ISSUE 57 SEP/OCT 2018
yammagazine.com
VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Style Issue HAUTE HERITAGE | FALL FASHION | RUNWAY-INSPIRED DÉCOR | INSTAGRAM STYLE
A Daimler Brand
Attainable Refinement. The new C Class Sedan doesn’t just move, it motivates with efficiency and exuberance. Its innovations reach for all your senses: They respond as if they feel your touch and hear your voice, because they virtually can. They’re engineered to serve you, satisfy your sense of well-being, and even help see you through danger through its intuitive innovation. From Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cruise control to Active Parking Assist, the C-Class offers advanced options to help you go far and near. The C-Class Sedan — ready for when the seasons change, and eager for the unexpected turns ahead. Discover the thrill at threepointmotors.ca Total price: $47,710*
Three Point Motors | A Division of GAIN Group | 2546 Government Street | 250-385-6737 | threepointmotors.ca facebook.com/threepointmotors
instagram.com/threepointmotors
© 2018 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2018 C 300 4MATIC Sedan shown above for illustration purposes only. *Total price for 2018 C 300 4MATIC Sedan MSRP of $44,700 Freight and PDI ($2,295), DOC of $495, environmental levies of $100 and EHF tires of $20. Registration, insurance, Admin ($495), PPSA up to $48.45 and taxes extra. Factory order may be required. Please see Three Point Motors for complete details. DL 9818 #30817.
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A boutique collection of sophisticated concrete-built homes
Inspired Living in Victoria’s Inner Circle Coming This September • Register Now
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This is not an offering for sale. Such offering may be made by Disclosure Statement only. September 2018 E.&O.E. ® Registered trademarks of Concert Properties Ltd., used under license where applicable.
Victoria’s Victoria’s ocEaNsiDE ocEaNsiDE NEighbourhooD NEighbourhooD
A stunning A stunning collection collection of 85 of homes 85 homes foundfound at theatfoot theoffoot a dynamic of a dynamic marinamarina community community fully outfitted fully outfitted for theforbest theinbest life.in life. V I S IT O V IUSR IT SO AU L ERSSCEN A L E ST ER CEN O TNER LOOCNATLO I OCNAT AT I O453 N AT HE453 A d HE STR A EE d ST,T R EE T,
| we s tbayquay.com O R C AOL R L 250-384-27 C A L L 250-384-27 71 | we71s tbayquay.com
: O J E C T PAPRRTONJEERC: T PAThis R T N is E Rnot
an Thisoffering is not an for offering sale. Such for an sale. offering Such an must offering be accompanied must be accompanied by a disclosure by a Statement. disclosure Statement. The The developer reserves developer thereserves right tothe make rightchanges to make andchanges modifications and modifications to the information to the information contained herein contained herein without priorwithout notice.prior Specifications, notice. Specifications, sizes, layouts, sizes, availability layouts,and availability pricing are andsubject pricing to arechange. subjectRenderings, to change. Renderings, maps and photographs maps and photographs are representational are representational only and may only notand be may accurate. not be E. accurate. & O.E. Tenfold E. & O.E. Projects Tenfold Inc.Projects Inc.
ARRIVE IN STYLE
SAVE IN A FLASH
5PM FLASH SALES Follow @helijet on twitter and look online at helijet.com at 5PM to book big bargains on next day flights.
helijet.com |
helijet | 1.800.665.4354
style issue
CO N T E N T S 50
LIFE, LOVE, ART This Arts-and-Crafts-style home — featured on the AGGV’s House Tour 2018 — is the perfect backdrop to the owners’ impressive Canadian art collection.
66
By Moira Dann
ONE WOMAN ARMY March into fall with on-trend military-inspired fashion. By Janine Metcalfe
60
DESIGN YOUR LIFE Our writer seeks out Debbie Travis at her Tuscan villa in hopes of discovering the design guru’s secret to a fabulous life — but things don’t go according to plan. By Karen Elgersma
6
YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
72
INSPIRED BY INSTAGRAM Looking for a dose of esthetic splendour? These four locals offer a visual feast of style, nature and beauty through their popular Instagram accounts. By Athena McKenzie
78
CAN WE TALK? In this busy, high-tech world, YAM explores how we can reconnect face to face. By Susan Hollis
Sandwich Tommy Bahama Mavi Lois Up Pants Frank Lyman Joseph Ribkoff Papillon
by
1010 Broad Street 250-590-4120 goodbonesclothing.com
BRIGGS & STRATTON & ASSOCIATES
CO N T E N T S IN EVERY ISSUE
10 EDITOR’S NOTE 13 YAM CONFIDENTIAL
A Brush of Beauty giveaway, a fashion event to “cherish,” and our editorial team’s top trend picks.
17 H ERE & NOW
Style to the max, a midcentury masterpiece, and local fashion, décor and beauty finds.
17
26 FOOD & DRINK
Culture Craze: Fermenting food is a practice as old as human culture itself. By Cinda Chavich
32 GREAT SPACE
Translating 2018 runway trends into striking interior design. By Kerry Slavens
34 IN PERSON
With her new novel Washington Black, awardwinning Canadian novelist Esi Edugyan writes about the human spirit.
LIVE VICTORIA
38 HOME & LIFESTYLE
real estate market and the characteristics
This Victoria heritage renovation fuses original character with contemporary sophistication.
of the array of neighbourhoods under
By Danielle Pope
Together, this dynamic team offers their clients an in-depth knowledge of Victoria’s
consideration.
SOPHIA BRIGGS 250.418.5569 Personal Real Estate Corporation
NANCY STRATTON 250.857.5482 REALTOR®
66 STYLE WATCH
March into fall with the most wearable trends. By Janine Metcalfe
84 SCENE
Nick Bantock’s work is a marriage of text and image, where the art is as much a part of the dialogue as the words.
strattonandbriggs.com Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: Not intended to solicit properties already under agreement.
By David Lennam
90 DO TELL
A Proust-style interview with artist Natalie Brake. By Susan Hollis
8
YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
38
By Moira Dann
84
EDITOR’S NOTE
CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE
M
HAVE A SEAT
One of the largest selections of bar and counter stools on Vancouver Island — starting at $119.
Available in bar and counter heights and featuring spectator height (seat height 34") — Proudly Canadian made — Completely customizable colours and fabrics and many more styles available in store Max Furniture is locally owned and operated in Victoria since 2008
1-2745 Bridge Street, Victoria maxfurniture.ca 10
YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
y husband and I recently invited friends to inaugurate our new home with something every new home needs: wild laughter and honest talk shared over food and wine. By the time our friends tumbled out the door late in the evening, my home felt complete, and I went to bed thinking about how satisfying it is to be with people who enjoy conversations about everything from risqué observations to heartfelt confessions to current events. Conversation is an art, and it’s something I feel is Kerry Slavens, Editor-in-Chief being lost in our tech-obsessed, overly busy and slightly narcissistic society in which we often readily react, but seldom really listen. Listening As sound consultant Julian Treasure said in his TED Talk How to speak so that people will listen, “The human voice is means the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful instrument shutting down in the world. It’s the only one that can start a war or say, judgment or ‘I love you.’ And yet many people have the experience that the desire to when they speak, people don’t listen to their words.” I’ve been checking with myself lately to see if I’m really get a word in listening. Often, when I quiet myself and let the writer in or to prove me (who is the observer in me) come to the forefront, that’s my argument. when life offers up gems of insight and wisdom. To me, Instead, there’s listening means shutting down judgment or the desire to get a word in or to prove my argument. When I do that, there’s a satisfying a satisfying stillness and a sense of deep connection to the stillness. stories of others. Last night, I listened intently (often with tears in my eyes) to the stories of four local entrepreneurs at the Soul Session at Imagine Café, home of YoUnlimited, an organization “where you can learn something new, connect with someone, or hear something that might change your life.” And last night was life changing. Each of the four women shared deeply inspiring and personal experiences. Tessa McLoughlin of Club Kwench shared the story of how a painful divorce and uprooting to a new city led her to create Victoria’s first co-working culture club. Niki Campbell, a website developer and strategist, talked about authenticity and her quest to stay true to herself amid the digital noise of her profession. Humaira Ahmed told about growing up in Pakistan and how her strong will helped her move beyond family expectations of an arranged marriage to study software engineering and launch Spice Marketing and LocElle, a women-only social platform. And Janine Fulla, author of the book Parent to Parent: A Personal Journey of Raising Extraordinary Children by Teaching Essential Life Skills, talked about being a single parent, and how she overcame negative patterns learned from her own parents to embrace an approach based on empathy and, yes, listening. I value these women’s courage to share their stories so others can learn from them and grow. I also value the many conversations I have with YAM readers. These are often in the form of emails, but they’re still conversations, and I’m happy so many of you really do listen — and that you trust my voice enough to share your stories with me. Let’s keep talking. More importantly, let’s keep listening. My grandma once shared the following with me (hilariously, I think she plagiarized this from Larry King): “Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. If I’m going to learn, I have to do so by listening.”
Email me at kslavens@pageonepublishing.ca
VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kerry Slavens DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz
LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant
DEPUTY EDITOR Athena McKenzie
STAFF WRITER Susan Hollis
ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jo-Ann Loro
ACCOUNTING MANAGER Neville Tencer ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Deana Brown, Sharon Davies, Cynthia Hanischuk DIGITAL COORDINATOR Karin Olafson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cinda Chavich, Moira Dann, Karen Elgersma, David Lennam, Lana Lounsbury, Danielle Pope CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dean Azim, Jeffrey Bosdet, Joshua Lawrence, Belle White
PROOFREADER Renée Layberry CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Shutterstock pp. 32, 33; StockFood p. 29; Stocksy pp. 26, 80, 82, 83; ThinkStock p. 31
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 facebook.com/YAMmagazine TWITTER twitter.com/YAMmagazine INSTAGRAM @yam_magazine
ON THE COVER Bold fall fashion from Style Watch, shot on location at Ford Rodd Hill
Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet
1023 Fort Street, Victoria, BC
250.920.7653 | M-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 heartandsoleshoes.ca contact@heartandsoleshoes.ca
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 250-595-7243 or email sales@yammagazine.com.
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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
YAM CONFIDENTIAL
BRUSH OF BEAUTY GIVEAWAY
from Denmark
Win a Vegan Brush Set from Elate Cosmetics This Elate vegan sustainable brush collection has the tools you need for your complete beauty ritual. Made with Taklon, a high-quality synthetic alternative to fur, Elate brushes move and distribute products smoothly, without cruelty. Visit yammagazine.com for contest details and to enter.
B A R B A R A ’S
Contest ends October 18, 2018. Good luck!
LOVE OR LEAVE TRENDS FOR FALL In YAM’s editorial department, we’ve been obsessed with the coming trends for fall. Here’s what we’ll wear — and what we won’t.
2 1
3 Athena
Susan
I’ll definitely wear … this Free People Bryant Velvet trench coat with a slouchy silhouette. It combines two of fall’s strongest trends: velvet and a golden russet hue that’s big on retro-obsessed runways and just makes you dream about jumping in piles of autumn leaves.
I’ll definitely wear … an ultra feminine prairie dress that pairs well with edgier boots. For fall, they come in various lengths and can be elaborate, with ruffles and bold patterns, but I’d go for a delicate floral, such as the Michael Kors botanical-print Georgette dress.
You won’t see me in … those 1980s-era huge shoulder pads. Been there, done it, won’t be doing it again. Ever.
You won’t see me in … a super oversized coat. At just over five feet, I’d look like I’d been eaten by a giant marshmallow.
I’ll definitely wear … a belted plaid blazer that pairs well with jeans or structured pants. I love the equestrian cut and leather detail in this design from Brunello Cucinelli. It’s perfect for fall and bundling into warmer pieces without losing shape to bulky, weatherappropriate gear.
Kerry
MAKE A DATE
You won’t see me in … light-washed, high waisted, “mom jeans,” and I’d prefer to not see anyone else in them, either.
An Evening of Fashion & Philanthropy
Art + Fare4 Fundraiser
Glamour is the word as Victoria’s favourite dancers take to the runway for Cherish, a fashion show and fundraiser for the Victoria Women’s Transition House and Dance Victoria Society, featuring fashions from Tulipe Noire Clothing, Hughes Clothing and Outlooks Menswear, with hair by Carreiro The Studio and makeup by Beautycounter.
Enjoy a spectacular evening of local food, music and art in support of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and its programs, such as Family Art Sundays and workshops in schools featuring local artists. Browse art for sale, take part in a silent auction of unique and one-of-a-kind items and dance the night away in the Begbie Lounge discotheque. Union Club of British Columbia
Fairmont Empress Crystal Ballroom & Palm Court Thursday, October 4 | rmts.bc.ca
Saturday, September 22 | artandfare.com
B a r B a r a ’S
B O U T I Q U E
Get ready for Fall! Come & admire the stylish & new creations from Denmark
B o u t i q u e
Now available at Baden-Baden Boutique! Baden-Baden Boutique
2485 n Avenue, 250 655 7118 NowBeaco availa
ble at: Baden-Bad Bouti Barben que!que ara’s Bouti
2392 Beacon Avenue, 250 655 0372
Bade n-Bad en Boutinbout www que .bade nbade
iques.com 2485 Beacon Avenue, 250 655 7118 www.facebook.com/ baden Barbara’s baden boutiq Bouti que ues 2392 Beacon Avenue, 250 655 0372 www.badenbadenboutiques.com
www.facebook.com/badenbadenboutiq ues
Bad Badenen-en BadSid en ney Bad Sidn,ey, BCBC YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
13
LIVE INSPIRED
Your best life begins with a home that inspires you.
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES »
« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S » INTRODUCING
INTRODUCING
$6,800,000
$1,500,000
$4,500,000
$4,300,000
Pym Island, Gulf Islands
1 - 501 Pandora St., Victoria
404 Lands End Road, North Saanich
2457 Tryon Rd., North Saanich
BEDS: 12 BATHS: 10 9,156 SQ.FT. 6.80 ACRES
1,626 SQ.FT. IN ICONIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
BEDS: 3 BATHS: 2 3,453 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 6,313 SQ.FT. 1.55 ACRES
Logan Wilson
Melissa Kurtz
Andrew Maxwell
Lisa Williams PREC
250.857.0609
250.508.5325
250.213.2104
250.514.1966
S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S » NEW PRICE
INTRODUCING
$1,488,000
$1,499,000
$1,299,000
$1,280,000
2250 Dolphin Rd., North Saanich
687 Leeview Lane, Colwood
3935 Scolton Rd., Cadboro Bay
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3 3,295 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 6 BATHS: 4 3,562 SQ. FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 4 3,050 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 3 2,342 SQ. FT.
Dean Boorman
Donald St. Germain PREC 250.744.7136
Katherine Gray
Christine Ryan
250.882.0234
5074 Cordova Bay Rd., Victoria
250.516.4563
778.533.3205
« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S C O N D O S & T O W N H O M E S » INTRODUCING
$738,000
$828,000
$1,198,000
$849,000
1276 Filmer Road, Saanich
934 Admirals Rd., Victoria
PH 7 - 2277 Oak Bay Ave., Oak Bay
9704 Fifth Street, Sidney
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 2 2,040 SQ. FT.
BEDS: 3 BATHS: 3 1,602 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,675 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 3 BATHS: 2 1,800 SQ. FT.
Sophia BriggsPREC
Tom de Cosson
Brett Cooper
Mathew Traynor
250.418.5569
250.858.5841
250.858.6524
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VICTORIA 250.380.3933
SALT SPRING 250.537.1778
VANCOUVER 604.632.3300
250.618.2820
WEST VANCOUVER 604.922.6995
NORTH VANCOUVER 604.998.1623
WHITE ROCK 604.385.1840
WHISTLER 604.932.3388
SUN PEAKS 250.578.7773
KELOWNA 250.469.9547
« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S
$1,688,000
$2,500,000
$3,400,000
$4,200,000
5185 Agate Lane, Saanich
1259 Garden Gate Dr., Victoria
9227 Invermuir Rd., Sooke
744 Wesley Court, Victoria
BEDS: 3 BATHS: 4 5,100 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 6 8,058 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 5 6,028 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3 3,917 SQ.FT.
Brad Maclaren PREC
Glynis MacLeod PREC
Andy Stephenson
Beth Hayhurst
250.727.5448
250.661.7232
250.532.0888
250.896.0766 « S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S
INTRODUCING
$1,100,000
$1,269,000
$899,888
$879,900
116 Medana St., Victoria
2618 Dean Ave., Saanich
3995 Birchwood St., Saanich
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3.5 3,288 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 5 BATHS: 2 2,830 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 2 2,179 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 6 BATHS: 2 2,254 SQ.FT.
Rebecca Barritt
Mark Imhoff PREC
Dean Boorman
Thomas Kala
3918 Orchard Lane., East Saanich 250.514.9024
250.883.1995
250.882.0234
250.588.8076 « CONDOS & TOWNHOMES
INTRODUCING
INTRODUCING
$825,000
$828,500
INTRODUCING
$649,900
$389,000
9 - 2638 Shelbourne St., Victoria
214 - 999 Burdett Ave., Victoria
402 - 646 Michigan St., Victoria
205 - 1400 Lynburne Place, Langford
BEDS: 4 BATHS: 3 1,788 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,077 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 2 BATHS: 1 791 SQ.FT.
BEDS: 1 BATHS: 1 626 SQ.FT.
Beth Hayhurst
Robyn Wildman
Mark Imhoff PREC
Andy Stephenson
Mark Imhoff
TORONTO
250.896.0766
Andrew Maxwell
Beth Hayhurst
Matthew Traynor
PARIS
Brad Maclaren
Melissa Kurtz
NEW YORK
250.818.8522
Brett Cooper
Nancy Stratton
TOKYO
Christine Ryan
Natalie Zachary
Dean Boorman
Rebecca Barritt
DUBAI
Don St. Germain
Robyn Wildman
HONG KONG
250.883.1995
Nancy Stratton
Glynis MacLeod
Sophia Briggs
MONTRÉAL
Canadian Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: This information is from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective Purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal. PREC is Personal Real Estate Corporation.
Katherine Gray
Thomas Kala
Tom de Cosson
250.857.5482
Lisa Williams
Logan Wilson
Victoria Cao
SOTHEBYSREALTY.CA
Here&Now
MIND-BENDING METAL
BRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
Vancouver metal artist Stefanie Dueck artfully challenges notions of how flatware should look with her Smash series of spoons. Hand forged in stainless steel and bronze, these pieces are not only distinctly beautiful, they are functional enough to add a stylish touch to your table every day.
YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
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1
TO THE
2
MAX
3
GOODBYE MINIMALISM — SAY HELLO TO EYE-CATCHING GRAPHICS, RICH PALETTES AND LOTS OF FUN EMBELLISHMENTS. COLOUR, PATTERN AND TEXTURE ARE GOING BOLD, AND THE BRAVE WON'T BE AFRAID TO MIX IT ALL TOGETHER.
9
4
7 5 8
6 1 Currey & Company’s La Malaquita Chandelier is adorned with hundreds of rich emerald green and black beads. (Luxe Home Interiors, price upon request) // 2 Vintage gold-casted woven drops give this Stella & Dot Kalani statement necklace its bling. (Visit stelladot.com for local stylists, $94) // 3 The Mimi armchair features a dramatic Cynthia Rowley floral print. (Chintz & Company, $1,898) // 4 White River’s carved wood mantel features ornate fluting and French design. (Available through Raincoast Door & Specialty Wood Products) // 5 The contrasting black and gold of the April coffee table make it a stand-out piece. (Moe’s Home Collection, $1,325) // 6 Christian Lacroix’s graphic Geisha Prisme rug’s bold pattern mixes bright colour and ikat motifs. (Visit designersguild.com for local stockists) 7 Add a regal touch with a geometric decorative lion (Bois & Cuir, $95) // 8 Timorous Beasties’ Devil Damask fabric is ideal for eye-catching drapery. (newwall.com, $200/yard) // 9 BCBG Max Azria’s fall collection fuses the modern with the romantic. (bcbg.com)
STATEMENT SHOES When it comes to footwear this fall, it’s all about texture, prints and embellishments of all kinds, from bows to buckles to pearls and embroidery. An extravagant bootie will elevate the most simple of outfits, adding that pop of flair. Vancouver-designed Fluevogs and Cristofoli Shoes, which are designed in Belgium and made in Brazil, are two brands that embrace the ornate.
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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
Cristofoli Pearl booties (left), available at Heart & Sole Shoes; and Fluevog Carmen ankle boot, available at Fluevog Victoria
DESIGN INSIDER
By Lana Lounsbury
WOW LIST
Registered interior designer, Lana Lounsbury Interiors
For the Style Issue, I’ve gathered some of my favourite splurge items. They’re all functional pieces with a tailor-meets-machinist edge and bold, beautiful geometry. Truly, these are wow items … take a look. SAULIEU RANGE by Lacanche These beautiful ranges come in a variety of sizes from 28" up to 87" with a huge array of colour options. What I like most about a statement stove like this is it works well in so many styles. Yes, it looks great in a rustic farmhouse, but I could really see the Anthracite colour with stainless and brass hardware in a sleek, modern kitchen. Everything about these stoves radiates personality and quality. I’m obsessed.
PULLMAN HAND-APPLIED METAL WORK by Waterworks Cabinetry Collection
Acrylic is a tricky medium in home décor. It can look cheap if it’s too simple and it can look gaudy if it’s too ornate. I love the way Duralee threads the needle with this beautiful Halo line of drapery hardware. You can mix the clear acrylic rods and finials with wood or bold gloss colours. My favourite is pairing clear finials with the wood rod and acrylic rings for a “natural glam” look.
Hardware is a real splurge item for designers. We love the feel, we love the options and we love the way it can completely make over cabinetry. These little pieces of metal tend to cost a lot but they pack just as much style. Taking the hardware game up a level is Waterworks’ Pullman collection which overlays metal corners, handles and trim detail on the whole cabinet door. Or, for accent, consider using the metalwork framing on a pantry door or range hood.
Pictured: Luna in acrylic and chrome. Available through designdistrictaccess.com
Available as a custom order through cantubathrooms.com
Available through french-barn.com
BELLE WHITE/YAM MAGAZINE
HALO ACRYLIC DRAPERY HARDWARE by Duralee
Miiko Skin Co.’s new Refill Bar is open three days a week for customers to refill their current products.
Raise the bar Y
ou won’t find beer at Miiko Skin Co.’s new bar. While inspired by a growler bar setup, the refill station instead offers skincare products, from face wash and toner to moisturizer and sunscreen — all made with B.C.-sourced ingredients. “I want to create a skincare experience like a coffee shop or a brewery, where customers can see the mechanics of our production and see how skincare products should be fresh like food,” says Miiko founder Kimiko Foster about the refill bar at their headquarters on Aldebury Street. “People are craving more sustainability in their daily lives, and when they can refill their premium organic skincare products locally, it feels good.”
YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
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VICTORIA VOGUE These local designers are upping the city’s style quotient.
NATURAL WONDERS Many women who fall in love with designer Korinne Vader’s linen v-neck dress end up buying multiple versions. “It a shape that’s universally flattering,” Vader says of the design. “I have one customer who has it in four different colours.” Vader works predominantly with fibre and clay. From hand-sewn clothing and hand-stitched blankets to ceramic jewelry and accessories, her goods are created from a love of the homemade. “With the clothing, I mostly work with natural fibres: linen and cotton for the summer and wool for the fall,” she says. KELLY BROWN
“I stay away from trends. It’s about timelessness and ease of wear.”
Get Canada’s leading banks to compete for your mortgage. Whether you are purchasing, renewing or refinancing, Jodie can help you find the best terms and conditions. It’s what she does best. Give her a call to find out how easy a professional mortgage broker can make your mortgage negotiations.
DENIM DREAMS
COZY, CURATED
For the last few years, Connally McDougall has been focused on creating versatile pieces with lots of wearability — hoping to encourage consumers to buy less and wear what they have more often. “This year I’m really taking a leap and designing denims,” she says.
Minimalist, handcrafted and oversized are just some of the ways designer Stephanie Olivier describes her knitwear collection, Hendrik.Lou. Sumptuous is another word that comes to mind. “The most popular piece the last few years has been the cardigan,” Oliver says. “The amount of wool used is enough to make a blanket, so it’s really luxurious.” Her knits are kept basic to put the emphasis on the yarn, which is all fair-trade sourced. Her studio is above her shop, OPEN HOUSE on Lower Johnson. “It’s all natural fibres and material, and all sustainable, from women-run small businesses,” she says. “A lot of the pieces are one-of-a-kind or one-of-a-few.”
“The available cuts and materials on the market just didn’t work for me — or a lot of women I know.”
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Along with her dedication to sustainable zerowaste fashion, McDougall is known for her use of bold colours and florals, which will also be on display in her fall 2018 line, called Talisman.
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If necessity is the mother of invention, then Alexis Kastner of Jovee Handcrafted can thank her parents for her talent and enterprise — and the confidence to open her successful handbag and leather-goods boutique in Fan Tan Alley. “I grew up in a household where if you wanted something you either had to make it or figure out how to get the money for it,” she explains. “I started out making jewelry for myself and then over the years it evolved.” She describes her handbags, which are made from new oldstock (vintage leather that has never been used), as minimalist with clean lines — something you take from day to night. “I’ll also be working with shearling in the fall,” she says. “So adding gorgeous texture to a couple of my signature bags, the bucket bag and the bucket backpack.”
PILLOW TALK Throw pillows can be a harbinger of fashion and a sophisticated way to add a trendy piece to your home décor. Check out these local artisans for elegant options. Pattern repurposed
Woven Art The luxury, hand-woven cushions from The Woven Collection add a pop of warmth, colour and texture to any room. A collaboration between local artisans Julie McCracken and the members of Cheeky Robin Designs — Jen London, Heather Heywood and Karen Tonseth — each imaginative cushion features a front panel woven on a saori loom, which is then sewn to a luscious fabric backing, such as velvet or linen, with a hidden zipper. Fringe and tassels add a touch of bohemian charm. juliemccracken.ca
From vintage florals to mod geometrics, many of the fabrics used for Hilary Hope’s creations are sustainable and repurposed materials. She also creates her own prints with indigo. Her handcrafted throw pillows are a fun way to introduce pattern and additional seating to any space — and pillow covers are easily interchangeable to reflect the season or personal style. “The fabrics lead the designs for me,” Hope says. “Prints are my passion.” This fall, Hope’s collection will evolve to include indigo-dyed ottomans. As she says, “It’s such a versatile piece, it can be used for seating, as a footstool, or even as a side table when you add a tray.” hilaryhope.com
26" Vintage Japanese Lilies Lumbar Pillow and 24" Indigo Sideways Triangles Square Floor Pillow, $128 each
The Wooden Fox Shop
POP UP WITH STYLE Etsy is the first place many style setters look to find unique, handcrafted goods from all over the world. This fall, the online retailer is hosting an Etsy Made in Canada event, with pop-up markets across the country to celebrate local artisans. From jewelry makers to woodcrafters and wool artists, more Sand and Silver than 60 vendors are scheduled to participate at the Victoria Public market location on September 29. Caron Somers, Etsy market team captain for the city, says, “The diversity of artisans is astounding. “This year we are exploding with talent from all over the island.”
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YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
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Mid-Century Modernista This unique masterpiece raised eyebrows in Rockland when it was built in 1974 at the tail end of the mid-century era. Today, it’s considered a neighbourhood icon — and it’s for sale for the first time in its history. By Kerry Slavens
D
DEAN AZIM
riving down historic, tree-lined Rockland Avenue, you might expect to encounter homes designed by architectural visionaries like Samuel Maclure and Francis Rattenbury, but you’d hardly expect to find the influence of Antoni Gaudi, the master of Catalan modernism. Yet as you near the Lieutenant Governor’s estate, look left and you’ll find one of Victoria’s most unique homes, a 4,400 square-foot mid-century icon designed and built in 1974 by carpenter, builder and entrepreneur Peter Hartnell. Hartnell encountered Gaudi’s work on his travels to Spain and was so inspired he decided to embed the architect’s influence in his design for the unusual
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John Hartnell, the homeowner, with his partner Marcia Freeman in the marble-floored great room beneath YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018 chandeliers imported from Italy.
six-bedroom, five-bathroom family home. The Gaudi influence can be seen in the extensive use of reinforced concrete, which gives the main living area its distinctive oval shape, in the room’s two-storey parabolic windows, and also in Hartnell’s extensive use of tile imported from Italy and Japan. Hundreds of orange and earth-coloured tiles decorate a massive fireplace that rises 17 feet above a marble floor in the home’s great room. The fireplace is the centrepiece of this spectacular room with mahogany walls, flanked by a glass-railed secondstorey mezzanine walkway that extends the circumference of the room and connects to the rectangular wing of the home. Today, the home is owned by Peter Hartnell’s fifth son, John Hartnell, who
was 14 when the home was built and recalls the wow factor his father illicited by bringing modern architecture and a Catalan’s influence to a neighbourhood obsessed with traditional bell-cast rooflines and gables.
local tip!
Be sure to try the iconic Empress 1908 Original Indigo Gin from Victoria Distillers.
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Sidney 2
Welcome to our spectacular little town set on the edge of the Salish Sea! AS SOON AS you arrive in
Smells so good!
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1 Grab a coffee and a snack in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. 2 Shop for fun West Coast products. 3 Visit the fish market for fresh, just-off-the-boat seafood. 4 Take a tour and have a tasting at Victoria Distillers.
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5 Indulge your love of fromage and wine with a cheese flight at The Farmer’s Daughter.
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Sidney by the Sea, the fresh ocean breeze and charming ambiance of the town will energize and prepare you for a wonderful experience. Once you’re in town, you will see how welcome you are made to feel; Sidney has all the amenities of a big city with the comfort and friendly convenience of a small town. The stars of the town centre are the independently owned boutiques where you will discover unique treasures for you or your home. The clothing and shoe shops for both men and women are exceptional, but did you know that you can also furnish your home or garden, purchase beautiful original artwork or find advice on remodeling a room? All this within a few short blocks! Shopping is fun but tiring,
so don’t forget to take time for a delicious refreshment and house-made treat from one of the many cafés, or meet friends for lunch at one of several excellent restaurants, many of them on the waterfront. If shopping isn’t your thing, what could be better than a spa day or a visit to a salon? Perhaps you will enjoy Sidney so much that you stay a day or two in one of the luxurious hotels or inns so you have more time to explore! Learn about the romantic history of Sidney on an historic walking tour, or bask in the beauty of Sidney’s waterfront while you stroll the Sculpture Walk. Perhaps even take in a concert at the Mary Winspear Centre or a film at the Star Cinema. Whichever way you choose to enjoy Sidney, you will be warmly welcomed, so plan your visit soon!
Visit distinctlysidney.ca for more information on downtown Sidney businesses and events.
local tip!
Don’t miss the made-to-order sweet or savoury crepes at Julien Creperie.
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Culture Craze
Often associated with Eastern Europe, sauerkraut originated with the Chinese who made it with rice wine.
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SUSAN BROOKS-DAMMANN/STOCKSY
Fermenting food is a practice as old as human culture itself.
FOOD&DRINK By Cinda Chavich
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t’s hard to imagine living without the fruits of fermentation. There’s beer and wine, of course, bread and cheese, aged sausages like salami, all manner of pickled vegetables, from gherkins to kimchi, and the vinegar doused on your salad and fries. Coffee and tea are fermented, as are yogurt, kefir, miso and soy — even chocolate — all the product of millennia of human encounters with magical microbes. The first ferments were happy accidents, but people soon discovered the power of wild cultures to transform and preserve perishable foods. Now we know the beneficial bacteria behind the foods we love to eat are also literally part of us — the microbiome of our bodies, the gut flora responsible for digestion, immunity and even brain function. Though pasteurization, antibiotics and anti-bacterial cleaning products have engineered much of this microflora out of our modern lives, science is now pointing to the probiotic protections of live, fermented foods, making fermentation the new darling of nutritionists and chefs alike. American food activist and author Sandor Katz, the guru of the modern fermentation movement, describes fermentation as “a health regimen, a gourmet art, a multicultural adventure, a form of activism, and a spiritual path, all rolled into one.” That’s a lot to ask of a microorganism, but once you make fermented foods part of your diet, you’ll uncover the many connections in the microbial universe.
great-grandmother might have done out of necessity, and a simple technique that’s finding new fans. As the wild Lactobacilli are fermenting and converting sugars, they are producing lactic acid, acetic acid, alcohol and carbon dioxide — think of the spritzy tang of sourdoughs, yogurt, kefir water and dill pickles. They’re also producing an amazing array of probiotics — the good bacteria you want flourishing in your gut for both physical and mental health. Raw fermented foods are also easier to digest and can improve your skin, your mood, your weight and regulate your blood sugar from the inside out. “Everyone is interested in learning about fermentation,” says Ebell, who will host her next fermentation week, with handson workshops, demos and dinners, in early September. “It’s singles, older women, young couples, a really diverse group — we’re just trying to make it approachable, a beautiful, special thing anyone can do.”
“
It’s a health regimen, a gourmet art, a multicultural adventure, a form of activism, and a spiritual path, all rolled into one.
KEFIR, KRAUT, KIMCHI, KVASS Hold General Store is a place to find functional artisan goods and fresh produce, a curated market devoted to the connections between local food and community. “It’s all about creating a deeper, more sustainable lifestyle,” says owner Marla Ebell, who also hosts a variety of events, teaching old-fashioned, practical skills to encourage “sustainability and self-sufficiency in an urban setting.” Today the topic is lacto-fermentation, the age-old method of preserving vegetables using nothing but salt. It’s something your
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CULTURED COOKS
The farm-to-table chefs at Agrius and OLO offer an array of house-fermented vegetables as snacks or sides, from sauerkraut and kimchi to various seasonal pickles. Fermented foods are on the menu at Be Love and Nourish too. At the latter you’ll find golden beet relish on your sandwich, dill pickle turnips in the farm salad, and vegan kimchi with cultured nut cheese. Nourish even has probiotic kefir water on tap, complete with a growler fill station. On her farm on Salt Spring Island, Melanie Furman, a.k.a. The Sauerkraut Lady, grows much of the cabbage for her live, fermented Culturalive products. Look for her Curry Kraut, Radiant Roots, and Carrot/Ginger/ Cabbage ferments at farm markets and local grocers.
DIY FERMENTATION Cabbage is the poster child for lactofermentation, transformed into tangy sauerkraut, choucroute and kimchi around the world. But cucumbers, carrots, beets and turnips are also great candidates for home fermentation. You can even try fermenting sturdy greens like kale and radish tops.
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The technique is essentially the same. Clean vegetables are cut, mixed with a little sea salt, then massaged or pounded to release their juices, packed into a jar or crock, and left for several days or weeks until sufficient lactic acid is formed to pickle and preserve them. Vegetables can be sliced, shredded or chopped, even spiralized into long strands, for fermenting. Leave smaller cucumbers, radishes and the baseball-sized hearts of cabbage whole. Add herbs and spices — season carrot sticks with coriander or ginger, daikon and turnips with ginger and chilies, cucumbers with garlic and dill. It’s important that the vegetables remain submerged beneath the liquid to prevent spoilage, but any mold or scum can safely be scooped off the top without fear. Generally it’s fairly foolproof — if the mixture is off, your nose will tell you immediately. Vinegar pickling is more consistent and shelf-stable, but you lose the healthy probiotics in heat-treated, pickled products. There’s not much equipment required for basic fermentation. Your grandmother likely packed her shredded cabbage or cucumber pickles into a glazed clay crock, weighed down with a stone or board. But with fermenting now in vogue, good kitchen shops (like the well-stocked Capital Iron) sell a variety of modern air locks, special weights and fermentation vessels. Hold sells crocks thrown by a local potter and hand-turned hardwood tampers. You can also find vintage crocks at antique stores, or just use a large clean canning jar or food-safe plastic pail. I like to use a wide-mouth Mason jar, with a small canning jar that fits inside, to keep vegetables safely submerged.
BUBBLY BEVERAGES To make your own fermented kombucha tea or kefir water, you’ll need a starter culture (a kombucha ‘scoby’ or kefir grains). You’ll find B.C.’s Happy Gut water kefir starters at Lifestyle Markets, or you can buy a kefir starter kit (and join a fermentation “production party”) at Nourish Kitchen. That’s how I began my own kefir experiments — a jar of water with kefir grains, a little sugar, fresh lemon juice and ginger, bubbling away in a jar on the kitchen counter, then strained and sealed with a dosage of fruit juice to create natural carbonation. The kefir starter grows with every batch and you can keep it fed in the fridge (just like a sourdough starter) and eventually share your kefir grains with friends. For more practical information about fermentation, check out the local fermentation workshops at Nourish and Hold this fall, or go to Katz’s website, wildfermentation.com. 28
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VARIATIONS
Simple Sauerkraut
Kimchi To one head of chopped cabbage, add 2 grated carrots, 1 cup daikon radish, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 3 to 4 cloves garlic and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or 3 to 4 hot chili peppers), then pound with 2 tablespoons sea salt to release juices and ferment like sauerkraut.
Fermenting cabbage is easy, whether you make standard sauerkraut or kimchi (see variations below). You can also use less salt or substitute seaweed (or dulse) for some of the salt, though salt is necessary to keep vegetables crisp. • 1 head cabbage, cleaned and shredded • 2 tbsp sea salt • 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
STOCKFOOD
Chop or shred cabbage into a big bowl and sprinkle with salt (and spices, if using). Massage or pound with a tamper until the cabbage is limp and begins to release juices, then pack it into a clean, wide-mouthed jar. Press or tamp it down until the liquid rises above the solids in the jar. If necessary, top your fermented vegetables with a brine made with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of sea salt. To keep the contents submerged, use a small canning jar or bowl that just fits inside the mouth of the jar. Cover loosely, set in a pan (to catch any overflow), place it in a cool place, and wait. Fermentation will begin almost immediately — slower is better for both flavour and crunch. If you see foam or even white mold on top just scrape it off. This can take a week or up to a month. If it’s too hot, the sauerkraut will ferment too fast and tend to get soft (and spoil) so find a place that’s about 65˚F for fermenting. Taste the kraut from time to time and when it’s sour enough for you, it’s time to refrigerate. Refrigerated, the fermented vegetable can keep for a year but it’s usually best within six months. Sauerkraut (or choucroute in France) pairs with sausages and smoked ham, cutting the richness and aiding digestion. Try a kraut and Montreal smoked meat (or smoked tofu) Reuben sandwich on toasted rye bread, or a grilled pork sausage with sauerkraut on a crusty bun.
Cortido To one head of chopped cabbage, add 1 cup grated carrot, 2 sliced white onions, 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes and 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and pound with 2 tablespoons sea salt to release juices and ferment like sauerkraut.
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Italiano.
PROBIOTIC BAHN MI You can use roast chicken or barbecue pork for this Vietnamese-style sub sandwich. The secret is the crunchy fermented carrots and daikon. • 1 cup fermented carrot and daikon (see recipe, below) • 2 6-inch lengths of fresh baguette, split (or two crusty sub buns) • Mayonnaise • 6 ounces grilled or roasted chicken or barbecue pork, sliced • Thin slices mozzarella cheese • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced into thin lengthwise strips (use a vegetable peeler for nice ribbons) • 1/2 cup finely sliced white onion (about 1/2 an onion) • 2–3 chopped fresh chilies (serrano are good) • Large handful of cilantro Make the fermented carrot and daikon (see recipe below). To assemble the subs, split the baguettes lengthwise and slather each with mayonnaise. Top with chicken and cheese and put on a baking sheet. Slide under a preheated broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, just to toast the bread and melt the cheese. Top each sandwich with half of the fermented carrot and daikon, strips of cucumber, onions, chopped chilies and a handful of cilantro sprigs. Press bread together to enclose and wrap base in parchment or waxed paper to keep everything inside while you eat. Makes 2 sandwiches.
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FERMENTED CARROTS AND DAIKON This is the perfect combination to have on hand for Vietnamese-style sub sandwiches or Asian rice bowls. • 1 lb carrot • 1 lb daikon radish • 1 tbsp sea salt • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed (optional) • 2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
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Shred the carrots and daikon using a grater or spiralizer (or use a knife or mandoline to cut them into sticks). Combine vegetables with salt, coriander and ginger in a bowl and massage to release juices. Pack vegetables and juices into a widemouthed jar, pressing down with a wooden tamper (or your fist), until enough liquid is released to cover them (top up with salt brine, 1 tablespoon salt dissolved in 1 cup water, if necessary). Use a smaller jar set inside the mouth of the large jar to keep vegetables submerged. Cover loosely and set aside to ferment for about a week, scraping off any scum that rises to the top, then refrigerate for longer storage.
Tastes+Trends By Cinda Chavich
Super Salal
The hottest new berry on the health-food block is salal, a little fruit you may find on your next walk in the woods.
U
niversity of Victoria plant biologist Peter Constabel literally put salal under the microscope — and into the spotlight — last year with a study published in the journal Phytochemistry. The article revealed salal berries contain three times the antioxidants and five times the tannins found in blueberries. “Salal is a real superfood and it grows like a weed, right here in the understory of the coastal forest,” says Constabel. You’ll find native salal (Gaultheria shallon) where the forest meets the sea, in thickets that can be almost impenetrable. The attractive evergreen shrubs, with their sprays of pale pink bell-like flowers that mature into deep purple berries, are popular in city parks and gardens too. Salal berries have long been an important food for coastal First Nations, eaten fresh in the fall and dried to make nutrient-dense cakes and fruit leather to consume over the winter
months. Indigenous people understood the power of salal. Constabel and his research team measured 50 “phytochemical” components in salal fruit and found exceptionally high levels of the kind that can reduce inflammation, prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease, and even slow aging.
Plus, the sweet salal berries are delicious, excellent for jams and jellies, or infused into fruity vinegars. Danielle Prohom Olson and Jennifer Aikman, the local wildcrafting experts behind Gather Victoria, feature salal in their edible walks and workshops, and suggest preserving salal’s flavours and flavinoids in alcohol. Try salal in a wild berry rumtopf or steep salal in sake, with citrusy spruce tips and Queen Anne’s Lace, for a woodsy cocktail. You can even dry the leaves for medicinal teas. “I love salal — and have been eating it for 10 years,” says Prohom Olson, who recommends cutting bunches from the bush with scissors and snipping off individual berries. “Salal is ubiquitous in the wild but also one of the most popular ornamental landscape shrubs, so it’s easy to find.” While foraging sustainably on your next hike, look for salal — a superfood and a super gift from the forest.
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Stepping into...
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Great Space
Trend Translation Fashion has a huge influence on home décor, so we checked in with New York Fashion Week 2018 to find fashion trends that carry through beautifully to interior design. By Kerry Slavens
It’s an international mashup as pink meets pattern. It’s proof you can mix styles as long as you carry a common theme, such as colour, throughout your design. And adding a hint of gold takes it from boho to chic.
Global Goes Pink Gus Modern Aubrey sofa in Marais Cerise (GRShop.com, $1,960); Bohemian Ikat cushion cover in orange and pink (PillowThrowDecor on Etsy, $26); Skyline Furniture Brooker faux fur round ottoman (Bed, Bath & Beyond, $599)
Not So Neutral
Neutral is definitely not boring when it’s paired with strong, dramatic lines and pops of crimson or another equally bold colour. The key to this look is keeping it simple, because it’s just too easy to mess with perfection.
118 suspension light in red designed by Manuel Vivien for Axolight (lightform.ca, price upon request); Barcelona functional coffee table with storage in white glass/white lacquer (boconcept.com, $2,079); Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair with wooden legs (grshop.com, $1,301)
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Pretty Edgy Just because it’s floral and flouncy doesn’t mean it has to be tame. The key to this trend is to avoid uniformity; instead, experiment with angles and layered textures. Play with contrasts for a sumptuous yet slightly wild kind of sophistication.
Waldorf rectangular chandelier in heritage brass (Luxe Home Interiors, price upon request); Haendel Bergere armchair in solid beech (roche-bobois.com, $8,329); Cut velvet floral taupe pillow with fringe (Pier 1, $35)
Dark Drama
Don’t be afraid of the dark and the dramatic when it comes to interior design. With a trend toward maximalism, now is the time to indulge your love of jewel tones, winged designs and crystal and glitz.
Hamilton 8-light chandelier in jet black with hand-formed crystal arms and hand-cut crystals (Illuminations, $10,913); Lady B. armchair in fuschia pink designed by Cécile Maia Pujol (roche-bobois.com, Vancouver, $2,545); Sequin throw pillow cover (amazlinen.com, $30)
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In Person
Dreams and Flying Machines IN CONVERSATION WITH
Esi Edugyan
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With her new novel Washington Black, awardwinning Canadian novelist Esi Edugyan writes about the horror of slavery in an age enamoured with the freedom of science and imagination. By Moira Dann // Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet
A
s Esi Edugyan sips tea at a Metchosin Half-Blood Blues was awarded the café, her composure is both calming Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Governor and inspiring. She responds General’s Literary Award and several other thoughtfully to questions and has no fear of distinguished awards. the silence created by her consideration, nor The daughter of immigrant parents from does she have any apparent urgent need to Ghana, Edugyan was born in Calgary in 1977 fill it. She looks you right in the eye, smiles and grew up there until she was 17, when easily and punctuates her answers (and her she came to Victoria to attend UVic and questions) with a velvety laugh. studied creative writing with Canadian writer Edugyan’s serene mien is hard to reconcile Jack Hodgins. There, she met her husband, with the scenes of casual cruelty and violence Canadian poet and novelist Steven Price, in her new novel Washington whose 2016 novel By Black, the story of an 11-yearGaslight was longlisted old enslaved on a circa-1830s for the Scotiabank Giller Barbados plantation. Prize. She did a master’s When young “Wash” is degree at Johns Hopkins chosen as manservant to University in Maryland, Christopher Wilde (“Titch”), as well as writing one of the plantation’s residencies in locales as new English masters, his diverse as Iceland and fear meets fascination as Stuttgart, Germany. he discovers that Wilde is It wasn’t until both an abolitionist and an 2006 that she had the inventor with dreams of opportunity to visit creating a more egalitarian Ghana and connect society — and a flying with her ancestry and machine. But when a man is the country’s past and killed and a bounty is placed the history of colonial on Washington’s head, Wilde slavery. must choose between family and Washington’s life. Her inspiration for Taking readers from the cane fields Due to be published this writing Washington of Barbados to the icy plains of the Canadian Arctic, from the muddy fall, Edugyan’s latest novel is Black: “At first I thought streets of London to the mysterious already creating excitement. I was writing a novel deserts of Morocco, Esi Edugyan’s It has been long-listed, along about the Tichborne new novel explores the question: with Michael Ondaatje’s case, one of the longest“What is freedom?” Warlight, for the prestigious running criminal trials Man Booker international literary prize. in British history,” she says of the infamous Judges call her book “a dazzling exploration of case involving an apparent impostor claiming race in the Atlantic world, which also manages to be the missing Tichborne heir. to be a yarn and a chase story.” “I wanted to tell it from the perspective The shortlist will be announced September of an ex-slave who’d been a servant in the 16, and the winner, who will receive about Tichborne home and who later became the $86,000, will be announced on October 16. defense’s main witness.” It’s Edugyan’s second novel to be nominated “But almost as soon as I began,” she adds, for the Man Booker prize. Also nominated, and “the story wanted to go a different way, to on the prize’s 2011 shortlist, was her critically explore the experiences of a slave in his acclaimed novel Half-Blood Blues, which takes boyhood — his relationships, his release place in pre-War Germany and fuses “… jazz, into freedom, the complicated positions Jews, blacks, and the Holocaust into a cogent, he’d find himself in, racially, socially, and riveting story,” according to Quill & Quire. intellectually.”
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Why she describes Washington Black as a post-slavery narrative: “It’s about what
happens after, what do you do with your life, what do you make of it, how do you begin to know how to have a sense of self … and how do you try to live in the world when everything you know has been blood and violence and … you’re in a world that rejects you.” Why she confronted the violence, inhumanity and injustice of slavery head on in Washington Black: “You can’t flinch away
from it,” she says. “You can’t not depict these things; you have to show the intensity of the violence.” Why young “Wash” is her favourite character in the novel: “It’s so focused on
him and his maturation to manhood, so tightly focused on him for those seven years; his thoughts, his feelings. I just felt very connected to that,” she says, adding that she is also fond of “Titch,” the inventor, naturalist and abolitionist. “I think in a lot of ways [Titch] was astonishing for his time. The abolitionists were astonishing. To have been able to change their thinking, to change a nation’s thinking, about how certain goods [such as sugar] that people took for granted were acquired. For them to recognize the injustice, and [to] change … was a huge marker in the progress of humanity.” How being a mother impacted her work on the novel: “I couldn’t think too intensely of my
own children when writing [the novel]; it would have been too painful. Being a mother does play into it, because you have this sense of just how horrific that would be, to be with a child who’s also enslaved, and there’s nothing you can do for either of your fates, especially the child’s fate. I couldn’t put my own children in that place, mentally. You do, but then you have to come out of it. You don’t want to think about it too intensely. It’s such a painful, painful thing.” “I keep using the word ‘painful,’ ” she adds, “because it was painful, but it was really important for me to show [Wash] finding his way out of this.” 36
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Why starting a novel is the hardest part for her: “It’s always so hard to find something
that’s good enough to build the basis of a whole book on,” she says. “Once I get started, until about three-quarters of the way through the book, it feels like a big push … but then the last quarter of the book is like a rush, I can’t write fast enough. This is when I start writing day and night. It’s exhausting, but it has to get done.” Why she doesn’t create outlines for her novels: “I just start writing,” she says, noting
that every novel involves stacks of notebooks where she works out timelines in longhand. As for developing an outline, she says she doesn’t bother because she knows she “will never stick by it.” In fact, Washington Black actually had several different endings, says Edugyan: “So much material got thrown out.” How having children has made her writing time feel “very precious”: Two writers in a
household with two children and very busy lives could be a recipe for not getting much work done. But Edugyan and Price have found a rhythm. “[Before kids] I feel like I didn’t have much structure to my schedule,” she says. “It would take me forever to get started on a book ... and then finishing the book. I might work 12 hours a day, have dinner whenever, then watch a movie then go back and work. But you can’t do that when you have kids. You’ve got those five hours, and that’s pretty much it.” Who she trusts to show her work to: Edugyan
says Price is the only one who knows what she’s writing about and “the only one I show it to before it’s finished.” And so, anyone hoping for a hint about her next novel, will just have to endure the suspense.
CLIENT: MAYCOCK EYECARE PUBLICATION: YAM MAGAZINE SHIPPING DATE: JUNE 2018; AD SIZE: 4.7” x 4.94” FORM CREATIVE: 250.298.8117
Local Events with Esi Edugyan Celebrate the launch of Edugyan’s Booker long-listed novel Washington Black at Munro’s Books on September 5 at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) See Edugyan at the Victoria Festival of Authors’ Saturday gala event Dream | Love | Leap | Transcend, along with Darrel J. McLeod, Sarah Selecky, Sarah Weinman, and emcee Dina Del Bucchia, on Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets at victoriafestivalofauthors.ca) Edugyan will also be appearing — along with Heather O’Neill, Sarah Selecky and Erin Frances Fisher — at the Victoria Festival of Authors’ panel This Life, Here, moderated by Robert J. Wiersema, on Sunday, September 30 at 1:30 p.m. (Tickets at victoriafestivalofauthors.ca)
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HOME&LIFESTYLE
HAUTE HERITAGE A Victoria heritage renovation honours original vision with contemporary fusion.
By Danielle Pope Photos by Joshua Lawrence
W
hen contractor Tim Agar first heard about the prominent Fernwood character home its owners hoped to restore, he realized this project would be different — most would have torn down the building and started fresh. The mustard-coloured structure sat faded, with moss growing in rooftop crevices and stray shingles missing. After nearly 130 years of residential wear, a duplex conversion in the 1940s, and sorely needed maintenance neglected over decades of renters, the house would need to be entirely disassembled and reconstructed to bring it back to life. Thanks to the dedication of owners Lisa Rogers and Hazen Gauthier, that’s exactly what happened. “There wasn’t a lot of life left in the materials, but we salvaged everything we could,” says Agar, of Horizon Pacific Contracting. “The building was structurally unsound, but the owners wanted to maintain the look, so we rebuilt it from scratch. There are a lot of complex parts to a reno like this — you want it to have modern conveniences but look like it’s always been there.” Today, the house stands as a dignified character restoration, closer to its original structure than the permutations it’s taken through the century. A bold awning covers the front porch, with carpenter ornamentation on the rafters. The classic flat-topped, hipped roof and gables contrast the modern windows, customized to match a house from its century. Decorative shake siding adorns the gable peak, and the cream yellow exterior exudes heritage charm. As devout world travellers and collectors of fine antiques, it was easy for the couple to overlook the wreckage to see what the house could become again, says Rogers.
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This page and previous page: This restored home combines a mix of modern and antique features to create a classic look. Countertops are polished Caesarstone quartz in Calacatta Nuvo, while the backsplash is made with 3" x 6" ceramic crackle tiles in Blanco from Centura Tile. Miele gas-fired appliances, along with the Silgranit white sink and Grohe faucet, offer modern flair, while antique pendant lamps decorate the room. A hidden door for cat access from the deck to the kitchen is one of many practical custom features in this home — especially appreciated by the resident feline, Cody.
“We wanted a home that felt like a living space, not a show home, and this place makes you feel comfortable,” she says. “This is why I love old houses — you don’t have to add the warmth. It’s already there.” The 3,000 square-foot home has come a long way since its creation in 1892. The original red brick chimneys have been converted to brickwork around the house. Old exterior siding was refurbished and used on the garage. The fir floors were salvaged and reset with new planks. The awkward multiplex structure was reconverted into an open-concept main floor, with three bedrooms on the middle level and a recreation room on the top. The guest bathroom is outfitted with a steam shower, and nearly everything in the house is energy efficient. However, original features still abound, like the knoll posts on the stairwell. Interior designer Maria Alvarez, with Jenny Martin Design, says that in the struggle between old and new, she let function win out. “We worked hard to combine old-world charm with transitional details so the house can be used as it was meant to be,” says Alvarez. “That means beautiful antique pieces and unique pendant lamps were paired with livable layouts.” The house is adorned with periodappropriate world treasures — a Ganesh statue from Thailand in the kitchen, an 18th-century settee in a reading corner, a wrought iron gate from England as the master bed headboard. One of Gauthier’s favourite spaces is the study, done in dramatic grey tones and flanked with antique Bank of Canada doors, complete with a bullet hole. “I love sitting in my study with a glass of Scotch in my hand, listening to good music and enjoying the fireplace,” he says. “It’s the kind of place you go to settle in.” The house isn’t fully finished yet, but Rogers says that’s the way she likes it. “We could get our home ‘perfect,’ but it’s more fun if there are parts missing,” she says. “It gives us something to look for in our travels and, when we find it, we can bring home another story.”
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This page: The music room was a wish-list item for this house, and the homeowners wanted to create a space with elegant, masculine tones for hosting and relaxing. Special acoustical considerations make this room appropriate for music without overtaking the house. The walls are painted with Farrow & Ball Mole’s Breath, with the ceiling contrasted in Purbeck Stone. Historic Bank of Canada doors accent this room, and a heritage fireplace mantel turns it rich with history and character.
Far left: Deep tones are used to offer dramatic contrast in this home. Light neutral walls painted in Cornforth White from Farrow & Ball balance out the darker accent features done in the colour Railings. As part of this restoration, the owners made the choice to use as much of the original fir flooring as possible, refinished with a darkening treatment. The custom bar off the dining area doubles as a showcase for the couple’s antique treasures, found on travels around the world.
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Above: The upstairs office features rich, dark tones, perfect for a space with so much natural light. Refinished antique pieces play a theme throughout the house, from light fixtures to architectural elements, corbels, stair newel posts, decorative wall mouldings and more. Both the chair and desk in this room were discovered by the owners through antique searches, and add a sense of story to this space.
Right: The Art Deco-inspired powder room is a stand-out space in the house. Australian wallpaper from Metro was designed specifically for this room, with Restoration Hardware used for the sink (Gramercy Single Metal), the faucet (Dillon Widespread) and accessories, through the Asbury Collection. The powder room fan sconces were sourced by Scott Landon Antiques, and give this room a creative edge.
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The master bath was designed as one of the more feminine rooms in the home. The countertops are polished Caesarstone quartz in Calacatta Nuvo, with a marble mosaic tile border around the perimeter. The floor, done in Basket Weave from C&S tile, creates a historic look, countered with the modern free-standing Origami bathtub by BainUltra. The convenience features of this room include custom dormer windows with automated blinds, along with the concealed safe, custom-built medicine cabinets and waterefficient toilet. Feminine details, like the Restoration Hardware wall sconces from the Edison Milk Glass Collection, along with shades of blush and white stone, create a gentle spa atmosphere.
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The master bedroom is a culmination of the owners’ favourite treasures from their explorations, including a delicate blush 18thcentury settee in the reading corner. The headboard on the master bed is made from a wrought iron gate found in England, and the end table lamps were bought at an art auction while travelling. Many original materials were reused throughout the house, paired with new, custom-built window treatments for increased energy efficiency, along with modern, dimming LED spotlights. Sophisticated polished nickel hardware and accents throughout the home keep up the timeless image.
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RESOURCES
Architect: Randall Recinos Construction Management: Tim Agar, Horizon Pacific Contracting Countertops: Stone Age Marble & Granite
Finishing Carpentry: Jason Good Custom Cabinets Floor Refinishing: The Finishing Store & Millworks
Tile: Master Tile Glass: Builder’s Choice Shower Door
Much of the beauty of this house comes through its small details, including the entryway’s handmade cement tile flooring in matte black and white from the Cement Tile Shop. The 10-foot intricate coffered ceilings offer a historic appearance, and the scroll mouldings, sourced from Uniquities Architectural Antiques in Calgary, integrate the existing structural beams with a new look. The lion’s head knocker was a vintage piece found through Scott Landon Antiques, and now adorns the front door.
Custom Millwork: Jason Good Custom Cabinets
Painting: Nicholas Alexander Painting
Doors and Hardware: Home Lumber & Building Supplies
Kitchen and Bathroom Millwork: Jason Good Custom Cabinets
Window Restoration: Westeck Windows & Doors
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LIFE LOVE
ART
A local art-collecting couple whose home is featured on the AGGV’s House Tour 2018, says sometimes you just have to forego life’s practicalities and buy art instead. By Moira Dann // Photos by Dean Azim
“
Y
ou are standing here today because of Austin,” explains homeowner Don Horwood. “We’re on the art gallery tour because of Austin.” Austin is an endearing powder-coated bronze sculpture of a calf that stands about 40 inches tall, created by Joe Fafard, a Prairiebased artist and sculptor whom Robert Amos has described as a national treasure. In addition to being a show-stopping conversation piece, the lifelike calf sculpture is a quiet, well-behaved guest in Right: Austin, the the spacious, light-filled home of Jill and powder-coated Don Horwood whose Arts-and-Crafts-style statue by Joe Fafard, is the first piece 2,750 square-foot house was built 12 years many visitors to the ago in Saanich and is the perfect backdrop Horwood residence to the Horwood’s impressive Canadian art notice and comment collection. on. “Not many people have a cow in their A tour through the exquisitely living room,” Don comfortable home starts with an entry hall says. alive with art; it’s a visual smorgasbord reminiscent of the displayed riches of Next page: Jack a salon de refuses, full of contemporary Bush’s vibrantly coloured painting Canadian art to covet. Diagonal sits above “We’re a little bit sorry that a lot of the an antique gaming art is around the entranceway,” says Don, table passed down “but that’s where most of the walls are.” by Jill’s maternal grandmother. The As are paintings by some of Canada’s Chinese cookie most iconic artists. There’s Stove (1988) jars and bowl were by Alex Colville, House at Path End (1977) purchased in Fan Tan by Christopher Pratt and Diagonal (1965) Alley in the 1970s.
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by Jack Bush. To gain additional wall space for paintings, the couple had thought about moving a China armoire in the dining room, but decided the beautiful antique was equally as deserving of the wall space. The visual gifts continue in the living room where the painting Late Summer Tree by Vancouver artist Jack Shadbolt hangs above the fireplace. The painting is one of two Shadbolts the Horwoods own. The living room connects to a kitchen and dining room in a relaxed, expansive L, creating the feeling of a great room at the base of the centre staircase. “We would come down these stairs and look at this view and that’s what sold us,” says Don, noting the home’s tall windows, featuring the Arts-and-Crafts detail of leaded panes looking out at the voluptuous but tidy landscape. During their home search eight years previous (they moved from Edmonton to Victoria, where they had been married in 1970 and always planned to retire), the Horwoods had several priority items. They wanted a new house that required no renovation, and they wanted sunshine. “We didn’t want to be up in the trees,” says Don, where it might be lovely and green, but also dark. Their choice proved
This page: Jill in her sunny home office, where she plans and works on her own art.
DREAM KITCHENS REALLY DO COME TRUE
Far left: Christopher Pratt’s Home at Path End greets visitors in the entryway. A Chinese-inspired cabinet from Chintz & Company, in Edmonton, holds an ornate wooden piece from their son, who lives in Taiwan. The piece was salvaged from a Taiwanese temple when it was torn down.
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This page: The couple’s impressive Canadian collection includes Alex Colville’s Stove. The small framed work with blue tones on the credenza is a linen piece by Australian fabric artist and friend Marg Gibson. Below, right: Sispi Sisters Under the Hat is a one-of-akind print by Victoria artist Pat Martin Bates. The unique piece hangs in a hallway above a bright yellow vase purchased on a holiday in Hawaii.
MORE SPACE. MORE POSSIBILITIES. BIGGER ADVENTURES. Introducing the all-new 3-row, family-sized SUV as envisioned by Subaru — the 2019 Subaru Ascent. Built on the new Subaru Global Platform (SGP), the Ascent offers seating for 7 or 8 passengers, a supremely comfortable ride and generous interior space.
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perfect — they can see the sun rise in the east and set in the west and watch it travel across the property, illuminating at least one of the home’s decks throughout the day. Before the Horwoods bought the home, Tom Swift, the home’s builder, lived there. Jill describes Swift, who also built several other homes in the area, as a thoughtful builder. [He is] “careful, careful about the details,” she notes.
LIVING ARTFULLY As for the art, there was no pattern to the couple’s purchases. Don says they simply bought what they liked and what they could afford. Or not. “Sometimes we bought things that we liked that we couldn’t afford,” he says. In 1972 in Newfoundland, where Don is from originally, they purchased their first piece, a David Blackwood print. Don says he overheard his father tell his mother: “I can’t believe they paid a dollar 25 for that.” “When mum told him it was $125, he just about had a heart attack.” It was Jill, he says, who introduced him to art. “Jill had the knowledge,” he adds. “I say she brainwashed me.” Jill disagrees. “You fell in love with it yourself,” she says.
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Clockwise from right: Two pieces by Cape Dorset artist Jutai Toonoo, including Lisa (shown here) are on display outside of the master bedroom. Jill’s own work, called Gaga’s Things, features items belonging to her grandmother. It hangs above an antique desk passed on by her paternal grandfather, Kenneth Gordon Chipman, a topographer on the Stefansson expedition to the Artic. The plaster head, Martha, was completed by Jill when she was an art student at Mount Allison. It sits next to David Blackwood’s painting Flowers from Italy.
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“It’s something we’ve done together and enjoy together,” adds Don. Several pieces of his art also hang on the walls of their home, but he insists Jill is the true artist. Indeed, Jill is a Fine Arts graduate of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, and a number of her beautifully detailed drawings and paintings grace the walls of their home. Among these is a particularly striking painting of hydrangeas (titled Gaga’s Things, in honour of Jill’s grandmother) with iridescent colour shading that appears almost three dimensional. The couple’s tastes are wide-ranging. Along with works by Blackwood, Coville and Pratt, their collection includes Salting Lobster Bait by New Brunswick’s Paul McFadden and Jack Bush’s abstract “five stripes.” (Which is Don’s description for Diagonal, the vibrant painting Jill urged they buy when Don was just out of grad school and they were broke. They bought it with a bank loan.) Other artists featured in their home include local favourite Pat Martin Bates
TOUR VICTORIA’S MOST ARTFUL HOMES Ever been curious about the story behind someone’s art collection? For 65 years, the Gallery Associates of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) have been hosting their annual Art Gallery House Tour featuring fabulous local homes with impressive art. Enjoy the architecture and art at six town and country homes in Oak Bay/Uplands and Saanich on Sunday, September 23, from 10am to 4pm. Tickets for this major fundraiser for the AGGV are $35 per person and go on sale September 1 at the AGGV and online at aggv.ca/house-tour. ROBP_Green_Burial_YAM_Half_Island_Bike_X1a.pdf
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2017-07-19
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(Sispi Sisters, 1976), Cape Dorset artist Jutai CY Toonoo (who died a few years ago) and CMY influential calligrapher C.S. Lam. The upstairs K television room features photos on aluminum by National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones along with a Navajo Yei rug.
Green Burial?
YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE And so back to Austin, waiting patiently in the living room. The Horwoods had long followed Joe Fafard and loved his work, but it was out of their price range for years. Then Austin came along. “You only live once,” says Don, noting you can have money sitting safely in a TFSA doing nothing to provide fun and enjoyment. Or you can have Austin. They decided to buy Austin and enjoy the piece “for as long as we have left on the perch.” And thanks to the 2018 Art Gallery House Tour, Don and Jill Horwood are sharing their enjoyment of their home and their collection with local area art lovers.
If living green is important to you, choosing Green Burial at the end of life is only natural. Contact us to learn more.
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At the heart of every city, there’s a downtown... A place where we come together to share a meal, find a new fav’ outfit, the perfect gift and catch a show while we’re at it. Downtown is where we daydream, reminisce and make fresh memories. Right now, downtown Victoria is experiencing a rebirth, with exciting new shops, awardwinning restaurants and lounges and prestigious national brands all helping us look and feel our best, year-round. Thing is, downtown Victoria is truly your place to be everything you are, and anything you want.
Here’s what the world thinks of us: • #1 most hipster city in Canada (MoveHub) • #1 choice in BC, #2 in Canada, for millennials (Point 2 Homes) • BEST Canadian city to be a woman (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)
• Canada’s MOST ROMANTIC city (Amazon.ca) • Second-best small city in the world (Condé Nast) • Canada’s friendliest city (Condé Nast)
Truth? We wouldn’t be a cherished destination without YOU: the people of Victoria, who make it all happen. This fall, grab a friend (or 10!) and schedule that downtown date where you’ll discover new secret spots, awesome threads and enjoy Instagrammable eats and treats.
WE’D LOVE TO SEE YOUR DOWNTOWN DISCOVERIES!
Tag us on Instagram @downtownvictoriabc and on Facebook with @downtownvictoria
REBECCA WELLMAN
#downtownvictoria #YourPlacetoBe #stylish
Clothing, accessories and local jewellery Authentic Italian Pasta La Pasta serves quality traditional pasta dishes for pick-up, delivery or eat in. Made fresh daily from only the finest ingredients, choose from a variety of our mix-andmatch pasta and top with your favourite homemade sauce. Or try our pasta of the day — and don’t forget dessert! Our tiramisu is the perfect way to end your delicious, authentic Italian meal.
Endless possibilities from funky to contemporary, showcasing many Canadian designers. Experience the Joy of Dressing! AUREA FASHION BOUTIQUE & ESSENTIAL LUXURIES 614 Johnson Street 250-381-6260 aureagems.com
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Mimosas and florals are the perfect pairing. Stay just the right side of chic with locally designed florals by Lindsay Jones (Chai Fashions Bay Centre) paired with black leather mules (The Shoe Shop Bay Centre). BAY CENTRE Over 90 Shops & Services 1150 Douglas Street thebaycentre.ca
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D OW N TOW N V I CTO R I A . CA
When a Victoria writer sought out Debbie Travis at her Tuscan villa in hopes of discovering the design guru’s secret to a fabulous (mid)life, things didn’t go according to plan, but the outcome was better than our writer could have imagined. By Karen Elgersma
Design your life
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GEORGE ROSS
I
n the heart of Tuscany, on a 100acre farm surrounded by lavender fields and olive groves, sits the breathtaking Villa Reniella. This enchanting Italian home is the dream abode of Debbie Travis, one of Canada’s most acclaimed celebrity designers. Debbie’s dream, when she bought this 13th-century property, was to create a magical place not only for her and her family, but for women seeking a life-changing getaway. The five-year restoration of the villa was documented and turned into a TV series called La Dolce Debbie, which aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). After watching the series, I was so inspired that I booked a trip to Italy to celebrate my 50th birthday and to interview Debbie in hopes of discovering the secret to rocking the second act of my life — because, on the eve of this milestone birthday, I was having a very big midlife crisis. As I drove up the winding country road leading to Villa Reniella, set a stone’s throw from the medieval town of Montepulciano, I was in awe. With its old stone walls, rolling hills lined with ancient olive trees and the authentic Italian architecture, the villa was even more beautiful than I’d imagined. I felt as though I’d been transported to a place where old-world charm meets modern-day luxury, with a warmth so welcoming that you know that every moment in this Tuscan villa is going to be life-changing.
BESPOKE “When you leave the old for the new, you know what you are leaving but not what you will find.” — Sicilian proverb
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1844 Oak Bay Avenue Victoria, B.C. 250.298.1105 www.bespokedesign.ca YAM MAGAZINE SEP/OCT 2018
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CONTINUAL REINVENTION Let me tell you a little bit about Debbie. At 57, the designer extraordinaire is still reinventing herself. She has had many successful TV shows and, as I mentioned, is running retreats at her Tuscan villa. She has her own wine label, and her own home-décor
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When Debbie Travis first came upon Villa Reniella, it was a beautiful rundown mess with pigs running through it. Travis and her team spent four years renovating it into a 14-bedroom luxurious getaway retreat, which writer Karen Elgersma (pictured below right with Travis) visited.
LUXURY RETREATS
So I had high expectations for my interview with Debbie Travis. You see, turning 50, and becoming the new version of myself, was supposed to be a magical, pivotal moment in my life — a time when all the wisdom and confidence of my time on this planet would suddenly come together and bam! The best version of myself would emerge. But it didn’t turn out that way. I guess I’d always thought that by the time I turned 50, I would be at a different place in my life. Wasn’t I supposed to be a successful TV personality by now, using my life and my wisdom to inspire women to look at this next act as not just getting older but living their best lives? Feeling I was missing something crucial, I’d come to Italy to find out the secret to living a big, authentic life like Debbie Travis. And for the record, Debbie didn’t disappoint. I absolutely received a key to the “how to make your dreams come true” vault. The shocker? It was not at all what I expected. Not even close.
What I loved about her story was her remarkable way of creating a life that reflected her passions and allowed her to do what she loved.
line, the Debbie Travis Collection, which features everything from linens to furniture. I first met Debbie years ago when I was asked to interview her to help promote a home show, at which she was a featured speaker. We had tea at the Empress before we did the interviews, and I found her story inspiring. She told me that she fell into her career as a designer and TV personality out of a creative attempt to keep herself happy. After meeting her husband at a film festival in Cannes, Debbie, a citizen of the U.K., found herself, as a new bride, unable to work in Canada until her paperwork was approved. Bored and lonely, she decided to fill her hours by renovating an older townhome in Montreal. She taught herself how to use paint to create spectacular effects. Friends and family who visited her house loved it and asked if she would teach them how to do it. Debbie turned her passion into profit, and the result was a series of bestselling books and a successful TV show, The Painted House. What I loved about her story was her remarkable way of creating a life that reflected her passions and allowed her to do what she loved. No apologies, no worries, no networks saying no, no publisher saying no. Fast forward to Tuscany where I sat with her on a stone patio overlooking an olive grove and the Tuscan valley beyond. “So what’s up for you next, Debbie?” I asked. “I’m writing another book,” she said, explaining that she felt the weight of her deadline looming. “After the documentary, my publisher asked if I would write a book that documents the renovation of the villa, and the retreats. I am calling it Design Your Next Chapter. “Do you think that women need to rethink what the next 50 look like?” I asked, almost begging her to illuminate me on her midlife secret. “Our society favours youth,” she explained with a lovely English accent that makes everything somehow sound better. But, she added, the workforce needs the wisdom that 50-plus women have to offer. As she spoke, I could feel the confidence in her own power. How could I buy it and drink some of that Travis mojo? Debbie toured me around her villa, pausing to show me how one wall had a permanent indentation because, for hundreds of years, cows would rub against it. Although I knew Debbie must have done this tour a hundred times, I still felt like I was the first person to hear the story. I asked her the same question I’d already asked several times in several different ways. “What do women discover here that will inspire them to live their best lives?” She talked about how she wanted the women visiting Villa Reniella to feel spoiled. She described the ultra-luxurious linens she had chosen and told me about the yoga classes
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near a mosaic-tiled pool that sparkles like no pool I have ever seen. She told me about the long bike rides her guests took to local markets, and the villa’s workshops, organic food and farm tours — and the hours of talking, sharing, dreaming. “But how does this help? I mean, what’s the key to owning this next phase of our lives?” I asked. By now I knew I was sounding a bit desperate. At that point, Debbie looked at me, a little confused, and I suddenly realized I
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“I’ll grab you some Debbie Travis wine,” Debbie said. Of course you have your own wine, I thought. Again, that feeling of resentment or something came over me — what was my problem?
had asked her that question several times. There was a pause before she continued. Then she said, lightly, “We get so many letters from women who tell us how their time here changed their lives.” “But how?” I wanted to scream.
WHEN ANSWERS AREN’T OBVIOUS I could see she was not going to tell me, and I was afraid to ask again. I also knew I was coming off as a bit needy, so I changed the subject. We continued to talk and tour the home and grounds, and I listened. Then there was this moment when Debbie was telling me about a health retreat she planned to offer. Unlike her women’s retreats, which have been sold out since she opened, she said that when she originally offered a health retreat she didn’t get a huge response, so she wanted to give it another try. As she passionately talked about how amazing this retreat would be, I noticed I felt “off,” but I couldn’t pinpoint the feeling. Was it jealousy? But I wasn’t a jealous person. I began to analyze what these feelings might be. Here I am, I thought, in the middle of interviewing this amazing woman, in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life, and rather than being present, I’m actually distracted by this rather immature feeling of jealousy. At this point, I noticed Debbie was picking up on my vibe, and she said she needed to get ready because her guests would be back from their trip to the market. I suddenly felt guilty. What the heck was wrong with me? “I’ll grab you some Debbie Travis wine,” Debbie said. “It’s made at a winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.” Of course you have your own wine, I thought. Again, that feeling of resentment or something came over me — what was my problem? We hugged, snapped a photo, and then I was in my rental car, wine in tow. I sat there for a few minutes, trying to understand why I had reacted the way I had, and wondering why, after more than 20 years of interviewing people, I couldn’t get the one thing I needed from the interviewee — the secret of turning a midlife crisis into an opportunity. I started to drive away, and as I glanced back at the villa, all at once, the answer hit me. You see, Debbie did answer my question — just not in the way I expected, so I didn’t see it. It occurred to me that Debbie never waited for someone to tell her the secret to living a remarkable life — she was too busy living it. She didn’t wait for someone to tell her she was smart enough, educated enough,
pretty enough, funny enough or creative enough. She lived it. Every moment of her life was a testament to living authentically, purposely. Embracing her age and her success, she didn’t question that she should have this amazing life, she just bloody well lived it. I thought back to my interview when I asked her if it had been stressful to spend five years of her life restoring the farmhouse to a villa. She had smiled, looked up at the villa and said, “It was the happiest five years of my life.” You see, she had been too busy having fun and living her dream to worry about whether the villa would be a success or if women would come or if the documentary about the process would be watched. She was actually enjoying the journey! It reminded me of an interview I once did with a marriage counsellor who said that if a couple felt “out of love” they should pretend to be madly in love for one week and do all the things each would do if they had just fallen deeply in love with their partner. At the end of the week, if both partners participated whole-heartedly in the exercise, they almost always found they were truly, madly, deeply in love. That’s what Debbie was trying to tell me. Design the life you want, then live it.
THE FUTURE, BY DESIGN When I arrived back on the Island from Italy, it took me a while to absorb this concept. It seems simple, but it’s not easy. It means I have to pause each time I feel off course, and find out why a particular road is not right for me, then re-adjust. This means digging deep, questioning everyone and everything, especially myself. It means that rather than complaining, I need to redesign that part of my life. And, like a designer, I’ve found the key to creating something original and successful is trying many different things until I start to see what works and what doesn’t. Debbie’s villa took five years and 80 tradespeople to create. Karen 2.0 took 50 years to refine and today is a woman who has the courage to take the time to create a second act that is authentic by living it and being present in all of it and, like Debbie, attracting the right people to help me along the way.
IF YOU WANT TO GO: • Visit tuscangetaway.com for information about the villa and planned getaways. • See more photos on Instagram @debbie_travis
Create your design plan • Be open to new, interesting ideas. • Laugh. Be silly. Play. Do it without guilt. • Say no to things that don’t bring you joy anymore. Just because you once loved camping doesn’t mean you can’t switch to glamping. • Keep a joy journal. Each day I record things that bring me joy and things that don’t. I’m always surprised at how very simple things, like watching the sunset, reading a good novel in the bath or hugging my son turn out to be the best moments of my day. • If something really upsets you, ask why. I used to think I needed to “just deal with it.” But now, when I examine why I feel angry, hurt or resentful, I see that I can use this information in my life design. In fact, I find it invaluable. • Don’t know what you want to be when you grow up? Don’t worry (no matter what your age), there are many books, programs, counsellors, quizzes and coaches out there. Ask friends what their secrets are. But start by just paying attention. It’s like renovating your home — start with the intention, and bit by bit you’ll design your life, and you’ll keep designing it until the end.
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STYLE WATCH Fashion Stylist: Janine Metcalfe Photos: Jeffrey Bosdet
One Woman Army March into the fall dressed in the season’s most wearable trends, from layered looks to menswearand military-inspired jackets and accessories.
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Left: Poet’s dress in cerise from Velvet by Graham and Spencer ($255) and hand-stitched organic cotton bandana by Eileen Fisher ($55), both from Tulipe Noire; Frankie pullover sweater by Lyla & Luxe (Bernstein & Gold, $99); necklace by Figgie (AurÊa, $138); socks by Tabbisocks (Heart & Sole Shoes, $32). This page: Blouse by Ewa i Walla ($500); velvet jacket by Ewa i Walla ($675); layered skirt by Ewa i Walla ($500), all available at Shabby Rabbit Clothing. Clara laceup boots in amber by Red Wing Shoes ($430) and socks by Tabbisocks ($32), both available at Heart & Sole Shoes.
This page: Coat/jacket by Sarah Pacini ($775); pants by Sarah Pacini ($510); sweater by Sarah Pacini ($495) and collar scarf by Sarah Pacini ($185), all available at Hughes Clothing. Rotu X cross-body purse from JMB ($259) and Short Engineer boots from Red Wing Shoes ($410), both available at Heart & Sole Shoes; Curtis fedora by Bailey of Hollywood (Roberta’s Hats, $110). Left: Sweater by GRIZAS ($274); velvet pants by GRIZAS ($244); coat by GRIZAS ($532) and necklace by Luka ($98), all available at Sunday’s Snowflakes. Reversible faux shearling vest (Bernstein & Gold, $175), Short Engineer boots by Red Wing Shoes ($410) and socks by Tabbisocks ($32), both available at Heart & Sole Shoes.
This page: Ruffled gown in cinnamon by Leisure ($498); Frankie pullover sweater by Lyla & Luxe ($99); reversible faux shearling vest by John & Jenn ($175) and raglan trench coat by Smythe ($895), all available at Bernstein & Gold. Boots by Red Wing Shoes (Heart & Sole Shoes, $430); Curtis fedora by Bailey of Hollywood (Roberta’s Hats, $110). Right: Pippa blouse ($189) and Pia skirt ($270) by Eliza Faulkner, both available at elizafaulkner.com and Tulipe Noire. Canadian-made beret by Parkhurst (Roberta’s Hats, $20).
Model: Amina Miller from Lizbell Agency Hair and Make Up: Anya Ellis Stylist Assistant: Cheri Mancuso Photo Assistant: Belle White Thank you to Kate Humble and Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site.
DISCOVER FOUR VICTORIA CREATIVES WHO EXEMPLIFY THE ADAGE THAT A PHOTO IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
INSPIRED BY Instagram Looking for a dose of esthetic splendour? These four locals — from a designer with a painterly eye to a photographer trying to get people outside — offer a visual feast of style, nature and beauty through their popular Instagram accounts. YAM talked to each of them to discover the people behind the striking posts. By Athena McKenzie
#Romantic Tara Hurst
@tarahurstdesign 6,995 followers
What’s your favourite subject to share?
Flowers. I love to photograph them in still life in my kitchen, blooming in my garden, and when I’m France, they always find their way into my photos. How do you describe your esthetic?
For Tara Hurst, a desire for the creative life has led her to the streets of Paris, the boroughs of New York, the galleries of Berlin and back home to Victoria and the shores of the West Coast. As a graphic designer, photographer and the creative director for Flytographer, photography is an integral part of her life. “Instagram is really the only place I share my life visually,” she says. “It’s also such an amazing platform to find inspiration and connect with other creatives. Some of my best collaborations with photographers came from Instagram. I use it as a business tool really.”
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Romantic. How does your real life differ from what you share on social media?
When it feels right to me, I will post something personal, but I mostly focus on sharing my photography. I wouldn’t say that my real life differs from my images on social media at all. What you see in my pictures is really how I live. It’s my creative process,
my home and the adventures that I take. Most-used hashtag?
Believe it or not, I don’t use hashtags at all. Your Instagram pet peeve?
Observing people obsess over taking a photo for Instagram instead of enjoying a beautiful moment in their lives — it breaks my heart. Who is your dream follower?
All of the artists that I love who are no longer alive. Imagine what Cy Twombly’s Instagram account would have been like. What advice do you have for people looking to create their own personal style?
For me, personal style is all about being myself. It’s really
“What you see in my pictures is really how I live.” layers of experiences, places I’ve visited and what makes me feel beautiful. From the reupholstered linen chair in my dining room to a silk Isabel Marant dress I found in Paris, I take my time with everything and only buy things that I truly love. Number one tip to up one’s Instagram style?
With Instagram, it’s all about cohesion for me. From the colour palette to the flow in the grid format to the overall theme, creating cohesion is key.
#VanLife
#LocalLove
Mackenzie Duncan
@themackenzielife 17.1k followers
Photographer and director Mackenzie Duncan often explores the shores of faraway lands from Africa to South America to New Zealand, with camera in hand and surfboard in tow. Working for clients such as Anion, Puma and Starbucks he seeks inspiration in the landscapes around him. His feed is both a celebration of the West Coast life and world travel, replete with misty coastlines and outdoor adventure. “In this day and age, we all seem to spend way too much time staring at a screen,” he says, “so I like to share anything that will inspire people to get out from behind those screens and get outside.”
Celebrity accounts are fun to follow, but one of our favourite things about Instagram is connecting with neighbourhood businesses. These local companies are rocking it with their fabulous feeds. Hello #inspiration!
Matty Conrad @mattyconrad
What’s your favourite photo subject to share on Instagram?
Named “Coolest Barber on Instagram” by Details and GQ, Matty Conrad’s gallery is a paean to men’s grooming. As founder of Victory Barber and his own line of grooming products, his work blends traditional barbering with modern men’s hairstyling.
Road trips, vans and surfing seem to get people going.
“Road trips, vans and surfing seem to get people going.” How do you describe your esthetic?
Part grainy, part blurry, and often on the darker side. How does your real life differ from the image you share on social media?
Most of my life I keep off of there. I’m a relatively private person. I only share bits and pieces that I think will be inspiring to others. Maybe this helps to drive the “FOMO” side of Instagram, but I think it’s important for people to understand that what you see on the interwebs isn’t the full picture of anyone’s life. Your most-used hashtag?
Probably #vanlife.
Pigeonhole Home Store @pigeonholehomestore If only one could live in the inviting and well-designed vignettes of Pigeonhole Home Store’s feed. Curated by owner Carey Salvador, the account evokes life’s simple pleasures in a soothing muted palette.
Your Instagram pet peeve?
I think it’s challenging that the norm on Instagram is that as long as you tag someone you can repost their content. As someone who has made a living as a photographer for the last decade or so, I think that is really driving the industry into a challenging position. Who is your dream follower?
I’ve never really thought about this. My mom?
Stocksy United
What advice do you have for people looking to create their own personal style?
As an artist-owned stock photography and cinematography co-op, this Victoria-based company has a wealth of eye-catching content to share. Weekly artist takeovers mean the gallery offers a diversity of inspirational images.
Keep it simple and don’t overthink it. Number one tip for upping the style on one’s feed?
I’d say take a step back and figure out why you’re doing it in the first place and your style should naturally develop out of that.
@stocksyunited
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For those with a unique sense of style and a love of natural textiles ...
#FloralTalk Leslie Shewring
@leslieshewring 26.3k followers
Victoria’s Leslie Shewring is a product designer, stylist and photographer whose work has brought her international success and a devoted following of décor enthusiasts who appreciate her sense of colour, light, balance and space. With her degrees in both architecture and interior design, it’s almost inevitable that her Instagram feed would be a treasure trove of inspiration. “I love taking photos and I am much more comfortable sharing photos than words,” she says. “I also enjoy looking at photography, so it makes sense that [Instagram] is the only social media I really participate in.” What’s your favourite subject to share?
Beauty comes from being yourself. 2225 Oak Bay Avenue 778.584.6805 shabbyrabbitclothing.com
Flowers. They are my absolute favourite subject matter to shoot and share. How do you describe your esthetic?
My esthetic on Instagram is colour focused, with subject matter mainly from my travels or florals. How does your real life differ from the image you share on social media?
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I keep 99 per cent of my life off social media. I share tiny slivers of what I am interested in — most often a pretty moment in time from my travels. Most-used hashtag?
#floraltalk Your Instagram pet peeve?
Oversharing. I think Facebook is much better for sharing what you ate or multiple photos of the same thing. Who is your dream follower?
Donna Hay. I have always loved her magazine for the photography with her distinct style and presentation. What advice do you have for people looking to create their own personal style?
The hardest thing to do is to keep your focus and colour palette as narrow as possible. However, if you can keep it narrow and defined, that is key to creating a personal look or style. Number one tip for upping the style on one’s feed?
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Keep the subject matter and look of your Instagram feed as defined as possible by editing your photos in a similar way using VSCO or another good editing app. This will help your most current nine photos work together visually and make your style really clear.
“My esthetic on Instagram is colour focused, with subject matter mainly from my travels or florals.”
Join us for the Modern Real Estate Team’s 6th Annual Raise the Roof for Shelter Fundraiser
Tasha Medve* REALTOR®
Saira Waters* REALTOR®
Location: John Fluevog Shoes 566 Johnson Street Date: October 12, 2018 Time: 6-9pm RSVP: modernrev.com/shelter.html Thank you to John Fluevog Shoes for donating their space
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#LiveTheLittleThings
Kristine Lee
@lee_kristine 83.5k followers
“I had a friend once tell me that if my Instagram feed had a scent, it would smell like honey and cinnamon.”
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When Kristine Lee left her career at an advertising agency four years ago to raise her two young daughters, she needed a creative outlet in her life. “Instagram was easily accessible, and connected me with a community of creative moms,” Lee says. “It helped me fill the void of leaving the professional world and opened the door to opportunities while I was able to stay at home with my children.” She has since collaborated with brands, photographed products she loves, and travelled with companies, and “most importantly” created a special collection of images of her daughters. “Whether you’re interested in building a network of like-minded people, sharing your photos with friends and families, using it purely as a creative outlet or turning it into a business, there are no rules with the app… the possibilities are endless!”
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What’s your favourite subject to share?
My feed is family-lifestyle focused as I share the happenings in our day-to-day life. I focus a lot on our home life, our traditions and milestones. I love capturing special moments of our two young daughters ... Currently, I’m in the thick of motherhood, but as our daughters get older, their need for privacy will increase. How do you describe your esthetic?
I try to keep the overall look and feel of my feed calm as that’s how I want to feel when I’m on the app … I had a friend once tell me that if my feed had a scent, it would smell like honey and cinnamon.
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How does your real life differ from the image you share on social media?
I don’t have a set of rules for this. I share what feels right, while respecting my family’s privacy. I push myself to share more personal subjects as this is when the deeper connections happen with my followers ... As far as imagery goes, I do keep the messier moments in our life off of my feed … Most of my followers are on Instagram to escape their chaos, so they definitely don’t need to look at ours. Your most-used hashtags?
#thehappynow, #thepursuitofjoyproject, #livethelittlethings Your Instagram pet peeve?
Hashtags that don’t fit with the post. Hashtags can be great for community development, and for creative inspiration, but it irks me when I view a hashtag feed and there are images in there that don’t belong. Number one tip for upping the style on one’s feed?
Use an app like UNUM to help plan your feed and to see how different images look next to each other before posting. This app is a good way to check to see if your photo matches your esthetic ... you could have two or three brilliant photos, but sometimes they don’t complement one another when they are side by side.
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BELLE WHITE/YAM MAGAZINE
CAN WE TALK?
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Turn Back the Clock IN A BUSY, HIGH-TECH WORLD, HOW CAN WE RECONNECT FACE TO FACE?
Invest in your skin. It will represent you for a very long time.
By Susan Hollis
I Face-to-face communication is the norm at Victoria’s Interactivity Board Game Cafe, where owner Bill Heaton says he rarely sees customers on their phones.
n a dark room above Broad Street, occasional arrows of sunlight pierce the window coverings, spotlighting a crowd of people howling with laughter about a Czech baloney loaf. Michael Ross, clear-eyed and well-dressed, stands alone on stage, telling us how he cradled the cellophaned meat product — shiny and waxy as a newborn baby — before kicking off an adventure that included a pub located in a man’s bedroom, hundreds of cigarettes, and seven-hour perogies — familiar if only because we all know what it’s like to expect one thing and get another. It’s a story that would be difficult to tell on social media with any degree of nuance. Ross was the first of six storytellers at Confabulation Victoria, an event designed to bring folks together through shared personal experiences. Unlike most stage performances, Confabulation doesn’t rely on perfectly scripted monologues — if anything it’s the imperfections that fascinate — and you can’t help but root for the storytellers and their alltoo-human stumbles, both in life and on stage. Researchers agree that negative self-worth and loneliness have a lot to do with being disconnected from the real world, and the data shows that social isolation leads to negative physical and emotional outcomes. Confabulation is a way to step out of that. “There’s something about the community of the room that’s really fun for people, and it’s unexpected,” says Confabulation Victoria co-founder Cassandra Togneri. “People sometimes expect it to be really rehearsed or produced, or they expect some kind of a show, but when they sit down and have a raw experience like that, somebody telling them a true-life story, baring their heart and soul, people feel connected and grateful.”
GETTING REAL Confabulation Victoria, a branch of the original Confabulation Montreal, offers a genuine opportunity to get out of one’s head, off one’s phone and into the lives of others — a kind of voyeurism we humans are clearly attracted to. The audience is a mix of ages and professions with no specific demographic — they’re just folks with
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We are hard-wired to be social ... yet since the advent of the technological age people have been feeling increasingly disengaged from the world around them. And while the original needs of the community have evolved, its purpose has not.
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BORIS JOVANOVIC/STOCKSY
Every day your REALTOR® goes to work for you.
an interest in the stuff of life, particularly the messy bits. The event tips its hat to the original form of entertainment — live storytelling — and to be a part of the audience is to connect with people who leave us feeling more compassionate and less self-conscious about our own tangled lives. That could be why Confabulation Victoria’s attendance has tripled in the two years since its inception. “It’s not veiled by what words and photos they choose to put online about themselves, there’s no production value mystifying it; it’s really true and authentic and real, and I don’t think there’s anything like that in our communities,” says Togneri’s partner, CarolLynn Michaels. “It’s really important that we acknowledge that we are all very different and yet we are all humans together.” We are hard-wired to be social. From the very beginning, cooperation between humans has been critical to our well-being, yet since the advent of the technological age people have been feeling increasingly disengaged from the world around them. And while the original needs of the community have evolved, its purpose has not. Together we are able to protect, diversify, strengthen and stimulate one another, yet doing so solely through laptops and smartphones leaves us feeling underwhelmed. Just observe a toddler in front of a T.V., then again at a birthday party — the gains from real socializing are paramount and we don’t outgrow them. The world’s foremost expert on the subject of social isolation, social psychologist Dr. John Cacioppo, estimated that between
WORTH TALKING ABOUT Feeling the urge to connect? Somewhere in Victoria there’s a group with a topic of conversation for you. Here are just a few: Victoria Philosophy Salon Running the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. upstairs at the Bent Mast, 512 Simcoe Street. For upcoming topics and dates, go to meetup.com/ victoria-philosophy-salon. Table Conversations: Dessert and Coffee Meets twice a month to discuss a range of quirky topics, from advice columns to anxiety to artificial intelligence. Church of our Lord hall at 626 Blanshard Street, meetup.com/ tableconversations YoUnlimited Salons For women looking to learn, connect and contribute to a variety of themes covering the personal and professional realms. For upcoming events and registration go to younlimited.com. Babble Bar Language Exchange Gather the second Wednesday of the month to practice languages and connect with like-minded polyglots. All languages welcome. Studio Robazzo, 2001F Douglas Street, meetup.com/babble-barinternational-language-exchange Interactivity Board Game Cafe Offering thousands of games from childhood classics to modern favourites. 723 Yates Street, ibgcafe.com State + Story mornings Join all manner of creatives to develop community engagement through professional elbow rubbing and conversation. facebook.com/ stateandstory Victoria Toastmasters Meet like-minded communicators and develop public speaking and leadership skills, friendships and confidence at various meetings around town. victoriatoastmasters.org Inspired Victoria Connect monthly over passions and interests, and build community that inspires personal growth and achievement. meetup.com/inspiredvictoria
Wealth management you can understand For women, retirees, and couples about to retire Personalized strategies for your financial needs Peace of mind that comes from working with an advisor who knows your story
Joanne Vesprini, BA (Econ.) Investment Advisor 250-356-4679 | joanne.vesprini@rbc.com
RBC WMFS is licensed as a financial services firm in the province of Quebec. RBC Dominion Securities Inc., RBC WMFS and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and RBC WMFS are member companies of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2018 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved.
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Talk between generations Conversations between generations have benefits that flow both ways. A Stanford University study says that older people are “exceptionally suited” to share their life skills with youth, and experience emotional satisfaction from the interaction. Younger people also benefit from the experience, soaking up attention and wisdom they may not otherwise be exposed to at home.
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25 and 48 per cent of people report being lonely despite being similar to the non-lonely in terms of height, weight, age, education, or intelligence. The lonely are not different or lacking in character, but the structure of our communities makes it incredibly easy for them to hide and the problem to snowball.
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Technology means we don’t have to face our fears; we don’t even have to face our foes — we can work remotely, exercise and commute without human contact, and generally keep people away with ease. The the best remedy for normalizing our feelings and improving our real social networks (as opposed to online) is to have regular contact with the real world. Victoria psychologist Keith Forshaw says that self-defeating lifestyle choices can easily get the better of someone who lives in too much solitude to recognize that feeling lonely is a common and normal experience. “You hear that over and over again. Everyone is happier and having way more fun than I am,” he says, adding that people forget
that it’s important to have both highs and lows in life to really understand what matters. “You can’t put into perspective feeling great if you also don’t experience some kind of neutral or down times.” By adulthood, everyone has experienced loneliness. It can happen slowly — the halcyon post-university years slip away, and jobs and partners and interests change. You land in a new city, or no longer recognize your old one. Your work world is unfulfilling, and so is social media, but you’re stuck in a relationship with both. You are paralyzed by the monotony that is life when you’re home but the idea of going out on your own to change things seems like too much work. So you pass the time in a world you created, unable to find the way out. This is loneliness, and you are not alone.
RECESS FOR ADULTS But how to get out of the ruts we create? There’s Confabulation, for sure, but there are also organizations like the Victoria Sport and Social Club. Dubbed “recess for adults,” the VSSC brings together friends and strangers on
fields and courts around the city. “We provide several weeks of opportunity to make those connections that may not be instant, and you get to grow and cultivate that relationship,” says Lael Morgan, the organization’s national executive director. “The longitude of that, and that they’re all doing something they’ve committed to, really helps promote more social connection.” Establishing new patterns can be tricky, as anyone who has gone through a separation or a loss or a diet can attest. But making a small effort to break from one’s isolating habits can lead to an improved sense of self and a more optimistic view of the world. It’s as easy as going out for a walk, actually reading the posters on downtown billboards, or joining a sport you haven’t played since middle school.
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“I’ve attended a couple of events by myself in the last month and a half,” says Ben Barrett-Forrest, a twentysomething graphic designer and recent transplant to Victoria who made room for me beside him at June’s Confabulation event. “Oftentimes you’ll make friends while you’re out there; that’s one thing that I’ve found travelling by myself for about eight months the last year: when you are alone people connect with you. … I, just by being alone in public places, have made many good friends that have lasted.” The world may be vastly different than it was five thousand years ago, but we still share the core needs of our original communities — they are tractable and shaped by every individual contribution. Both the collective and the individual suffer when there is a lack of connection. Establishing that connection simply requires putting down your phone, putting away your judgments, and becoming a part of the greater whole.
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SCENE
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE Anyone who has experienced Nick Bantock’s forms of visual entertainment has never looked at an envelope quite the same way again. By David Lennam // Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet
Nick Bantock is nothing if not multifaceted. He’s worked in a London East End betting shop, trained as a psychotherapist, built a house that combined an Indonesian temple, a Russian Orthodox church, an English cricket pavilion and a New Orleans bordello — and authored 30-plus books.
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THE CONTINUES
ick Bantock shows me an envelope. Of course it’s an envelope. The celebrated author and illustrator made his name on a series of books stuffed with pretty envelopes. With its lavish decoration and peppering of intriguing faux postage stamps — and its sense of mystery and anticipation — this one could have been stripped from a copy of his seminal Griffin & Sabine. The seven-book epistolary series that began in 1991, and culminated with The Pharos Gate in 2016, propelled him into literary hero territory and launched the sale of 10 million books (so, unless Danielle Steele has quietly moved to town, that makes Bantock our all-time top seller). Envelopes hold special intrigue for Bantock, who has made his home in Fairfield for the past five years. He once said something about receiving an envelope in the mail being like a cross between sex and Christmas. All that anticipation. “As I move into this stage of my life [he’s 68] and slow this whole process down, I am moving back into sending letters. It’s one of the things I really enjoy doing.” Bantock, whose training in England in the late 1960s was in fine art, worked as a commercial illustrator doing, primarily, book covers for other writers, until he was nearly 40. These days his artwork is highly sought after and he sells “Bantockian” small pieces, mixed media and drawings on Etsy, then packages them up so they’re like visual entertainment when arriving in the mail. And the books keep coming. Thirty or so at last count. And all not just meant to be read, an interviewer once suggested, but participated with. “They’re a marriage of word and image that I kind of, in my sort of self-indulgent way, describe as a chemical wedding because they balance off the left and right sides of the brain, the anima and animus, male and female, night/day. They’re designed intentionally to stimulate equally both sides of one’s sense of perfection, and if you see the art as illustration you’re kind of missing the point, because the art is as much a part of the dialogue as the text is.”
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A HOLLYWOOD ENDING? Griffin & Sabine is the love story of two artists linked through postcards and letters. Each page features a facsimile of their correspondence with actual envelopes and plenty of Bantock’s gorgeous illustrations. Its sudden success turned author into reluctant rock star. “It was really bizarre. I was completely unprepared for it,” says Bantock. “I wasn’t trendy. I never looked at the bestseller list. I just did this thing that was an expression of who I was and me trying to understand my own internal balances. There was never any expectation that it was going to have any kind of universal quality.
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It was, to some extent, self-indulgent.” When the book came out it was 10,000 copies, then quickly 30,000, then a million. The phone started ringing, speaking engagements were booked, the tour was on and Bantock recalls being quite stunned by the whole phenomenon. Griffin & Sabine seemed destined for Hollywood, but Bantock has grown tired watching the project go through 21 scripts, seven major studios and 26 years of nothing … Detail from Nick yet. Meanwhile, it was Bantock’s The adapted for the stage Pharos Gate, which a dozen years ago by focuses on the lost correspondence of Vancouver’s Arts Club his famous lovers Theatre and will be Griffin and Sabine. re-adapted for the Belfry this December. Bantock, who helped write the Vancouver production, admits he was disappointed in that version (“too fast and too messy”) which tried to shoehorn six of the seven books in the series into one play. This time he’s giving the Belfry free rein to tackle the first three books in the trilogy (Griffin & Sabine, Sabine’s Notebook and The Golden Mean), plus the finale, The Pharos Gate. “The best way to do it is to do it raw and to just have Griffin and Sabine up there and in dialogue. By using images [Bantock’s art] as part of the backdrop you’re able to set the atmospheric and emotional flavour, plus the audience can stay in this clear emotional place and try to understand what’s going on. Is he real? Is she real? Is he inventing her? Is she inventing him? Are they part of the same person? All the layers that are all true. It’s not any one. It’s all of them.” Bantock is handing his story over to the Belfry and taking a philosophical approach — from a distance — and says he’s always far more interested in what he’s creating now. “[Griffin & Sabine] has always been about the capacity of the audience to interpret it in their own terms. For one person, it’s simply going to be a love story, for another it’s going to be a metaphysical journey of alchemical proportion. I can’t tell someone else what to experience … I’ve done all my work in creating it. Now it’s up to them.”
MORE ENVELOPES I was hesitant to ask Bantock about what he’s working on these days after coming across one of his Facebook posts from a couple of years ago where he made it plain that he doesn’t like answering that question.
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“For one person, it’s simply going to be a love story, for another it’s going to be a metaphysical journey of alchemical proportion. I can’t tell someone else what to experience …” “What the heck do you answer?” he had written. “You can tell it’s a wrap-up question, and you know that the interviewer is looking for a snappy answer. What if, like me, you are in mid-flight on numerous book ideas and you haven’t a clue which might flourish, which will wilt, and which could morph…? So what I usually do, in 10 words or less, is name a loose concept or two … a humorous black fiction, a set of illustrated Zenish tales, a kids’ monster book, two pop-ups, a book of Moorish beauty, a familiar carnival, an ephemeral puzzle, a construction of envelopes. … Truth is, I don’t work in a straight line. My process requires a flexible arena where each idea can inform those around it and where the circles of revolution are regenerative.” Fortunately, I didn’t have to ask. Bantock was excited to reveal a new book, Dubious Documents, coming at the end of September — a conundrum, a puzzle with a series of clues buried in 16 bound envelopes or within the dubious documents they contain. “It is difficult,” he declares proudly. “It’s going to be challenging. And it would be really nice if people got together and did it together.”
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Nick Bantock is so eminently fascinating and quotable, you could just keep on asking questions. So I did, and here’s what he said. On the Bantock style > “I’m a Zen surrealist. Surrealism is really putting two unexpected things together and gaining a third. In the mid-60s I was the last of the group (of artists) that went through putting two years in the life room and really learning to draw and that has been my baseline. There’s classical Italian composition behind it all, a Renaissance baseline the way it sits on the page. Very, very, very tight and everything is composed and balanced, even when it’s loose.” On living here > Bantock and his second wife, Joyce, also an artist, had no hesitation moving from Salt Spring Island to Victoria. “It’s a brilliant city. Victoria is one of the great undiscovered cities in the world,” says Bantock. “It’s got everything and looks after itself. This is a human and humane city both in terms of scale and its relationship to nature.” What painting taught him about writing > “Because I was a painter and I didn’t write anything until I was 40 years old, I had learned a certain kind of discipline, but also learned that it’s not really me making the decisions. The process of painting is giving yourself up. You learn your technical skills. You have your life’s experience. And then you simply allow the two to come together and then see what comes out. You’re looking for a truth to the internal voices. … If you allow the voice to come honestly, put it down on paper, then you can slip on your editor’s hat and go back and clean it up. But if you’re looking over your shoulder all the time about the construction of this sentence then you’ll always be inhibited. Painting taught me that. So, I wrote like I painted. Just being basically surprised about what came down onto the page.” On creativity and duende > “There are many, many reasons for creating. They could be instinctual, or a process of self-therapy. But afterwards you start getting asked questions about how and why you did it, so you intellectualize after the fact. “But the reality is when you’re doing it, it’s the duende experience (duende is a Spanish term for a heightened sense of emotion and expression). The stuff is coming through you and you can’t get it down fast enough, so the work is ahead of your brain. Only later can you go back and quantify and justify. If you were self-conscious about everything you said and did and drew, as you did it, it would become horribly prescribed and dead.”
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CULTURE X3 OUR TOP PICKS FOR WHAT’S NEW IN MUSIC, THEATRE AND DANCE
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An Ibsen Redux Suppose Henrik Ibsen had written a sequel to A Doll’s House in 1879. Suppose Nora returns after that famous door slam. The Belfry Theatre stages Lucas Hnath’s contemporary classic, nominated for all those Tony Awards on Broadway in 2017. A Doll’s House Part 2, September 16 to October 14, Belfry Theatre
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Lumbering en pointe First impressions of Frankenstein tend not to be of the ballet. The clumsy monster with the bolts in his neck seems far from an arabesque in a tutu, but Ballet Victoria is bringing back the big guy, remounting its 2013 production that featured a nod to zombies and pop culture, just in time for Halloween. Frankenstein, October 26 to 28, McPherson Playhouse
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DO TELL By Susan Hollis // Photo by Dean Azim
The truth in our stars F
ormer flamenco dancer Natalie Brake first picked up a paintbrush a decade ago, when an injury prevented her from expressing her artistic energy through movement. Five years later, she’s transferring that energy to canvas, as a painter with a niche in abstract luminescence. Much like the sky she draws inspiration from, there’s a complexity woven into her canvases. Standing next to one of her larger pieces in her Fairfield studio, she moves a hand-held lamp close to the thick acrylic layered on the canvas, revealing layers of speckled light not visible by daylight. “I’m really drawn to astronomy and the night sky, just the vastness of it — it’s really magical for me,” she says. “I can lie back and watch the stars and get lost for a long time.” What’s your idea of perfect happiness? A fine balance between having my head in the clouds and my feet on the earth. What’s your greatest fear? Unexpressed potential, especially with music. I keep starting to play instruments and sing, but then run out of time and I have to stop.
Where are you happiest? Under the stars in the tropics. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Vanity.
What’s your greatest achievement? I haven’t really achieved anything very amazing in the sense of being heroic or selfless. If you were a book character, which one would you be? Harry Potter, because I would love to be on the receiving end of sheer awe from millions of children. Plus the books are just so cool.
What do you admire most in your friends? My friends are all living very cool lives. They are resilient people who pursue their dreams — and I learn a lot from that.
What historical figure do you most identify with? I like Frida Kahlo a lot because she was a passionate artist and an honest, loving human being. But I don’t like the physical suffering she went through.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Deplore is a strong word for me, but I really get annoyed when I hear people chewing loudly.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? Probably a dinosaur.
What piece of technology do you wish was never invented? Alarm clocks.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? Nature.
What is your most treasured possession? A pendant my mom gave me.
What piece of technology do you wish existed? Those beamer things that they have on Star Trek … transporters?
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If you weren’t an artist, what profession would you want to explore? A naturalist.
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Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal Dance Me // Contemporary
“The biggest, most ambitious creation in the 45-year history of BJM.” – Louis Robitaille, Artistic Director, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
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An acrobatic tour de force of dance, music and film inspired by the profound music and poetry of Leonard Cohen.