Vancouver Boulevard/English April 2017

DEFINING WEST COAST LIFE AND LUXURY

ISSUE NO.4 APRIL 2017

TROICO’S

OPEN CONCEPTS VIA WOOD TEXTURES

STEEL COLOURS

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OLEEN HRISTIE’S IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY

SARA BECHU

DISCOVERING A NEW LIGHT-FORM VOICES OF THE VANCOUVER OPERA

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NOTHING LIKE “NIAGARA ON THE LAKE”

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CONTENTS BOULEVARD APRIL 2017

22 BOULEVARD

COVER PHOTO

Elegant Coleen Christie poses in a wonderful modern kitchen wearing a beautiful Victoria Beckham Dress and Kimono by Fausto Puglisi.

Photography/ Alfonso Arnold Model/ Coleen Christie Stylist/ Sarah D’Arcy Dress/ Victoria Beckham/ Holt Renfrew Kimono/ Fausto Puglisi/ Holt Renfrew Earrings & Bracelet/ Banana Republic Shoes/ Rachel Zoe Makeup/ Ana V Beauty Hair/ Coleen Christie

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Why I don't need flowers

by Lisa Manfield

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A Stunning Wine Room

by Reisa Pollard

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Vismara's New Look of Chess

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Sara Bechu; Discovering a New Light-Form

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CONTENTS

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Open Concepts via Wood and Steel

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Kengo Kuma's ALBERNI

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Dilawri’s Secret; GROWING FAST

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Coleen Christie, Stay Tuned for Life after CTV

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A feast for the eyes and fashion with an attitude.

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CONTENTS

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THE ROLLS-ROYCE OF MEN'S FASHION; Stefano Ricci

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Nothing like "Niagara on the Lake"

by Jim Gordon

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The Voices of the Vancouver Opera

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When do you decide on a Bentley

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@BelfordProperties @belfordprop @belfordproperties

ISSUE NO.4 APRIL 2017

PUBLISHER Harry van Hemmen harryvh@blackpress.ca 604-649-1707 MANAGING EDITOR Harry van Hemmen CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kelly Bai, Catherine Barr, Shawn Conner, Bob de Wit, Sabrina Furminger, Jim Gordon, Lucy Lau, Leeta Liepins, Lisa Manfield, Reisa Pollard, Catherine Tse, Ana Viseroiu, Graham Williams DESIGNERS Lily Chan, Michelle Gjerde, Claudia Gross

Grace Fertility Centre Dr. Anthony Cheung Specializing in:

ADVERTISING SALES Kimberley Lim kim.lim@vancouverboulevard.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Alfonso Arnold, Felix Chang, Martin Knowles, Kuna Lu, Yinan Scott Shi DISTRIBUTION Marilou Pasion Marilou@blackpress.ca 604-542-7411

Infertility IVF and related technologies “Mini-IVF” Egg Freezing Donor Eggs Genetic Screening (PGS, PGD, NIPT)

E AND LUXURY DEFINING WEST COAST LIF

ISSUE NO.4 APRIL 2017

TROICO’S

OPEN CONCEPTS VIA WOOD TEXTURES

STEEL COLOURS

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

C

OLEEN HRISTIE’S IMPACT ON OUR COMM UNITY

SARA BECHU

DISCOVERING A NEW LIGHT-FORM A VOICES OF THE VANCOUVER OPER

·

LAKE” NOTHING LIKE “NIAGARA ON THE

VANCOUVERBOULEVARD.COM #210-604 West Broadway 604-558-4886 Toll Free 1-855-530-4376 FERTILITYWITHGRACE.COM

Boulevard Magazine is published 6 times per year by Black Press Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.

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F EATURE CONT RIBUTORS 6 BOB DE WIT is the Chief Executive Officer of the GVHBA. A mentor, director and consultant to growthstage technology companies, As a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, Bob draws upon his executive experience in corporate development corporate finance and competitive market intelligence holding degrees in marketing and economics from Simon Fraser University.

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1 CATHERINE BARR “Cat” is known as one of Vancouver’s most popular celebrity/events columnists and writes about society life in Vancouver and all the best charity parties in town. She is also editor/owner of WestVancouver.com and NorthVancouver.com which represent Canada’s wealthiest communities online with over 3 million hits per month.www.CatherineBarr.com.

2 GRAHAM WILLIAMS is a Vancouverbased tech expert with a passion for great technology. As Creative Director for Blink, a Vancouver-based agency, a tech expert for CBC Graham, and an instructor at UBC, Graham specializes in demystifying technology in an easy-to-understand way. www.goblink.com

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3 LEETA LIEPINS has been covering the Fashion, Entertainment and Lifestyle scene for a number of publications.including.MetroLivingZine which is.home to “Our City Tonight”, the monthly online Entertainment Show on which she.is co-host/co-producer. Leeta is also a Wellness Consultant/Health & Fitness Writer and participates in the local fashion industry as a runway, fitness and art model. Follow her@LeanwithLeeta &@ OurCityTonight.

4 SABRINA FURMINGER interviews in the Vancouver film & TV industry, as well as national and international newsmakers like Amanda Tapping (Stargate SG-1), Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall), Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek), and Rick Mercer. Writes for multiple wester publications www.sabrinafurminger.com/ westender.

5 LISA MANFIELD is a writer, editor and content strategist. Formerly the founding editor of BCLiving.ca, she has also been a contributing editor at Backbone Magazine and marketing manager at TheTyee. ca. She also teaches writing and editing for the web at Simon Fraser University.

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7 JIM GORDON has been the Co-Host/ Producer of the weekly TV show, “The Travel Guys” since 2003, and the weekly Film/TV Critic with CTV Vancouver since 1998. Since 2015 he has Co-Hosted an online entertainment segment called “Our City Tonight” which can be found at www.metrolivingzine.com. He has also written for a number of print and online magazines over the years, and often guests on radio and TV to talk about travel and film.

8 KELLY BAI is a media professional with over 20 years experience and has a Master’s degree in Public Communications. Kelly worked with first-tier media publications in China before immigrating to Canada. She was responsible for launching the Sino Times Canada West edition in 2007, and went on to launch BC Home Chinese edition in 2009, and BC Living Chinese edition in 2013 as co-publisher. Kelly is now the managing editor of Boulevard Chinese magazine.

9 ANA V Owner/ Founder ANAV Beauty School. ‘’My mission is to help you feel more confident and beautiful. Ever since I fell in love with the transformational power of beauty products, I’ve been obsessed with finding the perfect textures and shades to express every facet of a woman’s personality. There’s a product for every mood, every occasion and every outfit and I am devoted to helping you find them.” Trained at VFS, Ana worked as a professional makeup artist for TV shows, movies, photo shoots and more. After working with Chanel and Dior Ana founded AnaV Beauty in 2013 10 CATHERINE TSE is a freelance writer and editor specialising in luxury travel, spas, food, soft adventures, style and beauty. She’s lived in England and Hong Kong, and currently resides in her hometown of Vancouver. As a regular contributor to publications such as AsiaSpa, Boulevard, BC Living, Real Weddings, Wine Enthusiast, Westworld, Darpan and others she’s keenly interested in and deeply experienced with all aspects of an inquisitive, engaged lifestyle. She is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada and sits on the BC chapter board as the Social Chair. Follow her adventures on social media @TSEworlds .

11 LUCY LAU is a Vancouver-based design and lifestyle journalist who writes regularly for the Georgia Straight. Her work has also appeared in a number of local online and print publications, including Western Living and BCLiving.ca.

12 REISA POLLARD graduated with a BA in Fine Arts & Economics University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Interior Design program at BCIT. Owner of Beyond Beige (BBID), a highly successful interior design company, Reisa leads a team inclusive of designers, a project managers and CAD technicians with a distinctly out of the box approach.

13 SHAWN CONNER is a Vancouver-based freelance writer whose work appears regularly in the Vancouver Sun. Also: blogger at Inside Vancouver, hmv.com/ca and shawnconner.com, publisher/editor of entertainment website thesnipenews.com. Follow him @ ThatShawnConner.

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WHY I DON’T NEED FLOWERS THIS MOTHER’S DAY

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By Lisa Manfield

t still surprises me that I’m about to celebrate my second Mother’s Day. Two years ago, the idea that I would become a mother was still so foreign, so fresh. As my pregnant belly grew, so, too, did my questions and fears about what I was getting myself into.

I was never one of those people who always knew they wanted to be a parent. In fact, for the longest time I thought quite the opposite. The maternal instincts that hit me in my twenties quickly gave way to career plans and travel dreams. And as I got older, I became quite comfortable with my easy-breezy lifestyle. I enjoyed my work and my free time. Spa days whenever I felt like it. And I certainly didn’t feel any obligation to leave a legacy in the form of a human mini-me.

Until one day, late in life for these kinds of decisions, the circumstances were right, and I jumped at the chance to have a child. Part of me figured it was already too late (but surely still worth a good college try, as they say). And hey, if it didn’t work out, well at least motherhood wouldn’t completely eclipse my identity.

Turns out it wasn’t too late. And when I found out I was pregnant, I was both excited and terrified. Fast-forward nine months, and, true to my worst fears, motherhood completely took over my life. Little did I know it would be the best thing ever.

Almost as soon as I got pregnant, the impending reality set in. We needed more space, so we settled in the suburbs. The commute became unbearable, so I left my city job and, inadvertently, most of my city friends.

I’ve had to dramatically change my lifestyle, and my expectations around things I used to take for granted. I never could have foreseen the magnitude of signing up for a 24/7 job that doesn’t stop when I get sick, or slow down when I’m exhausted from getting up three, four, five times at night to soothe an agitated baby who hates sleep. I don’t think I realized that there would be no relaxing vacation on the horizon, or even just a date night out. Not in these early years, anyway.

I now spend a good chunk of my week wrangling my daughter and all her gear to play dates and drop-in gyms and library story times. Nights out have been replaced by bedtime routines and “me” time has been downgraded from spa days to leaving the baby at home while I go grocery shopping. It really is a whole different life.

But despite all that, I love motherhood. And all I want for Mother’s Day is to spend it with my girl.

Before I became a mom, Mother’s Day meant getting my own mom a small token of recognition for all that she did for me. Flowers, chocolates or her favourite tea. She never asked for any of it, and now I understand why. She loves being a mom, and she is exceptional at it. Being as good a mother as my own mom is what I now aspire to.

And that’s why I don’t need flowers, or chocolates, or my favourite tea this year. Enjoying every moment with my girl while she’s still little is all I want for a happy Mother’s Day. (Although I wouldn’t say no to a spa day every once in awhile. Hey, I’m still human.) n

Although I wouldn’t say no to a spa day every once in awhile. Hey, I’m still human.

When my daughter arrived, we slowly found our new groove, and I began to realize that spending time with her was exactly what I wanted to do with my life. So I traded career plans and travel dreams for nesting and family time.

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Lisa Manfield Content Strategist Digital Storyteller SFU Instructor/Public Speaker

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By Reisa Pollard

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any of us keep wine bottles stacked on the counter or have a few bottles of white chilling in the fridge. True wine enthusiasts’ balks at this idea – wine requires proper storage, which an everyday kitchen cabinet doesn’t quite provide. Investing in a wine room provides abundance of storage at the correct temperature.

Whether you’re storing a dozen bottles, or a couple hundred, wine storage can range from a small fridge to walk – in coolers.

Consider the following tips before diving head first into any new wine room design.

When starting to design your wine room the first step is to consider its functionality, storing wine at the correct temperature is a key function of a wine cellar. Kept in a room that’s too warm, your wine may age faster, oxidize and loose character and flavour. If your cellar does not naturally maintain a consistent temperature, you may want to invest in temperature control methods.

Location is your most important consideration. You’re going to want to find a corner of your home that has no direct sunlight – basements are perfect. Everything about building a wine cellar is about how it effectively controls temperature and humidity.

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Not everyone needs a whole room to store their wine or doesn’t have to space to dedicate towards it, if you’re tight on basement space consider repurposing a closet or a small storage area.

Lighting plays a big part in designing your wine cellar, cellars are designed to be cool, but you also want them to look cool. If your wine cellar is off a main entertaining space you may prefer to leave the lights on so the style of lighting you choose is very important. Normal incandescent and halogen bulbs emit a lot of heat. There are many incredible LED lighting options which emit no heat. Track lights, puck lights and LED trip lights can all light a space in an interesting way to showcase your collection.

What will ultimately make your wine cellar stunning is how you store your wine.

Using multiple methods – racks, bulk storage and display – will add interest. The very best wine rooms showcase their finest wines while still finding ample room for everyday choices.

Above all else, a wine room exudes luxury, and showcases your collection in a practical way. n

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YOUR COUNTRY MAN

By Graham Williams

E

ven though it was a typically rainy February evening in Yaletown, the Mini dealership was packed. The reason? Mini Canada was proudly presenting the latest entry in the family in the form of the newly redesigned Mini Countryman. Two large forms were draped in silver cloth, waiting to be unveiled.

I was personally excited, because this is going to be my next vehicle. The 2017 Countryman is a beautiful redesign on a popular model; with five doors, ALL4 all-wheel drive available on three models, and a rugged chassis that’s ready to handle challenging conditions, it’s an incredibly capable new addition to their lineup. There have been rumours of what we could expect in the new model, and most of them were confirmed: a larger body, a new drive platform based on the BMW X-series, and a smart new infotainment system that features a touchscreen and some fun software that keeps track of the more exciting things you can do with a capable vehicle like this–you can even unlock achievements by spending time driving in tough conditions.

that go-kart like experience that owners rave about 26

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Photo Credit: Ged Smyth

Seeing the Countryman in person was as exciting as I hoped it would be. It’s big; the new model is longer, wider, and taller than the previous model, but the size is put to good use. The spacious interior and higher seating earns this model a rightful place in the sports utility category. Lots of little touches balance the feeling of fun and luxury. It’s undeniably a Mini, promising that go-kart like experience that owners rave about, while also featuring a premium cabin with a tastefully illuminated interior, a smart connected infotainment system, and refined design details that are bound to put a smile on your face. ….one more intriguing piece of news: a hybrid-electric model will be available this fall, making the choice of which Countryman I want to buy even harder. www.goblink.com n

Graham Williams graham.williams@gmail.com www.goblink.com

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gantly inlaid with ebony and motherof-pearl and covered with tempered glass. All chess pieces, made of turned and anodized aluminum, are exclusively designed by Vismara. As optional there is a sophisticated and functional tray, designed and inlaid as a Backgammon board. The uniqueness of this luxury piece is the great versatility that permits to use it as coffee table, or as professional game table. www.vismara.it n

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DESIGN ART

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ILAN, 3RD FEBRUARY 2017

For this year’s edition of Milan Design Week, COS partnered with London-based Studio Swine, an artistic collaboration between Japanese Architect Azusa Murakami and British Artist Alexander Groves. Studio Swine will create an ephemeral installation centered on a focal sculpture emitting mist-filled blossoms at Cinema Arti, a decommissioned cinema built in the 1930s by Italian architect Mario Cereghini. The installation will draw upon the natural and the industrial, while making minimal use of resources to create an immersive multi-sensory experience.

“2016 was a year full of changes and crisis and so we wanted to create an installation that could offer a moment of contemplation. The inspiration for the installation was nature and the changing of the seasons.

Karin Gustafsson, Creative Director of COS said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Alex and Azusa of Studio Swine. Our many common values - a focus on timelessness over trend, functionality with beauty and the exploration of materials - means that working together is a very natural fit. I’m really looking forward to seeing the concept come to life in Milan”.

Studio Swine (Super Wide Interdisciplinary New Explorers) is collaboration between Japanese Architect Azusa Murakami and British Artist Alexander Groves. Creating works that span across disciplines of art, design and film, Studio Swine explores themes of regional identity and the future of resources in the context of globalization. Studio Swine work manifests a deep research into materials and modern industrialization.

Operating across a wide range of disciplines, Studio Swine’s work has gained an international audience; their films have been awarded at Cannes and other film festivals around the world. Studio Swine has been widely exhibited at institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Museum of Art and Design New York, and the Venice Art Biennale. www.studioswine.com n

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D E SIG N

Discovering a New LIGHTForm

By Lucy Lau

L

ocal furniture designer Sara Bechu clearly had her priorities straight when she relocated from a Coal Harbour apartment to her Crosstown digs two years ago. “I had nothing but one bottle of Champagne, three bottles of wine, six wine glasses, six Champagne glasses, and my bed,” she recalls of move-in day. “Not even one chair, but you know what? That was enough.”

A bubble-bowl vase on her kitchen counter carries evidence of this state: four corks now joined by dozens of others that serve as remnants of the get-togethers, soirees, and dinner parties that Bechu has hosted since. The 1,400-square-foot space, on the other hand, now houses seating for plenty.

In fact, the majority of the furnishings that fill the condo were designed and developed by none other than the Chinese-born, Paris-raised creative. A pair of fibreglass dining chairs modeled after the natural curves of the human body—plastic booties protruding cheekily from the seats’ backs—are standouts. But given that Bechu is the founder and owner of iLED furniture accents, a local startup that sells and rents LED-equipped furnishings and

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accessories, it’s difficult to ignore the presence of these eco-minded pieces. (According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting.)

In the living room, a LED pillow chaise and coffee table sits alongside a sleek leather sectional. A small table and two bar stools in the dining area also light up on demand, though it’s outside, on Bechu’s spacious balcony, where the LED accents really shine. Bar tables that take the shape of voluptuous wine glasses and complete with built-in ice buckets provide guests a spot to meet, mingle, and put down their drinks. Square pillars, spheres, and heart figures, meanwhile, offer fresh ways to introduce brightness to a room without killing the environment or mood.

All of iLED’s products are made from recycled plastic shells and are capable of emitting up to 16 different colours. The user can adjust the brightness and mode of the lights—from soft and candlelike to urgent, party-ready flashes—via a remote control. “We try to create a new, luxurious life experience that’s, at the same time, ecofriendly,” Bechu says of the company’s mission.

The former petroleum engineer and art curator cares deeply for the environment (“We are destroying our planet—the only home we have—so much faster than we think,” she says), but she admits it was also boredom that led her to found

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iLED. After moving to Vancouver in 2012 in pursuit of an early retirement following stints in the oil, architecture, fashion, and design industries, Bechu quickly found that she had a lot of spare time on her hands.

For the first two years, she hosted supper clubs from her home, using her experience with French cuisine to cook up authentic dishes for friends. An avid entertainer who comes from three-and-a-half generations of architects, she soon began crafting multifunctional LED furnishings that would help take the party outside long after the sun had gone down. When a friend expressed interest in the products, Bechu saw a market for her creations.

“One thing I found is that Vancouver people are afraid of using colour,” she says. “So, that’s one of the first things I said: ‘I want to bring colour to Vancouver.’ And because these [the LED furniture and accents] light up, I guess I wanted to light up Vancouver, too.”

Barely a year old, iLED now offers a robust selection of lounge tables, seating, bar tops, and accent pieces for Vancouverites’ residential and commercial needs. The objects’ lighting technologies make them especially fun for special events, notes Bechu, but because of their lightweight nature, they’re ideal for trade shows and film, television, and interior staging as well.

Of course, iLED’s furnishings and accents also look right at home in everyday settings.

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Consider Bechu’s apartment, where the lightequipped pieces handily complement contemporary artworks such as “Breathing System”, a silver fibreglass sculpture of two oversize lungs—speckled with grains of rice and small figures of load-bearing workers—that comments on our warped society. The piece is one of only a handful in the world handcrafted by Chinese artist Ma Han, who Bechu became acquainted with during her time as an art curator.

Elsewhere, two light-up pillars flank a brightred feature wall that plays host to sketches

by Bechu’s architect father as well as a desert landscape that the designer splashed onto the surface herself. The mishmash of modern fur-

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VICTORIA KELOWNA VICTORIA KELOWNA VICTORIA KELOWNA VICTORIA KELOWNA 661 McCallum McCallum Rd 1850 Springfield Rd Rd 661 McCallum Rd 1850 661 Rd 1850 Springfield Rd 661 McCallum Rd 1850 Springfield Springfield Rd 250.475.2233 250.860.7603 250.475.2233 250.860.7603 250.475.2233 250.860.7603 250.475.2233 250.860.7603

nishings, art, and punches of rouge is wild, erratic, and bursting with unbridled vigour. Without a doubt, it’s a space that belongs to an artist. “I always say I am not creative at all,” insists Bechu, “but I have a good eye.”

And though the worlds of art and design will likely never be divorced from her work, the environment will continue to take a front seat. Bechu is building solar-charging panels for iLED’s products, for example, which will allow the items to operate entirely on energy from the sun. In addition, the designer has what she calls “photosensor” lights in the works, which will automatically switch off when external brightness is detected.

Above all, she believes that top-notch entertaining, much like a good bottle of wine, doesn’t need to be compromised in order for one to lead a greener lifestyle. “To have an ecofriendly life does not mean sacrificing the joys of life,” she says. n 38

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H OMES

OPEN CONCEPTS VIA WOOD TEXTURES

STEEL COLOURS

By Shawn Conner

T

here’s a reason Troico uses the words “home solutions” in the company name. To a large extent, home renovations are about problem solving.

“That allowed us to give her family the openconcept they were after, a smooth flat ceiling, without having columns in the middle of the house,” said Mike Richter, interviewed at the Troico showroom in Coquitlam. “It’s very open-concept, considering the age of the house. That was one of the big wins in there.”

Case in point: giving the owners of an aging house the open-concept that they wanted.

In fact, it was Troico’s ability to come up with a fix that convinced homeowners Michael and Melinda Fabbro to hire the contractor to renovate their nearly 60-year-old, 2700-squarefoot home, featured in this issue of Boulevard.

To get around the necessity of a supporting wall and beams, Troico Home Solutions and their engineer came up with the idea of using flitch beams - compound beams of wood and steel, significantly stronger than wooden beams - to support the structural framework of the roof.

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“Being that I’m an interior designer, I always see the visual of something,” Melinda Fabbro said. “I’m like, ‘That’s a load-bearing wall? Well that’s too bad, we need to move it

somehow.’ I had other contractors out here before Troico, and I would ask, How about bumping this wall out, what would that entail?

And they couldn’t really give me anything solid. That made me feel like it wasn’t the right company to do the job. That was huge for me.”

Excepting the exterior, the four-month-long job was a complete renovation.

“That house was taken down to the studs,” said Richter who, along with his wife Vanessa, owns and operates Troico.

“There’s all new windows and doors, then all new bathroom fixtures. Basically, every surface in the house is new.”

One of Troico’s in-house designer, Kathryn Wong, worked with the Fabbros to realize their ideas.

“She added a lot of textures and colours, used different wallpaper,” Richter said. “It’s a little out-of-the-box for a typical reno. That’s why you work with a designer, unless you want a cook-cutter type builder finish.”

Along with its own design team, Troico also has an in-house millwork shop. The shop, which operates out of the seven-year-old

company’s Coquitlam headquarters, was responsible for custom-made doors and drawer fronts that use back-cut pulls instead of handles.

Other features of the home include, at the request of Melinda Fabbro, concrete accents. “I told Kathryn that I really love the look of concrete, so we did this concrete wallpaper around the fireplace,” Fabbro said. “You see a repetition of that for the concrete pendants I chose for above the island, and then the custom hood fan is PVC product that looks like concrete as well.”

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For the floor, Troico installed a fauxhardwood, PVC click-lock product.

“It wears far better than an engineered wood,” he said. “It looks like it (hardwood) but that’s a floor that will last 30 years. To look that good and wear that well, and at less than engineered hardwood - to me, it just makes sense, especially if you have pets and kids. That’s one of the products we’re happy to install.

We see the longevity of it.”

In the bathroom, Troico installed wall-mounted toilets and faucets.

Richter says that “everyone seems to be trending” towards these products.

One of the questions the builder encountered in the Fabbro home was whether to build a suite to Coquitlam-legal specifications “or take it back as a living space for the family,” he said.

“That wasn’t clear when we started the project. “ In the end, the items required to make the suite legal didn’t justify the work or the cost, and they opted for what he calls “an in-law suite.”

“You’re allowed to have your mother-in-law live in your basement, she just can’t have cooking facilities,” Richter said.

The builder finds that, with property values exploding, more and more people want to add suites in their homes for the added revenue. He finds that this is especially true in Vancouver’s west side, although Burnaby and the Tri-Cities are starting to follow.

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The company’s work takes it all over Metro Vancouver, and includes everything from “ten-year-old homes that might need freshening up to full guts.”

Their starting point is $5025k, but Troico’s typical projects range is $75K$500K a typical project is $75-100k, including a kitchen and multiple bathrooms, all the way to full scale entire home renos.

Operating on a fixed-price system, the company must do its due diligence before starting any project, because they’re the ones who will have to absorb any additional costs.

“We’ve got it down to the penny,” Richter said. “In a job like that (the Fabbro home), yeah, we run into a few areas where we have to absorb the cost. That’s part of our fixed-price process. We’re very good about checking the condition of existing framing, because we know that price can’t go up.”

. . . MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WANT TO ADD SUITES IN THEIR HOMES FOR THE ADDED REVENUE

Besides additional suites, current trends include wall-mounted toilets and sinks like those installed in the Fabbro home.

“That’s a higher-end finish,” he said. “That’s the one where people are always surprised at the price. There’s a lot that goes into mounting a toilet on the wall, especially in a renovation.”

One prevalent trend is towards low maintenance, especially in the kitchen.

“They (homeowners) have had their traditional kitchen,” he said. “When they come in for kitchen number two or three, they want to be able to wipe it down and walk away.”

So, for a kitchen backsplash, some customers are choosing back-painted glass over tile.

“People who have owned a tile backsplash know that the grout-lines get stained and they tend to look a little worn around the stove. With the glass one, you just Windex it.”

White shaker kitchens are probably still the lion’s share of the market, he said. “But there’s a lot more synthetic materials being used.” These synthetic materials have a tighter grain, and result in sleeker-looking cabinetry.

“People are trending away from typical wood products and they’re going into these high-pressured, textured laminates,” he said. “Manufacturers have managed to make things look amazingly close to the real deal.

You’re not having to deal with the challenges of having a walnut kitchen that’s going to change colour in the seasons. It’s a completely stable product. You have the look of a walnut kitchen without the upkeep.”

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Sometimes it’s the changing tastes of homeowners that drive trend, at other times the designers themselves influence the aesthetics of renovations. “If it’s a homeowner dealing with us directly, and we’re doing the full kitchen, they land there because they want low maintenance,” Richter said. “In some of these more traditional kitchens there are a lot of nooks and crannies.

They’re more upkeep for sure. A painted kitchen will be a little more delicate than some of these laminates. They (the homeowner) wants it to look good in five years, and not have to handle it with kid gloves.”

In general, building a kitchen doesn’t really change much from year to year, he says.

“There are still best practices to building a kitchen. I think the changes are more in the finishes.

Lots of people are renovating spaces as opposed to building new. So we have lots of opportunities to work on these houses.” n

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INTERVIEW WITH HOME OWNER

Melinda Fabbro

By Shawn Conner

E

ven before hiring a contractor to renovate her home, Melinda Fabbro had a pretty good idea of what she wanted.

“I knew the layout of the kitchen, and where I wanted the island and the pantry,” she said.

An interior decorator, Fabbro says that she looks at a space and thinks about what she can put in it to make it the most functional.

“But when a designer comes in, she is trained in the rules of where you want to put everything. She understands the placement of appliances and how they relate to the space.”

Having access to one of Troico’s in-house designers, Kathryn Wong, was crucial in the Fabbros’ decision to hire the contractor, she says.

“I was able to go back-and-forth on ideas with her. That was really important for me. People don’t value design enough. They think, ‘Oh, we’ll just get a contractor, we’ll just do this.‘ But then, if you make a wrong decision, you have to live with that for a long time.”

The Fabbros purchased the Coquitlam home six years ago. From the beginning, she knew she wanted to renovate.

“I wanted to bump up the wall, bump up the beam, take out some walls,” she said. “But it wasn’t the right time to do such a major renovation. We didn’t want to do a Band-Aid effect, a quick fix. So we waited until the time was right, and we did everything we wanted to at once.”

When she first met Wong, the designer “was very observant about what my aesthetic was. She got me, which was huge.”

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Wong came up with two ideas that made a huge difference to the space, says Fabbro, including the installation of a pony wall near the entrance, and an ensuite.

“Those two things, the pony wall and creating an ensuite, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Fabbro said.

“I would never have seen that.”

Fabbro lives in the home with her husband Michael and their two young children, seven and nine. She works nearby, at Sandy’s Furniture, so she was able to come over on her lunch hour to catch the start of the photo shoot with Coleen Christie.

“It was great,” she said. “I’m a huge fan of hers, so it was really nice to meet her. It was very surreal. It happened very quickly. I did ask for a picture with her, met her briefly and went back to work.”

The Fabbros are pleased with the results of the renovation, and Melinda is happy to have a home that reflects her own design sense.

“I love modern furniture and clean lines,” she said. “I think the best spaces have a component of the contemporary, which to me represents the now. And I like to have fun with the design as well. I don’t think it should be all serious.”

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CO LUMN

RETIREMENT REDUX

C

When the new OPAL by Element opens, senior living will never be the same

ulinary demonstrations, wine and scotch tastings, aromatherapy spa treatments and tai chi classes. Sound like the perfect ingredients for a holiday? Sure, but in this case they’re just some of the many amenities planned for Vancouver’s new OPAL retirement community.

Spanning an entire city block along King Edward Avenue between Cambie and Yukon streets, the $106-million luxury development will be a game changer when it opens in early 2019. After all, in addition to supporting an active vibrant lifestyle, OPAL will foster intergenerational connections – an anomaly in today’s senior housing market. This means friends and families will be able to gather in an all-ages room for structured and free play, and enjoy dinner together in private function rooms. (Think: the kids can run around after eating while the adults chat over dessert.)

But more than that, OPAL has been designed with the full life cycle in mind. Among its 130 homes, the 44 condominiums and 56 rental spaces range from studios to three bedrooms (from 453 to 2,324 square feet). Equipped for independent living, these units are also registered for assisted living. That way, residents

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by Sheila Hansen

won’t have to move when their needs change. Add in the 30 complex care units to which residents have priority access, and spouses are assured they won’t be separated due to health and mobility issues, or find themselves searching for yet another home.

This type of forward thinking has been welcomed by OPAL purchasers to date, with the average age being 65 compared to the industry’s 87. Most recently, a 37-year-old bought two units for his mother and inlaws, showing that millennials are also in the market for up-and-coming living arrangements that promote long-term well-being and family ties. In fact, almost all units so far have been sold to accommodate two generations in the same family.

Indeed, you could say that OPAL is rocking the retirement living boat. That’s not surprising when you consider that it’s the flagship property of Vancouverbased Element Lifestyle Retirement. It was Element’s founding director Don Ho who helped pioneer the aging-in-place retirement living concept more than two decades ago. Since then, Ho and his teams have been creating innovative homes for retirees and seniors to live their lives to the fullest, no matter where they are along the aging spectrum.

“We spend seven days a week together, and the kids and grandkids are our parents’ most important purpose in life . . . OPAL and the entire intergenerational concept is in honour of them.”

It was Ho’s concerns for his own family that first launched him onto the path of building intergenerational retirement communities back in the 1990s. Wanting what was best for his parents and in-laws, Ho set out to create a living arrangement where couples with varying needs could continue to live together with proper care and support.

But Ho is also a believer in core family values, of spending as much quality time as possible with loved ones. As such, his buildings’ infrastructure also addresses younger generations. “There’s more life for sure, there’s always more laughter, more conversations, so it becomes more like a normal family life again when you have your kids around . . . that is what life is all about,” Ho recently opined in a CISL 650 radio interview.

Fast forward to 2017 and Ho’s daughter, Candy Ho, is continuing his vision in the construction of OPAL. As Element’s vice-president of marketing and corporate relations, Ms. Ho wants to create the ideal family living arrangement for her parents and the rest of her family.

“The intergenerational concept came from our family’s way of living, which is rooted in my mom and dad’s devotion to us,” she says.

While her father set the example of helping parents and in-laws, Ms. Ho says the next generation is also working towards growing in place as a family.

“My son has already said, at seven years old, that he wants to take on our legacy and innovate to do even better when he’s old enough to work for us.

So it’s about carrying on the legacy that my parents created. Concepts that are good for society come from personal experience, from the heart, with passion and sense of purpose.”

Ms. Ho envisions a future world where “all stigma, burden and duty will disappear when we re-program mindsets and undo status quo. Some day there will no longer be senior homes or nursing homes — or even retirement homes. There will be just be ‘homes’ where everyone can be together like in any home, just with more social connection and activities, and personal support and care.”

Going a long way toward erasing that stigma, burden and duty will be OPAL’s wide array of programs.

Encouraging participation of all ages, activities will take place throughout the property’s 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. Take B O U L E VA R D

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the rooftop patio, which will host outdoor exercise sessions, herb gardening for the farm-to-table kitchen and BBQ gatherings. Inside, there’ll be high teas, singing sessions and a Philosopher’s Café offering TED-like resident talks. As well, foodies will be able to watch meals being prepped in the open-display kitchen, partake in cooking classes and make pizza, pasta and ice cream with their grandchildren under the guidance of Element chefs.

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Other social spaces include a hobby and games area, and music, art and workshop studio. The theatre will also be popular for its wellness and investment seminars, plays, movies and concerts. Keeping well is also front and centre at OPAL, which will be home to a natural wellness spa, hydrotherapy tub, gym with specialized equipment, infrared sauna and Himalayan rock salt studio for yoga and dance.

safety at night, while slip-resistance Calacatta flooring helps prevent falls in the bathroom. Though OPAL offers a dining package, the condominiums’ Bosch cooktop, oven and dishwasher, along with a Fisher & Paykel refrigerator, will have many dwellers staying in for the night. (All suites come with a full set of appliances, including laundry.)

Residents will also come to appreciate OPAL’s suite details. Housed in three interconnected buildings (two are four storeys; one is six storeys), each unit features air-conditioning and floor-to-ceiling windows; many have a patio or balcony. Advanced security includes an integrated fob system and sensor entry – no need to search for keys.

Under-counter ambient lighting in the kitchen promotes

When finished, OPAL will literally be a concrete example of Element’s overarching philosophy: “We live in a constantly changing world. What was good enough yesterday will not be enough tomorrow. We embrace change and use creativity and innovation to take calculated risks to provide quality services that offer flexibility and choice.” For more information, visit opal.elementlifestyleretirement.com. n

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Architecture & Artwork Alberni by engo

KK

uma

A R C HIT E C T U R E

Kengo Kuma’s new art creation in Vancouver

By Kelly Bai Translated by Risa Liu

L

ooking from Stanley Park across the water, the buildings of downtown Vancouver are dense like a forest, and few are instantly recognizable.

However, this scene is currently undergoing change.

Following the twisting design of the Trump Tower, personally designed by renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, Westbank Corp. has joined forces with Japanese master architect to create Alberni by Kengo Kuma — a definite eye-catching addition to this forest.

This building will rise in one of the most vibrant areas of the downtown core, on Alberni Street, near the central location of Hermes, Tiffany, De Beers and other international luxury brands. It will be embraced by beautiful Stanley Park and charming English Bay, forming a perfect harmony with the surroundings. The design style of Alberni by Kengo Kuma is luxurious yet a return to basics, metropolitan yet natural.

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This is a 43-stories high tower with 191 residential units, along with retail space and restaurants. A building outline that might normally be linear, rather its two sides look as if dug out by a spoon, forming an elegant inscribed arc. The coming together of a curving and an upright line produces a strong visual tension.

When discussing this design, Kengo Kuma states: “From a certain angle, this isn’t an independent high-rise building.

Through this building, we have formed a connection with the beautiful environment. We’ve also carefully designed a relationship between each residential unit and the view. The irregularity of the building outline is due to the fact that every unit that we have designed has mountain and ocean views, which, in the end, created this unique exterior.

This is not an arbitrary decision, but a natural solution.”

This perfectly complements Kengo Kuma’s long standing philosophy that “buildings are supporting characters, the environment is the main character”.

In order to allow residents to take in Vancouver’s views without any obstructions, Kengo Kuma used a large amount of anodized aluminum and glass on the outer walls of the building. Each floor embraces a process found in Japanese architecture, allowing the windows’ transparent views to be connected from the ceiling to the floor without obstruction. For this, he went out of his way to locate a local Vancouver ethnic-Japanese contractor, who is knowledgeable in this skill, and investing more time and money in the building process.

“Transparency is a unique feature in Japanese architecture. I tried to convey a new type of transparency through the use of light and natural materials,” says Kengo Kuma.

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In designin this building, Kengo Kuma followed his passion for wooden structures and the use of mortise and tenon joints. Wood materials are used heavily in the building and have become a major design feature of this project. The inner arc of the building’s outer wall features numerous prominent structures and the base of each structure uses wooden panels that can be seen from the outside. The undersides of the balconies also use exposed wood.

On some days the wood might appear as a shadow. However, once there is a change in light due to clouds or the sun, the colours and lines of the wood emerge, changing the perception of the building.

Inside, the building’s swimming pool is the world’s first indoor pool with a stacked wood structural theme. The stacked wood theme draws from principles of the Chinese Luban Lock, and relies completely on its own structural connections to sustain itself. The inside of the building also uses a large amount of wood planks, making for a great continuation of the iconic architectural styles of Kengo Kuma and Associates.

The Japanese Moss Garden on the first floor is also a major feature. This green garden rises like an amphitheater. Paired with wooden grids that are easily visible, it offers a Zen-filled world of green, and in it, is a handmade Italian Fazioli piano, designed by Kengo Kuma and specially produced. A piano is a classic amenity for every Westbank Corp. development, adding a sense of artistic aura for each building.

Transparency is a unique feature in Japanese architecture. I tried to convey a new type of transparency through the use of light and natural materials. — Kengo Kuma

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“In Japanese architecture, the boundary between spaces is many times unclear and ever changing.

This has affected my designs a lot,” Kengo Kuma says. “In this project, simple glass walls and an abundance of visual layers has blurred the boundaries between outside and inside, allowing the bottom space to flow continuously. This is also a tribute to the omnipresent nature found in the vibrant city of Vancouver.”

Since its founding in 1992, Westbank Corp. has won praise for its artistic architectural style. Its development projects are found in major cities throughout North America, and it’s considered a highly prestigious developer of luxury residences.

Vancouver’s Shangri-La Hotel and Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel are both creations of Westbank Corp.

Westbank Corp. CEO Ian Gillespie once said that the biggest difference between Westbank Corp and other developers is that from the very beginning, the goal has always been to create a blend of architecture and art, striving to develop public art that complements the buildings. For example, famous New York artist Liam Gillick and worldclass glass artist Dale Chihuly have both created meticulous pieces for Westbank Corp. buildings.

Now, the blending of architecture and art has come to a perfect realization in Westbank Corp.’s new project, Alberni by Kengo Kuma.

As Kengo Kuma says, “This collaboration between myself and Westbank Corp. is not only a ‘building’ but an ‘art piece.’ Upon completion in 2021, downtown Vancouver will become the outdoor exhibit of this artistic masterpiece.” n

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LIVING LARGE

i

By Shawn Conner

n just five years, Dilawri Group of Companies has doubled in size, from 30 dealerships to 61.

Now the largest automobile dealership group in Canada, Dilawri operates in five regions and sells 30 brands.

The whole idea of a dealership group is relatively new, and a practice that is replacing the old model of stand-alone and franchise dealerships.

“The idea is that the dealer group will own the franchises for these multiple brands, as opposed to the old way, where each dealership was a sole proprietorship, and there would be one owner,” said Brad Laviolette.

As regional marketing manager for Dilawri, Laviolette oversees the marketing strategy for Dilawri in B.C., which accounts for 17 franchise dealerships.

An auto group provides advantages for consumers, such as improved vehicle selection, new and used, consistent consumer experiences, and other perks.

“Let’s say that you’re in the market for a car, a dealership group can not only take care of you at the dealership you may show up at, but also at any of our dealerships,” Laviolette said.

“That happens quite often, where someone can’t quite find the vehicle that they’re looking for. We facilitate sales at our other dealerships, even if it’s different brands.”

If a customer walked into a stand-alone dealership, Laviolette notes, the business

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With a group like Dilawri, if a customer shows up at one dealership, they are effectively accessing all the dealerships in the region.

would do whatever it could to keep the customer in the door. But a sales agent at a groupowned dealership can direct the customer to another dealer in the same company.

A dealership group is also a way to address changing consumer habits. Today, most shoppers do most of their research online, before setting foot in a dealership.

“Stats range from 1.3 to 1.6 dealerships are visited by people before purchasing a vehicle, whereas ten years ago it was maybe four or five,” Laviolette said.

“That can be a challenge. No longer are people driving around and test-driving vehicles and seeing what sticks.”

With a group like Dilawri, if a customer shows up at one dealership, they are effectively accessing all the dealerships in the region.

“As an auto group, we have an opportunity to show them the breadth of our product,” he said. “If they’re not happy with the selection or something else in that one dealership, instead of having to drive all over the place they can search our products in other locations.”

In addition, Dilawri also operates a rewardsbased loyalty program.

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“The ability to earn points as you service your vehicle over time will allow you to put that money towards your next vehicle purchase,” he said.

There are now 17 Dilawri-owned dealerships in Vancouver. This is almost three times as many as when Laviolette started at the company five years ago.

He had worked in marketing jobs previously, but this was his first time bringing his education to a business that was in his blood. His father was in the car industry as a sales person for over 30 years, and his step-father owns a body shop. He worked there as a teenager.

“It’s funny that I’ve found my way back.”

When Laviolette started with the company, one of the first things he did was come up with an online marketing strategy. This included improving the company’s website, a crucial implementation in the digital age.

“At the time, they didn’t have any digital presence at all, other than a website that was never updated,” he said. “I took on the digital tasks and developed a digital program for the B.C. region.”

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Dilawri’s latest dealership, the newly constructed 67,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility boasts a theater room with surround sound and a café area offering cappuccinos and lattes.

Besides its online component, Dilawri has invested heavily in its facilities as well as its staff.

Auto groups are also in a better position to invest in and train staff, something that is becoming increasingly more costly and time-intensive as vehicles become more sophisticated.

“There’s a very high level of standard and service that we have to maintain as part of our corporate structure,” Laviolette said.

“Most of our dealerships are in a state-of-the-art facility, with state-of-the-art technology in our service bays. The investment there is all towards providing the optimal customer service. I would say that that sort of investment is very hard for one owner to achieve.”

When it comes to state-of-the-art facilities, Heritage Honda is a case in point. Dilawri Group of Companies’ latest dealership, the newly constructed 67,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility boasts a theater room with surround sound and a café area offering cappuccinos and lattes.

The acquisition, which opened in January of this year, is the group’s 61st dealership nationwide and ninth Honda dealership nationally. In fact, the three brothers who run the group, Ajay, Tony and Kap Dilawri, started out with a Honda dealership.

The story goes that the brothers went from enjoying a new car every year from their father’s GM dealership in Ottawa to sharing one car during their university days.

The brothers were so impressed with the car, a Honda Civic, that, in 1985, that they opened a Honda dealership in Regina.

Today, Dilawri employs more than 3500 people. In addition to the group, in 2002 the brothers founded The Dilawri Foundation. The Foundation contributes to a variety of charitable causes in Canada.

“I think most people look at where they’re purchasing from,” Laviolette said. “It’s not just about the product alone. One of the benefits to dealer groups is that most, if not all have some involvement in the community and find a way to give back. In Dilawri’s case, we find as many opportunities as possible to give back to the community, and the region and across Canada”. www.dilawri.ca

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cov e r story

stay tuned

Veteran Vancouver news anchor talks about life after CTV

By Lisa Manfield Photography: Alfonso Arnold

I

t’s a story that has played itself out in local Canadian media outlets many times over: budget cutbacks lead to newsroom layoffs, particularly at senior staff levels, and well-loved personalities are taken off-air.

Nonetheless, when the news broke that CTV anchor Coleen Christie’s job had been eliminated, Vancouverites took to social media to express their shock and sadness.

“When CTV laid me off, the outpouring of love and support from viewers, friends and colleagues was overwhelming and, quite frankly, humbling,” Christie says.

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After 20 years with the station, Christie has been a familiar figure both in our living rooms and around town. And despite her layoff, the dedicated newscaster hasn’t stopped delivering for her audience. She continues to fill her frequently updated social media channels — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — with a wide variety of news, entertainment and personal musings, much as she did during her time at CTV. “When I started out, we couldn’t talk to viewers,” she says. “Now we can and I love that.”

Her generous and genuine connection with her viewers has come back to her tenfold in the last several months, and it’s been a source of strength for Christie.

“It brought me to tears,” she says. “I didn’t know the impact I had had on people. I never sought fame or adulation, I genuinely wanted to help people better understand their world.

So when I discovered they were there for me, it was wonderful. I am grateful to each and every person who reached out. I want them to know how much that meant to me.”

On information and education Christie’s career impact could be measured, in part, by her audience’s support. But it must also take into consideration the magnitude of her accomplishments. Consider her hundreds of interviews, including those with “some of this country’s most fascinating people — prime ministers, authors, celebrities, heroes and regular folks who found themselves in the news – usually for all the wrong reasons.”

Her awards, too, speak to the calibre of her work; most recently she received, along with her former colleagues, the 2016 National Edward R Murrow Award for Overall Station Excellence, “an historic first for a large market newsroom,” she says. “It usually goes to networks. That one’s going on the resume.”

I never sought fame or adulatIon, I genuInely wanted to help people better understand theIr world.

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Another recent career highlight came just last year, “when CTV News at 5 — one of two newscasts I anchored — doubled its ratings and was also the first CTV Vancouver newscast to be number one for an entire month,” she says. “Hard work does pay off.”

But to Christie, the biggest point of pride has been her role as an educator, and that’s what she hopes to continue.

“I get enormous gratification from helping people know what’s going on and how it affects them,” she says. “The news business isn’t glamorous. You have to love it to stay in it, and I hope to.”

While she intends to continue news anchoring, Christie says, her “Plan B involves education, advocacy or public service. But she isn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the news business just yet — especially at a time when the world needs quality news reporting more than ever.

“I don’t exaggerate when I say journalism is in peril — the result of dwindling audiences and ad revenues,” she says. “The adage ‘knowledge is power’ has never been more true. An informed public can protect democracy, but that’s hardly a sure thing these days. There is a war being waged on truth.”

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Christie’s 2014 TEDx Vancouver talk, which emphasized the dangers of consumer bias in news, took place before the advent of “fake news,” but seems more relevant than ever.

On travel and living in Vancouver

“Let’s be clear,” she says, “fake news is not — as some US politicians would have you believe — simply news you disagree with, or mistakes in legitimate reportage. Fake news refers to stories fabricated to intentionally mislead. These days the media is being silenced in more ways than one and that’s scary. When the news media is treated as the enemy, we all lose. It isn’t the enemy — fear and ignorance are. You have to be your own journalist. Ask questions, check sources and consume a variety of mainstream news. Don’t believe a story just because it’s on Facebook.”

“I’m taking advantage of this period of freedom because it won’t last,” she says. “I’ve been asked to christen an Emerald Waterways cruise line vessel in Vienna in May. There’s nothing like visiting other cities and countries to better understand the world and your own home.”

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One antidote to ignorance is travel, and Christie is doing more of that now that she has some free time.

While she was raised in Victoria, Christie calls Vancouver home and she hopes to keep it that way.

“I’ve done a lot of international travel but I’m a west coast girl,” she says. “If I couldn’t live in

one of the great benefIts of beIng a famIlIar face In a communIty Is the honour of beIng Involved wIth many charItIes — lIterally dozens and dozens over the years.

Vancouver and had to choose another spot, I’d choose San Francisco or Playa Vista, California. I’m definitely not a big sun worshiper, but I get SAD [Seasonal Affective Disorder] some winters and I crave daylight. Still, I love this rainforest of a city.”

Christie says her ideal day in the city would be “spent with my smart, funny and caring husband doing something active outdoors, then staying in and making a fabulous dinner, and watching a documentary on some historic topic. The only glitch is,” she adds, “I don’t have a husband. So if you know anyone….”

While Christie says she’s spending more time “jamming in a lot of social activities [she] didn’t have the time or energy for,” she’s also been muscling up on her fitness level.

“One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get in the best shape of my life,” she says. “And I’m doing just that. I weight train several times a week and do cardio on the off days.”

She’s also taking advantage of her free time to intensify her already robust body of charitable work.

“I’ve been asked to help out with several charity and community events, including Variety the Children’s Charity and Backpack Buddies — two organizations that are making a huge difference in our community,” she says.

“One of the great benefits of being a familiar face in a community is the honour of being involved with many charities — literally dozens and dozens over the years.

Anchoring two newscasts a day for the last three years meant I was more or less stuck in the newsroom behind a desk every day. Being involved with local charities was a chance to meet the people who really impact our community. From the BC Women’s Hospital NICU campaign to being the ambassador for the Workout to Conquer Cancer, or as a board member of the Rare Disease Foundation, it’s been an honour to help out. And I’m happy to say — that’s not going to change for me.”

Like the intrepid TV personality she is, Christie says to “stay tuned,” for her next career step, adding, “the last 20 years have been quite a ride and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

But in the meantime, she’ll be working on one of her lesser-known skills in front of the mic.

“One thing people don’t know about me is that I like to sing karaoke,” Christie says. “It’s like anything else. You don’t have to be good, you just have to give your all — a philosophy I live by.” n

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B EAUTY A RT

Season Transition into a glorious mix of LIGHT, WARM and BRIGHT

S

by Ana Viseroiu

pring has arrived, and warmer temperatures mean you can warm up your beauty routine with light warm beige, golden tans, deep chocolate brown, warm greys and bright navy blue.

Avoid dusky or muted shades; they will flatten the brightness of your colouring.

For Complexion I love BB cream all year around, its creamy texture is good for skin that’s still a little dry from winter and will be more forgiving then liquid foundation. Leave contouring in the cold, and go for strobing instead. This technique makes the apples of your cheeks look rounder and your skin glowy. Mineral powders and shimmery pastels, like lilac and rose gold, achieve this smooth look.

Blush; think of a ripe cantaloupe, perfect for a freshfaced daytime glow to a punchy nighttime luster.

Spring Eye shadow It’s all about the neutral brows for spring eyes; the perfect pallet for spring is our Ana V BEAUTY HANDCUFFED (www.anavbeauty.com)

Lippie Love!

Be bold and fresh up your pout with these awesome spring tones: mauve-ish plum, light pink nude, bright pink, mid-tone warm nude and a rich rosy pink. A good flattering nude lipstick can be hard to find, but Tiana from Ana V Beauty (used on the model) was love at first swipe for me.

Every woman should have at least half a dozen lipstick colours to choose from. Depending on how extensive your wardrobe and social life are, you may need two or three times that many shades! Don’t be afraid to experiment with various brands. n

Loaded with a dozen sultry, smoky neutrals, including warm bronzes, dimensional greys, rich browns, gorgeous taupe’s and deep black, AVB Handcuffed Smoky has you covered for endless smoky looks and you can download our Free Ana V beauty App for quick tutorials on how to achieve the fastest bets looks.

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FASHI O N

MERGER OF TASTE AND ELEGANCE

Photo: Norm Lee

By Risa Liu

A

heart-moving encounter completes a match made in heaven. Manuel Bernaschek had always managed a business in luxury Italian pianos in Vancouver. Ten years ago while on a piano-buying trip in Rome, Italy with his newlywed wife, he discovered Stefano Ricci products on display in the lobby of his hotel and was deeply mesmerized by its unique designs and delicate details.

Every fine product was ingeniously crafted: from the choice of materials to every stitch and thread, everything was done with so much care and attention to detail that he could not help but fall in love. In the

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end, he bought a single tie that was more expensive than his entire suit put together, and decided to bring this prestigious brand into Vancouver.

In January of this year, Stefano Ricci officially arrives in Vancouver, becoming the first Stefano Ricci store in Canada. Located in Downtown’s West Georgia Street and situated amongst the world’s top brands, Stefano Ricci is particularly outstanding. The store’s high quality, solid-wood cabinets with inlaid gold are all custom-made from Italy and put together in Vancouver by experts, upholding the headquarters’ rigor and persistence in paying attention to every fine detail. The store is elegant and glamourous. Every product in-store is magnificent, refined and touches the soul.

M AT C H M A D E I N H E AV E N Entering the 2,600 square feet Stefano Ricci store located on West Georgia Street is akin to entering a royal closet brimming with regal style – a merger of taste and elegance. Sales managers and associates alike are dressed in royal blue suits and don white gloves when showcasing each fine product

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to customers, as if inspecting fine jewels. An experienced master from Italy is especially invited to be stationed in the store, with the sole task of creating made-to-measure garments for customers. Every tie and even every fine piece here is a unique work of art, because every fine detail is created by hand, paired with the finest materials – from the softest silk, to the most expensive wool, to the highest quality leather… Stefano Ricci has always been known as the definition of luxury in men’s fashion and home décor. For the past 45 years, Stefano Ricci’s fashion philosophy and firm belief has always been that garments made in Italy must be synonymous to classic tailorship and that the brand’s task is to pass on this highest form of craftsmanship. Whether it’d be design, the 74

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choosing of materials or sewing, everything must realize the idea of being entirely handmade, guaranteeing the highest of quality.

Stefano Ricci first appeared in 1972 in Florence’s Pitti Immagine Uomo men’s fashion event. His tie creations immediately garnered much attention, successfully converting the tie into a main statement amongst men’s fashion.

The men’s shirts released in 1980 similarly sealed their leading place in men’s fashion with their delicate workmanship, high quality fabrics, top designs and a guarantee that it is completely made in Italy.

Beginning in 2009, the brand released its extremely regal home collection, including valuable porcelain and crystal tableware,

Stefano Ricci enjoys much renown around the world and its stores are found in major cities in Europe and the Americas. In 1993, it opened the biggest sized brand-shop in Shanghai, a first in China’s men fashion and attained significant success in a few years.

Today, increasingly more people from Mainland China desire the highest quality lifestyle, proving that Stefano Ricci’s vision was unique and well proven. The first Stefano Ricci established in Vancouver downtown also provides a most perfect choice for all who seek the highest level of lifestyle locally. Stefano

Ricci is also popular amongst female customers, who mainly come to select garments for husbands, boyfriends and children, in addition to purchasing tableware and small home décor pieces for homes.

The beautiful scarves in-store are also popular amongst the ladies.

Like any other Stefano Ricci shop around the world, Vancouver’s Stefano Ricci will also make you feel the philosophies of being a head above the rest, fine workmanship and a sense of nobility that comes from Florence. To own Stefano Ricci is to possess the status symbols of prominence and high quality taste. This is an inevitable desire for all who are successful and is the garment and accessory of desire for the majority of men. www.stefanoricci.ca n

Photos: Scott Adolph, Sculptures of Light Photography

silverware, home décor, luxurious bedroom products and leather products. Every piece is made carefully by hand and brimming with a royal air and style. In 2010, Ricci bought Antico Setificio Fiorentino, a factory that, since 1786, has been providing noble families around the world with real silk fabrics created from traditional hand-weaving machines.

New Luxury

T R AV E L

&

M

FLYING BEYOND VANCOUVER

with Hong Kong Airlines for 10th Anniversary Network to be Extended to Major Cities in North America Including Vancouver in 2017. r. Zhang Kui, Co-chairman of Hong Kong Airlines said, “With its roots firmly in Hong Kong and a focus on the Asia Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines strives to chart its future course and maintain its robust growth. As of today, Hong Kong Airlines has established a vast destination network covering over 30 major cities in the Asia Pacific. Our passenger traffic will reach a record high of 6.6 million, bringing our market share of Hong Kong airport to approximately 10%.

This year marks the launch of 11 new destinations including Australia and New Zealand, which is a record-breaking achievement. Our effort has been recognized by the global travel industry and tourists alike.

We have been awarded a four-star rating by Skytrax since 2011 and ranked third place in the “Best Regional Airline: Asia” category

by Skytrax this year.”

“Centred around the theme of ‘Flying Beyond’, we have launched an exciting array of marketing activities to celebrate Hong Kong Airlines’ 10th anniversary. We will continue to fly our passengers to various parts of the world, as we embrace the next golden decade. In 2017, Hong Kong Airlines plans to continue growing its coverage in the Asia Pacific Region, while further extending its destination network to cover key cities in North America such as Vancouver. Our daily flight service to Vancouver will start from 30 June 2017 in support of our global development blueprint. As part of our fleet expansion, we will mark the arrival of our first A350 aircraft in August next year. Our new VIP lounge in the Midfield Concourse (MFC) at Hong Kong International Airport will be ready in the first quarter of 2017, offering upgraded premium services to more passengers. In addition, the Hong Kong Airlines Aviation Training Centre is slated for completion by the end of 2018, enabling us to nurture a new generation of aviation elite to spur the growth of the industry.”

Hong Kong Airlines A330-200 aircraft

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worldwide to leverage our connectivity in Asia, hence bringing more diverse and convenient travel options for travelers from Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta region, Oceania and North America.”

Hong Kong Airlines sponsored Film Triumph in the Skies as Official Carrier

“Hong Kong Airlines is a well-known, family-friendly airline based in a world class city, and we are thrilled to be able to offer the public even more options to travel between Vancouver and Hong Kong,” said Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “Every new airline that chooses to fly to Vancouver means more jobs for the local economy and creates new opportunities for British Columbians.”

Hong Kong Airlines to Launch Daily Service to Vancouver, Canada Commencing on 30 June 2017, Hong Kong Airlines, an internationally-acclaimed full-service airline, will operate daily direct flight between Hong Kong and Vancouver by Airbus A330 aircraft. Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2017, fly to Canada to join the nation-wide festivals with Hong Kong Airlines at HK$3,700* up.

Long accredited one of the world’s most livable cities, Vancouver in Canada is a year-round destination for all kinds of travelers, a mix of natural charm and bustling city life. In winter, Grouse Mountain in north Vancouver or nearby Whistler is the ultimate paradise for skiers and snowboarders; in spring time get enchanted by the flower beds in the world’s best park Stanley Park; summer in Vancouver is the season of beaches and festivals and in fall, the city turns into a gigantic palette of yellow, orange and red colours.

Mr. Li Dianchun, Chief Commercial Officer of Hong Kong Airlines said, “This new route service is Hong Kong Airlines’ debut in North America, we wish to attract as many visitors as possible to see the beautiful city of Vancouver, as well as encourage family reunions or business co-operation. The new route will also open up more opportunities for travelers

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Hong Kong Airlines VIP Lounge Club Bauhinia serves authentic Hong Kong food

Ticket for the Vancouver is now open for sale with economy class round trip ticket starts from HKD$3,700* and business class ticket starts from HKD$16,130*. As a full-service airline, Hong Kong Airlines offers passengers the convenience of traveling with up to two 23kg checked baggage allowance (or two 32kg baggage for Business class) and free inflight meals. Please refer to www.hkairlines.com for ticketing details. * Fares do not include fuel surcharges, taxes and other charges, currency exchange difference, and shall be subject to the terms and conditions.

Hong Kong Airlines Business Class Sky Bar

The flight schedule for Vancouver route is as follows** (All Times Local):

Route

Departure/Arrival time

Frequency

Hong Kong to Vancouver Vancouver to Hong Kong

12:30/ 10:20 12:10/ 16:50

Daily Daily

** Flight number and schedule may change without prior notice.

Hong Kong Airlines is launching direct flight services to Vancouver starting 30 Jun, 2017.

Hong Kong Airlines business class service Hong Kong Airlines provides innovative services like Happy Angel for family passengers

About Hong Kong Airlines

Hong Kong Airlines cabin crew perform wing chun at the Training Centre groundbreaking ceremony

“

Hong Kong Airlines is a well-known, family-friendly airline based in a world class city, and we are thrilled to be able to offer the public even more options to travel between Vancouver and Hong Kong.

Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines is a fullservice airline firmly rooted in Hong Kong. It has grown remarkably in just ten years with a wide destination network covering 36 major cities across the Asia Pacific region, including Gold Coast, Auckland, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, Sapporo, Seoul, Bangkok, Bali and Okinawa. The Company has also signed codeshare agreements with 11 airlines and 69 interline partners. The current operating fleet is made up of 34 Airbus aircraft, consisting of 29 passenger aircraft and 5 freighters. With an average age of around 4 years, Hong Kong Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in the world. Hong Kong Airlines has been awarded the internationally acclaimed four-star rating from Skytrax since 2011.

It was also the winner for Asia’s Leading Inflight Service in World Travel Awards 2015. n

“

Craig Richmond, President and CEO Vancouver Airport Authority.

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T R AVEL

SIDE CITIES

A spring weekend in Southern Ontario

By James Gordon

I

’ve been very fortunate over the last 14 years to cover beautiful destinations around the world for my TV show The Travel Guys. And although I have a list of favourite places I’ll always wish to visit again and again, there’s something which runs a little deeper about returning to that place where I spent the days of my youth. That place was the suburbs west of Toronto.

Recently, I returned to that area and ventured further west to experience several destinations as a writer and tourist. For many, Toronto is considered the centre of our country and a top tourist draw for people from all over the world. I loved my time in that big city and have visited many times.

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But there are lesser-known areas not too far away that are worth exploring if you find yourself in Toronto. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a lush area not far from the American border that boasts some wonderful wines and a quaint and cozy downtown.

Half way to the Niagara region you’ll also find the lakeside city of Burlington, which has never looked better or offered more to visitors.

NIAGARA ON THE LAKE My first stop was Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is located on the southern part of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Niagara River. It was also the first capital of Upper Canada in 1792. I’m embarrassed

all the shops and restaurants along Queen Street.

It also has a number of in-house dining choices, including the Escabeche Restaurant, the Churchill Lounge and afternoon tea in The Drawing Room.

There are 28 wineries in this region, so if you’ve time they can arrange a Trolley Wine Tour, which runs two to three hours. Or for the more active, try the Sip ‘n Cycle Tours, which offer exercise while touring the region on bike.

With only 24 hours to spare, I headed 10 minutes from downtown to the family owned Colaneri Estate Winery, which has a main building that could pass for a luxurious villa in Tuscany. I was looking forward to chatting with Christopher Colaneri, the second generation of winemakers in this family. After a warm greeting he quickly introduced me to a Pinot Grigio that was one of the best I’ve tasted this year.

“We’re in a real niche, micro-climate along the escarpment,” he told me. “And it’s been a great area to develop certain types of wines which can compete on a national level.”

Talking to Christopher and other wine people in this region you can see that they understand the land and the climate more and more each year. This is showing itself in the delicious wines I sampled.

to admit I’d never visited this beautiful area in all my years living in Ontario, so I headed there with no memories or expectations.

I was keen to sample the wine as I’d heard good things, but in BC we have the Okanagan, where you can, in my opinion, find some of the best wines in world. How good, I thought, could this Ontario wine be? I would have that answer within a few hours of arriving.

Once there, I was immediately struck by the architectural harmony of the downtown; it was like stepping back in time to the Victorian Era. The buildings all blend beautifully together with variations of the same “period look” (even the local Starbucks has tailored its exterior look to fit in with the downtown decor).

This look extended to my accommodations, the historic Prince of Wales Hotel, re-named in 1901 after a visit by the then-future King of England. This elegant hotel is perfectly located, only seconds from

As I made my way back downtown, I stopped by Trius Winery at Hillebrand. Trius has been around for 25 years, and it didn’t take much to convince me to hang around this gorgeous property for a bit of lunch and some samplings of delicious, award-winning red wine. They also offer a variety of different tasting areas, which added to the experience. Wine lovers should visit for information on the annual autumn wine festival.

Back downtown, I was content to simply stroll leisurely along Queen Street, stopping in the various types of “non-chain” stores and shops (I spent more than 20 minutes just browsing in the Irish Design store.) Wandering along the side streets, which are lined with beautiful homes and a wide variety of B&Bs, is also something for the “to do” list.

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Walking back to my hotel, I decided to make one last stop: The Olde Angel Inn, Ontario’s oldest operating inn, established in 1789. Though I had enjoyed some wonderful wines during my brief stay, the locals indicated that a pint with fish and chips in the cozy, old pub was a must. It was a wonderful way to cap off the evening and my time in Niagaraon-the-Lake.

BURLINGTON Of all the wonderful things this long weekend had to offer, Burlington was easily the biggest and most pleasant surprise. Again, going back to my youth, this city had little to offer someone my age or even to tourists. But that was a long time ago. Over the last few years Burlington has been awarded “#1 Best Mid-Sized City in Canada” along with “#5th Best City Overall in Canada.”

From the moment I checked into the impressive Waterfront Hotel in downtown Burlington, I liked what I saw. The hotel is perfectly located along

Only a few blocks from Queen Street, sits North America’s oldest golf course, Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club, established in 1875. The semi-private, nine-hole course is nestled along the banks of Lake Ontario and offers reasonable rates (especially in the autumn as it remains open until late October).

Though once a good golfer, on this late afternoon I chose a nice glass of Cabernet Franc Rose from the local Pond View Estate Winery and a cozy seat on the club’s patio instead of golf. I was pre-occupied with the beautiful views, but it wasn’t long before I found myself chatting with a table of locals about their town and its history. That’s the other thing you notice in this community: people are very friendly and proud of their town.

One of the other big draws to this region is the legendary Shaw Festival, named after the iconic playwright and author, George Bernard Shaw. It runs from early April to mid October and has been offering a wide selection of plays since the early 1960s.

For a lover of the theatre, this is a wonderful bonus while visiting the region.

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Lake Ontario, near a lovely boardwalk and the beach, and close to everything I wanted to see.

And with no car, it would be easy to walk or cycle everywhere.

With a bike courtesy of Urkai Bikes (www.urkai.com ), my first stop along scenic Lakeshore Blvd was the Paletta Mansion.

Spread over 14 acres this “jewel in the crown” of Burlington waterfront property is a breathtaking example of the local history. It began in 1809, with Laura Secord being an early owner, and in its history, more than 15 families have owned the 11,000-square-foot home. A peaceful walk around the grounds was a nice way to begin my day.

Only a 10 minute bike ride away is the Art Gallery of Burlington, an award-winning gallery which stages

and wines from the region and on a sunny day you can easily find yourself lounging on that patio all afternoon.

But I had one last stop to make: Nickel Brook Brewing Co., one of a number of micro-breweries in the area. This award-winning company offers nearly a dozen different types of beer for sale or tasting. I sampled nearly all of them and there was not a bad one in the bunch. as many as 12 exhibits a year and has plenty to offer visitors of all ages.

From there I cycled up through the downtown, passed the cool-looking City Hall and The Parish Church of St Luke and cemetery, to the Centennial Parkway bike path, which winds through subdivisions, new and old, with nothing but nature providing the soundtrack. I hadn’t planned to bike that much, but when you come from a congested city like Vancouver, where there’s always noise, a simple, quiet bike ride in this serene setting offers an injection of peace and tranquility.

There are plenty of dining options in the downtown area. I was planning on experiencing two very different ones for lunch. First — and this is a must see on any Burlington visit — The Sunshine Doughnut Co. The selection is not massive and you’re best to get there before noon as they sell out quickly, but the samples I had were heavenly!

After that all-too-brief snack, it was off to Spencer’s at the Waterfront, an upscale restaurant, with a gorgeous patio in a stunning architectural setting overlooking Lake Ontario (it’s almost a necessity to return later in the day to see how this bright, airy venue transforms into a warm and perfectly lit place at night). It offers a wide selection of food

My final night was spent doing what my local friends call “The Circuit,” visiting a number of places all situated within a few blocks of each other in downtown Brant Street area. My first stop was dinner at Maracaz Taco ‘n Tequila, a cozy, unpretentious restaurant/bar with a kind of “rec room” look and feel. The food was great, the prices low, and the house draught was excellent.

In this neighbourhood, you can wander from place to place, and find a different and enjoyable vibe at every stop. Along the way, we sampled more Niagara region wine at Honey West, and delicious cocktails at Martini House. Every place was impressive and welcoming.

The next day I boarded a plane home, satisfied that the regions I’d visited over a busy, long weekend were worth passing on to readers. Toronto will always be a big attraction, but like other big, world-class cities, it can sometimes overshadow other wonderful places that are nearby. This trip reminded me those places are often the ones you remember most. n

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VANCOUVER WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL Internationally renowned musicians from around the world gather for this three-night event dedicated to the diverse culture, language and history shared within our country and to the unifying power of music.

Featuring H’Sao, BC World Music Collective, Locarno, Tanga, and Farnaz Ohadi and the Mashregh Ensemble.

At various Vancouver venues $25-$45 at www.worldmusicfest.ca April 21

WORKS OF HENRY PURCELL Pioneer of Baroque music, the stirring operas and elaborate melodies from this English composer come to life with the voice of Canada’s Soprano, Karina Gauvin, and Les Boréades de Montréal.

Christ Church Cathedral 690 Burrard Street, Vancouver $33.50-$67 at www.earlymusic.bc.ca

April 27

DRUM HEAT Sal Ferreras and the top percussive talent from the West Coast exhibit their complex rhythms and styles in this benefit supporting youth arts education.

Vogue Theatre 918 Granville Street, Vancouver $20-$30 at www.ticketfly.com April 28-May 13

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL The much-anticipated first edition of the Vancouver Opera Festival is a celebration of the vocal and theatrical arts, featuring Verdi’s Otello, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and Heggie’s Dead Man Walking. At its core, three new productions: a seldom-performed masterpiece, a beloved classic, and a contemporary tour de force.

At multiple venues $75-$165 at www.vancouveropera.ca

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THEATRE

Until April 23

ANGELS IN AMERICA Hailed as one of the most important works of 20th-century theatre, Tony Kushner’s modern masterpiece is a timeless tale of companionship and abandonment set in New York City at the height of the Reagan era.

Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage 2750 Granville Street, Vancouver From $29 at www.artsclub.com

April 26-30

LONG DIVISION The mathematics of human connection is told through digital media, music, text and dance in this play centered on seven characters after a tragic incident.

Annex Theatre 823 Seymour Street, Vancouver $25 at www.pitheatre.com April 29-May 20

CIRCLE GAME April 6-May 6

MOM’S THE WORD 3 The beloved moms return in the latest installment of the Moms the Word series, this time dealing with empty nests, nutty marriages, and aging bodies, all in fabulous comedic fashion.

Granville Island Stage 1585 Johnston Street, Vancouver From $29 at www.artsclub.com

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The music of Canadian icon Joni Mitchell inspires the story of this original production, which connects her environmentalist values with the social issues of today.

Firehall Arts Centre 280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver $23-$33 at www.firehallartscentre.ca

DA N CE

April 6-8

MOZONGI Montreal choreographer Zab Maboungou and Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata present this thrilling revival of the 1997 contemporary African dance production.

Scotiabank Dance Centre 677 Davie Street, Vancouver $24-$32 at www.thedancecentre.ca April 11-15

ROOM 2048 Hong Kong Exile’s multimedia dance theatre world premiere, exploring the socio-political realities of the Cantonese diaspora told through digital light design, bombastic pop music, fog, and the Chinese body.

Firehall Arts Centre 280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver $23-$33 at www.firehallartscentre.ca

April 18-30

VERTICAL INFLUENCES Bringing together skill and art, this original performance from Le Patin Libre breaks through the barriers of conventional figure skating to create a whole new story telling experience.

Britannia Ice Rink 1661 Parker Street, Vancouver $19.05-$43.81 at www.thecultch.com

Sabrina Furminger (www.sabrinafurminger.com) is an award-winning Vancouver-based columnist. She’s a regular contributor to The Westender, for whom she writes about cultural events and show business. Follow her on Twitter @sabrinarmf.

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OPERA FOR ALL

I

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera

The re-imagination Vancouver Opera Festival

By Catherine Tse

n its inaugural year, the Vancouver Opera Festival (VOF) is poised to breathe fresh energy into this city’s live performing arts scene. With a shorter but tighter schedule, VOF is making the most of its 16-day run, April 28 to May 13.

For opera purists, there are three new ambitious productions to eagerly anticipate.

Mozart’s classic, The Marriage of Figaro (1786) is an opera buffa or comic opera that recounts the activities of a single day of madcap hijinks all about love — unrequited love, misguided love, avenged love. Giuseppe Verdi’s masterful, penultimate opera, Otello (1887) is based on Shakespeare’s play Othello, which poignantly depicts a great hero consumed by jealousy. Jake Heggie’s contemporary treasure, Dead Man Walking (2000), is based on the book of the same name about death, imminent death and the path of spiritual redemption that lies in-between.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera

“Perhaps the tent’s approachable, open-sided design is the symbol that best debunks some of opera’s most incessant stereotypes.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera Photo by Tim Matheson

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera, Photo by Tim Matheson

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BREATHING FRESH ENERGY!!

But beyond the classics, VOF’s festival model was created to entice new patrons alongside the old — people who may have never attended an opera before: the opera curious.

“This [festival] was designed to get people excited about opera in all its different aspects,” says Brian Nickel, Director of Development for Vancouver Opera. “Besides the actual operas, we have concerts, like Ute Lemper who performed the lead in Chicago after Catherine Zeta Jones

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera, Photo by Steffen Thalemann

— a spectacular artist — and Tanya Tagaq. We want to bring in a whole new set of people.”

VOF’s new fluid format allows for a greater range of performances and events that fall outside the classical definition of opera, but remain musically relevant. In true festival spirit, VOF will offer opportunities to support emerging artists, attend panel discussions and participate in master classes.

This re-imagination of Vancouver Opera is a wonderful opportunity to present an inclusive, well-rounded festival.

For those focused on vocals, there’s Total Choral Immersion (May 3), an elaborate, multilayered presentation, featuring singers from invited local amateur, semi-professional and professional choirs alongside the Vancouver Opera Chorus, in collaboration with the Vancouver Bach Choir. Accompanied by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, this thrilling musical extravaganza will treat audiences to famous opera choruses including “Va pensiero” from Verdi’s Nabucco.

This re-imagination of Vancouver Opera is a wonderful opportunity to present an inclusive, well-rounded festival. It marks a modern interpretation of how opera can stay relevant to a city like Vancouver, and showcases opera’s inherent ability to evolve and embrace other

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera

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Every festival needs a festival tent and VOF’s will be located on the Queen Elizabeth Plaza.

Perhaps the tent’s approachable, open-sided design is the symbol that best debunks some of opera’s most incessant stereotypes — that it’s an art for the elite to be enjoyed stoically behind closed doors. Don’t forget that back in the day, some were considered scandalous, enough so to elicit riots. It was a form of entertainment for the general public and should still be considered as such (minus the crime sprees).

So stop by the VOF festival tent after work one afternoon, get a drink and enjoy the free performance or lecture and consider going to the opera. www.vancouveropera.ca n

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera, Photo by Nicky Newman Photo by Katrin Braga Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera, Photo by Tim Matheson

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Vancouver Opera

media. VOF has several multi-disciplinary performances scheduled throughout the festival. Keep an eye out for a cutting-edge, commissioned video art installation and an outdoor screening event.

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Actor Kiefer Sutherland, known for movies like Stand

by Me, A Few Good Men and more, walking the red carpet at Whistler Film Festival. Photo Auctioneer and BC Lions champ Marco Iannuzzi provided by Whistler with wife Jennifer, left, and gala co-chair and Film Festival. marketing /event coordinator Susanna Stewart at the Brian Jessel BMW Cabriolet gala

Three cheers for 30+ years of success for Brian Jessel, seen here at the Cabriolet gala fundraiser.

Chuck Keeling, Vice President, stakeholder relations and responsible gaming, Great Canadian Gaming Corp, poses with the pretty casino ladies at The lovely ladies at HongKong Airlines are all trained in Wing the opening of the new Chun martial arts. Flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong Casino start onin Surrey Elements June 30 complete with luxury living business class.

Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood on stage at the Whistler Film Festival.

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Craig Richmond, left, president and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority, with Wayne Wang of HongKong Airlines.

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You know him for his movie roles in Trainspotting, The Full Monty and James Bond’s The World is Not Enough. Actor Robert Carlyle on the red carpet at the Whistler Film Festival.

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Canadian actor Robin BruceGill, left, Bacchanalia honourary chair, with Kristine Wilkinson at the Vancouver International Wine Festival gala. 2. Think x 1. Global News’ Greenwood on stage at Blink’s Rae Kung and George Liu, chief marketing officer of HongKong Airlines, at the gourmet dinner launch party. 3. Brian Jessel managing partner Jim the Whistler Murray and Film LindaFestival.

Mah in the VIP room at the Cabriolet gala event for pancreatic cancer. 4. Christopher Gaze with Vancouver International Wine Festival YouVancouver know him Symphony for his movie PBacchanalia h o t o p r o vchair i d e dJana b yMaclagan during the champagne reception. 5.Gala co-chairs AJ McLean, left, and Karin Smith at the rolesevent. in Trainspotting, The Whistler Film Festival.

Orchestra gala event. 6. Solo violinists Eric Jiang and Yiyi Hsu open the show at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Ball gala n Full Monty and James Bond’s The World is Not Enough. Actor Robert Carlyle on the red carpet at the Whistler Film Festival.

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When I grow up I want to drive a Bentley!

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Bentley Vancouver celebrated the unveiling of their newest sports car at the launch of the Continental Supersports coupe.

98 years young, the prestigious car company continues to create vehicles that are still iconic in the luxury market amidst the sleeker vehicles of this genre.

“There will always be buyers in this wealthy playground called Vancouver” A quick look back on the history of the British automaker, Bentley Motors Limited was founded in 1921 by W.O. (Walter) Bentley and manufactured their first car in 1921. The company swiftly became

known for the durability of these larger racecars coupled with the unique design features to make them fast. Although expensive car sales are naturally affected by the volatility of the economy, Bentley has toughed it out over the past century with a few take-overs including Rolls Royce and the present-day owners, Volkswagen Group.

The Bentley Continental Super sports series was introduced in 2009 as limited production and is a combination of power and environmentally friendly technology. The newest model was introduced early this year and is the fastest and most powerful Bentley available in this line of luxury sports cars. The price tag of close to $300,000 surely will not be of concern to anyone shopping in this niche market. As with Vancouver’s pricey real estate, there will always be buyers in this wealthy playground called Vancouver. www.bentleyvancouver.ca n Leeta Liepins leanwithleeta@outlook.com Photography: Kevin Uy www.kevinuy.ca

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