Western Living BC, December2016

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WESTERN LIVING // DEC 2016

Inside This Cool, Contemporary Calgary Home on the River

Hot Trends for 2017

Our Fave Design Trends for the New Year (The ’70s Are Back!)

PLUS Holiday Dinners!

All-Star Sides for Christmas Festivities

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CAMMEO is a minimalist design armchair.

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Bold and Beautiful This black snakeskin credenza, shown in a Karin Bohn-designed room, is a modern interpretation of ’70s glamour—one of the hottest trends for 2017.

Story, page 35.

Cover: Phil Crozier; this page: Provoke Studios

D E C E M B E R 2 016 B R I T I S H C O LU M B I A // V O LU M E 46 // N U M B E R 10

W INTER WONDERS 35 // Trend Report 2017

As warmer, richer interiors spread across the West (goodbye, minimalism!), tropical jungle scenes, bubble-gum Art Deco and retro ’70s take centre stage.

42 // Third Time’s the Charm

A Calgary design firm helps a family rebuild the home of their dreams after the city’s epic flood—and the result is a cool, contemporary space perfect for a family of four.

50 // The Nature of Things

For Vancouver designer Ami McKay, the trick to holiday harmony comes in small shapes and sizes—handcrafted and simplified, but still with plenty of spirit. westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WL // contents

66 design 25 // Ones to Watch

Calgary design-build firm Studio North takes inspiration from its surroundings.

26 // Shopping

A cozy velvet armchair, faux-fur throw, on-trend copper lamp and more must-haves.

28 // Openings

The hottest new rooms across the West, from a Rolex boutique to a pretty stationery shop.

30 // Great Spaces

Tacofino’s latest location takes inspiration from the SoCal surf punk scene.

food 56 // Bites

58

DIY Earls potato skins, the best whisky to gift this year and more foodie news.

58 // Choosing Sides

travel 65 // Learning Curve

Ski and life lessons at Big White.

66 // Channeling Bing

and the Bar Car

Writer Tyee Bridge hops a train to Montana, on the hunt for his White Christmas moment.

26 1 6 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

plus 74 // Trade Secrets

Designer David Nicolay turns a master ensuite into a streamlined dream.

Glacier National Park: Troy Smith; roasted sweet potatoes: Clinton Hussey

Turkey pretty much cooks itself. If you want to knock the holiday dinner out of the park, we have one word for you: sides.

WESTERN LIVING editorial editorial director Anicka Quin art director Paul Roelofs executive editor Stacey McLachlan food & travel editor Neal McLennan associate art director Jenny Reed associate editor Julia Dilworth staff writer Kaitlyn Gendemann contributing editors Amanda Ross, Nicole Sjรถstedt, Barb Sligl, Jim Sutherland, Julie Van Rosendaal city editors Karen Ashbee (Calgary) Jyllian Park (Edmonton) Rosemary Poole (Victoria) editorial interns Andrea Garza, Miranda Macfarlane, Daniela Rodriguez Chevalier, Julianna Sonntag art intern Marina Bender

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WL // EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Holidays Last year’s cookie-making with my niece, Gracie, and nephew, Matthew, involved a lot of sampling.

Q& A This month we asked our contributors, what holiday dish is part of your family traditions each year?

P l C , “T rd Ti ’s t‫ה‬

arm” 42 When I think of a memorable holiday dish from my childhood, I think of the flavours and scents of apples and cinnamon: apple pie, apple crisp and apple cider. These were always the finale to our feast and the beginning of an evening of storytelling around the living-room fireplace.

J r S , “ Si s” 58 My family’s holiday dinner has always been built around a great rib roast, although one could argue that it’s actually the Yorkshire pudding and gravy that is the star attraction and indeed the real reason for the beef!

My favourite side ever.

Behind the Scenes Our talented food stylist, Jennifer Stamper, preps this issue’s holiday side dishes for “Choosing Sides,” (page 58) in photographer Clinton Hussey’s studio—ready for her gorgeous selection of dinnerware in the foreground.

VISIT

ANICK A QUIN, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ANICK A.QUIN@WESTERNLIVING.CA 2 2 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

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Anicka Quin portrait: Evaan Kheraj; styling by Luisa Rino, makeup by Melanie Neufeld; dress courtesy Nordstrom; watch courtesy Tiffany & Co. Photographed at the Aviary, theaviary.ca.

MAKING HOLIDAY MEMORIES

Like many West Coasters, I’m originally from somewhere else. So, for the past 15 years, Christmastime has meant a flight somewhere—to Calgary to visit my sister and her family, or to small-town Ontario, where my mom lives. But my first time travelling home for the holidays came even before that: as a teenager, when I attended a university in a town a couple of hours away from home. I recall well that first Christmas back, when I caused a stir by announcing to my parents that I’d become vegetarian. (What they assumed to be a phase managed to stick around for the next 22 years.)

On top of the classic fretting about whether I was eating enough, my horrified mom also stressed over what to serve for the big dinner—though she needn’t have worried. When I think back to holiday dinners past, it’s rarely the bird or the ham that became the stuff of memories. My sister’s overly sauced scalloped potatoes, my dad’s buttery turnips, even my own trademark stuffing that’s dotted with mushrooms, celery, apples and raisins—those are the dishes I can taste in my mind when I close my eyes.

This issue, we’ve honed in on those supporting roles: the side dishes that truly make the meal come Christmas day (“Choosing Sides,” page 58). A few of our chef friends from across the West have shared their favourite recipes: think fried Brussels sprouts with lemon and mint from chef Daniel Costa of Edmonton’s Corso32; or the much-loved kale salad from Osteria Savio Volpe—recently named one of the top 10 new restaurants in Canada—and more.

It’s a collection of recipes that sets the script for a legendary dinner in the making.

This year I’ve managed to convince my family to make their way West, so I’ll be hosting the Christmas feast for the first time. There are already some new traditions in the making: I’m looking forward to roping my niece and nephew into our annual cookie-making sessions—where licking the bowl is a very important part of the process—and, in the spirit of firsts, more than a few of the recipes from this issue will make an appearance. For you, whether you break with your own traditions and test out a few new twists, or stay with your family’s tried-and-true favourites, I hope your holiday dinner table is full of the flavours, laughter and joys of the season.

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S H O P P I N G // T R E N D S // P E O P L E // S PA C E S // O P E N I N G S // I N T E L

ones to watch

Sense of Place Studio North, Calgary

“On every architectural drawing, that north arrow is literally used for orienting yourself to the site,” explains Matthew Kennedy. It’s why he and co-founder Mark Erickson named their Calgary design-build firm Studio North: the relationship between a project’s abstract layout and its sense of place in the landscape is at the core of their design philosophy. The duo places special emphasis on integrating their modernrustic structures in harmony with the geographic and social settings, whether it’s a long, linear mess hall at a P.E.I. kids’ camp with a wall of oversized windows to let the Atlantic light stream in, or a 34-unit townhouse complex designed to reference a traditional mountain dwelling and oriented strategically to highlight the views.—Miranda Macfarlane

Backstreet Boys Mark Erickson (left) and Matthew Kennedy have four laneway houses under construction that embrace a different kind of landscape: Calgary’s back streets.

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLDESIGN // shopping

Anicka’s Pick Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirits $52, available at Mikuni Wild Harvest, mikuniwildharvest.com ’Tis the season for holiday parties and drinks with friends (I’ve got a killer mulled wine recipe I’m happy to share)—and for the non-drinkers who want something a little more interesting than ginger ale, I’m happy to finally have something to offer. Seedlip distilled non-alcoholic spirits come in two varieties: one aromatic and woody, with ingredients like allspice berries, cardamom and citrus peels; another is herbal and floral, including peas, hay and spearmint—giving my mulled wine a run for its money.

For more of Anicka’s picks, visit westernliving.ca

In Bloom Paper arts, geometrics and Western Canada’s favourite “colour” come together in the future-perfect ceramic Menu folded vase ($126), available in almost all 50 shades.

Vancouver Special, Vancouver, vanspecial.com

NOTEWORTHY New in stores across the West

Aroma Therapy Calgary designer Amanda Hamilton expands her merch empire with her first unisex scented candle, No. 1 Virility ($49). Expect warm spices and notes of black tea, tobacco and lavender.

The Edit, Vancouver, theeditinc.com

Nature Calls From the long-necked head turn to the copper-penny finish, this animal-inspired Giraffa LED lamp ($359) has totally charmed us.

Designhouse, Vancouver, designhouse.com

The Game Changer Walnut? Check. Mid-century modern? Check, check. And because the Thao dining table from Structube is a competitive $249, you can spring for the period-perfect Houston dining chairs, too ($79 each). Structube, Vancouver, structube.com

2 6 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

Experience the warmth of walnut live edge.

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WLDESIGN // shopping

OPENINGS Dark Arts

Mario Trimarchi’s Ossidiana espresso coffee maker ($79) for Alessi holds fragments of designs past (like the classic Moka coffee pot) as well as our morning brew. Gabriel Ross, Victoria, grshop.com; Inform Interiors, Vancouver, informinteriors.com

Hot new rooms we love

Faux Real

The only thing standing between your living room and a cozy winter mountain lodge is this can’t-believe-its-faux long-hair throw ($100).

Indigo, across the West, chapters.indigo.ca

NOTEWORTHY

VANCOUVER Rolex Boutique Inspired by the Rolex Oyster, the world’s original waterproof wristwatch designed in 1926, Western Canada’s first Rolex boutique features laseretched aqua glass, cream-coloured leather and bronze detailing set amid a grand showroom and private customer lounge (complete with a bar and sofas). Guests can expect an elevated retail experience, with a luxe-in-mind design that’s “reflective of its West Coast surroundings,” says owner Sassan Pourfar. Find the 2,000-square-foot-plus boutique (Rolex’s biggest store in the Americas) in Vancouver’s Alberni luxury district. globalwatchco.com —Daniela Rodriguez Chevalier

New in stores across the West

Blue Crush

As homeowners cry out for cozier furniture, BoConcept answers back with its velvet quilted Adelaide chair ($993)—we love comfort without an aesthetic compromise.

BoConcept, Vancouver, boconcept.com

2 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

VANCOUVER Paper Label Inspired by the good deal of coziness that winter involves, the Paper Label’s new pop-up winter shop is set to open at Artemis Gallery in North Vancouver’s Deep Cove neighbourhood from November 29 to December 18. Get into holiday mode with locally made gifts (from Saige and Skye braided art to Kermodi Living Art planters), luxe sleepwear and festive stationery that make the most of the season. paperlabel.ca —D.R.C.

VANCOUVER Prima Stone Stepping into Vancouver for the first time, the Edmontonfounded company creates vertical and flooring surfaces with thin cuts of natural stone that are slim enough to backlight yet give a full-slab effect for less. (Think Carrara marble at half the price, and toughto-source blue onyx.) Prima Stone’s new store in Vancouver will be a shared space with furniture designer Kate Duncan and GE Monogram. primastone.ca —D.R.C.

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I NTER I O R S VANCOUVER | COQUITLAM | VICTORIA | KELOWNA | JORDANS.CA

WLDESIGN // great spaces

SURF’S UP

Tacofino’s new Yaletown space is a SoCal surf punk-inspired urban getaway.

Wild Ones These custom-made light fixtures by Vancouver artist Meghann Hubert are a mix of shape and pattern. meghubert.com

Off the Wall Custom murals—like this one by Courtney Presber—are a one-of-akind alternative to a wallpapered feature wall. courtneypresber.com

Laura McGuire

Omitting the surfboards and sunburns, B.C.’s favourite little taco empire has brought the allure and wild energy of Southern California’s beaches to downtown Vancouver with their latest venture. Long and lean with high ceilings, the room is a far-out tribute to surfing, ’80s pop art and “West Coast lifestyle and culture, which is, at least for me, what the food is about,” says designer Shiloh Sukkau.

Tasked with creating a cordial space that would reflect a more casual dining concept, Sukkau—who also oversaw the coastal-cool Gastown location—immersed herself in the desired aesthetic. “We looked at a lot of ’80s art, listened to surf punk and took a trip to L.A.,” Sukkau says. The experiences inspired her to commission mismatched handmade ceramic light fixtures by Meghann Hubert that float like buoys above the tables and a 50-foot mural by artist Courtney Presber in sun-bleached hues, which runs the length of the room. “Restaurant design is so unique in that you are really working from micro to macro,” says Sukkau. “You’re taking the concept behind the food and expanding it into the space.”—Willem Thomas

MORE INSPIRING SPACES Find more great rooms to inspire at westernliving.ca 3 0 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

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HOMES I N T E R I O R S // A R C H I T E C T U R E // D E S I G N // L I V I N G

TREND REPORT 2017

As warmer, richer interiors spread across the West, tropical jungle scenes, bubble-gum Art Deco and retro ’70s take centre stage.

Provoke Studios

Check out our 2017 colour trends and furniture previews at westernliving.ca

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WL HOMES // TREND REPORT 2017

1

“We’re noticing furniture that does an updated take on mid-century or ’70s-era pieces.”

—stephanie brown, Stephanie brown inc., Vancouver

2

3

“You have to be retro to be modern right now.”

LA DOLCE VITA

As mid-century modern matures to embrace the ’70s, there’s a universal thaw on snow-white interiors.

Mid-century modern isn’t loosening its grip on the West just yet, but we find it maturing with a warmer palette and rich materials straight out of the ’70s. Luxe browns, caramels and burnt oranges interrupt once all-white colour schemes.

Designers Stephanie Brown and Denise Ashmore forecast an influx of natural and matte textures: think weather-beaten nude leathers, glass forms, natural woods (stained dark, oiled or with orange undertones), honed quartz countertops and matte everything (from metal hardware to tiles and painted cabinets). Designer Karin Bohn notes that as the pendulum swings in the opposite direction of clean and minimal (RIP, white-on-white Scandinavian), there’s a conspicuous move to retro Italian-style interiors with bold geometric tiles, interesting furniture forms and—one of our favourites—coloured marble, which sees green, yellow, pink and black supplant predictable white. It’s not rustic, but sophisticated and refined. It’s not a fleeting trend, either—these are just the first stages of a global warming.

Above: Provoke Studios

—Karin Bohn, House of Bohn, Vancouver

1 The wave-inspired Alvar Aalto Collection vase ($210) is another iconic throwback (circa 1936) that will look right at home with your mod squad of furnishings. informinteriors.com

The Warm-Up Interior designer Karin Bohn taps old-world Italy to inspire a Vancouver penthouse with a rich, earthy palette and distinct ’70s vibe.

2 On the art-house side of macramé, we find the Elkeland wall hanging ($225), a collaboration between artist Ida Elke and Danish powerhouse brand Ferm Living. espacedonline.com

5

3 Get ready to see a lot more burnt orange and walnut—here the two pair up on Resource Furniture’s Danny chair (from $870). resourcefurniture.com 4 The glass droplet design of the Kastehelmi collection (bowl, $41) brings the nostalgia, but you can also find it in a range of contemporary colours—from Easter blues and yellows to on-trend brown. designhouse.ca

6

5 Tom Dixon’s Melt Gold glass pendant (from $1,375) is the colour of honey and the epitome of retro glamour. inform interiors.com, grshop.com 6 Hip L.A. outfit Bend Goods revives the classic Warren Platner chair with its modern take, the Peacock Lounge (from $800). providehome.com 7 Designers will be opting for coloured and black marble (like this Fullhouse Modern Big O marble coffee table, from $1,485) over traditional Carrara and Calacatta. fullhousemodern.com 8 Forward the mid-century movement with modern Scandinavian furniture in rich tones, like this asymmetrical leather Lawndale daybed ($2,699). cb2.com

7 4 8 Benjamin Moore Etruscan AF-355 Benjamin Moore Night Shade 2116-10

The paleTTe

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WL HOMES // trend report 2017

CANDY CRUSH

Sunshine pop pastels bring the ’80s back to the West.

Each person on our design panel hit on an element of this powerful ’80s revival, but saw it manifesting in different ways. What Alykhan Velji calls “Miami circa 1982,” Karin Bohn affectionately termed “grandma chic.” The whole look revolves around a throwback palette of milky pastels, which started with Pantone’s 2016 Colours of the Year, Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue.

It’s trickling down into everything from furniture to accessories, and Bohn sees it pushing into ’90s clash territory next with lime green, dusty burgundy and hits of copper and rose gold.

Ceramic pots and tableware come back with a pop-y modern update alongside translucent candycoloured vessels destined for the coffee table. “Geometric patterns—triangle shapes in particular—are the style of choice in 2017 for metal furniture,” says Megan Baker of Project 22 Design; look for them in accent chairs, wire baskets and bowls. Big floral murals add a painterly touch, but, overall, patterns will be downplayed and replaced with pastel shades against brass accents and surprises like camel-coloured leather. This look can skew SoCal mid-century (minimalist modern furniture, ample whites) or more Miami Art Deco (geometrics, glass accents and velvets).

Above: Janis Nicolay

Soft Touch Vancouver designer Stephanie Brown proves that a youthful pastel palette can look fabulously grownup with brass accents, velvet and natural stone.

1 Brass and camel-coloured leather team up with pink for a fresh twist on milky pastels. Field Days ($60) and Lilith pillows ($63) make a great duo. crate andbarrel.com

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2 Zoë Pawlak’s Taken rug (a collaboration with Burritt Bros., $10,868 for 8x10) translates splashes of candy colours like blush and dusty blue into everlasting neutrals. burrittfloors.com 3 Vancouver’s Lindsey Hampton is killing it with her speckle-clay ceramics in playful pastels—the mugs, the plates, these vessels (pot from $150, vase from $175)—we want it all. vanspecial.com

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“The ’80s are influencing accent colours, with pale pinks and pastel green appearing in furniture and accessories.”

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4 Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola brings us back to the future with her iridescent Shimmer console table ($2,031). informinteriors.com 5 The coloured Mercury candleholders ($5 to $19 each) are low-commitment opportunities to perk up tables and ledges. westelm.ca 6 A bold decade calls for bold lighting.

We love the cubism-inspired Kazimir wall sconce ($2,790) from Ladies and Gentlemen Studio, which combines textured glass and matte metals. lightform.ca

—Megan Baker, Project 22 design, Vancouver

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7 Sumptuous and sultry, the Jonathan Adler Charade capsule daybed ($2,750) is palatable glamour with just the right amount of gilded glitz. chintz.com

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6 7 Benjamin Moore Lime Sorbet 2032-70

Benjamin Moore Iceberg 2122-50

The paleTTe

“Velvets are making a big comeback in design.

Rich upholstery and drapery in this classic fabric provide just the right hit of dramatic sophistication to any space.”

—alykhan velji, alykhan Velji Designs, Calgary westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WL HOMES // trend report 2017

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“When we come home, we want to have less stimulation and more relaxation— to be surrounded by things that are of real importance.”

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—elena del bucchia, elena del bucchia design, Calgary

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HOT TROPIC

Luxe jungle scenes transport us to another world.

This is the interior that radiates “exotic dream vacation.” You’re not putting away dishes on a snowy Canadian Sunday, you’re sipping champers portside, off the shores of a palm tree-lined beach paradise. Call it wishful thinking, but palm prints and tropical scenes pulled from Southeast Asia, Hawaii and Central America are creeping up north. Designer Alykhan Velji notes the jungle fever for palm-leaf print has taken over every surface, imparting the old-world glamour that goes so well with dark woods, exotic patterned tile and bright gold hardware. Modern spaces have long eschewed wild foliage, but a very ’70s indoor-plant craze is seeing the gamut of succulents and real palm fronds materialize in so many designer rooms of late. The tropical trend doesn’t stop there: pineapple motifs are at a fever pitch, and designer Karin Bohn says lemons, limes and oranges are on the way. Watch as terracotta makes the jump from pots to tile flooring and accessories, with retro arches and texture-rich wicker and caning poised to make a comeback. Designer Elena Del Bucchia also foretells a return to cozy, lived-in furniture—hello, linen!— and inherited pieces that have a story (all the more reason to collect treasures on your travels).

1 Earthy orange terracotta shows up on all kinds of accessories and accoutrements, like this Fresh carafe from Normal Studio ($125). espacedonline.com

Imported Elegance “Moroccan tiles with unique patterns and colours provide a great pop of colour,” says Alykhan Velji.

The Calgary designer combines them with on-trend dark woods and palm leaves in this exotic entryway.

2 The far-from-kitschy gold crosshatched Pineapple tumbler ($99) is going to give you new reasons to entertain. atkinsonsofvancouver.com 3 Textile design whisperers Wolfum (based in sunny L.A.) pair rich ash with eye-catching pattern in the Rampli Axo tri-bowl ($114). wolfum.com 4 The texture-rich Amara herringbone hamper ($225) is handwoven by Senegalese women using silver, cream and white plastic strips and natural grasses. thecrossdesign.com 5 Indulging in the finer things isn’t exclusive to your vacation—make use of Tom Dixon’s mouth-blown Tank low- and high-ball glasses (from $88) whenever you get the chance. informinteriors.com, grshop.com 6 A geometric pattern outlined in black resin adds a contemporary touch to the Bone Inlay side table ($644). westelm.ca 7 Channel the jungle vibe with trueto-life (but impossible-to-kill) fan palms ($32), perfect for centrepieces and floor vases. cb2.com 8 Bring home the lush, tropical rainforest to any corner of your Canadian home with this contemporary tropical mural from Area Environments ($25/square foot). areaenvironments.com 9 Wicker and rattan returns, but in modern shapes—like with the Comet Basket chair ($598) in a pleasantly familiar scoop design. nineteenten.ca

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Above: Joel Klassen

“Wicker is popping up in all kinds of home decor elements—especially in furniture. It brings in texture and an unexpected quality to a space.”

—alykhan velji, alykhan velji designs, Calgary

The paleTTe

For sources, visit westernliving.ca

westernliving.ca / D E C E M B E R

2016 41

THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM

A Calgary design firm helps a family rebuild the home of their dreams after the city’s epic flood.

by Julia Dilworth photographs by Phil Crozier

WL HOMES // calgary

Master the modern mix.

The outside of this Craftsman-style home is traditional, so designer James McIntyre incorporated classic mouldings and coffered ceilings into the living room. But by painting them the same colour as the wall and ceiling, the space leans toward modern.

W Give presence to an entrance. There’s symmetry in this hallway (above) with its custom goldframed mirrors and white benches, but the addition of the gold-legged round table adds a unique element to make this space dynamic—and gives importance to this entryway.

Replace a static office desk with a functional table. We live in a mobile and increasingly paperless world, so McIntyre put a stylish table at the centre of a new type of office (left, complete with a pop-up charging station for iAccessories). This versatile room also doubles as spillover seating for extra-large dinner parties.

hen the big flood hit Calgary back in 2013, designer James McIntyre was at his clients’ Elbow Park house the next day—to find their living room furniture floating in two feet of river mud.

The environmental disaster that shut down the city for weeks had taken out the basement and part of their main floor, destroying furniture, mementos and treasures. But instead of giving up on the Craftsman they’d called home for more than a decade, the family of four tasked McIntyre and his firm, McIntyre Bills, to remake their house anew. “We kind of joke with the client that, you know, third time’s the charm,” says the designer. He first worked with the couple back in the late ’90s when they moved into the home, and then,“We did a redesign right before it was flooded,” explains McIntyre.

But the interruption wasn’t without a silver lining. This time, because they were doing a head-to-toe renovation, the team worked with Richard Lindseth Architecture to reimagine the whole structure of the home (as well as designer Shaun Ford to design the Poliform kitchen, the fireplace millwork and the master ensuite). Together they took out one of two staircases that constricted the floor plan and turned three rooms into one large open-concept space: an expansive and bright white living room on one end and a generous family room on the other.

The new design would be beautiful, but not at the sacrifice of livability. “It’s always a challenge to get style with comfort,” explains McIntyre. “And some contemporary houses have this minimal kind of thing going on, but they don’t really have that sit-down, kickyour-shoes off kind of feeling to them. What

Warm up a contemporary space with thoughtful details. “Some contemporary houses,” says McIntyre, “don’t really have that sit-down, kickyour-shoes-off kind of feeling to them.” He warmed up this space with cozy materials, like on the Holly Hunt armchair, and an extra-roomy custom sofa (above).

Add ceiling beams to an open-concept space.

The designer helped to bring more intimacy to the design of the great room by teaming up with Richard Lindseth Architecture, installing beam detailing on the ceiling of the family room area (left).

Make the seating area cozy. The kitchen’s eating area is a combo of sleek Camille chairs from Jonathan Adler (right) and a loungey custom sofa— perfect for lingering over the morning newspaper.

High-contrast finishes add visual interest.

“Don’t always rely on colour and pattern,” says McIntyre, who paired whites and creams with dark espresso oak in the kitchen, accentuating the clean lines (below).

I like about this house is that it comes off as an easy-living family house that’s focused on comfort, but it still feels stylish.”

For example, what was once the living room is now a study, though you wouldn’t know it at first glance—there’s no work desk, shelves or storage cabinets, drawers for stationery or the usual writing bits and bobs.

“Everyone is just so mobile with their laptops and their iPads,” explains McIntyre. “The new home office is no longer a static desk and chair in the corner of the house.”

4 6 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

Instead, he designed the room around one stylish table with a pop-up charging station at its centre for tech accessories. In place of ergonomics-in-mind office chairs sits a mismatched audience of Platner chairs, a chartreuse pouf and a four-legged wooden antique seat (all sans rolling wheels and adjustable levers). With its gorgeous marble fireplace and elegant artwork, including an iconic Edward Burtynsky photograph and decorative figurines (some salvaged from the flood), this room also doubles perfectly as a secondary dining area for the couple’s large gatherings.

Modernizing the home in terms of style and function was equally prioritized alongside creating its brighter feel. In the kitchen, McIntyre created drama with contrast instead of colour or pattern, pairing a palette of white and cream with dark espresso accents on the oak cabinets and island. Retro-styled Jonathan Adler chairs line the island and modern Tom Dixon pendants hang above, and yet the space doesn’t lose sight of its purpose as a functional nucleus for the family. The curvilinear banquette seat in the breakfast nook is more sofa-style, creating an inviting gathering spot for the whole family.

The designer’s balance of luxury and comfort that says, as he puts it, “come in and drink your sauvignon blanc,” is perhaps most

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Opt for sheer window treatments. Pair light, sheer fabrics and lightcoloured walls with white window frames for an airy vibe. Unencumbered by heavy patterned draperies, the space looks contemporary and fresh, even in a traditional house.

Warm metals combat the austere. To warm up cool whites, the designer peppered the home with warm metallic accents and fixtures in gold and antique brass, like the ceiling lights (bottom left).

Plus, says McIntyre, “A little bit of French gold never hurt anybody.”

pronounced upstairs, in the fit-for-a-queen master bath. As you enter this room, with its vaulted ceiling and big windows, you get the sense that, just like the office wasn’t an office, this bathroom doesn’t feel like a bathroom.

Expansive chocolate marble floors are paired with white marble counters, ivory walls and warm lamp-like sconces and chandeliers— McIntyre says he’s tired of monochromatic white bathrooms—while creamy drapery breaks the rules. “You don’t really do drapery in a bathroom,” says the designer, “but we used an indoor/outdoor fabric, so it won’t mildew.”

Despite the hardship that instigated a massive renovation, today the home is the bright and open family refuge the couple always wanted. “What I really admire about these owners is that you can be shut down by stuff like that, but they weren’t,” says McIntyre.

“The prevailing feeling you get from these people is that they weren’t daunted by the flood; they just kind of picked up, dusted off and went back to ‘let’s make our house beautiful.’ I like that they turned a really bad thing into what you’re looking at now.”

4 8 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

LOVE ROCKS

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WL HOMES // holiday

Mid-century Christmas Designer Ami McKay brings a pared-down ethos to her home in Lions Bay in both the design of the space and the holiday decor. There are handmade touches throughout, right down to the dining table: her husband, Don Thomas, designed it.

by amanda ross photographs by janis nicolay

THE NATURE OF THINGS For designer Ami McKay, the trick to holiday harmony comes in small shapes and sizes—handcrafted and simplified.

T

oo often the unspoken holiday soundtrack rings with “there’s still baking to do, guests to plan for and a shiny star that needs hanging upon that highest bough—and those angels on high look more like little devils.” Vancouver designer Ami McKay knows this holiday score: with four kids and a busy interior design career, her life can get insanely busy. But come December, she slows down by keeping things serene and sane—and her home is where it all starts.

There’s a Scandinavian vibe to her cozy seaside cottage in Lions Bay, a pint-sized winterized gem that sits in Howe Sound like a lighthouse offering refuge from the holiday storm. Its spare white-on-white palette eschews the gaudiness and overstimulation of too much decor in favour of simple. “I love Christmas and decorating for Christmas,” says McKay, “but I don’t do a normal, traditional Christmas.” While working with boughs and pretty arrangements comes naturally to her— she was once a florist—pomp and circumstance does not. “We did so many big mansions with my firm,” she explains, “that after many years, I was done with over-the-top, colourful and conventional!” She brings that pared-down ethos to her tiny abode, where a clean, natural and considered approach helps streamline her mind as well as her time. westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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“I love natural colours and all winter whites,” says designer Ami McKay. “I just really love layers of clean and simple.”

Nature—in all its utter simplicity—is the focal point of the space. McKay has always loved flowers and plants (“I hate looking at empty pots!”), so harnessing the outdoors is her key to bringing harmony inside. “Things that are collected, curated and handmade over time are what make me happiest,” she says. The benefit of living on the edge of a forest is that McKay and her former furniture-designer and manufacturer husband, Don Thomas, can handily trim cedar boughs and fir branches just steps from their front door, cut down a Christmas tree on the nearby railway line or pick tiny saplings along its tracks to fill pots and planters both inside and out. “I never know what I’m going to come home with!” says this creative forager, her home filled with the fruits of her redolent labour rather than a prepackaged box of potpourri.

McKay preps and primes the stage by removing art from the walls and rearranging vignettes so Christmas can be writ large. “I love natural colours and all winter whites—I just really love layers of clean and simple,” she says. Above the fireplace, fresh boughs are bent and tied into variously shaped wreaths that become as artful as the paintings they temporarily replace. A deer that Thomas sourced was painted white and repurposed next to the wreaths above the fireplace. The maple dining table, fashioned by Thomas, features a simple centrepiece with fresh cedar trim left over from the wreath-making, gold votives and doves, and silver patina candlesticks. “I’m so not into polishing anything!”

5 2 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

laughs McKay. “I really stand true to the natural: I like the old, the patina, the antique, the mixed gold and silver.”

Time spent not polishing means more time for family, which is central to enjoying the holidays. McKay and Thomas’s four children—ages 11, 13, 14 and 16—not only help forage outdoors by cutting down the tree, carrying it home and gathering wood (“We live in a small space, so they need to get out!” says McKay), they also pitch in with crafting decorations. A former knitter, McKay had stashes of yarn leftovers as well as wool from her travels to Scotland, so she enlisted the kids and taught them how to make pompoms for the tree. “It was a pompompalooza!” she says. The tree also showcases locally made lace ornaments picked up on Vancouver’s Culture Crawl. “I get weak in the knees for handmade lace,” she says. “When I was younger, I went to Spain and this woman taught me how to make it, so when I saw these tiny crafted decorations, I knew immediately how much work went into them . . . I appreciate them so much.”

And herein lies the key to peace on earth— McKay’s little slice of earth. It’s appreciation of those meaningful moments with family and a pared down to-do list. To make that happen, “it’s so important for me to create a peaceful environment here,” she says. “We’re all so fortunate to be in Western Canada . . .

I love being here, I love our home—it’s about simplicity and togetherness. We just light a fire in our living room and hunker down for winter.”

Keep It Natural “I’m so not into polishing anything!” says designer Ami McKay—and the resulting patina on her silver candlesticks (above) is a perfect fit for this casual, natural holiday decor theme.

Sleight of Hand All of the holiday decor is handmade in McKay’s home, from the pompoms the kids crafted from her knitting stash to the hand-tied wreaths and chocolatedipped marshmallows (opposite).

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FOOD

R E S T A U R A N T S // E X P E R T A D V I C E // E N T E R T A I N I N G // W I N E // R E C I P E S

Side Project

Clinton Hussey

One of the great truths is that the holiday dinner isn’t really about the food, it’s about the friends and family.

But while we say no to slaving away for hours in the kitchen, we’re not advocating a complete abdication of cooking duties. So here’s the solution: six amazing side dishes from some of the West’s most exciting chefs that will both wow your guests and give you time to socialize. Sound too good to be true?

Nonsense, we say—just turn to page 58 and let the festivities begin.

Charcut Charm This deceptively simple recipe from Calgary chefs Connie DeSousa and John Jackson is exactly what we’re talking about.

See recipe on page 61.

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLFOOD // BITES RECIPE

O P EN I N G S

The Most Western Canadian Dish Ever?

The Arbor 3941 MAIN ST., VANCOUVER

Vancouver’s vegetarian love affair continues on unabated with the opening of this Main Street room by the team (Shira Blustein and Scott Lewis) that made the Acorn the cityreigning lineup champ.

Joining them is Paul McCloskey of Farmer’s Apprentice and chef Robert Clarke, who plans on creating a relaxed menu with house-made baking and plenty of (healthy) takeout options. thearborrestaurant.ca

Earls was born in Edmonton but grew up throughout the West, so it’s only fitting that former Western Living editor Jim Sutherland helped them put together their best recipes in this new book, Earls: The Cookbook. There are plenty to choose from—recipes include quinoa-crusted salmon and roasted hunter chicken—but once we saw this classic, we knew we had to share.

Potato Skins 3 medium-sized russet potatoes Olive oil, for brushing on skins and baking sheet Salt and pepper 5 slices bacon 1Ÿ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese 1Ÿ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese ½ cup sour cream Ÿ cup finely sliced green onions

Cut each potato lengthwise into quarters. Scoop out centres, leaving a ½-inch-thick layer of cooked potato on skins.

Oil a rimmed baking sheet and place potatoes, skin side down, on the sheet about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until crisp and golden (approximately 10 minutes).

Cook bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Drain and chop into ½-inch pieces.

Top potatoes with cheeses and bacon and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with sour cream and green onions and serve immediately. Serves 6.

BITES

What we’re eating and drinking

N l’s Pi

1011 1 ST. SW, CALGARY

Holiday Spirit J.P. WISER’S UNION 52 $70

You can look at the ultra-exclusive bottle from Canadian legend J.P. Wiser’s two ways: either the heretofore unheard-of blend of a single cask of 52-year-old Highland malt whisky with Wiser’s own 16-year-old stock is three times the price of Wiser’s base whisky, or it’s a fraction of the $11,850 price tag of the Glenglassaugh 51-year-old whisky that’s just a few shelves over. We prefer the latter because it’s available only in the West, and its notes of honeycomb and light smoke remind us of just how great— and how great a deal—Canadian whisky can be.

5 6 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

Foreign Concept

N l McL n

Long-time Hotel Arts executive chef Duncan Ly (a WL Foodie of the Year back in 2008) is opening this pan-Asian mash-up spot in the very well-designed room (by WL Designers of the Year finalist Alykhan Velji) just a few blocks from his former stomping grounds. Expect genre-bending dishes like soya-braised beef and scallion steamed buns as well as an eight-seat charcuterie bar. foreignconcept.ca

Potato skins: David Strongman

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Scrub potatoes; pat dry. Rub skins with oil. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Bake until potatoes are tender (about 1 hour). Cool until potatoes can be handled.

Keep oven at 425°F.

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WLFOOD // sides

Choosing Sides Turkey is turkey, ham is ham and, despite protestations to the contrary, both pretty much cook themselves. So if you want to knock the holiday dinner out of the park, we have one word for you: sides. And to ensure your triumph, we’ve gathered the chefs from the West’s hottest restaurants to guide you to festive glory.

Recipes by Daniel Costa, Connie D e sousa, John JaCkson, Dan McGee, Mark Perrier anD Phil sCarfone photographs by Clinton hussey // food styling by Jennifer staMPer

5 8 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

Roasted Sweet Potato with Charred Scallion Crème Fraîche, Jalapeno and Smoked Bacon

By Phil Scarfone Nightingale, Vancouver

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed 9 tbsp charred scallion crème fraÎche (recipe follows) 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped finely 3 scallions, sliced thinly across the grain 8 slices smoked bacon 2 tbsp canola oil Butter Olive oil Salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Poke sweet potatoes all over with a fork and rub skin with salt and olive oil. Place on a parchment-lined tray. On a separate parchmentlined tray, place bacon slices in a single layer. Place both trays in oven.

When bacon is done (13 to 15 minutes), remove that tray from oven and place bacon on paper towels to absorb excess grease. While potatoes continue to cook, chop bacon finely, place back on paper towels, and set aside.

When sweet potatoes are tender (approximately 45 minutes to an hour in total), remove from oven, cool to room temperature and slice in half lengthwise.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add canola oil and a small knob of butter. Melt butter until it foams, add a few pinches of salt to the pan, then add sweet potatoes, flat side down. Transfer to oven and cook for approximately 8 minutes or until surface of potatoes is golden brown.

Transfer sweet potatoes to a serving dish, flat side up. Add crème fraÎche to cover most of the surface of the potatoes, followed by the scallions and jalapeno pepper. Finish with bacon and some flaky sea salt.

Serves 6.

Charred SCallion Crème FraÎChe 1 ¼ cups sour cream ½ cup scallions ⅓ cup buttermilk 2 tsp parsley, chopped 1 lemon, juiced 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper, toasted and ground Preheat barbecue or grill pan to high heat. Grill scallions until char marks appear. Cool immediately and chop finely. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning, and reserve in the fridge until needed.

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLFOOD // sides

Kale Salad

By Mark Perrier Osteria Savio Volpe, Vancouver

2 bunches lacinato kale ¼ cup toasted bread crumbs ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese Lemon pepper dressing, to taste (recipe follows) Remove central rib from kale and slice thinly. Combine with bread crumbs, pecorino cheese and lemon pepper dressing. Top with additional cheese and crumbs if desired. Serves 6.

Lemon PePPer Dressing 1 clove garlic ¼ cup lemon juice 1 cup olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Crush garlic to a paste and combine with remaining ingredients.

6 0 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

Gratin Dauphinois B y Da n m c g e e Au Comptoir, Vancouver

1½ kg (roughly 5 large) potatoes (Yukon Gold are best, though you could use sweet potatoes, celery root or parsnips) 1 ¾ cups whipping cream 2 tbsp kosher salt 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 tsp black peppercorns, whole 1 cup Gruyère, grated Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and peel potatoes, and slice very thinly (approximately 1/8 inch).

In a small saucepan set to low heat, gently heat cream, salt, garlic, thyme and black peppercorns.

Gently simmer for approximately 10 minutes to infuse flavours, then strain off to remove any larger chunks.

Set aside and keep warm.

In an ovenproof dish, carefully layer potatoes in a pinwheel pattern. After every two layers, add a small amount of cream mixture and a sprinkle of Gruyère (be sure to reserve half the Gruyère for finishing).

Repeat until all potatoes have been layered.

Sprinkle remaining Gruyère overtop.

( s e e p h ot o o n pa g e 5 7 )

Place potatoes on a sheet pan to catch any bubbling cream or cheese, and bake in the oven for approximately 1 to 2 hours. (Cooking time will vary greatly depending on the deepness of your dish, so test doneness with a butter knife—it should slide in and out without any resistance.)

Charcut and Charbar, Calgary

Once potatoes are cooked through, switch oven setting to broil and allow the top layer of cheese to crisp until it turns a deep golden brown colour.

Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Green Beans with Dill Weed Yogurt and Sumac B y J o h n J ac k s o n a n D c o n n i e D e s o u s a

1 lb long green beans 2 oz olive oil, divided ¼ bunch fresh dill 1 cup Greek-style yogurt ½ lemon 1 clove garlic 3 oz whipping cream 3 tsp sumac, ground Salt, to taste

Clean green beans and lightly coat in half the olive oil. Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Mince dill and garlic and add to yogurt. In a separate bowl, whip whipping cream until soft peaks form, then fold into yogurt. On your grill, char the halflemon with the skin side down, then squeeze juice into yogurt. Season yogurt with salt to taste.

Grill beans until cooked and a nice a char on the ends appears. Platter beans and top with yogurt mixture.

Sprinkle sumac overtop and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Serves 4.

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLFOOD // sides

Fried Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Mint B y Da n i e l C o s ta Corso32, Edmonton

2 large handfuls Brussels sprouts, stems cut off and halved 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling) 2 garlic cloves 1 small handful Italian parsley, stems removed 10 mint leaves 1 lemon, zested and juiced Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add Brussels sprouts, cut side down.

Season with salt and pepper and cook until dark golden. Add garlic cloves and toss, and continue cooking for a couple of minutes (add a little more oil if necessary).

Add a Âź cup of water to the pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes more, tossing occasionally.

Remove from heat and toss in a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, mint, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper, then serve immediately.

Serves 4.

For other great side dish recipes, visit our WL Recipe Finder at westernliving.ca

6 2 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

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Learning Curve

Ski—and life—lessons at Big White.

In my youth I skied Big White with my older brother, who absolutely loved to give me lessons. And by “lessons” I mean he’d force me down runs way beyond my abilities, cajoling, mocking and humiliating me from top to bottom. Injuries were common. But there was one day when, against all odds, I kept up. We jockeyed back and forth in the light powder, carving through glades and down steep cliffs. And then, right on cue, one of Big White’s legendary weather changes rolled in, covering the mountain in a blanket of fog so thick you’d think you were inside a cotton swab. He pressed on at an irresponsible speed, taunting me the whole way. But I stayed with him and stayed with him . . . and promptly tumbled down half the run, coming to a stop with four broken teeth.

He still talks about it. “Taking your family to Big White? Don’t break your face.”

This trip is going to be different. Twenty years to the day after that incident, I am returning to Big White.

This time I’m taking my wife, my nine-year-old son and my six-year-old daughter, none of whom have ever skied in their lives. The student has become the teacher, and no one is breaking their face on my watch.—Sean de Vries

Big White Ski Resort/Kieran Barrett

To see how this ski trip ends, head to westernliving.ca

Snow Kidding When the clouds clear and the snow is fresh, it’s tough to beat the Okanagan for fresh tracks.

westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLTRAVEL // montana

CHANNELING BING

& THE BAR CAR

Rocky Times Ahead The peaks of Montana are not to be trifled with.

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Riding the rails in Montana, one man chases his White Christmas moment.

S Donnie Sexton

by Tyee Bridge

Stepping into the passenger waiting area at Seattle’s King Street Station feels a little like walking into a cathedral. Forty-five-foot ceilings, marble columns and terrazzo floors give the room a vast, airy solemnity. Everything is light and echoes. A dozen scattered passengers sit on those classic (and classically uncomfortable) wooden pew benches, reading newspapers and pecking smart phones under giant, ponderous clocks.

Mecca! I hadn’t expected this kind of grandeur.

Built in 1906 and restored for its 100th anniversary, King Street is a throwback to the glory days of rail. That made it a perfect kickoff to an attempt at yuletide rail-borne time travel. I wasn’t after the Orient Express. No, I wanted the lounge-car scene from White Christmas: Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and pals singing about snow, sipping snowy-white cocktails and modelling the snowed ski hills of Vermont with a white napkin and bits of centrepiece. Remember that one? I see it yearly and it always evokes a kind of ersatz nostalgia for train travel.

The click-and-sway of the tracks, the white-tablecloth dining as the landscape blurs past, and, not least, the childhood sensation of falling asleep as someone else does the driving.

My version was taking the Amtrak Empire Builder train to Montana’s Glacier National Park. I saw myself sipping a rye Old-Fashioned and chatting with a bartender in a black silk vest. He would tell me stories about travelling vice-presidents and airplane-phobic celebrities.

I’d stay up till midnight reading my book, eating pretzels. And when I woke up at the Izaak Walton Inn—located smack in the middle of the park—I would strap on cross-country skis and head into the wilds of the last best place to savour some winter quiet.

That, at least, was the dream.

First, a cautionary tale. You can’t go back in time without a time machine. This means you have to be punctual. Travel Tip from Hard Experience #1: Remember all your bags so you don’t have to race back home in a taxi to retrieve one of them. Tip #2: The days of loping after and hopping onto a departing train, bag in hand, are over. Once boarding has closed, you can stand there with your bags and valid ticket, staring at a stationary train from 35 feet away, and you won’t be allowed on. So I had to take a bus from Vancouver to Seattle to catch my connecting train to Montana.

We lurched out of the station just before 5 p.m. After sidling along the coastline in the late afternoon light—watching crab boats pull westernliving.ca / d e c e m b e r

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WLTRAVEL // montana

Cold Comfort The cool charms of Hidden Lake, Glacier National Park (left) and the awe-inspiring Empire Builder (below).

traps and spotting a dozen species of seabirds—we shunted inland.

Heading east, white-peaked Cascades in the distance, I saw a family of deer grazing on a soggy hayfield in the dusk. Ninety minutes later we were into the mountains, near the gables and stucco of the fauxGerman town of Leavenworth. It’s not all pretty: rotting couches dumped in dead-end ditches, tire piles, rusting hulks of old cranes and hay balers. But in the mellow light of a winter sunset, even the backsides of industrial towns have a certain elegiac beauty to them.

After dark, I settled in to read. The book was a condensed history of the Great Northern Railway, the private company that built the route I was now racing across. Along with pictures of vintage advertising and 1940s breakfast menus—fried cornmeal mush, stewed prunes and something called “G.N. health cakes” in there with the eggs and toast—the book told the story of James Jerome Hill, CEO of the Great Northern. Hill was the archetypal American rail baron, except that 6 8 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 / westernliving.ca

he happened to be Canadian. Born to Irish immigrants in the Ontario bush in 1838, he was blind in one eye from a childhood accident and not much over five feet tall. In his twenties he was a barrel-chested bar brawler, and by his fifties, following a series of shrewd and ruthless career moves, one of the most powerful men on the continent.

My Empire Builder train was named for Mr. Hill. It was all I’d hoped for, minus the vested bartender and premium cocktails. There are no bartenders on the Seattle–Montana leg. And there are no cocktails.

There is only a snack bar operator who can offer you airline-sized plastic bottles of Jack Daniel’s and Dewar’s, among other standards, with your choice of canned soda. (Amtrak, take note: a cohort of aging hipsters is heading your way, and you have to be prepared.) I’d gotten my pretzels and my long fetch of late-night reading. But I wasn’t going to have my Bing moment that easily. The quest was on.

I was not optimistic. My destination, the Izaak Walton Inn, was

Hidden Lake: Mark Smith

I wasn’t after the Orient Express. No, I wanted the lounge-car scene from White Christmas: Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and pals singing about snow, sipping snowy-white cocktails.

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WLTRAVEL // montana Mission Accomplished Skiing the cross-country trails in Whitefish, Montana.

Mixing a

Royal Caboose 2 parts single-malt scotch (Glenlivet or Glenfiddich will do nicely) ½ part St-Germain ¼ part vermouth 2 dashes bitters The St-Germain folks recommend stirring over ice and straining into a chilled coupe glass. But if a tumbler was good enough for rail baron J.J. Hill, it’s good enough for you.

Luxardo cherry optional.

Getting There

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Round trip from Vancouver to Essex, MT (home of the Izaak Walton Inn) is about $700 CAD, depending on exchange rates.

Check out Amtrak for specials, tickets and reservations (and how soon to arrive before departure). amtrak.com Winter rooms at the Izaak Walton Inn range from $150 to $250 CAD. izaakwaltoninn.com For things to do in Glacier National Park in winter, check out the park’s special winter activities pages. nps.gov/glac

Skiing: Donnie Sexton; Caboose cabin: Roy Luck; snowshoeing: Donnie Sexton

built in 1939 for railroad service personnel and is a venerable hotel equipped with a well-appointed downstairs lounge. But it is not a train.

Or that, at least, is what I assumed.

So I slept the rhythmic, clickety-clacked sleep of the rail passenger who has remembered his earplugs. (Tip #3: Trains lay on their horns at all road crossings, so you will dearly regret not having them.)

The inn, surrounded by forested mountains, is a tiny whistle stop on the Empire Builder route that cuts through the park. As I carried in my bags I saw several marooned, freshly painted train cars in the trees around the hotel. These are “luxury railcar” lodgings, the front desk attendant told me. Then she told me I’d been upgraded to one of them: the J.J. Caboose, named for James Jerome Hill himself.

It was a King Street moment of rail-fan bliss. The J.J. Caboose is the kind of car a railroad baron should have used to tour his empire. Two beds, Pendleton blankets, hickory-and-granite kitchenette, leather armchairs, a travertine-walled bathroom with radiant floor heat. I’m not cut from the same cloth as men like J.J. Hill, but I enjoy living like they do, occasionally.

The only thing missing was the vintage cocktail.

Scouting revealed that the Izaak Walton bar stocked that oddity, St-Germain elderflower liqueur. Further research turned up a recipe for what seemed a fitting rail-baron cocktail, a Le Roi Robert, made with single-malt scotch. I asked the bartender to halve the vermouth and renamed it the Royal Caboose. After I got my snowshoes—and before strapping them on and heading out for what turned out to be a laid-back and delightful late-afternoon forest walk—I brought the cocktail back to my private winter train. I took a sip and lifted my glass to Rosemary and Bing. It was delicious.

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STREAMLINED ENSUITE

A minimalist open-concept design gives the master bath a spa-like vibe.

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DESIGNED BY

d Ni y, E In a Đž D n

Though designer David Nicolay designed this 450-square-foot open-concept ensuite to be seamless with the master bedroom, he acknowledges that some things are best kept private. “Toilets just aren’t nice to look at,� laughs Nicolay.

So he shrouded the toilet area with a walnut screen that hides the fi xture discreetly while still letting the light shine through. More walnut and limestone bring sleek surfaces into the sunny, soothing space, with smart built-in storage to help streamline the look.

Room: Janis Nicolay; David Nicolay: Evaan Kheraj

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