Westender October 26 2017

OCTOBER 26-NOVEMBER 1 // 2017

EVERYTHING VANCOUVER

Westender.com

FREE

B.C. BEER AWARDS: FULL LIST OF WINNERS + LEGAL CANNABIS, A GROWTH INDUSTRY

Free our booze!

How B.C.’s liquor industry remains chained to Prohibition-era laws PLUS: GORD DOWNIE // CYCLIST ENTITLEMENT // FRIGHT NIGHTS // COCKTAIL LINGO // BEYOND COFFEE // TEGAN & SARA

FREE EXHIBITION OPEN DAILY OCT 14 — DEC 17 at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

FIGHTFORBEAUTY.CA

2 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Westender.com

INSIDE THIS WEEK RANT//RAVE

News 4

How Gord Downie’s final work could lay a path toward reconciliation in Canada

Eat & Drink 7

The full list of winners from this year’s B.C. Beer Awards

Halloween 14

Check out our list of the city’s most spooktacular events

PUBLISHER GAIL NUGENT GNUGENT@GLACIERMEDIA.CA EDITOR KELSEY KLASSEN EDITOR@WESTENDER.COM ASSISTANT EDITOR JAN ZESCHKY JAN@WESTENDER.COM EDITORIAL ASSISTANT TESSA VIKANDER TESSA@WESTENDER.COM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ALICIA AMBROSIO, SABRINA FURMINGER, AILEEN LALOR, GRANT LAWRENCE, JO LEDINGHAM, ANYA LEVYKH, AMY LOGAN, ROBERT MANGELSDORF, MICHAELA MORRIS, SARAH RIPPLINGER, JOANNE SASVARI, CAROL SCHRAM, JENNIFER SCOTT CREATIVE MANAGER TARA RAFIQ TRAFIQW@WESTENDER.COM 604-742-8671 DISPLAY ADVERTISING MATTY LAMBERT, ALINA GOGOESCU, AARON BUCKLEY SALES@WESTENDER.COM 604-742-8677

WESTENDER 303 WEST 5TH AVENUE VANCOUVER, BC, V5Y 1J6 MAIN LINE 604-742-8686

ALL RANTS ARE THE OPINION OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF THE WESTENDER. THE EDITOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT FOR CLARITY AND BREVITY, SO PLEASE KEEP IT SHORT AND (BITTER)SWEET.

DOWNIE DOWNER

Re:“Gord Downie’s passing leaves Great Lakes-sized hole in landscape,” westender.com It’s sad when anybody dies of cancer, but I don’t know why this guy is getting so much hype. I guess it’s politically correct. I listened to the most popular hits this evening, and there’s just a lot of drum banging and shouting. Meh. –Luv

#METOO

COLUMNS Vancouver Shakedown 4 Leap of Faith 5 Vicious Cycle 5 The Growler 6 The Alchemist 9 Nosh 9 By the Bottle 12 Reel People 16

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 604-630-3300 CLASSIFIEDS@VAN.NET CIRCULATION 604-742-8676 CIRCULATION@WESTENDER.COM

email: rantrave@westender.com

SECTIONS

News 4 Eat & Drink 6 Cannabis 10 Arts 12 Halloween 14 Proud Pages 15 Real Estate 16 Horoscopes 18 Classifieds 19 ON THE COVER

illustration by Tara Rafiq WESTENDER IS A DIVISION OF LMP PUBLICATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP. ALL MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. THE NEWSPAPER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY ADVERTISING WHICH IT CONSIDERS TO CONTAIN FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION OR INVOLVES UNFAIR OR UNETHICAL PRACTICES. THE ADVERTISER AGREES THE PUBLISHER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ERROR IN ANY ADVERTISEMENT BEYOND THE AMOUNT PAID FOR SUCH ADVERTISEMENT. WE COLLECT, USE, AND DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PRIVACY STATEMENT WHICH IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Re:“This is an abusive industry for women,” Oct. 19, 2017 I used to conduct Sexual Harassment Awareness workshops for staff at my job through my union, and was involved in investigations of harassment complaints.

One of the things that all of us should remember is that we show up to work to perform a function, and not to be harassed.

So, no matter what, it’s illegal and not appropriate.

I used to hear managers say, “too bad she did not say ‘no’ or make a complaint.” I show up to work, not to be insulted.

–Lisa Doyle

I’m a white straight guy and complained loudly about sexual abuse in the entertainment industry for many years. One of my straight male musician friends, and a colleague, was raped by a male manager of the star we toured with. The abuser was a well known personal manager who is long dead. When I offered to help my friend have the abuser charged, my friend said no – too embarrassing.

I was the tour manager, so I ran an internal investigation and found out the predator manager had also raped at least two women in our entourage, and maybe one other guy. When I went to them to lend support, they all said no, we’ll never get another gig in this business again. One can only plead so much with a victim before the pleading itself becomes abusive and hurtful, so I very reluctantly backed off.

After I collected information from the victims I then went to the star of the show and told her what happened and she said she owed the abusive manager for mak-

THE

ing her the superstar she was, and she wasn’t going to betray her old friend.

She said it happened all the time in our industry, even to her, and it was part of the package, and that maybe the victim instigated it. So I said, “Fair enough, but at least investigate it.”

She said no and warned me to STFU or I’d be looking for another gig.

I asked a few other trusted members of our entourage for advice and they said, “The victims probably asked for it,” and, “leave me out of it.”

I worked hard to ensure the abusive manager never toured with us again, and I was successful, but it wore me down and I resigned from an incredible position I worked hard for all my life.

I wrote a manuscript about the rapes and I hope a publisher has the guts to print it, and a law firm to defend it.

Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die. Step up ladies and hang those bastards by the balls.

–Joe Cotter

PETER WALL DOWNTOWN LECTURE SERIES

EXCHANGE

TUE NOV 7 2017 7PM I DOORS 6PM VOGUE THEATRE

A small start can lead to something great.

Open an account today and get $200* towards making your dreams a reality.

918 GRANVILLE ST

THE SHADOW WORLD OF THE GLOBAL ARMS TRADE Andrew Feinstein draws back the curtain on the shadow world of the global weapons trade, shedding light on the systemic corruption and pervasive secrecy in which arms deals are conducted, and the unintended consequences resulting from the lack of regulation and enforcement.

Tickets are FREE I Reserve tickets at pwias.ubc.ca

prospera.ca *Limited time offer expires November 30, 2017. Some conditions apply.

Visit prospera.ca, one of our branches or call 1.888.440.4480 for full details.

Westender.com

THE VANCOUVER INSTITUTE

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 3

NEWS // ISSUES

F in AL

wee KENd !

YOUR CITY

Gord Downie’s legacy should be the path to reconciliation Tragically Hip frontman aimed to unite Canada in ‘Secret Path,’ his final solo work Grant Lawrence Vancouver Shakedown @GrantLawrence

20

nOW RId ES &

8

HAUnTeD HOu SES

NeW

HAUnTeD HOuSE The

BLOODSHED

MORe RIdES & HO u S e S T h AN L a s T YE a R !

When I heard the news last week, I was filled with a mix of sadness and anxiety.

Sadness for the death of a Canadian icon that we all knew was coming, and a nervous energy for the hours and days ahead.

My day job is with CBC Music, and I knew that all gears would immediately be shifted to properly eulogizing the crackling force of positive energy that was Gord Downie.

When I eventually put it all into words on the radio, I cried. It was too much open emotion for a guy with 20 years of radio experience, but that was the mood of the day.

Growing up as a West Coast kid in the 1990s, I never considered myself a Tragically Hip fan. When they were blowing up in the east, I looked down my nose at what I considered to be overproduced hoser-rock. I didn’t hear the lyrics and I didn’t understand the hype.

I was in a Vancouver garage-punk band at the time and thought the Hip were the antithesis of what we did.

Little did I know that one of the Hip’s earliest influences

Gord Downie’s final work tells the story of an Indigenous boy who ran away from a residential school. Darren Stone photo was the same as mine: the mid-80s Montreal garage rock sensations the Gruesomes.

But when it came to the bigger, breakthrough Canadian bands, I found myself relating far more to western successes like Spirit of the West and 54-40.

All that changed when I landed my first hosting job at the CBC. It was a late night music show and I had four hours to fill every Saturday and Sunday nights. In 2001, I received a CD called Coke Machine Glow. It was Gord Downie’s first solo record.

Maclean’s writer and Hip biographer Michael Barclay wrote that there was “no left turn in Downie’s career greater” than that album.

I guess I like left turns, because when I put the CD into the deck, I loved what I heard. Stripped away from the Hip’s loud guitars and pounding drums of their radio hits was Gord’s fragile voice and

Poem of the week Poetic Licence

@westendervan

Welcome to Poetic Licence – a weekly poetry forum, hosted by us, featuring words by local poets. This week?

Max Roytenberg.

DYING LIGHT We see each other dearer in the softly dying light, Gentler touches to the senses, rougher edges fade from sight, Our words are more like music, so much softer on the ears, Our hands are clasping tighter, braver steps with fewer fears.

Our minds are now much keener for remembering every kiss, Old wounds are disappearing, all forgiven, steps amiss, Our hopes of future sharing now persisting ever-bright, We see each other golden in the swiftly dying light.

SAVE ON FRIGHTPASSES AT:

4 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Max Roytenberg, 82, was born in Winnipeg. His career has spanned the civil service, the supermarket business, agricultural marketing consulting in Africa, Asia and North, Central and South America, private business, financial counselling, and work as a lobbyist. After retiring, he spent almost 10 years in Ireland, where he began his writing career. He has

published six books of poetry along with many magazine articles. He lives with his wife in Vancouver.

To submit your own poetry to Poetic Licence, email editor@westender.com with “Poetry Column” in the subject line. Include your poem, full name, contact details and bio. Only those selected for the column will be contacted. W

incredible lyrics. For the first time, I finally got Downie.

From there, I became a fan of his and, in turn, a JohnnyCanuck-come-lately fan of the Tragically Hip.Years after they were hits, I discovered for myself brilliant gems by the Hip like “Wheat Kings,” “Bobcaygeon” and “Ahead By A Century,” songs that sang our Canadian stories back to us.

Arguably, the most important story Gord Downie sang back to us was within the last year of his life, after his terminal brain cancer diagnosis.

That’s when he released another solo record, entitled Secret Path, which was also became a book and a film.

It told the story of 12-yearold Chanie Wenjack, an Indigenous youth who ran away from a residential school in northern Ontario in 1966.

He died alone on the railway tracks from exposure and starvation, trying to fulfill one of our most basic urges: He wanted to go home.

Downie’s passionate exposure of this 50-year-old story has conceivably done more to open up the conversation towards reconciliation than many attempts from our governments and bureaucracy. It’s a story that should be permanently added to the Canadian school curriculum, because Downie’s goal in the final stages of his life was to bring together our two solitudes: the Indigenous people of this country, and the rest of us.

Downie said it best when he was honoured in December at the Assembly of First Nations: “To become a country, to truly call ourselves Canada, it means we must become one. We must walk down a path of reconciliation from now on.

Together and forever.”

Let’s hope that, even beyond the music, Gord Downie’s spirit of togetherness and empathy is his true lasting legacy for a better Canada. W

Westender.com

LIFESTYLES //

@WESTENDERVAN

YOUR CITY & SPIRITUALITY

Eco-Christians caring for creation

ALICIA AMBROSIO @aliciaambrosio

Cyclists in Vancouver are often accused of having a heightened sense of entitlement. Tessa Vikander photo

Vicious Cycle: Feel entitled, but be aware TESSA VIKANDER @tessavikander

Cyclists don’t need to feel less entitled.They just need to be more aware, and less combative.

Last week, CBC Radio host Stephen Quinn published a satirical news story about cyclist entitlement. In the piece, he referred to a made-up study that claimed 81 per cent of Vancouver cyclists using bike routes “feel more entitled than ever before.”

Quinn used the piece as a way to highlight and complain about abominable cyclist behaviour (such as riding on the sidewalk and not stopping at stop signs), and I couldn’t agree more:This type of behaviour needs to stop.

But I don’t think cyclists should feel less entitled. I think the entitlement is a good thing. Cycling as a mode of transportation has been marginalized by car culture for far too long. Our city and our highways were not designed with cyclists in mind.That we now have world-class cycling infrastructure shouldn’t be

seen as a gift or a privilege, but rather a necessary part of a sustainable city. A bikeable city should be the baseline.

Admittedly, cyclists should be more aware. I see many cyclists who are unaware of road rules, and the fact that once their tires hit the street they are considered a vehicle.

Surely there’s a way we can remedy this. Perhaps an online certification?

Finally, us cyclists being less combative would be nice for everyone, but it’s not our responsibility alone.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m on my bike, on the road, I feel vulnerable next to huge, heavy, speeding cars.

My senses are heightened and I’m easily on edge.This puts me in a reactive state, where I feel like I need to defend what little space on the road I have.

In this heightened state, I’m prone to inwardly curse pedestrians who cross the road when I have the right of way, or cars that cut me off. And I can’t say I know a remedy for this, other than to take a deep breath – or for people to stop cutting me off. W

Would you believe me if I said the Garden of Eden is for real and it is located in Vancouver?

OK, you caught me.

But the Garden of Eatin’ is real and it is a feature on the Victoria Drive property of the First Christian Reformed Church of Vancouver.

Part of the garden is made up of plots used by neighbourhood residents and part of the garden is used by the church to grow food for its weekly community dinners, which are open to everyone in the neighbourhood.Volunteers from the church tend that part of the garden and prepare the weekly meal.

The Garden of Eatin’ is one of a handful of community gardens in the city hosted by churches. On West 10th and Ontario,Tenth Church is home to The Healing Garden.

All the food grown in the garden is organic and is used to supply Oasis Cafe, the church-run cafe that provides cheap meals to locals twice a week, and skills training to people who face barriers to employment.

Tim Wong, a staff member at Tenth Church, says the church created the garden about five years ago as part of its Creation Care ministry.

“It’s a visible example of one thing we can do to take care of creation,” he explains.

“I know some congregants who were definitely inspired by the garden to start [a garden] on their own,” he adds.

Using the food to supply the Oasis Café is not a logistical perk.Wong says it is intended to show that being eco-conscious cannot be sepa-

FRESH CHOICES

Congregants working at the Garden of Eatin’ on Victoria Drive. Contributed photo rated from caring for people.

The unbreakable link between caring for the planet and caring for people is part of what keeps faith-motivated environmentalists from despairing at the current state of the planet, according to Leah Kostamo, co-founder of A Rocha Canada, an international Christian environmental group.

The Canadian branch of A Rocha is based in Surrey.Their work is based on three pillars: conservation, education and getting as many people as possible involved in sustainable agriculture through community shared agriculture.The church gardens at Tenth Church and First CRC are part of the Community Garden Network facilitated by A Rocha Canada.

Kostamo is driving in her electric car while speaking to me on speaker, explaining that most of mainstream environmental movements can be seen as a reaction to a crisis.

In the 1960s the crisis was the use of the pesticide DDT, in the 70s it was nuclear bomb testing and the fate of whales,

in the 80s the ozone layer was in critical condition, etc.

But if eco-care is treated as a moral imperative, Kostamo says, “then you’re responding to a call, not a crisis.Whether there is a crisis or not, your call is the same.” Instead of asking “how can I save the planet?” the operative question becomes, “what is the right way to live?”

It can be a difficult question to answer and isn’t as simple as following a list of “10 ways to save the planet,” Kostamo warns.

She says the three big decisions every person can make that have the biggest impact on the planet are “the square footage of your home, how you travel and how you vote.”

But if a person is just following a list they are not likely to be motivated to examine how they make those big decisions.

“You’ll take that list and you’ll do it for a week,” she warns.

Instead, Kostamo says she tells people to start by taking 10 minutes a day to get outside, whether it is in the forest, a garden, or a flower bed lining a patio.

“First, find joy in creation... learn names of the trees or birds that are around you,” she suggests. But don’t go it alone. Kostamo says having a community that is equally enthralled by the natural world is a powerful boost.

She says it becomes very natural to question not just where and how one gets food, but what impact a food source has on the environment and on humans. Buying and eating local becomes about supporting local farms and jobs, minimizing the carbon impact of the food supply and building relationships with others trying to do the same thing.

“Then all things flow from there and you don’t need a list,” says Kostamo.

Leap of Faith is a weekly blog hosted by veteran religion reporter Alicia Ambrosio, exploring faith, spirituality andVancouver’s sacred spaces. W • For a list of community gardens, or how to start one, visit A Rocha’s Community Garden Network at arocha.ca.

Check back each week for exclusive Fresh Deals. For even more savings, don’t forget to view our full page ad in this newspaper.

Prices Effective October 26 to November 1, 2017.

100% BC Owned and Operated

BC Grown Organic Bartlett Pears

While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors. Product may not appear exactly as depicted.

BC Grown Table Carrots from Fountainview Farm in Lillooet

Meat Department

1.36kg (3lb) bag

907g (2lb) bag

Fair Trade Organic Avocados from Pragor Cooperative

2.48

3.98

2/3.00

Deli Department

Habibi’s Hummus and Dips assorted varieties 200g

2/7.00 Kitsilano

2627W 16thAve,Vancouver | 604.736.0009

Westender.com

Deli Department

Organic and Natural Deli Meats

25% off

Regular Retail Price

Cambie

3493 Cambie St,Vancouver | 604.875.0099

BC Grown Hot House Peppers

Meat Department

assorted colours

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

907g (2lb) bag

value pack 13.21kg

previously frozen value pack 28.64kg

2.98

5.99lb

12.99lb

Meat Department

Deli Department

Choices’ Own Deli Salads

assorted varieties

20% off

Regular Retail Price

Kerrisdale

Premium Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets

Organic Extra Lean Ground Beef

Deli Department

Choices’ Own 12” Pizzas

value pack 17.61kg

8.99

1888W 57thAve,Vancouver | 604.263.4600

7.99lb Yaletown

1202 Richards St,Vancouver | 604.633.2392

Commercial Drive 1045 Commercial Dr,Vancouver | 604.678.9665

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 5

EAT // DRINK

WESTENDER.COM

LIQUOR LAWS

B.C.’s booze blues continue As the province’s craft beer, spirits and wine industries continue to grow, are our liquor laws able to keep up?

ROB MANGELSDORF @TheGrowlerBC

If you’ve grown up here in B.C., you’re likely aware at just how far we’ve come in regards to our liquor laws.

It wasn’t so long ago that private retail liquor sales were illegal (within my lifetime, in fact), and buying alcohol on a Sunday was next to impossible. Neighbourhood pubs have only been legal since the 1970s and cocktail bars since the 1950s. It’s barely been five years since the province allowed craft breweries to operate tasting rooms, a move which has helped to spur on the craft beer boom.

There’s no denying there’s been progress.

However, holdovers from the prohibition era still remain: namely, a government monopoly that completely controls the sale and distribution of liquor. Alcohol is unique in that no other consumer good sees this sort of government control. Not tobacco, not firearms, not even marijuana.

B.C. currently has among the highest taxation and markup of liquor products of any jurisdiction in the world.

B.C. may be beautiful, but it’s one of the most expensive places on earth to buy a beer.

That government control also makes it difficult to import liquor. If you fancy a bottle of Beaujolais the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch doesn’t carry, you’ll need to get government permission to bring that bottle into Canada.

And if you want to resell it, things get even more onerous.

“The government owns every drop of alcohol you make as soon as you make it,” says Ken Beattie, executive director of the B.C. Craft Brewers Guild. “And then you have to compete against them for your sales. It’s a very interesting situation to say the least.”

A CULTURE OF CONTROL

If you’ve ever had a beer at a beer festival, you might have assumed it was a simple transaction between yourself and the brewer selling you their beer. In actuality, the brewery first sells their beer to the government, which sells the beer to the festival organizers, which sells the beer back to the brewery, which then sells the beer to you, the consumer.

If it all seems a little absurd,

Revellers at the Vancouver Craft Beer Week festival likely aren’t aware of the many transactions that go into tasting a sample at the event: The brewery sells its beer to the government, which sells the beer to the festival, which sells the beer back to the brewery, which then sells the beer to the consumer. Jan Zeschky photo that’s because it is. Kafkaesque webs of bureaucratic red tape impede the beer, wine and spirit industries at every turn.

“We all know why [the provincial government] is in the alcohol business: it’s a cash cow for them,” says Paddy Treavor, president of the Campaign for Real Ale Society of B.C., an independent consumer advocacy organization looking out for local beer and cider drinkers.

“The government dictates what beers are on the shelf, they dictate the price without consultation from the breweries… they control every aspect of [the liquor industry] and I don’t think they even know why anymore. It’s just because it’s always been done.”

Historian Robert Campbell has studied B.C.’s liquor laws for much of his academic career, and calls this situation the provincial government’s “culture of control.”

“It is a system that has always been resistant to change,” he says.

The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch is responsible for the sale and distribution of all alcohol in the province.

Even if you’ve bought booze from a private liquor store, that was sold to the retailer at wholesale prices by BCLDB. However, bars, pubs and restaurants are forced to purchase alcohol at retail prices, like everyone else, as the government refuses to offer the wholesale price incentives private liquor stores get.

If a brewery comes out with a new beer, its packaging must first be submitted to the government for approval.

6 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Ken Beattie, executive director of the B.C. Craft Brewers Guild. Chung Chow/ Business in Vancouver photo

Attorney General David Eby admires how producers are ‘driving a responsible drinking culture.’ Contributed photo

The government will also determine the markup for the product, ultimately determining its retail price, and it can change those prices without consultation.

The rationale for this governmental control has always been to protect the public, says Campbell.

Certainly, there’s no denying the sale and consumption of alcohol comes with societal costs and impacts. In a 2002 report, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall notes that B.C.’s healthcare costs due to alcohol are estimated at $179 million, annually.

“Law enforcement costs added $143 million, with a further $529 million for lost productivity… and $93 million for fire damage, traffic accidents, and other direct costs,” Kendall states. “This translates into an avoidable yearly cost of about $944 mil-

lion or $272 per capita.”

Adjusted for inflation, that works out to more than $1.3 billion in alcohol-related costs for B.C. every year.

Meanwhile, according to the Liberal government’s 2013 B.C. Liquor Policy Review, the liquor industry generates an estimated $2 billion for the B.C. economy in direct and indirect revenue.

More than $1 billion of that goes straight into the province’s coffers from liquor sales and taxation.

That’s a lot of money. And for the past 97 years, the alcohol business has been good for B.C.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Like much of North America in the early part of 20th Century, the social reform movement had a visible presence in B.C. Spear-

headed by the Protestants and Presbyterians who sought to fix society’s sinful ways, liquor and the shameful behavior it caused were square in their crosshairs.

Liquor sales were largely unregulated at the time, so booze was sold 24/7, everywhere from saloons to drug stores.

The social reformers may have had a point, because by all accounts, it was a shit show.

“The issues with public drinking in the saloons were that wages were being consumed,” says Campbell. “[It was believed that] it led to other drugs, like opium for example, prostitution, violence, and what was then referred to as venereal disease.”

By 1916, the prohibitionists had linked their cause to the war effort, and were successful in banning the sale of alcohol province-wide.

Prohibition didn’t last long, however.When thousands of soldiers returned from the First World War, they were understandably annoyed they couldn’t get a drink. So in 1920, B.C. residents voted in favour of re-legalizing alcohol, this time with strict government controls. And thus the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch was born.We’ve been stuck with it ever since.

“Privatization wasn’t even on the table,” says Campbell.

Liquor control turned out to be quite profitable for the provincial government. By the 1930s, sales and taxation of liquor accounted for more than 20 per cent of the government’s revenue (this was in the days before income tax, mind you). “The big question is, did the province get

into the liquor business to make money?” says Campbell.

“While it was very clear they would make money from it, their motivations began as quite genuine.”

The first steps at modernizing our puritanical liquor laws came under Dave Barrett’s short-lived NDP government in the early 1970s. For the first time, neighbourhood pubs were allowed, as were the first private retail liquor sales.

Some of the most sweeping changes have come courtesy of the B.C. Liberals in the past five years. In 2012, the provincial government allowed craft breweries to operate tasting rooms, which helped launch an entire industry and change drinking culture in this province for the better.

In 2013, Liberal MLA John Yap released his comprehensive B.C. Liquor Policy Review, which laid out 73 recommendations, many of which have since been implemented, including allowing the sale of B.C wine in grocery stores.

However, some of those changes have done more harm then good.

A study commissioned by the B.C. NDP released earlier this year found that alcohol prices had increased by nearly 11 per cent since the BCLDB adopted its new liquor pricing model in 2015 (despite assurances by the B.C. Liberals that prices wouldn’t go up). In particular, beer has increased in price by more than 13 per cent in that time.

“I think that under the last administration, the priority was placed on the photo opportunity,” attorney general David Eby (the minister in charge of BCLDB) told me in a phone interview earlier this month. “So there is some work that needs to be done in re-establishing the relationship between government and industry and retail to make sure that we’re all on the same page about how to improve.”

Eby says he plans to strike a beer, wine and spirits advisory panel in the coming months to help guide any changes to the province’s liquor laws.

In particular, Eby said he is looking at possibly instituting a wholesale pricing scheme for restaurants, bars and pubs, as they currently have to purchase alcohol at retail prices.

“I think the opportunity now is to take some of the unintended consequences of some of the policies that were rolled out and clean those up in consultation with industry and then move on to opportunities that weren’t addressed by the previous government,” he said.

Continued on page 8 Westender.com

EAT // DRINK

@WESTENDERVAN

CRAFT BEER

B.C. Beer Awards winners WESTENDER STAFF @westendervan

The 2017 B.C. Beer Awards went down at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver on Saturday. Here are all the winners:

INTERNATIONAL LAGER

1: Bomber Pilsner Bomber 2: Red Pilsner - Steel & Oak 3: Premium Pilsner - Strathcona

GERMAN PALE LAGER

1: Craft Lager - Parallel 49 2: Ridge Runner Pilsner - Backcountry 3: King Maker - Brassneck

KOLSCH

1: Analogue 78 - Phillips 2: Kolsch - Doan’s Craft Brewing 3: Kūl Daddy Kölsch - Callister

AMBER/DARK EUROPEAN BEER

1: Marzen - Backroads.

2: Dark Lager - Steel & Oak 3: Red Racer Wide Open Spaces Kellerbier - Central City

GERMAN WHEAT BEER

1: Hefeweizen - The 101 2: Roundhouse Wheat - Mark James Group 3: Kpu Weissbier - KPU

BRITISH BITTER

1: Organic Pale Ale - Forbidden 2: Tickity Boo - Twin City 3: Nelson Hopgood Organic Session Ipa - Nelson Brewing

BRITISH PALE ALE

1: Tasman - Lighthouse 2: Bomber Pale Ale - Bomber 3: El Dorado Golden - Backroads

BRITISH BROWN ALE

1: Shake A Paw Smoked Porter Yellow Dog 2: Raven Cream Ale - R&B 3: Proper Treacle - Parallel 49

SCOTTISH & IRISH ALE

1: Wee Angry Scotch Ale - Russell 2: Renfrew Red Ale - Sooke Oceanside 3: Short & Stout Dry Stout - Callister

BRITISH STOUT

1: Chocolate Milk Stout - Hearthstone 2: Nelson Blackheart Oatmeal Stout - Nelson Brewing 3: Con Leche - Twin Sails

STRONG BEER

1: Woolly Bugger - Howe Sound 2: Baltic Porter - Steel & Oak 3: Sleigh Booster - Bridge

FRUIT BEER

1: Anno 2016 - Dageraad

2: RaspberryHefeweizen-Ravens 3: Corvus Lingonberry - Ravens

SPECIALTY FRUIT BEER

1: Go Get It Ginger Lime Gose Yellow Dog 2: Megadestroyer - Howe Sound 3: Atomic Cherry - Dead Frog

SPICE, HERB & VEGETABLE BEER 1: Alakazam - Parallel 49 2: Towers & Trains - Steel & Oak 3: Roselle - Steel & Oak

SMOKE & WOOD AGED BEER

1: Oktoberfest Flammenbeer Swans and White Sails 2: Tonique Carpano Biere Aperitif - Powell 3: Russian Imperial Stout - Parallel 49 HM: Entropy Series No. 3 - Dageraad

HISTORICAL BEER

1: Gose - Granville Island 2: No Brainer - Brassneck 3: Roggen Weizen - Steel & Oak

SPECIALTY BEER

1: Double Secret Probation Doppel Sticke Altbier - Bomber 2: Launch Pad Belgian-Inspired Rye Ale - Whitetooth 3: Anniversary Sour Raspberry Nut Brown Ale - Dead Frog HM: Gin & Lime Pilsner - Fuggles & Warlock

NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT

1: Red Truck Lager - Red Truck 2: Nelson Hooligan Organic Pilsner - Nelson Brewing 3: Cariboo Blonde - Pacific Western

AMERICAN BLONDE ALE

1: Arrowsmith Blonde - Mount Arrowsmith 2: 107 Blonde - Faculty 3: Tofino Blonde Ale - Tofino

NORTH AMERICAN PALE

1: Trail Breaker - Backcountry 2: Day Blink - Twin Sails 3: Sky Pilot - Howe Sound HM: Dude Chilling Pale Ale - R&B

NORTH AMERICAN AMBER

1: Heroica Red Ale - Steamworks 2: Coastal Common - Whistler 3: Brassneck Ale - Brassneck

NORTH AMERICAN DARK

1: Str8 Flexin’ - Twin Sails 2: Bomber Russian Imperial Stout - Bomber 3: Dark Side - Fuggles & Warlock

NORTH AMERICAN IPA

1: Vancouver Special Ipa - R&B 2: Widow Maker - Backcountry 3: Parkside Motel - Parkside

SPECIALTY IPA

2: Kicking In Speakers - Twin Sails 3: Beach Week - Twin Sails HM: Hopnotist - Parallel 49

BELGIAN ALE

Doan’s Craft Brewing (Crystal Weiss)

1: 33 Acres Of Sunshine - 33 Acres 2: Dim Wit - Parkside 3: Take A Walk Wit - Yellow Dog

Steamworks Brewing Co (Barrel Aged Series Imperial Stout)

SAISON

Best Packaging - Boxes and Carriers

1: Lake City - Dageraad 2: Sea Run - Mount Arrowsmith 3: Vancouver Mural Festival Grisette - Main Street Brewing

BELGIAN STRONG & TRAPPIST ALE

1: Louise - Dageraad 2: Antwerpen - Dageraad 3: Black Dog Quad - Red Collar

MIXED FERMENTATION

1: Reynard - Strange Fellows 2: Brett Ipa - Luppolo 3: Tempus Corvi 2017 - Moon Under Water HM: Wild Gin Saison - R&B

WILD SPECIALTY BEER

1: Little Red One - Strange Fellows 2: De Witte - Dageraad 3: Dino Sour - Phillips

1: Rad Seeker - Boombox 2: Colour & Shape - Superflux 3: Ocaso - Andina

DAN SMALL AWARD

IMPERIAL IPA

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1: Bachelor Pad - Twin Sails

CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARDS Best Can Design

Bryan Major - SMaSH Pils with Pils Malt, Mosaic hop Backcountry Brewing

Best Bottle Label Design

Doan’s Craft Brewing (Happy Pack)

Best Tap Handle

Steamworks

Best Website

Field House Brewing

Best Social Media Presence Backcountry Brewing

BREWERS CHALLENGE

Bohemian Pilsner SMaSH – Postmark Brewing

BEST IN SHOW

Oktoberfest Flammenbeer – Swans Brewery and White Sails

CBC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Rad Seeker – Boombox Brewing

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR Twin Sails Brewing

BREWERY OF THE YEAR

MountArrowsmithBrewingCo. W

BC's Best Brewery (even if you’ve never heard of us)

Most Gold Medals 2017 Most Gold Medals 2016 (tied) Most combined medals 2016-2017 A 5 minute walk from Production Way Skytrain Westender.com

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 7

EAT // DRINK

LIQUOR LAWS Continued from page 6 Eby said he recognizes there is a cultural shift in how British Columbians drink, and he’d like to encourage that.

“One of the nice things, whether its cocktail culture in Vancouver or craft breweries opening up in Northern B.C., is that it’s driving a responsible drinking culture,” he said.

“You don’t go there because it’s the cheapest and you can get completely loaded and binge drink.”

But privatization is not something the B.C. NDP will be pursuing while in power.

RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN

Compared to almost any jurisdiction in North America and Europe, B.C.’s liquor laws seem regressive and onerous.

In Alberta, privatized liquor sales have resulted in lower prices and greater selection. In Quebec, you can buy beer at the corner store.

For former Vancouver mayor and B.C. Liberal leadership hopeful Sam Sullivan, the best thing that can be done to the BCLDB is to dismantle it completely.The Vancouver-False Creek MLA has made the privatization of BCLDB one of the planks of his leadership bid and calls the

provincial liquor monopoly, “a relic of prohibition.”

“It’s puzzling to see a government monopoly in any industry,” says Sullivan.

“There’s no good reason for our government to be in the liquor business. If the reason is revenue, then we can make that up with taxation.”

Sullivan points to Alberta as an example that liquor privatization can, and does, work.

A 2003 study by University of Alberta economist Douglas West that looked at the impact of privatization in that province found that liquor prices tended to fall, product selection increased substantially and revenue for the Alberta government actually increased.There was also no evidence of increases in crime or liquor-related offenses.

In a December 2015 report, the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. estimated that increased consumption that coincided with reforms in B.C.’s liquor laws in 2014 would result in 655 more alcohol-related hospitalizations and 31 more alcoholrelated deaths each year.

However, alcohol-related deaths province-wide actually dropped from 2,196 in 2014 to 2,074 in 2015. “Society doesn’t collapse when the private sector is involved in this industry,” says Sullivan.

Eby says the government monopoly is necessary to protect the province’s best interests, and dismantling it will be easier said then done.

“We believe it’s important that government has a role to play, and I think what Mr. Sullivan will find is the same thing that [former B.C. Liberal minister responsible for liquor Rich Coleman] found,” he says. “It’s fine to say that you’re going to privatize it, but you probably should answer the question about where we are going to get that billion dollars that it generates for the province.”

I’ve spoken with several brewers and brewery owners who would rather not go on the record with criticisms of the government agency that completely controls every aspect of their business.They feel the BCLDB’s monopoly gives it too much power, making it difficult to get their product placed on liquor store shelves, and leaving them with little recourse if they don’t agree with the government’s pricing of their products.

“The whole system has gone in the right direction,” says Treavor. “But I think they put Band-Aids on a broken system and they need to blow it up and rethink how they do it.There’s still a long way to go.” W

Awarde d 2017 BC BREWERY OF THE YEAR!

Parksville/Qualicum Beach arrowsmithbre wing.com | @mabre wing | #mabre wing 8 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Westender.com

EAT // DRINK

@WESTENDERVAN

COCKTAILS & DINING OUT

Learn some liquor lingo Joanne Sasvari The Alchemist

@TheAlchemistBC

Cocktails have their own vocabulary, a richly evocative lingo that has evolved over the years from the barkeeps who sling the drinks, the customers who swill ’em and the scribes who take note of it all.

Here are some of the most useful expressions to know.

STYLES OF DRINK

Cocktails generally come in one of two styles: shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker (drinks made with juice or dairy) or stirred with ice in a mixing glass (spirits-only drinks such as Martinis or Manhattans).

If a cocktail is served in a stemmed cocktail glass without ice, it is served up; in a short non-stemmed glass without ice it is neat; with ice cubes it is on the rocks.The word straight usually refers to unmixed spirits. Long or tall drinks have soda or tonic water added to them, for instance, a Gin & Tonic.

The sour is a family of drinks featuring spirits, sweetener and citrus, such as the Margarita. Punch typically has five ingredients (sweet, strong, sour, spicy and weak) and a cup is a smaller portion of the same.

A highball comprises spirit and mixer in a tall glass, as in a rum and cola. A toddy is liquor and hot water, sometimes with spice and sweetener. A cobbler is served in a tall glass over crushed ice.

Virgin or unleaded means a drink made without alcohol, a.k.a. a mocktail.

dirty one is made with olive brine. A Gibson is a martini garnished with two pickled onions, in honour of the voluptuous women drawn by artist Charles Dana Gibson in the early 1900s.

Fun fact: A martini made with vodka is technically known as a kangaroo.

GLASSWARE

Stemmed glasses include the V-shaped cocktail or Martini glass or the shallow, rounded coupe, as well as tall narrow flutes, and the Nick & Nora glass, an elegant vintage shape that’s making a huge comeback.

Stemless glasses are either short and stubby (rocks or Old Fashioned) or tall and narrow (Collins). There are also a number of specialty glasses, such as tiki mugs and julep cups.

MEASURES

As a unit of measurement, a jigger is typically about 1½ ounces; the word is also used for the tool for measuring spirits. A finger is an informal measure of about an ounce; so is a pony. In Canada, a double is a drink made with two ounces of spirits; in the U.S., it is typically made with two jiggers

RECIPE //

COCKTAIL

Then there’s the word cocktail itself. Its historic definition is a “bittered sling,” that is, spirits, sugar, water and bitters; it’s the presence of bitters that elevates a mixed drink to a cocktail.

But how did the name originate? It’s been suggested that it was named for an Aztec princess, or maybe the egg-shaped measuring cup called a “coquetiere” in old New Orleans, or perhaps a drink spout made from a rooster feather.

The truth may not be so romantic. A few years ago, the great cocktail historian David Wondrich discovered a 1785 English reference to horse dealers who would use ginger, or sometimes pepper, as a suppository to encourage a horse to cock its tail jauntily, making it show better.

“Cock-tail” thus entered the lexicon as a piece of slang that was “used figuratively for encouraging or spiriting one up” – and referred specifically to a drink with ginger or pepper added to it. Eventually the spice was replaced by bitters, and the origins were (thankfully) forgotten. W

THE LAST WORD This Prohibition-era cocktail had been long forgotten until it was rediscovered by Seattle-based bartender Murray Stenson.

• ¾ oz (22 mL) gin • ¾ oz (22 mL) green Chartreuse • ¾ oz (22 mL) maraschino liqueur • ¾ oz (22 mL) fresh lime juice

THE MARTINI

A Martini is a stirred drink with gin, dry vermouth, occasionally orange bitters and its own terminology. A perfect one is made with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.

A burnt martini features a peaty scotch rinse, a swirl of liquid inside a glass. A

(three ounces). A dash is an eighth of a teaspoon.

Joanne Sasvari photo

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously.

Strain into a chilled Martini glass or a coupe.

If you like, garnish with lime twist. Serves 1.

The pine mushroom rice with ‘faux’ egg at Bows X Arrows. Dan Toulgoet photo

Cafés evolve beyond coffee Local bean brewers are raising the bar with fine food Anya Levykh Nosh

@FoodgirlFriday Vancouver, city of bean snobs galore, has its fair share of noteworthy cafés. If you’re looking for an ethicallysourced, sustainably-grown, locally-roasted Peruvian dark, expressed from the anus of a cackling monkey and lovingly hand-polished by wee fairies, look no further than the corner of, well, any corner, and you’ll get your brew.

Most of these cafés, in addition to excellent coffee, also serve up a decent selection of baked goods; some made inhouse, others sourced from local bakeries. A few notables take things a step further to offer actual meals that rival many of the casual – and even full-service – restaurants in town.

Matchstick Coffee is known for its lightly roasted quality beans, but is equally

known for the house-baked bread and croissants. In fact, you’ll find their naturally leavened loaves and buttery, flaky croissants on café menus and in restaurant bread baskets all over town.

At any of its three locations, you’ll also find a hearty breakfast and lunch menu that includes soft-cooked eggs on toast.The latter can be ordered with slow-cooked pork, charmoula (a Middle Eastern herbed marinade) and pickled red onions, or smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese, or even baked beans and kale pesto.

The toast menu includes a lovely ricotta, apricot and lemon-honey version that pairs beautifully with a simple cup of joe.There is also a daily soup and salad, usually made with seasonal produce from Inner City Farms.

And, while the Earl Grey scones are fairly popular, the massive and delicate chocolate-chip cookies are the real stars of the baked goods display. matchstickyvr.com At Bows X Arrows on Fraser Street, chef Kris Barnholden (Latab, Mis Trucos) has revamped and expanded the menu into a full-service

offering that includes breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner, with wines, cocktails, ciders and beers, as well as really great coffee.

A vegan minted-pea tartine on sourdough with sunflower cheese and radish is a fantastic twist on the rampant avocado toast. Spelt crepe with bacon, cheese sauce and puffed wild rice is a textural and flavourful symphony. Lamb ribs in apricot-black tea glaze are succulent and fall apart at the touch of the tines.

The menu varies slightly based on what’s available on any given day, but the mushroom rice is a staple that regulars have demanded all through the summer and fall.

My version on a recent visit was made with chanterelles and was topped with Barnholden’s famous “faux” egg.

This version was soy-based and the “yolk” was soft and creamy, and spread satisfactorily over the risotto-style dish.

With more than a handful of vegan and vegetarian options, like the triple-cooked beets with fresh ricotta, there’s no shortage of options to pair with your coffee or a glass of Vermentino. bowsxarrows.ca W

Secure growth plus flexibility

Financial confidence with our b[right] term rates 604-419-8888 • gffg.com/BrightTerm

Westender.com

3.00

%

*

3 year escalator convertible term deposit

Secure your rate - speak to a G&F expert today! *Limited time offer, terms and conditions apply. Rate climbs yearly, 3 year rate at 3.00%.

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 9

EAT // DRINK

WESTENDER.COM

CANNABIS

Will B.C. pot rush usher in evolution of agriculture?

Legalization will likely lead to more greenhouse production, move to hemp growing JAN ZESCHKY @jantweats

With cannabis set to become legal next July 1, many are anticipating a rush to capitalize on the crop – but the sector’s future success isn’t quite clear cut.

While the exact details of legalization are still being worked out, the one thing that is for certain is that the landscape across the country will change. That goes for urban settings, in whatever retail form cannabis and associated products will be offered for sale; and rural ones, as well, with the potential for large-scale greenhouse production of the crop.

For producers of both medicinal and recreational marijuana, there are healthy profits to be made, according to projections.

A CIBC World Markets report from last year estimates the value of Canada’s recreational cannabis market at around $5 billion, while Health Canada says the current medicinal marijuana market is worth approximately $1.3 billion.

Producing an estimated 40 per cent of Canada’s cannabis, B.C. already appears to be munching on a large portion of this cookie. According to The Cannabis Market in Canada and British Columbia, a report commissioned by the Cannabis Growers of Canada – which represents small- to medium-sized growers in Canada – the value of B.C.’s market ranges from $2 billion to as high as $7 billion.

Then there’s the potential for employment. The state of Colorado has licensed around 16,000 people to work in the industry since cannabis was legalized there in 2012, the CGC report says. Using a simple per capita adjustment, that translates to almost 14,000 jobs in B.C. So it’s clear to see why there’s a lot of talk in ag-

ricultural circles about the positive impacts of growing cannabis on a large scale. There’s already been some action, too. In June, Delta-based Village Farms announced it would be dedicating 25 acres of its greenhouse facility to medicinal marijuana production, with an eye on the soon-to-be legal recreational market, as well.

The company, one of the largest growers of greenhouse produce in North America, said there was significantly more revenue to be made than from the vegetables it currently grows – as much as 10 to 15 times more.

That sounded some alarm bells in official circles, with Delta Mayor Lois Jackson decrying the withering of local produce and the consequent potential threat to food security, particularly as Village Farms is based on land registered in the protected Agricultural Land Reserve.

However, local experts and commentators say it’s unlikely we’ll see the fecund fields of the Fraser Valley

Legalization of cannabis will see more greenhouse production, which will have a positive environmental imoact, commentators say. iStock photo overtaken by greenhouses.

Firstly, cannabis prices might be high following legalization, but its value will decrease as more competition enters the market.

Then there’s the outlay

required to set up cannabis production, particularly in southern B.C. where land prices are inflated. Out in Chilliwack, near the University of the Fraser Valley campus where Tom Baumann

works, land costs around $80,000-$100,000 per acre.

Baumann, associate professor of agriculture at UFV, says it would cost another million or two to build a greenhouse on that acreage

Vancouver’s leading Medical Cannabis Dispensary

“Medicann provides an alternative therapy to those searching searching for a holistic approach”

Vancouver’s Largest CBD Selection 3178 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC V5Z 2W2

Tel: 604-558-2266 Fax: 604-558-2267

westcoastmedicann.com 10 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Westender.com

EAT // DRINK

@WESTENDERVAN

CANNABIS “Why cut down all our forests when we can just grow hemp and that can replenish itself?”

Tom Baumann, associate professor of agriculture at the University of the Fraser Valley. UFV photo – and that’s without all the internal equipment required for plant growth.

This, coupled by the anticipated amount of market competition, means it’s a crop that producers should be wary of putting all their money into, says Kelly Coulter, a cannabis advocate and writer. “I think it’s going to be very competi-

tive and that people should be cautious,” Coulter says, describing a conversation she had with a farmer friend: “If I was a farmer and if I had a good farm going, I probably wouldn’t go there.”

The arrival of cannabis won’t be a revolution in agriculture as much as it will complement current produce, believes Baumann,

who thinks UFV will soon follow Langley’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University in offering courses in cannabis production.

Baumann cites hops as a recent precedent for this complementary model, a perfectly legal crop that happens to belong to the cannabis family. Hop fields are appearing across B.C. as farmers aim to satisfy the demand from the province’s booming craft brewing industry.

“I was surprised how fast that went. It was younger growers but also some older growers who were switch-

ing some portion of their operation, so I can see this also happening with legal marijuana growing,” Baumann says.

The discussion around cannabis has largely ignored another related crop that has arguably even more revolutionary potential for B.C. agriculture. Hemp, which does not contain the psychoactive compound of cannabis, has a huge range of applications.

According to the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, these include edibles (seeds, nuts and oil rich in omega-3 and -6), clothing, paper, natural cosmetics, building materials and fuel.

“Why cut down all our forests when we can just grow hemp and that can replenish itself? It’s a great crop to be using for a lot of things that right now we’re chopping down trees for,” says Caleb McMillan, a spokesperson for the Cannabis Growers of Canada.

Hemp was once grown widely across Canada, and still grows well – almost too well – in B.C., Baumann says (“It was almost like trees growing”). What’s lacking is

a processing facility in the province to extract the fibres from the crop.

However, hemp’s growth remains strongly regulated by the federal government.

The leaves, for example, cannot be harvested and must be discarded, even though there’s evidence of their medicinal potential. Hemp is mostly grown by farmers as a rotational crop, but legalization of cannabis would likely deregulate its production.

The potential of hemp has some experts believing that change in the agricultural sector is far from a bad thing. It’s far from a new thing, as well. The growth of hops in the province should really be called a resurgence; a century ago, the Fraser Valley produced the most hops in the British Commonwealth. Roses were a common sight in B.C. greenhouses until Colombia undercut the province’s market in price. Blueberries have been the latest crop of choice for many farmers, often replacing vegetables.

Cannabis and hemp will likely just be the latest chapter in the evolution of

B.C. agriculture, a response to market opportunities and pressures such as ever-higher prices, climate change and creeping urbanization.

“If we go into growing medicinal herbs of any kind, or producing 10-tier high strawberries away from the rain and any of the vagaries of climate change, who’s going to prevent us doing that if that’s what’s going to keep agriculture?” Baumann says.

In fact, bringing cannabis production above ground will have a positive environmental impact, with greenhouses providing much of the light and heat that’s solely generated by electricity in clandestine grow-ops.

And even if sales and prices turn out to be disappointing, or if other countries go on to legalize cannabis and undercut Canada’s product, B.C. can take the route of exclusivity and quality over quantity, McMillan believes.

“I see the future more in strain development, creating strains that people really like, then protecting those strains, those genetics, with intellectual property laws,” he says. W

EVERGREEN CANNABIS SOCIETY

ORGANIC * CRAFT * LOCAL

TRUST

2868 West 4th Avenue • Kitsilano • 604-900-1714 • evergreencannabissociety.com Westender.com

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 11

EAT // DRINK

WESTENDER.COM

WINE & MUSIC

Spanish sips for early birds Michaela Morris By the Bottle @MichaelaWine

Planning ahead has its benefits. It can prevent you from missing out, gives you something to look forward to and may save you some money.

Feb. 24, 2018 might sound like the distant future, but the opening day of the Vancouver International Wine Festival will be upon us in no time. If you attend every year, why not commit now? Advance tickets for select events go on sale Nov. 1 at a reduced price until Dec. 15. Details can be found at vanwinefest.ca.

VIWF 2018 has Spain and Portugal as the focus. Our savvy importers and buyers seem to have anticipated the interest in these countries’ offerings, as the selection in stores already appears more robust than usual.

While I have yet to testdrive the latest from Portugal, I’ve been wading my way through those from Spain.

This wine giant has long bestowed us with plenty of cheap and cheerful wines, which absolutely have their place.

However, I’m impressed by many of the sophisticated new arrivals.They demonstrate the diversity of styles and unique flavours of Spain while still offering great value for money.

You can prime your palate in preparation for VIWF with the following new listings at B.C. Liquor Stores.Treat it like learning a few phrases in another language before travelling to a foreign country – but even more enjoyable.

2015 Davila, O Rosal, Rías Baixas D.O., $22.49 Rías Baixas is in Spain’s far northwest corner and O Rosal is a sub-zone.White grape Albariño leads the way here, with support from Loureiro and Treixadura. Steely and succulent with lots of lemon pith, white flowers, orange and pineapple, it possesses excellent concentration and complexity for its price point.

blackberry blossom, subtle vanilla, licorice, tobacco and dusty tannins.

2015 Descendientes de J. Palacios, ‘Petalos’ Bierzo D.O., $36.99 This elegant and polished red is crafted from Mencía, the grape behind the northwestern denominations of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra.

Here it gives wines a distinct freshness that distinguishes it from the full-throttled, jammy reds of Spain’s south. Bierzo is a particularly silky example with gorgeous cherry, juniper and violet scents.

2013 Bodega Menade, ‘V3’ Viñas Viejas Verdejo, Rueda D.O., $37.99 Made from old Verdejo vines in the predominantly white wine region of Rueda.

Fragrant herb and green tea marry beautifully with toasted nut and slight popcorn notes in this judiciously oaked white.

Hidalgo, ‘Gobernador’ Oloroso Seco, Jerez D.O., $39.99 Sherry is one of Spain’s greatest gifts to the wine world, but is still sadly underappreciated and misunderstood. It deserves an entire article. In the meantime, try the Gobernador Oloroso.

Aged in old barrels for about 12 years, giving deep walnut nuances along with wood polish, mushroom and dried fruit, it is tangy, long and dry.

Prices exclusive of taxes. W

2013 Bodegas Marta & Maté, ‘Píxide’ Ribera del Duero D.O., $18.99 Tempranillo is Spain’s most planted red variety and found in many of its regions.

The extreme conditions of Ribera del Duero (dry, hot days, chilly nights) can make for fairly intense wines. Expect

e Halloween in the Garde t a r b e l Decorate with n Ce pumpkins, pansies, and gourds Heuchera #1 Pot

1299

$

each

Valid Oct. 2329, 2017. While quantities last.

Crocus Bulbs in Mammoth Packs

9

$ 99

Dolopril Lime 11.34kg bag

30 bulbs per pack Valid Oct. 23-29, 2017. While quantities last.

2560 West Broadway, Vancouver 604-733-1534

Valid Oct. 2329, 2017. While quantities last.

per bag

Open 7 days a week Mon-Sun. 9am-5:30pm Holidays 9am-5pm

HuntersGardenCentre.com

12 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

1299

$

per pack

Tegan and Sara bring The Con X Tour to Vancouver on Oct. 28. Contributed photo

Tegan and Sara revisit the highs and lows of The Con Twins take breakout album on tour for its 10th anniversary TESSA VIKANDER @westendervan

That Tegan and Sara’s fifth album, The Con, was a fan favourite is ironic says Sara Quin.

Reached by phone before The Con X Tour, which marks the 10th anniversary of their breakout album, Quin told Westender about the personal struggles that dominated the writing, recording and touring of The Con. “[Ten years ago] I was totally and entirely miserable… writing the record itself, my life was just starting to get a bit unstable,” she says.

“So there’s a kind of irony that it was our fans’ favourite record.”

There had been several deaths in the family, explains Quin.Then 27, she had just bought a house with her partner but the relationship was coming quickly to an end. She fell into a depression.Tegan, her twin sister, was unable to pull her out of the depression, and a thick tension permeated their relationship.

Meanwhile, the world around her couldn’t be more thrilled for her existence and her art. On tour, “after the shows we would stand out by the bus, and there would be 100 kids,” Quin recalls. “We would talk to every single kid, and we would take pictures and we would sign things and [after] I would get on the bus and get into the bunk, in my clothes, and cry.”

Thankfully, things have changed.The sisters, now 10 years wiser, have achieved mainstream success and, in a slightly unusual but welcomed

move, have resurrected The Con – a melodic, sometimes awkward, but deeply personal album – to tour it across North America.

Building on the nostalgia, they have also released a cover version of the album. The Con X: Covers features 17 renowned musicians – including Cyndi Lauper, Ryan Adams, Sara Bareilles and Mykki Blanco – all of whom identify as LGBTQ+ or are significant allies. Proceeds from the album go toward the Tegan and Sara Foundation, supporting LGBTQ+ women and girls.

Suffice to say, the original album was highly influential.

Vancouver-based pop singer Louise Burns says she remembers being inspired by The Con’s use of melodies.

“I am a melody person and I think this is kind of one of the first records where I’m like, ‘Oh, this is not just a lyrically based band, this is like melody, and this is pop music and this is what it could be if you put the two together,’” she says.

Quin says that, at the time, she and her sister were unaware of the magnitude of the album’s impact.

“I don’t think we knew we were having the biggest success of our career,” she says. “There was a feeling like, ‘Oh my god, there are people coming to all the shows, we’re playing way more cities in Europe, OK, we’re on our own tour bus, we don’t have to share it with the support bands.’ Even though I can see now it was a very large jump, to us it felt very incremental.”

As queer artists, their success was hard won, with occasionally homophobic and misogynistic press coverage describing them as “wiccan lesbians” and “tampon rock.”

“Whether it was conscious or not, [there was] some bias and discrimination around be-

ing gay,” Sara says, with some hesitation. “I think if we had been straight, or even male, I think we would have been embraced, and probably would have seen our career [take off much earlier]… I think we sort of got fucked by the press, and [that] kind of marginalization ended up delaying a lot of the success that would come after The Con tour.”

Given the hardship surrounding The Con’s original release, it’s a small miracle for fans that Sara has been willing to pick it up again. At the end of their original two-year tour of The Con, they had to cancel a few shows due to exhaustion and sibling conflict.

“We were just completely burned out, we were fighting, we got into a physical altercation, and I remember us being like, ‘this is absurd,’” Quin says.To preserve their relationship, they took some time apart, and lived in different cities.

Revisiting the album has been transformative, Quin says. “It’s allowing me to sort of ... fix or mend my feelings about it all and it’s actually been very healing … [and] performing these songs, not from a really super depressed place, is going to be really exciting.”

Although diehard fans in Vancouver will be readying themselves for a nostalgic weekend, they’ll also be processing some unsettling news: In a tweet earlier this month, the pair announced that after this tour they’ll be “taking a long break from touring.” W • Tegan and Sara Oct. 28, 9 p.m., Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Tickets start at $47.50 • WIN! For your chance to win two tickets to the show, check out this story at westender.com

Westender.com

@WESTENDERVAN

ARTS // CULTURE

ARTS & PETS

Sadness, laughter, hope in Happy Place JO LEDINGHAM @joledingham

It’s hard to imagine a more dynamic group of actors – all women – sometimes all on the Firehall stage at one time: Diane Brown, Nicola Cavendish, Sereana Malani, Adele Noronha, Laara Sadiq, Colleen Wheeler and DonnaYamamoto.

Under the direction of Roy Surette, recently returned to Vancouver after 10 years at The Belfry followed by 10 years at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre, each actor creates a unique, well defined individual.Yet despite the characters’ different histories they have one thing in common: attempted suicide.

The setting is a thousanddollar-a-day in-patient rehab facility. Set designer Pam Johnson hints at fairly luxurious accommodations with the bedroom into which Samira, “the new girl,” is assigned: an upstage bed with a comfy

duvet and behind which, on the wall, is a large, multipetalled wall hanging.The bedroom eventually serves as the bedroom; the rest of the set, including a couch and TV, looks less homey, more institutional.

Portraying foul-mouthed, bullying Mildred, who was sexually abused in childhood, is Nicola Cavendish and it’s a joy to see her onstage after a hiatus. However, her meltdown – a dramatic highlight of the play – and the subsequent checking herself out of the facility remain a mystery.

Sereana Malani’s Celine, raped twice as a young woman and whose son has been sexually abused, is intelligent and thoughtful but why she reached her tipping point is also unclear.Why would she leave her child motherless?

Samira (Adele Noronha), raped five years ago, has no memory of her assailant.

Colleen Wheeler’s Rosemary suffers unbearable grief with

the breakdown of her marriage and lost custody of her stepson while Laara Sadiq’s character Nina suffers from false pregnancy.

Diane Brown is gossipy, fragile Joyce who admits very late in Act 2 that she is not sad because her marriage failed; her marriage failed because she is sad. By weighting the play the way she has, Sinha implies that sexual abuse and marriage breakdown are the most common reasons women find life no longer worth living.

I don’t know if that’s statistically true but the lack of balance weakens the play. Death of a child? Paralyzing injury?

Playwright Sinha builds Happy Place with short, choppy scenes in which frustratingly small pieces of information are offered. In the end, we don’t know as much as we’d like to about these troubled women.What Sinha clearly points out is that techniques for dealing with suicides have a long way to go.

The strongest elements in Happy Place are two sides of the same coin: the support these seven actors give each other to get them through this tough material; and the support the patients offer each other. Even tough, raunchy Mildred offers hope and love to Samira in one of the most touching scenes in the play.

Produced byTouchstone Theatre in association with Ruby SlippersTheatre and Diwali in B.C., Happy Place is not a bleak play.While we may not understand these characters’ motivations, we’re rooting for them. It leaves us with some fears – there’s no guarantee Mildred won’t be back or that Celine will make it – but also glimmers of hope. W

HAPPY PLACE

At the Firehall Arts Centre until Oct. 29.

Tickets from $20 at tickets.firehallartscentre.ca or 604-689-0926

Thanks to Kane, the calm in the storm

JO LEDINGHAM @joledingham

The first scene in Kevin Loring’s play begins with Clifford (Tom McBeath) shooting a female grizzly and her two cubs. Loring is not celebrating the killing of bears; far from it.

The huge fake bear is strung up – in an image of Christ on the cross – and remains there for most of the play.

The central character is Nan, portrayed by the virtuosic, Order of Canada appointee, Cree-Saulteaux actress Margo Kane, for whom Loring wrote the part.

If anyone can alleviate the harrowing image of a dead bear it’s Kane, with her dust-dry sense of humour, straight-up delivery and understated but steely passion.

In the summer, while picking berries, Nan had met that same mother bear and her cubs and had “sung” the

grizzly into a dignified retreat.

Bears are sacred to Nan, so non-Native husband Clifford’s senseless slaughter throws Nan and her extended family into disarray.

It’s Thanksgiving and they’re assembled: Nan’s daughter Sue (Andrea Menard), an alcoholic whose twins John (čaačumhi – Aaron M. Wells) and Marie (Tai Amy Grauman) have largely been raised by Nan. Also at the table is Marie’s lesbian partner Sam (Leslie Dos Remedios) and Nan’s redneck grandson Clayton (Deneh’Cho Thompson).

While Thanks for Giving is generally realistic, there are symbolic scenes that take the play to another level. A bear dancer, shrouded in fur and wearing a bear mask, opens the play, alerting us to the special place grizzlies have in the Lytton First Nation where playwright/director Loring

sets the story.The dancer (Shyama-Priya) appears again in a nightmarish scene with Menard and once more at the end of the play when she performs a breathtaking powwow style dance.

“It’s kind of like a turkey dinner,” says Loring, N’lakap’amux from the Lytton First Nation, laughingly describing his play. “There’s a lot on the table.” There is: colonialism, mistreatment of First Nations people, residential schools, vegetarianism, alcoholism, environmentalism, mythology and more.

It’s hard to determine what, exactly, is at stake. Nan and Clifford’s marriage? Sue’s reconciliation with her children?

Marie and Sam’s relationship?

The sacred bond between First Nations people and animal spirits?

Central to it all, however, is Margo Kane. Small and solid, she is the calm, quiet centre

Adopteez pet of the week: Rocky NOA NICHOL @adopteezpleez

So far, life for Rocky hasn’t been too smooth, but this purebred beagle puppy is hopeful for better days ahead.

Born last March, Rocky suffered a spinal injury at about four weeks old, which left him slightly incontinent and having to “bunny hop” with his hind legs. His tail was broken, leaving it lifeless.

A neurologist diagnosed him with scoliosis due to trauma – but the good news is the condition will not worsen.

“In fact, Rocky is able to walk, run, jump and play without any issues,” says

Westender.com

Rocky. Contributed photo Yuana, founder and director of Surrey-based Dhana Metta Rescue Society, where Rocky is currently residing.

“Although he does leak urine if his bladder is not expressed regularly, he has been fairly easy to manage. He usually does his business outside, if

he is taken out every three to four hours.”

Rocky wears diapers indoors, which could also be used at bedtime. “He needs an adopter who is home a lot, not leaving him for more than three hours at a time,” she explains. “He also requires some basic puppy training.”

Desite it all, Rocky “is ridiculously friendly and, for a beagle, he never strays far from his people.”

Rocky is looking for an understanding, experienced home. If you are interested in adopting or fostering him while he waits for his forever home, visit dhanamettarescuesociety.org. W

of the play. If the grizzly sow is the Mother, Kane is the Mother of this production: a wise, no-nonsense actor who channels Nan’s values.

Polar opposite to Nan is Clifford. McBeath is the villain in the piece, although Loring is careful to give Clifford enough backstory to explain why he is the way he is.

In its première run, Thanks for Giving will probably go through more drafts and develop a stronger through-line.

It’s also possible – and worth considering – that this is First Nations storytelling style and we need to accept it on its own terms. W

THANKS FORGIVING

At the Arts Club Granville Island Stage until Nov. 4.

Tickets from $29 at artsclub.com or 604-687-1644

Dentures, comfortably fit

GUARANTEED Svetlana Lopareva R.D.BPS

(BIOFUNCTIONAL PROSTHETIC SYSTEM) CERTIFIED DENTURIST

 PRECISION COSMETIC DENTURES, STANDARD DENTURES, PARTIALS, RELINES & EMERGENCIES  IMMEDIATE DENTURES FOR THE FIRST TIME  LOWER SUCTION DENTURE TECHNIQUE CERTIFIED CLINICIAN  HOME VISITS AVAILABLE

116 West Broadway | 604.677.0061 |

EMERGENCIES

www.loparevadentureclinic.com

778.389.5072

Commodore Lanes, 838 Granville Street, is looking for 5 Pin League Bowlers.

We have morning, afternoon, and evening leagues.

Call Ken or Judy at 604-736-2695 for more information.

BEST BUY - CORRECTION NOTICE NEWSPAPER RETRACTION FOR THE BEST BUY OCTOBER 20 CORPORATE FLYER In the October 20th flyer, page 6, the HP All-In-One Wireless Monochrome Laser Printer – Fax (Web Code: 10405028) was incorrectly advertised with a free $20 gift card included.

Please be aware that this promotion does not include a $20 gift card.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.

Want to Eat Healthier ?

Look to Choices Nutrition Team.

Whatever your health goal, Choices team of Dietitians and Holistic Nutritionists can make it happen.

• Find solutions for specialized diets.

• Get ideas for fast and simple home cooked meals • Learn how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your everyday meals. To get started on your journey towards healthy living, book a FREE one-on-one consult or simply ask members of our Nutrition Team questions while you shop.

To find out more about how we can help you, ask Customer Service, email nutrition@choicesmarkets.com or visit us online at choicesmarkets.com. /Choices_Markets

Rant? Rave?

Rant?

Rave?

We want to hear about it.

Email rantrave@westender.com

SONGS OF REMEMBRANCE V Vancouver Welsh Men’s Men’ Choir and the Band of the 15th Field Regiment RCA SUNDAY, November 5th, 2:30pm, BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE Oak Street & West 28th Avenue, Vancouver TICKETS: Adult $29, Seniors $27, Students $12 www.vwmc.ca or 604 878 1190 or at the door

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 13

ARTS // CULTURE

WESTENDER.COM

HALLOWEEN

Fright Nights scare tactics Cast member reveals secrets to getting the biggest screams

Halloween events across the city VANCOUVER THEATRESPORT LEAGUE

VTSL throws its own spooktacular event, Halloween Monster Match, on Saturday, Oct. 28 starting at 7:30 pm at the Improv Centre on Granville Island.

Visit tickets.vtsl.com.

KELSEY KLASSEN @kelseyklassen

SEA TO SKY GONDOLA

They walk among us. Seemingly ordinary, everyday people who, through some twist of biology, actually look forward to scaring the bejeezus out of people for 19 spooktacular days in October.

We’re talking about the performers of Fright Nights – the shuffling, oozing, creeping talent that bring Playland’s answer to our deepest fears to life.

This year, a record eight unique haunted houses have sprung up out of the asphalt of the East Vancouver amusement park like so many rotten, decrepit zombies to fill the night sky with screams of terror-filled delight. Some of the professional scare people are based inside the haunted houses, while others approach you on the pavement outside as you try to catch your breath.

But who the heck actually signs up to chase complete strangers around in the dark?

The answer? Actors, haunted-house enthusiasts, high school students. Anyone who can handle hours upon hours of improv, on top of seeing their audience run away from them screaming.

“I think it comes more naturally than people think,” says Terrance Fraser, a fourth-year Fright Nights “roamer,” while chatting with the Westender at a picnic table outside The Bloodshed, Fright Nights’ newest haunted house.

“Everybody, I think, sort of has that in them, because you know what scares you, so it’s not that hard to translate that into scaring someone else.”

An outdoor Halloween experience that turns trick-or-treating into a wilderness adventure.

A ride in the gondola to the summit will thrill families before they venture off into the forest for trick or treating on the trails.

Free with a gondola lift ticket or annual pass. Noon-4 p.m., Oct. 28. Visit seatoskygondola.com.

POTTER’S HOUSE OF HORRORS

Fright Nights actor Terrance Fraser outside the Car-N-Evil clown house. Dan Toulgoet photo As one of Fright Nights’ roughly 150 cast members, it’s Fraser’s job to assess the packs of people passing through the nearby Car-NEvil clown house territory and deliver his playful dose of thrills and chills as they try to decide whether to face their fears and go inside.

Fraser plays Frank Jr., who, in Fright Nights canon, is the son of a fairly well known, musically inclined former Fright Nights clown.

In addition to capitalizing on his acting background and some basic ukelele skills, the tall, husky former Vancouver Islander delivers a character who loves stealing people’s phones and taking Snapchats and selfies.

“Even in the couple of nights so far this year, I’ve had like four or five people show me selfies from previous years,” he laughs.

But, if you ask us, you’re a brave soul if you actually let a clown that close to you.

And if it feels like performers like Fraser are always picking on you, it’s probably because they are. “It’s really all about observation of, like, body language. Everyone’s differ-

14 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

ent,” he says. “Some people you can get really well with a little bounce scare or distraction and stuff. Some people, you can just stare at them from across the parking lot and make a weird face and they’ll run screaming.”

It’s something Fraser, who studied acting and musical theatre (and generally avoids horror movies and the like), admits he looks forward to doing every year. “[Fright Nights] is the one place where people go to be scared,” he explains. “...

When you come to Fright Nights, as soon as you pay your ticket at the door, that’s the thing that says, ‘I would like you to scare me, please.’

And it sort of gives us carte blanche to go crazy and have fun.”

But not too crazy. Fright Nights season starts with a screening and audition process for performers, and then a round of training around safe scares and knowing the audience’s boundaries that takes place before anyone dons a costume and starts lurking next to rides.

After that, though? It’s up to them as soon as they leave

the makeup chair.

“It’ll be be different for all the characters,” says Fraser, “but, especially for the clowns, like, you start to walk weird. I’m not fully method, but I do tend to drop into the voice as soon as the makeup is on and everything.”

It’s an improv marathon – an exhausting stretch of immersive creativity that tends to leave Fraser totally wiped at the end of scare season.

“It’s six hours, seven hours of improv – 360 degrees.You can’t really drop character.

You can’t ask for a suggestion or whatever and start a new scene,” he laughs.

“There’s always people around and you always have to be on.” W

FRIGHT NIGHTS

Runs until Oct. 31 at Playland (2901 E Hastings St.). Admission includes unlimited access to all eight haunted houses, shows and 20 rides.

(There is an additional charge for the Revelation and Drop Zone.) Tickets from $32. frightnights.ca

participants the opportunity to honour the dead through ceremony and celebration. Music, film and the opportunity to make personal memorials in a quiet atmosphere highlight the week. Visit nightforallsouls.com.

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM

From Oct. 28 to 31, Vancouver Aquarium visitors can enjoy a Spooky Puppet Show daily at 10:45 a.m. in the Teck Engagement Gallery, as well as creepy sea creature face painting. On Oct. 28, the aquarium is hosting a Fish or Treat Sleepover, which includes a guided tour of the galleries and a peek behind the scenes on what’s been dubbed the “Night Stalker’s Tour.” Visit vanaqua.org.

HALLOWEEN MYSTERY NIGHTS

Potters is consistently named one of the Lower Mainland’s biggest and best haunted houses, open now through Oct. 31 with partial proceeds donated to the Critter Care Wildlife Society. Braver kids will want to check out Family Hour at Potter’s House of Horrors, recommended for children ages 12 and up. Through Oct. 31.

Visit pottershouseofhorrors.com.

Vancouver Mysteries’ Halloween Mystery Nights return this year with Crime in Downtown where teams compete against each other while completing challenges on the streets of downtown Vancouver and Gastown. On now through Oct. 31. Each team must be accompanied by at least one adult. Visit vancouvermysteries.com.

FLYOVER CANADA

LOST SOULS OF GASTOWN

Broomelda the witch has once again worked her magic to transform FlyOver Canada this Halloween. Aspiring witches and wizards are welcomed into the Haunted Witches Academy before taking off on a spellbinding journey across Canada. The complete Halloween at FlyOver Canada experience will last between 20 to 25 minutes. On now through Oct. 31.

VANDUSEN GLOW IN THE GARDEN

Celebrating the classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Wear a costume and share photos using #VanDusenGlow for a chance to win a one-year family membership to the garden and an afternoon of tea-for-two at Truffles Café. Until Oct. 31, 5-9 p.m Learn more at vancouver.ca/ vandusenglow.

MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY

All Souls returns to Mountain View Cemetery Oct. 28-Nov. 1 with a series of events that give

From the tragic story of the “woman in the well” to the gruesome murder of gold prospector John Bray, the Lost Souls of Gastown weaves an 1880s tale through backstreets and alleyways to a dramatic finale in historic Maple Tree Square.

A gothic theatre adventure that roams the backstreets and alleyways of Victorian Gastown. On nightly until Oct. 31.

Visit ForbiddenVancouver.ca.

THE BEAUTIFUL & THE DAMNED

Vancouver’s most decadent Halloween event returns. On Saturday, Oct. 28, the historic Spanish ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is transported to a world of the vampiric undead. Guests will be treated to special live entertainment and dance performances.

Dress in your finest over-the-top gowns, tuxedos and masks for 500 fellow creatures of the night to revel over. Visit thesocialconcierge.guestmanager.com —Vancouver Courier

Westender.com

HAVE AN LGBTQ+ EVENT OR STORY IDEA FOR THE PROUD PAGES? Contact matty@westender.com

PROUD pages

There is more online

Storytelling With Drag Queens grows in popularity with every new chapter

westender.com

VERONNICA MACKILLOP @vamackillop

They’re sparkly, colourful, and arrive with your favourite books. It makes perfect sense that drag queens reading stories to a roomful of children has become such a beloved event in Vancouver.

Storytelling With Drag Queens first started last May with a show for adults.

Since then, there have been six events (for both kids and adults) in which a few drag queens pick their favourite stories and read them outloud to an audience.

Candie Tanaka, executive director of the International Centre of Arts and Technology, puts on the show.Tanaka produces and organizes the show, as well as picks out venues and hosts each event.

Tanaka first had the idea for Storytelling With Drag Queens when they read about a similar event for in New York.

“I thought it would be a fun thing to do here, so I contacted a drag queen who I knew in Vancouver [Oliv X] and I pitched it to her,” they said. “She was very interested in anything that helps out with literacy, so she contacted a couple of her drag queen friends ... then we did the first show for adults to give it a bit of a twist.”

When the adult event proved popular, people started asking if there was going to be a kids version.

“Even parents with babies were excited about it, we had such an age range. A lot of parents wanted to expose their kids early to gender diversity and stuff like that,” Tanaka said. “And the kids just love looking at drag queens because they’re always so fun and sparkly, engaging and warm.”

The event has been held at Cafe Deux Soleils, Cottage Bistro, the Burnaby Public Library, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre and the

TIME FOR YOU Providing

efficient

individual

and

and problem solving tools. Clear Counselling is

From left: Storytellers Oliv X, Amy Grindhouse and Karmella Barr. Candie Tanaka photo

UPCOMING EVENTS Storytelling with Drag Queens for kids Nov. 26, Cottage Bistro Storytelling with Drag Queens for adults Nov. 29, Cafe Deux Soleils United Church of Canada, and usually attracts between 50 and 100 people, sometimes more.

“As the word gets out, it’s becoming more popular,” Tanaka said.The events are entirely self-funded, with donations collected at the door, but Tanaka is hoping to organize some funding or partnerships so it can keep growing.

“The support has been amazing.The kids and parents love it,” they said.

One of the performers recruited by Oliv was Karmella Barr, who was interested in the event because of her plans to become a teacher.

“I was trying to think of ways that would be fun and unique for me to get experience with kids,” Barr said. “I thought, ‘Well, I love to do drag and I also like children,’ so I felt like I got to mix both

of my passions.”

Barr, who has been collecting a wide selection of children’s books for her future classroom, says she selects books she feels have a good message, or explain diversity in an interesting way.

“I would try to do one ‘child’s book’ and one that I really enjoy. Like, I did The Boy in the Dress and Book of Negroes for the adult one.

Then for the child’s one, I did I Have To Go by Robert Munsch, and It’s Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr.”

One thing Barr believes makes the event such a success is how enamoured children are with drag queens.

“We’re wearing glitter and sequins so we’re really shiny and glitzy.You have lots of kids pawing at you, so you just have to set up some boundaries,” she says with a laugh. “But it’s fine, they’re great and I have no problem establishing boundaries when necessary.”

She recalls when Oliv was wearing a huge gown with tulle underneath, and the kids started playing under it as if it was a circus tent. “She was like, ‘Well, OK, hang out down there I guess!’”

Barr thinks the event is a

Proudly serving Vancouver’s GLBT Community for more than 15 years.

DAHL&CONNORS BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS

Westender.com

effective

relationship counselling for support, insight,

604.687.8752 dahlconnors.com

confidential quality time for you.

great way for people to get literature in their lives, and also show kids different ways people express themselves.

“It’s awesome to have a platform where literally all you’re doing is reading.You’re not preaching anything in any way, it’s about literature and interactions with children. I think it’s a really authentic moment, which is necessary for the queens as well as the kids,” she said. W

L I F E - S PA N C O N C E R N S Work * Family * Relationships * Communication * Intimacy * Infidelity * Sexual Concerns * Sexuality * Health * Loneliness * Self-Esteem * Burnout * Meaning * Life Changes

C L E A R C O U N S E L L I N G .C A

4 7 0 G R A N V I L L E S T, VA N C O U V E R B C

604 620 5010

OFFICE@CLEARCOUNSELLING.CA

LOUD Update November 2017 LOUD Business Membership Not-for-Profit and the LOUD Foundation Registered Charity share a common volunteer Board of Directors. After our recent AGM we have some exciting changes: Here’s our 2017-2018 Board lineup, including some familiar faces in new roles, and familiar faces new to the Board of Directors.

Details soon about upcoming #LOUDlounge after work drinks and of course our ever popular Holiday Party in December.

Past Co-Chair Isabelle Swiderski • seven25.com

Join our mailing list, and or join us as a member and stay in the loop!

Past Co-Chair Ryan McKinley • vancity.com

2018 Scholarship applications open ‘soon’ and must be received by January 31st.

New Co-Chair Gina Best • gina.best/coaching

#LOUDlove

New Co-Chair Blair Smith • blairsmith.ca

All of the work that we do is made possible with the support of our Presenting Sponsor TD Bank. And the support of our members & people like you.

New Treasurer Thomas Canty • quaysidewellness.com New Secretary Craig Weckerle • voguepainting.ca New Events Liason Kendall Ansell • kendallansell.com New Foundation Liason Douglas Baldry • vancity.com

LOUD Business (formerly the GLBA) is a not-for-profit association founded on our three pillars: Networking, Community and Philanthropy.

Lots of info at LOUDbusiness.com, or join us at one of our events.

Come out and be LOUD!

Advertise in the monthly LGBTQ+ Proud Pages.

Contact Matty Lambert for details: 604-742-8681 or matty@westender.com

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 15

ARTS // CULTURE

WESTENDER.COM

FILM & TV

Vancouver actors bro out on Season 2 of Dirk Gently Sabrina Furminger Reel People @Sabrinarmf

Aleks Paunovic, left, and Lee Majdoub and in Season 2 of ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.’ Contributed photo

Fans of the first season of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency already know that it can take a few episodes – arguably the entire first season – to get a grasp on the characters and appreciate the interconnectedness of their wacky journeys.

Judging by Reel People’s recent conversation with Vancouver actors Lee Majdoub and Aleks Paunovic, the second season of BBC America’s smash hit is poised to be just as deliciously vexing.

“No one would ever predict what’s actually going on,”

CARNEY’S CORNER

TRICK OR TREAT! No trick here when you are treated to upper floor, open plan living area one bedroom and den in popular Yaletown complex. Featuring large kitchen with new stainless appliances, in suite laundry, great storage (office anyone?) plus large locker downstairs and dedicated underground parking; this home is ready for your city pad, vacation home or investment. Amazing amenities.

No ghostly apparitions...must be seen! Quick possession possible! $729,995 oPen fRI 10:30-12:30, SaT & Sun 2-4, 1008 CambIe SkeleTonS In THe CloSeT? Check out the bedroom, laundry, linen & coat closets in this one bedroom & den plus balcony corner suite in concrete mid-rise steps to English Bay. Don’t forget the large locker, bike room & private parking stall. Cauldron brews in open kitchen with full size appliances, huge bedroom takes king size crypt & your silver stakes can skewer vampires in front of the gas fireplace while your black cat howls at the full moon from the balcony! $589,000 oPen Sun 2-4, 1436 HaRwooD

WEN

West End Neighbours

New info always available on the website; an opportunity for community to stay in touch and keep up on local issues. www.westendneighbours.ca

TALK TO LIZ CARNEY 685-5951/603-3095

604

Uiz.cRrSMy@cMStOry21.cR • www.vancouvercondo.com CMStOry 21 IS TQNS RMRUty • 421 PRciLic • 1030 DMSTRS

quips Paunovic, who, like Majdoub, joins the show for a mysterious arc, the fullness of which will only be revealed as the second season unfolds.

Based on the cult favourite novel by Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency stars Samuel Barnett as the titular holistic detective who investigates cases involving the supernatural, and Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings films) as Todd, Dirk’s reluctant assistant.

The locally shot series is at times zany, surreal, brilliant and preposterous, and features several Vancouver actors in key supporting roles, including Michael Eklund, Dustin Milligan,Viv Leacock, Zak Santiago, and Osric Chau – and now, Paunovic and Majdoub.

Real estate opens West End

1436 Harwood St., 1 bdrm & office, $589,000 Sun 2-4 p.m.

Downtown 204-538 Smithe St., 2 bdrm, $827,000 Sat & Sun 2-4 p.m.

17

Yaletown

603-1600 Hornby St. 2 bdrm & office, $1,998,000 17 Sat & Sun 2-4 p.m.

1008 Cambie St., 1 bdrm & den, $729,995 Fri 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Sat & Sun 2-4 p.m.

In Town Realty

16

16

Dirk Gently is imagined for the small screen by celebrated writer-director Max Landis.

Paunovic describes Landis as “like a kid in a candy store when it comes to his work.

Usually there’s a lot of heaviness to it, but he looks like he’s just having a blast.”

The second season premiered earlier this month on BBC America. Majdoub and Paunovic play Silas Dengdamor and Wygar Oak, respectively, two citizens of a fantasy realm called Wendimoor.

Exactly how this fantasy realm connects to Dirk and his cohorts is (in true Landis fashion) awash in mystery.

“It was supposed to be a happily-ever-after place, and that’s not going on,” is as close to a spoiler as Majdoub gets during the interview. Fans got their first glimpse of the royal Silas and his protector Wygar at NewYork Comic-Con. Majdoub and Paunovic have known each other for years.They’ve helped each other prepare for auditions, and solidified their friendship when they filmed the indie horror film Puppet Killer in late 2015, carpooling together to the set each day.

Dirk Gently producers didn’t know Paunovic and Majdoub were friends before filming, but their friendship affected the work regardless, according to Majdoub.

“It actually felt like Silas and Wygar had the relationship that me and Aleks have,” he says. “[Paunovic’s] character could have been so over the top and he brought this groundedness to Wygar, where I’d turn and look at him with this crazy makeup and the buttons in the beard and the dreads and the outfit and I was like, ‘I buy that this person exists.’”

“He’s serious about his

work, and I love that,” says Paunovic. “That’s why we work so well together and why we love hanging out.”

The actors note they “got to work quite a bit with Elijah [Wood], and he was someone who made it simple to spitball stuff with” – although they couldn’t explain how it all plays out, because spoilers.

It’s been a busy year for both actors: Paunovic shot films with Keanu Reeves and Liam Neeson, played an evolved albino gorilla in War for the Planet of the Apes, and returned to the role of vampire Julius in Van Helsing, which kicked off its second season on Oct. 5; Majdoub appeared in the Prison Break event series and Zoo, and picked up accolades for his role in Kyra Zagorsky’s short film The Prince, which explores Islamaphobia.

Majdoub and Paunovic aren’t the only Vancouver actors joining the cast for the second season. Karin Konoval (who portrayed Maurice in the Planet of the Apes trilogy) plays Frija Dengdamor, Silas’ mom, and Leo Awardwinning actress Agam Darshi (Sanctuary) appears as Wakti Wapnasi, a character (like everything in the Dirk-verse) swathed in mystery. “[Dirk Gently producers] took a page out of what Battlestar Galactica did back in the day when they realized how high the quality of talent was in this city and went for it,” says Paunovic. “You see all of these people who you know are killer actors and they’re just showing their chops on the show.That’s the really rewarding thing.” W • Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency airs Saturdays on BBC America.

STEPHEN BURKE T H E W E S T B R I A R P E N T H O U S E

SUTTON GROUP - WEST COAST REALTY

301-1508 W BROADWAY

604-714-1700

www.stephenburke.com

604-551-4190

• • • •

Great Central West End location 1 level penthouse; townhouse entry 2 bedroom, 2 bath TWO PARKING 1077 sf strata + 122 sf outdoor space

• • • •

Soaring16’6” Living dining ceiling, FP Windows 3 sides, 1 small adjoining wall Large entertainers’ kitchen w/skylight 3 pce guest bathroom–walk-in shower

16 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

• • • •

Double French doors to 2nd bedroom Huge MBR with walk-in closet, WD 4 pce. Master ensuite bath w/window No rental. 1 pet ok. Age restriction 21+

1399 BARCLAY

$999,000 Westender.com

REAL ESTATE //

@WESTENDERVAN

Maggie Chandler & Roger Ross West End & West Side Specialists Roger Ross Sutton West Coast Realty Sutton Platinum Award 2016

Maggie Chandler Chandler Realty Realtor since 1981

w Ne

g tin s i L

New Listing 538 Smithe Townhouse #204 First Opens: Sat & Sun 2:00 - 4:00 Hot price for chic New York style 2 level 2 bedroom townhouse. Beautifully updated & on quite side of the building overlooking landscaped courtyard.This designer style home features crown mouldings, stainless steel appliances, tasteful wall treatments, all new flooring & blinds, built-in electric fireplace, a unique plan & 2 huge insuite storage spaces + locker & parking. Act fast! $827,000.

Roger Ross 604-623-5433

WEST COAST

Over 47 years combined experience selling condos www.maggiechandler.ca

Maggie Chandler 604-328-0077

www.dexterrealty.com 604-689-8226 Yaletown 604-336-3539 Main Street 604-263-1144 Kerrisdale

Taking our Listings Global

NEW LISTING!

LD SO

OPEN SAT & SUN 2-4PM #609-289 ALEXANDER ST

NEW LISTING AT THE EDGE

$799,900

Large South facing double height corner loft with large terrace. Concrete floors, gas F/P and Stove. Secured underground parking. Great city views form the terrace. Pets and rentals OK

Ed Gramauskas 604-618-9727

$1,998,000

#603-1600 HORNBY ST

WATERFRONT @ YACHT HARBOUR POINTE

*Spacious and bright with False Creek View *Large master suite, 2nd bedroom + office, entertainers’ kitchen *No empty home tax—rentals at max

Christine Saulnier 604-250-9177

NEW LISTING! #403-1236 BIDWELL ST $1,799,900

WELCOME TO THE PRESTIGIOUS ALEXANDRA PARK!

Prime location just steps away from English Bay. This unique, bright and spacious 2 level, 2 bed and 2 bath beauty boasts 16’ ceilings in the living room and a formal dining room. Large master with fireplace. Solid concrete construction. Walking distance to coffee shops and great dining.

#2711-610 GRANVILLE ST 1243 HOMER ST

ILIAD TOWNHOME

$1,599,000

Probably the most stylish and iconic building in Yaletown, setting the standard for luxury and lifestyle. Gourmet kitchen, vaulted ceilings, parking and custom finishings throughout. Sure to impress!

Brooke Alexander 604-813-1044

Kris Pope 604-318-5226

Check out our website, www.dexterrealty.com for current market condition updates.

Westender.com

$1,098,000

HUDSON SKY SUITE

Gorgeous 2 bedroom at The Hudson, with City/ Water/Mountain views and extra large balcony!

Perfectly maintained suite, with the best, most efficient layout. Building offers 24 hour concierge and private/direct access to Pacific Centre, Skytrain, Shopping and the best of Downtown Vancouver!

Kris Pope 604-318-5226

Commercial Real Estate Needs? Dexter Associates Realty’s commercial team will answer all of your questions and will help with all your commerical needs. Whether you need office space, somewhere to set up your business or retail store, or are looking to buy an investment property we can help you. Call us at 604-689-8226 today.

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 17

LIFESTYLES //

WESTENDER.COM

ARTS & ASTROLOGY

Opera aims to raise awareness of plight of Indigenous women SABRINA FURMINGER @sabrinarmf

It’s a national crisis in Canada, and one that has gone largely ignored by institutions and media: Indigenous women are murdered and go missing at a staggeringly higher rate than their non-Indigenous counterparts.

The reality of this heartbreaking loss (and the focus of a highly troubled royal commission) is the subject of Missing, a chamber opera co-presented by City Opera Vancouver and Pacific Opera Victoria that has its world premiere on Nov. 3.

Written by Canadian Métis playwright Marie Clements, with a gripping score by Juno Award-winning composer Brian Current, Missing explores “a human issue, and one that we should all be responsible to, and taken to task,” says Clements in a recent interview. “For this to be seen as simply an Indigenous problem or issue, it’s ridiculous.”

Missing is set between Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and B.C.’s Highway 16, a.k.a. the Highway of Tears, where at least 18 women have vanished or been found murdered since 1969.Told through both English and the First Nations language of Gitxsan (widely spoken in First Nations communities along Highway 16), Missing follows the fate of two women – one Indigenous, one not – whose

From left, Clarence Logan, Melody Courage and RoseEllen Nichols, stars of Missing. Emily Cooper photo lives become tragically intertwined.

“Something I find immensely hard to grapple with still is that we, in this country, have all of these missing and murdered young women and there doesn’t seem to be enough done to make this go away so nobody has to suffer,” says Clements, who also directed this year’s critically acclaimed documentary feature The Road Forward, which used new music and reenactments to relate the struggle for Aboriginal rights in B.C. One of Clements’ goals with the text was to “make this a personal experience for the audience, because I do think it’s immensely human and it’s one of those things

that I think if we understood what it feels like, we might do more to affect change,” she says, adding that opera is an ideal venue for these ideas and emotions.

“You layer words and music and action, and that composition builds a whole universe,” says Clements.

“When those things merge correctly, you have a real opportunity to tell a story that can engage people’s imaginations and open their hearts.”

Missing features performances by Métis Canadian coloratura soprano Melody Courage, Alberta-born soprano Caitlin Wood, Marion Newman of Kwagiulth and Stó:lō First Nations, and of English, Irish and Scottish ancestry; Rose-Ellen Nichols, a mezzosoprano of Coast Salish heritage; bass-baritone and a member of Saskatchewan’s Moosomin First Nation Clarence Logan;Vancouverbased mezzo-soprano Heather Molloy; and Victoria tenor Kaden Fosberg.

“I think we’re at a place where a lot of us desire a real, honest engagement, and looking at some of these harder things that have happened allows us to go deeper,” says Clements.

“I feel there’s a hope in that, and a change that is real.” W • Missing runs Nov. 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 at the York Theatre. @CityOperaVan

Aarm Dental Group We’re in your neighborhood to make you smile…

.00 $ 99 m Zoo ning ite Wh

Aarm Dental Group On Cambie

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

2180 Cambie Street

(at 6th & Cambie beside Best Buy)

604-684-0224 Zoom In-Office Whitening for $99.00 Dr. Vineyard Choy & Dr. Caroline McKillen

2015

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK WE DO NOT CHARGE ABOVE BCDA FEE GUIDE

•

MONDAY TO SUNDAY

WE ACCEPT MOST MAJOR DENTAL INSURANCE PLANS

NEW PATIENTS & EMERGENCIES ALWAYS WELCOME

www.aarm-dental.com 18 W October 26 - November 1, 2017

Free Will Astrology

By Rob Brezsny I share Vincent Van Gogh’s belief that “the best way to know life is to love many things.” But I also think that the next 12 months will be an inspiring time for you to be focused and single-minded in your involvement with love. That’s why I encourage you to take an approach articulated by the Russian mystic Anne Sophie Swetchine: “To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others.”

Halloween costume suggestion: a lover celebrating a sacred union to the love of your life, to God or Goddess, or to a symbol of your most sublime ideal.

“Yes, We Have No Bananas” is a silly novelty song that became a big hit in 1923. Its absurdity led to its wide use for humorous effect. For example, on the kids’ TV series The Muppet Show, puppets made out of fruits and vegetables sang parodies of the tune. That’s why I find it droll that the “No Bananas” songwriters stole part of the melody from the “Hallelujah Chorus,” the climax of classical composer George Handel’s religious oratorio Messiah. I’d love to see you engage in comparable transmutations, Taurus: making serious things amusing and vice versa. It’s a time when you can generate meaningful fun and playful progress through the art of reversal.

Halloween costume suggestion: a tourist from Opposite Land or Bizarro World.

In the next two weeks, you may have to navigate your way through careless gossip, distorted “facts,” superficial theories, hidden agendas, fake news, and official disinformation. To prevent problems in communication with people who matter, take advantage of the Halloween spirit in this way: Obtain a bicycle helmet and cover it with aluminum foil. Decorate it with an Ace of Clubs, a red rose, images of wrathful but benevolent superheroes, and a sign that says “No Bullshit Allowed.” By wearing this crown, you should remain protected. If that’s too weird for you, do the next best thing: Vow to speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and ask to receive the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Watch out for a fake pizza-delivery driver who’s actually trying to issue you a legal summons. Be careful you don’t glimpse a blood red sky at dusk, in case it’s a prophetic sign that your cell phone will fall into a toilet sometime soon. Beware of the possibility that a large bird carrying a turtle to its nest accidentally drops its prey into a rain puddle near you, splashing mud on your fancy clothes. JUST KIDDING! All the scenarios I just described are stupid lies. The truth is, this should be one of the most worry-free times ever. You’re welcome, of course, to dream up a host of scary fantasies if you find that entertaining, but I guarantee that they’ll be illusory.

Halloween costume suggestion: indomitable warrior.

What is the material object you want most but don’t have? This is an object that would serve your soul’s highest purposes, although not necessarily your ego’s. Here’s another question: What evocative symbol might help keep you inspired to fulfill your dreams over the course of the next five years? I suggest that you choose one or both of those things to be the inspiration for your Halloween costume.

Did you get a chance to go to circus school when you were a kid? How about magic school? Or maybe detective school? Probably none of the above, right?

Much of your education revolved around what you HAD to learn rather than what would be fun to learn.

I’m not saying it was bad you were compelled to study subjects you felt ambivalent about. In the long run, it did you good. But now here’s some sweet news, Virgo: The next 10 months will be a favourable time to get trainings and teachings in what you YEARN to learn.

Halloween costume suggestion: a student.

Now is an excellent phase in your cycle to scour bathrooms, scrub floors, shampoo carpets, and wash windows. But the imminent future will be an even more favorable period to purify your motivations, tonify your emotions, purge your less-than-noble agendas, calm down your monkey mind and monkey heart, disinfect the mouldy parts of your past, and fact-check the stories you tell about yourself. So which set of tasks should you focus on? It may be possible to make great strides on the second set as you carry out the first set. But if there’s not enough time and energy to do both, favour the second set. Halloween costume suggestion: a superhero who has wondrous cleaning powers; King Janitor or Queen Maid.

“You never sing the same song twice,” said chanteuse Billie Holiday. “If you sing it with all the same phrasing and melody, you’re failing your art.” That’s an extreme statement, but I understand what she was driving at. Repeating yourself too much can be debilitating. That includes trying to draw inspiration from the same old sources that have worked in the past. I suggest you avoid this behavior in the coming days. Raise Holiday’s approach to a universal principle. Fresh sources of inspiration are available! Halloween costume suggestion: a persona or character unlike any you’ve ever imagined yourself to be.

How can you enjoy the lavish thrills of rebirth later unless you die a little inside now? It’s the trickiest phase of your cycle, when your energies are best used to resolve and graduate from the unfinished business of the last 10 months. I suggest that you put the past to rest as best as you can.

Don your funniest sad face and pay your last respects to the old ways and old days you’ll soon be leaving behind. Keep in mind that beauty will ultimately emerge from decay. Halloween costume suggestion: the mythical phoenix, which burns itself down, then resurrects itself from its own ashes.

There are no such things as magic healings and miraculous redemptions and impossible breakthroughs. Right? Hard evidence provided by science precludes the existence of exotic help coming from spiritual realms. Right? Well, no. Not right. There is in fact another real world that overlaps the material world, and it operates according to different laws that are mostly imperceptible to our senses. But events in the other real world can have tangible effects in the material world. This is especially true for you right now. Take advantage! Seek practical answers and solutions in your dreams, meditations, visions, and numinous encounters. Halloween costume suggestion: white-magic sorcerer or good witch.

Many years from now, in your last hours on earth, you will have visions that show you how all the events in your life were crucial to your life story. You will understand the lesson that was provided by each twist and turn of your destiny. Every piece of the gigantic puzzle will slip into place, revealing the truth of what your mission has been. And during that future climax, you may remember right now as a time when you got a long glimpse of the totality.

Halloween costume suggestion: the happiest person on Earth; the sovereign of all you survey.

You might be able to pass for normal, but it will be better for your relationship with yourself if you don’t. You could try to tamp down your unusual urges and smooth your rough edges, but it will be smarter to regard those urges and edges as fertile raw material for your future happiness. Catch my drift? In the coming weeks, your main loyalty should be to your idiosyncratic intelligence.

Halloween costume suggestion: the beautiful, interesting monster who lives in you.

Oct. 26: Hillary Clinton (70) Oct. 27: Simon LeBon (59) Oct. 28: Bill Gates (62) Oct. 29: Winona Ryder (46) Oct. 30: Ashley Graham (30) Oct. 31: Johnny Marr (54) Nov. 1: David Foster (68)

Westender.com

Your Community

MARKETPLACE Book your ad ONLINE:

wevancouver.adperfect.com Visit the online MARKETPLACE:

classifieds.wevancouver.com COMMUNITY

REAL ESTATE

MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES FOR SALE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

!,*'<$.)2.3C '<$.)2.3C)2)22A3<<$)$8 2A3<<$)$8 !,* IL.)<$.2KB KBC<L32 C<L32M:M:L8< L8<L$> L$> IL.)<$.2 M(><3D-M D-M3<4F)3< 3<4F)3< M(><3

,3LA<2 ,3LA<2

7%F(( .3<L.&<$.

AM2.@ =9BBB6 7%F((M3.-M>M$.)A M3.-M>M$.)A .3<L.&<$.

AM2.@ =9BBB6

%M3 E)2). %M3)$:M3&L.)M$? )$:M3&L.)M$?

E)2).

DDD5><$.)2.3C5FHA5AL/83L>M3.-M DDD5><$.)2.3C5FHA5AL/83L>M3.-M '2#9A#.7 $2:/2#?

'2#9A#.7%2.-:9:=.+!0 %2.-:9:=.+!0 $2:/2#? #M LIIM)$.&<$.@ #ML33L$8< L33L$8<L L2A3<<$)$8 2A3<<$)$8 LIIM)$.&<$.@ *#)) 8?

6&:=9#> .: .: (2+9#>4 *#))"7.@77= "7.@77=5;,< 5;,<#? #?3 31 1 8?

6&:=9#> (2+9#>4 0B9+;G1+9""K 0B9+;G1+9""K M3M3<&L)( <&L)(83L>M3.-MA()$)AJ><$.)2.3C5FHA5AL 83L>M3.-MA()$)AJ><$.)2.3C5FHA5AL

NEW 2017 Manufactured Homes starting under $80,000 delivered! Best Buy Homes Kelowna. www.bestbuyhousing.com Canada’s largest in-stock home selection, quick delivery, custom factory orders, new parks! Text/Call 250765-2223.

OUT OF TOWN PROPERTY 2 UNDEVELOPED PROPERTIES - Prince George, BC. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Unreserved Auction, Nov. 16 in Prince George. 1.67+/- and 4.17+/- Title Acres. Zoned RS2/AG. Steve Martin: 250612-8522; Realtor: Tom Moran PREC*: 250-784-7090; Brokerage - Re/Max Dawson Creek Realty; rbauction.com/realestate

Dreaming of a New Home?

Check the Real estate section.

To advertise call 604-630-3300 AUCTIONS

*!1$:/&4 C '?##&'1$(#&4 */'1$?! =#/4 '?!1&!14 ?% 4&-&7*# &41*1&4 C "?7&

+36.3@6)59 !,830>3B E@;D A EE<22 )0 1.?G.H6 7.,?8) #>./2 $6A:8.1 @7/A4 =499 !) 3#,+ -499 5) ; ".02 %:<.)8.1 7/A4 =499 !) 3#,+ *>6A,:? #,).

#!1%;: *4'7$!"%%=: - *@@=*$:%=: #7&> I5IE C< =A/BD =.+3,AHBD (>'> 2E90I990FJ<E

':1 &:1. (.A!,+/4

MARKETPLACE

FOR SALE - MISC SAWMILLS from only $4,397 Make money & save money with your own band mill - Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info & DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com/400OT 1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT

classifieds.wevancouver.com

TODAY'S PUZZLE ANSWERS

Westender.com

,,,!'#-)$+.*"(#%$!*#&

Or call to place your ad at

604-630-3300

Email: classifieds@van.net

BUSINESS SERVICES

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get the online training you need from an employer trusted program.Visit:CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855-768-3362 to start training for your work-athome career today!

HEALTH & BEAUTY Acupuncture, TCM treatment, Laser treatment, Stem cell facial, 3D-6D Microblading, Beauty & TCM massage school.

210-1610 Robson St. Call: 778.863.6226 EMERGENCY DEVICE FOR SENIORS - Free Equipment, Monitored 24/7. Stay safe in your home for less than $1.00 a day, For Free Information Guide Call Toll Free 1-888-865-5001 or www.LifeAssure.com GET UP to $50,000 from the Government of Canada. Do you or someone you know have any of these Conditions? ADHD, Anxiety, Asthma, Arthritis, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Diabetes, Difficulty Walking, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowels, Overweight, Trouble Dressing and Hundreds more. All Ages & Medical Conditions Qualify.

Call the Benefits Program 1-800-211-3550

LEGAL SERVICES CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss? Travel/Business opportunities? Be embarrassed?

Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge.

File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-347-2540, accesslegalmjf.com

Phone Hours: Mon to Fri 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Office Hours: 9 am to 5 pm

SPROTTSHAW.COM

HOME SERVICES ELECTRICAL YOUR ELECTRICIAN $29 Service Call.

Lic#89402.

Fast same day service.

Insured. Guar’d. We love small jobs. 604-568-1899

FLOORING '%,$1..$ (2.., &#"04+840: 75)4/'& 2 6%4/+/+3 8+&%4-84%/*+ "'55 $&%/,4%5& *#093,/ '%,$1..$ (2..,+ ;-!67);6)55! !!!(05+%#'914'.!**.(0*,

HANDYPERSON

MOVING

RUBBISH REMOVAL

,!# (&%)'*

("#' $)%!-+& *,

+,$'"%'#)'( *!-'".

*!)% (, "%#&&& +$'& - !,+0(+0) / "(%$&0) - 2&'.0%%,'(1* 2,1(' 3'#0&%

-+0/.+$/$$"+

ABE MOVING & Delivery & Rubbish Removal $30/HR per Person• 24/7. 604-999-6020 EAST WEST MOVERS 24/7. Reasonable. Reliable.

James • 604-786-7977

TAKE A LOAD D OFF

1"(&/ 0(-1,!'# +%,) (1.*$"'

%@39),@30 6 *55<):9401 6 &<04,379)41 $@9>/#@88)1+ 6 (791,3@4,)79 '083)1 6 '3;=:<< 6 !:32 ":1,0 (79430,0 6 &?03;,+)9- &<10. ++&,A/A> '6>/4;?2 52>)8/68,A,++ 9$*!<5 - %<3 31(5 !< 97<(#&"

$#'&!"%&!"$!

===0.>):)6>8A)/4/@/0)/

classifieds.wevancouver.com

AUTOMOTIVE

SPORTS & IMPORTS

Find help elp in the Home Services yo section

yo

$>!& 5&;*#52 5&A>-*/#>A2 #A2/*""*/#>A2 'FGC 8I.),D ".)CG)CED 'FGC 5.746D (FGECED %I+B+G6CCED #G?IBCED

9H:1@<@1=030 '+#),%+#*!##(*"&!#$*!%

classifieds.westender.com classifieds.vancourier.com classifieds.vancourier.com

RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT .

FERREIRA

HANDYMAN Reno, kitchen, bath, plumbing, countertop, floors, paint, etc. Mic, 604-725-3127

PAINTING/ WALLPAPER *"3./1*4!3"2'!,0

? F77@D -7F 2<::8 < ;7!BD !=0 ;7C79F 1(/)C)=+ A "F)@ /3BF!. $F);/ )=;CD (C76/F5!C/ $F/@)9@ G9!C)B0 4!)=B, 53 1"-6!5/ #)$,+ 7(4 ,% 2(*'+.$.0& *DE 9D !>79B 79F &!@)=!B/ 'C77F)=+ A %!)5 #/F6);/D,

2011 Escape AWD 69kms XLT 2002 Frontier Crew Cab auto 2003 GMC Sierra SLE 4x4 V8 2009 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4

Auto Depot 604-727-3111

HOME IMPROVEMENTS All interior and Exterior Renovations and Additions Renovation Contractor Licensed and Insured Free Estimates “Satisfaction Guaranteed”

NORM 604-841-1855

&#+ )$%# )%-%( --'#%!!#!%-' &"+*$$)*(),)

ADVERTISING POLICIES

COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKER

2011 Sonata Sport GLS $9999 2008 Honda FIT HB manual 2006 VW Golf GLS DIESEL TDI 2014 Mazda2 HB only *5Kms!

Auto Depot 604-727-3111

$>!& 5&;*#52 5&A>-*/#>A2 #A2/*""*/#>A2 'FGC 8I.),D ".)CG)CED 'FGC 5.746D (FGECED %I+B+G6CCED #G?IBCED

9H:1@<@1=030 '+#),%+#*!##(*"&!#$*!%

***VALUE $2950. VALUE*** 2005 Ford Focus sedan $2950 2005 Chevy AVEO HB $2950 2003 Focus ZTW S/W $2950 2004 Suzuki AERIO HB $2950

Auto Depot 604-727-3111

SUDOKU

All advertising published in this newspaper is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and wil ingly sold to buyers at the advertised prices. Advertisers are aware of these conditions. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading, is never knowingly accepted. If any reader encounters non-compliance with these standards we ask that you inform the Publisher of this newspaper and The Advertising Standards Council of B.C. OMISSION AND ERROR: The publishers do not guarantee the insertion of a particular advertisement on a specified date, or at all, although every effort wil be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers.

Further, the publishers do not accept liability for any loss of damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred. Any corrections of changes wil be made in the next available issue. The Westender wil be responsible for only one incorrect insertion with liability limited to that portion of the advertisement affected by the error. Request for adjustments or corrections on charges must be made within 30 days of the ad’s expiration. puzzles are formatted as aas9x9 grid, broken 3x3boxes. boxes.ToTosolve solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through puzzles are formatted a 9x9 grid, brokeninto into nine nine 3x3 a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through For best results please check your ad forSudokuSudoku must fill each column box.

Eachnumber numbercan can appear appear only each row,row, column and box. each row, row, column andand box.

Each onlyonce oncein in each column and You box.can You accuracy the first day it appears. Refunds must9fill figure the order in which numberswill willappear appear by by using using the already provided in theinboxes. made only after 7 business days notice!figure out theoutorder in which the the numbers thenumeric numericclues clues already provided the boxes.

October 26 - November 1, 2017 W 19

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Prices Effective October 26 to November 1, 2017.

100% BC Owned and Operated PRODUCE

MEAT Organic Extra Lean Ground Beef

BC Grown Table Carrots from Fountainview Farm in Lillooet

BC Grown Organic Bartlett Pears 1.36kg (3lb) bag

value pack

907g (2lb) bag

2.48

2/3.00

907g (2lb) bag

2.98

13.21kg

7.99lb

Fair Trade Organic Avocados from Pragor Cooperative

assorted colours

value pack

17.61kg

3.98

BC Grown Hot House Peppers

BC

ORGANIC PORK at our Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, Cambie, North Vancouver and South Surrey locations

5.99lb

100% Grass Fed New York Steaks Aged 21+ Days from Australia

Premium Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets

value pack

previously frozen

22.02kg

value pack

9.99lb

28.64kg

12.99lb

*RWA – raised without antibiotics

GROCERY

DELI

Olympic Yogurt assorted varieties

1.75kg • product of BC

Alter Eco Fair Trade Chocolate Bars and Truffles

Clif Nut Butter Filled Bars or Luna Bars product of USA

Kicking Horse Organic Fair Trade Ground Coffee

Mighty Leaf Artisan Tea

15 sachets

Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips assorted varieties

assorted varieties

6.99

113g • product of USA

284g • product of Canada

2/4.00

8.99

MaraNatha Nut Butters

assorted varieties

Little Northern Bakehouse Gluten Free Bread

reg price 9.29-13.99

320-482g • product of Canada

assorted sizes • product of USA

30% Off

Daiya Dairy-Free Cheese Shreds, Blocks, Slices, and Spreads assorted varieties

Blue Monkey Coconut Water with or without pulp

520ml • +deposit +eco fee

assorted varieties

2/4.00

5.99

regular retail price

product of USA

3/6.98

Pasta & Cheese Side Dishes 170g

2/6.98

Cookies & Crackers 213g

Amy’s Frozen Pizza

assorted varieties

Cucina Antica Pasta Sauce

assorted varieties

670ml • product of USA

7.99 to 9.99

140-200g

Wolfgang Puck Organic Soup

assorted varieties

340-403g • product of USA

Halloween Cookies or Cupcakes

9.99 444ml 19.99 860ml 29.99 1.6L

select varieties product of USA

3.99

BAKERY

Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Annie’s Pasta & Cheese Side Dishes and Homegrown Cookies and Crackers

200-227g • product of Canada

8.99

2/2.00 Luna Bars 48g 2/3.00 Nut Filled 50g

2/6.00 80g Bars 7.99 120g Truffles

assorted varieties

Choices’ Own 12” Pizzas

assorted varieties

assorted varieties product of Bolivia

7.49 to 9.99

While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.Product may not appear exactly as depicted.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

398ml • product of USA

6.99

2/5.50

3.49 to 4.99

WELLNESS Botanica Organic Perfect Protein

Alba Natural Products Hair Care, Facial Care and Body Care assorted varieties

vanilla or chocolate

43.99 760-820g

assorted sizes

20% off Regular Retail Price

Weleda Body Care and Baby Care Products assorted varieties assorted sizes

20% off

South of France Soaps Bars or Liquids assorted varieties

Kitsilano

2627W 16th Ave,Vancouver 604.736.0009

Cambie

3493 Cambie St,Vancouver 604.875.0099

25% off Regular Retail Price

Kerrisdale

Choices on the Drive

Grand Opening!

- 4: 00pm October 28 | 11:00am ver Van 1045 Commercial Drive,

170g or 236ml

Regular Retail Price

ENTER TO W A $500.0 IN Choices M 0 ar Gift Cardkets

1888W 57th Ave,Vancouver 604.263.4600

Yaletown

cou

ening. celebrate our Grand Op Come and join us as we sic and free samples. mu e wheel, enjoy the live Test your luck at the priz See you there!

1202 Richards St,Vancouver 604.633.2392

Commercial Drive

1045 Commercial Dr,Vancouver 604.678.9665

Burnaby Crest

8683 10th Ave, Burnaby 604.522.0936

10% O

the enti FF including re store sale items Sa t, Oct & Sun, Oct. 28 . 29

Burnaby Marine Way

8620 Glenlyon Pkwy, South Burnaby 778.379.5757