Okanagan Life Magazine September 2015 by Okanagan Life

Lars Karstad â&#x20AC;˘ Jim Belshaw â&#x20AC;˘ Kaila Klassen

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Contributing writers Natalie Appleton, Michael Botner, Laurie Carter, Bruce Kemp, Shannon Linden, Gillianne Richards, Shelley Wood

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September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Wendy Letwinetz, Gillianne Richards, Don Weixl

okanaganlife.com & social media Yvonne Turgeon

ISSN 08405492 (Okanagan Life) / ISSN 11803975 (Okanagan Business). Okanagan Life magazine is a member of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) and Circulation Verification Council (CVC).

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Okanagan Life is available at Mosaic Books in Kelowna or at our oﬃce: 814 Lawrence Ave., Kelowna. © 2015, All rights reserved. Opinions and perspectives expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the ownership or management. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s consent is strictly prohibited. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40028474 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO BYRNE PUBLISHING GROUP INC. 814 LAWRENCE AVENUE KELOWNA, BC V1Y 6L9 email: info@okanaganlife.com

CIRCULATION VERIFICATION

C O U N C I L

Inspired living

Unique homes tailored to our landscape and lifestyle

06 Paul’s Voice Anyone but Harper 46 Rearview Too much busyness

Pulse

Good Life

Valley Views

Culturista

In Person

Kitchen Confidential

Good Neighbours

High Spirits

Fun facts, local news and photos

Lars Karstad captures Valley wildlife on the sly

Jim Belshaw puts our best foot forward with recycled shoes

A cappella singers hit just the right note

Chef Kaila Klassen thinks cooking is a picnic

Featuring the wineries of Okanagan Falls

Get the shots

Compelling reasons for protecting your kids — and everybody else’s

Taster’s Choice Stock your cellar with Corkscrew Drive classics

Deadline Oct. 15 Vote now! Best of the Okanagan Readers’ Choice Awards On the cover: Trestle Ridge in Kelowna’s Upper Mission. Photos contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

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September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Anyone but Harper If Stephen were a song, Anyone But Harper would top the charts because practically everyone is singing. Call it a metamorphosis or dot-connecting or a new level of consciousness. Whatever you call it, Canadians coast to coast are rallying behind an imaginative movement to kick Stephen Harper out as prime minister. Many are calling him the worst PM in Canadian history. There is even a website aptly named anyonebutharper.com which opens with, “If you have found yourself here, you know what this page is about.” What is Stephen Harper all about? Besides turning a $13 billion surplus into the biggest deficit in Canadian history, Stephen Harper has: • run seven straight deficits • led Canada into two recessions • killed world-renowned scientific research like PEARL and the ELA • destroyed 16 science libraries across Canada • eliminated the long form census • muzzled Canadian government scientists; no one is allowed to talk to the public or the press about important research findings without months of delay • labelled environmentalists as terrorist threats • cut 700 jobs at Environment Canada • cut taxes on top income earners • cut taxes on large corporations • allowed the use of tax loopholes for the wealthy • done nothing to stop tax havens, which have proliferated • become the first prime minister in Canadian history to be found in contempt of Parliament for refusing to disclose the full costs of the F-35s Perhaps Harper’s most sinister deed is his new anti-terrorism legislation, Bill C-51, which will criminalize free speech, allow the government to hold citizens without legal representation and would permit government agencies to spy on anybody, anytime, anywhere.

Canadians are beginning to fi nd out what Stephen Harper is all about because a smokescreen of deceit has been around for 30 years. Trickle down economics is pure fiction. Th irty-five years of that insidious lie has killed the middle class. The neo-conservative, too big to fail corporations love Stephen and that is the crux of our Canadian problem, isn’t it? When Wall Street loves your prime minister more than you do, maybe its time for a new prime minister? Today, many medium and small business owners struggle just to survive because the economy is cash-starved and tanking because trans-national, monopolistic corporations have stolen or embezzled tens of trillions of dollars from the Canadian and world economies. Do Okanagan voters realize that Mr. Harper does not care about us? Federal scientist Tony Turner wrote Harperman, a Protest Song in June and posted it on YouTube. In predictable Conservative fashion, Harper tried to muzzle the musician-scientist by putting him on leave and having him investigated. Th is has backfired because at time of writing, Harperman, a Protest Song is going viral with over 600,000 views. Th is begs the question: what if Bill C-51 had already been passed and someone — anyone — labelled Tony Turner a terrorist? Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I am adding my voice, my influence as publisher and editor of Okanagan Life magazine and my democratic vote to oust Stephen Harper. I join millions of Canadians who understand this — and millions more who are realizing that Stephen Harper has to go. Warm, caring and friendly Canadians must put a stop to his catastrophe in progress. Canada is a country built by men in denim who possessed monumental dreams. Today, men in suits with overwhelming greed are destroying it.

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and Crowe MacKay present the

Tuesday, September 29th at the Hotel Eldorado Kelowna from 7.30am to 9.30am

with Christina Anthony,, a Vice President, Director & Portfolio Manager at Odlum Brown Limited and founder of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs of BC presenting her keynote Everyone Needs a Champion. Enjoy breakfast while you hear from thought provoking leaders, who will inspire, inform and challenge you. Connect with like-minded women in the Okanagan to expand both your personal and professional networks. Tickets are $20 with event proceeds going to the Women’s Enterprise Centre’s mentorship programs. Visit www.KelownaChamber.org to purchase tickets or www.CroweMacKay.ca for more event information.

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PULSE: Valley Views bythenumbers

Kelowna Yacht Club

As of July

hosts top women sailors

3,501 properties had sold in the Central Okanagan, up 9.5% from 2014; North Okanagan was down 2.2%; South Okanagan up 14.2%.

Since

1945 Kelowna Yacht Club has been a fixture on the city’s waterfront.

Up to

30,000 sockeye salmon made it to Skaha Lake in 2014. Experts hope the trend will continue this year as the Columbia River system rebounds.

National keelboat championships October 1-4 Between October first and fourth some of the best women sailers in Canada will be testing their talents on Okanagan Lake. Even though one team jokingly calls itself a “throng of thongs,” these women are a whole lot of serious. They’re the nation’s top female sailors and they’re coming to Kelowna to compete in the 2015 Re/Max Sail Canada Women’s Keelboat Championships. So far, 19 teams from across Canada and one from the United States (Caroline Grant from Nantucket, Massachusetts) have registered for the event. Last year the championship was staged at the Point Claire Yacht Club in Quebec and was won by the Red Dwarf Team (Jinnie Gordon, Laurel Gordon and Eileen Quigley) from Niagara-onthe-Lake Sailing Club. The last time the regatta was held in BC was in 2009 at West Vancouver Yacht Club and before

that, Kelowna Yacht Club in 2007. In 2007 local hero, Gillian Hayward was the overall winner and is expected to be a major competitor again in the 2015 regatta. Other teams to watch include Marg Hurley from Nepean Sailing Club (Ottawa) and local sailor and race chair Gillian Thomson who will skipper Contagious. Kelowna Yacht Club will be hosting the event in one-design sailboats. This simply means that all the competitors will race in a single class of boat — the Santana 525. The 525 is an extremely popular day sailor/racer here on the lake. It is fast in both heavy wind and light air. It was originally designed in the 1970s to meet a specification called the International Offshore Rule (IOR). Although the rule is now somewhat outmoded, it produced some fast boats and the 525

Osoyoos hit

39.8 C on July 9, 2015. Kelowna recorded 38.6, Vernon 37.5 and Penticton 36.9. Kelowna recorded the summer’s second hottest day with 39.2 on August 13.

Canada votes

Oct. 19 Plan to cast your ballot. Advance polls will be open Oct. 9, 10, 11 & 12. You can also vote by mail.

Photos by Bruce Kemp.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Facing page: Gillian Hayward (pointing) will skipper Shazam for the national championships. Left: Kelowna Yacht Club hosts women’s sailing on Monday nights. Dorina Motora is a regular; below: Kerri Hardisty will skipper Split Decision at the nationals; bottom: Kathryn Albright readies to hoist the spinnaker.

was one of them. Because the race will be run exclusively in these boats, it doesn’t matter that the rule is older. There are four team members per crew: the skipper, mainsail trimmer, foresail trimmer and bowman. Action will take place north of the bridge and the lake will come to life as boats complete a series of races that see them start out going upwind (windward in sailor speak) to a buoy at the top of the course, called the weather mark, where they’ll hoist their spinnakers (the big balloon sails) and run downwind (leeward — pronounced loo’ard). Depending on the wind, the boats will go twice around the course for each race. They will try to complete at least five races. If the October winds are as strong as expected, the

regatta could see additional races over the course of the three-day event. Pedestrian spectators will get a good view from Waterfront Park just north of the yacht club. The race committee will have boundary boats to keep spectator boats from interfering. Houseboats and larger motor yachts can inadvertently cause what’s called a wind shadow by blocking the wind. For boaters, a quick check with the yacht club will show them the best place to see the race. The title sponsor is Re/Max Canada. Volvo Cars of Canada is also a signature sponsor confirming Volvo’s long-standing affiliation with yachting. Helly Hanson, the sports clothing company, is also a sponsor and the regatta will be run under Sail Canada (national sailing authority) rules. —BK

okanaganlife.com September 2015

PULSE: In Person By Bruce Kemp

Out of

Africa Wildlife expert Lars Karstad applies a lifetime of wilderness experience to Okanagan bush cams

Nearly a decade of work experience with the wild beasts of Africa has strongly contributed to the skills Lars Karstad now turns to capturing rare images of Okanagan ﬂora and fauna.

September September 2015 2015 Okanagan Okanagan Life Life Magazine Magazine

t’s a fair stretch for a young Saskatchewan farm boy to go from the Prairies to the Ngong Hills of East Africa. Over the course of a lifetime Lars Karstad has made that journey and more as a vet specializing in wildlife. Lars is retired now, but that hasn’t stopped him from doing the things in which he’s most interested. At 86 he still tramps through the bush to exercise his latest passion — capturing animals with his collection of trail cams. “In a way it’s like hunting or running a trap line, which I did when I was a kid.” To get results with a trail or game cam you have to think like the animals you’re trying to photograph. Game cams are cameras in a weatherproof housing, usually attached to a tree and left in place for days or weeks at a time, that are fired by a motion-activated sensor. These come in white flash or infrared varieties and each has its specific use. Lars came to this kind of drone photography honestly. When his back gave out and he couldn’t carry his rifle anymore, the former hunter became a wildlife photographer. He learned about trail cams when he was still an active hunter because a lot of hunters were using the cameras to locate game. After a pretty typical prairie upbringing, Lars attended the University of Guelph to study veterinary medicine. Instead of learning to treat lapdogs he majored in disease transmission between wildlife and domestic animals and, in some cases, humans.

Above: Lars attaches the trail cam to a

tree in an area where he knows animals are active; (left) one of a wide variety of trail cam conﬁgurations; (right top down) Cougar, mule deer family, and black bear captured by Lars’ trail cams.

In a way it’s like hunting or running a trapline. “I went to the University of Wisconsin for my post graduate research and ended up in Georgia where I got to know the Okefenokee Swamp pretty well. I used to have to drive all night to make a circuit around it.” Lars was studying eastern equine encephalitis, an insect-borne disease. All of this caught the attention the Guelph veterinary school and he returned to his alma mater to set up a pathology unit to study wildlife diseases. “Through one of my former students I received an offer from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) to go to Kenya to do work with domestic and wild animal diseases.” That was in 1972. He and his wife, Martha, along with three of their four

children, spent two years living in Westlands, a suburb of Nairobi. Like the legendary Karen Blixen of Out Of Africa fame, the entire Karstad family was smitten. So much so that son Elsen has moved to Kenya permanently and among other enterprises, operates a trout farm and restaurant at the foot of Mount Kenya. His trout farm restaurant is an incredible, three-level structure built on the arms of a fig tree with the trout ponds down below. Google trout-tree.com — it’s pretty cool. When Lars was returning after two years (on leave from Guelph), the Kenyan head of his department asked him if he thought maybe CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) would like to take over the project.

“He asked me what would happen if CIDA did take it over. ‘Wouldn’t they go right to you as an expert to oversee the project?’ ” After a year back in Canada, Lars resigned his tenured, full professorship and the family packed their bags again. This time it was to be long term. He spent the next seven-anda-half years having adventures most people only experience via Hollywood. From working alongside the Flying Doctors to tranquilizing Cape buffalo for disease studies, he roamed the vast Mara savannah. In 1986 he retired to Kelowna and took up hiking with a small group of friends. His hunting days over, Lars continues his outdoor activities by taking pictures of wildflowers as well as bears, deer and cougars.

Story photos by Bruce Kemp; wildlife photos by Lars Karstad.

okanaganlife.com September 2015 11 okanaganlife.com September 2015 11

Pulse: Good Neighbours Story and photo by Natalie Appleton

When the

shoe fits Food bank model ﬁlls footwear gap; donations urgently needed

nce there was a little girl who would shuffle into the classroom, head down; sit silently — her mother, in prison; her father drinking; her shoes torn and dirty. The girl’s teacher called the Shoe Bank and asked if they had a few size 4s she could pick up. They did. The next day, the girl skipped into class, smiling, chatting, enamoured with the red light that blinked above the shiny white sole. Once there were two homeless men in Fort St. John who died of exposure. An agency worker called the Shoe Bank and said, “You don’t know how cold it gets here. Can you send us some boots?” They did, and that winter lives were surely saved. These are just two of the stories, among dozens, that will always stick out in the mind of Jim Belshaw, co-founder of Kelownabased Shoe Bank Canada. “It’s humbling for sure. There have been many people coming through — men, women, kids — so happy they’re holding back tears,” says Jim, also owner of Roy’s Shoes. It was in his shoe shop, shortly after hearing the news of Haiti’s earthquake, that Belshaw discovered

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Shoe Bank Canada co-founder Jim Belshaw saw a way to help people near and far with creative distribution of donated footwear.

how he could help victims there, and the less fortunate here. He and a few other members of the Sunrise Rotary Club of Kelowna got together and put out a call: we need your unused shoes. Within days, they had 45,000 pairs, so many the

shoes had to be stored in a tractor trailer behind the store. “And that was just people from Kelowna really opening their closets and hearts for this shoe drive,” says Jim. But before the runners and boots were banded together with

an elastic and packed into boxes marked for Haiti, he opened a shoestuffed warehouse to Kelowna’s less fortunate. And that’s when it hit him: the need for used shoes here is huge. After that first annual spring drive, Jim saved a few shelves in his back room to collect shoes year round and before the footwear was shipped overseas, he always saw to the needs of locals, the homeless and working poor — women who needed a pair of pumps for a job interview, men who needed steel toed boots to get work in construction. Soon, agencies were calling with requests. But digging through boxes after hours to find a Sorel in a size 9 or a heel in a size 6 became time-consuming. In July 2014, Belshaw had another big idea: why not partner with the Kelowna Community Food Bank to house a Shoe Bank to give people in need better access to all that footwear? A month later, Shoe Bank Canada — set up just like a shoe store — opened its doors on Ellis Street across from the food bank. Since then, and with the help of nearly 20 local service agencies guiding the qualifying process and handing out shoe vouchers, the shoe bank has provided 4,000 pairs of shoes to those in need in Kelowna. Now, as a national organization with shoe drives and permanent drop-off sites across BC, Alberta and Ontario, shoes are also distributed to 30 BC communities before excess footwear is shipped abroad. On a recent trip to hand-deliver sneakers and dress shoes to Haiti, Jim was struck with dengue fever, a debilitating viral infection that stirred a dormant rheumatoid arthritis gene. Today, with the help of a cane, he tucks and sorts donations — men’s loafers, marked size 9 on a bread tag, and a pair of blue baby slippers. Visit locations in British Columbia at www.shoebankcanada.com for a list of drop-off points throughout the Okanagan and Kamloops regions.

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BEST RED OF THEM ALL A perfect blend of Okanagan business and residential readers. WHITE ON TIME Give your message the gift of time! Up to six months of readership.

paul@okanaganlife.com 250.861.5399

5TH ANNUAL ELLISON HALL CHRISTMAS FAIR Date: Nov. 7, 2015 Time: 10am-3pm Door Prizes by our DJ Our event is on Facebook or email us at ellisonchristmasfair@gmail.com okanaganlife.com September 2015

Developing Lifestyles By John Paul Byrne

They marvel at the views. They celebrate the magnificent. They say we are lucky. They are right!

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

360 degrees of dazzling views 3030 Pandosy Street, Kelowna Against the distinctive mountain skyline, moody storm clouds gather over a shimmering Okanagan Lake to consider a summer shower in this dramatic shot of Sopa Square. When complete, the 14-storey tower and townhomes in Pandosy will be home to 105 residences and at street level offer unique retail boutiques, a brewpub, trendy cafes and much more. With Aquilini at the helm, owners of Vancouver Canucks, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised to see a little street hockey in the neighbourhood. sopasquare.ca Units: 105 Style: modern condo open space, expansive windows Amenities: terrace pool, shared fire pit, gym

hey are the tourist crowd and when visitors invade the Thompson, Shuswap, Okanagan and Wine Country regions every year in droves, they all seem to echo a popular, yet melancholy narrative that stirs the heart and brightens the soul â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they would like to move here too. We fully understand the visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dilemma: that leaving the Okanagan elicits great emotion. Many describe their holiday becoming the precursor to a new Okanagan life, here in the amazing Wine Country of British Columbia. The housing market in the Okanagan is as hot as our summers and as gorgeous as our corner of the world.

Okanagan land developers have some outrageously beautiful show homes, lots and neighbourhoods just waiting for would be buyers to make the Interior home. We have chosen to feature some of the best in this pictorial guide to living in the Okanagan. Enjoy the views, celebrate the beauty and marvel with the pages; over and over again. The Thompson-Okanagan-Shuswap boasts the strongest June market in 8 years and second strongest July since 1981. Local developers are creating neighbourhoods and showhomes that qualify as masterpeices that sparkle as bright as the lakes, vines and rivers that run through them.

Sopa Square photo contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Nature at your doorstep

125 Sky Court, Kelowna Arranged in a tiered style along Wilden’s west ridge, Rocky Point oﬀers homeowners of this new premium neighborhood a panoramic view of Okanagan Lake and the downtown area. Estate-sized lots are tucked away in a natural setting along the quiet cul de sac. While building guidelines allow for a wide range of home styles, the showhome by Chatman Homes embraces the nature-inspired use of rock and natural wood and outdoor living spaces. wilden.ca Lots: 83, 35 released July 2015 Style: Okanagan modern Amenities: inﬁnity pool, geothermal Builders: AuthenTech, Chatman, Fawdry Homes, Rykon

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

A private oasis 1150 Mission Ridge Rd, Kelowna The lake views from Crawford Point in the Upper Mission are breathtaking, especially from your own private oasis. These bare land strata lots will be transformed as you construct your signature dream home. The elegance of vaulted ceiling and archways sets off oďŹ&#x20AC; the quality of Frame Custom Homes, a preferred builder. Only 13 of 21 lots remain in this small, intimate, gated community. Lots: 21 Style: Estate homes Amenities: surrounding parkland, trails Builders: Frame Custom Homes Photos contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Tuscan Twist 1290 St. Paul Street, Kelowna This stunning Edgecombe Builders showhome on Skyland drive in Wilden was one of the top sales to start oﬀ 2015, catching a price of $940,000. Builder Kevin Edgecombe wanted to create a home that was Tuscan in feel, but with a modern twist. With handrails of twisted wood, hand-picked from the forest, and bold red accents repeated throughout, the home’s beautiful design has a unique aesthetic appeal. It also captured Gold Tommie for Excellence in Master Suite Single Family Dwelling. edgecombebuilders.ca Awards: Gold Tommies 2014 & 2013

Country living within reach Heritage Drive off 8886 Okanagan Centre Rd W, Lake Country Lakeview lots at Heritage Ridge are perched on a pine-filled ridge just minutes from Winfield shops and services. Homeowners will welcome country living with city conveniences, as beaches, ski hills, golf, the airport and University are just minutes away. Each lot is carefully sculpted to maximize building platforms and stunning views while homes will showcase timeless architectural features. heritageridge.ca Lots: 20 Style: Contemporary walk-out, grade level, and rancher style homes Amenities: nearby golf, wineries Photos contributed.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

A Distinct Point of View The Most Prestigious Lake View Lots in Kelowna and Surrounding Okanagan Valley

Gorgeous estate sized lots, many with unobstructed lake views, in one of Kelowna’s most exclusive gated communities. Prices range from $320,000 to $1,000,000.

250.870.2792 | 1150 Mission Ridge Road, Kelowna, BC Alex@LakeOkanaganRealty.com | www.crawfordpoint.ca

Future Village Development

Protected Riparian/Creek

Seville by G. Romano

Hotel Site

An investment you’ll want to stay in

For more information, please visit us at www.maralakesideresort.com This is not an offering for sale. Any such offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. Renderings are representational only and may not be accurate. E&OE

3937 Lakeshore Rd. • Kelowna • 778-477-4787 www.lexiandlake.com okanaganlife.com September 2015

Glamour in the most rustic way 8205 Aberdeen Road, Coldstream The extensive use of wood in this stunning craftsman styled home by Keith Construction retains the warmth and beauty of the rural setting from all rooms. A grand vaulted entrance carries into the living space while the natural stone fireplace mirrors a second that allows for cozy outdoor entertaining. This Vernon home (right) was built into a pocket of drilled granite and offers a unique outdoor cedar shower. The wood beam accents set off the amenity-filled kitchen, highlighted by full-height maple cabinets. keithconstruction.ca Awards: Best of the Okanagan 2014: Best Residential Builder, Best Renovation Company

Keith Construction photos by Don Weixl Photography; other photos contributed.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

LIVE YOUR TRUE LIFE STORY. EVERY DAY. A championship backyard 38 Rue Cheval Noir, off Trans Canada Highway West Exit 362 The master-planned community of Tobiano is set harmoniously above the shores of Kamloops Lake. Homeowners will find larger lot sizes at The Bluffs and The Ranchlands subdivisions, and an extensive network of landscaped bridle paths bordering the boundless backcountry. All sites are within walking distance of the 18-hole championship golf course and BC’s newest freshwater marina. tobiano.ca Lots: 1,500 at full build-out Amenities: golf, marina, village centre, equestrian centre, trails Builders: Absolute Homes, A&T Project Developments, Casman Developments, DW Builders, Fidanza Enterprises UpCountry

Whatever your story, it needs a setting. It needs a community built with passion and a concern for the future. It needs a place where there’s room for more, where you can make every day an adventure. What if your story’s setting included a sunny beach to play on, a lake to boat on and trails to hike? At McKinley Beach we gave all those things a place to call home, so that you could make it yours.

Infinity Views Phase 3 Now Available McKinleyBeach.ca

LAKEVIEW LOTS STARTING AT $198,000 Visit our Downtown Discovery Centre

Mon – Sun, 11am – 5pm* | 1508 Water Street., Kelowna | 250.980.5555 *Anytime, at your convenience, by appointment.

This is not an offering for sale. Such an offering can only be made with a disclosure statement. E. & OE.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Living on the Edge 5730 Mountainside Drive, Kelowna Perched above the Village of Kettle Valley, the new neighbourhood of Trestle Ridge offers all the amenities and community features celebrated in the Upper Mission with unparalleled views. The showhome offers a grand entrance, modern kitchen and an expansive floor plan. The Edge subdivision features half-acre lots with space for an outdoor kitchen, pool and an expansive yard, including room to park your collector cars, trailer or boat. trestleridge.ca Lots: 45, 15 released Style: Craftsman, cottage revival, Mediterranean, Okanagan modern Amenities: hiking trails, oversized lots

Upscale spa set on Shuswap shoreline Mara Lake, Sicamous The shores of Mara Lake are the destination for a luxury boutique condo hotel and resort complete with a state-of-the-art wellness centre. The Cape Cod inspired four-storey Mara Lakeside Resort & Wellness Centre will oﬀer an East Coast style pub overlooking the lake, a marina and saltwater pool. The development is poised to become a sought after vacation destination, but also an investment opportunity. Imagine stepping out from your hotel door to 1,000 feet of white sandy beach. maralakesideresort.com Units: 73 Style: Cape Cod Amenities: spa, conference centre, pool, marina, communal BBQ area, restaurants Photos and rendering contributed.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Various floorplans from 1,780 to 3,180 sq. ft. Phase 1 move-in ready fall & winter 2015.

Wilden has been voted Best Development in Kelowna 2015!

Find out more: www.WildenTownhomes.ca

HIDDEN LAKE

LOOKOUT TOWNHOMES

The Fairy Tale Wedding You’ve Always Imagined Picturesque Private Beach and Golf Course Ceremony Venues Breathtaking Ballroom Reception Venue with a Private, Grand, Lake View Patio

Contact Wilden Sales: 250.762.2906 132 Sky Court · Kelowna · sales@wilden.ca Showhome opening September 21st, 2015

PER S ONALIZE D

TECHNICAL TRAINING At the Okanagan Regional Library

On Site Vantage Pointe Catering Numerous All Inclusive Wedding Packages Available For more information please contact the Event Manager Nikki Reid, at 250.769.3511 or events@lakeokanagan.com

Vantage Pointe Restaurant Lounge & Grill

Topics covered for your laptop, tablet, eReader or smartphone.

Lake Okanagan Resort invites you to take the short drive down the lake, where we aim to make every meal and every event, one to remember.

2751 Westside Rd. Kelowna, BC V1Z 3T1 • 250.769.3511 • www.lakeokanagan.com

Navigating your device Downloading an eBook, eAudiobook, or eMagazine Searching the Internet

Setting up an email account Searching the library catalogue Downloading apps and more

Contact your local library to register.

Year of the Wise okanaganlife.com September 2015

Luxury details for your kitchen 2140 Leckie Road, Kelowna; 4308 29th Street, Vernon 120 Okanagan Avenue SE, Salmon Arm, From stylish crown moldings to ingenious storage solutions, custom kitchen design is all about the details. Visit one of three showrooms at Westwood Fine Cabinetry to begin your custom plan. From this glass table and glassfronted cabinetry to the expansive island for four, Westwood puts its unique stamp of quality design on all its plans. Last year, four Tommie Award winning homes featured their kitchen designs. westwoodďŹ necabinetry.com Awards: Best of the Okanagan 2014: Best Custom Cabinetry

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

New Fall Introductions

Inspired green living 680 Old Meadows Road, Kelowna Located in the heart of the Lower Mission, Brighton is within walking distance of the city largest recreational park and just blocks from the beach. These English revival townhomes with inviting arched entries, steeply pitched gables and vertically divided windows offer open plan kitchens, which includes four stainless steel appliances and oversized upper cabinets. Two, three and four-bedroom floor plans are available. missiongroup.ca Units: 43 units Style: English revival townhomes Amenities: adjacent to Mission Greenway, H2O Adventure & fitness Centre, nearby beaches Builder: Mission Group Construction

PHASE SERIOUS QUALITY INDOOR AND OUTDOOR FURNITURE FOR THE DISCERNING HOME DECORATOR Visit our spacious showrooms where you will find a variety of the leading names in home furnishings and outdoor leisure products.

Hours: 9am - 5:30pm Mon-Sat VERNON 5309 26th St. T.250.542.3399 KELOWNA 2457 Hwy 97 N T.250.763.8847 1.866.763.8847

Home on the Ridge

Bringing the Outdoors in • Located in Lake Country, BC View Lots starting at $169,900

info@heritageridge.ca | www.heritageridge.ca Photos contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

The Upper Mission has been keeping a secret...

trestle ridge upper mission

Phase 1 now selling - 40% now sold Kelowna From a new PersPective lots over ½ acre boasting 100 foot building frontage

lots specially designed with a detached garage for the perfect “man Cave” and all your toys

Unobstructed views stretching from Peachland to Fintry

over 50% of development dedicated to parkland

gated enclave of premiere lots within Trestle Ridge

Visit our website for driving directions to our brand new sales centre and show home in the Upper Mission

TRESTLERIDGE.CA

250 764 4694

PHASE 2 ONLY 5 RIDGE LOTS REMAINING - PHASE 3 NOW 60% SOLD LARGE LOTS AND uNOBSTRuCTED LAKE vIEWS INTERIOR LOTS STARTING AT $209,500

The Creeks offers a premium choice of lots in the Upper Mission. Surrounded by nature, The Creeks ridge lots feature an unobstructed view of the lake while backing onto parkland. These large ridge lots provide you with enough room for a pool and a three bay garage. Our third and final phase includes large view lots situated on two coveted culde-sac locations also backing on to parkland. Don’t miss this great opportunity to design your custom home and use any builder of your choice. Interior lots at The Creeks are now selling starting at $209,500. Whether you prefer a walkout lot or a flat lot, several of our interior lots boast tremendous views of downtown Kelowna and the Lake.

250 764 4694 • THE CREEKS KELOWNA.CA

Living in Nature’s Backyard

NEW SALES CENTRE & SHOW HOME NOW OPEN AT 5730 MOuNTAINSIDE DRIvE

We’re building more than homes.

We’re building a community.

Join your friends in the South Okanagan’s only new Waterfront Home Community.

Your own private beach, clubhouse, fitness centre, pools, walking trails, boat slips and right in the heart of Okanagan wine country. A collection of meadow and hillside homes where your dreams can become reality. Cottage homes with covered porches or multilevel hillside view homes up to 2,200 sq.ft. with many customizable options. You’ll love the homes, and you’ll love the community.

Life at the beach

Visit our Display Homes 2450 Radio Tower Road, Oliver, BC See website for open hours.

1.855.742.5555 osoyooscottages.com

meiklejohn.ca

Above the one-kilometre beachfront at the waterfront community of McKinley Beach the contemporary architecture of modern homes is set in balance with the natural beauty of the Okanagan hillside. Constructed to a sustainable standard, designs call for a maximum of only 1,620 square feet on the upper main floors and a ground floor walkout of 810 square feet. The location, just north of Knox Mountain Park, strikes the balance between easy access to city amenities and a serene location that feels tucked away. mckinleybeach.ca Lots: 145 Style: Contemporary with low pitch flat roof Amenities: clubhouse, marina, beach, hiking trails Builders: 3rd Generation Homes. Alair Homes, AuthenTech Homes, Link Custom Homes, Rykon Renderings contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Dated to

dazzling The fine art of renovation is alive and well in the Okanagan.

Clockwise: The all-important “before” photo; HomeSmart

Projects crew installing larger windows above the cedar veranda; final look after all the teams have completed what can only be described as exceptional work; the veranda nearing completion just days before the QCT Concrete artist Dave Mclean works his concrete magic.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

ransformations like this take place every day in our communities. One such renovation, on Lawrence Avenue in Kelowna, is turning heads with its great curb appeal, friendly veranda and rich, flamboyant colours. Renovations can be a lot like watching your kids grow. The daily changes are imperceptible, but over time the project develops and matures into something beautiful. Garry Heathcote of HomeSmart Projects built the veranda and installed new windows and doors from a collaborative design created by Okanagan Life staff, because this is also the new home of Okanagan Life magazine. Documenting the stages of the renovation was enticing, necessary, and so much fun. Dave Mclane of QCT Concrete created the feature sidewalk. The final touch, created by DJ and Pierrette Bryan of The Landscape Concierge, was the exceptional landscaping you see here. Love it when a plan comes together!—JPB

Renovations can be a lot like watching your kids grow. Clockwise: General contractor of

HomeSmart Projects Garry Heathcote relaxes in front of the finished reno; a guitar rests on the deck, ready to make music; a tree swing awaits the next visitor; happy team and guests (left to right) Chelsea Robinson, Laurie Carter, DJ and Pierrette Bryan, Paul Byrne, Garry Heathcote and Wendy Letwinetz; Dave Mclean, of QCT Concrete, poses on his stamped concrete half-moon-design entry path; DJ and Pierrette Bryan of The Landscape Concierge lounge on the veranda amidst the elegant landscaping they designed and planted.

Contractor and new house photos by Bruce Kemp; construction photos by Mishell Raedeke and Wendy Letwinetz.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Taking aim How childhood shots save lives

If another child dies of measles or whooping cough or meningitis â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and was infected by our own non-vaccinated child â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are we partly responsible?

doubtfulnews.com

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

hen six-week old Callum stopped cooing and started coughing, his parents were concerned. A sweet baby, he loved to practice his new smile — until his siblings got sick. At first the older children’s symptoms presented like common colds — mild coughs, low-grade fevers, runny noses. A week later, they were plagued by coughing spells that left them gasping for air. Soon Callum caught the disease, continuous coughing squeezing the air from his little lungs, his struggles to inhale marked by a distinctive, whooping sound. Rushed to the ER, blue from a lack of oxygen, he was brought to the resuscitation room and intubated. For 10 days a ventilator helped him breathe. “He was pre-arrest,” the attending physician, recalls. “He was minutes from dying.” Little Callum spent a month in the hospital while his bigger siblings — none of them immunized for the pertussis (whopping cough) that nearly killed their brother — recovered at home. The bacteria Bordetella Pertussis

causes whopping cough, but it’s preventable with the DTapHB-IPV-Hib vaccination. A comprehensive mix that guards against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, and Haemophilus influenza type b, it’s administered at two, four, and six months of age. Like all childhood vaccinations recommended by Health Canada, it is free.

“

cian with the Interior Health Authority. “It has saved more lives than any other health care intervention.” Thanks to national immunization campaigns, viruses like measles have essentially been eradicated in Canada. According to Jasmine Budak, who wrote a compelling article, Our Best Shot for The Walrus, November 2014, the last endemic

Vaccines are the tugboats of preventative ~ William Foege health”

“I put in a very strong word for vaccines in the first year of life because pertussis, for one, can kill babies under the age of six months,” Okanagan pediatrician, Dr. Tom Warshawski says. Vaccines contain the dead or weakened cells of diseases and when injected or taken orally or nasally, encourage the body’s immune system to build antibodies (which identify and neutralize bacteria and viruses) and immune memory (allowing a more rapid and effective response to infections previously encountered). According to Immunizebc.ca, most children will be fully protected after vaccination, never developing the deadly diseases they’ve been immunized against. Very few — mostly those with health issues or compromised immune systems — may have only partial protection, meaning they may develop some symptoms, but not serious complications. As with any medication, the rare child can have an allergic reaction that may result in swelling, hives or, in serious cases, wheezing and breathing problems. “Vaccination is one of the greatest health achievements of the 21st century,” says Dr. Althea Hayden, a public health physi-

American epidemiologist who helped eradicate smallpox

occurred in 1998. Why then, in April 2011, did the worst North American outbreak of measles in a decade shut down a Quebec high school? And Disneyland theme park in California, December 2014? Budak reported, when the Quebec outbreak’s last diagnosis was recorded some eight months later, 776 people had been infected, 11 per cent seriously enough to require hospitalization. Meanwhile 70 cases of measles were traced to the Disneyland disaster, with the outbreak spreading beyond California into seven neighboring states and Mexico. The National Public Radio reported 25 per cent of infected people were hospitalized in that health care crisis. Both outbreaks were blamed on unvaccinated travellers bringing the virus home. Incredibly contagious, measles can move on air droplets. Itchy and feverish, infected individuals are uncomfortable, but more serious consequences can include pneumonia, brain inflammation and even death. Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, the NPR reports, 500 people a year died of the disease in the USA. Despite the overwhelming evidence in favor of vaccinations, a new generation of parents is nervous. They’ve heard horror stories linking vaccinations to adverse reactions

Photos contributed.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

“

Only when we are no longer afraid do we ~ Dorothy Thompson begin to live”

like seizures and autism and they’re opting out of what Dr. Hayden says is the most effective thing we can do, for individuals — and the community — to keep people healthy. “My dad (who sadly passed away at 87 in January) grew up in the era of polio, when schools closed, pools closed, a lot of his friends were affected and died,” Warshawski says. “He lived through the nightmare and the coming of the vaccine and the eradication of the disease in North America. People of that era are flabbergasted anyone would oppose vaccines … they’re appalled at this generation who have never seen the downside of these diseases. All they’ve heard about are the events rarely associated with the vaccine.” Much fear can be traced to 1998, when British physician, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, published a falsified study in the medical journal, The Lancet, linking the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination to autism. While he was stripped of his license and his paper retracted in 2010 (only 12 children were involved in the study and Wakefield was paid to alter his findings), the damage was done. Fear spread like a bad disease and prodigious numbers of people began resisting immunization. Celebrities like Playboy Playmate, Jenny McCarthy, who blamed her own son’s autism on vaccinations, urged people to avoid the toxins in shots and suddenly all hell broke loose, resulting in a hellish return of measles, mumps and pertussis. Anti-vaccinators use blogs, websites and professionally produced videos showing suffering children. Unbalanced, biased, full of unproven pseudo-science, such material is nonetheless emotionally compelling and often convincing. Unfortunately, the administration schedule of immunizations coin-

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

American journalist

cides with the onset of neurological disorders, leading people to assume a causal relationship. “One such situation is a form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome, which is a problem with ion channels in the brain,” Warshawski explains. “It causes intractable seizures that tend to present somewhere around two to six months.” While families draw a link to vaccinations, studies of countries that have discontinued immunizations still report a similar onset of these kinds of seizures. The same goes for autism, which is increasingly being diagnosed in time with vaccinations, but scientists argue earlier diagnoses are now made, thanks to the inclusion of a broader category of symptoms. They’re studying whether environmental circumstances contrive to trigger the disorder in genetically predisposed kids, but as Budak reported, “Immunization arose as a tidy and timely explanation, a muchneeded punching bag for weary parents without much recourse.” Still, Wakefield’s followers flock to Facebook and websites devoted to the discredited doctor. Where the under immunized used to be concentrated in low income and immigrant communities, now the educated and privileged are opting out. Questioning medical science, they harbor suspicions of government and big Pharma, and perhaps most frighteningly, don’t seem to care about anyone else’s child. Just as animals group together to

“

guard their numbers from predators, so herd immunity works to break the chain of an infectious transmission. The greater the number of immunized individuals, the greater the protection for the whole — critical for pregnant women or the immunocompromised, like those undergoing chemotherapy. “For each vaccine and each disease there are different herd immunity thresholds,” Dr. Hayden explains. “For measles we need a 95 per cent

vaccination rate to stop transmission because it’s so infectious.” The Public Health Agency of Canada reports nationally we’re largely on target for all childhood immunizations, but according to Hayden, we’re not faring as well here at home. “There are different ways of looking at vaccination rates,” she explains. “One of the most common is the ‘up to date for age …’ By age two, children

Morality is the herd-instict ~ Friedrich Nietzsche in the individual”

German philosopher and poet Photos contributed.

should have had all their primary series vaccinations plus their 18 months booster, with a six-month fudge factor… If you go for two years old, only 68 per cent of children are up to date for age in Interior Health.” Hayden does say the numbers for up to date except for that booster shot are better: 77 per cent of children are on track. She also points out problems gathering precise statistics as most shots are administered and recorded by public health, but some are given in physicians’ offices and those records aren’t always forwarded to public health officials. Plus missing just one shot, which makes for a pretty well vaccinated kid, can skew numbers. Still, she admits, “It’s not as good as we would like.” Like Warshawski, Hayden helps educate fearful parents, reassuring them of the stringently monitored levels of testing each and every vaccination must pass before being approved by Health Canada.

Reactions are reported to local public health offices, where physicians like Hayden go through them to determine if there’s a causal relationship. “We then report to the province which goes on to the national level,” she explains, “then on to international bodies to track any evidence of safety issues.” IMPACT (Canada’s Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive) has been monitoring for severe adverse events at a dozen pediatric hospitals across the country, for some 25 years. Incidents like seizures, paralysis, encephalitis, anaphylactic shock and sepsis are reassuringly low. In her Best Shot story, Budak suggests Canadian stats are similar to US ones, which show one in 3,000 children will have febrile seizures

“

after an MMR shot, one in 16,000 will get a dangerously high fever after DTaP, and one in a million may suffer brain damage or coma. For parents, even low statistics sound scary. “We don’t want to say there are never any adverse reactions,” Hayden admits, “but the risks are extremely low and much safer than the risk of getting these diseases.” While some doctors in the USA are flat out refusing to take on patients who are not immunized, the Canadian Pediatric Society and the College of Physicians of Canada urge members not to ditch non-immunized patients, suggesting doing so results in missed opportunities for education. “I think health care providers need to understand parents are

The magic tool of health intervention ~ Bill Gates is the vaccine”

Forbes magazine

okanaganlife.com September 2015

coming from a place of deep concern for their child,” Warshawski agrees. “You don’t want to make them feel inadequate or uncaring because that’s not the case — they’re caring, but probably not that well informed.” He says it’s his job to protect children and having nothing to do with an unvaccinated child is dangerous. “If a child is unimmunized and gets sick and we don’t know that, we may not recognize their symptoms.” While he’d prefer parents opt for “the whole panel” of recommended shots, he does break them down into components, urging administration of the most crucial ones, in hope parents will later add the remainder. Take the MMR vaccination. Complications from mumps can include inflammation of the testicles, rarely leading to sterility, inflammation of the brain or tissue covering the brain or spinal cord, the ovaries or

breasts, and temporary or permanent deafness. Still, it’s not often fatal; so it’s one Warshawski will not press if parents are wary of all vaccinations. Rubella causes birth defects including deafness, cataracts, heart disease, mental retardation and liver and spleen damage, in pregnant women. “If you have a little girl, she really should get that Rubella shot or at least let her know you didn’t immunize her prior to her getting pregnant,” he says. He admits diphtheria is not that common in Canada, but insists we’re not immune. “After the Soviet Union broke up, they stopped immunizing and they had thousands of deaths from diphtheria, so it’s always present.” As for tetanus, when your kid starts to walk, you might want to run for that vaccination. Tetanus doesn’t spread from person to person, but is transmitted through a bacteria found in soil, dust, and manure, that enters the skin through a cut or puncture

The big ticket vaccinations

Okanagan pediatrician, Dr. Tom Warshawski, recommends all childhood vaccinations be done on schedule, but he will put together a menu of must haves. Here’s a list of what he calls the “big ticket” vaccinations — the ones that prevent diseases that can kill your kids.

•

Meningococcal conjugate C and Haemophilus inﬂuenza (H. ﬂu): “These are big killers from birth onwards.”

•

Pneumococcal conjugate: “I’ve seen children become brain damaged and others develop deafness from this disease, now almost entirely preventable.”

• Tetanus: “It’s a sneaky one, it can kill without you knowing it.” •

Polio: “Probably pretty safe here in Canada, but if you ever travel you absolutely have to get it.”

•

Pertussis: “Especially critical for babies under nine months.”

•

Rubella: For girls.

• Varicella: “Prior to vaccinations I saw lots of cases of chickenpox with infected skin lesions and bad cellulitis and fasciitis.”

Photos contributed.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

We accept Credit, Debit and Cash. Canada-wide mail-order. Open 7 days a week. Local delivery. 46-100 Kal Lake Rd (Alpine Centre) Vernon, BC V1T 9G1

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okanaganlife.com September 2015

wound from a contaminated object. “Kids can jab themselves with a rusty nail or be in the dirt and you wouldn’t know they had tetanus because it’s so infrequent — almost never — in North America and we miss it,” Warshawski explains. “There was a case in the Yukon, probably 10 or 15 years ago where a young woman died of tetanus because no one recognized it but I’ve seen neonatal tetanus in Africa and it’s an absolutely horrible way for a baby to die.” “I try to make things real for people,” he explains. “Because of the success of vaccinations, people don’t really know what these disease are like.” Even so, Kelowna couple, Alyssa and Mark Regier, made up their minds based on medical science.

With a three-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter about to start kindergarten, Alyssa admits the debate among parents of schoolaged children can be hostile. “The majority of our friends do vaccinate, but some friends question it. I did my own research because of the fear mongering out there, but ultimately I rely on the knowledge of my health care providers. We’re lucky to live where and when we do. Immunizations are advances we should be grateful for.” Indeed while we, the privileged, nestled in the security of our advanced health care, question the validity of vaccines, the richest man in the USA is leading international efforts to bring them to the world’s poorest nations. Bill Gates has made it his mission

to eliminate diseases that cripple and kill children, the ripple effect improving education and economies. For the first time in history, India has been declared polio free, with hope all of Africa will soon follow. In the words of the man, “If you want to save and improve lives around the world, vaccines are a fantastic investment.” Shannon Linden is a health and humour columnist who writes a blog, magazine articles and grocery lists.

Photos contributed.

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Have you planned for the future? Experience is crucial.

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September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

okanaganlife.com September 2015

GOOD LIFE: Kitchen Confidential Story and photos by Bruce Kemp

A tisket, a tasket, Evolves’ new picnic basket How about spicing up your touring with a gourmet picnic overlooking the sparkling waters of Okanagan Lake Chef Kaila Klassen Elevation Eatery, Tapas Bar & Restaurant — Evolve Cellars

Evolve Cellars is a new take (with local legend Harry McWatters) on Bonita’s, an older, established vineyard featuring one of the best views in the Okanagan. It’s natural beauty has influenced Kaila Klassen and her partner in crime, baker Renata Bossini, to adopt a much more casually elegant approach to dining out. “The winery’s owner and I both agree that diners would like to have more control over their service,” says Kaila. “They are, after all the ones paying. So we’re trying to give them the option of exercising that control. We’re trying to develop an experience that is a more casual and relaxed while our food is upscale and the ingredients the best we can find.” The 26-year-old former real estate agent who was the second Okanagan chef to appear on Master Chef Canada (accepted onto the show after sending the producers a quirky, cuisine-inspired video on the last day of auditions), has developed a unique approach by offering picnic baskets in addition to the regular dining room menu. The nearly 40 picnic options, ranging from tapenade to charcuterie to jams and desserts, are fortified with Evolve’s own vintages. Vineyard staffers have set aside two picnic areas below the vineyard on the prospect overlooking the lake where you can sit in serenity to enjoy a meal garnished by the view. They even offer picnic blankies in case you’ve left your favourite at home. Boaters are also welcome at the five docking slips for sea-going visitors. Baskets aren’t restricted to dining on the grounds, a boon for husbands faced with a wedding anniversary and little skill in the kitchen. Now they can call

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

We need to look after the local diners.

of sunflower root that originated in North America, they haven’t made their way onto most people’s list of usual suspects; but tasty they are. She gets hers from Parker’s Organic Farms. In keeping with servicing the locals and maintaining business in the off-season, Kaila offers cooking classes through Elevation. Actually she’ll be offering two different styles of cooking classes. The Interactive experience lets students make a foray directly into a commercial kitchen where they have their own station, do their own prep, and cook what they’ve prepared before settling down to taste it. The other class is based on a tasting platform in which Kaila and Renata do the prep and cooking while the guests watch, then later partake. Kaila is determined to bring a new and unique, customerfriendly dining experience to a well-known Valley vineyard.

Cookware • knives • kitChen tools

Supplying Okanagan Kitchens for 25 years

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Clockwise: Braised short rib on sunchokes

Kaila and order an exceptional dining experience to go. Kaila explains their philosophy. “We took a look at the busiest times in the kitchen and realized that at cellars like ours, servicing the clientele is mainly a lunchtime trade. So this year we’re going to finish cooking around seven in the evening. “Who we’re catering to are the local folks. We know tourism in the Valley is seasonal and that travellers will probably stop coming in October, so we need to look after the local diners, depending on them to become our bread and butter for the off-season.” Kaila and Renata work handin-glove, each performing a task. Kaila is making a braised short rib on sunchokes puréed with blue cheese; baby carrots glazed in bourbon and maple syrup, and parsnip chips. I was surprised to see her using sunchokes. Although they are a kind

puréed with blue cheese, baby carrots and parsnip chips: braising the short rib; Kaila Klassen (right) and Renata Bossini work side-by-side with perfectly choreographed teamwork.

cheftips

Keep a bottle each of red and white wine close to the stove for deglazing. Remember to use wine that you’d feel good drinking (don’t go for the two buck duck stuﬀ ).

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GOOD LIFE: High Spirits Story, photos and reviews by Michael Botner

Corkscrew classics See why Michael is so hot on the wineries of Okanagan Falls at the crossroads of Okanagan wine country

he tasting trail known as Corkscrew Drive encompasses a collection of wineries around Skaha Lake and the area on both sides of the Okanagan River between Okanagan Falls and Vaseux Lake. While the whimsical name is certainly appropriate, given the twists and turns of the road, it does not fully encapsulate the significance or position of Okanagan Falls Wine Country as the crossroads between the south and central parts of the Okanagan Valley. The tour starts in the peaceful community of Kaleden, where Highway 3A joins 97. Take in the spectacular views overlooking Skaha Lake before visiting Krāze Legz, where Roaring ’20s spin meets intriguing wines, and Top Shelf Winery, where the talk is hockey and the wine is tasty. At over 3,000 metres above sea level, the 75-acre northwest-facing vineyard at See Ya Later Ranch towers above Skaha Lake and the view stretches past Penticton as far as Okanagan Lake. Boasting the largest single planting in North America, at 65 acres of the total, the star is aromatic, cool climate Gewürztraminer, perfect with casual ranch, picnic-style food served on the lawn and patio at the inviting winery. Between Skaha and Vaseux Lakes, the slope is south towards McIntyre Bluff, the narrowest part of the Okanagan Valley. Along Oliver Ranch Road, flat land is almost non-existent and the gravelly, glacial soils have a high

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

Top: Jak Meyer, Meyer Family Vineyards; middle (L to R): Larry Gerelus and

Linda Pruegger, Stag’s Hollow; Christie Mavety and Kornelia Brieke, Blue Mountain; Ian MacDonald, Liquidity; bottom (L to R): Gerry Thygeson, Krā ze Legz; Jim and Leslie D’Andrea, Noble Ridge; Dwight Sick, Stag’s Hollow.

boulder content. Wineries include: Blue Mountain Vineyards: long-time, respected grower producing elegant Pinot Noir and sparkling wines. Liquidity: new, ultra-elegant facility, stylish bistro, classy Pinot Noir and sparkling wines. Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery: a well-appointed winery and polished wines, especially red Meritage. Stag’s Hollow Winery & Vineyard: with a penchant for high quality and unique varieties, such as Tempranillo, Albariño and Vidal. Wild Goose Vineyards: an Okanagan icon since 1990, has recently modernized, expanded and added Smoke & Oak Bistro. Riesling and Pinot Blanc lead the pack. Hugging Peach Cliff are Meyer Family Vineyards, producers

of sought-after Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and boutique-y Synchromesh, focused on small lots of Riesling and other varieties. The drive towards Penticton on the east side of Skaha Lake reveals four more wineries high up on the cliffs and plateau above. Blasted Church Vineyards: with colourful and irreverent labelling, poking fun at local history, and an expertly-made wine portfolio. Try Chardonnay Musqué. Painted Rock Estate Winery: strives for excellence on a bench under the climbing bluffs. To die for Chardonnay, Red Icon. Pentâge: a must-see winery with innovative, natural rock cellar and a superb portfolio of home-grown wines.

GOOD LIFE: Taster’s Choice Showcasing a varied selection of grape varieties and wine styles produced by Okanagan Falls wineries. The ﬁve star rating system stresses value for price (pre-tax).

STAG’S HOLLOW 2013 TEMPRANILLO

MEYER FAMILY VINEYARDS 2013 PINOT NOIR

NOBLE RIDGE 2012 ESTATE MERITAGE

Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley

★★★★ $25.99

Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley

★★★★ $17.30

Produced from fruit grown in three Okanagan vineyards, including one-third Stag’s Hollow estate vines planted in 2006. Spicy, complex Tempranillo sports richly-textured blackberry, plums, pipe tobacco, vanilla, leather, paprika and smoky oak. Calls for grilled lamb, pork.

★★★★ $21.49

Dynamite red blend boasts ultra-ripe, supple plum, black currant and black cherry fruit, and intriguing nuances of cocoa, leather, tobacco, licorice, tomato purée, smoky oak and vanilla backed by silky smooth, chalky tannins. Serve with roast beef.

SEE YA LATER 2014 GEWURZTRAMINER Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley

★★★★ $14.29

From grapes grown at the south end of Skaha Lake on the highest elevation vineyard in the Okanagan Valley, this spicy, ﬂowery, slightly oﬀ-dry white delivers juicy lychee, pineapple and passion fruit, notes of pepper, ginger and coconut. Try with Asian, curried beef.

From four Okanagan vineyards, including MFV’s McLean Creek Vineyard, this superblycrafted, silky, stylish Pinot Noir delivers nuances of cherry, strawberry, plum, violets, truﬄe and vanilla. Accompanies meaty ﬁsh and light meats.

WILD GOOSE 2013 STONEY SLOPE RIESLING Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley

★★★★ $16.62

Made from 25-yearold vines grown on the southwest-facing, oneacre home vineyard, this definitive, kabinettstyle Riesling exhibits juicy, aromatic flavours of crisp green apple, apricot, lime, honey and mineral refreshed by racy acidity. Partners pork, chicken, fish.

okanaganlife.com September 2015

Change Your View on Life. Visiting Here is Breathtaking. Owning Here is Life Changing.

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FARM TO TASTE BUDS

Memories on display…

Visit us at our historic apple orchard and packing house. Open year round for sales & tastings. #1-2287 Ward Road. Kelowna, B.C.

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September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

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Lake okanagan Resort Hotel

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voting closes october 15, 2015

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vote online at okanaganalife.com okanaganlife.com September 2015

REARVIEW By Shelley Wood

too much busyness When Shelley sets out to do less with her time, she realized the complications of delayering life in a busy, busy world

orget your many pots on the burner, lines in the water, irons in the fire: I am going to tell you something that will stop you in your tracks. I’m not busy. I’m so not busy I couldn’t even get through the million and one things I didn’t need to get done today in order to compose this plea for an end to busyness, or at least a rethink of the way we slavishly fetish it. I’m fed up by the extent to which modern life has become so laden with commitments, duties and scheduling that busyness has become the only thing we have left to talk about. Ask anyone: How are you? The answer is never: I’m happy, sad, nostalgic, confused. The answer, inevitably, is: busy. Not long ago I quit my job, giving me plenty of idle moments to fret about how I’m not filling them. But one thing I’m actively doing with my time between jobs is trying to do less with it. It’s not so easy, delayering a life. In this day and age, success is measured by how much we accomplish, so not having work and responsibilities makes me feel rudderless and ineffectual. When people ask me, perplexed, how I’m passing the hours, I’m evasive or self-deprecating. I feel the need to trumpet a project or activity that explains my seemingly empty days. Last year, let me hasten to tell you, I was extremely busy and important. I was juggling work and family and friends and chores and finances and regular exercise and healthy eating and hobbies — the list goes on and on, and is deadly dull. Needless to say, I was so busy I

September 2015 Okanagan Life Magazine

never climbed properly out of one activity before plunging earnestly into the next. Everyone I know was in the same boat, all of us breathlessly bemoaning our busy lives. This means most conversations consisted of busyness one-upmanship rather than any actual listening and discussion. Surely your busyness is nowhere near as grueling and unsustainable as my busyness. Listen to this! Here’s the thing: everyone is busy. Being busy today is like having functioning kidneys and a heart that is still shunting blood from one chamber to the other. And as conversational topics go, it’s as boring as a pulse. Clearly I’m alive, so I lied when I said I wasn’t busy, because of course I’m cramming my days with … No. I’m not going to tell you about it, because surely you’ve had enough of this too, cataloging and hearing about all this busyness. We’ve let it invade even our rare scraps of leisure time, the scant moments of drifting conversation with the people we love, time we could be using to talk about something other than busyness. At any moment in any busy day, an idea, a memory or an emotion might flutter through your mind when you are too run off your feet to snatch at it. You might glimpse something astonishing or amusing in an instant with no space for reflection. In the 10 minutes you have for a phone call, or the 5 minutes you have for an email, or the 30 seconds you have to tap out a text, tell me about that moment. Crack it wide open and give it its due. I promise, I’ll drop everything I’m doing and give you my full attention.

I’m fed up with the way modern life has become so laden with commitments, duties and scheduling that busyness is all we have left to talk about.

VISIT A LOCATION NEAR YOU ARMSTRONG

RLP Downtown Realty 2A-3005 Smith Drive Armstrong, BC V0E 1B1 250-546-8791

BIG WHITE

Royal LePage Kelowna 5315 Big White Rd. Big White, BC V1P 1P3 250-491-6210

KAMLOOPS

Royal LePage Kamloops 322 Seymour Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2G2 250-374-3022

KAMLOOPS

Royal LePage Westwin Realty 800 Seymour Street Kamloops, BC V2C 2H5 250-374-1461

KELOWNA

Royal LePage Kelowna 1-1890 Cooper Rd. Kelowna, BC V1Y 8B7 250-860-1100

KEREMEOS

Royal LePage Locations West 638 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7th Avenue Keremeos, BC V0X 1N0 250-499-5327

LAKE COUNTRY

Royal LePage Kelowna 5-10058 Hwy 97 Lake Country, BC V4V 1P8 250-766-3300

MERRITT

Royal LePage Merrit 1988 Quilchena Avenue Merritt, BC V1K 1B8 250.378.6181

OKANAGAN FALLS

Royal LePage Locations West 837 Main Street Okanagan Falls, BC V0H 1R0 250-497-5541

OLIVER

Royal LePage South Country #125 - 5717 Main St Southwind Crossing Shopping Center Oliver, B.C. V0H1T9 250.498.6222

OSOYOOS

Royal LePage Access Real Estate 2-551 Trans Canada Highway NE, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4N6 250.832.9997

SUMMERLAND

Royal LePage Parkside Realty 9925 Main Street Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0 250.494.0505

Royal LePage Desert Oasis 8512 Main Street Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 250-495-2606

VERNON

PENTICTON

Royal LePage Locations West 484 Main St. Penticton, BC V2A 5C5 250-493-2244

PRINCETON

SALMON ARM

Royal LePage Locations West Realty P.O. Box 835 Princeton, BC VOX1WO 1-800-734-0457

RLP Downtown Realty 4007 32nd Street Vernon, BC V1T 5P2 250-545-5371

WEST KELOWNA

Royal LePage Kelowna 11-2475 Dobbin Rd. West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9 250-768-2161

REVELSTOKE

Royal LePage Revelstoke 300 Mackenzie Avenue Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S0 250-837-9544

okanaganlife.com September 2015