MAY 14-20 // 2015
Westender.com
EVERYTHING VANCOUVER
@WestenderVan
Bard goes steampunk • YOUR HOOD: KITSILANO • • ANDY DIXON ON LIFE AFTER PUNK • • WELCOME TO THE ‘BAD CITY’ •
NEWS // ISSUES • STYLE // DESIGN • EAT // DRINK • MUSIC // ARTS • FILM // TV • HEALTH // SEX
2 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
NEWS // ISSUES
@WESTENDERVAN
INSIDE THIS WEEK You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack by Tom Gauld
22
PUBLISHER DEE DHALIWAL DDHALIWAL@WESTENDER.COM MANAGING DIRECTOR GAIL NUGENT GNUGENT@WESTENDER.COM MANAGING EDITOR ROBERT MANGELSDORF EDITOR@WESTENDER.COM DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES@WESTENDER.COM 604-742-8678 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 604-630-3300 CLASSIFIEDS@VAN.NET CIRCULATION 604-742-8676 CIRCULATION@WESTENDER.COM WESTENDER #205-1525 W. 8TH AVE., VANCOUVER, BC, V6J 1T5
News4 Vancouver Shakedown5 Fashion6 Shop Talk6 A Good Chick to Know7 The Growler8 By the Bottle9 Fresh Sheet10 Kitsilano11 Nosh16 Follow Me Foodie17 What’s On18 Music20 Arts22 Reel People24 Movie reviews25 Real Estate27 Whole Nourishment31 Play Outdoors31 Horoscopes32 Sex with Mish Way32 COVER: BARD ON THE BEACH’S A COMEDY OF ERRORS. DAVID COOPER PHOTO 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.
RANT//RAVE email: rantrave@westender.com 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.
NOTHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT EXPLOITATION
Re:“Beauty in the Sky”, May 7, 2015 Such an “enlightening” article providing beauty tips for air travel by the cloned flight attendants at Emirates Airlines where the air industry’s glamour look (i.e. sexual exploitation) transports us back to the 1960s. The article states some of their work periods include 21-hour work days which would be illegal at any other airline in the world but given the status of women in that emirate, it doesn’t surprise me. I just wouldn’t want to rely on the alertness of a cabin crew who’d have to react instantly to evacuate an aircraft during an emergency landing when they can barely keep their eyes open. –Realist
ST. PAUL’S NOT THE PROBLEM
The BC Government promised a general practitioner for everyone in the province by 2015, but over 220,000 are still waiting for
one. In the meantime, our elected officials in government propose to increase the population of Vancouver by one million people with nary a word about the impact that will have on finding a doctor or heaven forbid getting into a hospital. Why is it never mentioned that an English-speaking doctor has less of a chance emigrating to Canada than a non-English speaking, unskilled worker? Rather than welcoming a doctor with open arms, they are put through hoops, having to rewrite exams at his or her expense. It appears that those at the top of the social ladder in BC are protected from competition, while others are considered racist, xenophobic malcontents for even hinting that our current immigration policies have locals scrambling for minimum wage jobs. Of course if the doctors of BC and/or those creating the rules really wanted to improve medicine and relaxed its policies encouraging the immigration of medical
professionals, it may be that a doctor contemplating leaving their home country might not see the appeal in buying a shack in the East End for over a million dollars. Rather than quibbling about bringing St. Paul’s up to standard, is it not time we re-evaluated what is best for the average person in the province? Maybe the doctors of BC could inform us what an education in medicine cost in the ‘50s, ‘60s and what it costs now and why? Are spots sold to the highest bidder? Do new doctors stay in BC or head back home? Politicians: start connecting the dots. –Victoria Joss
BAU-XI, THE O.G.
Re:“Bau-Xi Gallery celebrates 50 years of fine arts”, April 30, 2015 We are honoured to have Bau-Xi Gallery as part of our South Granville merchant family. They are part of the glue that holds our community together. Congratulations on such a monumental occasion. –Sharon Townsend
ARE YOU A
S o c ia l Wo rk e r ?
Change is coming to the profession of social work in BC
FIND OUT MORE: bccollegeofsocialworkers.ca Westender.com
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 3
NEWS // ISSUES
WESTENDER.COM
YOUR CITY
The last thing QE Park needs is a screaming tourist trap, amirite?
Zipline in QE Park? No thanks! Grant Lawrence Vancouver Shakedown @GrantLawrence
Queen Elizabeth Park. It’s the highest location in Vancouver, known for the Bloedel Conservatory (a somewhat bizarre, trappedin-time, geodesic dome filled with tropical plants and an array of exotic birds), Seasons in the Park (a fancy restaurant with a spectacular view and a guaranteed retirement lunch / graduation dinner / 80th birthday brunch happening at all times) and immaculately kept gardens that fill a gigantic, manmade crater. That chasm was once a rock quarry used to build Vancouver’s first streets in the early 20th century. These days, Queen Elizabeth Park, atop Little Mountain, is a historic, lovely place to spend some much-needed quiet time away from the rush of the city. This summer, you can add a new attraction to Queen Elizabeth Park’s serene setting: a zipline. A harness filled with a shrieking human, racing down a steel cable, over top of that tranquil quarry nursery, from the top of Little Mountain to the tulip gardens below. Queen Elizabeth Park is turning 75 this year, and what better way to celebrate three-quarters of a century of a whisper-quiet wonderland of wandering trails and babbling brooks then with… a zipline? Queen Elizabeth Park is also a very popular and stunningly picturesque setting for weddings throughout the spring and summer. Picture it: a couple under the cherry blossoms giving their vows, surrounded by family and friends hanging on to every word through tears of
joy, when some dude from Ladner flies over top of their heads letting out a Tarzan scream.That’s just what every Vancouver Bridezilla needs to send them into a complete freakout that will probably end in the frog pond. From what I can tell from the scant releases online and some investigative phone calls, the Queen Elizabeth Park 75th Anniversary Zipline has received the green light, and is slated to temporarily be in place, at a fee of $15 per ride, from May to September this year. The only thing is, it’s May already, and when I was poking around the park the other day, there was definitely no zipline to be seen. A groundskeeper who wouldn’t give his name told me he wasn’t sure what the status of the zipline was, just that there’s been “pushback”. He also confirmed there’s zero signs of construction of the zipline, “not even so much as a mark of chalk” as to where it might be built. He assumed it to be positioned at the edge of the cliff facing west above the quarry down to the garden below. If and when it does happen, revenue from the zipline is expected to be somewhere around $75,000, which is so perfect, since it’s the 75th anniversary of the park! If you can’t tell, I’m not a huge fan of the zipline plan. Some parks should simply just be parks. We seem to live in an attention-deficit culture where everything must have a thrill attached to it to make it worthy of our attention. Let’s say this: if the QE Park zipline does fly forward this summer, maybe a compromise can be made. Instead of the traditional walk down the aisle, what if the wedding couple were to zipline to the altar? That’s tasteful, right? W
4 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Union leader Gavin McGarrigle is one of four co-chairpersons of the Yes side coalition that launched a big push this week to urge supporters to cast ballots in the plebiscite. Dan Toulgoet photo
Transit plebiscite Yes side mounts final push Friday deadline for requesting new ballots
MIKE HOWELL @howellings
With only three weeks until voting closes, the Yes side in the transportation and transit plebiscite battle launched a big push this week to urge its supporters who still haven’t voted to mail in their ballots. Organizers will use newspaper and radio ads, a rally in Surrey, a telephone town hall meeting and a “ride-inyour-vote” bicycle event to urge voters to cast a ballot for a 0.5 per cent tax hike that will help pay for a $7.5 billion plan to curb congestion in Metro Vancouver. “It’s just really finding those people who have already decided to vote yes and encouraging them to vote,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor BC’s area director and one of four cochairpersons of the Better Transit and Transportation Coalition. Ballots must be received by 8pm on May 29 but McGarrigle, whose union represents bus drivers, said the coalition is focused on this Friday’s deadline. Eligible
voters who didn’t receive a ballot, lost it or misplaced it have until midnight May 15 to request a new ballot package, which includes a “certification envelope” that must be signed and birthdate provided. “A lot of people, we think, may have just accidentally recycled their ballot, or lost it somehow, and we just want to remind the public about this and that it’s so important for our region,” he said of the mayors’ plan which promises more buses, increased HandyDart and SeaBus service, upgrades to roads and cycling infrastructure, rapid transit in Surrey, a new Pattullo Bridge and a subway along the Broadway corridor. New ballots can be picked up – or completed ones can be dropped off – at one of nine Elections BC plebiscite depots in Metro Vancouver, including two in Vancouver. A complete list can be viewed on the agency’s website. Elections BC reported May 6 that it received more than 600,000 ballots, or about 38 per cent of the 1.56 million packages mailed to registered voters in Metro Vancouver. Although voters cast ballots at polls, Vancouver’s 2014
election saw a 43.4 per cent voter turnout. The agency will provide an update Wednesday on the returns. Don Main, communications manager for Elections BC, said the HST referendum in 2011 was the last mail-in only vote in the province. Voter turnout reached 52.7 per cent, with almost half of the returns sent in during the last two weeks of the voting period, Main said. “If history repeats itself, we won’t know that until it happens,” said Main when asked if the agency was anticipating the same lastminute wave of ballots. Jordan Bateman, the main spokesperson for the No side, said his campaign team is also urging its supporters who haven’t voted or didn’t receive a ballot to take the necessary steps to ensure they cast a ballot before May 29. But, Bateman said, his team is not spending even close to the millions of dollars the Yes side has spent on its campaign. Elections BC does not require either side to disclose its spending or the names of people or companies or unions who donated to the campaigns. The Yes side has refused to release details of its esti-
mated $6 million campaign but the No side has said its budget is on target for $40,000, with about half of the money donated by individuals and $20,000 from the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation, of which Bateman is the B.C. director. “Certainly a far cry from $7 million in taxpayer dollars,” said Bateman of the Yes side’s campaign, which from the outset its senior members estimated would cost $6 million. A 0.5 per cent hike to the provincial sales tax would translate to more than $200 million per year – about 35 cents per day for the average household – to help pay for the mayors’ $7.5 billion plan. The provincial and federal governments would be required to pay the bulk of the funding for the 10-year plan to be fully implemented. The No side has suggested the mayors’ plan could be funded with increased revenue each municipality receives as the region grows. An estimated 1 million new residents are expected to move into Metro Vancouver by 2040. Results of the plebiscite are expected sometime this summer. Courtesy ofVancouver Courier
Westender.com
@WESTENDERVAN
NEWS // ISSUES
\
YOUR CITY
vancouver.ca
West End Residents: Parking Permit Renewal
Current West End residential parking permits will expire on Sunday, May 31, 2015. To make purchasing your annual permit as quick and easy as possible, we offer three ways to do it: • Online (24 hours a day, seven days a week) at vancouver.ca/parkingpermits • Phone 3-1-1 (7 am – 10 pm, seven days a week) • In person, during business hours at City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue (8:30 am – 5 pm) and at the West End Community Centre, 870 Denman Street THE COMMUNITY CENTRE PARKING PERMIT DESK WILL HAVE EXTENDED HOURS ON THESE DATES: • Saturday, May 23, 9 am - 2 pm • Thursday, May 28, 9 am - 7:30 pm • Friday, May 29, 9 am - 7:30 pm • Saturday, May 30, 9 am - 2 pm
Vehicle use is dropping off in Vancouver while more people walk, cycle and take transit, according to a new city report. Photo Dan Toulgoet
Vancouverites choose bikes over cars Vehicle use drops in city
MIKE HOWELL @howellings
More people than ever before are taking transit, walking and riding bikes to get around Vancouver instead of relying on a vehicle for transportation, according to a new report that went before city council Tuesday. The shift means for the first time in the city’s history that an equal number of people – 50 per cent – are choosing transportation alternatives other than the personal automobile, with its use dropping from 60 per cent in 2008 to 50 per cent in 2014. “To see this dramatic of shift is phenomenal,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson after listening to a presentation from members of the city’s transportation staff, who pointed out the city achieved its goal five years earlier than projected. “It speaks to how people are making those choices in their lives – that people are embracing the goal to be the greenest city but also to get around in healthier ways without being in cars.” An increase in people riding bikes is largely the reason for the shift, with staff presenting an accompanying report that revealed cycling trips are
Westender.com
up 11 per cent from 2013 to 2014, while injuries to cyclists have dropped. The highest bike traffic was on the Burrard Bridge, followed by the path that runs past Science World and Union and Hawks streets, which is part of the Union-Adanac bike route. An average of 100,000 bike trips per day were made in 2014. Both reports point to upgrades to cycling routes, including protected lanes downtown and new infra-
“People are embracing the goal to be the greenest city.” –Mayor Gregor Robertson structure along bikeways in Kitsilano, as reasons for the increase. Transit-oriented development, where condominiums are built next to transit lines, and building a city where more people can walk to work are other factors. But the worry for transportation staff members Jerry Dobrovolny, the acting general manager of engineering services, and
Lon LaClaire, the acting director of transportation, is that transit ridership has levelled off because of no significant increases to bus service or new transit lines. “Now that the system is largely at capacity, we don’t really anticipate any growth in the transit system until we’re able to expand the service,” LaClaire told council. The comment caught the attention of the mayor, who has campaigned for a Yes vote in the transportation and transit tax plebiscite. He and the region’s mayors want voters to agree to a 0.5 per cent tax hike to help pay for a $7.5 billion plan to ease congestion in Metro Vancouver. The plan calls for more buses, an increase to HandyDart and SeaBus service, rapid transit in Surrey and a subway along the Broadway corridor. In similar presentations, staff has pointed to the significant uptake in transit ridership when the Canada Line began operating in 2009. “If the referendum passes, we have the possibility of adding all this transit service, it seems logical that we’ll see a spike,” the mayor said. The city’s statistics for the reports were based on studies, a survey of 2,500 Vancouverites, street counters and data from TransLink, ICBC and AirCare. Courtesy of theVancouver Courier
REGULAR HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Friday, 9 am - 1 pm and 2 - 5 pm year round (except holidays) To pay online or by phone, you must: live in the permit parking zone and have valid car insurance registered in your name and address, a credit card (American Express, MasterCard or Visa), and a valid email address. You may pay by cash, cheque or credit or debit card if you pay in person. If you are not the registered owner or lease holder of the vehicle, you must purchase your permit in person and bring in the required supporting residential and vehicle documents. Your new permit will be mailed to the residential address provided within 10 business days of purchase. The permit fee is $74.87 and payment options are: cash, cheque, American Express, MasterCard, Visa or debit card. FOR INFORMATION: vancouver.ca/parkingpermits or phone 3-1-1
EXPANDING YOUR HOME TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS! Contact us now for your
FREE BACKYARD CONSULTATION
844-65-LUMON or 844-655-8666
info.canadawest@lumon.com
CREATE YOUR SPACE
• retractable, frameless glass walls • patio covers • natural screen rooms • outdoor living
LOVE YOUR PATIO!
• reduce maintenance • increase energy savings • increase property value • never reschedule a BBQ
YEAR-ROUND ENJOYMENT!
Check out our website for great ideas: LUMON.ca May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 5
STYLE // DESIGN
WESTENDER.COM
FASHION
Izabela Domachowski’s jewelry line, Iza Jewelry, offers sexy tomboy chic. Contributed photos
From Bali with love: tomboy-style with a sweet touch Niki Hope Style File
@NikiMHope
In the thick of a wildly successful career in graphic design and marketing, Izabela Domachowski fled all that was familiar and safe in Vancouver to follow her dreams on the Indonesian island of Bali. Domachowski found more than just the raw sterling silver materials for the jewelry she was designing, she also found herself.The result is
her first collection, called Before the Dawn. “I feel different as an entrepreneur, as a woman,” Domachowski says, reflecting on the last three years, during an interview at a Hastings Street coffee shop. Domachowski needed more in her life – a creative outlet, a way to express the nomadic artist inside of her. “I need to do something with my hands,” a beaming Domachowski says. What Domachowski has done with her hands is create a stunning collection of tomboy-inspired sterling
silver and gold-plated rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for her new line, Iza Jewelry (prices range from $130 to $180). After her travels to Bali, Domachowski temporarily walked away from the in-demand branding and creative business, called Domogeneous, which she ran with her brother Daniel Domachowski, and moved across the world for a new challenge. “I had so much anxiety,” she says, recalling her stressed state of mind before she left. “I was picking fights with ev-
erybody. I was going through a massive change.” It’s only now that Domachowski says she feels settled – mostly because she is so happy with her collection. And she should be.The designs are exactly the kind of modern pieces women want to wear – sizable rings, dagger earrings, darling pendants. More than just pretty, the designs are also strong. Domachowski first tried her hand at making jewelry five years ago. She crafted a single ring that she’s never taken off. It sat on her finger as a reminder of what she
could do. It also garnered a lot of compliments.When people found out she made it, they asked her for one of their own. It was her brother Daniel who encouraged her to focus on jewelry design. Domachowski is the oldest with three younger brothers – hence the tomboy influence. “I’ve always been a girlie girl, I love pretty things, but in the summer my favourite memories are when we were riding our bikes through the mud. I never played with girls, I always played with my brothers,” she explains.
“I have a close circle of girlfriends, but most of my friends are dudes. I prefer male company – I just like the banter.” The Iza Jewelry website and stunning lookbook, which evokes the mystery and dark beauty of night, puts Domachowski’s branding power on full display. Next up, she is, not surprisingly, launching a men’s line in the summer. Domachowski is working on getting her collection into boutiques, but with her reach in the creative community, it likely won’t be long till it turns up somewhere. W
Sweet threads for little cuties; Bridal pop-up in Gastown Niki Hope Shop Talk
@NikiMHope Vancouver baby and children’s wear line VONBON is launching its darling summer collection with an expansion that includes dresses, baby briefs, harem-style leggings, and a sleeveless romper. Founded by local entrepreneur Jennifer Wilson, the unisex baby wear is made from organic, sustainable fabrics. The latest collection also features a charming collaboration with VONBON and Minimoc, makers of adorable baby moccasins. The new collection will be available for purchase at the Maker’s Market, held at
Frontier Luxury Flooring on Saturday, May 16, then will be available online at Vonbon.com after Tuesday, May 19. Prices for the items range from $25 to $59.
BRIDAL POP-UP IN GASTOWN
Calling all brides on the hunt for a deal.Truvelle Bridal is hosting a pop-up show and sample sale from May 16-31, noon to 6pm, at 315 Abbott. Discounts will range from 20 to 50 per cent off the retail price. Accessory designs by Catherine Hartley and Olivia will also be available.
EARTH CONSCIOUS FASHION SHOW
Eco Fashion Week may have wrapped, but earthconscious fashion continues
6 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Truvelle Bridal is hosting a pop-up show and sample sale from May 16-31 at 315 Abbott. Kristin Sarna of Studio 86 Creative Design Photo in Vancouver with Frameworq’s Upcycled project fashion show, which features the work of upcycling de-
signers on Saturday, May 23 at 7pm at Club FIVESIXTY, 560 Seymour. The event marks the culmination of a
two-month upcycling project with a group of independent designers and fashion design students exploring different ways to upcycle used clothes into contemporary, ready-towear garments.
Tale include MH by Melanie Hull, Harlow Skin Co., Balsam andVine, Here & Now Botanicals, and Dani Press. Neighbourhood Quality Goods will open its doors at 4301 Main on Friday, June 5.
BODY-POSITIVE SWIMWEAR COMES TO MOUNT PLEASANT
BLOGGER TO BOOKMARK
Just in time for swimsuit season, body-positive, madein-Vancouver swimwear line Nettle’s Tale announces the opening of a new storefront in Mount Pleasant. Coinciding with the release of new designs for Summer 2015, Nettle’s Tale is teaming up with a select collective of West Coast artisans to open Neighbourhood Quality Goods. Local brands joining Nettle’s
Stylist and personal shopper Michelle Addison recently unveiled a new website and blog re-launch. Addison changed up her fashion blog to focus on her daily style, travels, and life as a busy working mom. She shares her functional take on wearable fashion, which gives readers real-life options for dressing in style and comfort. The blog will also feature the “best of” local fashion design talent. W
Westender.com
STYLE // DESIGN
@WESTENDERVAN
HOME
Home is Where the Art is: Rebecca Chaperon Jennifer Scott A Good Chick to Know
@Jennifer_AGCTK
I often remind people that art is supposed to make you feel, to engage you. Choosing pieces for your home should be based upon how you interact with the art, rather than what style or palette is trending in the design world. Usually there are a few pieces out of a selection that will speak to me, with multiple others that are clearly waiting for someone else. I was taken by surprise when I entered the studio of painter Rebecca Chaperon – her space was filled with surrealist paintings that invited me into their story and I found myself intrigued by each one. From simplistic gem silhouettes to quirky pastel landscapes to darkly mischievous scenes, each canvas offered an unexpected element that kept me curious long after the studio tour was wrapped. Tell us a little about yourself? I am an artist, living and working in the Mount Pleasant area of Vancouver. I spend most of my time in the studio creating acrylic paintings that include images of landscapes infused with odd objects and other more abstract forms of crystals, portals and wobbling rainbows. My work is available at Kimoto Gallery in Vancouver and also can be purchased from me directly. I also wrote and illustrated a quirky picture book called Eerie Dearies: 26Ways to Miss School, which is available on my website TheChaperon.ca. How did you get started as a visual artist and what led you to where you are now? I’m lucky to have been encouraged at many points in my career as an artist. The opportunities that have come my way have encouraged me and supported the art that I make. Being invited to exhibit at numerous galleries has helped my art gain exposure to the art market and helped me connect to my patrons and collectors. Showing at grunt gallery in 2011 was such a great experience – it really helped me in everything that I have done since: creating my book and solo exhibitions of my work. If you could describe your artistic style in one word, what would it be? Surreal. What gets your creative juices flowing? A weekend retreat away from the city and away from all the possibility of working on my projects often helps
Westender.com
me get my best ideas and the momentum I need to create. Sometimes it helps to get away from being in the all-consuming process of executing an idea and then you are forced to look at those ideas from a distance, preferably while laying by a pool or on a beach. Is there one area of your craft you find especially challenging? I used to try and photograph my work myself but I eventually hired a professional because it was very tricky to capture all of the detail and colour in each painting.
What do you wish more people knew about artists? I wish that people could see how intensely artists work – and the self-motivation involved, though I know it seems from the outside that we are always in coffee shops – that’s just because we get lonely in our studios! Do you have a favourite creative space? My studio in Mount Pleasant is like a dream come true: I have lots of natural light, great storage and space. It’s at 2414 Main Street and it’s surrounded by a great community. On May 22 from 6-10pm, we are having our first ROVE event of the year, and my studio (and a number of other locations within walking-distance), will be open to the public. So come by, say hello, and see some art! The information for the event can be found at ROVEYVR.com.
Surrealist painter Rebecca Chaperon in her Mount Pleasant studio. Chaperon is also the author and illustrator of Eerie Dearies: 26 Ways to Miss School. Rob Newell photo
LET US DOTHE DRIVING!
If you could speak to a room of youth who were considering careers in the arts, what would your advice be? Approach art-making in the way that feels good to you and commit to it as much as you can. Really dedicate yourself. Do your art to meet your own standards and styles, aim to create the artwork that excites you. If you are enthusiastic and happy about the art that you make then you’ll probably keep doing it – and getting better and better. Do you find gloomy weather or sunshine to be more inspiring? Both are great, but I love overcast days the most! Artistically, what is your favourite part of the city? I love to walk from Science World to the Maritime Museum by the water, just before Kits beach. It’s where False Creek opens up and you really get a sense of the sea and the open view. I always have a great feeling when I’m there, it’s very inspiring. W
Medicinal marijuana... Delivered to your door! 1 2 3
Free membership with proof of age (19+) Affordable Prices Fast and free delivery
.com May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 7
EAT // DRINK
WESTENDER.COM
CRAFT BEER
OK, Kelowna is actually pretty cool Stephen Smysnuik The Growler @StephenSmys
My 65-year-old doctor knows all about craft beer. He told me so after lecturing me about drinking too much. This is the same man who said he’d never heard of Radiohead.This is a clear indication to me that in Vancouver, craft beer has hit the big time. But go outside ofVancouver? Like, to Kelowna? Even my heavy metal lovin’ aunt has no real idea about what it is. I went to Kelowna for the inaugural Great Okanagan Beer Festival (GOBF), and to get a sense of how the beer culture was shaping up out there. In a few words: It has a ways to go. But it’s going to come, and for a few reasons. First, there’s a growing tech industry in the area, and, if San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver are any indication, that particular industry has a high demand for more sophisticated lifestyle experiences – and beer is certainly one of them. Two, as tastes evolve in Big Cities, visitors from those places are going to want that
Kelowna may be known for its wine, but things are brewing in its growing craft beer scene, too. Tourism Kelowna photo same level of quality when they go on vacation. Kelowna, (along with the rest of the Okanagan) is popular with tourists, and since Kelowna has offered quality wine and food for a good decade now, why not beer? Third, the tastes of local millennials are maturing, and a few players in town are spreading the good word of
craft beer to the masses.Yes, there’s the GOBF and Tree Brewing, successful ventures both. But there are two more specific cases in point we should all feel good about: The Curious Artistry and Alchemy and BNA Brewing Co. Both are bringing levels of Brooklyn- and Portlandinspired sophistication and simplicity that Kelowna
spirit.There are constantly rotating taps from microbreweries across BC and Oregon, dominated on the day of my visit by Four Winds and Fuggles & Warlock, leftover from a Beer Fest tap takeover the night previous. BNA Brewing Co. is opening next month in the BNA Building in old Kelowna. It’s owned and operated by Kyle
hasn’t really seen. Luigi Coccaro, whose family owns the long-running La Bussola Italian fine-dining restaurant down the street, opened The Curious earlier this year. It’s the first beerfocused bar of its kind in Kelowna and is essentially an Alibi Room with wood fired pizza. And considerably less taps. But they’re similar in
Nixon and his wife. Nixon’s family owned the Eldorado Hotel, and, like Luigi, he has been raised in the local hospitality industry. Right now it’s still a construction zone, but when it opens next month, the 240seat restaurant and brewery will have a lounge, an indoor bocce field, four beers of their own along with a rotating list of other BC breweries. No beer was ready when I visited, so no beer was tasted, but Nixon said the recipes are more experimental in natures and will be available at the brewery only, at least for the foreseeable future. Both places, I must say, have smashed the illusion that Kelowna was a playground for oil-field-working lunkheads with veiny biceps, speedboats and fake-breasted girlfriends. It’s admittedly an unfair stereotype, but it was a fun one to propagate (Penticton’s Bad Tattoo Brewing does a great job mocking both in name and with its aesthetics). I’m happy to help obliterate it, though. It has some years to go, but Kelowna’s beer culture’s gonna get there.You’ll see. W
GRAND OPENING SPECIALS BELOW GOVERNMENT LIQUOR STORE PRICES!
BUDWEISER 6 pack
7
$ 99
CUVEE ST. PIERRE MOMMESSIN
8
$ 49
+ tax + deposit Limit 2 per person.
GOOSE ISLAND IPA 6 pack
1099
+ tax + deposit Limit 2 per person.
We have the largest selection of CRAFT BEER, IMPORT BEER & CHILLED WINE in downtown Vancouver!
8 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
+ tax + deposit
TWO OCEANS PINOT GRIGIO
$
We also have a large selection of RED WINE • SPIRITS • SCOTCH
750ml
750ml
9
$ 49
+ tax + deposit
SIBERIA VODKA
750ml
29
$
99
+ tax + deposit
BAVARIA RADLERS
Grapefruit & Lemon, 500ml
2
$ 49
+ tax + deposit Limit 12 per person.
GRAND OPENING! Join us this weekend for: Craft Beer & Wine Tastings FREE Draws for Wine Gift Baskets FREE ICE for purchases over $25
1060 Denman Street (@ Comox) 604 633 1863 denmanwineandspirits.com OPEN 10am-11pm every day! Westender.com
EAT // DRINK
@WESTENDERVAN
WINE
Perfect pairings for spot prawn season from seaside locations. Muscadet in France,Vinho Verde in Portugal and Txakoli in Spain’s Basque country all fit the bill. (The latter is definitely obscure but you can find the occasional bottle at private wine stores. It’s well worth seeking out.) Go überpure and serve sashimi style if you aren’t too squeamish or classically steamed if you are. I’ve noticed a direct correlation between spot prawns season and my Riesling consumption. Maybe it’s because they’re so easily incorporated into Asian cuisine, which has a natural affinity with Riesling. Both
Michaela Morris By the Bottle
@MichaelaWine
Wild, local, sustainable and tasty... I’ve been sold on spot prawns for years. I get impatient for the season to start and am mildly depressed when it ends. So right now, I’m making frequent trips to the wharf for those sweet juicy fresh sea bugs. Then home to cook and crack a bottle, naturally. With the simplest preparations, I gravitate toward subtle yet tantalizing whites
and candied pink grapefruit aromas. Dry and zingy, it’s like having a mouthful of succulent cherry pits and rose petals if you can imagine.
dry and sweet examples work; it just depends on what you’re partial to.With the spiciest fare, sweeter low alcohol styles are particularly successful. And of course, a spot prawn feast is a great excuse to go really local and pair with a homegrown wine. My preference is for our un-oaked, crisp whites.That means drinking more Riesling, but I also use the occasion to sample through a bounty of pretty blends. At some point, spot prawns will make it into a creamy pasta or risotto with peas.These richer dishes can take on an un-oaked Chardonnay or one of Italy’s great Soaves. Spot prawn season is usually over before I’ve run out of recipe and wine pairing ideas. Nothing this good lasts long, so don’t miss out. See you at the Spot Prawn Festival on False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf, May 17. QVS8 C*AKJT. #T+7KG =OKD ! @T,K 9*A; ER@G ULTP;7 ! $14.99, BC Liquor Stores The palest of pinks but no lack of character.Watermelon, heady cherry blossom
QVS: #2<J7TH 97 .T RLTF7..7 ! Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur .17 'A#G ULTP;7 ! $S6I50G %# Liquor Stores An understated beauty that’s light on its feet. Flavours of lemon and apple blossom are complemented by thirst quenching acidity and a briny edge. Braving prawn sashimi? This is the way to go. QVSQ &1P,T BOKJLTG "TL7.>.O ! #TJT.HP,TG )NT1P ! $S6I30G %# Liquor Stores I’m leading you a bit off the beaten track here. Indigenous to Spain, the Xarel-lo grape is one the unsung heroes in Cava production. Earthy and salty with pear, wax, citrus peel and hints of pineapple. It’ll all make sense when spot prawns meet the grill. 2014 Quails’ Gate Chasselas, @1POJ %.TP;G @1POJ RL1K ! A/TPT4TP &T..7,G %#G &?' ! $S5I60G %# C1MHOL )JOL7K One local delicacy deserves another. This unoaked, fruit-driven blend offers plenty of melon, Asian pear and kiwi. It begs for an exotic preparation
(21K .O;T. 97.1;T;, NT1LK -7.. -1J2 K-77J TP9 KN1;, -21J7KI )NOJ @LT-P U7KJ1FT. N2OJO like spot prawn tacos with a fruity salsa. 2013 8th Generation, =17K.1P4 #.TKK1; ! A/TPT4TP &T..7,G %# ! $QS>Q8G -1P7L, 91L7;J TP9 NL1FTJ7 -1P7 KJOL7K Just a kiss of sugar here but
I bet you won’t even notice. It’s actually necessary to balance out all that spine-tingling acidity. Guaranteed to refresh your palate as you gorge on spot prawns sautéed with chilli flakes. W ' /$(.*# "$* *).&0#(,* %- !")*#+
ORIGINAL HOME OF
PE S N I EN I D HALIBUT
C IA L
Two 1 piece Halibut Dinners ips and with Fresh Cut Ch slaw Homestyle Cole
$24
99
&GST
1061 Denman Street (between Comox & Davie) 604.662.3444 Check us out at: WWW.C-LOVERS.COM
Proud to serve the West End! Best Traditional Poutine West of Montreal! Over 40 kinds of poutine Spruce Beer • Smoked Meat Steamies • Licensed and famous burgers
1215 Davie St • 604-569-1215 Take-out poutine for your main meal, side dish, or a yummy after school treat.
Westender.com
GRANVILLE & DRAKE 718 Drake Street 604-605-0045
GEORGIA & CARDERO 1616 West Georgia Street 604-681-8034
DUNSMUIR & HOMER 405 Dunsmuir Street 604-899-6072
BROADWAY & LARCH 2518 West Broadway 604-731-2434
OAKRIDGE CENTRE 41st & Cambie 604-261-2820
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 9
EAT // DRINK
WESTENDER.COM
DINING OUT Anya Levykh Fresh Sheet
@FoodGirlFriday A new restaurant has opened in the old Glowbal Grill space on Mainland Street in Yaletown. WildTale Coastal Grill comes from the team behind The Flying Pig restaurants and focuses on local “merroir,” aka local seafood. WildTale.ca Time to party…The former Nu restaurant space at the bottom of Granville Street overlooking False Creek has been taken over by Culinary Capers as a private event space. TheWaterview features a menu developed by executive chef Margaret Chisholm and her award-winning team with an emphasis on local and seasonal products. Chef-inspired cocktails made with local ingredients and
TopTable Group has done some shifting of its bar talent. DavidWolowidnyk, longtime keeper of the wood at West, has moved over to Cin Cin as bar manager, while Sabrine Dhaliwal will take over operations atWest. Dhaliwal has already been helping to run things as assistant bar manager underWolowidnyk for several years, so the transition should be seamless. La Pentola will be hosting a special Famiglia Supper Series on May 31 with guest chef Stuart Lane from Spinasse in Seattle. La Pentola chef de cuisine Travis McCord and chef Lane will collaborate on a 10+ course family style menu of Northern Italian cuisine.
SPECIALS FOR MAY 14-21
GOURMET
The Irish Heather has introduced Cask Nights every secondThursday through Sunday. Every other week will feature a new cask produced by a leading beer producer with sleeves priced at $6 for 16 oz.The next Cask Night is on May 21. IrishHeather.com
The stunning former home of Nu restaurant on False Creek will be the new home of The Waterview, a private event space courtesy of Culinary Capers. Contributed photo Dishes include pan-roasted asparagus with king salmon and salmon roe, lamb ravioli with marinated favas and whipped LaTur; and Barolo-braised beef short rib with roasted morel mushrooms and potato puree. LaPentola.ca The owner of Dinky Dawgs has opened another restaurant at 3468West Broad-
In the fifth annual Wine Campus project from Okanagan Crush Pad, 2014 Sommelier of theYear Mike Bernardo of Vij’s restaurant group has released the Mike B Riesling Cabinett ($24.90). Proceeds benefitThe BC Hospitality Foundation. Now available in private wine stores and restaurants. OkanaganCrushPad.com
way. Miss MeYet? focuses on charcuterie and small plates, with some comfort dishes and brunch. MissMeYetVancouver. com Hard on the heels of Alberta’s Orange Crush, Belgard Kitchen in Railtown has released Sperling Vineyards’ Natural “Orange” Pinot Gris 2014, available on
OnTuesday, June 27, come
out for Garagistes North: The Small GuysWine Festival.The festival celebrates artisan winemaker creating commercially produced small case lot wines (under 2,000 cases). Meet the winemakers, taste the wines and enjoy food from Roaming Dragon food truck. Live music by Chicken Like Birds.Tickets $49 per person. GaragisteNorth.com The new and improved Denman Beer, Wine & Spirits officially opened this week in its new home on the corner of Comox and Denman. The store was previously located within the Denman Place Mall, and has moved to a streetfront space that is 10 times the size of its predecessor. The store will feature an expanded selection of wine and spirits, as well as what it claims is the West End’s largest selection of craft beers. DenmanWineAndSpirits.com W
SUNDRIED TOMATO & BASIL PORK CHOPS $3.48/EACH BACON-WRAPPED TENDERLOIN STEAKS
meats
4 for $15.48
FRESH CHORIZO OR ITALIAN SAUSAGES
865 Denman St.
604.681.2121 TRY OUR PULLED PORK SANDWICH FOR JUST $4.98 + TAX
tap for a limited time.The “orange” refers to the skin contact that occurs during fermentation and finishing. BelgardKitchen.com
housemade bitters will compliment the food.The space can accommodate up to 225 guests in 3,250 square feet open interior and exterior space. WaterviewVancouver.com
$1.98/100g
BLACK FOREST HAM $1.68/100g
For more info visit our website TangosGourmetMeats.com
nowned on “Vancouver’s re
Homemade Eastern European & Mediterrannean Cuisine • Bureks • Goulash • Chicken Schnitzel • Cabbage Rolls
e of a kind bu
reks”
Open for Lunch & Dinner Wednesday - Sunday 12pm - 9pm
Saturday Dinner Buffet 5 - 9pm Sunday Brunch Buffet 12 - 4pm
5737 Battison Street (Kingsway & Tyne), Vancouver • 604-336-6581
In House Organic Bakery Gluten Free/Vegan Options Elysian Coffee & Specialty Tea Wine and Cocktail Bar Healthy Breakfast/Brunch//Dinner
Summer Patio is Open!
Catering Venue For Private Events LIVE MUSIC WEEKLY
Now open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week
1010 Beach Avenue along the English Bay Seawall 604-689-7800 TenTenTapas.com 10 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
556 Beatty Street • www.danicascafe.com • 604.336.3554
Westender.com
// YOUR HOOD
@WESTENDERVAN
KITSILANO
Bard goes steampunk
Bard on the Beach launches 26th season with stylish take on ‘The Comedy of Errors’ ROBERT MANGELSDORF @robmangelsdorf
After 26 years and less than 40 plays to draw on, creativity is the key to keeping things fresh for Vancouver’s leading Shakespearean troupe. Bard on the Beach enters its second quarter century next month, and this season’s lineup includes a quartet of plays offering unique interpretations of the Bard’s works. There’s a steampunk slapstick comedy, a rollicking jazz musical, a traditionally-staged tragedy, and the premiere of an original work set in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. For artistic director Christopher Gaze, the secret to Bard’s ongoing success has been a commitment to quality and collaboration. “First of all, we do it well,” he says. “Secondly, we allow opportunities for other minds to collaborate. We’ve done a good job of that over the years.” With 225 performances scheduled for this season, Bard is the sixth biggest theatre group in the country by audience. “As we have grown, so has our confidence level,” says Gaze. “And our audience has come on that journey with us. I think there’s a real sense of trust [from our audience].”
Westender.com
This season opens with a staging of The Comedy of Errors that substitutes ancient Greece for a somewhat twisted version of Victorian England. Director (and Bard founding member) Scott Bellis came up with the idea of the play itself being a machine, one that would occasionally break down and require repairs, so the Industrial Revolution seemed like the perfect time in which to set the play. “The original story […] was set in what is now present-day Turkey. Because it’s not a place we’re familiar with, that gives us license to change it,” he says. Given the dynamics of the play, which features two sets of twins searching for each other, two of whom happen to be slaves, Bellis found that our modern egalitarian society proved a poor fit. “That sort of relationship doesn’t really exist anymore, not the way it used to,” he says. The play features a steampunk visual style throughout, with a “retrofuturistic” feel that blends elements of the Industrial Revolution and science fiction. The works of HG Wells and Jules Verne are definite influences, helping to create a setting that is both oddly familiar, yet totally foreign. However, the steampunk style the play features is
more than just goggles and brass gears, explains costume designer Mara Gottler. “Things have to have a function,” she explains. A character can’t wear a holster or a mask unless it is central to the character’s purpose. As a result, the design of the costumes is both utilitarian and highly stylized. “It’s been a fun experience to design,” says Gottler. “We’re hoping the audience comes dressed up for the show, too.” The Comedy of Errors was one of Shakespeare’s early attempts at comedy, and is arguably his most over-thetop example, bordering on slapstick. But Bellis notes, there are themes in the play to which many will be able to relate. “It definitely has the structure of a farce, […] but it’s remarkably wellstructured,” Bellis explains. “I think the deeper themes are about having a missing piece of yourself. I think we can all relate to that.” While The Comedy of Errors presents a highly original take on Shakespeare’s work, Bard’s production of King Lear presents a comparatively traditional staging of the classic tragedy. A co-production with Theatre Calgary, the play finished up its run in Cow Town last month before relocating to Vancouver for the summer.
The Comedy of Errors runs June 4 - Sept. 26 on the BMO Mainstage. David Cooper photo Veteran stage and voice actor Benedict Campbell plays the titular role of the monarch who must divide his kingdom amongst his heirs, the consequences of which drive him to madness. For Campbell, who is the son of acclaimed theatre actor Douglas Campbell, the play is one he’s intimately familiar with, having played the role of Edmund alongside his father at the Strat-
ford Shakespeare Festival in Ontartio, as well as the role of the Earl of Kent alongside Christopher Plummer, also at Stratford. “[King Lear] got into my bones in theatre school, it’s part of your DNA as an actor,” says Campbell. “It’s such a monumental play, and it can be very taxing on your voice. It’s kind of exhilarating.” Over the course of the play, King Lear undergoes
what Campbell describes as a “monumental journey”, making it a tantalizing role for an actor. “As a king or an aristocrat, your connection to the real world is limited,” Campbell explains. “Once [Lear] gives up his kingdom, he finally comes in contact with what it means to be a human being.”
Continued on next page
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 11
YOUR HOOD //
WESTENDER.COM
KITSILANO .35?>5=12 $#37 %8"1 )) In a move that’s sure to pique the curiosity of musical theatre lovers, Bard on the Beach is presenting an interesting take on the comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost. Directed by Daryl Cloran, artistic director of the Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops, Bard’s production reimagines Love’s Labour’s Lost as set in 1920s Chicago, at the height of the Jazz Age. “It’s very much a musical,” explains Cloran. “I’ve cut about half the text and added 23 songs.” All of the music is from the 1920s period, and performed by a live jazz quartet. “I’ve been talking to Christopher for a few years about doing a musical,” says Cloran. “There’s definitely some high-kicking. I think it’s going to be a ton of fun.” Bard on the Beach will also be presenting an original play this season, Shakespeare’s Rebel, based on the novel of the same name by CC Humphreys. Directed by Gaze himself, the play is set in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and revolves around a master swordsman who
writers, producers, individuals who have new ideas,” says Gaze. “But the focus remains on the Bard and his work. What we have is tremendous, and that’s something we must never forget.”
BARD’S NEW HOME
Bard on the Beach artistic director Christopher Gaze. Yukiko Onley photo gets caught up in events that could topple the entire kingdom. While the focus of Bard on the Beach has always been (and will always be) the works of Shakespeare himself, Gaze says that doesn’t mean they can’t introduce new works as well. After all, Shakespeare isn’t writing any new material, and so far, Bard on the Beach has performed all of his works, except for Coriolanus and Henry VIII. “We have a major opportunity to put on new work. We’re willing to embrace
Bard is preparing to move into its new home later this year, a brand new 44,000-square foot facility at 162 West 1st it will share with the Arts Club Theatre. The space will become the new home for the Arts Club’s Revue Theatre, and give Bard a single roof under which it can operate. Currently, Bard’s offices are located below City Hall; while its rehearsal space and costume department are temporarily located at SFU Woodward’s in Gastown. While Bard on the Beach’s season runs from June 4 to Sept. 26, the logistics involved in presenting 225 performances means the company works year-round. “I do try to take a little time off in the fall once we’ve finished,” says Gaze. “But it never really ends, it’s massive.” W & :>4;1? %#>41! $3# /8#2 35 ?@1 /184@ 61">5 8? '(0+ *=99 %#>4>5" >5$3#78?>35, ?@1 %1#$3#78541 !4@12=91 852 $=99 !>?1 852 1<15? 21?8>9! 8#1 8? /8#2-5:@1/184@+3#"+
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival begins its 26th season with The Comedy of Errors, directed by Bard artistic associate Scott Bellis. Set in an eye-popping Victorian steampunk world, two sets of long-lost twins meet up unexpectedly, creating hilarious confusion for their friends, loved ones – and most of all themselves. THE GIST: After a shipwreck that split his family apart many years ago, a merchant from Syracuse finds himself facing the death penalty for illegally being in the rival city of Ephesus. The Duke, moved by his story, suspends the death penalty for just one day to give him time to raise the money to pay a fine, setting the plot in motion. Meanwhile the merchant’s son has also just arrived in town with a family-seeking mission in mind. Things become complicated, however, when they stumble upon their identical twin brothers. When it seems like things could not get any stranger, a mysterious women named Abbess joins the fray with a secret of her own. MEMORABLE QUOTE: “He that commends me to mine own content / Commends me
to the thing I cannot get.” DETAILS: Runs June 4 - Sept. 26 (BMO Mainstage). Opening night Saturday, June 13.
KING LEAR
Also on the Main Stage will be the timeless tragedy King Lear, presented in collaboration with Theatre Calgary. THE GIST: Shakespeare’s magnificent tragedy tells the story of an aging king who divides his kingdom between two daughters but leaves out the third, failing to understand that she loves him most of all. His mistake triggers a chain of violence, lies and betrayal – and dooms him to madness. MEMORABLE QUOTE: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!” DETAILS: Runs June 18 - Sept. 20 (BMO Mainstage). Opening night Thursday, June 25
LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST
This adaptation of Love’s Labour’s Lost will bring a 1920s Chicago feel to the intimate Douglas Campbell Theatre tent, complete with live jazz music. THE GIST: It’s the Jazz Age, the music is live and the party is in full swing. But a rum-running kingpin and his pals have
chosen to turn their backs on liquor and the ladies to follow a simpler, scholarly life. Will their plan hold fast against the temptations of three winsome and witty women? MEMORABLE QUOTE: “O, but for my love, day would turn into night!” DETAILS: Runs June 19 - Sept. 20 (Howard Family Stage). Opening night Friday, June 26.
SHAKESPEARE’S REBEL
Last, but not least, is the world stage premiere of Shakespeare’s Rebel, adapted by CC Humphreys from his best-selling novel of the same name and directed by Bard on the Beach artistic director Christopher Gaze. THE GIST: Master swordsman John Lawley just wants to be a good father, win back his true love and arrange the fights for William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. But when he gets caught up in a deadly royal power play, he can’t escape the fight of his life. And he may be the only man who can save England… MEMORABLE QUOTE: “Give me a blade in my hand – yea, or at my throat.” DETAILS: Runs July 2 - Sept. 19 (Howard Family Stage). Opening night Sunday, July 12. –Kelsey Klassen
— Advertorial —
E
Rooftop patio, craft beer, and comfort at Darby’s
volving with the times by embracing the craft beer revolution early on and focusing on locally produced food has helped Darby’s Public House and Liquor Store thrive during its more than 30 years in Kitsilano. An inviting atmosphere is also critical to the success of the pub, which general manager Brendan Bonfield describes as a “comfortable community hangout.” “Whether you are in board shorts and a T-shirt or a three-piece suit, you are treated exactly the same,” Bonfield says. “Everybody feels comfortable here.” Darby’s also boasts one of the best sun-soaked rooftop patios in the city. Sip on one of 30 craft beers while taking in the warm weather with friends on the patio. The pub offers an ever-rotating line-up of delicious craft beers, including cask and nitro beers. “We focus on mostly Northwest, Cascadia beer – local breweries, Oregon, Washington, and BC,” Bonfield says about their stock, which includes Yellow Dog, Strange Fellows, Bridge Brewing, Parallel 49, Bomber, and Steel & Oak. “We have the best craft selections on the West Side, easily one of the best in the city.” Darby’s has brought the craft beer focus to its liquor store as well, with an ever-expanding selection of brews. The liquor store, which Westender readers voted Gold for Best Liquor Store on the West Side, also offers customers a chance to purchase single bottles, so if they want to try six different craft beers they can make their own six-pack. For even more convenience, the liquor store also delivers beer, wine, and spirits. Craft beer is a mainstay today, but Bonfield says they took notice when the phenomenon first started brewing south of the border. “We saw these bars that were focused on craft beer, and we realized that it was going to be a thing here,” he says, adding they were also guided by their own love for microbrews. “From a selfish standpoint, we like to have good beer to drink ourselves, so we like to sit on our patio and enjoy our selections.”
12 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
2001 Macdonald Street (at W. 4th Ave.) 604-731-0617 www.darbyspub.ca You can’t talk about Darby’s without mentioning the expansive pub menu, which includes an inventive take on a Canadian classic: the Duck Confit Poutine, along with their popular burgers – a customer favourite includes a mouth-watering combination with cheese, honey caramelized onions, and bacon.
Darby’s has seen business almost double since introducing the hefty craft beer menu and focusing on food quality. The successful formula has lead to an expansion of the business with the upcoming opening of a Gastown location. The Darby’s team is even contemplating a craft brewery of its own down the road.
With the unrivaled craft selection, inspired comfort food, and welcoming atmosphere, it’s easy to see why Darby’s is a neighbourhood favourite that is expanding its reach. —by Niki Hope
Westender.com
// YOUR HOOD
Get involved in an
EXHILARATING ADVENTURE
KITSILANO
Largest search in human history detailed in new exhibit ROBERT MANGELSDORF @robmangelsdorf
When news that Parks Canada had discovered the long lost wreck of the HMS Erebus last year near King William Island in Nunavut, it closed a chapter on one of the most enduring mysteries of the Canadian North. For more than 150 years, explorers and archeologists alike had sought to find any trace of Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition. In 1845, Franklin and 128 men set out in two ships, the Erebus and the Terror, to discover the Northwest Passage. Instead the arctic closed in around them, and they were never heard from again. The Vancouver Maritime Museum’s newest exhibit, Across the Top of the World: the Quest for the Northwest Passage, details Franklin’s doomed journey, and the subsequent search for answers, including the recent discovery of the Erebus. The exhibition, which is based largely on John Delgado’s book of the same title, was set to launch last year when word of the Erebus’ discovery became known. The museum decided to put off the exhibition for a year so it could include this new chapter in arctic exploration. “It was an exciting time for us,” says Ken Burton, executive director of the Vancouver Maritime Museum. “We were in the process of rolling this show out when they found the Erebus.” The exhibit traces back the
chronology of arctic exploration, beginning with the Inuit, Eskimo, and Paleo-Eskimo, and continuing through the European exploration by the likes of Henry Hudson, Martin Frobisher, James Cook, George Vancouver, and of course, John Franklin. Among the artifacts on display are the rudimentary navigational tools early explorers used to find their way around the north, as well as historical documents like the British Acts of Parliament that helped pave the way for the commission of Franklin’s ultimately doomed expedition. By the early 1800s it had already been determined the Northwest Passage – should it exist – wasn’t economically feasible as a trade route. However, there was still a desire to find it, once and for all, says Burton, and a substantial cash reward was offered to the person who could do just that. “The Napoleonic Wars were over, so you had this large navy that was looking for a purpose,” says Burton. “That purpose became exploration.” When no word was heard from expedition for three years, Franklin’s wife pressured the British Admiralty to conduct a search for the missing men and close to 20 rescue missions and search parties were launched in the decade following his disappearance.Those search efforts led to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic archipelago, including the ultimate discovery of the Northwest Passage, and helped strengthen
Canada’s claim to the arctic, says Burton. “It was the largest search ever conducted in human history,” says Burton. In 1854, explorer John Rae discovered the remnants of Franklin’s crew stretched across the arctic tundra. After Franklin’s ships had become trapped in the arctic ice, the crew abandoned ship to find food and headed south, carrying their sledges. Overburdened and unprepared, the crew soon succumbed to the harsh conditions of the arctic, leaving behind a string of corpses that showed signs of cannibalism. While explorer Rae was ultimately awarded £10,000 (equivalent to more than $1 million today) for solving the mystery of Franklin’s lost expedition, the search for the Erebus and Terror has never really ended. “I spent a year myself searching for [the Erebus and the Terror] in the high arctic in the early 2000s,” says Burton. So far, the only artifact to come off the Erebus has been the ship’s bell, and the search for the Terror – believed to be lying in shallow water nearby – is still on. “This was one of the great mysteries of the last 150 years,” says Burton. “It’s a remarkable find.” W
Sign up at Rowand’s Reef for our next
PADI Open Water Course
$ GET 50 OFF your course with this ad.
Regular price $475+tax. Offer expires July 31, 2015.
1731 West 4th Ave | 604 669 3483 www.rowandsreef.com
O Granville Island
Yaletown
BIKE STORES
BASKETS
we have the largest selection in Vancouver because we
You
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is located at 1905 Ogden in Vanier Park. VancouverMaritimeMuseum.com
www.reckless.ca
Start your Garden Today Open all Victoria Day Long Weekend
Special Fuschia #1 po s
7
ts
$ 99 e
ach Offer valid While quanMay 11-18. tities last.
Specialatoes
m Tom Heirloo4 inch pots
$ 4ea9ch
2
May 11-18. Offer valid tities last. While quan
Specia
l Jobes To mato Sp ikes 18 p er pack
3
$ 99 e aOff cher va
per pack
lid While quanMay 11-18. tities last.
David Hunter Garden Centers 2560 West Broadway • 604-733-1534 www.davidhuntergardencenters.com facebook.com/DavidHuntersBroadway
Westender.com
HOURS Victoria Day May 18 9am-5:30pm Mon-Fri 9am to 8pm Sat-Sun 9am to 5:30pm
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 13
NOWON VIEW!
YOUR HOOD //
WESTENDER.COM
KITSILANO
Kits volunteer honoured
MARTHA PERKINS @marthajperkins
There are times when you think Wendy St. Marie’s life is a modern-day retelling of the Book of Job. After two long bouts with cancer and coming out on the good side of a “20 per cent chance of survival” talk with her oncologist, she was diagnosed with osteoporosis after she fell and broke her hip. But that wasn’t all. Doctors then told her she has multiple sclerosis. And yet, on Thursday night, when St. Marie accepted the 2015 Courage to Come Back award in the medical category, her message to the 1,400 people at the Vancouver Convention Centre ballroom was about all the things she is grateful for. The “smallest of daily gifts,” including the simple act of waking up each morning, propel her along a “journey of gratitude.” “I would not have connected myself to the word courage,” she said. But after joining the crowd in watching a video about her remarkable will to thrive no matter what the challenges, she said she was willing to change the way
Wendy “from Kitsilano” St. Marie has one more thing to be grateful for – her Courage To Come Back award. Richelle Akimow photo she introduces herself from “I’m Wendy from Kitsilano” to “I’m still Wendy from Kitsilano wearing a badge of courage.” “I can receive this award,” she said, “if you live your life in gratitude. It’s very easy to give back.”
One of the ways that St. Marie gives back is by training TransLink staff on how to assist travellers who have disabilities. Having your wheelchair strapped into a bus can be a very up-closeand-personal experience for both the passenger and bus
driver, she said, and there needs to be a high level of trust and comfort. “It’s up to all of us to trip out the stigma” that comes from being different, she said. “We can make this an accepting, understanding and welcoming world.” The Courage to Come Back awards were founded 17 years ago by Coast Mental Health.There are six categories – health, mental illness, addiction, physical rehabilitation, social adversity and youth.The gala is Coast’s major fundraising event, this year raising $1.17 million. “What is this Courage phenomenon,” asked event chair and noted philanthropist. “At these awards, we feel the extraordinary power of the human spirit and a deep humanity so often lacking in our daily life… “Life presses against us. Our courage will be tested, our values will be tested, our dreams will be tested,” he said in his emotion-filled speech that honoured St. Marie and all the recipients current and past. “These men and women have shown us tonight that the very best thing we can do in life is to push through every difficulty, no matter how painful… We need to know that even when dealt the worst deal in life, we could triumph if we want to.” W
Proud to be voted BEST DENTAL CLINIC. Visit us in Kitsilano to give your smiles award-winning care.
14 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
Voted Vancouver’s
Best Mexican Restaurant
Come & enjo y !
ilano’s We are Kits uor Store Liq Community
A great Mexican meal and a top shelf margarita on our fun and friendly patio.
Proud to provide you with personalized service 365 days a year. Over 250 craft beers in stock! Over 200 wines under $20! Don’t see what you want? We can order it for you!
Enter in-store to win our monthly giveaways! You could win Canucks tickets, a big screen TV and more!
OVER 30 YEARS
Thanks for voting us your favourite LIQUOR STORE ON THE WEST SIDE!
And still serving you a great Mexican experience in the heart of Kits!
@lasmargaritasbc @lasmargaritasbc /lasmargaritasvancouver
2289 West Broadway • 604-733-7155 kitsilanoliquorstore.com • OPEN 7 DAYS 10am-11pm
www.lasmargaritas.com
1999 West 4th at Maple 604-734-7117
A B H ARN D D U B
ME DICINAL CANNABIS CANNABIS, NATURE’S BEST AND SAFEST MEDICINE
Premium cannabis products and flowers for Vancouver’s most elite and discerning clientele 2179 West 4th 604-739-9456 /buddhabarnkits @buddha_barn buddhabarn.ca Insta
Westender.com
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 15
YOUR HOOD //
WESTENDER.COM
KITSILANO
Brunch off the eaten track in Kits Anya Levykh Nosh
@FoodGirlFriday Kitsilano is known as brunch central for its plethora of egg-poaching and pancakeflipping eateries. But what about when you want something a little different? Here
are five brunch spots that offer something a bit more off the eaten track.
OAKWOOD CANADIAN BISTRO
Eggs over easy are a classic, but pair them with avocado on toast, maple pork belly, pea shoots and fries, and the classic goes full-on contemporary.The menu here changes regularly,
BEST BREAKFAST on the West Side!
but the eggs are certified organic, and the meats are fully free-range, GMO-free and naturally raised (no animal byproducts, synthetic chemicals or antibiotics). Coconut-crusted French toast is a winner, as is the smoked ham hock benedict.TheOakwood.ca
APHRODITE’S ORGANIC CAFÉ
Served daily until 3pm, this is the perfect mid-week escape. Everything’s organic, and the roasted fennel and tofu scramble is delicious, with vegan cilantro cream and roasted shallots. When something sweet is needed, one of their famed pie slices is always a good choice, or you could go for the stuffed French toast with quark cheese, fresh fruit and Chantilly cream. OrganicCafe.ca
FABLE KITCHEN
2095 west 4th ave, vancouver • 604 732 6810 www.sophiescosmiccafe.com
BUSINESS NOW
YOUR KITSILANO PRINT SHOP
Chef Trevor Bird stays true to the farm-to-table philosophy with dishes like the Fable stew, loaded with eggs, lardons, mushrooms, potatoes and kale, and sided with bread and tomato “jam.” Don’t miss the pulled pork johnny cakes, a free-range take on a classic Caribbean treat. Pair with the bacon caesar made with organic hemp vodka. For something that’s a bit more heart-healthy, try the overnight oats, studded with banana, trail mix and berries. Bonus for parents: There’s a kids menu for the 10 and under set. FableKitchen.ca
Make sure to bring a healthy appetite with you to brunch at Oakwood Canadian Bistro. Instagram photo
AU COMPTOIR
What’s brunch without a Kir Royale or Mimosa, and some oysters? The cucumber mignonette is lovely and there’s nothing more French than a round of oysters with something bubbly. The crispy fried duck wings are decadent and addictive. Almond waffles with caramelized bananas and vanilla crème fraîche are a good sweet choice, and for
something more feral, the veal sweetbreads with asparagus, morel mushrooms and poached egg are lusty and rich. AuComptoir.ca
TRAFALGARS BISTRO
The ham and bacon is cured and smoked in-house, and this long-running bistro has been called Vancouver’s greenest restaurant. Everything is local, sustainable, ethically raised or sourced,
and all seafood is Ocean Wise. House-smoked cod fritters are a great start, but save room for the Peace Country lamb burger with onion jam on poppy seed brioche.The popular fried chicken and waffles are here as well, but the waffles are made with bacon, and it’s free-run breast, rather than leg, so you can fool yourself into thinking it’s actually good for you.Trafalgars.com W
Voted best of Vancouver 8 Years in a Row! Step into Wellness... acupuncture massage naturopathic medicine NAET allergy elimination craniosacral therapy infrared sauna sessions ionic foot baths so much more!
+ Burrard St.
Cypress St.
Third Ave.
Fourth Ave.
604.732.WELL (9355) www.elementswellnesscentre.com 16 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
// YOUR HOOD
KITSILANO
SPCA THRIFT STORES We take PRIDE in offering affordable, quality goods
SHOP, RECYCLE, SAVE AN ANIMAL
WITH TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU:
3606 W. Broadway 604-736-4136 5239 Victoria Drive 604-321-8144 Find us on TWITTER @SPCAThrift, FACEBOOK facebook.com/melvin.spcathriftstores, TUMBLR spcathriftstore.tumblr.com and EMAIL spcathriftvancouver@gmail.com
Octopus Garden’s Sada-san and his 200-pound Japanese blue fin tuna head. Mijune Pak photo
Kitsilano’s best bites Mijune Pak Follow Me Foodie
@FollowMeFoodie Kitsilano. It’s not necessarily the first neighbourhood I think of to dine out, but it’s full of reliable classics. From affordable eateries to suit the budgets of nearby UBC students, ethnic eats, and even some upscale options, it caters to neighbourhood locals as well as those wanting a breather from downtown. The food doesn’t disappoint, as to why many Kitsilano restaurants have secured their spot with the help of loyal clientele. The following recommendations are not necessarily “the best of Kits” or listed in any particular order, but they offer a good starting point for what the neighbourhood has to offer.
pork belly he does once in a while. I love fish, but the rich lentils cry for rich meat. For something lighter, the tomato soup and tuna Niçoise take “soup and salad” to the next level.
MAENAM
I’ve said it before, but pre-order the Lobster Miang and black pepper crab – both off-the-menu creations and some of my favourite seafood dishes in the city. Ordering from the menu is great too and as good as chef Angus An’s pad thai probably is (I haven’t tried it yet), give it a break and try his other creations. This is traditional Thai food, but An is trained in French cooking, so “modern Thai” is more appropriate than calling it “fusion”. Sister restaurant, Longtail Kitchen in New Westminster is also worth the trip. Keep an eye out for seats at his special BC Spot Prawn Din-
ner on Monday, May 25.
LA QUERCIA
It’s one of my favourite Italian dining experiences in Vancouver and dinner alla famiglia has never failed. The food is simple (as Italian food should be), ingredientfocused, and well-executed. They consider themselves casual, but it’s quite sophisticated and refined, although I wouldn’t wait for a special occasion to visit. A shout out to other favourites in the area, Thomas Haas, Harvest Deli, Bishop’s, The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, Dan Japanese, MamaLee Malaysian Delights, and Beyond Bread Artisan Bakery. W Find out more about Mijune at FollowMeFoodie.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @followmefoodie.
OCTOPUS GARDEN
Sada-san is one of the most well-respected sushi chefs in the city. Loved by his customers as well as the sushi chef community in general, his Kits restaurant is one of my favourites for omakase. He only serves his very special 200-pound Japanese blue fin tuna head (considered small for a blue fin tuna) once a month and the sushi bar fits seven, so you must book this unique omakase experience in advance. Put in a special request for his udon with uni butter cream sauce, and you can thank me later.
FABLE KITCHEN
The staples here are chef and co-owner Trevor Bird’s signature “Canned Tuna”, chickpea critters and spaghetti and meat ball, so if you haven’t tried those, it’s a good starting point. If you like something richer, the smoked duck breast with brown butter hollandaise will bring out the “fat kid” in you. A shout-out to his lentil ragout as well. It’s served with ling cod, but the fat girl in me would kindly request it with duck, or the bone-in
Westender.com
Build your summer cellar now. THE PERFECT PRAWN At locally-owned Seven Seas, we search the world for the best sustainable seafood. Like our wild Mexican White Prawns, hand net caught by artisan fishermen in the pristine waters of the Baja. We also have a bountiful selection of exceptional sustainable seafood sourced locally and from around the globe. Come see for yourself at our Kitsilano shop and taste the difference.
Bring in this ad for a
20% discount off any purchase.
$5 minimum purchase required. No cash value. Offer expires May 31, 2015.
Make 15 bottles for just
30-$80
$
plus $25 Vint. Fee
4-10 week juices available • Corks, labels & shrink wraps included. Valid at this location only. Applicable taxes extra. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
2328 West 4th Avenue 604.732.8608 Mon-Sat 9:00-6:30 • Sun 9:30-6:00
www.7seas.ca
Great wine. Great value. 100% guaranteed. 3122 Blenheim Street • 604-224-4445 • winekitzilano.com
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 17
ARTS // CULTURE
WESTENDER.COM
WHAT’S ON Th/14
Fr/15
Sa/16
Su/17
Mo/18
MUSIC
MUSIC
MUSIC
MUSIC
COMEDY
AK-747S Blistering local rock band celebrates the release of their second full-length album, War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning. With guests Still Spirits, Soulsucker, and R.d. Cane. 8:30pm at the Red Room. Tickets $10 at the door.
OUT FOR LUNCH The Vancouver Children’s Bach Choir, under the direction of Marisa Gaetanne, performs the music of Japan, Andalusia, Africa, Latin American, the US, Israel and Canada on the OFL concert series. 12pm at Vancouver Art Gallery. Included with gallery admission.
ELLA AND LOUIS! Byron Stripling and Marva Hicks light up the stage as they take you on a journey through the most famous duets and solos recorded by two of the greatest legends of jazz. 8pm at Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at VancouverSymphony.ca
VANCOUVER YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GALA CONCERT Join BC’s premiere youth orchestra, as they celebrate the 85th anniversary of the VYSO featuring 280 of Metro Vancouver’s most talented classical young musicians. 2:30pm at Chan Centre. Tickets $28 at VancouverSymphony.ca
THE LAUGH GALLERY WITH GRAHAM CLARK Legendary weekly stand up show of East Vancouver’s biggest and brightest comics. 9pm at Havana Theatre. Tickets $5 at Eventbrite.ca
NEEDS Vancouver post-hardcore outfit plays in support of their debut self-titled album with special guests Brass, Low Levels and Flowers & Fire. 8pm at Fortune Sound Club. Tickets $10 at Red Cat, Zulu, Highlife, Beat Street and FortuneSound.com THE REZILLOS A punk/new wave band from the ‘70s Edinburgh scene appear in support of their new album ZERO with special guests Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds and Fashionism. 8pm at Rickshaw Theatre. Tickets $22 at Red Cat, Highlife, Neptoon and RickshawTheatre.com
COMEDY IMPROV FIGHT CLUB A fundraiser to benefit Aprons For Gloves features an improv performance of some hard-shitting comedy, 50/50 draw, a Battle Royale and more as The Fictionals’ celebrate their four-year anniversary. 7pm at Joe’s Apartment. Tickets $10 at the door.
THEATRE/DANCE
SEPULTURA The metal, hardcore, thrash punk and tribal phenomenon from Brazil celebrate on their 3othanniversary North American tour with special guests Destruction, Arsis, Boris the Blade and Micawber. 7pm at Rickshaw Theatre. Tickets $35 at Scrape and TicketWeb.ca KATHY KALLICK & LAURIE LEWIS Grammy award-winning bluegrass singer/musicians appear in support of their latest release Laurie & Kathy Sing the Songs of Vern & Ray. 7pm at St. James Hall. Tickets $24 at Highilfe, Red Cat, Prussin Music, Rufus’ Guitar Shop and RogueFolk.bc.ca LON MILO DUQUETTE American writer/actor/musician and Rabbi returns to Vancouver for one night only for an evening of folk music and laughs with Baba Lon. 6pm at Railway Club. Tickets $15 at EventBrite.ca
COMEDY
DISCOVER DANCE! The popular noon-hour series features the spectacular dances and music of Brazil with a performance by the dynamic Ache Brasil, BC’s foremost Brazilian music and dance troupe. 12 noon at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Tickets at TicketsTonight.ca
DAVE MERHEJE The Windsorborn, Toronto-based comedian and producer who has gained a following with his “no fear” approach on stage with enthralling storytelling and known for his We Ain’t Terrorists Comedy Tour. 8pm & 10:30pm at The Comedy Mix. Tickets $18 at TheComedyMix.com
CHEAP & FUN
EVENTS
FRIENDS TRIVIA NIGHT What is the actual name that appears on Joey and Chandler’s copy of the TV guide? Answer this and other tricky trivia at the NY-inspired evening hosted by IQ 2000 Trivia. 7:30pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Admission is $7. Register your team at iq2000trivia@gmail. com. Pivot!
NOIR FETISH BALL Kicking off a weekend of fetish and kink followed by a multi-day schedule of events presented by Noir Fetish and Oh Fun City. 9pm at The Astoria. Tickets $20 at BrownPaperTickets.com
TOMMY EMMANUEL Australian guitar wizard who has shared the stage with legends like Eric Clapton, Les Paul and Joe Walsh performs with special guests Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo. 8pm at Vogue Theatre. Tickets $44.50 at NorthernTickets.com. All ages show. TOVE STYRKE Swedish electropop singer-songwriter plays tunes from her new album Kiddo with special guests Lany. 8pm at Media Club. Tickets $14.50 at LiveNation.com ROOTS ROCKABILLY JAM The Saturday afternoon rootsrockabilly jam features Jimmy Roy, Scott Smith, Joe Rotundo and Mike Van Eyes with a rotating cast of special guests or bring your axe and jam with the band. 4pm at The Emerald. No cover. THE DAFFODIL CONCERT The BC Chinese Music Association presents a concert by the BC Chinese Orchestra with the Youth Chinese Orchestra, the BC Children’s Choir and the BC Chinese Music ensemble. 7:30pm at Chan Centre. Tickets at ChanCentre.com NEUTERHEAD: ACE OF SPAYS FUNDRAISER Local metal bands Human Resistance Program and Ritual Dictates lead an all-star crew of cover bands to raise money to support animal rescue initiatives. 7:30pm at Rickshaw Theatre. Tickets $10 at Jackalope’s and RickshawTheatre. com or $15 at the door.
COMEDY TOMMY CAMPBELL IrishAmerican actor-writer-comedian who has entertained armed forces, a two-time “Canadian Comedy Award” winner and avid digital sketcher for Funny Or Die. 8pm & 10:30pm at Yuk Yuk’s. Tickets $20 at YukYuks.com
NEEDS, May 14 at Fortune.
THEATRE/DANCE THE GRADUATE Based on the iconic 1967 movie, disillusioned college graduate Ben Braddock tries to avoid the one question everyone keeps asking while an unexpected diversion crops up in the form of a bored housewife named Mrs. Robinson. 8pm at Metro Theatre. Tickets at MetroTheatre.com. Runs until May 23. SWAPNA-MAYA DREAM WITHIN A DREAM A Bharatanatyam dance production inspired by the Edgar Allen Poe poem, questions the very nature of existence and what we perceive as “real”. 7:30pm at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Tickets at TicketsTonight.ca
EVENTS NAKED GIRLS READING: GIRLS GONE OSCAR WILDE This incarnation of the monthly nude literary salon sees our local burlesque luminaries, librarians and authors reading Oscar Wilde as full-frontal literature meets fine art. 8pm at Hot Art Wet City. Tickets $20 at HotArtWetCity.com or $25 at the door. VAN DUSEN BRITISH CLASSIC CAR SHOW The Greatest Show on British Wheels will celebrate 30 years displayed on the beautiful grounds of Van Dusen featuring more than 500 classic British built vehicles in 62 classes. Vendors, food trucks and entertainment round out the one-day family friendly event. 10am-4:30pm at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Tickets $17 at WesternDriver.com
ONGOING CÉZANNE AND THE MODERN Masterpieces of European Art from the Pearlman Collection. Only days remain to see this major travelling exhibition featuring an exceptional collection of modernist works by European masters at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Due to popular demand and to celebrate International Museum Day weekend, gallery hours will be extended to 9pm on Saturday, May 16, Sunday, May 17 and the final day of the show Monday, May 18.
TORRES The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter on tour to support her latest release Sprinter comes to town with special guest Aero Flynn. 8pm at Electric Owl. Tickets $13 at Red Cat, Zulu and TicketWeb.ca THE REVELERS The Louisiana supergroup combine swamp-pop, Cajun, country, blues and zydeco into a powerful tonic of roots music. 7pm at St. James Hall. Tickets $26 at Highilfe, Red Cat, Prussin Music, Rufus’ Guitar Shop and RogueFolk.bc.ca
COMEDY THE SUNDAY SERVICE Two halves of fast-paced, absurd and hilarious improv carry the audience through a kaleidoscopic trip. 9pm at Fox Cabaret. Admission is $9.
THEATRE/DANCE KITTY NIGHTS: OCTOPUSSY Prepare to be shaken AND stirred as the next epic live band burlesque extravaganza pays tribute to the music of Mr. 007 himself, James Bond featuring Burgundy Brixx, Vivienne Rose, Shaboobie Boobarella and the rest of the Bond girls. 8pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets $10 at TicketFly.com or at the door.
EVENTS KAISO DAY Help celebrate community with a Japanese style neighbourhood barbecue and mini street fest with martial arts demonstrations, music and kids crafts. 12-4pm at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. Free. FESTIVAL HA’RIKUD Celebrate the traditional songs and music of Israel with this community fair featuring dance shows, original costumes, a petting zoo, food vendors and a bouncy castle! 12-4pm at Jewish Community Centre. Free.
THEATRE/DANCE JAMES & JAMESY IN HIGH TEA The deliciously delightful James & Jamsey serve up outrageous theatrical adventure when a catastrophic disaster floods the world in tea, and spectacular imagination, physical feats and uproarious humour keep them afloat. 8pm at Jericho Arts Centre. Tickets $12 at JamesAndJamesy. BrownPaperTickets.com. Runs until May 24.
ART SALA The UBC school of Architecture and Landscape Architecture presents a specially curated exhibition of the best work from last year, with a focus on cutting-edge design evolved from critical thinking on the cities and landscapes of the future. 9am-6pm at Pendulum Gallery (885 West Georgia). Runs until May 23.
ONGOING CESNA?EM, THE CITY BEFORE THE CITY Musqueam First Nation, MOA and MOV partner on a transformative journey to explore ancient landscape and living culture right under Vancouver’s nose in a series of three unified exhibitions. Runs until Dec. 30. SEA MONSTERS REVEALED:THE EXHIBITION The Canadian premiere of the groundbreaking exhibition uses the revolutionary polymer preservation technique to reveal dissected bodies of the fascinating creatures of the deep sea. 10am-5pm at the Vancouver Aquarium. Runs until Sept. 7. Included with admission.
James & Jamesy in High Tea, May 18 at Jericho Arts.
FAMILYFESTIVAL SATURDAY, MAY23 MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER 18 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
ARTS // CULTURE
WHAT’S ON Th/21
MUSIC
MUSIC
MUSIC
ROYAL TUSK The shaggy, tenacious force behind this rock ‘n’ roll mammoth drops hints of Americana, soul and rock in support of their forthcoming EP, Mountain with special guests Savvie. 8pm at Media Club. Tickets $10 at TicketFly.com
TIMBER TIMBRE The Canadian indie-folk unit plays the first of two nights in support of their latest release Hot Dreams with guests Xiu Xiu. 8pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets $20 at Red Cat and TicketFly.com
FLUME The award-winning Australian beatmaker, DJ and producer appears on the heels of a 2014 international tour. 7pm at Malkin Bowl. Tickets $49.50 at LiveNation.com
Royal Tusk, May 19, Media Club.
COMEDY KINGS HEAD COMEDY Colin Sharp and James Kennedy present this weekly showcase of local comedians with a dash of the who’s who from LA, NY and Toronto. 9pm at King’s Head Pub. Admission is $5.
THEATRE/DANCE IN THE HEIGHTS The Tony Award-winning musical about home, family and finding where you belong set in NYC’s vibrant and tough Washington Heights neighbourhood. 7:30pm at Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com. Runs until June 7.
EVENTS TOP 25: YOUTH IN ACTION Hear from some of Metro Vancouver’s top young environmental leaders followed by performances from Luke Wallace, Ta’Kaiya Blaney and Angelica Poversky in an evening of creativity, music and inspiration. 6:30pm at Science World. Tickets $10 at SFTop25. BPT.me
THE MAVERICKS The eclectic Latin, rockabilly country band appear while on tour in support of their latest release Mono with special guest Toronto’s Whitney Rose. 8pm at Commodore Ballroom. Tickets $56 at LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.ca THE WOMBATS The English indie rock outfit from Liverpool plays tunes from their latest release Glitterbug with special guests Life in Film and Cheerleader. 8pm at The Imperial. Tickets $16.50 at Red Cat and Tic ketmaster.ca SYMPHONIC OVERDRIVE Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman joins the VSO performing a string of his greatest hits as you’ve never heard them before. 8pm at Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at VancouverSymphony.ca
COMEDY KIDS IN THE HALL They’re back! The sketchy Canadian kids behind hits like “Daves I Know” bring their unique brand of comedy to town on their North American tour. 8pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster.ca
THEATRE/DANCE
CHEAP & FUN
GOD & THE INDIAN Celebrated Aboriginal playwright Drew Hayden Taylor explores the complex process of healing with this heartbreaking and beautifully told story of the chance encounter between a Cree woman and a priest. 8pm at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FireHallArtsCentre.com. Runs until May 30.
TWISTED TUESDAY Remember when you were 13 and Twister was a great excuse to maybekinda-sorta awkwardly bump up against/grope each other? It’s like that but with booze and strangers and prizes for the winner, set to the sounds of ‘80s punk and new wave. 8pm at The Astoria. No cover.
HELL OF A GIRL A unique musical theatre experience, this cowboynoir-opera, loosely based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, is set in a timeless world of cowboys, nymphs and demons as told through original songs filled with obsession, perdition and love. 9:15pm at Historic Theatre. Tickets at TheCultch.com. Runs
PERFUME GENIUS The Seattle singer-songwriter known to his parents as Mike Hadreas appears in support of Too Bright with special guest opener Will Butler of Arcade Fire. 9pm at The Imperial. Tickets $20 at Red Cat and LiveNation.com JUNGLE The British modern soul collective bring their ‘70s-style funk tunes to town after being shortlisted for the 2014 Mercury Prize. 8pm at Commodore Ballroom. Tickets $38.25 at LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.ca ACTION BRONSON The Queens NY-bred, Albanian and Jewish culinary chef come rapper appears in support of his latest release Actin Crazy on The Mr. Wonderful Tour. 8pm at Vogue Theatre. Tickets $35 at TicketFly.com. All ages show.
COMEDY RON FUNCHES His easy going inventive style sounds the way fresh chocolate chip cookies taste with a signature unique comic delivery and lovable demeanor. 8pm at Yuk Yuk’s. Tickets $20 at YukYuks.com
INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR
Vancouver Convention Centre Vancouver, Canada May 21-24, 2015
OPENING NIGHT Thursday, May 21st – $25
EVENT DETAILS Advance One-Day – $15 Advance Multi-Day – $22 At-the-Door One-Day – $20
Purchase your tickets today at
WWW.ARTVANCOUVER.NET • 604.682.3701 PRESENTED BY
SPONSORED BY
SUPPORTED BY
THEATRE/DANCE CAWS & EFFECT This uniquely beautiful and funny large scale shadow theatre production features puppetry, masks and an original musical score to tell the story of a modern fable, a tonguein-cheek nature documentary, the animated dream of a sleeping bird. 7pm at Historic Theatre. Tickets at TheCultch.com. Runs until May 24.
ART ART! VANCOUVER This four-day local and international art fair inspired by the world-renowned Art Basel, offers a prestigious platform to showcase diverse collections of original artwork to the public – the first of its kind in Vancouver. 6pm10pm at Vancouver Convention Centre. Tickets at ArtVancouver.net. Runs until May 24.
WIN 4 TICKETS TO Vancouver International Children’s Festivals’ Will Stroet Pyjama Night Show! Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30pm, Granville Island To enter email your name and number to contests@westender.com, with the subject ‘Children’s Festival’.
Westender.com
westender.com
We/20
There is more online at
Tu/19
AN EXHIBIT PRESENTED BY
Vancouver Maritime Museum | 1905 Ogden Avenue, Vancouver, V6J 1A3 vanmaritime.com | 604.257.8300 | @vanmaritime | #TopOfTheWorldVMM
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 19
ARTS // CULTURE
WESTENDER.COM
MUSIC
Torres takes a reflective turn on Sprinter
LOUISE BURNS @_louiseburns_
Torres, aka Georgia-born Mackenzie Scott, first appeared in 2013 with the release of her self-titled debut, Torres. She was a songwriter of the new school: one who cut her teeth in Nashville, studying songwriting in college, and filtered it through her raw, emotive voice that had so many drawing up all the right kind of comparisons (PJ Harvey, anyone?). That record, written in any spare moments her school life would permit, was a perfect product of a thoughtful, intelligent 20-something, dealing with disappointment and rejection from the outside world. Sprinter, her sophomore album, was released earlier this May. It is a raw, emotional journey through all the highs and lows one would expect from a 24-year-old, yet restrained and controlled in a way far beyond her years. Perhaps the most striking difference between the two albums is the central theme of Sprinter: Scott’s own history with The Baptist Church. “I was in the Church my whole life until I left for college. It’s kind of in my blood,” she says on a call from Nashville, her first show of the tour. “I avoided that in my early songwriting because I wasn’t far enough removed [from the Church] to process and write about it.” Unlike most instances when religion comes up in popular music, Scott does not lean to one side in particular. She prefers an equal, reflective approach, most of which is softened with the sepia glow of nostalgia. Take “Son You Are No Island”, a brooding meditation that has Scott playing the voice of God, she says, “to convey a perspective that was punishing, but also nurturing, and loving and understanding. A bit of tough love, I guess.” She delves both into love
Photo by Shawn Brackbill and hate on the title track “Sprinter”, in which she sings, “The Baptist in me chose to run / But if there’s still time to choose the sun, I’ll choose the sun”. Once again, we see a woman torn between a familiar past and a brighter future. “Because of the transition into adulthood, I’ve been having nostalgia, flashbacks.You just sort of regress,” she says. “All of a sudden I just want to watch all of the cartoons I grew up watching, and I just want to eat sugar cereal! [The Church] upbringing was a
REVIEWS // MARTIN GORE
MG (Mute)
Martin Gore has created a life for himself as one of the most successful songwriters of the past three decades, penning the hits for ‘80s popgoths Depeche Mode.With his latest solo record, you will not find a single signature Gore-ism, that is to say, this is an instrumental album, and that is a very good thing. MG plays like a soundtrack, filled with mystery and emotion built entirely out of artificial
soundscapes: not a single guitar was used, nor any trace of a human voice. Opener “Plinker” builds up tension and contemplation with a repetitive staccato synth and low razor-sharp swells. “Elk” falls back into Angelo Badalamenti terri-
20 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
part of that. It made its way back into my consciousness.” Sprinter was recorded in a “creepy yet comfortable” abandoned nursery in Dorset, England, with Rob Ellis, formerly the drummer in PJ Harvey’s backing band, and the “only person I had in mind to make this record with me.” Ellis brought in Harvey’s bassist Ian Olliver and Adrian Utley of Portishead to help sculpt the instrumental landscape, allowing Scott’s songwriting chops to work their magic. The music of Torres has
never been described as “sunny”, or “joyful”, but there is something very radiant about Scott. She is full of laughter and ease, able to entertain embarrassing questions about whether she can relate to the soapy television show Nashville. “There’s other stuff to watch that isn’t going to make me feel like a piece of shit,” she laughs. And what she loves about songwriting? “If you have that hook, that melody, that gives you the freedom to explore what-
tory with an eerie organ-like melody dancing over stuttering samples and swirls. As the album progresses, we begin to hear more traditional beats in songs like “Brink”, which sounds like Portishead scoring “Trainspotting” underwater. With the rise of electronic film soundtracks in mainstream music, MG feels fresh, modern and timely. A smart move for an aging rocker who knows too well that you can’t play the casino circuit when you are a gothic genius. –Louise Burns
ADRIAN TEACHER AND THE SUBS
Rating:
!!!!!
ever you want to explore, lyrically!” Scott may be the perfect balance of darkness and light. And while Sprinter may read heavy for some, it is ultimately coming from a very warm place, because Scott has embraced her past, not abandoned it. “If anything I’m more spiritual than I ever was,” she says. “But I did it wrong my whole life!” Sometimes, running away from something will take you right back to where you came from.
Sorta Hafta (Independent) Enter the weird and wonderful mind of Adrian Teacher. The former Apollo Ghost, member of Cool TV and all around prolific songwriter, has a mind filled with more hooks than a Much Dance ‘95 compilation. Sorta Hafta is short and sweet, literally: it’s only eleven minutes long. Taking a softer, less punk/funk approach than his previous outfits, Teacher leans on the laissez-faire
side of life with songs like the Spanish guitar-filled ditty “One Thing Your Money Couldn’t Buy” and “Let’s Call in Sick”. The sparing production lends well to Teacher’s songs, allowing his melodic gift to shine through. Take
In Scott’s case, it is a blessing. “The majority of my life, I didn’t feel at home in my own skin,” she admits. “I always felt like a disappointment. At this point in life, I guess I love myself for real now. I think that just translates [into my songwriting].” W
TORRES plays Electric Owl on May 17 with special guests. Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, advance tickets $13 at Ticketweb.ca
“When Did I Get Older”, which could easily trace its roots to Loaded-era Velvet Underground, or “Old Graffiti”, a mellow duet with Julie Doiron that sits somewhere between sunset and twilight. Every song on Sorta Hafta is undeniably delightful. The only dig? With melodies this good and lyrics this strong, you’re left wanting more. At the rate Adrian Teacher is going, you sorta won’t hafta wait too long for what’s next. – Louise Burns Rating:
!!!!! Westender.com
ARTS // CULTURE
@WESTENDERVAN
MUSIC
ENTER TO WIN ...2 orchestra seats for Shirley MacLaine, bestselling author and academy awardwinning actress, taking you down memory lane as she celebrates 60 years in film.
7:30 pm, Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at the Orpheum Theatre.
Go to www.uniquelives.com/vancouver for bios on the current season. To enter, go to westender.com and click on contests. Contest closes at 9am on Tuesday, May 19.
(L-R) Neuterhead: Ace of Spays founding members Shane Clark (with his dog Blade) and Justin Hagberg (with his dog Ulfi). Contributed photo
Neuterhead bangs heads for a cause ROBERT MANGELSDORF @robmangelsdorf
He may have helped write heavy metal epics with names like “Execution Tank” and “My Sword Never Sleeps”, but 3 Inches of Blood guitarist Shane Clark has a soft side too. When he’s not on tour or in the studio, Clark volunteers his time to help cuddly cats and dogs avoid euthanization through the non-profit he started with 3 Inches bandmate Justin Hagberg. Called Neuterhead: The Ace of Spays, the group raises money to support spay and neuter programs, preventing the cycle of unnecessary euthanization. “Kittens are cute, but they multiply,” Clark explains. “A lot end up in shelters, where eventually they can be euthanized if they’re not adopted. Or they end up as strays.” Clark’s wife Kristy-Lynn Clark is part owner of Long Live Cats and Dogs on East Hastings Street and he says Neuterhead began as a way for he and Hagberg to do something to help control the animal population. “We decided, since we’re all animal lovers, that this something we wanted to support,” Clark says. This Saturday, Neuterhead is hosting its third annual fundraiser, the proceeds of which will go to other non-profit organiza-
Westender.com
tions tasked with doing the spaying and neutering, like the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association and Hug-A-Bull. The event, taking place at the Rickshaw Theatre, features live music, live comedy, and prizes donated from close to 100 local businesses that have leant their support to the cause. “It’s kind of like a variety show,” says Clark. “We’re keeping it pretty loose.” The bill features a trio of all-star cover bands (taking on Sepultura, Judas Priest, and W.A.S.P.) with members of highprofile acts like Hedley, K-os, 88 Mile Trip, Mothertrucker, Bison, and of course, 3 Inches of Blood. This year also features all-original sets from local metal legends Human Resistance Program and Ritual Dictates. “Since we’ve been involved in the music scene for so long, we decided to use our resources to put [this on],” says Clark. The two previous events helped raise more than $8,000 to help keep pet populations under control, not only in Vancouver, but across the province as well.
“We also work with organizations up north in rural areas,” says Clark. “In poor areas, and especially on the reservations, stray animals can be a big problem.” While pet owners in remote rural communities might not be able to afford to have their pets fixed, here in Vancouver, people often don’t spay or neuter their pet by choice. “One argument I hear, is that ‘I want to keep my animal natural’,” says Clark. “If you’re going to do that, then don’t let your cat out, don’t let your dog off leash, even at the dog park. There’s still lots you can do to help the problem.” W
NEUTERHEAD: THE ACE OF SPAYS comes
to the Rickshaw Theatre on May 16. Advance tickets are $10, or $15 at the door. Advance tickets available at Long Live Cats and Dogs, Jackalope’s Neighbourhood Dive, No Way Cafayfay, and Far Out Coffee, or online at RickshawTheatre.com
A gala to benefit the Canadian Diabetes Association May 21, 2015
Birks Downtown Vancouver 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm Join us as Baubles goes Bollywood! A fun evening of fine food and wine, entertainment, live and silent auctions and more. For more information and to purchase tickets: info@baublesforbanting.ca baublesforbanting.ca | 604.875.1775
Aarm Dental Group We’re in your neighborhood to make you smile…
0 9.0 *$ 9oom g Z in iten Wh
Aarm Dental Group on Cambie
Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
2180 Cambie Street
(at 6th & Cambie beside Best Buy)
604-684-0224 *Patients are required to have a new patient exam, Xrays and cleaning. You can receive a FREE Electronic Toothbrush or Dr. Vineyard Choy & Dr. Caroline McKillen Zoom In-Office Whitening for $ 99.00. Offer Expires May 30, 2015.
EMERGENCY & NEW PATIENTS WELCOME OPEN
MONDAY TO SATURDAY
www.aarm-dental.com May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 21
ARTS // CULTURE
WESTENDER.COM
ART
Life after punk
Musician Andy Dixon reflects on a fresh start in the fine arts KELSEY KLASSEN @kelseyklassen
Old punks never die, they just stand at the back – or so the saying goes. But what about young punks?What do they do when the craving for anarchy wanes… If you’re Andy Dixon, you take up fine art painting, apparently. For most of his 35 years, Dixon has been best known as the former guitarist/vocalist of d.b.s – a NorthVancouver punk band that formed in 1992, when the members were still in Grade 8. Between the tender age of 12 to when the band broke up in 2001, Dixon and co. toured with the likes of Rancid, AntiFlag, and D.O.A. Meanwhile, in keeping with the DIY mentality of his punk rock ilk, Dixon would often find his talents extended to drawing the album art and making the band posters. After d.b.s, Dixon stuck with music, playing withThe Red Light Sting, tweaking knobs as The Epidemic, and mashing samples as Secret Mommy and Caving. His DJ sets were sweaty and his live performances raw. Then Dixon started painting.The art was immediately arresting – witty, Basquiat-like scribbles of images and text on numb beige backgrounds. But still they sat in his portfolio next toT-shirt designs and album covers. Then, in 2012, he really started painting: Sumptuous, psychedelic colours clashing with unexpected images of nostalgic luxury: bare, fauvist breasts aching to be set on fire, mottled emperors on horseback and neon exotic
pets, transected with slashes of crayonesque pastel. The glitchy music, the artful posters, the corporate designs slowly took a backseat to solo shows, gallery gigs in Austin, NewYork and London, and a full-time painting career. But what of the punk? Is he now screaming expletives onto canvases and into the living rooms of the rich? We caught up with a paintspattered and sweatshirted Dixon in his airy Mt. Pleasant studio, surrounded by canvases for Canadiana, his fourth Vancouver solo show, at Initial Gallery. Always one to source inspiration through images, Dixon has delved into Google’s image banks to piece together an intriguing homage of sorts to Canadian art: Group of Seven, Robert Bateman, JeffWall, and IanWallace imagery or influences appear throughout – remix, sampled, stylized. About to leave for NewYork for six months to paint, the patriotic timing couldn’t be better. And as he curls into a green velvet chair in the corner of the room, the eyes of the Canadian legends are upon him.
Tell me about the theme of your show? Did you pore over old Maclean’s magazines for inspiration? Ha.Yeah, basically.The Internet equivalent of. I’m certainly not an expert when it comes to Canadian art, but that’s sort of part of it. It was whatever I could think of… Oh yeah, Group of Seven, I should probably do something there. Google image search. Oh, Robert Bateman, I should do something with that. It was a lot of fun to find little morsels and reference points to slip in there. Did you learn anything about Canadian art history in the process? Yeah. I learned some of the names in the Group of
Seven, for instance.
Ha. Most people only know the one name. Everyone only knows Lawren Harris! For the most part it’s kind of like, intentionally naive. So, I don’t know if I learned very much because it’s quite surface-y. I dug no deeper than aWikipedia page or an image search. It’s sort of like today’s Internet cultureversion of research. You’ve talked in interviews before about how your art is pointedly not political; would that be why you don’t delve too deep into what you’re trying to say? Totally. Absolutely. Nevermind the Canadiana show, I’m sure with some of my portraiture of French Kings, for example, I could find out that they’re the worst people on earth. It’s aesthetic research more than anything else. Does it ever get inadvertently political? I think people tend to see politics in everything. I think especially when you’re dealing with images of class; it’s just a knee-jerk response to think that I’m trying to say something poignant about class. The only political statement in the work is the lack of political statement. It’s sort of exposing that viewer’s judgement of the subject, or of me for painting the subject. Because you’re loosely painting from life, do you view your colour treatments as an improvement on what you see? I wouldn’t say I’m improving; I’m just joining in the conversation. I’m certainly not saying, ‘Here’s JeffWall, but better!!’ It’s just a series of references. I mean, authors have been doing it for thousands of years. Pretty much everything is the Bible if you trace it back far enough [Laughs]. I like that; I like allusions to predecessors. I think it’s an important thing.
Vancouver artist Andy Dixon’s latest solo show, Canadiana, sees his signature colourful spin put to the ideas of Canadian art legends like Robert Bateman. Rob Newell photo I think that it’s possible that certain facets of modern art are losing sight of that.We still owe a lot to the Matisses and Caravaggios… I think audiences need a bread crumb trail. Yeah, I think so. I think the breadcrumb trail is cool! Not doing that reminds me of my more arrogant punk days, where I thought that punk music was so detached from musical history and it was “brand new”.Whereas when you get older and you listen to everything you know that’s fucking bullshit. Obviously. Those reference points and nods to various things that led up to this moment are super important, and we shouldn’t overlook where art has come from. I’m all for pushing it forward, but we should have that respect for the past.
Medical Marijuana Franchise Opportunities Baked Goods
www.weedsglassandgifts.com 22 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
How much has your early exposure to the punk scene informed your art? I think it has in many different ways, whether it’s things that I learned from the punk scene or things that I specifically didn’t like about the punk scene. I think choosing to use images of luxury is definitely an antithesis to my punk lifestyle. Because you started so young, are you now a world weary artist? I don’t know. I mean, I’ve only been a painter fulltime, or with any real serious conviction for like, three years? Maybe as you get older you figure out how to carry experiences, even if they don’t directly relate directly to painting, you figure out how to apply them practically to the next thing. So you’re not start-
ing from scratch each time, you learn plenty, and that’s evident even in the way that I talk about my art and the art world. I can only do it in music metaphors basically. [Laughs]. I have 15 years of musical experience, learning how the music business works, which is pretty similar. Do you think it’s kind of crazy that that isn’t your main focus right now, in basically the prime of your creative career? Yeah. Kind of.Yeah! But I think it’s crazy in a good way. Either I’m in the prime of my creative life and I switched it at a weird time, or switching just created this impact where I was fully charged and ready to go – I had learned all these things in this other world and I was fresh. Or maybe I’m just a better painter than I was a musician! [Laughs]
OPEN DAILY AT 12 LOCATIONS AROUND VANCOUVER • 1807 Burrard St (@ 2nd) • 604.336-4448 • 1232 Burrard St (@ Davie) • 604-428-2420 • 2580 Kingsway (@ 34th) • 604-336-0420 • 3450 E. Hastings St (@ Cassiar) • 604-568-4420 • 2619 W. 4th Ave (@ Bayswater) • 604-336-6420 • 211 E. 16th Ave (@ Main) • 604-336-5420 • 6657 Main St (@ 51st) • 604-336-7420 • 1193 Main St (@ Terminal) • 778-379-1420 • 5038 Victoria Dr (@ 34th) • 778-379-4420 • 1108 Richards St (@ Helmcken) • 604-891-1420 • 991 Marine Dr (North Van) • 778-340-2420 • 11295 Clearbrook Rd (Abbotsford)
Westender.com
ARTS // CULTURE
@WESTENDERVAN
ART Ha. It’s possible. We’ll leave that to the readers to decide... You’ve talked about how the punk scene was very do-ityourself and those principles are how you figured out how to paint. Can you explain? A friend of mine talks about how people who all grew up in the same moment have “The Understanding”. It’s hard to describe but it was a weird thing that happened in the ‘90s and early 2000s where very eager, music-driven people put on shows in the most random places.That kind of do-it-yourself, just make it happen – you have an idea, just do it – really stuck with me. It is absolutely a part of everything I do. Another thing I think is sort of a parallel to the punk world in my work, is, in a way, punk music was a kind of outsider art, meaning the idea wasn’t to have a lot of academic or technical prowess.You weren’t trying to impress anybody with your raging guitar solo. It was about emoting and expressing yourself outside of this idea of technical perfection. I think that’s something that’s been with me in everything that I’ve done since. Anyone can lock themselves in their room and learn to play guitar with the perfect amount of taut emotion, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. It’s even in the images you create. They’re all very romantic but there’s also a bit of a “fuck you” happening. There’s always a “fuck you” happening.There’s a constant paradox, which I equate to another era of music making, which was sampling. I’d make a track out of a Pink song and so it’s this idea of turning pop culture back on itself. But at the same time, I’m an aestheti-
cally minded person, so now I’m digging through the Pink song trying to find the best part to sample, and I’m kinda starting to like the song. It’s now this duality.There is an intention to subvert but also to highlight the beauty of it, in a way. Do you ever get called on your sampling of photography or artwork by other artists? No. I think to stylize somebody else’s work is again that idea of joining in on this conversation. And it’s never a 100 per cent reproduction.That has been changed, this has been changed. And another part of what I’m doing is a nod to modern Internet culture and this idea of the consumption of the image, and the sharing of the image…. …who owns what? Exactly, that’s been a huge theme of mine since I was making songs out of Pink songs. It is a sort of copyright challenge. Intellectual property rights is a very interesting concept to me. Ever wonder what the artists you reference would think? That’s a good question, and I think that if there is ever going to be an opportunity to find out, it will be this show. I mean, IanWallace lives here, JeffWall lives here. Maybe for the first time ever the “Great Conversation” will become a real conversation. W
ANDY DIXON, ‘CANADIANA’
is on display at Initial Gallery (2339 Granville) from May 14-June 13. Opening night: May 14, 6-9pm.
Emerging artists evolve with rEvolver KELSEY KLASSEN @kelseyklassen
Vancouver has a long and rewarding history of DIY theatre, from the scrappy origins of the Fringe Festival and PuSh’s enthralling winter takeover, to the site-specific nuances of smaller festivals like the immersive BC Buds Festival or the newly defunct InThe House festival (RIP). If there is a restless theatre community, a local festival has historically emerged to give it a home. And it was in this same spirit of support that the earliest incarnation of the rEvolver Festival was born. “In the early 2000s, the theatre community was more ‘Balkanized’ than it is now,” says rEvolver co-founder and theatre artist Daniel Martin. “People who went to Studio 58 worked with people who went to Studio 58, and people who went to SFU worked with people who went to SFU. There just wasn’t any real opportunity for us.” So, in their mid-20s, Martin and business partner David Mott decided they would fill the void and start a festival that presented the work of fellow outliers like themselves. “It means so much when somebody gives you an opportunity,” says Martin, now 40. “It’s a cutthroat business – a really hard business to get a career going and to get momentum.Whenever anybody has put a hand out to me or helped me in my career it has meant so much. So you try and give back.”
And they have: In the past 15 years, the duo has gone from running theWalking Fish Festival – a wide open place for new artists to dabble – to Neanderthal Arts, for more established artists, to rEvolver – a place for young Canadian theatre artists to be showcased amongst a curated selection of other innovative and adventurous souls. Since its inception in 2013, rEvolver – landing conceptually between the heady risk of Fringe and the assured acclaim of PuSh – has strived to present the full spectrum of what’s out there in contemporary theatre. “We have that curatorial vision and an identity and we’re trying to guarantee a particular level of artistic achievement, “ says Martin, “but there’s still some risk in that, yeah, they’re emerging artists and they’re trying new things.” This year Martin and Mott have put a topical piece like Half Girl/Half Face by Zoë Erwin-Longstaff, exploring the dark side of the Internet and the loss of personal identity through technology, alongside the exquisite shadow puppetry of Caws and Effect (a second chance to see this 2014 Vancouver Fringe Fest hit sell-out), next to the comedy ofThe Progessive Polygamists and a 26 song-cycle cowboynoir opera by Jeff and Ryan Gladstone. “I’m not a genre person…” says Martin, slyly. “I love variety and that spark of the new, and that thrill you get from seeing something that you’ve
Mind of a Snail’s large-scale shadow theatre production, Caws and Effect, returns for rEvolver Festival. Contributed photo never quite seen before …We don’t really do a lot of ‘kitchen sink’ drama,” he adds with a laugh. Martin hopes, given the right opportunity, that many of these artists leave rEvolver primed for bigger and broader things. Shows like Stationary: A Recession Era Musical and Kayak, which have recently made the main stage rounds in Vancouver, got their start with Neanderthal, and Martin adds that many of the misfits from theWalking Fish days have also gone on to renowned things. The best measure of success, says Martin, is to see artists get too big for their little festival.
“Everybody outgrows us, or outgrows the festival at least, which is what you like to see,” says Martin. “A lot of the people who were in theWalking Fish festival the first year are now running big organizations inVancouver and across Canada. And I think, last year, something like 25 people that had been in our festival were nominated for Jessie Awards. And you’re stoked,” he says humbly. “You’re like, ‘Oh good. It’s working.’” W $ "+=19=-":A-6@"- )-!@?=69 ">3! .64 &(,%'*:?2<-@! 630 !A1;@?5-! 6@ 7#83:A-/?":A-6@"-*215*
We are Vancouver’s Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary Doctor available Tuesday and Thursday Call for details.
• Flowers • Pre-Rolls • Tinctures • Edibles • Topicals • Concentrates
invites you to a summer kick-off party with
YVR BAND
925 DAVIE STREET • 604-899-4120 WWW.KANDUCANNAMEDS.COM INFO@KANDUCANNAMEDS.COM KANDU-CANNAMEDS
Insta
@KANDUCANNAMEDS
YOUR VANCOUVER ROCK BAND
www.yvrband.com
FRIDAY, MAY 29
At the Comox Street Bar & Grill
8PM
1763 Comox Street
Buy one Molson Canadian Draft and receive one FREE raffle ticket for a chance to win:
WHISTLER GRAND PRIZE GETAWAY 2 nights at Coast Blackcomb Whistler + Dinner for 2 at Bearfoot Bistro + Scandinave Spa package for 2
Sponsored by:
coasthotels.com
Westender.com
Street
BAR & GRILL
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 23
ARTS // CULTURE
WESTENDER.COM
FILM & TV
Welcome to the Bad City Locally-produced Canuxploitation film screens at Rio Theatre Sabrina Furminger Reel People @Sabrinarmf
Canuxploitation is the mashup film genre you didn’t even know you were missing, and Bad City is its grooviest specimen. The made-in-Vancouver indie comedy has been riding the film festival circuit since premiering at the 2014 Whistler Film Festival, where it was one of Reel People’s top picks. This week, it will finally screen for the hometown crowd. Directed by Carl Bessai (who took on the film noir genre in 2013’s No Clue), Bad City positions itself in its first few frames as an authentic example of Canuxploitation. The genre had a brief
hurrah in the ‘70s when American filmmakers took advantage of tax incentives to film B-movies in the Great White North. Bad City riffs on this retro genre, cleverly employing many of the tropes we’ve come to associate with Blaxploitation films of the same era: choppy editing; sloppy continuity; overacting; random product placement; stock footage; and dated turns of phrase. “The idea came up, and we were like, ‘What if we did this ‘70s cop thing, and it was bad? And we made a bad movie?’ And we were all, ‘We would love to make a bad movie,’” said co-star and co-writer Dustin Milligan during a press junket at the Whistler Film Festival. “It took us only 10 days to write the script, because we could leave every error in there. Overly expository dialogue? We left it in, because it worked.” Reel People’s interview with Milligan was borderline surreal: the usually cleanshaven actor (whose numerous credits include 90210, X Company, and Schitt’s Creek)
arrived for the press junket virtually unrecognizable in his full Bad City get-up – flowing wig, faux beard, bandana, chain, Burt Reynolds shades, and suede vest – as if he’d just stepped off of the screen and out of the ‘70s. In Bad City, Milligan is Detective Reverend Grizzly Night-Bear, a spiritually inclined, powder-lovin’ cop who’s handy with a pair of nunchucks. He’s paired with Detective Franky New Guinea (co-writer Aaron Brooks), a lothario currently mourning the death of his partner (Viv Leacock in a brief but scene-stealing role). The duo is tasked with investigating a party drug that’s killing teens left and right. This is a buddy cop movie, so naturally, Night-Bear and Franky don’t get along at first – but the storyline is almost secondary to the conceit of the film, you dig? Besides offering a fresh take on a bygone genre, Bad City is also an example of brohood in action. Milligan and Brooks met at an industry Christmas party in 2003. “We ran into
MASTER
Dustin Milligan and Aaron Brooks star in Canuxploitation spoof Bad City, screening at Rio Theatre on May 15. each other at the bar, did random, terrible Boston accents with each other, and have been friends ever since,” said Milligan. Before Bad City, they’d frequently discussed cowriting and co-producing a film together – something many actors talk about, but few ever attempt, according to Milligan. “Everyone talks, ‘we should make a sketch, or we should make our own show,’ and I get so tired of that conversation, but what was great with Brooksy is that we actually followed through with it,” Milligan said, before describing himself as a “huge Brooks fan.” “I think Brooks is so good
in this movie,” he raved. “I’m wearing the crazy beard, but I think Brooks is so earnest in his performance in this movie. It’s hilarious.” The film was shot at Capilano University (“There were three different sets that we used, but they were all in one room. We were just shooting in different corners”) and at locations around Vancouver, and features a veritable who’swho of local talent, including David Cubitt as crooked city councilor Dominic Kincaid, Amanda Crew (SiliconValley) as Franky’s bookish love interest, and Ali Liebert, David Lewis, and Jay Brazeau. “The collaborative nature
of the movie is probably what was most exciting for us all, and the entire cast and crew had a say in every scene they were in, and I think the film benefitted as a result,” said Milligan. “We shot it with no money and all on favours, and it turned out, we think, pretty darn good.” W
BAD CITY screens at the Rio Theatre on May 15. A Q&A with Milligan, Brooks, Bessai, and crew will follow the screening. Can’t make it out for the superfly screening? Watch Bad City online at BadCityMovie.com.
of
COUNSELLING CLASSES TAUGHT BY A FACULTY OF VANCOUVER-BASED PRACTICING PROFESSIONALS
With your Master of Counselling from CityU, you’ll be prepared to help others when they need it most. If you have a bachelor’s degree and want a career as a Registered Clinical Counsellor or a Canadian Certified Counsellor, CityU’s Master of Counselling program could be a great fit.
Learn more at a Thursday info session:
May 21, 2015, 5:00pm
City University of Seattle in Vancouver, BC 789 West Pender Street, Suite 310, Vancouver RSVP to 1.800.663.7466
SP3804
www.CityUniversity.ca The term “university” is used under the written consent of the Minister of Advanced Education effective April 11, 2007, having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the minister. City University of Seattle is a not-for-profit and an Equal Opportunity institution accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
24 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Aaron Brooks and Amanda Crew in Bad City.
Westender.com
ARTS // CULTURE
REVIEWS
Tawfeek Barhom plays an Israeli Arab teen caught between two cultures in Dancing Arabs.
DANCING ARABS
Starring Tawfeek Barhom, Michael Moshonov, Danielle Kitsis Directed by Eran Riklis Taking its title from the Israeli expression “dancing at two weddings” – which describes the predicament of Israeli Arabs who must constantly weave their way through two distinct cultures – the latest feature from Eran Riklis (The Syrian Bride) has its own impressive balancing act to pull off. After initially trading in pointed comedy, this adaptation of Sayed Kashua’s novel soon sends its young protagonist on increasingly tragic trajectory. Fortunately, Riklis never puts a foot wrong, allowing what could be construed as a calculated parable to instead assume the form of an intimate character study. When we’re introduced to Eyad (an impish Razi Gabareen) as a devout Arab boy, he’s rebellious – weathering corporal punishment rather than waiver from his stance – and exceedingly bright – with a particular aptitude for riddles and puzzles. However, when he’s accepted into a prestigious Jerusalem boarding school as a teenager (and is now played by the more soulful Tawfeek Barhom), he finds no ready solutions for the rampant anti-Arab sentiment. Befriending Yonatan (Michael Moshonov) – a kindred outcast due to his debilitating muscular dystrophy – and embarking on a secret affair with Jewish classmate Naomi (Danielle Kitsis), Eyad grows increasingly emboldened. In turn, he comes to realize that his heritage and his very identity might become casualties in his fight for acceptance. With warplanes soaring overhead in its opening
Westender.com
minutes and subsequent scenes frequently backed by a soundtrack of newscasts concerning skirmishes in the region, the spectre of violence hangs over every second of the proceedings. However, the most riveting conflicts are all internal, as Eyad’s bearing reveals the tremendous toll of the compromises demanded of him. That these sacrifices are in the name of such seemingly modest gains ultimately makes the climax of Riklis’ film that much more compelling. –CurtisWoloschuk
HOT PURSUIT
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara Directed by Anne Fletcher It’s touted as one of the year’s most epic comedy duos teaming up for a wacky adventure, but Hot Pursuit fails miserably and belongs in the bargain basement pile of DVDs at Best Buy. A no-nonsense police officer (Witherspoon) is tasked with protecting the loudmouthed widow (Vergara) of a drug lord in order for her to provide some crucial testimony. Along the way, the pair is pursued by murderous gunmen and crooked cops. The problems
begin with David Feeney and John Quaintance’s lukewarm script which squanders the talents of the lead actresses and reduces many of the movie’s gags to pathetic physical comedy and cultural stereotypes. Witherspoon, to her credit, at least attempts to add some gravitas to her character’s generic personality. Vergara, on the other hand, is reduced to squawking like a Colombian Fran Drescher while flaunting her cleavage and is virtually a carbon copy of her persona in TV’s Modern Family. This film isn’t just flat, it’s exceedingly dull. Despite literally a few chuckle-worthy moments where the comedic gears seem to click, the rest of the tired plot plays out in predictable fashion and one has to wonder if the talented stars realized they were dealing with such shoddy material midw ay through production. Perhaps the biggest flaw of Hot Pursuit, which exists in a landscape full of funny females, is that despite its claims of being fiercely feminist, the film succumbs to the same tropes that pigeonholed women in comedies for years, essentially setting the whole movement back. W –Thor Diakow
Brewed with Citra hops for a fullflavoured, laid back taste. Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara star in Hot Pursuit.
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 25
ARTS // CULTURE
WESTENDER.COM
FILM & TV
DOXA names top doc
‘Eadweard’ and ‘Motive’ lead 2015 Leo nominations
ROBERT MANGELSDORF @robmangelsdorf
A documentary focusing on life in rural Egypt as revolution rages a world away in Cairo has taken the top prize at year’s DOXA Documentary Film Festival. Anna Roussillon’s film Je suis le peuple (I Am the People) was presented with the Feature Documentary Award at the DOXA closing gala on Sunday (May 10). The jury was united in their admiration for Roussillon’s debut feature. “Intimate, funny, and immersive, the film allows us to witness the unfolding events of the Arab Spring and its aftermath through the eyes of a peasant farming family living in a small village near Luxor,” stated jury members Roger Evan Larry, Randy Lee Cutler and Adam Cook of the winning film. “It is documentary storytelling at its most
Anna Roussillon’s film Je suis le peuple (I Am the People) was the winner of DOXA’s Feature Documentary Award. compelling and empathic, truly a triumph. Cain’s Children by Marcell Gerö, which looked at juvenile murderers imprisoned for most of their lives, was given an honourable mention. “The film offers a graceful and moving contemplation of the aftermath of trauma and guilt,” said the jury. The Short Documentary Award went to Dan Popa’s film Island and Flight, with an honourable mention given to Charlie Tyrell’s I Thought I ToldYou to Shut Up!! Kevin Nikkel’s film On the Trail of the Far Fur Country
was awarded The Colin Low Award for Canadian Documentary. “The film evokes a nostalgia for the time while reflecting on our complicated past in a well-paced and technically accomplished film,” stated the jury of their decision. “This is a sensitive and optimistic exploration of two cultures, First Nation and European, then and now.” An honourable mention was also given to Cliff Caines’ film, A Rock and a Hard Place. The Nigel Moore Award for Youth Programming was given to Victoria Lean’s
debut documentary After the Last River, which had its world premiere at DOXA. Jury members Steven Hawkins, Anna Hetherington and Jacob Saltzberg also gave an honourable mention to Jerry Rothwell’s How to Change theWorld. W
Missed out on DOXA? Well you’re in luck! Best of DOXA, a selection of films that sold out at the 2015 festival runs May 23-24 at The Cinematheque. Visit DOXAFestival.ca for more info.
Elections BC is administering the vote-by-mail plebiscite. You can vote if you are:
■ A Canadian citizen ■ 18 years of age or older, on or before May 29, 2015 ■ A resident of B.C. for at least six months, on or before May 29, 2015 ■ Registered to vote in B.C. ■ Living in Metro Vancouver If you have not received a voting package, call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 before midnight May 15 to ask for one. Elections BC must receive your completed ballot package before 8 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2015. Visit elections.bc.ca or call 1-800-661-8683 for more information.
26 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Reel People will be on site for all three nights of the 2015 Leo Awards. Watch it unfold on Twitter (@WestenderVan and @sabrinarmf).
REVIEW //
TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT PLEBISCITE
1- 8 0 0 - 6 61- 8 6 8 3
Motive is the lead contender in the television category with 21 nominations. View the full nomination list at Westender.com. The awards – which recognize excellence in British Columbia film and television – will be handed out over three nights (June 6, 13, and 14) at the Westin Bayshore and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. W –Sabrina Furminger
BEST OF DOXA
2015 METRO VANCOUVER
ele c tio n s . b c .c a
Films about an eccentric photographer, a serial killer, singing bedbugs, ‘70s-era buddy cops, and a faked pregnancy are all in the running for 2015 Leo Awards. Nominations for the 2015 Leo Awards were announced on Monday afternoon via the organization’s website. Josh Epstein’s Eadweard – about famed 19th century stop-motion photographer Eadweard Muybridge – leads the motion picture category with 15 nominations (the film, starring Michael Eklund, has yet to screen in Vancouver, but has been scooping up awards on the film festival circuit). CTV’s crime procedural
Carey Mulligan stars in Thomas Vinterberg’s take on the classic Thomas Hardy novel, Far from the Madding Crowd.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Starring Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, Michael Sheen Directed by Thomas Vinterberg Should you ever happen to score an invite to Tomas Vinterberg’s place for Christmas, I’d suggest that you politely decline. In both 2012’s harrowing The Hunt and this assured Thomas Hardy adaption, the Dane has deemed the Yuletide season the ideal occasion for climactic confrontations. Of course, before things can fall apart, Vinterberg must first assemble this Victorian-era narrative’s romantic quadrangle that features the headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) and her three suitors: stoic shepherd Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), cocksure soldier Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge) and solemn recluse William Boldwood (Michael Sheen, in perhaps his saddest-eyed role yet). As these disparate men’s fortunes fluctuate, Vinterberg lends considerable fluidity to the accompanying shifts in power dynamics. Undoubtedly, the coauthor of the Dogme 95
Manifesto (which stressed lo-fi aesthetics and authenticity in filmmaking) initially seems a strange fit for a handsome new edition of an oft-told period piece. And, on at least one occasion – a sexually-charged knife-sharpening lesson that comes to resemble Ghost’s pottery scene – the provocateur seems to be having a go at the target audience. For the most part, however, Vinterberg discovers the instances of genuine humour in Hardy’s work. Likewise, he commands complex performances from his cast, lending an emotional ruggedness to the will-theyor-won’t-they-or-will-it-bethose-two-instead. Mulligan is exceptional as the self-possessed Bathsheba. Ultimately, it’s not her romantic trials that render her compelling so much as her staunch determination to establish her independence. And when Mulligan passionately intones the film’s telling line – “It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs” – it’s apparent that this embattled heroine is worthy of our devotion. W –CurtisWoloschuk
Westender.com
REAL ESTATE //
@WESTENDERVAN
Rob Joyce & Sales Associate Roger Ross 604.623.5433 website www.robjoyce.ca email robjoyce@telus.net phone
WEST COAST
West End Specialist Rob Joyce
Sales Associate Roger Ross
Nobody knows the West End better! MLS Diamond Master MedallionAward 2014
New Listing 1010 Burnaby #1903 Sub Penthouse NW corner 1564 sf 2 bdrm, 3 bath + English Bay patio in the sky at The Ellington. First class upgrades. $1,199,000.
New Listing 1816 Haro #305 West of Denman Stunningly beautiful upgrades & large open balcony on the West side of Huntington Place. Everything new! $349,900.
OPEN: SAT 2:00 - 3:00 1967 Barclay #403 New Price SW corner renovated and bright 1 bdrm a block to Stanley Park. Pet friendly and has one rental space free. $338,000.
New Listing 1816 Haro #401 West of Denman NE corner 1 + den (can easily be converted into a 2 bdrm). Bright, new kitchen, large balcony at Huntington Place. $369,900.
Lost Lagoon 2015 Haro #105 Water Views to the lagoon, 2 bedroom on Stanley Park with windows on three sides, real hardwood, mid century Art Modern design. 931 sf. $699,900.
Sunset Beach 1055 Harwood #212 Heritage Character bright 705 sf South corner suite off Sunset Beach. Beautifully renovated, real hardwood. Impeccable building. $319,900.
The Lamplighter 1146 Harwood #1403 Water Views NW corner 595 sf 1 bdrm, open views in prime Sunset Beach strata. Prime suite in the West End of town. $349,900.
425 SF Deck 1705 Nelson #402 Top Floor 1 + office with private deck, w/b f/p, Mexican tiled floors, is/la, new kitchen. Best feature: the penthouse level patio deck. $439,900.
MAUREEN YOUNG
PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION
Certified Senior Agent & Luxury Marketing Specialist
Senior Mortgage Advisor
Thanks Clients for Making Me One of the 2014 “Top 100 RE/MAX Realtors in Western Canada”! A Sophisticated Approach to Lifestyle Attainment. Professional Advisement and Marketing of Fine Vancouver Properties.
CURRENT RATES 5 Year Fixed 5 Year Variable
2.59% 2.00%
(Prime less 0.85%)
Rates subject to change without notice. O.A.C.
DIDYOU KNOW you can make your mortgage interest tax deductible? If you are a homeowner or purchasing a home with at least 20% equity, you may be eligible to set up your mortgage and generate thousands in annual tax benefits and mortgage interest savings. Contact me for details.
Contact me for all your purchase, refinance and renewal options. Other rates and terms available.
CALL 604-805-5888
maureen@maureenyoung.ca | maureenyoung.ca Dominion Lending – Downtown Financial An Independently Owned & Operated Corporation
Westender.com
Number One Realtor in Office 2012, 2013 & 2014 2014 RE/MAX Chairman’s Club Award Winner
CURRENT LISTINGS: MACKENZIE HEIGHTS NEW PRICE
More on My Website at: www.MichaelDowling.ca
YALETOWN
WEST END
LOWER LONSDALE
YALETOWN
GASTOWN
COMING SOON
NEW PRICE
NEW LISTING
JUST SOLD!
OFFER PENDING
1506-1055 Homer Street, “Domus,” $568,000
1001-1250 Burnaby Street, $262,800
BY APPOINTMENT
2905 West 37th Avenue, $4,780,000
• Brand New 5,383 SQFT 7 Bdrm, 8 Bath Home • Stunning Architectural Craftsman-Style Masterpiece • 4 Bdrms Up, 1 Down, Plus 900 SQFT 2 Bed, 2 Bath Legal Suite • Three Car Garage • Beautiful Landscaping, Built-in Water Fountains & BBQ • Stunning Oak Floors, High-End Appliances, Wok Kitchen • Mackenzie Heights/Kerrisdale – Near Best Schools and Right on Bike Route • Completion February 2015
Crest Westside Ltd.
OPEN SAT & SUN 2-4PM
• Sought After Luxury Condo in Yaletown’s “Domus” • 770SQFT large 1 Bdrm & Nice Balcony • Gorgeous New Floors and Designer Finishings • Bosch Appliances, Granite & Carrera Marble Counters • Grohe Fixtures and Deep Soaker Tub • Corner Suite With Lots of Windows • 1 Parking, 1 Storage, Guest Suite, Gym, Sauna/Steam Room, Caretaker. • Pets and Rentals Allowed! Welcome Home.
Prepare to be MOVED™.
• Gorgeous, best unit in building at “The Horizon” • Second From The Top, South West Corner With Protected Ocean Views! • Junior 1 Bedroom With Partition Wall For Bedroom • Stunning Renovation with Beautiful Hardwood and Tile Designer Floors • Built-in Halogens Thru-ought, Quartz Counters, Jacuzzi Tub in Bathroom • Stunning Rooftop Deck, Pool and Rec Area, Parking and Storage Available • Commercial Leasehold till 2073 • Rentals Allowed,Welcome Home!
FIRST OPENS! SAT & SUN 2-4PM
301-168 E. Esplanade Avenue, N.Van., $388,000 • Fantastic 600SQFT 1Bedroom in Prestigious “Esplanade West” • Huge 166SQFT Outdoor Private Patio • Concrete and Designer Finishing and High End Appliances • Steps to Hip Happening Lower Lonsdale Amenities and Seabus • Quiet Side of Building. Rentals Allowed! • Welcome Home!
1901-1055 Homer Street
• Sought After Luxury Condo in Yaletown’s “Domus” • 1041SQFT large 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath & Three Balconies • Gorgeous Designer Finishings • Bosch Appliances, Granite & Carrera Marble Counters • Grohe Fixtures and Deep Soaker Tub • Corner Suite With Lots of Windows • 2 Parking, 1 Storage, Guest Suite, Gym, Sauna/Steam Room, Caretaker. • Pets and Rentals Allowed! Welcome Home.
Call Us Today for a Confidential Needs Assessment and Market Analysis
212-168 Powell Street, 428,800
• Designer Chic Garden Suite in “SMART”! • Best End/Corner Unit in Building • 755SQFT On Inner Courtyard With 100SQFT Private Patio! • Beautiful Designer Finishings • Amazing Functional Layout • Two Blocks to Crab Park Beach,Transit,Amazing Shops & Restaurants • 1 Parking, Bike Rooms, Gym, Pets & Rentals Allowed! • This one is HOT!
604-787-5568
www.MichaelDowling.ca
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 27
LIFESTYLES //
WESTENDER.COM
REAL ESTATE
Why strata documents don’t have to be daunting Real Estate Opens
BARRY MCGEE REW.ca
for a wood framed structure and $10,000 per unit for a concrete building is a good rule of thumb.
DEPRECIATION REPORTS
The prospect of buying into a strata unit is all too familiar for Vancouverites, and with good reason.The price of land continues to skyrocket due to a demand level that has a voracious, unquenchable appetite, and for many who wish to live in urban areas, condos are the only option. Fortunately most residents of our fair city are more than comfortable with the restrictions involved with shared living. Buying into a condo doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and when it comes to strata documents it really is about consumers being protected and making sure the building isn’t facing any major issues.
Condo buyers are very well protected inVancouver and the rest of BC, largely due to strict government regulations. Depreciation reports need to be done every three years in BC.This expense ensures that there are no big surprises for new owners, and current owners can address and serious issues facing their building. Buildings with four or fewer units aren’t required to have a depreciation report, and a strata council can decide not to conform if 75 per cent of owners don’t want to incur this expense. Learn more about the requirements in BC here. Navigating a depreciation report can be quite challenging, so it’s important to have as many eyes on it as possible.
LEARN FROM THE MINUTES
The key component you’ll want to address is any future work that needs to be done to the building. If there are three or four major projects recommended to be completed in the next 10 years, it might be time to reconsider the purchase or to negotiate a further discount from the purchase price.
BUILDING FINANCIALS Going over the year-end
CARNEY’S CORNER
financials of a building will reveal what type of expenses your building incurs year after year. Are there any items that stick out like a sore thumb? Buildings require consensus between owners to add any new expenses to the docket, so if you notice a number of questionable items you could be dealing with a condo board that likes to spend. Contingency is important when buying into strata, many people don’t realize that strata’s have first dibs on your money - even before property taxes and your mortgage! When you buy into a building, try and buy into a building with a high financial reserve. As a rule of thumb, $5,000 per unit
West End Neighbours
West End
1001-1250 Burnaby St, Jr.1 bdrm, $262,800, Sat & Sun 2:00-4:00
27
305-1816 Haro St, 1 bdrm, $349,900, Sun 2:00-3:00
27
401-1816 Haro St, 1 bdrm + den, $369,900, Sun 3:00-3:30
27
1500 Pendrell St, $359,900, Sat 12:00-1:00
29
403-1967 Barclay St, 1 bdrm, $338,000, Sat 2:00-3:00
27
Fairview
1005West 7th Ave, 2 bdrm + den, $935,000 Sat & Sun 2:00-4:00
29
Lower Lonsdale
301-168 E. Esplanade Ave., 1 bdrm, $388,000, 27 Sat & Sun 2:00-4:00
Sherree Mitchell & Frank Zomar
vICToRIa Day sPeCIal Rare West of Denman two bedroom two bath subpenthouse featuring English Bay views, totally upgraded interior & superbly maintained common areas for carefree living steps to Stanley Park, English Bay & all shops & services. Your immaculate home affords views from all rooms as well as sunny balcony perfect for bbqs & summer evenings. Engineered red oak floors throughout all living areas while totally reburbished baths sport ceramic tile. All cabinetry is solid wood, while kitchen counters are stone & baths granite. Each closet has been rebuilt with space maximizing organizers & top mounting sliders while all 15 windows & sliders are covered by custom UV blinds. You will note the immaculate condition & attention to detail of this home from the gas fireplace & front loading Maytags & fixtures to deep baseboards & doorcasings. This pet friendly oasis comes complete with large locker, underground parking, bike room, gym, sauna & jacuzzi in manicured garden setting. It will be gone before you know it! $725,000
WEN
Reading through the strata council minutes can be a little tedious, but it’s an important component of making an informed purchase decision. Do your fellow owners take action when something needs to be done or do they defer to another time? There is no worse course of action than trying to avoid issues in a building, in my opinion. Deciding if the council is proactive or reactive is one of the primary reasons to go over the minutes. Strata minutes shouldn’t be overwhelming or daunting, but it is important to have several people go over the documents on your behalf – including a real estate professional or two. Consumers in BC are very well protected, but leaving anything to chance when it comes to a real estate purchase is extremely foolish. –Story courtesy of Real EstateWeekly
Born and raised in Vancouver – let our local knowledge move you.
NEW LISTING 210-1274 Barclay Street
! D L SO
2 bedroom suite with large wrap-around deck. 831sf. New kitchen & bathroom. Great building! 2 cats welcome.
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
Ciz.cBrn?A@c?nturA21.cB • www.vancouvercondo.com C?nturA 21 In T@wn R?BCtA • 421 PBcific • 1030 D?nmBn
In Town Realty
SELECT PROPERTIES
5487 West Boulevard, Vancouver
Sherree Mitchell 604.240.0762 Frank Zomar 604.377.5728
2% OF ALL SALES PROCEEDS BENEFIT BCSPCA & WWF
LIANAY@TELUS.NET
Sutton Group - West Coast Realty
604.729.2126
W W W . L I A N A S H O W C A S E . C O M NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW YORK STYLE 2 LEVEL LOFT $479,900 602-1238 SEYMOUR ST
CASH FLOWING LEGAL MT PLEASANT DUPLEX $1,599,900 852/854 E 14TH AVE
Step inside this large, designer Yaletown 1 bdrm & den loft (857SF) in the trendy “Space” tower • Live/work zoning - great to run your business or just have an awesome home or weekend “getaway” • 12TH FLOOR IN ACTUAL HEIGHT, as suites below are all 2 levels as well! • Incredible 16’ ceilings, SW views of city & beyond • Huge gym, party room & secure outside BBQ concourse • Insuite storage & laundry In large walk-in closet • Sleek newer euro kitchen & appliances & bath • Recent walnut floors & designer paint • Office/den overloooking the action • Seawall, great restaurants & SkyTrain seconds away! • 1 parking, pets & rentals OK!
A renovation done to perfection, effectively a 5 yr old home finished with quality workmanship & materials • Main offers 3 bdrms, 9’ ceilings, living room has gas fireplace & built ins • Open kitchen features vaulted ceilings, cherry cabinets, s/s appl & ceasarstone counters • Family room off kitchen opens to large south facing deck • Up offers 560 sqft of unfinished attic space • Down is legal 2 bedroom suite w/ its own address, meter, 8’2 ceilings, polished concrete floors, s/s appl, w/d, electric fire place, separate front and back patio and gardens • All new concrete work, windows siding, drainage, wiring, plumbing, electrical service, landscaping & fencing.
THE OLIVE $419,000 406-3225 TUPPER ST
• Great 1 BR + den w/ gourmet kitchen w/ granite counters, quality cabinetry, KitchenAid s/s appl. • Fabulous north views & a balcony ideal for BBQs • Unit has a cozy living room with wide plank h/w flooring & fireplace • Great lifestyle unit in South Cambie steps to transit, shopping, cafes & restaurants • Pets & rentals welcome
YALETOWN SKYHOME WITH VIEWS $485,000 1909-501 PACIFIC
360º VIEW HOME $928,880 2505 VENABLES ST
JUST SOLD SOLD OVER FIRM! ASKING
VIEW SKY-DECK 3 BDRM TOWNHOME $648,880 13-3855 PENDER ST
SOLD IN 2 DAYS FOR OVER LIST PRICE!!
THE BELLEVUE, $579,000 401-2150 BELLEVUE AVE, DUNDARAVE
JUST SOLD FIRM!
YALETOWN PARK II $367,500 703-909 MAINLAND ST
SOLD FIRM!
RECENT SALES 676 CITADEL PARADE 406-570 E8TH AVE 1205-1200 ALBERNI ST 210-310 W 3RD ST, N VAN 410-456 MOBERLY RD
PACIFIC TERRACES $289,800 403-756 GREAT NORTHERN WAY
JUST SOLD!
506-256 E2ND AVE 318-1235 W 15TH AVE 2103-1020 BARCLAY 317-159 W 2ND AVE 617-159 W 2ND AVE 1201-125 COLUMBIA ST 201-710 CHILCO ST 604-250 E 6TH AVE
28 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
REAL ESTATE //
@WESTENDERVAN
STEPHEN BURKE
FAIRVIEW 180°
BACHELOR SWEET
SUTTON GROUP - WEST COAST REALTY
301-1508 W BROADWAY
604-714-1700
www.stephenburke.com
JUSLTD SO 1050 BURRARD $798,000 HOUSE SIZE ON THE PARK
604-551-4190
EXECUTIVE VIEW
W.E. TREEHOUSE
W NE
• • • • •
Fully furnished executive getaway Trophy suite high over park & ocean Breathtaking unobstructable views Perfectly scaled Designer furnishings Top Shelf renovations—it is a ‘10’
• • • • •
G TIN LIS
2-1 T1 A S O” T“ S 1
Treetop condo overlooking a mini-park Great West End loc. Close to Bay Kitchen & bath updates, 3 pets ok! Generous LR + DR-king size bedroom Entertainers’ deck. Insuite WD
. FT Q. S 00 16
• • • • •
4th floor 1600 sq. ft. 3 BR 2 bath End unit w/opening windows 3 sides Overlookingspectacularpostcardviews Stanley Park, Lost Lagoon & mountains Large sunny open plan granite kitchen
3
• • • • •
OM RO D BE
Entertainers’ dining for 8-12 guests Large LR w/oversize ‘picture’ window 2 king-size BR’s, 1 w/granite ensuite 3rd BR for media room, home office Prestigious Chilco Towers on the Park
2055 PENDRELL $750,000 1500 PENDRELL $359,900 710 CHILCO
• • • • •
W NE
G TIN LIS
Live in or rent out - $1150 Beautiful view to False Creek Updated kitchen, newer floors Concrete Leasehold to 2073 1 parking 1 storage. Big balcony
1330 HARWOOD
$215,000
AIRY 1 BEDROOM
• • • • •
W NE
G TIN LIS
600 sq. ft. bright NE corner Steps to Seawall, Beach, Village Live in or rent out for $1500.+ Concrete Leasehold to 2073 1 parking, storage, big balcony
$1,050,000 1330 HARWOOD
• • • • • •
EN OP
-4 N2 /SU T SA
Rare 1 level with panoramic view 2 Bedroom + den rainscreened strata Sunken living & dining, wood fireplace King master bedroom, 2 outdoor areas Perfect for executive couple! 1 parking, 1 storage, pet friendly
$299,900 1005 W7TH
$935,000
www.dexterrealty.com 604-689-8226 Yaletown 604-336-3539 Main Street 604-263-1144 Kerrisdale
Layla Kevin Skipworth Managing Broker Bamford
Courtney Otto
Brad Pacaud
Taking our Listings Global
Jimi Brockett
Nicole Cannon
Michael Chen
Matthew Chow
Jennifer Devlin
Christopher Dohm
Raffi Elmajian
Scott Evans
Erica Fremeau
James Hau
Jeff Holmes
Megan King
Johan Leung
Clarence Lowe
Travis Mako
Jocelyn Manlapaz
Bob Moore
Sean Murty
Kris Pope
Mateen Qureshi
Nadine Ramos
Tyrone Robinson
Harj (Romi) Rai
Mike Rooney
Michael Shaw
Simmy Sandhu
Sheila Sontz
Melany Sue-Jonhson
Daryl Suarez
Natasha Sully
Larry Traverence
Esther Twerdochlib
Sharon Wayman
Michael Webster
Laurel Wood
Maria Zavaglia
Su-Marie Baird 604-263-1144
Matt Magee 604-790-6589
Candace Filipponi Reid Dewson 604-263-1144 604-263-1144
matt@mattmcgee.ca 101-1250 BURNABY ST.
www.loftsvancouver.com
$195,000
INVESTOR ALERT! PRICED TO SEE AND A GREAT LOCATION JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE BEACHES AND SEAWALL. Fantastic studio apartmenr with great income potential. With light renovations and a bit of paint, this suite could be fantastic revenue property. A great well-run concrete building that has undergone many updates & improvements and a great rooftop pool for summer entertaining. This is a leasehold prepaid non-strata so your maint. fees inc. tax, heat, hot water and all the other mentioned items.
Check out our website, www.dexterrealty.com for current market condition updates.
Westender.com
32-1425 LAMEY’S MILL RD.
$439,900
ALL YOU WANT AND MORE… Gorgeous fully renovated 1 bedroom suite in False Creek. Generous 929 sq.ft., with high-end finishes – bring your house-sized furniture. Open plan perfect for entertaining in or out of doors on your large private patio. Pets, rentals, parking & storage. Prepaid C.O.V. lease to 2040.
1406-938 SMITHE ST.
$549,900
Welcome to Electric Avenue. Seldom available floor plan, 2 bedroom plus den and 2 bathroom end unit! Quality Bosa built building, great city and a touch of ocean views. Spacious open floor plan, kitchen with granite countertops, new refinished wood floors and freshly painted rooms. Bedrooms located on opposite side of each other for privacy, master has walk-through closet to en-suite bathroom. Location is the best in the city everything at your doorstep. Rentals and pets okay.
626-610 GRANVILLE ST. $678,000 “The Hudson – Spacious and airy 962sf two level corner loft home, complete with two entrances and a balcony overlooking the private courtyard. This ZONED live/ work space is inspirational and comfortable, you might forget where you are until you walk outside and find all the possible amenities that you could imagine. High ceilings in the living room with a double set of windows that vertically spac two stories, a separate dining/office or as it is used for now: a second bedroom, two bathrooms (one up and one down), so functional and creative.
loftsvancouver.com
Commercial Real Estate Needs? Dexter Associates Realty’s
Ed Gramauskas Cell: 604-618-9727
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.
Details & Photos of all lofts for sale in Vancouver
commercial team will answer all of your questions and will help with
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 29
Two bedrooms from $419,900
LONSDALE AVENUE
N
1ST STREET WEST ESPLANADE WEST
CARRIE CATES COURT
ROGERS AVE.
You belong here.
CHESTERFIELD AVENUE
Balanced lifestyle meets breathtaking views in Lower Lonsdale. Discover contemporary one, two and three bedroom apartment residences by Polygon.
SALES CENTRE
LONSDALE QUAY MARKET
21 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver Open Noon to 6pm Daily (except Friday) 604.988.8856 westquay@polyhomes.com
30 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Westender.com
LIFESTYLES //
@WESTENDERVAN
HEALTH
To cleanse or not to cleanse Patty Javier Gomez Whole Nourishment
@WholeNourishBC Spring is here, the birds are chirping, the cherry blossoms have snowed and everyone is getting inspired by the good weather to get healthier, more active and altogether better. The seasonal changes are key stress times in nature when we need to lighten up our demands and consumption. Spring is the time for detoxing as we start to shed some of the nasty habits we might have indulged in through the winter months. Taking a break from the habits of day-to-day life is a great way to assess and check yourself. It is also a great excuse to improve your overall health. Most illnesses and diseases come from stagnation in the body, which usually means that something isn’t working to its full potential. We acquire toxins in many different ways, from the environment, eating, medications, allergens, food addictives, your dog and even that book you touched. Not all are detrimental to your health but you best believe that your
Check with your naturopath or nutritionist to see if a cleanse is right for you. The Juice Truck (TheJuiceTruck.ca) photo body is going try and push that shit out STAT. But if your system isn’t working properly, you will have a harder time doing it. Proper elimination of toxins are essential to our overall health, a healthy functioning body is able to handle and quickly get rid of a certain amount, but it’s when there is an excess intake, or production of toxins and a decrease of the elimination process when we have problems arise. Simply put, if you are eating a healthy balanced whole foods diet most of the time, your body is able to function properly
and get rid of the toxins you ate hungover in the form of pop and fritos. According to American nutrition expert Dr. Elson M. Haas, a toxin is defined as any substance that creates irritating and/or harmful effects on the body. The body is constant state of achieving homeostasis, which is its balance that is disturbed when we indulge in regular unhealthy habits. Cleanses vary from gentle to extreme, and a four-day water fast vision-quest in the desert is probably not necessary. Cleanses also differ from person to person, and not
everyone is equipped to take them on. Is cleansing right for you? Consider these factors before diving in! From juice cleanses, the popular Wild Rose cleanse, the Master Cleanse, to even a watermelon cleanse, there is an abundance of choices, all of which can have negative or positive results depending on your physical, mental, emotional, and nutritional state. Who needs to detox or cleanse is purely on an individual basis and if you feeling like crap all the time and want to kick-start and rejuvenate your system, talk to a professional first before going extreme.You might just need to add more good things into your diet and exercise more. Remember that you can feel like crap and have low energy for many different reasons. It could be from an over-toxicity, or maybe you are deficient in essential nutrients/minerals, in which case you don’t want to cleanse, you want to build and nourish. Think of it this way, if you are thirsty, you drink water, not deny your body its much-needed hydration. Detoxing/cleansing isn’t the cure to everything and not all programs are created with individual needs
in mind.You can achieve cleansing effects by simply adding specific foods and habits into your everyday life. Eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and legumes and cut down on coffee, alcohol, smoking and late night Doritos binges. Some people are attracted to detoxes and cleanses for the allure of losing weight. They use it as a quick “fix” which is unhealthy and at times pretty detrimental to your health. If you do choose to go on a rejuvenating journey, I advise you to talk to a naturopath or nutritionist that can safely guide you through the process and choose a plan that is best suited for your individual needs. W
Stephanie Florian Play Outdoors
@PlayOutdoorsVan You’re aching to take some time off, to recharge, maybe breathe some fresh mountain air, but the reality is that bills need to be paid and even a short camping trip is costly. If you love the outdoors, dream of exploring beautiful BC and know what “MTB” stands for – read on! From June 27 to July 4, BC hosts the most epic seven-day single-track mountain bike race in the world, the sold-out BC Bike Race (BCBR). Volunteers are needed, so this is your chance to get out of dodge for free this summer. All you need is time because the rest is covered.You’ll travel to some of the most beautiful West Coast towns while gaining valuable work experience behind the BCBR scenes. This is a flawlessly executed beast of an event and you should aim to be a part of it. If the idea of working for free doesn’t tickle your fancy, maybe the perks will. During the seven-day stretch every-
Westender.com
North Vancouver, Cumberland, Powell River, Sechelt, Squamish and Whistler if taking the full week off is out of the question. The bottom line is, the BC Bike Race does it up in style, offering both plush and tasty extras for all to enjoy. Meet John Kearns, Ticketmaster’s Director of Client Development and a BCBR veteran volunteer. Kearns says he was forced to reexamine his work/life balance
OPEN M-F ■ 9AM- 4PM ■ APPOINTMENT PREFERRED
ROBSON N MEDICAL Dr. Peter J. Marr
Family Physician + Associates
GREEN DETOX SMOOTHIE Ingredients: 1 nub ginger root 1 tsp cinnamon 1 handful spinach 1 cup coconut water 1 tsp chia seeds 1/2 apple Instructions: * 3%+", 0!)+0(+1 &" 2 -&02mix or blender. If too thick and chunky, add more coconut water. * $(+ #!1+ '!/ #&".+ 0(+ ginger before adding it in, the less bits you’ll (2-+ 0! .1/".( !" !".+ it’s all blended up.
Rolfing is Manual Therapy which strengthens the body’s structural integrity and functional resources. Rolfing can help you move again.
Discover the freedom that balance can bring! OFFERING TREATMENT FOR:
• Scoliosis and Sciatica • Pain relief and management • Stress reduction • More efficient movement • Better balance
The BC Bike Race wants YOU! thing you need is covered like camping accommodations, three delicious meals a day, transportation and BCBR swag! Book the week off and bring a friend.You won’t get a paycheque, but you will become part of a very special family. Depending on what floats your boat, there are plenty of roles to choose from including positions on-course, medical, base camp and more. Daily volunteers are also needed in
RECIPE //
Ask me how I can help you achieve your optimal health.
when his kids left home. At that point he made a choice to spend more time on his bike. Kearns was introduced to the idea of joining the crew by some BCBR peeps and he just couldn’t refuse. After volunteering for just two days in year one, he made a commitment to the sign on for entire seven-day race week or the “full pull”,
STEPHEN G. INABA
Advanced Certified Rolfer Registered Massage Practitioner
#730-1285 W. Broadway 604-738-1012 integrative.ca / stepheninaba.com
Continued on next page
Need a new dentist? Dr. Jozef Labedzki • Dr. Donald Morris • Dr. Daniel How
F AMILIES
General and Cosmetic Dentistry
Check Ups, Cleanings, Night Guards, Dental Sealants, Whitening, Botox, Veneers, Bonding, White/Gold Fillings, Crowns, Bridges, Root Canals, Implants, Dentures and more.
CHILDREN MEN WOMEN
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME
SENIORS + PRE-NATAL
200-1525 Robson Street
604 669-5669
■
www.robsonmedicalclinic.com
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME!
CALL US TODAY FOR YOUR:
✔ Free Whitening Kit (with new patient exam.)
221-1525 Robson Street smilevancouverdental.com
604.669.4114
No Appointment Necessary • FREE Parking (Reimbursement)
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 31
LIFESTYLES //
WESTENDER.COM
SEX
Free Will Astrology You are not alone By Rob Brezsny The danger of resisting a temptation too strenuously is that the temptation might depart. I suggest that you prevent that from happening. Without throwing yourself at the mercy of the temptation, see if you can coax it to stick around for a while longer. Why? In my view, it’s playing a useful role in your life. It’s motivating you to change some things that really do need to be changed. On the other hand, I’m not yet sure that it should become anything more than a temptation. It might serve you best that way, not as an object of your satisfied desire.
My astrological colleagues discourage me from talking to you Bulls about financial matters. “Most Tauruses know ten times more about the mystery of money than you will ever know,” said one. “Their excellent instincts trump any tips you could offer.” Another astrologer concurred, noting, “The financial advice you give Tauruses will at best be redundant and at worst simplistic.” A third colleague summed it up: “Offering Tauruses guidance about money is like counseling Scorpios about sex.” So although I’m shy about providing recommendations, I will say this: The next five weeks will be a favorable time to set in motion the plans to GET RICHER QUICKER!
“Endings to be useful must be inconclusive,” wrote science fiction novelist Samuel R. Delany. I endorse that theory for your use in the coming weeks. Interweave it with this advice from playwright Sam Shepard: “The temptation towards resolution, towards wrapping up the package, seems to me a terrible trap. Why not be more honest with the moment? The most authentic endings are the ones which are already revolving towards another beginning.” In other words, Gemini, don’t be attached to neat finales and splashy climaxes. Consider the possibility that you can simply slip free of the complicated past and head toward the future without much fanfare.
In mythic terms, you should be headed for the winner’s circle, which is inside the pleasure dome. The parade in your honor should follow the award ceremony, and let’s hope you will be on the lead float wearing a gold crown and holding a real magic wand while being sung to by a choir of people you love and who love you. If for any reason you are not experiencing some version of these metaphors, I urge you to find out why. Or better yet, get busy on planning a homecoming or graduation party or award ceremony for yourself. From an astrological perspective, you have a mandate to be recognized and appreciated for the gifts you offer the world.
I suspect you are about to experience some prime contenders for The Most Unusual Adventures of 2015. Are you thoroughly prepared? Of course not. There’s no way you can be totally ready to adapt to unpredictable wrinkles and change your mind at a moment’s notice. But that’s exactly what will make these experiments so fun. That’s why they will be effective in building up your resilience and willpower. For best results, apply your nighttime thinking to daytime activities, and vice versa. Spend minimal time on responsibilities that don’t teach you noble truths about your fellow madmen and madwomen. Now here’s my big question: How can you tap into the extra power you will need during your rite of passage?
Many modern astronomers are allergic to astrology, but from my perspective there is no inherent conflict between the two fields. Four of history’s greatest astronomers were practicing astrologers, after all: Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, Tycho Brahe, and Pierre Gassendi. One of my friends in college, a Scorpio woman named Martha Maiden, is a first-rate astrologer who got a degree in astronomy and became a top scientist at NASA. In the spirit of finding reconciliation between apparent opposites, I’m happy to say that you are now a virtual virtuoso in your ability to reconcile both apparent opposites and actual opposites. I invite you to use this aptitude with flair and daring.
Sagittarian Matt Stutzman competes in the sport of archery. He’s the world’s record holder for longest accurate shot, having hit a target 230 yards away. What makes his accomplishment so extraordinary is the fact that he was born without any arms. He holds each arrow in his mouth and grasps the bow with his right foot and the help of a chest harness. In the spirit of this armless archer, and in accordance with your current astrological omens, I invite you to initiate an attempt to triumph over one of your so-called disadvantages.
Long before Lou Reed recorded the song “Walk on the Wild Side,” Nelson Algren wrote a novel titled A Walk on the Wild Side. It depicts the luxuriant depravity of New Orleans’ French Quarter in the 1930s. One of Algren’s most enduring bits of spiritual advice goes as follows: “Never, ever, no matter what else you do in your whole life, never sleep with anyone whose troubles are worse than your own.” What do you think of that, Capricorn? Even if you don’t regard it as a universal rule that you should unfailingly obey, I suggest you observe it in the coming weeks. For the sake of your mental hygiene, be extra discerning about what influences you absorb – not just in bed, but everywhere.
British Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley was a brilliant military commander. Renowned for his ability to beat larger armies, he also had great skill at minimizing loss of life among his own troops. His most famous triumph took place in 1815, when he led the forces that defeated Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. In the aftermath, the French tyrant lost his power and went into exile. What was the secret of Wellesley’s success? “Bonaparte’s plans were made in wire,” he said. “Mine were made in string.” In other words, Wellesley’s strategy was more flexible and adaptable. As circumstances changed, it could be rearranged with greater ease. That’s the approach I recommend for you in the coming days.
The cosmos has authorized you to be hungrier than usual. You may also feel free to respond to your enhanced hunger with an extra aggressive quest to be fed. Therefore: Be voracious! Risk being avid, ardent, and even agog. Fill yourself up with pudding, pleasure, praise, peace, perks, and privileges. Anything else you’d like to engorge? If some unenlightened person questions your right to claim the biggest piece and the sweetest taste and the best fuel, inform them that your astrologer says you have ultimate permission.
You may not be strong enough to take a shot at a daunting challenge that’s five levels beyond your previous best. But I think you are at least ready to try a tricky challenge that’s one level higher than where you have been operating. And that, in my opinion, is a more practical use of your courage. I think it would be a waste of your energy to get wrapped up in grandiose fantasies about impossible perfections. As long as you don’t overreach, you can accomplish small miracles.
Is there an interesting ally whose path rarely crosses yours? Do you draw inspiration from a like-minded dynamo who is not fully available? Has fate kept you and a friend from getting as close as you would wish? According to my reading of the astrological omens, relationships like these could become more substantial in the coming weeks. The dream of a more robust connection could ripen into an opportunity to actually collaborate. So be alert for the openings, and be prepared to do what’s necessary to go deeper.
32 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
May 14: Mark Zuckerberg (31) May 15: Jamie Lynn Sigler (34) May 16: Megan Fox (29) May 17: Trent Reznor (50) May 18: Tina Fey (45) May 19: Malcolm X (90) May 20: Cher (69)
Sex with Mish Way
@MyszkaWay I’m answering reader’s emails this week. If you have a question about love, sex, or life, email me at sex@ westender.com and I’ll give you my two cents. I have bulimia. My problem is really bad and I have not been able to speak to anyone about it. I have some good friends, but I am not ready to admit this part of me. I am transgender and I do not feel as though I can connect with anyone on this issue. Not only do I feel completely alienated by my gender, but by the rest. I feel really alone and helpless. –Nobody Dear Nobody, First off, you are not “Nobody”.You are every person. We all get the shit kicked out of us on a daily basis. That’s life. Isn’t it fabulous? Second, your question could not have come at a better time. I have been working on this dense research piece for VICE concerning censorship of proanorexia content (referred to as “pro-ana” or “pro-mia”) in social media. I did a lot of work, interviewing a whole slew of people, which eventually led me to an organization in Los Angeles called Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders. I originally started talking with one of the organization’s co-founders Dagan VanDenmark and ended up interviewing most of the head members involved. Basically, this collective started when VanDenmark was trying to obtain in-
formation for a transgender friend with a severe eating disorder and was met with the unfortunate yet expected medical bullshit like not acknowledging transgender people as treatable patients and invasive questions that alienated the girl. Horrid. Anyhow, TFFED is a collective that works to raise awareness and visibility for transgender people suffering from eating disorders, as well as educating the medical community about the reality and experience about transgender people with eating disorders. The staff is compassionate, educated and, most importantly, in the thick of it. They have all been where you are and they care. The experience a transgender person goes through dealing with the medical community when it comes to eating disorders is different because the system is archaic and is still sorting the fossils out. I suggest you get in contact with TFFED.You are not alone. TransFolxFightingEDs.org
My ex-girlfriend and I had a really sour break-up and, to be fair, the ending was kind of brutal on my part. When we broke up, I ignored her when she reached out and fell off the map. I think she and I wanted different things, but I just was not ready to talk right away and needed my space. Anyways, it’s been a year since we broke up but now she is really close with one of the girls I slept with right after her. That girl and I never had anything serious at all, we are just friends, but it makes me weirded out. Is this normal? What the hell? I don’t know why but this makes me extremely uncom-
fortable and I feel stupid for caring. –Ex Hell Dear Ex Hell, Bummer deal that these two chicks are bonding over you, right? Such a bummer with a capital B. Guess what? You were most likely just a jumping-off point. This is the thing: sometimes people have to find common ground and, (unlike men who are bound by the proud, ridiculousness of their trained, engrained masculinity) women will pass their common one-offs with a guy like gas. Farts come and go, but friendship is for life. Isn’t that the new feminist girl code? I’m kidding. OK, look: I know this probably makes you feel uncomfortable because you worry that they are sitting there, drinking tequila, and laughing about all the times your dick failed them, but they aren’t.They probably used you as a common thread and developed their own bond from there.You were nothing but a pick up line for these two women who gazed at one another’s wonder from social media and decided they needed to be friends. They are beyond you. Do not get freaked by this. Be happy that they are mature and self-righteous enough to be friends without their measly, short-lived unions with you getting in the way. Besides, you have since moved on to better things, right? Relax, fart.You created a bond. W
EMAIL MISH Send Mish your own sex questions and queries to sex@westender.com
.24A@4?01 $#27 %8"0 )* Volunteering for the BCBR is like a holiday, he says. “It’s like running away and joining the circus. As a mature gentleman, that’s appealing! We all work hard in daily life and the idea of being able to leave work and travel around with people who share the same interests is fun and engaging.” What really surprised Kearns about the experience were the friendships and emotional bonds he formed with international racers. “To be able to high-five someone you see in camp who travelled from across the globe to ride in the BCBR or to cheer on a familiar face at the finish line is priceless.” Lucky for Kearns, his employer believes they also reap the benefits of letting him go. “It’s a win-win for both of us,” he says. “Ticketmaster lets me leave for a week and I
The BCBR crew works hard and plays hard. Contributed photo come back happier and more productive.” Kearns also enjoys the experience of executing a big event like the BCBR because it’s the opposite of what he does at work, which is all behind-the-scenes. Kearns tends to favor the bus
host role as it allows him to interact with new people and entertain the racers throughout the seven-day journey. &5@!@A /./@<0>830,327+ 324A83A-?!+=2:?4A00# A2 !@"4 ?% 841 !@"4 24 $2# 84 878'@4" 09%0#@0430 62? ;24(A !224 $2#"0A, W
Westender.com
Westender.com
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 33
.com
Get exclusive access to the best offers in the city U
TO
P
-5
5%
-5
Two-Hour Kayak or Paddle Board Rental for One or Two People - Granville Island and Kitsilano Locations Vancouver Water Adventures Vancouver, BC
-
$33
From
$16
% 65
Escape Key Richmond, BC
U
P
$140
$49
TO
-
Four-Hour Sewing Workshop, Choose from Projects Like Tote Bag, Apron, Skirt & More Atelier Craft Artisan Richmond, BC
U
Admission to 5-D Real-Life Escape Room Experience Game for Four OR Eight People, Valid Any Day
1%
P
Four-Hour Kiteboarding Package for One OR Two People Aerial Kiteboarding Squamish, BC
$335
$99
From
$32
TO
-5
0%
Premium All You Can Eat Hot Pot for Two OR Four People, Including Meat, Seafood, Soup Base, Unlimited Sauces, Desserts & Drinks
Chongqing Qinma Hot Pot Richmond
0 -6
% 72
$65
$75
From
$39
%
Four 3-Hour Acting Classes for Adults, Learn from a Pro Actor Van Vancouver, BC
$225
From
$89
Get these and other exclusive offers at SocialShopper.com Visit us online
34 W May 14 - May 20, 2015
Find an offer you like
Buy it
Enjoy it!
Westender.com
$ ra 130 ise 00 d!
Help Eoin rebuild lives, and homes, in Nepal VANCOUVER CRAFT BEER WEEK MAY 29TH TO JUNE 7TH 2015
www.vancouvercraftbeerweek.com # /vancouvercraftbeerweek
! @vcbw
" @vcbw
21-year-old Ngima Yangjee cares for her two younger sisters and her daughter Pasang Chutin. Her husband makes an average of $15 a day. Their single-room house was destroyed in the earthquake that ravaged Nepal and they are now living a tent. Retired Burnaby firefighter Eoin White has become their “Pappa” over the 12 years he’s been leading tours to Nepal and Mount Everest. He has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise $35,000 to build Ngima and six other families a new home. Your donations will go directly to helping these families when you contribute to
/nepal Westender.com
May 14 - May 20, 2015 W 35
LONG WEEKEND SAVINGS Prices Effective May 14 to May 20, 2015.
100% BC Owned and Operated PRODUCE
MEAT California Organic Choice Grade Lemons
BC Grown Red Tomatoes on the Vine
Assorted Bedding Plants and Hanging Baskets
907g bag
3.98
.98lb/ 2.16kg
Farmcrest Whole Specialty Frying Chickens
Hot e! P r ic
4.98
each
6.99lb/ 15.41kg
( Check out our weekend plant sales )
DELI gourmet or hazelnut hemp
Olympic Yogurt
454g - 2 kg • product of BC
assorted varieties
SAVE
1.75g • product of BC
31%
6.99-8.99
6.4923.99
assorted varieties 946ml • product of USA/Canada
assorted varieties
3/4.98
20% off
SAVE
assorted varieties
whole bean or ground
assorted varieties 100-375ml • product of Canada
12.99
SAVE from 37% 3/6.99
SAVE 2/4.98
Vij’s Frozen Indian Meals
Kettle Popped Popcorn
assorted varieties
assorted varieties
The Daily Crave Veggie Sticks or Chips
4.496.99
Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars
36%
2/5.00
Danone Oikos or Activia Yogurt
assorted varieties
assorted varieties
package of 6 • product of USA
500g or 4 pack • product of Canada
SAVE
3.99
SAVE
20%
39%
Coconut Bliss Organic Frozen Tubs or Bars
3.49-3.99
Blue Monkey Coconut Water
170g • products of USA
SAVE
34%
2/7.00
GLUTEN FREE Choices’ Own Bakery Buns assorted varieties
.993.49
Terra Vegetable Chips
assorted varieties 170-226g • product of USA
SAVE
37%
4.29
Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade Beverages
BAKERY xxx
xxx • product of xxx
Choices’ Own Bakery Buns assorted varieties 380g
with or without pulp
assorted varieties
473ml or 4 pack • product of USA
520ml • +deposit +eco fee • product of Thailand
946ml • +deposit +eco fee • product of USA
from 2/6.00
2/3.50
1.79/100g
29%
assorted varieties
5.99-6.99
Grimm’s Honey, Black Forest or Old Fashion Ham
250-450g • product of Italy
142g • product of USA
SAVE
regular retail price
43%
908g
300g • product of Canada
Choices’ Own Salads
Natur-A Non-Dairy Beverages
Raincoast Dips, Marinade and Organic Capers Delverde Pasta
Mondo Café Roma Coffee
While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.
Farmcrest Bone In Chicken Thighs or Breasts
6.99lb/ 15.41kg
Granola King Granola
30%
6.99lb 15.41kg
New ! uct P rod
Pork Tenderloin
GROCERY
SAVE
value pack
2.99lb 6.59kg
California BC Grown Organic Organic Spartan Apples Cauliflower 1.83kg/3lb
3.98
1846 Lean Ground Beef
2.99
WELLNESS Natural Factors Probiotics Assorted Varieties and Sizes
Lumberman’s Arch, Stanley Park Sunday, May 31,2015
15.99 300g 22.99 500g
20% off
regular retail price
Nutra Centials Weight Off Max and Weight Loss Support Supplements Assorted Varieties and Sizes
19.99
Botanica Organic Gogi Berries
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Try rts ea pH Hem inkled d spr sala r u o on y cereal! or
5.99 227g Natural 12.99 340g Organic
www.choicesmarkets.com
For more than a decade, Choices has been supporting the World Partnership Walk. 100% of donations raised through the Walk is invested in sustainable, long-term, community-led projects in the areas of health, education, civil society and rural develop. It is a way to offer hope, a hand-up know-how and support to transform the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Please join us to Step Forward. End Global Poverty.
/ChoicesMarkets
@ChoicesMarkets