2life Issue 10

Issue NO. 10

6 wonderfully quirky hotels

happiness & couples Give back, feel better

curtis stone

on his latest cookbook & his romantic proposal to actress Lindsay price

tongue-in-cheek marriage advice, the true meaning of love & a peek inside a real couple’s modern abode

contents Issue No. 10

in every issue

03 Editor’s Letter 06 Upfront The true meaning

of love, why you should never stop flirting with your mate, and more!

11 Instructions for Living How to be a good wife

recipe for 2

features

14 Cover story

Curtis Stone The celebrity chef

2 1 Power of 2 Profile

Meet the amazing couple behind

on his latest cookbook and getting down on one knee

18 Halibut and Spinach with Orange-Pine Nut Vinaigrette 1 2life.io

the Dare to Wear Love campaign

26 So Happy Together

How giving back as a couple

can bring you closer

TRAVEL

32 Weird & Wonderful Hotels

Rest your head at one of these

6 quirky accommodations

AT HOME

39 Hello, Neighbor

Tour Jesse and Sarah’s chic,

modern abode

50 Get the Look

Experience

51 The Tale Of a Dragging Duo

Two sleepyheads who make

it work together

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editor’s letter Editor’s

to the latest issue of 2life maga­ zine! We have many must-read articles, including an interview with celebrity chef Curtis Stone, tongue-in-cheek marriage advice and a round-up of weird and won­ derful hotels from around the world.

Welcome

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One of the overriding themes that we explore in this issue is the link between couples and happiness. “In an era when there are so many distractions and demands on our time, many couples are searching for a way to stay connected,” holly molly

writes Sarah Treleaven in her article, “So Happy Together.”

Many of the experts that Treleaven interviewed suggest that the secret to a happy relationship might be as simple as joining forces for the greater good—to be the change, as it were—whether it’s on a global or local scale. Such is the case with Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell, the passionate founders of Dare to Wear Love, a Toronto-based fashion campaign that raises funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and its work to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa. You don’t want to miss our interview with them in our new Power of 2 Profile.

Along with celebrating twosomes who are dedicated to making a difference, the Power of 2 represents our phil­ an­­thropic commitment to support causes that work to improve the quality of life for people around the world.

We also recently launched 2life, the app for your most important relationship. Designed for two people, the 2life app lets you and your partner share, col­ laborate and coordinate all in one place. Plus, it offers inspiring lifestyle content (including this magazine!) that will help you get the most of your relationship.

2life is now available on the iTunes App Store.

We hope you enjoy the issue! Let us know what you think of it by sending us an email at feedback@2life.io or connecting with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. —Neil Morton

Editorial Director

Neil Morton neil@2life.io Creative Director

Lisa Walker lisa@2life.io Assistant Editor

Kate Drummond kate@2life.io Designer

Charles Kim charles@2life.io Creative Services

Karen Hall karen@2life.io President And Founder

Diane Hall diane@2life.io Vice-President

Gerry Brown gerry@2life.io Published By

2 For Life Media Inc. 2life.io 416-469-1429 app Development

It Guy Technologies It-Guy.com Editorial Feedback

editorial@2life.io Advertising Inquiries

advertising@2life.io 416-469-1429, ext. 223 Technical Feedback And Inquiries

support@2life.io General Inquiries

info@2life.io 416-469-1429 © 2013 2 For Life Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

Cover photograph by Quentin Bacon

connection

that matters IT’S FREE!

In a hyper-connected world, the relationship most important to you deserves its own place: a private, secure, and organized environment for two people to share.

upfront

J.

Love Don’t Cost a Thing…

Right?

istockphoto

insist otherwise, but according to a recent study conducted by RateSupermarket.ca, love does in fact cost a thing—and we’re not talking about your prized vinyl collection that an ex bor­ rowed and never returned.

The study concludes that the average romantic relation­ ship, from courtship to the altar, costs $43,842.08. Researchers established common elements of modern romances—date nights, weekend getaways, engagement rings—and then analyzed those figures (based on a one-year courtship and one-year engage­ ment) to calculate a final tally.

The study also took into account a not-so-happy expense that comes with being in a relationship: “Apology flowers,” delivered three times a year!

“We’re having a little fun with this, but all kidding aside, money problems are the most common reason for break­ups,” said Kelvin Mangaroo, President of RateSupermarket.ca. “It’s important for couples to have common financial goals, and to share a strategy for achieving them before committing to a long-term or lifelong relationship.”

If you ask us, $43,842.08 is a small fee to pay to find something that is truly priceless: your perfect mate.

Lo might

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According to a

Could a Happy Marriage Lead to Weight Gain?

study out of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the happier you are in your marriage, the more likely you are to pack on the pounds.

The researchers followed 169 young newlywed couples and looked at their marital satisfaction and weight gain over four years.

“Satisfaction is positively associated with weight gain,” says lead researcher Andrea Meltzer. “Spouses who are more satisfied tend to gain more weight, and spouses who are less satisfied tend to gain less weight.”

See? There is an upside to that postwedding weight gain!

Channel classic duo

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers date and take a ball­room dance night class with your sweetie.

Whirling and twirling on the dance floor as you waltz or tango the night away boosts intimacy and improves fitness levels. Plus, the passion you’ll feel for each other during the lesson will only be a fraction of what’s to come once class is dismissed.

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istockphoto (donuts); retro rocket (dancers)

watch

This Is The True Meaning Of Love Bill and Glad have been married for 50 years.

They have always been there for each other—in sickness and in health.

See, Glad has developed Alzheimer’s in recent years.

But Bill loves her as much as ever and takes care of her 24/7.

He even built her a custom tandem bike so that he can take her for rides along the waterfront, something they’ve always enjoyed doing together.

“She is my princess,” he explains in the video. “And I’m her William.”

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e clon le coup

20/20 vision will stop you from coveting a pair of retroinspired Warby Parker specs. Named after two of Jack Kerouac’s earliest characters, Warby Parker is more than a purveyor of Beatnik-chic eyewear: for every pair sold, the company donates a pair of glasses to someone in need. And they deserve an extra round of finger snaps for being one of the only carbon-neutral eyewear brands in the world. Available in the U.S., these unisex Ballard frames are an obvious choice for bookish clone clouples.

Not even

Get Your Flirt On! It turns out flirting doesn’t just help you woo a mate—

it can also help you keep your mate.

According to Zoosk.com’s Facts On Flirting Report,

89% of surveyed participants said that flirting is key when it comes to keeping the romance alive in their relationships.

Two-thirds of participants said that flirting is actually

more important than sweeping romantic gestures usually reserved for special occasions.

So flirt away!

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wedding bells in your future? These adorable Guest Libs by Megan Wappel Designs are a fun alternative to traditional wedding guest books. Your friends and family will have a blast completing the cards using their signature wit, crass or class, and you and your spouse will love reading the final products, no matter how touching or sidesplitting they may be. For best results, distribute cards after guests have had a glass or two of bubbly.

are there

Follow 2life Weddings on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter!

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instructions for living

How To Be A Good Wife Kara Kootstra’s tongue-in-cheek marriage advice for newlyweds.

On the subject of

House­c leaning

An integral part of keeping a tidy home is having multiple storage compartments into which you can shove unsightly clutter.

Remember, tidiness helps portray a clean and orderly household.

Note: From time to time, you will actually need to clean your house in order to avoid conspicuous smells.

On the subject of

children

Kids are a blessing. They are also messy, whiny and lead to drinking.

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istockphoto

On the subject of

sex

Sex is for one thing and one thing only—conceiving children. With any luck, you will only have to do this ten to twenty times before you get pregnant.

Feel free to tell your husband it’s “that time of the month” all of the time.

They have short memory spans and will quickly accept this as truth.

On the subject of

cooking

To avoid having to cook elaborate meals for a lifetime, be sure to start off your marriage by serving bland, mediocre dishes. Overdone Shake ‘n Bake chicken is encouraged. Any step you make towards gourmet cooking in the future will be met with encouragement and accolades.

Note: While serving a terrible meal, shedding a few tears and uttering the phrase “I’ll never be a good wife” go a long way towards keeping cooking expectations low.

On the subject of

everything else

Keep a secret stash of chocolate bars. Take vacations together.

Have fun. Stay connected, laugh often and keep each other happy.

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sharing thing

it’s a

IT’S FREE!

The 2life app’s powerful tools and dynamic content will help you and your partner remember yesterday, communicate today, and plan for tomorrow.

recipe for 2

Curtis Stone The celebrity chef and host of Bravo’s Around the World in 80 Plates on his romantic marriage proposal to actress Lindsay Price and what we can expect from his latest cookbook.

by Kate Drummond

quentin bacon

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C

urtis Stone has a lot on his plate: he's an award-winning chef, a bestselling author and a swoon-worthy television per­sonality. But, at the end of the day, the dashing Australian is a family man who loves to cook dinner for his wife, Lindsay Price, and their son, Hudson.

What role does food play in your family life?

Curtis: A huge one! We’ve got a really young boy, and watching him go on this journey with food already is blowing my mind. We’ve got a gorgeous big veggie garden, so I’m lucky enough to be able to go and pick stuff and steam it and serve it, knowing that it was growing a couple of hours before and it’s completely organic and healthy and has all of the different vitamins and minerals and bits and pieces that [our son] needs to grow big and strong. It’s such a fulfilling thing to be able to cook for him. And then Linds and I eat together every night. Most of the time, I cook. That’s a beautiful thing, too—to be able to cook for someone that you love and seeing that they enjoy it.

What might you cook for Lindsay to celebrate a special occasion?

Curtis: It depends what we’re doing.

For her first Mother’s Day, I cooked a bunch of Mexican food and organized a mariachi band to come over—she loves 15 2life.io

Mexican food. I’ve also made her lobster and homemade pasta, ‘cause she loves fresh pasta.

How did you propose to Lindsay?

Curtis: We were in Italy. We spent a week on the Amalfi Coast. I’d been plan­ ning it for a bloody long time, actually.

Did this whole rigmarole. It’s not easy for guys, y’know. We’ve got to try and organ­ize the ring; you want to be romantic and not ask her what kind of ring she wants, but that brings its own challenges and you don’t want to get her something that she’s not gonna like. I carried it around for five days in Italy, trying to find the right mo­ment. I wanted it to happen organi­cally; I didn’t want to set it up too much. I en­ded up asking her when we were sitting on the balcony of the room we stayed at in Positano, so it was very romantic and beautiful. We had the beach and Positano behind us and the mountains in the background, and I got down on one knee. I was bloody nervous; I got a bit sweaty.

“I carried the ring around for five days in Italy, trying to find the right moment to propose.

I wanted it to happen organically.”

quentin bacon

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“That’s a beautiful thing— to be able to cook for someone that you love and seeing that they enjoy it.”

And, of course, she said yes!

Curtis: Thank God! Can you imagine if she said no?!

What can we expect from your latest cookbook, What’s for Dinner?

Curtis: We’ve taken a bit of an inter­ esting approach. I’ve split all of the chap­ ters up into the days of the week. Monday, to me, you sort of want to brush off the cobwebs of the weekend if you ate and drank too much, so I’ve called it Motivat­ ing Monday. Each recipe is a healthy balance and designed to get off on the right foot for the week. On Tuesday, it’s one of the busiest days in my office; all you want to do is something quick, so that’s Time-Saver Tuesday—all meals are 15 to 40 minutes. Wednesday is One-Pot

Wednesday. Thursday is Thrifty Thurs­ day, because you’re trying to save a bit of money for the weekend. Friday is FiveIngredient Friday, so that’s happy hour foods like tacos and quesadillas and that sort of fun stuff with only five ingre­dients.

Saturday is Dinner Party Saturday, be­ cause that’s when you’re gonna enter­tain, and then Sunday is Family Supper Sunday.

Where do you find inspiration for your recipes?

Curtis: These days, for this book, it’s all about getting dinner on the table.

We’ve just got such crazy-busy lives at the moment… everybody’s in the same boat. We’re all busy in different ways and I just wanted to do a cookbook that made it possible.

Use the 2life app to build a list of recipes to try at home!

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recipe for 2

Halibut and Spinach with Orange-Pine Nut Vinaigrette Spend a romantic date night at home preparing this tasty and healthy dish from Curtis Stone’s latest cookbook, What’s for Dinner?

quentin bacon

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Halibut and Spinach with Orange-Pine Nut Vinaigrette Serves: 4 • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Orange-Pine Nut Vinaigrette: ∕³ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1

¼ cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1. To make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, shallots, honey, tarragon and orange zest with a fork to combine but not emulsify. Stir in the pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. To cook the fish: Season the halibut with salt and pepper.

3 Tbsp very finely chopped shallots

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon

2 Tbsp honey

or until deep golden brown on the underside. Turn the halibut

1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon Finely grated zest of 1 orange

of the oil, then the halibut. Cook, without turning, for 3 minutes, over and cook for about 3 minutes more, or just until it is barely opaque in the center when flaked with the tip of a small sharp knife. Transfer to a plate.

3. To cook the spinach: Wipe out the skillet and return it to

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and coarsely crushed

medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

or until they just begin to soften. Add the spinach and cook for

the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, 1 minute, or just until it begins to wilt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Divide the spinach among four dinner plates. Top each

Fish and Spinach: Four 5- to 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings 12 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

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with a fillet. Spoon the vinaigrette over the fillets and around the spinach mixture. Serve immediately.

To toast pine nuts, heat an empty medium skillet over medium heat.

Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

joined at the

fingertips IT’S FREE!

The 2life app syncs across your devices in real time. It brings you together when you’re apart, and it’s a part of being together.

power of 2 profile

Jim Searle & Chris Tyrell Meet the inspiring duo behind Dare to Wear Love, a Toronto-based fashion campaign that raises funds and awareness for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. by Kate Drummond

Jim and Chris in their Toronto home/studio.

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Kareen Mallon for FAJO Magazine

In 2009,

Hoax Couture designers and real-life couple, Chris Tyrell and Jim Searle, founded Dare to Wear Love, the annual and alwaysfabulous fashion event that raises funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and its work to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Every year, top Canadian designers volun­teer to be part of the DTWL Gala. Each designer receives six yards of African fabric, which they use to create a one-of-a-kind frock to be modelled on the DTWL runway.

Here, Chris and Jim dish on their fashionforward fundraising initiative…

Ashtiani modeled by Sparks Twins (Brittany and Maleah) bloggers. Sponsored by Flare.

Why did you choose to partner with the Stephen Lewis Foundation?

Chris & Jim: We were bowled over by the devastation caused to millions of people by the AIDS crisis in Africa and the overwhelming need to help. For Chris, it became personal when he found out that the foundation mainly helps grand­ mothers and orphans affected by the AIDS pandemic. He was an orphan and was raised by his grandmother. We were also impressed with the way the foun­ dation operated. The fact that they only support grassroots projects that come from the African communities means that, unlike other foundations, they are courtesy george pimentel photography

supporting initiatives that are coming directly from the people themselves.

The DTWL Challenge encourages people to raise funds by wearing Canadian fashion labels. Why is it an important part of your campaign?

C & J: It’s incredibly important because it engages the public and is infinite in its out­reach. You don’t have to be in Toronto to participate and support Canadian design and help people in less fortunate countries who are simply victims of being born where they were. Our slogan “Show Love Here, Bring Hope There” just about sums it up.

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How do you choose the fabric and where does it come from?

C & J: The fabrics are called Dutch wax prints and they can be found in most markets in Africa. They are the everyday fabrics that people all over the continent wear.

Tradition­ally, Dutch traders brought the fabrics to Africa and traded the fabrics for gold and other African commodities. We choose the ones that we love from the patterns available at that time.

“Our slogan ‘Show Love Here, Bring Hope There’ just about sums it up.”

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How has working together strength­en­ed or changed your relationship?

C & J: DTWL has been a real journey for the two of us. It is a lot of work to put on an annual event like this, and it has been truly rewarding to do it. We have strengthen­ed our own relationship by knowing that together we have worked at creating something that has helped alleviate some of the suffering in the world.

We are hum­bled every day by the generosity and commit­ment of the dozens of people who help us to create the event. It is remarkable how people res­pond courtesy the stephen lewis foundation (top left and top right)

when asked [to partici­pate]. No one has ever said no. It makes us realize that most people want to do something and, if given the chance, will jump right on!

What motivates you to continue what you’ve started?

C & J: Thoughts of how courageous the people are who are on the ground dealing with the HIV/AIDS pandemic—they just can’t give up. Also the grandmothers who bury their children and are then faced with the task of raising kids in their old age, and the orphans who have

no one; Ilana Landsberg Lewis—the Executive Director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation—and the way she turns every obstacle into an opportunity; the fact that we are privileged to live in Canada and therefore have a responsibility to help others who are not so fortunate; the pic­ tures and videos we took last time we were in Africa, and the promise we made to people there that we would not aban­ don them; and all of the DTWL supporters who give freely of their time, expertise, knowledge and creativity. These are some of the things that motivate us.

watcH highlights from the DTWL gala!

Video by Secret Level Films; director and editor Will Cyr; producer Renée de Sousa

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the power of 2 IT’S FREE!

Download the 2life app and you’ll make a difference right away, not only for yourselves but for others. Our launch campaign is joining Dare to Wear Love’s fundraising efforts for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s work to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Sign up using promo code #powerof2.

features

Couples who collaborate for the greater good, whether it’s building a home with Habitat for Humanity or volunteering at a community center, are setting an example for the rest of us—and they just might be happier, to boot.

by Sarah Treleaven

istockphoto

2life.io 26

n an era

when there are so many distractions and demands on our time, many couples are searching for a way to stay connect­ ed. Working together to make the world a little brighter requires collective compas­ sion, shared goals and a solid sense of perspective—things that just might give couples a greater shot at happiness.

In her new book, The Myths of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky explores ways that couples can sustain happiness and stave off the decline of their relation­ ship. Any pursuit that involves personal growth, nurtures or enhances relation­ ships with other people, or helps others, can contribute to a healthy partnership.

Working together on a charitable project meets all three criteria.

“If you’re a couple that’s been together for a long time, there are no surprises,” says Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor 27 2life.io

at the University of California. “When you do something to contribute to the welfare of others, it involves challenges, oppor­ tunities, meeting new people and lots of variety and novelty. Those are all things that can prevent you from getting bored or taking each other for granted.”

Margaret Coshan works for Community Matters Toronto—a network of assistance programs for newcomers to Canada—with her partner of 20 years, Chris Hallett. Coshan agrees that their joint project is more than just a paycheck.

“You have to tease out your beliefs as a couple,” she says. “It demands more self-examination. I’ve worked on projects like these on my own, but to share a life’s purpose is the best gift I’ve ever had.”

Hallett says their work has taught them skills that are transferable to their relationship. “We deal with newcomers from varied backgrounds. Inevitably, you come to understand that everyone is trying their best and they just happen to come from a completely different perspective,” he says. “If you take that idea and apply it to your relationship, it can make a real difference.”

Enjoying successes together is remarkable, but so is helping each other through impasses and failure. istockphoto

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“Couples who are happiest have the ability to prioritize what’s really important, but it’s so easy to get trapped in the drama of the day-to-day.” hile it’s impor­

tant to recognize and appreciate your differences in order to have a healthy relationship, it’s no more important than highlighting similarities and shared aspi­rations.

Chrisanna Northrup’s new book, The Normal Bar: The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples and What They Reveal About Creating a New Normal in Your Relationship, is based on results from an extensive survey that included over 70,000 couples. Northrup says that her research found that the happiest couples are more similar than they are different, and that they support each other’s per­ sonal growth. “It makes a big differ­ence when you do something togeth­er as a 29 2life.io

team, rather than one of you doing some­ thing extraordinary, while the other waits in the background,” she says.

When Aparna Guha and Aaron McCourtie started Original Trails, an ethical tour company, they wanted to combine their shared passion for travel and a desire to give back. McCourtie says that when he first met Guha, he was drawn to her generosity and empathy— qualities he’s happy to see in their daily work. “It’s great to be with someone who has the same ideals as you,” he says, “And having a common goal really makes us stronger.” Guha says that shared milestones have enriched their relation­ ship. “We’re not making a lot of money, but we’ve been able to build two wells in rural Cambodia,” she says. “It’s amazing

to see your partner get just as excited about that as you are.”

The magic of working together on a broader social goal comes not simply from the selflessness, compassion and generosity required, but also the high-stakes challenges.

Enjoying successes together is remarkable, but so is helping each other through impasses and failure. It doesn’t have to be your full-time occupation; even taking a volunteer vacation together—helping to build a home with Habitat for Humanity, for example—can help couples develop a perspective that can keep petty annoyances in check.

“Couples who are happiest have the ability to prioritize what’s really import­ ant, but it’s so easy to get trapped in the drama of the day-to-day,” says psycho­ therapist Elisabeth LaMotte. “When you look beyond yourselves and invest in a cause that helps others, it can lessen the likelihood that you’re going to put too much emphasis on who is folding the laundry.” istockphoto

f course,

nobody’s perfect.

Even the most virtuous couples sometimes exchange laundry-related complaints. But we can learn something from these philanthropic twosomes: Take time to express empathy and gratitude, and work together towards positive common goals. These guiding princi­ples apply to all couples, whether you spend your weekends delivering food together for Meals on Wheels, or simply collaborate on baking brownies for an overwhelmed neighbor.

2life.io 30

more to love

Live 2life to its fullest: subscribe to 2life Premium.

It’s the best ten bucks a year you can spend on your relationship!

travel

6 Weird & Wonderful Hotels Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Chain hotels work but quirky hotels are becoming increasingly popular as couples look for unique holiday experiences. From bohemian caravans in England to tree houses in Scandinavia, we’ve scoured the four corners of the world to find you original hotels.

by Steff Moore

Peter Lundstrom, WDO-www.treehotel.se

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1 Treehotel Harads, Sweden Deep in the heart of a boreal forest lies this architectural marvel. Each unique room—made from old shipping containers and other recycled materials— is suspended from the trees that surround it, offering guests remarkable views through the forest and over the Lule River. Both the construction and the operation of Treehotel are environmentally friendly, and you can even take a dip in the suspended Tree Sauna!

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Peter Lundstrom, WDO-www.treehotel.se

2

King Pacific Lodge British Columbia, Canada Moored in Barnard Harbour, this luxurious hotel sits atop a floating barge.

Along with its unusual location, the lodge also has a unique approach to ecotourism: Not only does the hotel offset all of the carbon emissions associated with its operations, it also offsets guests’ air travel to and from the lodge.

The King Pacific Lodge offers a vacation by the water that’s truly eco-friendly.

courtesy king pacific lodge

2life.io 34

3

Das Park Hotel Ottensheim, Austria Plumbing has never been so chic: The rooms in the Das Park Hotel were built from repurposed concrete drainpipes. What these cozy rooms lack in space, they more than make up for in personality and affordability. Each room contains a double bed, power sockets, lights, a sleeping bag and a woolen blanket. Toilets, cafés, entertainment and bar facilities are provided by the surrounding public spaces. Best of all, you set the price—a night at Das Park Hotel costs only as much as you want to pay.

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courtesy © dasparkhotel

4 Giraffe Manor Nairobi, Kenya The area surrounding Giraffe Manor teems with wildlife, including warthogs, dik dik and nearly 200 bird species. But the stars of your stay will be the hotel’s resident herd of Rothschild giraffes. These loveable creatures might visit you at the breakfast table, inquire about your dinner, or even poke their heads through your bedroom window.

The hotel owners are committed to conserving the native wildlife and giving back to the Kenyan community through conservation and fundraising efforts. courtesy giraffe manor

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5

La Rosa Campsite Extraordinaire Whitby, England Have you ever fancied running away with the circus? Well, now you can— at least for a few nights. La Rosa Campsite Extraordinaire offers a range of bohemian caravans, teepees and circus tents—all made and decorated with recycled found objects. To lower its environmental impact, the camp is lit with fairy lights and candles and offers primal facilities, such as composting toilets and an open-air bath.

There’s only one thing wilder than the décor—your fellow guests!

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courtesy la rosa campsite extraordinaire

6

727 Fuselage Home Costa Verde, Costa Rica In a prior life, this Boeing 727 flew adventurous tourists to South Africa and Colombia. Now the converted aircraft shuttles guests to the Land of Nod as an exclusive hotel suite at Costa Verde Resort. The 727 protrudes over the surrounding forest, giving guests stunning views in all directions from the hardwood deck built across the plane’s right wing. Time to join the Mile High Club?

courtesy costa verde

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at home

Hello, Neighbor Design-inclined duo Sarah and Jesse transform a neglected nineteenth-century house into a chic, modern abode

by emma reddington, The Marion House Book Blog photography by kristin sjaarda

39 2life.io

S

have to wait for the right house to come along. That’s what Sarah Keenleyside and Jesse Boyer learned when they went search­­ing for a home two and half years ago in Toronto. After losing out on a number of places in a hot housing market, the couple came across this charming house that hadn’t been touched in a hundred years. Sarah, a talented designer, and Jesse, an industrious do-it-yourselfer, saw past the fifteen layers of paint and dated wallpaper to see the house that it could be. And thank goodness they did! ometimes you

Occupations: Sarah is the Principal

Designer and co-owner of Qanuk Interiors (named after an Inuit word that means “snow”) and Jesse is an entrepreneur who really knows his way around old brick houses.

Dwelling: A three-story, semi-detached

home in an up-and-coming neighborhood.

How long have you lived in your home?

Two and a half years.

Any kids or pets?

Soda, our 8-year-old chocolate Lab.

What’s your favorite room and why?

Sarah: I would have to say the kitchen/ dining room. We opened up the wall between the two rooms because we knew that we would rarely use the formal dining room. I love that we were able to alter the room functions of the home to suit our lifestyle, but still keep the original character. This is the space where friends and family gather and I get to eat breakfast every morning with my “soul mate”—the chandelier that hangs overhead. So fancy!

Jesse: I have always been attracted to third floors and this house has a great one. It was originally three rooms, but previous owners knocked down walls and made it one room, with a bathroom 2life.io 40

and kitchen. We kept the bathroom and updated it with a new floor, toilet and sink. We also used original cedar tongue and groove planks that were used as partition walls in the basement as a wall treatment on one wall. This looks very cool. We got rid of the kitchen entirely.

We use the space as a TV-watching area, an office and a small exercising area.

How did you find your home? Had you been looking for a long time?

Sarah: We had been looking for six months. We had offered on a couple of houses, but lost in bidding wars. When we found this listing, we both loved the house. The layout was very unique and we instantly realized that this was why we didn’t get those other houses. I am an interior designer and love to get my hands dirty, and Jesse has renovated several investment properties over the years.

We fought for it and the only condition we put on the offer was to please include all of the old doors that were covered in cobwebs in the basement.

Where do you find inspiration?

Sarah: The bad answer is everywhere and anything, but it’s true. I think I can credit a lot of my design aesthetic to my Grandma Keenleyside. Bernice was straight out of Mad Men and my 41 2life.io

“I get to eat breakfast every morning with my ‘soul mate’—the chandelier that hangs overhead. So fancy!”

Mix and match vintage and modern chairs around a classic wood table for an eclectic look. A Persian rug ties it all together.

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“The only condition we put on the offer was to please include all of the old doors that were covered in cobwebs in the basement.”

Hang dramatic wall sconces and white frames on a dark wall to create an interesting backdrop for your sofa. A vibrant throw and pillows add a punch of colour.

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grandparents’ home was this incredible mix of mid-century modern, West Coast Native art­work (Grandpa was from Vancouver), Indonesian and Chinese carved wood pieces, Persian rugs and travel kitsch. I kind of live by the rule that anything goes if it feels good, has a story and/or makes you smile. I try not to follow trends, but fashion is a constant inspiration for fabric mixing, and jewelry design is a constant inspiration for lighting.

Jesse: I’m not so specific about where my design ideas come from. It probably comes from touring renovations and other houses. I have definitely learned what I like through trial and error. Sarah, of course, is a big influence.

What did your home look like when you first saw it? What work have you done on it to make it your own?

Sarah: Jesse and I combined have touched every single inch of this home.

Jesse worked on the house full-time for photo : quentin bacon

Placing mirrors behind your bookshelves makes the room seem larger and helps bounce light around the space.

eight months straight! Nothing had been updated, so we had to replace all of the electrical work and plumbing. One of the biggest things we did was to knock off the back mudroom extension, which let more light into the dining and kitchen areas and really enhanced the view of the back­ yard. We fully renovated the kitchen and opened up the wall between the kitchen and dining room. The second floor 2life.io 44

Add a hit of black (or dark grey) to every room to help ground it. Repeating the same hue throughout the house creates flow and cohesiveness from floor to floor.

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“I live by the rule that anything goes if it feels good, has a story and/or makes you smile.”

Paint the frame of a vintage teak credenza with white paint but leave the drawers in their natural state. The result: a showstopping piece worthy of your entrance way or dining room.

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Get creative! A set of institutional chairs looks right at home at the base of the master bedroom bed.

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bathroom was a tiny toilet-only room, with a tub and vanity in the room beside. We com­ bined the two rooms to create a more functional washroom and reused the original back door of the house as the washroom door. We replaced all of the windows, which felt like a crime, but they were not efficient, and we converted the unfinished basement into a cool one-bedroom rental unit.

We did a polished concrete floor down there and I know that Jesse is jealous that our tenants get to enjoy it and we don’t.

What would your dream house look like?

Sarah: A lot like this! Maybe with a finished exterior, though. We haven’t really had time to get around to that yet.

Sorry, neighbors!

Jesse: I agree with Sarah, but maybe a little more modern. As much as I like the original plaster walls, they aren’t very efficient. So my dream house would be better insulated (not very sexy, I know)

and maybe with in-floor heating and hot water on demand.

What was the last thing you pur­ chased for your home?

Sarah: This great brass candelabra set from the ‘60s.

Jesse: Cedar decking boards for the front porch, which we’re finally starting to work on.

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Repaint, restore and reuse! A beautiful fireplace is painted out in classic black and white, while the original doors get a coat of dark grey-blue paint. The result is modern but in keeping with the history of the home.

“I love that we were able to alter the room functions of the home to suit our lifestyle, but still keep the original character.”

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at home

get the look Starburst Mirror, $199 Crate and Barrel

Erland Dining Chair, $59 Ikea

Four-Light Pendant, call for price Royal Lighting

PS cabinet, $99 Ikea

Pawn Stool, $399 Gus Modern

ZigZag Rug, from $49 West Elm

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experience

The Tale of a Dragging Duo Writer Deborah Ostrovsky and her husband might be coffee-guzzling insomniacs—but at least they’re in it together.

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istockphoto

M

and I go to bed late.

We’re oriented toward nightness, as sleep ex­perts call it.

Like most couples, we have had to make myriad life adjustments—getting to know the in-laws, juggling career demands and living through home renos—yet our insom­nolence has remain­ed a constant issue. “I’ve heard about you two,” an acquaintance told me once at a party.

“You’re the ones who go for coffee at midnight.”

It’s hard to say whether my nightness has rubbed off on my husband, or vice versa. It’s probably a bilateral situation. In bed we toss and turn, waking each other up with our work-related dreams.

“I forgot to calculate forces in the z-axis!” my software-engineer husband yelled out in his sleep last week.

We’re very tired—and very wired.

According to a study by the American y husband

National Sleep Foundation, we fit the profile of a Dragging Duo. Dragging Duos perform work activities within an hour of going to bed. Most of us are insomniacs.

We’re less likely to have a good night’s rest, making up for lost zzzs by sleeping late on weekends. I’m reluctant to think of myself as a data point on a statistical survey, but it’s 1:30 a.m. and my husband is sitting across the desk from me, slurping the grainy dregs of a latte and responding to work emails on his BlackBerry.

Dragging Duos have rocky social lives. I can attest to this because I don’t recall a Saturday brunch date that we haven’t missed. Sure, we have friends, but we only see them during certain times of the day. Take Randi and Jean, for example. They’re a couple that, according to the Sleep Foundation, wins the prize moniker of Healthy, Lively Larks. They hit the sack early, wake up as the sun rises

“Sure, we have friends, but we only see them during certain times of the day.”

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“Perhaps in another life we were nightclub managers or E.R. nurses forever assigned to the nightshift.” and prepare a hearty breakfast. On week­ ends, they do things like go for long hikes in the wilderness and drive to a farmers’ market to stock up on victuals for supper— all by 8 a.m. If they weren’t so accomm­ odating about meeting us late in the afternoon, they’d be strangers—an exotic species belonging to a foreign, diurnal world into which we refuse to venture.

W

here does it come from, this distorted circadian rhythm we share with vampires, cock­roaches and wombats? Is it the stress of modern times and the global economic crisis? Or is it faulty wiring in the HypothalamicPituitary-Adrenal axis of our respective endocrine systems, a hormonal destiny condemning us to a state of mutual sleeplessness? Perhaps in another life we were nightclub managers, E.R. nurses forever assigned to the night­shift, or worm pickers—the ones wearing mining lights, huddled over muddy, dark fields 53 2life.io

along the highway. In our present lives we are none of these things: just an average couple with nine-to-five jobs who never hit the hay before 1 a.m.

There’s some good news: we may not be in bed enough to boost the slumping birth rate or support the pajama industry, but at least we’re in sync. In Two in a Bed: The Social System of Couple Bed Sharing, sociologist Paul C. Rosenblatt argues that harmony and acceptance of sleeping routines matter. Writing in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Jeffrey H. Larson’s researchers found that couples with aligned circadian rhythms, whether oriented toward night or morning, are happier together.

Heaven help the mismatched early bird and night owl who spend their best waking hours apart.

As for us, a friend once suggested that we break our nocturnal predilections with a morning yoga class.

“I’d rather sleep in,” my husband and I blurted out, perfectly in sync.

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