The Georgia Straight - Hot Summer Guide - June 18, 2020

FREE | JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

Volume 54 | Number 2734

Hot Summer Guide We’ve got it all

Arts and movie fests, simple meals, barbecue tips, mojitos, seasonal wines, great books, kids’ activities, and even some basketball memories from Kits Beach

MIND OF A SNAIL

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CONTENTS 6

Growing up Black in Vancouver, Joey Haywood learned a hard lesson: that he could only truly express himself on the basketball court at Kitsilano Beach.

By Charlie Smith

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Cover illustration by Isa Rodrigues

ESPORTS

With Father’s Day around the corner, we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of gifts for any gaming-obsessed Dad.

By Jon Cranny and John Lucas

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CANNABIS

This summer, Vancouver cartoonist and animation pioneer Verne Andru will release his third edition of Captain Cannabis.

By Charlie Smith

e Start Here 14 8 13 19 12 7 10 17 18 19 8 10

ARTS BARBECUE BOOKS CLASSIFIED CONFESSIONS KIDS’ ACTIVITIES LIQUOR MOVIES REAL ESTATE SAVAGE LOVE SUMMER DINING WINE

Vancouver’s News and Entertainment Weekly Volume 54 | Number 2734 1635 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1W9 T: 604.730.7000 F: 604.730.7010 E: gs.info@straight.com straight.com

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PUBLISHER Brian Kalish FOUNDING PUBLISHER Dan McLeod EDITOR Charlie Smith SECTION EDITORS Janet Smith (Arts/Entertainment/Style) Brian Lynch (Books) Mike Usinger (eSports/Liquor/Music) SENIOR EDITOR Martin Dunphy ASSOCIATE EDITORS Gail Johnson (Health/Food/Wine) John Lucas (Cannabis) STAFF WRITERS Carlito Pablo (Real Estate) Craig Takeuchi SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT Jeff Li DIGITAL COORDINATOR Jon Cranny GRAPHIC DESIGNER Miguel Hernandez PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Mike Correia SALES DIRECTOR Tara Lalanne ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Glenn Cohen, Robyn Marsh, Manon Paradis, David Pearlman

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COVER

June 18-25 / 2020

e Online TOP 5

Here’s what people are reading this week on Straight.com.

1 2 3 4 5

Sex workers’ Red Umbrella march goes virtual this year in wake of pandemic.

Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks about U.S. travellers reportedly in Canada.

Greek restaurant’s assessment chopped due to SkyTrain proximity.

Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput’s death leads to call for an inquiry.

CBC host Wendy Mesley suspended amid probe into “careless language”. @GeorgiaStraight

CONTENT AND MARKETING SPECIALIST Rachel Moore CIRCULATION MANAGER Giles Roy CREDIT MANAGER Shannon Li ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR Tamara Robinson

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ESPORTS

A gift guide for your pixel-fixated dad or grad

by John Lucas and Jon Cranny

I

For Father’s Day or graduation, the gamer in your life would love (left to right) a Vancouver Titans jersey, Logitech’s G604 wireless mouse, Paper Mario: The Origami King, or a Sega Genesis Mini.

t’s June, and that means different things to different people. If you happen to live where we live, it means rain. Lots of rain. But with the promise of brighter days on the horizon.

For those who have dads or are dads themselves, June means Father’s Day, which falls on the 21st. For lots of folks attending a secondary school or a postsecondary institution, June means graduation is near.

Because everything is basically nuts right now, grad ceremonies and parties have gone the way of sporting events and moved online.

And, depending on the scope of your own household bubble, you might only be seeing your dad on a screen this Father’s Day. It’s a weird world, but one thing hasn’t changed: whether you have a dad or a grad in your life—or maybe even more than one of each—you’re still obligated to get them a gift. Because it’s June, you see.

If your particular loved ones are as fixated on pixels and frame rates as we are, they are likely to appreciate something from the following list, which we humbly offer as the ultimate gift guide for ESportsobsessed dads and gaming grads.

VANCOUVER TITANS HOME JERSEY

It’s been quite a year for the Vancouver Titans. Okay, fair enough—2020 has been a hell of a year for everyone on the planet. In the Overwatch League team’s case, though, it’s been downright topsy-turvy, with the organization parting ways with all of the players and coaches back in May. All the personnel turmoil doesn’t take away from the fact that the Titans have arguably the coolest branding in all of ESports, with that glaring green Sasquatch making this replica home jersey a must for fans. Fans of the Vancouver Titans, we mean, but also fans of Sasquatches in general. Sasquatches are cool.

NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK GAMING SWITCH

According to the official description, this 4

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slick-looking piece of gear “includes a new gaming dashboard for real-time network insights, auto-diagnostics, and close-tozero latency for fast responsiveness & highresolution video”.

Don’t worry if you have no clue what any of that means—the gamer in your life will understand that it means every round of their next Spike Rush will unfold in crystal-clear definition, and that they’ll be able to appreciate the recoil pattern of their Odin as it was meant to be experienced, with no latency.

And if you have no idea what any of that means, you might be reading the wrong article.

PAC-MAN GHOST LAMP

Perhaps your dad (or grad, we’re not ageist) is actually old enough to remember when the original Pac-Man hit arcades. That was in 1980, for the record; he might also recall that the game was initially called “Puck Man”. It’s a good thing Namco changed it, because “Puck Man” sounds like a hockeybased game, and just imagine how easy it would have been for some mischief-minded miscreant to deface the machine by turning the P into an F. Paladone’s Pac-Man ghost lamp will bring back memories of those heady days.

Switch it to “party mode” and it will cycle through 16 different colours—which is about a dozen more colours than the ghosts in the game came in. We’ve come a long way since 1980.

LOGITECH G604 LIGHTSPEED WIRELESS GAMING MOUSE

Let’s be honest here, gaming isn’t fully enjoyable until you have the best equipment.

With 15 programmable controls, dual connectivity—Bluetooth and 1ms lightspeed—a Hero 16K sensor, and a dualmode hyper-fast scroll wheel, the G604 is one of the best mice available and is sure to help turn your dad or grad into one of the gaming elites.

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

TORONTO DEFIANT CAP

They say game recognizes game, but we could amend that to note that gamers recognize gamers. This is our way of saying that when the recipient of this sleekly designed black cap wears it on the street (or, more likely these days, on a Microsoft Teams meeting), some people won’t get it.

ESports fanatics, on the other hand, will instantly recognize the red insignia as the logo of the Overwatch League Atlantic North Division’s Toronto Defiant.

Sure, the Defiant finished its inaugural season in 17th place and is currently 16th in the OWL standings. Look at it this way, though: everyone loves to root for the underdog. Especially when the underdog has really cool-looking merch.

PAPER MARIO: THE ORIGAMI KING

Surprise! Princess Peach has been captured once again and Mario must rescue her.

Mario and Luigi were invited to an origami festival in Toad Town, but when they arrived, the town was deserted. They discover that the princess has been turned into origami by King Olly, who is hell-bent on folding the world.

Mario must find the princess’s castle, which was transported to a distant mountain, while unfolding the damage that the king has created. Even Bowser is no match for Olly’s folding rampage when his soldiers turn on him and become Olly’s folded troops. Mario must team up with Olly’s sister Olivia and King Koopa to complete the mission.

This game is one-player, and it’s the perfect gift for dads and grads who need to put in some digital-hero time. The official release is July 17, but you can pre-order it today so your giftee has their copy on lock.

LEGO OVERWATCH BASTION BUILDING KIT

You can’t spend all your free time playing Overwatch. If you have someone in your life who seems determined to prove that

the above statement is untrue, hit ’em with a brick. Or a box of bricks.

Overwatch isn’t Lego’s first video-gamebased theme. The company has made Minecraft sets since 2012. That’s a natural fit, given that both Lego and Minecraft involve constructing things with blocks.

Overwatch Lego might seem a little less intuitive, but this 602-piece buildable model of everyone’s favourite combat robot turned explorer looks like a lot of fun.

You can also configure it from recon mode to sentry mode without any rebuilding.

Think of how dope it will look set up next to your favourite gamer’s monitor.

SEGA GENESIS MINI

This is the perfect gift for those grads who love retro gaming or dads who want to reminisce about the old consoles they got rid of at a garage sale. This mini version of the Sega Genesis is loaded with 40 games, including Ecco the Dolphin, Altered Beast, Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Street Fighter II, Contra, and Tetris. The system is plug-and-play, so hookup is easy. Plus, you get two controllers so all the dads can finally school their kids at games they dominated back in the day.

FATHER AND BABY GAMER SHIRTS

This shirt-and-onesie combo is the perfect gift for new dads out there. It’s cute, funny, and affordable. Sure, the new gamer in training will be Player 2 on the sticks, but he or she will be No. 1 in their dad’s heart.

The shirt-and-onesie set comes in black, grey, and navy blue. g

MORE eSPORTS ONLINE AT ECENTRALSPORTS.COM

EXPLORE NORTH VAN SUPPORT LOCAL 1

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Drive, walk or take public transit down to our waterfront Market. We are a 15 minute SeaBus from Waterfront Station!

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Need a drink?

We have tons of great choices from burgers, pizzas, soups, fish and chips, buddha bowls and so much more!

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Got a sweet tooth?

We have something for everyone! From milkshakes, kombucha, craft beer and artisan wines!

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We offer lots of sweets from cupcakes, chocolates, milkshakes, ice cream, macarons, saltwater taffy, waffles and more!

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Connect online!

Visit our website for contests, summer programming and vendor promotions!

Step outside on our beautiful waterfront seaside plaza and enjoy the sunshine as you look out to the ocean and cityscape.

60+ Food, Beverage & Retail Vendors to Explore | Open 7 days a week 9am ‘til 7pm 604.985.6261 | Lonsdalequay.com Photos by Green Leaf Brewing, Bowen Pizza co, Butter Lane Bake Shop @ZChristinne, @emm1_emm1. @kentuckycaverat JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

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SUMMER GUIDE

Kits Beach allowed King Handles to be himself

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by Charlie Smith

oey Haywood, 35, earned the nickname “King Handles” on the basketball court at Kitsilano Beach. A wizard at street ball, he amazed onlookers by dribbling behind his back, through his opponents’ legs, and sometimes even over their heads at the age of 15 and 16. He played with a level of joy and artistry unlike anything basketball fans had ever seen in Vancouver.

“That’s where everything started,” Haywood recently told the Straight by phone. “I felt like I was home when I was out there. I could do whatever I wanted to do.

“Nobody was judging me—not even judging my skin colour, because there was a lot of Black people out there,” he continued. “There was a lot of different minorities. There was everybody—Black, White, Asian—everyone is playing ball and trying to win. There was no division.…Everybody was one race. It was unity.”

Unfortunately, Haywood didn’t experience this elsewhere in Vancouver. This dichotomy is revealed in a recent short film, “Down With the King”, directed by his friend and former Vancouver resident Ryan Sidhoo. It not only features archived video clips of Haywood’s dazzling basketball prowess but also explores how his style

In a new film, basketball star Joey Haywood shares what it’s like being Black in Vancouver.

of play was not welcomed by the basketball establishment. As far back as Grade 8, Haywood was told by his coach not to dribble the ball through his legs because he wasn’t Michael Jordan. The coach was irritated.

Haywood experienced similar difficulties later when playing at Langara College.

“People didn’t understand the Black culture here in the city because there weren’t many Black people,” Haywood explained. “When you don’t see a lot of Black

people and you come with that Black style of play, people say, ‘What the heck is that?

We don’t play like that.’ ” He feels that if he had grown up in New York or Miami rather than Vancouver, his style of play would have been more accepted. But he said that in Vancouver, his swagger and his on-court tricks were derided as “jungle ball”, when he was simply expressing who he was as a Canadian of Trinidadian ancestry. As a young man,

he sounded off about this in an interview in New York-based basketball magazine Slam, which only got him slammed in Canada, his country of birth.

“It felt like I ruined my basketball career,” Haywood revealed. “That’s how I kind of felt. Everyone was going against what I was saying. It felt like it was harder to make it.”

But at the same time, he knew that this was his truth. He transferred from Langara College to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, where he immediately felt more comfortable, in part because of the city’s larger Black population. “I played in an all-Black tournament and the coaches saw me play and wanted to sign me right away,” he recalled.

“Because they understood—even the White coaches understood—that’s how we played.

They understood it because they’re around Black people and there’s a Black culture there, and they understand Black culture.”

He later became a two-time all-star in the National Basketball League of Canada, playing for the Halifax Rainmen, and he recently signed with the Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. In addition, Haywood runs the School of Handles basketball training camps, which he offers across North America and in Asia. g

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SUMMER GUIDE

From disc golf to STEM camps, keeping our kids busy

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by Gail Johnson

arents who have been working at home while their kids have taken to online learning might be daunted by the fact that those blessed children are already bored with so much time around the house—and summer hasn’t even started yet. Fortunately, there are tons of activities to keep small adults entertained and engaged over the next two months.

Disc golf—the sport featuring a Frisbeelike object rather than a golf ball—is teeing up to be more popular than ever. Generally, it’s far less frustrating than regular golf, though the object of the game is the same: to get the disc from a start line (tee) to a target (an elevated metal basket) with the fewest number of shots (throws). Along the way are obstacles like shrubs, trees, water hazards, and slopes that make the task at hand, literally, that much harder.

Disc-golf courses throughout the province are open, depending on the jurisdiction; it’s up to individual municipalities to determine. Phase 2 of B.C.’s Restart Plan allows activities to resume in a limited way, focusing on casual, unorganized play and training.

“Disc golf is a perfect excuse to get outside,” says Leanne Fulton, who works

With courses open, disc golf offers a fun excuse to get outside. Photo by Moonrider Productions

in communications with B.C. Disc Golf.

“We’re asking people to stick to the public health officer’s guidelines on the disc golf course: social distancing, keeping groups to four or fewer, using good hand hygiene, not sharing equipment, avoiding high fives and handshakes, and staying home if not feeling well.”

Foot golf is another variation on the original sport, only you kick a soccer ball along the fairways. The targets are larger

holes in the ground marked by their own flag. This version moves along a lot quicker than the traditional game, even if you end up in a sand trap every three holes.

If biking is what keeps a smile on your beloved’s face, try out some new trails, whether they’re challenging ones with drops and dips on the North Shore or pleasantly flat paths along Richmond’s dykes.

For those who prefer to ride roads, RBC GranFondo Whistler is making its training

programs available for free download this year, for beginner to advanced cyclists, because the ride from Vancouver to Whistler is cancelled for 2020. Come up with your own personal goal or simply train for fun via Fondo clinics by Trek, with experts from SportMedBC providing a weekly email with tips and coaching guidance. ln keeping with the virtual theme, online fitness classes for all ages have become commonplace since the onset of the pandemic. Check out local community or recreation centres as well as private gyms for yoga, Zumba, boot camp, core, and other workouts geared specifically to youth that are being offered via Zoom, Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and other platforms.

Despite so many summer camps being cancelled due to COVID-19, there remain plenty of options online. For young’uns who enjoy STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), UBC has Geering Up camps for students from kindergarten right through to Grade 12. The programs include demos, design challenges, and more.

STEM Camp, meanwhile, is a national not-for-profit organization that offers virtual experiences like Fortnite and Avengers Scratch Coding for kids aged five to 13. g

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

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SUMMER FOOD

Sandwiches, salads, and seafood keep it simple

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by Gail Johnson

hen Sandbar executive chef Wesley Dennis isn’t working at that Granville Island restaurant, you can find him in his garden, teaching his kids how to plant and grow vegetables and herbs. They love to gather freshly picked ingredients and use them to create new dishes.

Although summertime cooking might first bring to mind firing up the grill (see other story on this page), there are all sorts of other ways to make the most of the season’s vibrant flavours without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s time to put away the roasting pan to make way for simple meals that will yield equally delicious results.

“You don’t always need to turn on a stove to make dinner,” Dennis tells the Straight, pointing to ceviche as an ideal summertime dish. “Lemons, limes, oranges, or even yuzu: use citric acid to cook your favourite fish or seafood. Try B.C. spot prawns that are currently in season, halibut, or snapper.

“Pair the citrus with a fresh herb like cilantro or mint,” he says. “Serve it with tortillas or on top of greens and you get a fresh, light dinner.”

Tacos are an easy crowd pleaser, whether you’re filling them with grilled peppers and avocado, chicken and black beans, or even last night’s leftovers.

Big salads are a summer go-to: “Make your favourite salad and add protein and quinoa, farro, or any other type of hearty grain to turn it into a meal,” Dennis says.

A simple but show-stopping dinner is a seafood boil. Cook up any combination of

Lil Bird Sandwich Co. puts Super Chicken Shawarma (left) between flavourful sourdough slices; the eatery’s chef, Nitzan Cohen, says sandwiches can be a social and socially distanced meal.

prawns, crab, clams, mussels, halibut, scallops, lobster—you name it. “This is an easy one-pot dish,” Dennis says. “You can throw your favourite ingredients in a nice stock.

Use veggies like corn on the cob, potatoes, and onions. Then pair that with your favourite seafoods or meats—maybe add a nice smoked sausage like andouille or chorizo.”

Just remember that different types of seafood cook at different rates, so put in the items with the longest cooking times first. The seafood boil can be served as is or with a leafy green salad, side of asparagus or broccolini, or loaf of crusty French bread.

One of Dennis’s favourite summer dinners that doesn’t involve a barbecue is a simple charcuterie platter with any assortment of meats, cheeses, bread, and “pickled things”. “This dish is best enjoyed with friends, laughter, and, of course, lots of wine,” he says.

Even a sandwich can be elevated to a full meal that bursts with flavour. Kafka’s Coffee recently launched Lil Bird Sandwich Co. inside its Main Street location, where head chef Nitzan Cohen (of Mensch Jewish Delicatessen) has come up with several varieties of sourdough goodness.

“Our Uncle Antipasto sandwich is a perfect summer sandwich,” Cohen tells the Straight. “It combines the freshness of summer tomatoes, basil leaves, and arugula with creamy, light bocconcini cheese and roasted red peppers marinated in olive oil and balsamic, fresh herbs, and garlic.

Almost all of these are local ingredients, so you can truly get a taste of British Columbia in one package. All of that with balsamic aioli creates a light and fresh sandwich that is perfect for a picnic in a hot summer day.

“Grab one and head off to the beach or take it with you on a hike,” he says. “Sandwiches can also be a social and socially distanced meal, with each person having their own individual portions. For your own bubble, you can bring a selection of breads and fillings, and folks can make their own.”

Cohen’s tips for making a knockout sandwich include prioritizing seasonal ingredients like sweet, firm tomatoes. He suggests always adding something crunchy for texture, like fresh cucumber. Don’t overdo it on sauces; let the fillings shine. And always use fresh bread.

“Every sandwich needs a bright flavour like a squeeze of lemon or some fresh greens,” Cohen says. “A crusty sourdough works best. The crust has so much flavour.

Plus, the chewier the crust, the more flavour your sandwich will have.

“Try new things and combinations, because you never know what you will like,” he says. “Don’t judge people for what they like or do not like. Sandwiches are a personal preference.” g

DIY grilling sauces and marinades are worry-free

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by Martin Dunphy

ummer is barbecue season for most backyard chefs, although the really serious ones grit it out through the winter damp and darkness, sheltering under overhangs while dodging flare-ups and smoke.

But warmer, longer days bring out hordes of amateur cooks burning everything from fish and chicken to steaks and sausages, and one ingredient they all seem to utilize is some kind of barbecue sauce or marinade.

Unfortunately, most grillers favour premade sauces, which often come with premade problems, most of which can be found in the list of ingredients: sugar, preservatives, and colouring.

Although dyes and chemicals used in many bottled sauces are what scientists like to refer to as GRAS (generally regarded as safe), who wants to worry about things like that in the food you make for your family and friends?

That’s one good reason to take a bit of time to create your own sauce or marinade.

The other good reason is the sugar in bottled sauce, which is often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup or molasses. If you really slather on store-bought stuff, you 8

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JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

All kinds of grilled foods can be improved with homemade sauces and marinades. Photo by Evan Wise/Unsplash

can end up consuming as many grams of sugar as are in a can of soda. Also, because sugar burns readily, barbecue sauce brushed on meats too early chars and imparts a nasty taste to the food, defeating its mission of flavouring and enhancing.

A good array of base ingredients for homemade sauce includes tomato sauce, vinegar (red-wine or apple-cider), dry mustard, judicious amounts of sweetener (mostly molasses and brown sugar, for flavour), Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (by preference), salt, pepper, paprika (smoked or plain), liquid smoke (natural flavours and water only), and fresh herbs.

Now look up some recipes on the Internet. (We can’t do everything for you.)

Marinades can be tricky, but remember that you want to tenderize and impart flavour. Salty ingredients, like soy sauce, are good in moderation, because salt helps retain moisture. Acidic components, like vinegars and lemon juice, can help tenderize meat fibres (don’t use too much for too long). Fats, usually from oils, are important for flavour and moisture and to balance acid. Fresh herbs and spices are mandatory.

Never, ever puncture meat to allow marinade to “penetrate”—that will dry it out in cooking and create leather.

Oh, okay: one simple and delicious marinade for chicken, pork, and fish is one-third oil, one-third lemon juice (freshsqueezed), and one third soy sauce. Add a little sesame oil or herbs for tang and an exotic flavour profile. g

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9

SUMMER DRINKS

A pleasant glow is the goal with summer drinks

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by Mike Usinger

Authentic Greek Food Extensive Wine & Bar List

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For more information please call either: CHARLES LEIBOVITCH 778-840-4949 or GRACE HANN At 778-828-1917

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mong the greatest gifts ever bestowed upon humankind are the different seasons of the year. And for dedicated liquor nerds, there’s no more magical time than summer.

That’s not to disparage the other three. What would spring be without French 75s on a café terrace in the Montorgueil district of Paris? The highlight of fall is Halloween, because that’s a time for watching Dawn of the Dead with a Zombie.

As for winter, thank Buddha, Vishnu, and Santa Claus for the holiday season. The entire month of December is a green light to drink daily—think heavy and strong, with a rum and eggnog.

But back to summer. There’s no shortage of things to love, starting with the fact business-casual means flip-flops, camouflage cargo shorts, and a Gun Club Fire of Love T-shirt. Because summer is often blazing hot, it’s like being on vacation somewhere exotic seven days a week. And when on vacation self-respecting liquor nerds drink from noon until midnight, keeping a pleasant glow as the goal, rather than getting too gooned to fire up the barbecue.

How does one manage such a delicate balancing act? Going light, bright, and simple is the key.

A serious contender for all-time king of summer cocktails is the Mojito, which is as idiotically easy to execute as it is refreshing. Traditionalists will argue there’s only one way to make a proper Mojito, and that’s by combining crushed mint and cane sugar with white rum, fresh lime, and soda water. But rules are sometimes made to be ignored, which means there’s nothing wrong with reaching for a can of Sanpellegrino Limonata for an extra-tart kick. As for the rum, umm, Havana Club 3 Años, please.

The Mojito was one of Ernest Hemingway’s two favourite drinks when he was hunkered down in Havana, often glued to a barstool at La Bodeguita del Medio. At his other home in Cuba—El Floridita—the Daiquiri was tops on his liquid-lunch menu. That’s a cocktail that is also completely easy to make when you’ve got fresh lime, rum, and sugar. Shake and pour, and it’s like you’re watching the ’57 Chevrolets roll by on the Malecon.

Sometimes location is everything in our perception of what a great summer drink is. Transport yourself to hot and fabulously humid Brazil with a Caipirinha, with refreshing and simple again as the buzzwords. (Mash a lime and sugar in a shaker, add one-

Mint and fresh lime keep a Mojito in the world of light-and-easy.

and-a-half ounces of cachaça and crushed ice, and then empty into a glass.) Imagine you’re in the Caribbean with a vibrantly coloured Yellow Bird (Bacardi white rum, Galliano, Triple Sec, and fresh lime). Or plant yourself in the middle of Peru with a Pisco Sour (lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Campo de Encanto pisco, shaken with ice cubes, strained into a glass, and finished with a dash of Angostura bitters).

You’ll note that many of the above cocktails contain white rum (or what tastes like a first or second cousin) as a main ingredient.

There’s a reason for that: save the Gosling Black Seal rum for the Dark ’n’ Stormy days of November. This is summer. You’ve got to keep things light and bright.

MOJITO

2 tsp white sugar 4 mint sprigs 1 oz fresh lime juice 1.5 oz Havana Club 3 Años 3.5 oz Sanpellegrino Limonata Mix sugar with lime at the bottom of a cylindrical glass. Add 3 mint sprigs and muddle. (Be gentle; you don’t want a paste.) Add rum, Limonata, and cracked ice, and garnish with a mint sprig. g Mike Usinger is not a professional bartender. He does, however, spend most of his waking hours sitting on barstools.

Don’t forget the wonders of wine this season

S

by Gail Johnson

or get free shipping on a minimum order of six bottles. Take it to the next level with a takeout order of Glowbal’s crispy calamari.

ummertime sipping might make you think of Margaritas, Mojitos, and Frosés, all best enjoyed while kicking back on a sun-splashed patio or dangling your feet off a dock. But we also love our wine, no matter what time of year. Here’s a smattering of B.C. selections to consider.

BIZOU + YUKON PINKIE ROSÉ This wine, the latest from Okanagan Crush Pad, takes its name from the Summerland winery’s gorgeous Great Pyrenees, majestic dogs who guard sheep and generally make humans happy as they roam around the Ranch, where the grapes grow. OCP owners Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie are the same team behind the Haywire, Narrative, and Free Form labels, with Matt Dumayne at the helm of the organic-winemaking process. The rosé comes in a mixed case (with four of each of the three wines) for delivery ($275). Pick-up pairing: crispy pork from Richmond’s HK BBQ Master.

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

Bizou + Yukon Pinkie Rosé comes in a mixed case featuring four of each of the wines.

HILLSIDE 2018 VIOGNIER Aptly named for its slope-side location on the Naramata Bench, Hillside prides itself on producing all of its wines exclusively from Naramatagrown grapes. Winemaker Kathy Malone describes this aromatic white, with its honeysuckle scent, as the winery’s summer Chardonnay. Find it at the winery for $24

GEHRINGER BROTHERS AUXERROIS OLD VINES 2018 Siblings Gordon and Walter Gehringer first started dreaming of an estate winery almost 50 years ago. Since launching in 1985, they’ve racked up more platinum awards than any other winery in the Pacific Northwest. Among the wins for this off-dry number: gold in the All Canadian Wine Championships and silver at the Cascadia International Wine Competition. The winery suggests it’s one to serve “when one is not sure of one’s preference.”

Hmm. We’ll take it in the late afternoon with a bento to-go of grilled shoyu-koji saba mackerel from Stem Japanese Eatery.

If you’re ordering a case from the winery direct, the special price for June is $10.99 per bottle. Alternatively, check out the website for a list of private stores in Greater Vancouver that carry the label. g

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

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Obituaries & In Memoriam • Up to 10 images • Online only • Self-serve • Guestbook forever • Unlimited length • Verified

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GO TO EPITAPHS.STRAIGHT.COM TO POST AN OBITUARY The Georgia Straight Confessions, an outlet for submitting revelations about your private lives—or for the voyeurs among us who want to read what other people have disclosed.

Scan to confess Small world

I have an interview next week and recognized one of the associate’s on the firm’s website to be my ex’s boyfriend. We broke up eight years ago.

It was the greatest and most fulfilling relationship I’ve ever had but I was young, ignorant and battling my own demons. we’ve talked sporadically over the years and know every relationship and milestone we’ve been through. She knows I’m a doting dad, single and still a workaholic. But the truth is, I love this woman and most likely always will. She emailed me at Christmas saying she’s happy and met the one. I’ll be declining this interview because I really do love her and I wish them the best.

Horn Dawg I get super horny when I’m hungover :-)

Hair and nail salon Chose empty businesses that had fresh air coming in with open window and doors. Hair stylist told me she may not survive this pandemic drop in business with downtown Vancouver rent. Nail tech has two sons in high school. No other customer inside the whole nail salon but me. Not sure if these places will survive. Supporting them and tipped them 33% - 38% because they really need the money more than I do. I get weirded out when I go through previously bustling places and they are still and quiet. Literally like the soul has been eviscerated.

Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Unfortunately my experience has taught me to expect the worst; so, the saying for me goes “Plenty of shit in the sea.” It’s laughable but I find it helps me to face reality, to accept how people are and not how I think they should be.

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JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

CANNABIS

Weed-powered superhero is ready to fly high again

V

by Charlie Smith

erne Andru has been involved in many successful ventures over the course of his life. He ran a production studio in the 1990s, making TV spots for A&B Sound. The Kitsilano resident created a desktop animation system that’s been used to create web and broadcast content for IKEA and other companies. And his creative work helped the locally produced Simply Accounting software become a blockbuster hit.

The Vancouver-born Andru was also a pioneer in the city’s multibillion-dollar animation and VFX industry. Back in the late ’70s, he was an animator on Hanna-Barbera’s Godzilla Power Hour and Jana of the Jungle.

“It wasn’t outsourced to Asia at that point,” Andru told the Straight by phone.

“We were the first outsourced point for Hollywood for animation.”

But his underlying passion through all of those years has been his Captain Cannabis comic books. The third edition will be released later this summer—43 years after the debut appeared.

Continuing from the previous issues, the main character, a slacker named Hal Lighter, is transformed into Captain Cannabis, thanks to an intragalactic herb. The second main character, Marion Jones, is a survivor of neglect and abuse who juggles relationships with Hal, DIA special agent Ralph Bukster, and Hal’s cousin Mikey.

Andru said a reviewer described Captain Cannabis as a “unique mix of science fiction, dark comedy, and gritty realism”.

“This is indie,” Andru emphasized. “I’m doing the underground comic-book thing that was big in the late ’60s and early ’70s.”

His father was a Kmart and Kresge store manager who was transferred to different cities every three years. As a young adult, Andru was living in Winnipeg where there were no animation schools. So he rummaged through the bookstore at the University of Manitoba, where there was an applied-art course, and picked up three books, including two by illustrator Andrew Loomis.

That’s how Andru learned how to improve his skills as an illustrator. When asked about artists who influenced him in that era, he replied: “I think Frank Frazetta is one of the gods of comic books, not that I emulate his work.”

So where did Captain Cannabis come from? The origins go back to a chance encounter with Lloyd Axworthy, a future senior Liberal cabinet minister, in front of a downtown Winnipeg store.

Andru said that Axworthy was stumping for Pierre Trudeau, who was seeking re-election in 1974. This was two years after the Le Dain Commission of Inquiry into the NonMedical Use of Drugs recommended

Verne Andru’s third issue of Captain Cannabis comes 43 years after the character’s debut.

legalizing possession of cannabis and cultivation for personal use.

According to Andru, he shook Axworthy’s hand and asked if Trudeau was going to implement the commission’s recommendations and decriminalize weed.

“And he said ‘absolutely,’ ” Andru said.

“That was my Captain Cannabis green light.”

The cartoonist had already been working on a superhero comic-book series called Captain Canuck. “I figured, well, we’re going to be in a legalized world so I’ll make a cannabis superhero.”

He initially completed two Captain Cannabis comic books, relying on photocopying machines. “They wouldn’t do a solid black to save your life,” Andru revealed. “I did a short run of both of them and then continued developing the project as things went on.”

The first official release occurred in 1977, followed by a 40th anniversary second release in 2017, a year before Trudeau’s son, Justin, legalized weed in Canada.

“I’m not just somebody who came out of the blue,” Andru said. “All the experts now on 4/20 and pot either weren’t born or were in diapers back when we were starting all this stuff.” g

MORE CANNABIS ONLINE AT CANNCENTRAL.COM

SUMMER BOOKS

Season’s titles find light in language and nature

S

by Brian Lynch

ummer is upon us—a different kind of summer this time, to be sure. But books remain the inexpensive, endlessly rich resource they’ve always been, and Canadian authors and publishers need your support in this economically strained season. So do them and yourself a favour by searching out the kinds of fine writing represented by the titles below.

critical success of her debut novel The Outlander, Toronto’s Gil Adamson returns with a striking sequel, set like its predecessor in the wilds of the Canadian West a century ago. As the First World War echoes in the distance, the tale mixes western and mystery. Once again, Adamson’s powers as a poet weave her characters deeply into the natural world.

MY SUMMER OF LOVE AND MISFORTUNE (By Lindsay Wong. Simon & Schuster) The fast-rising Vancouver-based author shifts to buoyant YA fiction in the wake of her award-winning 2018 debut memoir The Woo-Woo. Saddled with the “total sexist bullshit” of having been born a girl in an unlucky Year of the Tiger, and thus viewed by her parents as bound for little more than embarrassment and frivolity, young Chinese American Iris Wang is sent to Beijing to connect with relatives and ground herself in their culture. She thinks she’ll be a tourist, but her time among the city’s wealthiest residents winds up revealing a lot more than any museum visit could.

SPIRITS OF THE COAST: ORCAS IN SCIENCE, ART AND HISTORY (Edited

by Martha Black, Lorne Hammond, and Gavin Hanke, with Nikki Sanchez. Royal BC Museum) Among all the marvels of life on the West Coast, there’s nothing quite like spotting a black dorsal fin arcing through the waves. The Royal BC Museum’s history- and culture-spanning exhibit on the orca was originally planned for a May 15 opening but has been pushed back to next year for reasons everyone knows and never needs to hear explained again. But the accompanying hardcover book has been published in advance. Its brightly illustrated, large-format pages offer everything from Haida storytelling to marine biology, all to show our too-often-ignored kinship with this astonishing animal. g

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (By Evelyn Lau. Anvil) Few themes in poetry have as long

Vancouver-based author Lindsay Wong turns to the YA genre with her witty, buoyant debut novel.

and grand a history as depression. With her eighth collection, former Vancouver poet laureate Evelyn Lau brings the subject into our troubled century, blending timeless cares about aging, loss, and internal darkness with present-day images of diagnosis and medication, as well as our own peculiar sense of a world spinning out of control. Like

the poets of bygone centuries, Lau performs the alchemical process of turning leaden states of feeling into glowing language— “sunlight shot through a brocade of smog,” as she writes in the verses of “Tinder Dry”.

RIDGERUNNER (By Gil Adamson. Anansi) A full 13 years after the popular and

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SUMMER ARTS

Local arts fests find new ways for the show to go on

by Janet Smith

T

Idan Cohen’s Ne.Sans opera hits the courtyard at Dancing on the Edge (photo by Chris Randle); Waris Ahluwalia appears virtually at Indian Summer; Pippa Mackie helps curate online shows at e-Volver.

he idea of a summer festival brings to mind images of hundreds of bodies crowding around outdoor stages—the antithesis of what our COVID-19-hammered province is recommending right now.

Social-distancing measures have meant the temporary loss of major events like the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and the Vancouver Folk Festival. But not every celebration is shutting down this year. Some arts festivals have found new ways to celebrate this season—in the digital sphere, but in realworld new ways as well.

At Dancing on the Edge in July, instead of presenting 30-odd shows on-stage, the event puts on a curated mix of digital shows and five live performances in the courtyard and even the historic Firehall Arts Centre itself.

“One option was cancelling—and a lot of festivals have had to do that. I said, ‘How can artists still get money for their work?’ ” says fest producer Donna Spencer.

In the end, the four outdoor shows on a raised stage will allow for 40 people in “isolation-pod” groupings, entering directly from a back gate. Even more measures get taken inside, where Radical System Arts’ Shay Kuebler will combine solo works by seven dancers into a single, socially distanced piece on-stage before an audience of 30 carefully spaced viewers.

The programming has involved ample study of WorkSafe protocols and discussion with artists to make them feel safe.

The online roster is a mix of filmed work, new work edited and created in time for the fest by choreographers like Josh Martin and Vanessa Goodman, and livestreamed content. Amber Funk Barton is putting together a live Instagram “Dance 14

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

Café” of eight artists.

“I have to say it seems like doing the live performance fest is a lot easier than doing the streaming fest, and that’s because we haven’t been set up to do it [digitally] before,” says Spencer with a laugh.

Similarly, the rEvolver Festival had to pivot quickly this year. It decided to cancel its regular event in May, rescheduling to launch the all-virtual e-Volver Festival from Thursday (June 18) to June 27. The idea was to inspire emerging and mid-career artists to create new work during lockdown, happening on multiple platforms and reflecting on what’s going on in the world at this moment.

“We spent close to a year developing the rEvolver Festival, and when we realized it wasn’t going to be possible, the number one priority was to figure out how to support those artists through this difficult time,” says Upintheair Theatre’s Pippa Mackie, who helped curate the fest. “We said, ‘Is there a way to empower artists to create something new that was actually tailored to be enjoyed digitally?’”

The resulting lineup features everything from live-action role play over Discord to a celebration of Asian drag artistry brought to viewers via Twitch and a one-on-one latenight call that takes place on your cellphone.

The artists had only six weeks to build their offerings, and tickets are free. Presenting the roster via a central website “front of house” has been a challenge, Mackie admits with a laugh.

“It’s been a total roller coaster,” she says.

“Quite often in the theatre world the digital understanding is not why we got into theatre; we didn’t get into this to work on that platform,” she says. “But we also wanted to give artists the opportunity to carry what they learned here into their practice. We really do

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

hope to give them a platform where they can experiment and also carry that forward.”

She hopes there will be lasting effects of this monumental effort of the past six weeks— with the knowledge that the arts might not look exactly the same when they come back after COVID-19. “I know everyone is so excited for when we’ll be able to gather in a theatre again, but I also want people to feel empowered to create in different ways,” Mackie says.

“We wouldn’t have probably considered doing programming like this…but here we are doing it, and I’m so excited about the creativity coming out of this time.”

Spencer, too, sees these early experiments having lasting importance.

“I want to do this not just for the Edge’s purpose but to see what we could do for salon-style performances in the Firehall’s full season,” she says, adding of her Edge experiment: “For future festivals we will look at what we can do online—work that we can actually set up to be live-streamed so it can reach beyond Vancouver.”

With that in mind, here are some of the highlights of, and updates on, these summer arts festivals and others that have decided to take the plunge amid the pandemic: INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL (To July 18 online) One of the first events out of the gate with virtual programming this season continues its lineup. On Saturday (June 20), join ISF’s Facebook and YouTube platforms to see artistic polymath and dreamy model Waris Ahluwalia, who’s worked with everyone from filmmakers Spike Lee and Deepa Mehta to designer brands like Gucci; he’ll also talk about launching his own House of Waris herbal teas. Also watch for its 5x15 Global Edition, on June 27 at 11 a.m., curated and hosted jointly by

Eleanor O’Keefe (cofounder of the speaker series) and Sirish Rao (cofounder of ISF).

E-VOLVER FESTIVAL (June 18 to 27 online) Faced with the cancellation of its May rEvolver Festival, Upintheair Theatre has gone digital, featuring the premiere of nine new performance works on every conceivable platform. Here is just a taste of the diversity amid the curated program. In Shay Dior’s House of Rice: In Rice-olation, 10 Asian drag artists conjure a sort of multimedia cabaret via Twitch. For all ages, Waterloo artist Ben Gorodetsky presents Yard Dances for Joy and Healing, including a raucous duet with his toddler son, Gus, filmed with multiple cameras in their back yard.

(The work has a special Father’s Day performance on June 21.) And award-winning game designers from Quebec and across North America create and facilitate Strangers on the ’Net, which invites you to play the role of a teenager online in the ’90s.

ITALIAN DAY ON THE DRIVE FOR COURAGE June 14 would have marked Italian Day on the Drive’s 10th anniversary, so in lieu of that massive outdoor gathering, the fest has launched a series of initiatives to keep the energy going. The campaign kicks off with an outdoor concert on the “piazza” at City Hall on June 26 to celebrate Italian Heritage Month—live-streamed to avoid crowds.

Organizers promise to follow up sporadically throughout the summer with live music from rooftop patios and “moving-vehicle platforms”, inspired by Italy’s music and song coming from balconies and rooftops during the crisis. Italian Day will also be driving donations to Coast Mental Health’s fundraising initiative Spread Courage, Not Fear. see page 16

ON DIGITAL & ON DEMAND JUNE 30

IN THEATRES & ON DEMAND JULY 10 JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

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from page 14 DANCING ON THE EDGE FESTIVAL (July 2 to 11, at the Firehall Arts Centre and online) The festival ventures not only into virtual terrain, but into the new world of socially distanced live performance as well. On the Firehall Arts Centre’s outdoor courtyard stage, look for O.Dela Arts’ Olivia C. Davies presenting a new group work (July 8 and 10 at 9 p.m.) and Israeli-Canadian sensation Idan Cohen with Ne.Sans opera and dance (July 7 and 9 at the same time). Radical System Arts’ Shay Kuebler, meanwhile, puts together the work of seven soloists indoors on the Firehall stage, in front of 30 audience members, on July 10 at 7 p.m. Watch for all three to stream via the Edge website (www.dancingontheedge.org/). Other standouts online: Company 605’s Josh Martin and Lisa Gelley reimagining a new work on video; Action at a Distance’s Vanessa Goodman working with Loscil/Scott Morgan on ideas of shifting surfaces; and the response.’s Amber Funk Barton curating eight solos via Instagram Live.

POWELL STREET FESTIVAL TELETHON (August 1, 2 to 7 p.m., live-streamed via powellstreetfestival.com/) Vancouver’s giant celebration of Japanese-Canadian culture has found a novel way to reimagine itself in the face of having to cancel its 44th annual gathering in and around Oppenheimer Park: it’s going to host a live telethon to benefit the Downtown Eastside. Watch for more announcements about the lineup, which will include live performances, highlights from

previous festivals, appearances by festival vendors, and more. Proceeds will go toward the year-round DTES Community Care program, as well as to celebrations like the Hanami cherry-blossom event, Asahi Tribute Game, and Minori Harvest.

FESTIVAL D’ÉTÉ (August 2020) The celebration of francophone music had to cancel its June event, but has said it’s “working on alternative solutions to offer you professional concerts respecting all government safety instructions, even producing the concerts online”. More information will be released in the coming weeks.

VANCOUVER FRINGE FESTIVAL Initially scheduled for September 10 to 20, the fest now asks you to watch its website for updates, as it considers options that include new formats, postponement, or staggering shows. The event’s new executive director, Rohit Chokhani, announced that organizers have not considered cancellation to date: “We are exploring what is possible through discussions with our artists and production team.” The Fringe plans to announce details sometime in July. g

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At the e-Volver fest, shadow puppets meet live-streaming

by Janet Smith

VANCOUVER MURAL FESTIVAL (MidAugust 2020) The street-art celebration has committed to a three-week event bringing new murals to the city this summer. It will be accepting submissions from artists and expanding to new neighbourhoods; watch for more details to be announced June 22.

PRESENTS

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SUMMER ARTS

JUNE 18 – 25 / 2020

A Light Touch, by Mind of a Snail’s Jessica Gabriel and Chloé Ziner, brings together low-tech overheads and state-of-the-art psychedelic video streaming—all from their living room.

H

oled up together in the weeks before the new e-Volver Festival, partners in life and art Jessica Gabriel and Chloé Ziner found themselves feeling anxious and disconnected. “So many things were shifting.

Why make art that isn’t part of the revolution right now?” says Ziner. “What is needed right now?”

The answer, as usual for the two performers behind Mind of a Snail, was shadow puppets and old-school overhead projectors—but now boosted by live video and Internet streaming.

“We were talking about how there’s notouch pandemic distancing juxtaposed with this violent, heavy touch by police,” she continues. “We decided to make our show about care and connection—that welcoming in our playful, creative space, which is so healing to us, and using the tools around us.”

The result is the new live-stream show A Light Touch, which invites three predetermined volunteer audience members to appear on the live feed each night. Each will enter a digital-analog Holo-Deck that conjures longed-for travel destinations or “psychedelic spa experiences”, with wildly crafted “light therapy” customized to their desires. Gabriel describes it alternately as a “playful kind of clown healing centre” and a “layered feast for the eyes”.

Mind of a Snail is toying with the idea that isolation has made us fall out of touch—with our chiropractors, our massage therapists, our palm readers.

Expect the same warped but warmhearted humour and surreal handmade innovation that have made past Mind of a Snail shows like Multiple Organism cult hits. The two artists, who have worked

together for 17 years, trace their one-ofa-kind shadow-puppet work back to the time Gabriel’s dad lent them an overhead projector for a performance at a “rave in the forest”.

For the record, they now own nine overheads. And Gabriel’s father is one of A Light Touch’s first volunteers.

Their show is just one of nine premiering at e-Volver, which switched gears quickly in the face of COVID-19 to replace the live rEvolver Festival. Like the fest’s other experiments on different platforms, A Light Touch has been created amid the craziness of the last six weeks. To hear these two describe it, they have turned their entire home into a creation space, wielding cameras, computers, and their usual paper and scissors. Or, in their more-colourful description, they’ve transformed their digs into an “avant-garde sanctuary-laboratory living-room surgical theatre”.

Video projections altered during the livestream will even play out on a big bedsheet hung in the duo’s living room. “We have big, south-facing living-room windows and we’ve made it into a black box,” says Gabriel.

“We’ve been trying to watch live-stream shows, and the ones I’ve enjoyed the most are the ones that share a bit of their space.”

“It’s somehow more intimate,” Ziner adds. “We’re trained as clowns, and a big part of our work and what people enjoy is us making things in front of them. And discovery can come with imperfections and trying some risks—we want to show that and share that.” g Mind of a Snail presents A Light Touch on YouTube Live on Thursday (June 18) at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday (June 23) at 8 p.m., and next Thursday (June 25) at 9 p.m. as part of the e-Volver Festival.

SUMMER MOVIES

Death-defying feats and diversity for digital fans

by Craig Takeuchi

The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival is showing faves, including “On the Verge” (left); the Vancouver Queer Film Festival screens Breaking Fast. Photo by Iftar Productions

W

hether it’s sunny weather or a Raincouver special, pandemic conditions make this summer a perfect time to hole up at home while watching films online. Here are a few upcoming local selections to keep you entertained, informed, inspired, and connected.

MOUNTAINS AT HOME

Although we’ve been encouraged to spend time outdoors during the pandemic, if the weather’s not that great or you’re remaining indoors for other reasons, here’s one way to watch some awe-inspiring and death-defying feats from the comfort of your own home.

The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) is launching its weeklong Best of Climbing Online show, a curated selection of highlights from the February festival, to be held from Friday (June 19) until June 26.

The lineup includes the 2020 VIMFF

RICHMOND

best climbing film, Climbing Blind, about blind mountaineer Jesse Dufton; “On the Verge”, about how outdoor culture is being threatened by logging near Powell River; and “The Trilogy”, about the first woman attempting to complete three of the most challenging walls in the Canadian Rockies.

Tickets and details are available at vimff. org/best-of-climbing-online/. Proceeds support both VIMFF and the filmmakers.

VIVA EAST VAN

Local film production company Commercial Drive Productions and Reel Causes, a nonprofit organization that addresses Canadian social-justice issues through film, are teaming up bring a feature film inspired by East Vancouver to home audiences.

The ensemble drama Bella Ciao! will have a three-week digital run from June 25 to July 16.

Vancouver actor Carmen Aguirre stars as a cancer-stricken refugee who fled violence in Chile to establish a new home in

RICHMOND

East Vancouver, where her friends and neighbours—including artists and activists from various cultures and communities—have stories of their own to share.

The film is directed by Carolyn Combs, who is leaving as executive director of Women in Film and Television Vancouver (WIFTV). Combs described her film as “an urban tale set at the interface of the Latin American, Indigenous, and Italian communities in my neighbourhood”.

An online Q & A session with Combs and select cast members will be held at 5 p.m. on July 9.

Tickets, available from June 11 to July 16, can be purchased online and details are available at www.reelcauses.org/bella-ciao/.

STILL HERE, STILL QUEER

The pandemic hasn’t stopped numerous LGBT organizations from continuing on.

Likewise, Out on Screen announced that the show must go on for the annual Van-

couver Queer Film Festival, which will be up and running from August 13 to 23 with the theme of “Still Here” as it adapts to the online landscape.

This year’s gala film, Lingua Franca, revolves around the experiences of a trans Filipina migrant as she ventures through Trump-era America, and trans actress Isabel Sandoval (who both directs and stars) will participate in a virtual Q & A. The documentary Changing the Game, spotlighted in a youth-gala screening, follows three young trans athletes in the United States who are challenging sports in their communities.

Once again, B.C. talent is featured in the Coast is Queer series and the festival will close with queer Muslim romcom Breaking Fast. The event will also feature online workshops, panels, and parties.

Tickets will be available starting July 13 at the VQFF website (www.queerfilmfestival. ca/ ). g

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85TH ANNIVERSARY

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17

REAL ESTATE

Mortgage holders can seize on opportunities to upgrade

by Carlito Pablo

O

Mortgage broker Lorina Serafico says a 10-basis-point difference can add up to a lot of savings.

n June 1, Lorina Serafico, a home-financing adviser with Scotiabank, resumed meeting with clients in person.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had been several weeks since she suspended personal appointments at the East Vancouver branch where she works.

With more than a decade as a mortgage agent, Serafico has served numerous customers, and a number of them have started meeting with her again.

They’re usually owners of townhouses and condos, and now they’re thinking of upgrading to single-family homes.

“They like what is happening in the market. There’s more inventory; prices have stabilized; and interest rates are good,” Serafico told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview.

On March 27 this year, the Bank of Canada slashed its key interest rate to its lowest level of 0.25 percent.

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The central bank has kept the rate at that level since that date in a bid to contain the economic fallout from COVID-19.

“For those who can afford to make adjustments to their monthly budgets when rates start to rise, variable rates are low right now and can translate to monthly savings,” Serafico said.

She explained that a 10-basis-point difference for every $100,000 of mortgage on variable rate means $100 in interest savings.

Based on documentation by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), current prices have had modest increases compared to last year.

In May 2020, the benchmark price of a single-family home in the areas covered by the REBGV stood at $1.4 million, which was 2.9 percent higher than the previous year.

Also last month, a typical townhome was priced at $792,700, a 1.8 percent improvement. Condo units had a benchmark price

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“Now is a good time for them to really look into buying,” Serafico said.

For first-time home buyers, Serafico usually recommends getting a fixed rate, especially if they have a high-ratio mortgage. A high-ratio mortgage means the buyer paid less than 20 percent of the price of the home.

Because lenders need to be protected, the federal government requires a purchaser of this type to buy mortgage-default insurance.

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Mortage-default insurance translates into higher costs for a home buyer. Insurance is provided by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), a federal Crown corporation, and private companies such as Genworth Financial, and Canada Guaranty.

“CMHC has the majority of insured mortgages in Canada,” Serafico observed.

“They are tightening the rules to limit their exposure to more risky mortgages.” g

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Self-blowing dream is pretty much self-explanatory

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bisexuality or am I just desperate? Should I heed the call?

- Originally Unilateral Regarding Oral But Oneiromancy Reveals Opening Sexuality

I usually don’t allow elaborate signoffs, OUROBOROS, but I’m making an exception for yours because it’s brilliant. (To save my other readers the trouble of googling:

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But a desire to suck one’s own cock—or even an attempt, successful or not—doesn’t mean a man is latently bisexual or gay.

I assume you’ve been masturbating for more than two decades, OUROBOROS, and just as there’s nothing gay about all those handjobs you’ve given yourself, there’s nothing gay about the blowjobs you can only dream about giving yourself. g

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oneiromancy is the interpretation of dreams to predict the future, and an ouroboros is an image of snake swallowing its own tail, often used as an infinity symbol.) That said, I’m not sure there’s really any call to heed here—other than a call to start doing the kind of stretching that would allow you to suck your own cock if you were to get limber enough and/or your cock is long enough.

NEW

b I’M A 35-YEAR-OLD seemingly straight man, but in the past year—roughly corresponding with the longest sex drought in the history of my adulthood—I have had recurring wet dreams where I suck myself off.

Probably a dozen or so of these dreams, all up, and I very much enjoy both sides of the transaction. What do you think it means?

Am I witnessing the stirrings of some latent

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