terry Pichor sources Vancouver Island farm-fresh ingredients for his worldinfluenced West-Coast cuisine.

“Most people don’t realize how much tension they carry in that area until they are touched there,” Humphrey says. “Everyone could benefit from therapeutic massage, especially if you’re hunched over a desk all day.” When my shoulders and then legs feel loose and languid, Humphrey rolls me onto my back and tightens the warm blankets around me before beginning to apply light pressure to my temples. Apparently, this is when I doze off the first time because I wake to oils being applied to my feet. Humphrey is gentle when she wakes me to take me back to the relaxation lounge.

EXPLORING NATURE I’m still pretty non-verbal when I get back to the room, where Robert and I enjoy a light lunch of fruit and cheese as we soak in the view. Amanda Semco says the large network of trails behind the resort could provide non-stop adventures for those who like to explore, but we opt for the set two-kilometre trail around Spectacle Lake, only a five-minute drive away. We amble along the groomed path and over the wooden bridges that span the rocky runoffs, eventually sitting down to gaze over the lake. Robert takes my hand and points out the white head of a bald eagle visible in a nearby tree, smiling at my muffled squeak. Our plan to outwait the eagle proves rash, and we happily return to the Villa Eyrie in search of food and warmth. Sitting in the Summit Restaurant, we languish over a meal of roasted beets with cabbage and walnuts, and braised Cache Creek short ribs with risotto Milanese, enjoying the unique combinations of textures and the tantalizing flavours. We use the time for an unofficial “State of the Union,” coming up with some personal goals for the next few years. We look to Sunim when setting realistic markers for these goals. “Dream big but start small,” he writes in The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down. “A small adjustment can have a big effect

HAVE WINE, WILL TRAVEL A unique offering at the Villa Eyrie is their Wine Society, which host socials throughout the year to bring together those who appreciate fine wine and cuisine. Each dinner is themed around a part of the world, and my evening with the Wine Society was called the “Tour de France.” Five courses explored French cuisine with pairings that ranged from a crisp champagne to an earthy pinot noir. A highlight was Chef Terry Pichor’s interpretation of Tournedos Rossini, considered a classic of modern French cuisine. In Chef Pichor’s version, expertly grilled foie gras topped lightly seared Pemberton Meadows beef, finished with a touch of Madeira sauce and a delicate sliver of aromatic truffle. The rich dish was complemented with the plummy notes of the Chateau Bernadotte Bordeaux. One might not be able to get to Europe easily from Victoria, but this is an immersive way to experience aspects of its food and drink culture.

on your life. For example, if you want to be healthier, then start by going to bed a half hour earlier. If you want to lose weight, then start by drinking water instead of soda. If you have an important project to complete, then start by getting your desk organized.” Both of us have personal creative projects, and cleaning our desks definitely couldn’t hurt. For the moment, though, between the relaxing massage, fresh air and big meal, getting to bed half an hour early sounds like a healthy choice I can get behind.

THE TAKE-AWAY On the Sunday morning, the mountains are hidden by a low blanket of cloud, lending a calming aspect to the view. It’s been months since I’ve done any yoga, but there’s something about the setting that inspires me, so I perform a series of sun salutations. Robert is sitting in the little alcove, jotting down notes for a short story that came to him while we were walking around the grounds. When pressed, he promises it will be nothing like The Shining. Unlike on regular weekends, the television has remained untouched and our social media has been neglected. I have no idea what Donald Trump did yesterday and I’m confident it can wait a few more hours. More pressing is whether the bald eagles will make an appearance before we have to leave our refuge at Villa Eyrie. Getting away has reminded me that just because the modern world is constantly moving fast, I don’t have to. As Sunim says, where we live and spend time shapes us and is important to the pursuit of our dreams. YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

STYLE WATCH Fashion Stylist: Janine Metcalfe Photos by Jeffrey Bosdet

E LEMENTS o f ST YLE THIS SEASON, ACCESSORIES TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT, EVOKING SUMMERY IMAGES OF ICE CREAM, FLORAL FIELDS AND THE SUNSHINE SPARKLE OF JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF BLING.

< ICE CREAM Flower bathing-suit top ($84) and high-waist bottoms ($78), designed by Paradise Boutique; Irregular Choice Ice Cream sandals (She She Shoes, $249); turquoise straw hat (Robertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hats, $45); rings on left ring finger and right index finger by Kala Collection (Fabrications, $125 each); additional rings by Adina Mills (Paradise Boutique, $110 to $117). PAGE 8: Cut Loose wide-leg pant (Patryka Designs, $124); Kennel & Schmenger grey loafers (Cardino Shoes, $335); Paul Smith sunglasses (Maycock Eyecare, $432); Matt & Nat clutch (She She Bags, $80); Kutula Kiss fair-trade bracelets (Fabrications, $25 to $100).

PINK LINEN Pink blouse ($285) and bottoms ($315), both by Eliza Faulkner (elizafaulkner.com); Hobo Lauren wallet in paisley (She She Bags, $150); Danica Wilma necklace (Heart & Sole Shoes, $125); rings on left hand and right index finger by Kala Collection (Fabrications, $125); additional ring by Adina Mills (Paradise Boutique, $117).

FLOWER POWER Tommy Bahama pants (Fabrications, $158); Chanii B sandals (Heart & Sole Shoes, $295); Ted Baker London clutch (Fabrications, $65); ring on left ring finger by Kala Collection (Fabrications, $125); additional ring by Adina Mills (Paradise Boutique, $117).

PAINTED MONET Joseph Ribkoff dress (Barbaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique, $215); Mezzi bag (Patryka Designs, $325); Chanii B shoes (Heart & Sole Shoes, $264); Sabine-Be sunglasses (Maycock Eyecare, $490); Putehka Peru necklace (Heart & Sole Shoes, $80); ring on right ring finger by Kala Collection (Fabrications, $125); additional rings by Adina Mills (Paradise Boutique, $117).

Model: Sophia Dishaw

SCENE

SIMON DESROCHERS

Chief Curator Michelle Jacques and Director Jon Tupper handle Bibi la Purée by Sophie Pemberton, one of the many assets in storage at the AGGV.

WHAT LIES BENEATH AS THE AGGV LOOKS TO EXPAND ITS MOSS STREET FOOTPRINT, IT’S ALSO TAKING A DEEP LOOK AT ITS PAST — INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE WORKS FROM ITS TOP-RATED PERMANENT COLLECTION, NOW STORED IN ITS BASEMENT. By David Lennam

n 1991, an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) drew complaints, according to former gallery director Pat Bovey, because one of the show’s featured artists had depicted a clear-cut forest scene, which was apparently not seemly or artful. That artist was Emily Carr and the painting was Odds and Ends. The exhibition is just one of the memorable and even controversial moments since the AGGV first opened in 1951 in the Spencer Mansion on Moss Street under the then-stewardship of its first director, Colin Graham. Graham’s goal as director was to introduce modern art to Victorians clinging perilously 84

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to their Turners and Monets, disregarding abstraction and the avant-garde. He was known to hang exhibitions he thought would expand minds, and maybe upset them. Or, as he wrote about his 1957 survey of Quebec’s Les Automatistes — considered dissidents of the art world back then — to stand “Victoria’s genteel hairs on end.” Turns out Judge Begbie wasn’t the only one orchestrating controversial hangings in Victoria. Graham’s unpublished 1981 document “Moss Street Years, or Three Decades of Controversial Hangings,” inspired the AGGV’s current show Moving Forward by Looking Back. It includes works from the permanent collection, including the Asian

collection (which now accounts for half of all the objects the gallery owns), all initiated by Graham. And Graham has tales to tell, like the time a local collector brought a sketchbook to him and showed him what were assumed to be drawings by Goya. The problem was, once the exhibition opened, it was discovered they were not Goyas at all. Since there was little money to pay for shows in the early days of Graham’s tenure, many deals were made on the cheap. He once received a proposal from a Mexican artist who said he’d cover all the expenses of showing his work. Graham agreed, only to realize, once the work arrived, it was so

terrible he couldn’t display it. But Graham was nothing if not resourceful, so while Victorians were measuring out their lives in tepid renderings of boats in harbours — or, as Emily Carr herself described them, in “tinkling teacups, tinkling conversation and little tinkling landscapes weakly executed in water colours” — Graham was ready to pull back the veil and expose modernism and the Far East to a populace ignorant of, or appalled by, those wonders. “I did not want the gallery collection to be confined by a Europe-centred view of human culture,” wrote Graham.

THE PERMANENT COLLECTION The foundation of any institution is its long-term assets, what’s tucked away in the vault, and that’s true of the AGGV, which literally sits on a foundation of $190 million in art — paintings, sculpture, even furniture — and you’ve probably never seen it before. In fact, 20,000 pieces lie wrapped, catalogued and stored away from curious eyes in the Moss Street property’s ample basement “just below our feet,” says the AGGV’s current director, Jon Tupper. Old masters, Group of Seven, Emily Carr, Henry Moore, the most comprehensive collection of Japanese art in Canada — even one of those instantly recognizable Veduta of Venice by Canaletto, though Tupper smiles

Emily Carr’s Odds and Ends (1939, oil on canvas, 67.4 x 109.5 cm) was completed in 1931 and reveals Carr’s growing angst about the encroachment of largescale logging on the once-pristine wilderness and on the lands of Indigenous people.

wryly when he refers to it as a fake. Like their Emily Carr that wasn’t. After X-ray and chemical analysis, there was still no confirmation of legitimacy. It wasn’t until the conservator removed the frame that it became apparent it wasn’t the real deal. “We saw the signature,” recalls Tupper. “The frame had covered most of it. It read M. Carr, not Emily Carr.”). This permanent collection, continually added to since the early 1950s, is, in Tupper’s downplayed vernacular, “quite valuable.” And quite necessary. It speaks to the prestige of the city. “Is Victoria an important city, a city that

knows its place in the world? If you’ve got a world-class collection, like we do, it says something about that.” “A permanent collection,” explains Bovey, a recent Senate appointee and director of the gallery from 1981 to 1999, “is very important in the fabric or jigsaw puzzle of Canadian heritage across this country. The collection is the root and the soul of what a gallery can do, and this collection is being used for research, teaching and lending to other exhibitions.” The AGGV’s chief curator regards the collection as a library. “We are safeguarding the cultural heritage,” says Michelle Jacques. “That’s an important function of a museum.” And, like all museum property, art’s value is on the rise. For example, 30 years ago the gallery was given 18 ceramics by the British artist Lucie Rie. Recently one of her pots sold at auction in the U.K. for £100,000. “We had no idea that her work had taken off like that,” says Jacques.

WHAT’S HIDDEN So why isn’t the permanent collection permanently on display? The answer isn’t all about space, though the gallery’s pending expansion will allow some of those pieces to go onto the walls. Right now, the AGGV only has room to show less than five per cent of that collection each year.

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Works from the permanent collection are regularly lent to other galleries for exhibition, though Tupper adds, “I have to say, this gallery does a better job of showing its collection than any other gallery I’ve worked at.” The gallery receives regular donations of art as well as money to buy more. Proportionately, a much larger percentage of the collection is added through donation, not purchase. “People give us paintings in their lifetime just because they have something they think would make more sense here,” says Jacques, noting the gallery adds between five and 10 Canadian or European works each year, as well as upward of 300 objects for the Asian collection. Through donation, the AGGV has accumulated nearly $5 million in an endowment, some of which is earmarked to expand the permanent collection. But in the art world, that’s pocket change. A million bucks just doesn’t buy what it used to, says Tupper. “We’re not in the market for Emily Carrs. We can’t afford them.” While the AGGV has 45 of the works of Victoria’s most famous painter, acquiring another would cost about $600,000. Last year, a painting by the Group of Seven’s Lawren Harris sold at auction for $11.2 million. (Disappointing side note: Graham was on the verge of closing a donation with Harris that would have seen a number of his canvases come to Victoria permanently. However, Harris died during the negotiations, and his widow wouldn’t fulfil the terms of his promise. So close.)

INTO THE FUTURE As the AGGV moves forward, it is set for an architecturally modern and stunning $21-million expansion, featuring not only an additional 14,500 square feet of gallery space, but also a community auditorium, sculpture garden, café and gift shop designed by Victoria’s Moore Architecture and Vancouver’s Lang Wilson. Tupper is hoping to get work started in September once the province comes through with funding to match Ottawa’s and the $7 million the gallery will have raised. (They collected $6 million before even launching a donor campaign.) And, in a timely twist, the environmental sensibilities of Emily Carr will once again come to the forefront as the AGGV’s chief curator, Michelle Jacques, prepares to launch Picturing the Giants: The Changing Landscapes of Emily Carr on June 10. One has to wonder if this exhibition, which Jacques says will explore Carr’s growing environmental awareness through a contemporary lens, will spark as much debate as the 1991 show featuring Carr’s famous painting of tree stumps marring an otherwise majestic coastal landscape. Moving Forward by Looking Back: The First 30 Years of Collecting Art at the AGGV can be seen until September 4. 86

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

OUR TOP PICKS FOR WHAT’S NEW AND HOT IN LOCAL ART, THEATRE AND MUSIC.

MY CANADA

The Avenue Gallery takes an artful approach to celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday this May. My Canada is a group painting and sculpture exhibition featuring 20 of the gallery’s participating artists from across the country, offering reflections on their visions of Canada and what it means to be Canadian. Island artists in the exhibition include Pavel Barta, Eunmi Conacher, Rob Elphinstone, Douglas Fisher, Brent Lynch, Catherine Moffat, Ron Parker and Blu Smith. The Avenue Gallery, Oak Bay, May 13 to 21, theavenuegallery.com < Rob Elphinstone, Canadian Landscape, 30" x 40"

IN A TIME OF TYRANTS

This spring, the Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre presents a play that promises to have special resonance for a new generation apprehensive of tyrants and their influence on the Washington political system. Born Yesterday, by nationally recognized playwright and director Janet Munsil, provides a fresh take on American playwright Garson Kanin’s 1940s Broadway comedy of awakening. The play stars Blue Bridge alumni Kassianni Austin in the role of Billie Dawn and Jacob Richmond as Harry Brock. May 30 to June 11, bluebridgetheatre.ca

JAZZ IT UP

ADAM BIELAWSK

CULTURE X3

If you need just one reason to go to this year’s TD JazzFest (and there are so many), here it is: Mavis Staples, the Grammy-winning goddess of American music whose songs and voice have energized the Civil Rights Movement and inspired icons like The Band, Bob Dylan and Prince. She’ll be in Victoria for the 33rd JazzFest along with other luminaries, including Jacob Collier, Elvin Bishop Band, Kandace Springs Trio, Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Tommy Emmanuel, Ziggy Marley and Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. June 23 to July 2, various venues, jazzvictoria.ca

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WESTSIDE STORY NESTLED ALONGSIDE A WORKING HARBOUR, VIC WEST BLENDS THE CHARACTER OF ITS INDUSTRIAL ROOTS WITH AN EARTHY MODERN STYLE. By Danielle Pope // Photos by Simon DesRochers

n a sunny afternoon in a little corner of Vic West, I’m sitting at a bistro table at the Spiral Café, sipping organic house-roasted coffee, staring out at two parks and watching the bustle of a community. Beside me, a musician tunes his guitar. A young couple enjoys a meal of homemade soup and croissants. Kids chase each other around the neighbouring playground, and cyclists bike past on their way to the Galloping Goose trail. The smell of fresh bread drifts in from Fry’s Bakery, and low chatter can be heard next door at Cliff’s Barbershop. A few women gather outside Sailor Jack Consignment, sorting through a rack of designer dresses.

A NEIGHBOURHOOD EVOLUTION For many, this cluster of shops along Craigflower Road marks the epicentre of community in Vic West, a neighbourhood that evolved as Victoria’s annex since the 1890s, growing from the stigma of an industrial shipping port into the newly minted “Hip West” that has begun to attract shops like the artfully curated Hold General Store. Today, you wouldn’t guess this strip was once little more than a vacant roadway with a few spotty houses. When the Spiral Café opened its doors on Craigflower Road 15 years ago, the owners never imagined the neighbourhood would grow up around it, or that the café would gain regional attention for its popular music nights that feature everything from folk to swing to old-time jam sessions. 88

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

1 Bistro tables outside Spiral Café 2 Cliff’s Barbershop 3 Cycling along the Galloping Goose Trail 4 Sailor Jack Consignment 5 Kayaking on the Gorge-Selkirk Waterway 6 Freshly baked loaves at Fry’s Bakery

“I’m not sure how it happened, but Spiral became a hub for the community when there wasn’t much in the way of that — it just stuck,” says co-owner Pam Campbell. “We have cool people in this town, and everyone works together to make this place better. It’s wonderful.” Campbell finds it easy to boast, being a “Vic Westie” herself. She loves the eclectic mix of people, the deep-rooted care for sustainability and the shared community values. The neighbourhood isn’t without its kitsch. If you pass by at the right time, you’ll meet the woman who sells homemade pies from her driveway along Craigflower. Campbell invites me to bring my bathing suit in the summer for Gorge Swim Fest, or my crafts in the spring for the annual Vic West Fest. The quirks, she says, are part of the charm. One of Campbell’s closest neighbours is another Vic West treasure: Fry’s Bakery. Byron Fry opened his family-run sourdough bakery in 2012, after years of selling his legendary bread at the Moss Street Market. I learn it wasn’t the first time the area experienced this wood-fired tradition — Fry’s great-great grandfather owned a bakery down the street in the 1920s. The community has welcomed the comeback. “One of the best things about being in a place like this is that you’re on your own. You’re allowed to cater to exactly what the neighbourhood wants, and not worry about what the competition is doing,” says Fry. While the German rye, sourdough and seven-grain loaves are regular, locals know to pop into Fry’s on Sunday afternoons, when the bakery

THE BARGE IS BACK Bites, Brews, Bands on the Barge 4

Fridays May 26 to September 22 5 – 9:30 pm at Ogden Point, 185 Dallas Road

Local beer, cider & wine. Food trucks. Live music. turns itself into a pizza joint. Fry bakes favourites for the regulars, and “family pizza day” can become a picnic in the adjacent Banfield Park.

GROWING UP Vic West is more than the shopping village on Craigflower Road. The neighbourhood, which features some of the city’s most interesting heritage homes, is bordered by the Gorge-Selkirk Waterway, Victoria Harbour and Esquimalt’s eastern border. Vic West covers only eight per cent of Victoria’s land base, but the community is growing, attracting people because of its location, spacious parks, tennis courts, lawn bowling, skating and community gardens, as well as many mom-and-pop and commercial grocery stores and restaurants. “It’s pretty special to have a shop that doesn’t look onto another building,” says Fry. “We face trees and grass and water, and that’s just something you get living and working in a place like this.” From the early 1900s, Vic West’s residents were a blend of wealthy and workingclass families, with many employed by the industries wrapped along the shoreline. While that remains an economic force, new developments are bringing in younger, more diverse families. Along Harbour Road, condos like the sustainably minded Dockside Green stand out against the industrial steel. The growth has also made space for businesses like Fol Epi Organic Bakery and Caffe Fantastico — stops that catch cyclists who might otherwise pass by for the Goose. Show up on a weekend, like I did, and you’ll be lucky enough to try Fol Epi’s cranberryhazelnut loaves. “We have some movers and shakers here in Vic West,” Campbell tells me. “It’s open, accepting, creative and down to earth. We care about community, and we don’t get caught up in pretensions. It’s just a vibrant place to be.”

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DO TELL

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SENTIMENTS AND SIPS

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

Pay close attention to those custom cocktail descriptions at Little Jumbo. Bar manager Nate Caudle loves to include esoteric references for the rare customer “who might get it and nerd out.” Caudle — who has twice won Art of the Cocktail’s competition for Best Bartender in the Pacific Northwest — says a love of creating is what drew him to bartending. But as much as Caudle has a passion for innovating, he also loves tradition: once a week you’ll still find him behind the “phone-booth-sized bar” at Pagliacci’s, where he got his start. “It’s very sentimental at this point,” he says. “I have so many good memories and I love the energy in the room.” 1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? If I’m creating, I’m happy. 2. What is your greatest fear? I have this recurring dream where I’m on a beach on a grey, miserable day and I see this massive tsunami coming. It’s a common nightmare and deals with fear and ambition. Moseying through life with nothing to show for it — that would be my fear. 3. What do you admire most in your friends? Authenticity. 4. What’s a trait you deplore in others? Talking ‘at’ others. People who don’t engage in conversation, who just spew words and wait for their next chance to talk. 5. Who is the living person you admire most? George Lam [a longtime bartender] at the Chateau Victoria. He taught me about delivering the best guest experience and never losing your cool. 6. What is your greatest extravagance? Time, to me, is the most valuable asset. I will pay for a cab home so I can have that extra 15 minutes. 7. On what occasion do you lie? Bartenders lie every day. We may have products we don’t like but we have to spin it like it’s our favourite thing in the world. If you’re lying to get someone to try something outside of their comfort zone, it’s a grey area.

Nate Caudle says the Calvados Negroni is the cocktail that best describes him. “It’s an allusion to my distant French heritage.”

YAM MAGAZINE MAY/JUN 2017

8. What historical figure do you most identify with? Thomas Edison. One of my favourite quotes of all time is: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” 9. What is your most treasured possession? A sealed copy of Kirby’s Adventure for Nintendo. It is my childhood. I sold my video-game collection to go to bartending school.

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