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NOVEMBER 2026

$ 7. 9 9

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Highly recommended, locally sourced gifts they’re sure to love

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What if an emergency department was designed to see patients faster? At the new St. Paul’s Hospital, a new emergency department model will provide more privacy and dignity for patients, more bed capacity, and more efficiency that will fundamentally change what it feels like to be a patient needing emergency care. And that’s just the beginning. On the pages ahead, discover how Vancouver’s new Teck Emergency Department at the Jim Pattison Medical Campus is transforming care and helping more people across British Columbia heal better. Learn more at helpstpauls.com

On the Jim Pattison Medical Campus

THE JIM PATTISON MEDICAL CAMPUS

Continuing a legacy of Healing Better For generations, St. Paul’s Hospital has earned the trust of countless patients by helping them heal better, from first breaths to some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Next year, that legacy enters a new era with the Jim Pattison Medical Campus (JPMC), unlocking new possibilities for health care and research in British Columbia. Home to the new St. Paul’s Hospital and the Clinical Support and Research Centre (CSRC), this once-in-ageneration campus will be the most advanced and comprehensive medical campus in Western Canada. Bringing researchers and clinicians together will help accelerate discoveries from the lab to the bedside. Designed to improve access, privacy, comfort, safety and healing, this is where you and your loved ones will turn for some of the province’s most specialized care.

INSIDE THE NEW ST. PAUL’S HOSPITAL—OPENING 2027 Emergency care designed to be faster and calmer The brand-new Teck Emergency Department will help patients be seen more efficiently with fewer steps, by having registration and triage happen at the same time to help reduce wait times.

Additionally, a new pod model divides the ED into four separate zones—each operating as its own mini emergency department, including one dedicated exclusively to mental health patients—along with a separate ambulance entrance to support a calmer environment. “The new emergency department at St. Paul’s is going to be a completely different experience for patients. It is time for a new space. Patients are going to feel more supported, more respected, and more comfortable.” –Dr. Erin Kenny, St. Paul’s Emergency Department (ED) lead More patients will also be assessed and cared for in single-occupancy or secluded exam rooms to support optimal privacy. These new approaches are helping reduce time spent in central waiting areas and create a more seamless, transparent experience.

Technology centered around people

supporting access today and sustainability for the

Technology in the new hospital is designed to make care easier and more connected, from bedside tools that support communication and comfort to digital systems that simplify appointments and access to health information.

future. It’s also just a four minute walk from Main

Single-occupancy rooms for all patients Every inpatient will have their own individual, digitally connected room designed to bring comfort, dignity, and seamless care throughout their healing journey. NICU that supports family bonding That same commitment to privacy and familycentred care for all patients extends to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where parents and babies can heal together in a single-occupancy room that supports bonding, reduces stress, and promotes better health outcomes. Easier to get there The campus includes more than 1,100 parking stalls and over 100 electric vehicle charging stations,

Street–Science World SkyTrain Station, making the hospital easier to reach for patients, families, staff, and visitors. More room for life-saving procedures The hospital includes more operating rooms, some up to 30% bigger than current ORs, giving care teams the space they need to perform advanced procedures safely and efficiently. A new approach to aging well The Shinozaki Family Centre for Healthy Aging will be BC’s first centralized hub for seniors care, connecting home, hospital, and specialized services to help older adults age with dignity. By bringing geriatric specialists, assessments, and outpatient care together in one place, it will connect each person to the right mix of medical and community supports, while purpose-built spaces—including a simulated home and mobility gym—support real-world assessment and independence.

A resource for everyone in BC More than just a downtown hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital has served people from every corner of British Columbia for over a century. More than 40% of patients come from outside the Lower Mainland for specialized care they can’t find elsewhere, including adult heart transplants. Whether you live in Burnaby, Prince George, Nanaimo, Castlegar, or anywhere in between, the new St. Paul’s Hospital located on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus is designed to advance breakthroughs, expand access to leading experts, and deliver better outcomes for every patient, with stronger support for families at every step. We’re gearing up to open in 2027, but we need your help to cross the finish line.

Together, we can build a future where care is stronger, more human, and right there when it matters most. Help us build an extraordinary future of Healing Better in British Columbia.

On the Jim Pattison Medical Campus

Donate now

Contents NOVEMBER 2026 VOLUME 59 // NUMBER 7

13 MARKET REPORT THE BEST BITES AT THE NEW TIME OUT MARKET P.74 CHILL OUT Your Winter Getaway Guide Is Here p.54

NOVEMBER 2026

Culture

13 16 18 19

2026 WISH BOOK + 80

PERSONAL SPACE

Writer-producer Leah Gauthier embraces whimsymaxing with gusto.

SHOP HOP

Light up your life with the loveliest lamp shops.

SO FUN CITY

Arts and culture events to warm up your November.

MADE IN VANCOUVER Otto Studio crafts wallpaper designed to wow.

(PERSONAL SPACE) TANYA GOEHRING

Highly recommended, locally sourced gifts they’re sure to love

ON THE COVER

20 22 24

AT ISSUE

How will a floating hotel change the Vancouver waterfront?

DISRUPTOR

Music Heals provides vital funding to music therapy programs.

KNOW-IT-ALL

Change is brewing for the former Molson site in Kitsilano.

Photography by Clinton Hussey Styling by Kristin Morawski Clothing by Holt Renfrew Flooring by Mira Floors and Interiors Our original plan was to have our cover model hold the towering pile of packages in front of her face, but Vancouver bridalwear entrepreneur Gaby Bayona (who contributed her amazing picks to our 2026 Wish Book, starting on page 26) looked too glamorous to hide. She wears an Oscar de la Renta dress paired with Floriana Gloves, Manolo Blahnik shoes and Swarovski earrings and watch.

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

A PUBLICATION OF CANADA WIDE MEDIA LIMITED

VANMAG.COM

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74 78 79 80 82 8

TIME OF YOUR LIFE

The best-bet bites at Oakridge’s new Time Out Market food court.

IN SEARCH OF

Slurping our way through the best pho in town.

BEST THING I ATE

This butter chicken blew our food editor’s mind.

THE BOTTLE LIST

Gift-worthy, boozy bottles to share and sip this season.

MEET CUTE

Trying to find love on a holiday-sweater-themed dance floor.

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THE VANMAG WISH LIST

Dozens of great gifts for everyone on your list, from local brands and stores we love.

SCREEN TIME

No matter how small the screens, our local independent theatres have a big impact on the city’s film culture.

TRAVEL GUIDE

Where to get out and play this winter: Golden, Sun Peaks and Victoria await.

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VANCOUVER MAGAZINE is published eight times a year by Canada Wide Media Limited, Suite 130, 4321 Still Creek Dr., Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6S7. Phone 604-299-7311; fax 604-299-9188. Copyright 2026. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Not responsible for unsolicited editorial material. You can review our complete Privacy Policy at Vanmag.com. Indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia Ltd. and also in the Canadian Periodical Index. International standard serial no. ISSN 0380-9552. Canadian publications mail product sales agreement #40065475.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

A FEW MORE GIFT IDEAS Highly recommended experiences to give this holiday season.

THAT’S A WRAP

STACEY McLACHLAN editor - in - chief smclachlan @ canadawide . com |

@ stacey _ mclachlan

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

A Glassblowing Class Embrace the heat and turn molten glass into a bespoke objet—will you ever feel more powerful? Vancouver Studio Glass offers intro workshops for $195, right on Granville Island. vancouverstudioglass.com

A Scenic Flight I’m usually hopping on a seaplane in order to get my butt to a wedding in Victoria, but I love the idea of gifting one of Seair’s leisurely bird’s-eye-view tours of the Vancouver city skyline ($185 per adult) or the Coast Mountains ($319). seairseaplanes.com

behind the scenes

Box Set Art director Stesha Ho collected boxes from the editorial team for weeks leading up to our big gift guide photo shoot, and then wrapped each one by hand to create the piles of pretty packages you see on the cover.

(PORTRAIT) EVA AN KHERA J; (ST YLING) ALSU PASEK; (HAIR AND MAKEUP) ALISHA HOPPS; (CLOTHING) THE BLOCK; (JEWELLERY) ENTI ANA

I come from a wish-list family, which means every birthday or gift-worthy holiday comes with a little assignment: I’m asked to jot down a few things I might want or need. As a kid, I would meticulously note my requests for world peace and also a Polly Pocket Light-Up Magical Mansion with my best glitter gel pen, and hang the list in pride of place on the fridge so that parents, Santa and generous uncles alike might know exactly what goods would bring me joy. These days, a bullet-point rundown goes to my mother’s email inbox, and then later I get precisely the running socks I wanted. (I’m middle-aged now, okay? Leave me alone!) As both a writer and receiver of these lists, I know how helpful it is to be set up for success. But I also know there’s joy to be found beyond the boundaries of the specific requests. In recent years, I’ve developed the habit of “pulling an Oprah”: gifting people things I personally love, just as O would bestow her Favourite Things™ upon her audience members. Consider it a personal endorsement, wrapped up in festive paper. I gave a friend the same electric fabric shaver that had renewed my own favourite sweatshirts. My preferred housewarming present is the same ultra-absorbent, highly colourful Geometry towel I have in my kitchen drawer. Every pregnant woman I know gets a copy of Emily Oster’s Expecting Better, a book I read cover to cover as I was cooking up my own baby years ago. And I’ve even discovered that a long-coveted object can make for a very fun gifting experience, too. I love an excuse to buy a fancy little something-something for someone else, even if I haven’t been able to justify buying it for myself, and then to excitedly await their review. I once gave a friend a gorgeous, glass-handled Italian toothbrush from Old Faithful for her birthday, swearing it wasn’t a comment on her oral hygiene; she came back later and revealed that her teeth had never felt so clean. If that’s not a successful gift, I don’t know what is. Whatever your gifting style, I’m hopeful that the wide-ranging suggestions in our annual Vanmag Wish Book (page 26) kick off some inspiration for the perfect treat for someone you love. Maybe your girlfriend has sent you on a quest for the ideal robe; maybe you love to surprise your chef-y brother with highly recommended kitchen tools; maybe you’re reminded of a beloved sweater that you know your niece will dig, too: any which way, we’ve got you covered with dozens and dozens of good ideas for cool gifts from our favourite local brands and stores, as selected by our editorial team and a collective of Vancouverites with great taste. And if something winds up on your own list along the way... well, consider that our gift to you.

Global News Hour at 6 with Chris Gailus & Sophie Lui We are BC’s News. Globalnews.ca

SHOP HOP // SO FUN CITY // MADE IN VANCOUVER // AT ISSUE // DISRUPTOR // KNOW-IT-ALL

CULTURE

More Is Merrier PERSONAL SPACE

At home with Vancouver writer-producer Leah Gauthier, where thrifted treasures, leopard print and Christmas in July all find their place.

MAKEUP BY NICOLE HARVIE

by Kerri Donaldson

photographs by Tanya Goehring

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C U LTU R E / / PERSONAL SPACE

Off the Wall Gauthier installed Photowall’s Meadow bird-and-flower wallpaper herself, then used scented Mr. Sketch markers to soften its shiny finish, add hand-drawn texture and camouflage imperfect seams. The same wallpaper appears at her summer place in Birch Bay.

y the time we arrive at Leah Gauthier’s Fairview condo on July 28, Christmas has already won. Tinsel curtains shimmer in the doorway. Vintage ceramic trees glow among tiny Santas. Two birds recently found at the Salvation Army have been promoted to turtle doves based largely on their head count. When the sun hits the disco balls, light skips across the room, presumably so that every figurine can enjoy its own private holiday rave. Gauthier purchased the onebedroom, 550-square-foot condo in 2020. The “before” photos show a familiar Vancouver blank slate: white walls, standard fixtures and a square doorway making no demands on the imagination. She has since added a sculptural fireplace, a rounded arch, rosy walls, layered rugs and enough collected characters to sustain several seasons of prestige television. It all tracks for a Vancouver-based writer-producer who co-created CTV’s Jann (also serving as an executive producer and writer on the series) and is a longtime writing partner to Michael Bublé. By her estimate, about 75 percent of what’s in the home is thrifted. Objects arrive one at a time from flea markets, church shops, garage sales and far-flung Value Villages, then find themselves cast in increasingly elaborate ensembles. “I’m finding pieces that should be together and reuniting them,” says Gauthier. “I actually think good thrifting is pattern recognition.” The ceramic and stone fruits in the bowl at the centre of her dining table were collected piece by piece. They now sit beneath a flock of painted birds, surrounded by leopard-

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

print chairs from Structube—one of the rare things Gauthier bought new. “It was hard,” she says. “But I was brave.” This love of the hunt began with her mother. As a teenager, Gauthier willingly woke before noon for trips to the Cloverdale Flea Market, which may be the clearest available test for whether a young person has found her calling. “That’s passion,” she says. The two still

meet for breakfast and visit the Delta Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store most Fridays. Fortunately, their collections do not overlap. “We’re not both after the same ceramic dish,” says Gauthier. “It’s harmonious.” Her advice to fellow treasure hunters is simple: visit the shops often, carry multiple beverages and “don’t ever skip the bag wall. Be the weirdo digging through the bags.”

1 Golden Arches A standard doorway received intervention with 3D-printed corner pieces from Arch Friends and drywall mud. “I’m this person who’s like, ‘I could do that,’” she says. Her renovation philosophy is: “How hard can it be?” The leopard-print chairs are from Structube. 2 Hearth Starter A thrifted electric insert anchors Gauthier’s sculptural fireplace. She transformed the black insert with Rub ’n Buff for a vintage, bronzygold finish. 3 Memory Box Childhood didn’t get packed away here; it got top billing. “Stick it in a shadow box,” says Gauthier. At the top of the shelf, a white-onwhite display preserves a miniature archive of her childhood: a Brownie handprint, Fashion Plates, Care Bears and Charmkins.

MAKEUP BY NICOLE HARVIE

4 Pattern Recognition “You didn’t just walk into a store and buy a set,” says Gauthier of the ceramic and stone fruits that decorate her dining table. “You found it, or it found you.”

Gauthier’s interest in worldbuilding started early. As a child, she stayed up constructing displays as though she were designing the Christmas windows at Hudson’s Bay. “I was in the zone,” she says. “No time to sleep. I always wanted to rearrange my life.” Her adult space feels nostalgic without being a museum, maximalist without being overwhelming and, at its core, full of life. Gauthier imagines thrifted objects carrying the energy of the people who once chose them. “This is a house full of legendary ghosts,” she says. When I introduce her to the term ‘whimsymaxing,’ she accepts the diagnosis immediately. “I accidentally tripped and fell into a big giant vat of whimsy-maxing,” she says. “Now I’m covered in it.”

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C U LTU R E / / SHOP HOP

Bright Idea

These local lighting stores are sure to brighten your day with statement lighting and lamps you’ll love. by Caroline Mitchell THE STORE

j GO FOR

THE ESSENTIAL LAMP

Robinson Lighting and Bath 2912 Granville St., robinsonco.ca sprawling two-floor South Granville j Aflagship from Canada’s largest luxury

lighting retailer, with everything from classic Visual Comfort sconces to European names like Moooi displayed alongside a wealth of bath and kitchen fixtures. Tom Dixon’s Pose pendant lights (from $720) are sleek, masculine and timeless.

Inform 50 Water St., inform.ca veritable museum of j Adesign, the Gastown

institution lovingly stocks iconic furniture—including a huge selection of Flos lamps.

In a store with so many legendary designs, it’s only fitting to recommend the Anglepoise Type 75 desk lamp (from $448): a perennial fave of the architecture world.

Lightform 205 W 5th Ave., lightformshop.com gallery-style vignettes; here, sculptural j Cinematic, pendants are displayed like works of art. It’s built for

the design crowd: you’ll find plenty of architects and interior designers shopping alongside homeowners. The playful Bomma Phemonena floor lamp ($9,078) resembles a jaunty bubblegum bubble perched lightly atop a pedestal.

Livingspace 1706 W 1st. Ave., livingspace.com longtime j Vancouver’s authority on Italian

design is located inside a converted 1930s printing factory, and boasts 30-some years of exclusive access to top-tier European lighting brands. This Oluce Atollo table lamp ($2,160) may have been designed in 1977, but it looks like it’s from the future.

Bocci 495 Railway St., bocci.com Railtown spot is part factory and part design j The lab; expect blown-glass pendants and large-

scale sculptural installations that have made Bocci a respected global design brand.

Constellations of the original Bocci orbs can be spotted in almost any edition of sister mag Western Living, but we can’t ignore the charm of the tabletop 28t ($680), available in dozens of colours.

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Cantu 8351 Ontario St., cantubathrooms.com specialty is hard-to-find j Cantu’s European bath and hardware

designs, but the lighting division is a bright spot too, with glittery fixtures from Buster and Punch and more.

The flush-mount Kuzco Cedar LED ceiling light ($265) is a stylish alternative to the dreaded, too-often-standard “boob lamp.”

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C U LTU R E / / SO FUN CITY

The No-Excuse November

For even more fun to-dos around town this month, check out the online events calendar at vanmag.com/events

With so much happening this month, the only thing you’ll have to apologize to is your couch. by Kerri Donaldson

IN-TENTS: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S LUZIA WHEN November 4 to December 13 WHERE Concord Pacific Place COST From $59 Cirque du Soleil returns with jaw-dropping acrobatics, surreal visuals and actual water onstage, because apparently the regular gravity-defying circus wasn’t stressful enough.

WALTZ THIS WAY: CHEST FEVER: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAST WALTZ WHEN November 7 WHERE Rickshaw Theatre COST $40 A live tribute to The Last Waltz, The Band’s iconic farewell concert, complete with horns, heart and several grey-haired dads silently confronting the passage of time (and hairline).

PAWS AND APPRECIATE: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: WILD CATS REVEALED

WHEN November 18 WHERE Chan Centre COST From $30 BAFTA-winning wildlife filmmaker Sandesh Kadur spotlights the cat family’s deep cuts—the kind that make your house cat look like a Temu knockoff.

CRAFT WORK: GOT CRAFT HOLIDAY MARKET WHEN November 21 to 22 and November 28 to 29 WHERE Croatian Cultural Centre COST $6 Craft lovers and whimsy seekers, ready your totes: tables on tables of handmade art, gifts, treats and trinkets await. We ride at dawn(ish). So, like, noon.

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REEL MILESTONE: VANCOUVER ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

WHEN November 5 to 15 WHERE Various theatres COST From $12 VAFF turns 30 with 11 days of features, shorts, docs and animation, plus talks, galas and permission to call popcorn dinner.

WHEN November 5 WHERE Rogers Arena COST From $69 The Smashing Pumpkins bring their Rats in a Cage Tour for a night of alt-rock angst, big guitars and enough ’90s feelings to make your old Discman feel seen.

➣

RATS ENTERTAINMENT: THE SMASHING PUMPKINS

CRAWL ME MAYBE: EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL

MYTH BEHAVING: EAST VAN PANTO’S HERCULES

BEAST MODE: DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

WHEN November 24 to 29 WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre COST From $195 Disney’s tale as old as time returns on its first North American tour in 25-plus years, with songs you can still sing word for word. Meanwhile, why you walked into the room? Long gone.

WHEN November 18 WHERE Hollywood Theatre COST $42 The alt-pop singer-songwriter brings sharp-edged pop, messy feelings and songs that validate every questionable romantic decision you’ve ever made. Yes, including that text.

WHEN November 13 WHERE Rio Theatre COST $57 Sweet, strange and weirdly huggable stand-up. Like being roasted by a teddy bear. A teddy bear with impeccable timing.

TEXTUAL HEALING: OLIVIA O’BRIEN

THE FUNCH BUNCH: JFL VANCOUVER PRESENTS RON FUNCHES

WHEN November 9 WHERE Chan Centre COST From $75 Grammy- and Juno-winning Allison Russell brings her In the House of Chaos Tour to the Chan, blending folk, soul, rock, un peu de français and whatever genre “staring meaningfully out a car window” is.

WHEN November 18 to January 3 WHERE York Theatre COST From $35 Greek mythology gets the YVR treatment: Hades wants an Arbutus subway, Hercules is saving Science World and the gods face their toughest monster yet—Vancouver development politics.

CHAOS THEORY: ALLISON RUSSELL

WHEN November 19 to 22 WHERE Studios across Vancouver’s east side COST Free The Crawl turns 30 with 500plus East Van artists opening their studios—and your wallet. (You and I both know there’s a tiny ceramic trinket dish in your future.)

➣

GOOD FOR YOU: OLIVIA RODRIGO

WHEN December 1 to 2 WHERE Rogers Arena COST From $300 Gen Z’s breakup correspondent brings The Unraveled Tour to Rogers Arena for two nights of scream-singing and arenasized group therapy. Babydoll dress optional.

➣

C U LTU R E / / MADE IN VANCOUVER

WE LO V E LO C A L A few of Jen Cook’s favourite Vancouver haunts and brands. NALA nalacare.com “Nala is a local natural deodorant brand. They are really living their values. The way they formulate their product, always looking for the most non-toxic, healthiest option, is such an inspiration. I got an ocean-scented one a few years ago that I love.”

ROLLA SKATE CLUB 100 N Renfrew St. rollaskateclub.com “Rolla is an amazing women-led company and they do such a great job of really being inclusive. Even if you’ve never been on skates, they make it feel doable for everyone.”

Sticky Situation

Otto Studio combats grey Vancouver days with a slate of punchy, patterned peel-and-stick papers. Renters, rejoice. by Stacey McLachlan

The peel-and-stick wallpaper that Vancouver’s Otto Studio produces is a dream for commitment-phobes—thick, luscious, textured and easily removable. “Growing up, my parents were like, ‘Absolutely no wallpaper!’ because they’d had the experience of trying to steam it off,” says creative director Jen Cook, who left the world of fintech to co-found Otto with former colleague Hannah Lee in 2021. “But in my work as a graphic designer, I found repeating patterns so interesting and dove into the history of wallpaper. What it can express about culture or priorities for any time period became so fascinating to me.” What you express with Otto’s eye-popping patterns is up to you—there’s no shortage of beautiful options. (Eagle-eyed readers might recognize the designs as the striking backdrops for our February collector’s edition cover shoots.) Cook designs inhouse prints like the trippy Cascade or the delightfully dizzying Diamond Stripe, but the brand also produces collections with local artists and designers; shoe brand Fluevog and photographer Jackie Dives are among recent collaborators. And if you’re not getting enough dopamine from your walls, Otto’s durable floor tiles and multifunctional decals are there to amp up the colour elsewhere. “There’s so much potential to shake up what the norm is,” says Cook.

(ROLL A SK ATE CLUB) BOBBI BARBARICH PHOTOGRAPHY

THE BLOCK 350 W Cordova St. theblock.ca “The Block is one I often go into. They’ve got a really good balance of skirts and dresses that feel special but not fussy, and they’ve got a great shoe selection.”

WELK’S 351 Main St. welks.ca “You can find something for everyone. I go to Welk’s for cards. They’ve got great incense and candles, and an awesome little grocery aisle with chili oil and pasta you can’t get anywhere else. Or if you’ve got anyone who has non-alc desires, there are lots of options.”

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C U LTU R E / / AT ISSUE

Float On A rendering of Sunborn Vancouver, the proposed 250-room floating hotel in Coal Harbour, which council approved before a union filed a legal challenge over public consultation.

A Battle on the Water

A proposed floating hotel in Coal Harbour is just another chance for the city’s most entrenched interest groups to wade into the debate over Vancouver hotels. by Graham Templeton

Here’s a game: ask any engaged local what they think of Sunborn Vancouver, a floating hotel development recently approved near Canada Place, and count the number of seconds they spend talking about ships, docks or water. Ten seconds might elapse. On a rare day, maybe 20. Then, like clockwork, the conversation will veer away from the floating part of the idea and hone in on the part that evidently matters far more: the hotel. The city’s ongoing war over hotel space has

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

become so hot that it raises even more ire than the idea of permanently adding the silhouette of a luxury cruise ship to the Vancouver skyline. It’s a pressing issue in a city like Vancouver, with an obvious market for new hotel development. As of May 2026, Vancouver had an extremely high average occupancy, at 79 percent, and the highest average room rate in Canada, at $291. The relatively low number of rooms meant that FIFA tourism could drive prices to incredible heights; this

period saw Vancouver set the all-time monthly record for a Canadian city, at over $400. In principle, these lucrative figures should motivate a huge scramble to build new hotels. Instead, projections show that the city’s demand for hotel rooms will continue to grow faster than supply, and that the average room rate will continue to climb as a result. Ashraf Hassib, a professor of recreation, tourism and hospitality at Vancouver Island University, says that one big issue is access to land, which causes oddball developments like Sunborn Vancouver to become more common. It’s not just floating hotels, either, with empty churches, schools and even retail locations being some of the

most available urban spaces for hotel development. “The way things are right now,” Hassib says, “I do not see hotel room prices coming down any time soon.” If a company can simply find the space, there is a reliable path to profit. So much so that Sunborn is actually purpose-building this hotel vessel for Vancouver, rather than adapting an existing cruise ship. Though it is still designed in the style of a boat, in reality the facility is more a boat-shaped barge with the aesthetic of a luxury liner. Hassib says that Coal Harbour and other lucrative areas of the city are “a market where it’s very hard to find vacant land to build hotels, which causes these sorts of

COURTESY SUNBORN VANCOUVER

developments to become more common... So, a hotel on the water seems to make sense.” Just like every other issue surrounding the Vancouver hotel industry, however, it does not seem to make sense to everyone. Just weeks after council voted 8-1 to approve Sunborn Group’s application to park the 250-room “floatel” in Coal Harbour, the plan came under legal attack. The plaintiff is the UNITE HERE Local 40 labour union, which represents hospitality workers. The union alleges that the plan went forward without the required time for public consultation; in particular, it claims that Sunborn presented new plans to council that had not been submitted to the public for review beforehand. It might seem odd for a labour union to argue against the expansion of its own industry, but for UNITE HERE Local 40 research director Michelle Travis, the issue goes beyond hotels themselves. “For us,” Travis says, “it’s about looking at the context of what the city’s priorities have been... They’re pushing a lot of these developments but meanwhile they’re way behind on their targets for affordable housing.” “For the hospitality folks that we represent,” she adds, “affordability is top of mind.” To be sure, the city does not usually frame the hotel issue in terms of the cost of living, focusing more on the economic impact; council argues that hotels will support the tourism industry, pouring more money into Vancouver that will trickle down to

everyone. It’s pitched more in terms of larger incomes than smaller bills, a solution that does largely miss people outside or at the bottom of the labour market. In terms of real research, the connection between hotel supply and the cost of living has been studied only a little. One 2022 paper studying data from the EU found that more hotel rooms can act as a “buffer” that protects housing prices from the impacts of tourism, and can specifically undercut the market for short-term rental of residential properties. Yet, until the current legal challenge is resolved, Sunborn Vancouver’s proposed 250 new rooms will remain exclusively in the realm of computer-generated renders. “I certainly think there was adequate consultation,” says Vancouver city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung. “It’s part of addressing the city’s need for new hotel rooms, and it makes use of an underutilized part of the water... This proposal ticked a lot of boxes for us.” Sunborn Group went out of its way to tick those boxes, specifically trying to head off criticism of a luxury development by emphasizing that it will provide rooms at all levels of pricing, including all the way down to $180 per night. The floatel will also have no on-board engines or generators, taking power entirely from the land. In fact, there will be no fossil fuels on board at all. Sewage lines will be connected to the convention centre, to lessen the chance of contamination of the water.

These hard-line connections to the land further deemphasize the floating aspect of the idea, and cement the project as just another battlefield on which to wage war over future development of the city. “Ultimately,” Travis says, “this is an issue of public consultation and public space.” The company has attempted to address the idea of losing public space by proposing to build a new public-access dock spanning the length of the hotel. Andrew Shaw, Sunborn’s director of marketing and communications, says that, beyond the hotel itself, “the floating public dock will be a major new amenity for the city, giving residents and visitors a new way to experience the water that doesn’t exist there today.” Kirby-Young feels that the dock was an important aspect of the pitch, since Vancouverites have historically expressed concerns of other commercial development of public space on the water. Elvira Lount has been actively campaigning on similar issues for years, and has specifically come to the forefront of a movement to block a proposed floating spa in Kitsilano. Many locals seemed to share her concerns, signing Lount’s petition to stop the development more than 2,600 times. But it didn’t matter: in late July, the development was approved, regardless. Lount says the issue isn’t all floating developments but those with specific problems. She admits that Coal Harbour is a more logical place for a commercial project than

a Kitsilano swimming beach, but still questions the use of Vancouver’s finite space. “I don’t really see why we should be building something like that on the water in Coal Harbour when the views of the waterfront there are a major attraction,” Lount says. “Right now, the views are free, but if you block those, it becomes a privileged view. That’s where you can get a slippery slope.” Yet, Lount herself acknowledges that the city likely needs more hotel supply, and those rooms have to go somewhere. So, a hotel on the water may have been mainly motivated by the difficulty of putting one anywhere else. Indeed, locals who submitted negative public feedback on the floatel proposal largely expressed general opposition to simply the idea of a hotel in that area; one representative comment was titled, “Vancouver Leadership: Putting Developers Before Residents.” And so the legal battle over Sunborn Vancouver will doubtless stretch on for some time, as the specific proposal functions as a proxy for the local anxieties over hotel development in general. Construction on the ship will be deferred and the area of water will remain empty, as Sunborn struggles to build hotel space in a city where new hotels have virtually guaranteed profits. It’s just another example of the fact that, until Vancouver can come to some sort of consensus on whether it needs, wants or can afford new hotels, even novel developments like Sunborn Vancouver will be sailing upstream.

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C U LTU R E / / DISRUPTOR

Music for All At BC Children’s Hospital, music therapy sessions offer opportunities to play, connect and simply be a child. Clients at the Dr. Peter Centre (below) also benefit from music therapy programs like group jams. The annual Music Heals gala (right) helps fund all this and more.

Good Vibrations Vancouver’s Music Heals has spent over a decade proving that music can reach places a prescription can’t. by Caroline Mitchell

At the North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre, a semicircle of stroke survivors hold hand chimes, poised to perform. Most have some degree of paralysis; for some, that means the use of just one hand. It doesn’t matter. Each person holds only one chime, sounds only one note, while a certified music therapist stands at the centre like a conductor, cueing each note in turn until a full song rises out of the room— built one small, singular movement at a time. One woman,

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seated in a wheelchair, feels something she hasn’t felt in months: an involuntary twitch in her left leg, stirred loose by the music. It’s the kind of moment Juliana Fraser, executive director of Vancouver-based charity Music Heals, which raises funds for music therapy programs, has come to expect and still finds herself moved by. “I certainly cry in every music therapy session I’ve ever sat in on,” she says. “Not that they’re sad; they’re powerful.” Founded in 2012, Music Heals has funded sessions from certified music therapists already working—or trying to work—inside hospitals, schools, hospices and community organizations across B.C. and beyond. The group started small, raising $50,000 in its first year and backing a handful of programs, including

Camp Kerry, a bereavement camp for children, youth and families run by the Lumara Grief and Bereavement Care Society. More than a decade later, Music Heals has distributed over $5 million and funded more than 90 programs, providing access to music therapy for people in areas from the Downtown Eastside to remote communities in the Yukon. In 2026 alone, the

organization has so far funded over 7,400 hours of music therapy across 50 programs. The premise guiding Music Heals’ work is deceptively simple: music, used deliberately by a trained clinician, can do things other interventions can’t. And while the charity supports the work of clinically informed, evidence-based professionals, there’s no requirement that

COURTESY MUSIC HEALS

participants in music therapy programs have any musical background or skill at all. That’s because therapy isn’t about making music, necessarily. Rather, music is used to unlock something else: a feeling that’s otherwise stuck. Fraser isn’t a music therapist herself, but she’s spent years absorbing the research that supports all that this work can do. It’s a clinically proven tool for stroke recovery, where music seems to activate parts of the brain that other therapies can’t reach. In burn wards, music can be used alongside—or in place of — medication to facilitate pain management and healing. Music therapy has a particularly powerful impact in dementia care, as the parts of the brain that hold onto music resist decline longer than the parts that hold onto names and faces; even someone who

L AURA HARVE Y

can no longer recognize a spouse may still somehow be able to sing every word of a song from their adolescence. As they tap into that song, says Fraser, “life comes back to their face and

of “we know it’s working”— the research is there too, on stroke recovery, on dementia, on NICU outcomes, on the neuroscience of why a song can outlive a memory in a failing brain. “None of this is guesswork,” says Fraser. Music Heals only funds programs led by therapists who are certified through an accredited degree program—professionals working alongside nurses, speech-language pathologists

eyes.” Music therapy can work its magic at the beginning of life too. In 2025, music therapy supported by Music Heals reached more than 150 infant patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Therapists there created a personalized “song of kin” for each family, recorded lullabies for parents to take home and coached parents— often overwhelmed, often exhausted—on using their own voice to soothe a baby through a stressful procedure. It’s one of the few non-invasive interventions available in a NICU, and the research backs up its impressive efficacy: extensive clinical research shows that music therapy in the NICU helps premature infants sleep better, eat more efficiently, gain weight faster and get discharged significantly earlier. Even if a lot of what Music Heals hears from the programs it funds is anecdotal —delivered as some version

and recreational therapists as part of a person’s care team, not just an add-on. Music Heals raises money year-round, but its single biggest night is the gala, which always packs the Commodore Ballroom. The 2026 edition, held in October, was no different, featuring an evening of performances by surprise Grammy-winning guests, plus food and fundraising that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars. Every one of those dollars will be put to good use, supporting people—whether they’re healing from emotional or physical trauma, injury, or addiction, managing chronic pain, or loneliness—with the power of song. In the spring, another major fundraising event, Let Her Sing, brings together supporters to raise money specifically for women’s music therapy programs. “Support in recovery is such a gift to give anyone,” says Fraser. And yes, sometimes that gift is a diagnosis and a treatment plan—but sometimes it’s a room full of strangers, each holding one note, waiting their turn to be part of the song.

His Song Plays On IN MEMORIAM:

A tribute to founder David Barnett from the team at Music Heals

David built Music Heals from a deep belief in the power of music to comfort, connect and heal. Music was not just something he loved; it was how he brought people together. Whether through a shared song, a moment of listening or an act of service, he had a rare ability to make everyone feel seen and welcome. His kindness, generosity and unwavering commitment to helping others shaped this organization and touched countless lives. The impact of his vision continues to be felt through every note, every session and every person we provide with music therapy. We are profoundly grateful for his leadership, his heart and the legacy he leaves behind. We will honour him by carrying his mission forward.

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C U LTU R E / / IN develOPMENT

What’s Happening Next to the Abandoned Molson Brewery? Since 2019, this massive industrial site has been sitting empty. What will the 7.7-acre lot become? There should really be a name for the disease that all Vancouverites have. You know the one, because I have it and you have it and there is no vaccine: it’s the

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KNOWIT-ALL by

Stacey McLachlan illustration by

Kasimir Chupik-Hall

Got a question for Know-It-All?

stacey.mclachlan@ vanmag.com

chronic condition where we can’t pass by an abandoned industrial property without wondering if we could turn it into apartments. I personally think “speculitis” sounds nice. (And would be a pretty name for a baby girl!) When the Molson Brewery shut its doors in 2019 to move operations to the Fraser Valley —much like your secretly Conservative high school friends— it left 283,000 square feet of prime real estate just sitting empty at the base of the Burrard Bridge. Yes, it’s sad that the city lost 250 jobs when the plant closed, but it’s also sad that no one has let me move in and turn it into the Vancouver Magazine Mansion and Sex Grotto. (If it was good enough for fellow editor-in-chief Hugh Hefner...) The raw potential of the spacious property, owned by development overlord Concord Pacific, has tapped our collective imagination and sent legions of rival real estate developers into jealous rages that can only be soothed by the promise of one more renoviction before bedtime. But who wouldn’t be envious of CP? Vancouver city council finally approved changing the land-use designation from “industrial and employment” to “mixed use high-rise 2” this past summer, so the opportunity to cash in is nigh. The company is sitting on

a metaphorical goldmine—and also, perhaps, a literal water park if that’s the direction they want to go. I can already picture myself taking a refreshing summer dip in a repurposed brewing tank! Sure, CP hasn’t explicitly said at any point that waterslides will be a part of the high-density, mixed-use neighbourhood plan for the property, but the details are still up in the air. While the land-use designation has been approved, a development approval is still pending for what Concord is calling “Quantum Park,” so there’s still plenty of time to influence the plan with, say, a well-timed column in a long-running regional lifestyle magazine that may one day be the proud owner-operator of a grotto. Concord has so far only proposed a vague, vehicle-thin mix of office, retail, hotel, tech, light-industrial spaces, public amenities and residential units (with a percentage to be reserved for social housing and secured rental), all integrated with the neighbouring Senákw development. But maybe the project team will read this and be inspired to also include some other amenities and essential services the Kitsilano community sorely needs, such as a topless library, a bank for dogs or a year-round Spirit Halloween store.

Once a Metro Vancouver board vote approves the landuse change on a regional level as well, it will trigger an update to Vancouver’s Official Development Plan... all of which is a boring way to get around saying something equally boring: specifically, that Concord will then submit its official rezoning application. (Whew! Here is something fun to read now that you’ve gotten through that: “kumquat!”) Once that rezoning goes through, the developer can start getting more specific with the development proposal and finally reveal whether they’ve considered my idea for integrating monster trucks into the transit plan. At that point, CP will define the building heights and density of Quantum Park, and respond to community input. Already folks are flagging security concerns about the nearby military armoury, and demanding firm commitments around affordable housing and/ or grottos. Ultimately, it’s early days: as any major land development in Vancouver knows, this will likely take years to come to fruition. Maybe, though, all that time will be a good thing. It’ll give everyone involved the opportunity to have a good, long think about whether the Burrard Bridge Spirit Halloween should be 49 storeys tall, or a humble 48.

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Custom Handmade Jewellery Onsite Repairs

109-1535 Johnston Street Shops of Creekhouse | Granville Island

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From left: Amber wears Polo by Ralph Lauren shirt, Lisa Yang cardigan, Veronica Beard pants and Miu Miu shoes; Javier wears Filippo de Laurentiis sweater, Eleventy jacket and pants and Henderson boots; Gaby wears Ulla Johnson top, Givenchy skirt and Manolo Blahnik shoes.

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IMAGE CREDIT

VANMAG

WISH BOOK Unwrap our curated, considered selection of dozens of delightful, just-right gifts from our favourite local boutiques and beloved homegrown brands.

by Stacey McLachlan Photographs by Clinton Hussey Styling by Kristin Morawski Clothing by Holt Renfrew Flooring by Mira Floors and Interiors

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2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

MAKES SCENTS

FUR BABIES

Evergreen has been done to death—the less obvious holiday candle is the sophisticated but still festive Fir Needle and Pear ($35) from Homecoming Candles. homecoming candles.com

Pets can get in on the charm bracelet trend with Furei’s waterproof, softtouch Moodies collars ($20) that feature extra holes to accommodate screw-in enamel pins ($4 each) shaped like hot dogs, cowboy boots or bows. shopgoodboy.com

THINK PINK

The pale rose Ripple lamp ($305) from Ferm Living projects a soft, diffused light through rippled glass. fullhousemodern.com

LAYER UP

SPACE CASE

A hand-embroidered astronaut brooch ($74) from Macon et Lesquoy would be an out-of-this-world gift. walrushome.com

POTTED PERFECTION

A Grecian urn for a modern age from Potluck Ceramics, each unique Pictograph vase ($200) is crafted by hand by artist Francis Chan. fullhousemodern.com

Finding it tough to get out from your Wilet linen sheets? Just wrap up in a 100-percent European linen robe (from $98) instead. shopwilet.com

PLAIN JANE

Decade Studio’s Classic t-shirt ($59) is perhaps the pinnacle of the form: it’s made in Portugal from 100-percent cotton, with an easy drape and just-right neckline. Fans say you can easily dress it up or down. decadestudio.com

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“The Le Creuset oval bread oven in meringue. I’m late to the party on this one, but lately I’ve been working on perfecting my sourdough and I think it would be a great addition to the process. I’ve been a fan of Le Creuset for decades—the pieces are so well made they last a lifetime, and I love the aesthetic.” $329, lecreuset.ca

DAVID HAWKSWORTH

Chef and Owner, Hawksworth Restaurant Group

IMAGE CREDIT

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR?

2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

SHOE, FLY

The cool Dalmatian pattern on Nike’s cushy Vomero Plus kicks ($235) will surely inspire a new PB. runasyouare.com

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GOLD STAR

These 14-karat gold-fill Zodiac pendants ($195 each) from Vancouver jewellery brand Leah Yard are, well, charming. leahyarddesigns.com

IN THE BAG

DOUBLE DUTY

While you’re recharging the portable Pedrali Filicudi lamp ($325), it can be used as a minimalist flower vase. bloomfs.com

The pleasingly puffy, lightweight Ölend Ona bag ($175) can fit up to a 17-inch laptop. It comes in a million colours and patterns, but we like this space-aged silver. nooroongji.ca

GO ON

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GETTING STEAMY Fern and Petal’s red cedar and eucalyptus shower steamers ($63) are your shortcut to turning the bathroom into a spa. fernandpetal.com

Adjustable compartments make the No Reception Club’s Hideaway carry-on duffel ($345) a fave for travelling parents—but whomst among us couldn’t use an insulated snack pocket on our luggage? noreceptionclub.com

HAPPY ENDINGS

Books are made from trees. Solid wood PI book ends ($259) designed by Alain van Havre for Ethnicraft are also made from trees. It just makes sense. fullhousemodern.com

GUS STIEFFENHOFER-BRANDSON

Chef/Partner, Published on Main

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR?

NOW HEAR THIS

“I spend a lot of time foraging in the forest, so I’m always looking for camping and outdoor gear that makes my life easier, keeps me dry and ensures I’m comfortable in all sorts of weather. The Marmot –9C Trestles sleeping bag from Valhalla Pure is going on the list.” $175, vpo.ca

Audio-Technica’s ATHCKS50TW2 noisecancelling earbuds ($219) last for 65 hours on a single charge, and (more importantly) are audiophile-approved. visions.ca

FACE THE TRUTH

What will they put in this Wrap Faces storage tin ($33)? That’s their business. thecoastgoods.ca

NOT THE PITS

Maybe giving someone natural deodorant ($28) is weird—or maybe they’ll be delighted to try Nala’s locally made luxury body care product that smells like sandalwood and bergamot. hillsdrygoods.com

BEARLY THERE

SPARKLE AND SHINE

Glitter up those ankles with these sparkly ribbed socks ($55) from Des Petits Hauts. lappartementvancouver.com

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It’s a bucket hat ($85) that’s also a Jellycat bear named Bartholomew. What more do you need to win Christmas with your niece? holtrenfrew .com

SEE YOU SPOON

Upgrade the dinner party vibe with this full cutlery set in tortoiseshell from Parisian brand Sabre ($124). thecoastgoods.ca

“I tend to destroy my boots during morel season, so I often need a new pair of sturdy, waterproof and lightweight boots, like Keen Pyrenees.” $235, mec.ca

“Fishing bib coveralls like the Engram waterproof double bib pants from Helly Hansen would be awesome for the fall season.” $180, hhworkwear.com

WHAT RECENT BUY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? “My biggest obsession right now is my handmade chef’s knife. I was lucky enough to forge it myself with Casey from Lynn Valley Forge. He offers one-onone knifemaking at his shop, which is a remarkable opportunity to forge the billet hammer and shape it, and then spend the time grinding, sharpening, polishing and building the handle. I’m not sure how many spots he has capacity for, but for the knife enthusiast, it’s a pretty special way to create something truly unique.” Price on request, @lynnvalleyforge

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

MELLOW YELLOW

The latest colourway of Bocci’s nowiconic 14p wireless light ($375) is yellow: perfect for a hit of sunshine during the greyest days. livingspace.com

Bergamot, pink pepper and pine are at the heart of this artful bottle of Ambient Glare 5 O’Clock fragrance ($235) from cult fave fashion designer Henrik Vibskov. theblock.ca

Muuto describes its new anodized aluminum Pair candle holders ($142) as “playful yet refined” and we can’t help but agree. vanspecial.com

EDGE CASE

A layer of pearls and another of rivets makes this Barebone Anarchy necklace ($275) pretty in punk. barebone apparel.com

MAGIC MATCHA

Prep and pour the perfect matcha in this wide, spouted handthrown Reduction matcha whisk bowl ($90) from celebrated Vancouver ceramicist Kate Metten. katemetten.com

COZY SZN

This slouchy-cool Slate Wearables Orana sweater ($348), made from 100-percent Tanguis cotton, is a fave during gifting season, according to founder Shelby Wick. slatewearables.com

5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE

TWIN FLAMES

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR? “Aesop Aromatique hand balm, because I recently splurged on their hand soap and it was so worth it. The scent lingers and adds just a touch of luxury to my very simple routine.” $35, aesop.com

TRILBY GOOUCH

Movement Guide, Turf and Core Community; Substack Writer, Poetry in Motion

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

HATS OFF

Hyper-specific local references are embroidered onto Fingerless Joe’s Dad caps ($50)—like the logos for Save On Meats or Kingsgate Mall. wootoseeyou.com

SNAP TO IT

IN THE BAG c

For the card-game loving kid: Matching Things ($18) is a twist on Snap from the author-illustrator team behind the gorgeous children’s book Invisible Things. kidsbooks.ca

Yeah, they’ve already got 45 totes in their closet—but they’ll actually get excited to use this slick, stripey bag (from $110) from Saint-Rue Twenty Two. gatley.ca

GLOW ON

SQUISH LIST

The newest colour option for the quirky, squishy Good Beast Pebble vase is a tangerine dream (from, $90, in matte or natural finish). goodbeast.ca

FACE OFF

We’re dying to know more about the colourful characters on this Floating Face kids tee ($38) designed by artist and ceramicist Meg Hübert. meghubert.com

For your fave beach babe, there’s coconut-scented Tanning Water ($46) from Vancouver brand Salty Face—summer glow in a bottle, no orange-stained hands required. saltyface.com

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR? “Going on hikes is so rewarding: it’s fun to see B.C. at all of its different angles. There are so many beautiful spots that you’ll never get to see unless you’re willing to climb a mountain for it. This summer, Wedgemount Lake was my absolute favourite. I think it would be so cool to get a drone—like the DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo—to fly that to crazy heights when I’m hiking and I can really capture the moment.” $509, bccamera.com

JENNIFER GARDINER

Forward, Vancouver Goldeneyes

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oddfishrestaurant.com

nookrestaurants.com

radishrestaurant.com

Holiday Gift Cards Get a $25 bonus card when you buy $100 Bonus cards are valid between Jan 2 – Mar 31, 2027. Available in-stores & online.

2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

GABY BAYONA

Owner, Truvelle, Laudae, Aesling, Lovenote Bride, Stranger Agency and Brelle Rosée

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR?

VEG OUT

“I love a good pair of jeans, and have been eyeing Decade Studio for quite some time. I’m between two styles: Archie and Kit.” $335 each, decadestudio.com

These veggie-themed Happy Organics beeswax candles ($12 for a pair) look eerily like the real thing. cocomain.ca

A LITTLE SALTY

This Froggy salt cellar ($120) from Ohhelloleigh Ceramics comes with a tongue-like spoon, of course. ohhelloleigh.com

DESIGNER DEAL

Previously loved designer goods are yours for a steal at Mine and Yours—snag this Saint Laurent AirPod case ($95), for instance, for 75 percent cheaper than its original retail price. mineandyours.com

STICKY SITUATION

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“I swear by my Rimowa carry-on suitcase. It’s pricey, so I’d recommend pooling funds with friends, but the lifetime guarantee is worth it—especially since they’re so helpful with common issues like sticky wheels or broken zippers.” From $2,075, rimowa.com

An Italian stoneware elephant (from $129) by Lineasette could be a charming kids-room decor item or an artful objet in a more grown-up space. inspirationfurniture.ca

WHAT RECENT BUYS DO YOU RECOMMEND?

“I have a packed schedule when I come off from a flight, so it’s really important for me to sleep on the plane. I upgraded my headphones to the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, and the noise cancellation has been a total gamechanger for helping me fall asleep.” $329, bestbuy.ca

We’re partial to this cryptidforward design, but any of Hissing Mink’s stickers (from $5.50) are a chance to embrace the weird or the West Coast. banyen.com

NEVER FORGET

“I’m always looking for new swimsuits, and the New Classic set from Londre is my next purchase.” $180 for top and bottom, londrebodywear.com

WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO GIVE? “Planners from Stil Classics are prefect for the Type A friend in your life. I’m loving the plum-coloured A5 binder.” $64, stilclassics.com

SAVOUR THE SEASON For every holiday occasion, celebrate with us. Casual elegance at Hawksworth, social dining at Nightingale, and seasonal delights at Bel Café.

www.hawksworthgroup.com

2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

BRUSHING UP

PITCH PERFECT

Don’t worry: these Bluetoothconnected Transparent speakers ($879) from Copenhagen sound as good as they look. vanspecial.com

RAISE A GLASS

“The Bellroy Lite Cooler caddy would good for packing a lunch to work, or a few cold cans to the beach.” $79, walrushome.com

AMBER BRUCE

Beverage Director, The Keefer Bar, June and LaLa

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Black cubic zirconia and pearls combine forces for these modern-glam Midnight Threaders earrings ($135) by Vancouver jeweller Sarah Mulder. littlemountain.space

BETTER, BETTER, BEST

Obsessed with the Best ($53) by Ella Quittner puts cooking techniques head-to-head to arrive at conclusions that will make every recipe the best it can be. inform.ca

FULL OF BEANS

We know “chic beanbag chair” sounds like an oxymoron, but beloved Japanese brand Muji is making the impossible, possible with its Body Fit cushion ($280 for cushion plus cover). muji.ca

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR?

BEJEWELLED

The designiest pint glasses ($54 per pair) in town are from historic glassware house Holmegaard and cult-fave Danish beermaker Mikkeller. vanspecial.com

Hopefully they don’t take it as a comment on their oral hygiene if you slip a tube of lemoncoconut flavoured Before toothpaste ($12) into their stocking. gravitypope.com

S P O N S O R E D

R E P O R T

MEN’S HEALTH OPTIMIZATION People are being more intentional with their health care. Hormone therapy is one solution at the centre of this trend.

ritish Columbia’s health-care system is primarily designed to diagnose and treat illness after symptoms arise. But what if health care also meant being proactive? “People are becoming more conscious of how they can maintain and improve their health,” says Ramin Behzadi, co-founder and chief strategy officer for UPGUYS Health. With so many life stressors, influencers, businesses and new technologies that didn’t exist two decades ago, people are searching for new ways to optimize their health. In other words, says Behzadi, “How can they live not just longer but also with a better quality of life?” Longevity and health optimization continue to dominate health and wellness conversations, consistently appearing in the Global Wellness Summit’s annual trend reports. Indeed, there is no shortage of supplements, lifestyle regimens or wearable tech devices to track almost any biomarker. But beyond that, there’s a broader shift in medical circles: health care is evolving toward a more proactive model centred on prevention, health optimization and healthy aging. Thanks to new technology and accessible laboratory diagnostics (blood work, hormone testing, genetic tests), it’s easier than ever for people to measure their biomarkers and receive proactive treatment based on clinical results with physician oversight. And patients are turning to one of a growing number of companies in British

Columbia to receive expert-informed, evidence-based care. Behzadi’s digital health platform is doing exactly that by helping men optimize their health through testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). UPGUYS connects patients with practitioners and pharmacists to prescribe the right type of (Health Canada-approved) TRT, injectable, topical or oral, to address their concerns. Practitioners monitor the patient’s health and advise on the proper treatment with evidence-based care on an ongoing basis. “Testosterone is one of the fundamental hormones in a man’s body. And naturally, as men age, that hormone production starts to decrease,” explains Behzadi. “That has a very direct effect on several things, like muscle loss, fatigue, loss of motivation, lower libido and unwanted weight gain in parts of the body.” Behzadi notes that as broader conversations shift—on both men’s health and more proactive approaches to health care—the number of men using TRT to improve their quality of life is increasing, and not just recreationally for bodybuilding. To date, UPGUYS has served more than 170,000 patients across Canada. By 2030, the men’s health and wellness

market is estimated to reach $5 billion in Canada and roughly US$2.88 trillion globally. “We’re seeing that a lot of men are becoming aware: there is this symptom, it can be treated, and it worked for someone I know, so let me try it, too,” says Behzadi. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is just one—often misunderstood—treatment bridging the gap between wellness and continuity of care. Health care, Behzadi emphasizes, is no longer simply about treating illness. It’s also about helping people stay healthier for longer to live their best life. “At the end of the day, even if all these biomarker measurements read, ‘you have an optimized health and body,’ but you do not feel okay, that’s not the point,” he says. “You have to feel joy. You have to enjoy your life.” He continues: “In the next few years, people will start to make sense of what health optimization looks like for them, what they want to measure and how they can confirm that it has worked. We’re getting there. Ramin Behzadi, co-founder and chief We’re at the very strategy officer for beginning of the UPGUYS Health whole thing.”

Learn more about UPGUYS at UPGUYS.com. Connect on

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2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

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Principal, Campos Studio

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“I wear a watch almost every day and have accumulated a collection of watches over the years, and for me, it is not about price but about the design. I have been looking for a blackfaced vintage watch for a couple of years now, and as a fan of vintage watches I often check in at Time and Gold.” Prices vary, timegold.ca

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WHAT ELSE ARE YOU EXCITED TO GIFT? “I shave with a safety razor and shaving brush, so shaving cream has become an important part of that daily ritual. I have a collection of shaving creams from around the world, which I add to when I’m travelling. In Vancouver, one of my favourites is the shaving cream from Le Labo. If I find out that someone shaves this way I happily gift them this shaving cream.” From $60, lelabofragrances.ca “I have a soft spot for panettone. I particularly like modern interpretations of it that don’t use the traditional coloured dried fruit. I enjoy gifting the panettone from Small Victory as I find their take on it delicious.” $50, smallvictory.ca

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2026 VANMAG WISH BOOK

PAUL LAROCQUE President and CEO, Arts Umbrella

WHAT’S ON YOUR WISH LIST THIS YEAR?

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S P O N S O R E D

R E P O R T

THE VANCOUVER CHINATOWN FOUNDATION IS A GOOD NEIGHBOUR TO HAVE 15 years in, the local charity is working harder than ever to revitalize this historic neighbourhood (and beyond). BY ALYSSA HIROSE

Carol Lee and Darlene Poole at Vancouver Chinatown Foundation’s Autumn Gala in 2025

hen Carol Lee was a child, free time was spent frolicking through the aisles of her grandfather’s Chinatown store. Among goods imported from Asia and Canadian pantry staples like flour and pasta, meeting their neighbours regularly as they stopped by for groceries, she and her siblings formed memories of an exciting, interconnected Chinatown. “It was lively, noisy and very friendly; it was a happy community despite a lot of obstacles that people faced,” she says. In some ways, not much has changed: despite numerous issues, the people of Chinatown remain resilient and hopeful. But tackling systemic social and economic challenges requires an organized, holistic and compassionate approach, and that’s where the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation comes in.

THE CONTINUED LEGACY OF LENDING A HAND In 2003, Carol co-founded skincare company Linacare and set up her office in Chinatown, the same neighbourhood she grew up in. But the area was no longer the spirited enclave of her childhood. “I noticed the decline of a neighbourhood that was once very vibrant,” she shares. It was impossible not to notice the poverty, homelessness and mental health and addiction disorders that the community struggled with. Carol began to float the idea of starting an initiative to invest in Chinatown’s future. Her business partner, Henry Fung, was on board. By this time, Carol’s father (Chinatown pioneer Robert Lee) and late grandfather were both celebrated entrepreneurs who had devoted much of their lives to philanthropic work. Still, her family was hesitant.

“After a lot of arm-twisting, my father agreed to come on and be one of the Foundation’s trustees,” Carol shares. It wasn’t because they had lost faith in Chinatown, its people or its importance in Canada’s history: many simply believed that the work would be too hard. But Carol, forever the optimist, was determined to revitalize the community’s beloved Chinatown, and the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation was established in 2011. BEYOND IMAGINED BORDERS: BOB & MICHAEL’S PLACE Co-founder and CEO Carol is quick to point out that the Foundation’s work extends past the official perimeter of the neighbourhood. “It’s important that people know that it’s not just about trying to revitalize Chinatown,” she

Carol Lee and Henry Fung, co-founders of Vancouver Chinatown Foundation

Inside Bob & Michael’s Place

The Bosa and Lee families with Michael Audain during the grand opening ceremony of Bob & Michael’s Place earlier this year

says, noting that it’s not feasible or productive to discriminate against needs support based only on geography. In fact, the Foundation’s biggest milestone of 2026 was the grand ceremony for Bob & Michael’s Place, a social housing development located not in Chinatown, but in the nearby Downtown Eastside. Bob & Michael’s Place officially opened this past spring. Named for Carol’s father, Robert (Bob) Lee, and prominent developer, philanthropist and curator of art, Michael Audain, the building provides 231 units of shelter and low-income housing to 300 residents. It’s also home to Lily’s Community Health Centre (named after Carol’s mother, a retired nurse and longtime health-care advocate), a 50,000 square-foot facility operated by Vancouver Coastal Health

offering primary care, intensive case management, adult mental health and substance use care and in-home support. The social housing development has been open for over a year, and already the community is feeling the impact. Half of residential units at Bob & Michael’s Place are offered at shelter rate; the other half are at the housing income limit or HILS rate (HILS refers to the gross household income limit to be eligible for subsidized housing in B.C.). Carol shares that six residents have already moved from the shelter side to the HILS side—in other words, they were able to secure enough consistent income to progress from welfare status. Carol often gives tours of the space and gets to witness the day-to-day buzz of the building. She says that watching kids

rushing in and out with sports gear, families spending quality time together and residents attending community programs is especially rewarding. Because, in addition to housing and health care, Bob & Michael’s Place provides opportunities for wellness, life skills and financial services. “The housing is fantastic. But we are always challenging ourselves to do more and ask how we can help support people to live their best lives,” Carol says. The programs that have taken place so far include outings to Stanley Park, collaborations with the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Whitecaps and BC Lions and workplace attire support from Vancouverbased non-profit Dress for Success. A financial literacy workshop with longtime supporter RBC was particularly meaningful. “The next day we got an email

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R E P O R T

Carol and Lily Lee at Light Up Chinatown!

Light Up Chinatown!

from one of the tenants that said because of this program, they opened up their first TFSA account,” Carol shares. “We love hearing those stories.” BRINGING THE PARTY BACK: LIGHT UP CHINATOWN! This year, eight Bob & Michael’s Place tenants joined the team of volunteers for Light Up Chinatown!, the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation’s annual street festival that took place in August. It’s a testament to how supportive housing creates a community of supportive people. The first Light Up Chinatown! was in fall 2021, a time when the neighbourhood was struggling more than ever. The COVID pandemic, anti-Asian racism, an increase in overdose deaths and low tourism were all factors. “We were really worried about the merchants—about how they were going to survive with no foot traffic,” says Carol. That first festival welcomed an estimated 5,000 guests. The 2026 festival had 26,000. Light Up Chinatown! covers 16 blocks, with food collaborations, street food at Hawker Lane and live performers involved (Chinatown BBQ, Carol’s restaurant, was of course one of the vendors). Carol notes that bringing thousands of people into the neighbourhood gives businesses a financial

The Learning Lab at Chinatown Storytelling Centre

boost: economic sustainability is vital for the area. Grants from the government aren’t guaranteed, and Carol predicts that this kind of support will be scant in the coming years. “It’s going to get harder and harder,” she admits. That said, she remains hopeful. “If you can surround yourself with people who share your vision, anything’s possible,” she says. At the 2025 Autumn Gala, the Foundation announced an endowment fund, with the goal of raising $30 million toward ongoing enrichment of the neighbourhood for the next 30 years. This past October, at the 2026 Autumn Gala, the Foundation celebrated reaching the $10 million milestone by formally naming the endowment fund “The City Builders Endowment Fund led by the Jack and Darlene Poole Foundation.” PAST STORIES, PRESENT EXPERIENCES: THE CHINATOWN STORYTELLING CENTRE Fifteen years into running the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Carol acknowledges that a strong financial foundation is important, but it’s not everything. “The currency you really need to have to address some of the community’s underlying issues is trust,” she says. “It’s a challenging neighbourhood, and we have all sorts of issues that we’re trying to deal with that are very complex.” But trust with local

businesses and partners is at the heart of every decision they make. Part of recognizing the neighbourhood’s complexity is honouring its history. That’s what the Chinatown Storytelling Centre aims to do. Part living-museum, part gallery, part cultural centre and part gift shop (Foo Hung Curios, the Storytelling Centre’s retail store, is named for Carol’s grandfather’s original Chinatown store—the one she grew up playing in), this community hub is designed to share the cultural stories of Chinese Canadians in engaging, creative ways. For example, the new Learning Lab, located in the basement of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, recreates the storefronts of Chinatown from the 1950s to 1980s. “When you enter the Learning Lab, you are immediately transported in time. It’s very cool,” says Carol. Supporting the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation can look like making a donation, visiting the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, buying gifts at Foo Hung Curios, attending events like Light Up Chinatown! and the Autumn Gala or simply visiting the neighbourhood and dining out at a restaurant. “Meaningful change takes a longterm, coordinated approach and many people working together, and that is, I think, one of the things that we do well,” says Carol. “We’re all collectively contributing to building the kind of city we all want to live in.”

Learn more at chinatownfoundation.org. Connect on:

@chinatownfoundation |

@Vancouver Chinatown Foundation

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License to Chill If you’ve ever had a drink in a movie theatre, you can thank Corinne Lea: she helped overturn B.C. liquor laws back in 2012, allowing alcohol to be served during film screenings.

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TIME Despite dwindling theatre numbers, a thriving indie cinema scene still remains in Vancouver—and a motley crew of arts purveyors and cinephiles are helping to keep those few beloved venues alive. By Kristi Alexandra Photo by Tanya Goehring

There was a time when Vancouver boasted more than 50 different independent cinemas, many of them single-screen theatres. Now there are five. But instead of letting the city’s movie-going culture fade to black, a crew of stubborn, film-loving guardians—including longtime Rio Theatre purveyor Corinne Lea—have stepped up to make sure the end credits never roll. In 2018, when developers circled the Rio Theatre with offers, former landlord Leonard Schein (founder of the Vancouver International Film Festival and one-time owner of Fifth Avenue Cinemas, among many other things) offered Lea, who was running the Rio’s day-to-day operations, right of first refusal if she could somehow raise $7.5 million to purchase the building. She did just that— launching a fundraising campaign that saw more than 170 community members step up, including Vancouver’s regular cinephiles and Hollywood film stars such as Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Smith, who donated their time and money to the cause. In its storied past, the theatre, which first opened in 1938, had been a state-of-the-art single screen, then a bowling alley and even, for a time, a home for Chinese-language films, under the operating name of the Golden Princess Theatre. “I’ve always known this about the Rio, that it’s so much bigger than me,” Lea says of the Commercial-Broadway cultural hub, where film screenings—notably events like screenings of cult-favourite flop The Room, with its notorious director and star Tommy VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

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Wiseau in attendance, or the annual Halloween screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show complete with its costume contest—burlesque shows and live music gigs aplenty have kept the doors open since 2008, when Lea took it over. “It really is owned by the community in heart, and now it is physically owned by the community,” she says. That same impulse to protect the independent arts venue back in 2018 is what pushed Lea and a cadre of filmmakers to rescue the Park Theatre—a single-screen theatre in Cambie Village—from obscurity just last year. When Cineplex declined to renew their lease at the spot in October of 2025, Lea was the one the landlord called. “Right away, I’m like, of course I’d be interested,” she recalls—but a later walkthrough revealed a neglected space that would be gutted of the projector, the screen and even the concession. She mentally tallied the cost—about $300,000. “I don’t have that sitting around in my pocket,” she says. She almost walked away from the prospect until “a little voice” told her, “You can call Chris Ferguson.” Ferguson, the Vancouver-based film producer behind the indie banner Oddfellows and genre-focused Phobos (responsible for titles such as Backrooms and the Nicolas Cage vehicle Longlegs), was all ears. It was an easy sell for him, Lea says. In a few phone calls, the veteran producer assembled a cohort of film-industry investors, such as his partner at Phobos, Osgood Perkins; directors and producers Mike Flanagan, Sean Baker, Samantha Quan and Zach Lipovsky; Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard and a handful of other industry professionals. “I called everybody in our little filmmaking community and said, ‘Who wants to come in and do this?’” Ferguson says. “It’s people who I knew had two things: one is a passion for Vancouver, and the other is a passion for theatrical movies.” The goal wasn’t just amassing cash, but also tapping a coalition of people who could bring concrete skills—like upgrading the Park’s sound or leveraging studio relationships to advocate for single-screen bookings. “I was trying to put together a group of people who I thought would not 50

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only bring money, but bring a skill set to it,” Ferguson says. “People like Eugenio Battaglia, who’s my sound designer, who could come in and fine tune the audio.” The deal turned the Park into what Lea calls a “cinephile clubhouse,” run with the same community-minded ethos as the Rio—but this time focused entirely on film. When Ferguson’s Vancouver-shot indie hit Backrooms screened, for example, the theatre was “event-ized,” with the lobby transformed into the eerie “back rooms” where the horror Silver Screen thriller takes place. Photo The Park Theatre marquee at night, ops featuring chairs melting March 28, 1949. into walls gave moviegoers an immersive way to step into the film’s unsettling world before taking their seats. Over at the VIFF Centre—where a mix The Park would once screen a single of independent and global, Indigenous and Hollywood flick for weeks at a time in an Canadian cinema makes up the majority outdated space; today, it’s upgraded with of the programming—the argument for improvements to its sound system and a saving independent cinemas runs through brand-new screen, a 4K laser projector and the bricks, seats and sound. As Laine Slater, a refurbished vintage Italian 70 mm prodirector of marketing at VIFF, explains, jector. The theatre’s lobby is repainted and just as the Park has had to evolve, the outfitted with art by local artist and actor VIFF Centre launched “a massive capital Callum Keith Rennie, which hangs over a campaign” as the pandemic began, adding long bench that flanks the walls leading to a flexible studio theatre so they could “show the theatre doors. The cozy spot encourages films that we don’t always get to show folks to linger and share their hot takes on because we don’t have the space for it.” That the film they just saw, and with the intimate studio theatre has been home to communivenue space, it’s more than likely you’ll run ty-programmed film series such as African in to fellow cinephiles. Cinema Now! among others. “I love that the Rio is still the crazy Two years ago, VIFF also completely one,” she admits. “I kind of think of them refitted the main theatre. “We took everyas sisters; the Rio’s like the rebel punk and thing out and repainted it, put in a new [the Park]’s the cinephile.” screen and new sound,” Slater says. “The Meanwhile, Ferguson sees the now-reVIFF Cinema is just phenomenal to see vived venue as a place that creates a larger films in now.” cultural conversation, and a spot that gives The aim is simple and ongoing: keeping his own work a home. butts in seats while spotlighting screen“The more success I’m having in this based storytelling. “Our goal is always to industry doing theatrical movies, the more provide an optimum viewing environment I’m realizing that if the movie’s not coming for the audiences,” she says, noting that all into theatres, it doesn’t become part of the the seats in the theatre had been taken out conversation,” he says. “I don’t really want and re-swathed in their iconic red velvet. to spend the sheer amount of blood, sweat VIFF’s executive director, Kyle Fostner, and tears that it takes to make a movie and echoes the sentiment that the spot’s renothen have it disappear into streaming.”

vations drive the theatre’s purpose.

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“We have a very unique role within Western Canada for exhibiting contemporary international, Indigenous and Canadian cinema as it was intended to be seen,” he says. “The upgrades that we made here— be it laser projection, Dolby Atmos 360 sound, or all of the surface and customer experience touch points—are all designed to create a contemporary gallery in which to hang modern cinematic work. That’s the point of it. It’s not intended to serve as the same thing as a Cineplex cinema. We have profoundly community-based cultural objectives and responsibilities that extend beyond traditional civic activity.” The beloved Yaletown cinema and the Park aren’t the only indie theatres that have consistently gone through upgrades to keep its clientele in comfy seats. Ken Charko, owner of the Dunbar Theatre (which has been screening first-run Hollywood films on its single screen since 1935), has halved the theatre’s seat count from 650 to 340 in the nearly 30 years he’s helmed the spot. “There isn’t a theatre with more legroom, that’s for sure,” he says. “We brought in recliners before it was fashionable.” Doing so might have saved them in the pandemic, too: the theatre never had to shut down during COVID because their added space (and stringent rules) kept the doors open and kept films screening—for which the indie theatre received an award from the Movie Theatre Association of Canada (MTAC). “We had so much space we were able to do it,” Charko says. “Emergency workers came to relax here with their families. We didn’t use six feet, we used 12 feet. We’re alive today as a business because we followed the rules of COVID, but we were really proactive.” The spot continues to attract neighbourhood folks (and those who just like the idea of a single screen) on the regular with its kitschy, hardly-updated-since-the-’80s building facade—analogue marquee, giant lettering and so on. Inside the cozy spot is tons of charm: there are couches and ’70s-style carpets lining the upper-level floors, while the popcorn bar is reminiscent of a community centre’s concession stand. But, Charko says, “what we play matters more than anything else.” 52

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That, and that it’s a rare spot in town where “you don’t need to pay $10 for parking.” Elsewhere, the Cinematheque—formerly the Pacific Cinematheque—known for hosting non-commercial and art house films Landmark Status since 1972 (standout Dunbar Theatre in 1937; programming includes the iconic single-screen their DIM Cinema is still standing today. series, in which a rotating crew of artists and curators programs experimental “moving image art”), under“In our industry, we like to talk about went a $120,000 upgrade in 2016—updatit as like an ecosystem, and that the indie ing the Dolby sound system and bringing in theatres are an important part of the wide, faux leather seats (while reducing the ecosystem. You can’t just have the big guys number of those seats from 194 to 155). Its without the small ones,” Lea says. lobby also got a bright renovation in 2023. “For some people who don’t understand While the VIFF Centre, the Cinemathe importance of independent theatres, just imagine if there were none. If we just theque and the Dunbar have been able to wipe out all independent small theatres and continue on with their focus on film, other all there is are the big corporations, they’re single screen theatres in the city have had not playing all the little films. They’re not to adapt their programming to stay alive— giving independent filmmakers a chance; even if that means being not-so-indepenthey’re playing Barbie and Oppenheimer dent anymore. type things.” Kitsilano’s Hollywood Theatre, for Over at VIFF, creating a place where inexample, keeps its original architectural dependent filmmakers are given a platform Art Deco visage. It opened in 1935 as a has always been top of mind. single-screen theatre, but now plays host “We celebrate our audiences, and we predominantly to live music acts, with a celebrate the filmmakers. We’re trying to healthy roster of programs—screening create the best environment for both of films that many people may not have had them,” says Slater. the chance to watch in cinemas, like The “Indie cinemas are a great place Sound of Music, Ben Hur, Casablanca for people to see films they wouldn’t see and other classics—led by projectionist anywhere else. Those kinds of films really and film programmer Amelia Lynge. make a difference or stick with you.” Through extensive renovations completed Of course, Ferguson—a filmmaker in 2020 by Bonnis Properties, the venue himself—feels passionately about how was restored and preserved, saving it from indie cinemas run thoughtful programs near-demolition. The Hollywood now has and cater to community. removable seats that transform the space “These kinds of theatres can’t exist if into a dance floor and live music venue on run by a giant monopoly,” he says. most nights, and back into a film house “It requires such a level of care that it when something special makes the screen. can’t be run from a head office somewhere It has been owned by the Dayhu Group of else. It needs to be someone who’s on Companies, the purchase of which was led the ground, seeing what’s going on, in by the late Dave Barnett, since early 2025. communication with the audience and Whether owned independently or with programming with a lot of elbow grease. a little help, the consensus among leaderYou basically need to treat a single-screen ship at these cultural hubs seems seems to theatre like it’s its own multiplex.” have come into line.

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A stressed-out urbanite gets the locals’ experience in a laidback Thompson Okanagan ski town. By Darcy Matheson

TOP OF THE WORLD 54

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REUBEN KRABBE

Peak living

Sun Peaks Village is lovingly referred to as “Whistler 30 years ago” by locals, with its unhurried pace and touches of whimsy.

AS A SELF-PROFESSED CIT Y SLICKER living at about eight out of ten on the overwhelmed scale most days (taking the SkyTrain, shuttling rambunctious young boys to endless activities and youth sports, all amid the hustle and bustle of East Vancouver) there are very few moments in my life when I am truly by myself. So, when I get the rare long-weekend escape from East Van and find myself completely alone halfway down Sun Peaks’ iconic Five Mile ski run—in the dry, cold middle of the Thompson Okanagan, about 50 kilometres north of Kamloops—you best believe I’m taking a minute to savour the silence. On the resort’s landmark run, which meanders nearly eight kilometres down Tod Mountain, I’m treated to sweeping views across B.C.’s Southern Interior. It’s truly the perfect day on the slopes: an inversion over the valley means the base is a mild 0 degrees while the summit sits at -9. With ridgelines rolling out in the sunshine in every direction, it’s the kind of bluebird day that reminds you why you schlepped all your gear out and sojourned to the mountain. Locals here wistfully describe the small community of Sun Peaks as “Whistler 30 years ago”—before year-round mass tourism and chain eateries moved in. It’s unhurried here, with touches of whimsy, which you feel to your core as you make your way to the base chairs through the twinkle-light adorned European-style village. While I’m waiting in line for the Sunburst Express, the resort’s iconic high-speed quad, a local tells me it’s

REUBEN KRABBE, SAM EGAN

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

G E TA W A Y G U I D E | S U N P E A K S

a busier-than-normal weekend here. But the lift line is only four minutes long, a fraction of a typical wait at Whistler’s base—or at any other mountain, for that matter. Moments of silence, reflection and solitude reveal themselves at intervals throughout the day as I work my way through different runs. At one point, I end up on the back side of the mountain, in the gladed terrain of Gil’s back-country run—not lost exactly, just wandering, with no real sense of how long I’ve be on my own out here. But despite the quiet, this is no small operation. Sun Peaks boasts that it’s Canada’s second-largest ski resort by terrain, with 4,200-plus acres of skiable terrain over Tod Mountain, Sundance Mountain and Mount Morrisey. Between the gooey cheese fondue après in the village, the families with young kiddos lacing up at the skating rink and the firepits where folks gather round with hot chocolate (or a hot toddy) after a day on the slopes, it simply feels different here from the resort’s biggest rival—and that’s the secret locals don’t want you to spill. The timing of my visit feels significant, too. While an unseasonably warm January hammered conditions around Vancouver (with some mountains announcing brief or early closures amid heavy rain and sustained high temps), Sun Peaks has new snow and fresh tracks. Compared to the climate back at home in East Vancouver, it seems like a different season altogether here, and I’m looking forward to coming back before I’ve even left. 56

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

the peak spots

Tube Time

Bottoms Bar and Grill

EAT

Fuel up for a day on the slopes with a hearty brekky burrito at Vertical Café (consistently rated the top breakfast spot in the village): it comes loaded with eggs, cheese and veggies. Head to Mountain Pizza for the Grannie Greene’s ’za, topped with mushrooms, green pepper, onion, tomato, olives and mozza (the pie was named for Nancy Greene, the Olympic gold medallist and ski legend who still hosts weekly small-session meet and greets during ski season here). For a group nosh, order the Mountain Board ($48) at Mantles overlooking the village and receive a curated selection of local Vernon charcuterie and artisanal cheeses. Pair it with a glass from the B.C. wine list, or the signature Canadian old fashioned, made with bourbon from Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery.

APRÈS

Lovingly referred to as the “locals’ living room,” Bottoms Bar and Grill is nestled at the base of the mountain and is the perfect ski-out après spot, serving up craft beers, big cocktails and hearty carbs like the hot and honey fries ($17)

tossed in southern spice and sprinkled with feta, or classic pub nachos with housemade tortilla chips. At Fondue Stube (open seasonally from Sun Peaks Grand Hotel December) you’ll be greeted by Euro throwback decor as you dig into a hearty classic Swiss cheese fondue, with a Swiss chocolate fondue to end For the classic resort experience, the experience if you’ve got a the ski-in, ski-out Sun Peaks sweet tooth. Another ooey-gooey Grand Hotel is home to the only option is the happy-hour raclette heated outdoor pool in the village, at Mantles, where you can gather along with three slopeside hot tubs. your favourite ski bunnies around For families or bigger groups, Bear a tabletop grill and melt traditional Country Vacation Rentals raclette cheese over meats and manages a wide selection of seafood. condos, townhomes and chalets, many with full kitchens and private hot tubs, with one to six bedrooms. There are dozens of privately Beyond the slopes, the resort’s owned vacation rentals on Airbnb NHL-sized outdoor rink at the Sun and VRBO as well. Peaks Sports Centre, a short walk from the village, offers public skating. Tube Time, a liftaccessed tubing park with curving From Vancouver, it’s about a fivelanes off Sundance Mountain, hour drive via Highway 1 and the makes for a no-skill-required thrill. Coquihalla (snow tires mandatory And on-mountain ski and board after October 1). The closest lessons run on a 3:1 student-toairport is Kamloops Airport, just 45 instructor ratio (best in class minutes away, with direct flights among Canadian resorts) for group from Vancouver, Calgary, lessons, with options for every age Edmonton and Victoria. and ability.

sTAY

EXPLORE

GETTING HERE

(TUBE TIME) ZUZ Y ROCK A

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This project is supported by the BC Government’s Buy BC Partnership Program; delivered by MNP LLP with funding from the Government of British Columbia.

G E TA W A Y G U I D E | G O L D E N

GOLDEN RULES With Nordic trails, waterfall hikes and glowing attractions, Golden proves that you don’t have to be a ski pro to love winter in the Columbia Valley. By Claudia Laroye

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DAVE BEST

IT TURNS OUT THAT HAVING a groomed ski trail to yourself is exactly what it’s cracked up to be: my surroundings are blissful and quiet, apart from my laboured breathing and the swish and glide of my cross-country skis. Above the sugar-dusted treetops, I can see a bluebird sky and a spectacular view of the snowcapped mountains lining both sides of the Columbia Valley, home to the industrious town of Golden. Located along the busy Trans-Canada Highway corridor that bifurcates the city between auto-oriented retail and the downtown commercial district, Golden is too often a drive-by instead of a rightful stopover for travellers. I’m always pleasantly surprised by the variety of things you can do here in all seasons, but especially in winter. Golden’s reputation as an elite skiing destination, thanks to the legendary Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and acres of epic backcountry heli-skiing, is well-earned. But my slope style leans more no-pro than Go Pro, and with the wide array of wintry pursuits I can do both on and off the slopes, that’s no problemo here. From waterfall walks to new nighttime illuminations, Golden rules with loads of accessible and exhilarating winter fun for all speeds of people.

On an active day As one of the communities that anchor B.C.’s celebrated Powder Highway, Golden punches above its weight on the heart-pounding winter adventure scale. The slopes at Kicking Horse—known as the “Champagne Powder Capital of Canada”—have a fearsome reputation as an advanced ski hill, with the fourth highest vertical drop in North America. But there’s plenty of room for beginner and intermediate skiers like me to enjoy an annual snowfall of more than 24 feet covering 120-plus runs, five alpine bowls and 85-plus chutes across 3,486 acres. This ski girl at heart can’t tackle all that terrain without refuelling at the mountaintop Eagle’s Eye Restaurant. After waffling over menu choices ranging from beefy chili to a stacked halloumi burger, I dig into a steaming, savoury Thai bowl while admiring the snowy mountain views through the floor-to-ceiling windows of what is literally Canada’s most elevated dining experience, at 7,700 feet above sea level. Steep and deeps aside, I find that there’s more than one way to get my heart rate up. Shifting to a more horizontal plane, I clip into my rented cross-country skis at Dawn Mountain Nordic Centre on Kicking Horse Mountain. Setting out to conquer a few snowy miles of the total 33 kilometres of groomed Nordic classic and skate ski trails, I learn quickly that lighter layers are the key to not overheating despite the dry cold. My visit does not coincide (perhaps fortunately) with Golden’s annual two-day Huckleberry Loppet ski event. There are prizes and distances for all ages and abilities, but the winners of the longer-distance events will receive the ultimate reward: a full pound of local huckleberries. Golden has acres of deep-powder snowmobiling terrain to fulfill a need for speed, including the primary sledding areas of Gorman Lake, Silent Pass, Westbench Trail and Quartz Creek.

DAVE BEST, AGATHE BERNARD, COURTESY TOURISM GOLDEN

all speeds

Golden’s Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre provides interpretive walks (top). The hike to Wapta Falls (middle) is mostly flat and leisurely. Snowmobiling or cross-country skiing on Golden’s groomed trails will keep you moving for an active day (opposite and bottom).

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G E TA W A Y G U I D E | G O L D E N Courtney Room

Quartz Creek is the town’s marquee riding area with easy access from the Trans-Canada. Sled across groomed trails that are as accessible for beginners as they are a thrilling day out for advanced snowmobilers.

On a SLOW day

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VIBRANT VICTORIA Victoria’s culinary culture is hotter than ever, with a wave of chefs from both coasts making it the foodie spot to visit. By Treve Ring Once easily categorized by “West Coast cuisine,” Victoria’s current dining scene is as much driven by international experience as it is by local ingredients, with chefs from both hemispheres gravitating to Vancouver Island. Propelled by an influx of youthful talent wanting an escape from big-city expenses and that big-city pace (there’s a reason it’s called “Island time,” after all), the demographic, skyline and energy of B.C.’s capital has grown swiftly and positively. As a writer who’s been covering the food and drink community here for the past 25 years, I can attest that the scene in Victoria has never been as thriving, and it’s all fuelled by passionate entrepreneurs and by the area’s bounty. There’s never been a better time for a foodie to visit—and here’s my personal dining shortlist, organized by tenure.

TAYLOR ROADES

IMAGE CREDIT

Winter hibernation finds the larger furry predators (mostly) asleep in their dens, but at Golden’s Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre, I leave my ski poles at home and take a walk on the wild side. The outdoor educational facility is focused on wolf conservation and provides interpretive talks about these beautiful, often-misunderstood predators and their critical role in the environment. After learning about the adopted residents from the centre’s staff, I stroll along the two-kilometre interactive walk with members of the wolf pack, including Flora, the facility’s 14-year-old “wolf ambassador,” on an unforgettable 90-minute hike through their natural habitat in the beautiful Blaeberry Valley. Located approximately 30 kilometres east of Golden, the hike to Wapta Falls is a relatively flat and easy 10-kilometre winter walk that leads to the largest waterfall on the Kicking Horse River. On the day I do the trek I wear my high-top hiking boots, but if it’s been very cold and snowy, take the hint and be sure to strap on ice spikes or snowshoes. Follow the path from the highway parking lot over a few low, rolling hills to the base of the falls for an up-close-and-personal view. Bowling has rightly been at the heart of Golden’s nighttime pursuits thanks to the classic 1960s-era wooden lanes of beloved Golden Bowling, but I’m also looking forward to the unveiling of the city’s newest non-ski attraction: Golden Skybridge is debuting TrailGlow on Boxing Day as a family-friendly immersive light and sound show that begins after sunset (around 5:45 p.m. on December 26) at the plaza and makes its way across the Lower Skybridge to the Touch the Sky Deck. The show will operate every evening over the Christmas and Family Week holidays, then Friday to Sunday until the end of February. Golden Skybridge will also operate the Giant Canyon Swing, the “Ice” Climbing Wall and axe throwing activities during the winter season. I love the city’s compact downtown and the collection of independent shops and restaurants by the river. Golden’s River Walk opened in 2021, redeveloping the riverfront with a lovely riverside walkway with seating areas and access to local cafés, restaurants, bars, bookstores (don’t miss the second floor of Four Points Books) and shops. It connects to the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge, the longest (at 46 metres) freestanding timber-frame bridge in Canada, and to the Golden Stroll, an interactive walking tour that brings the community’s history to life through a series of videos you can watch by scanning QR codes along the Rotary Trail. On my way out of town, I grab an oat-milk cappuccino and brekkie burrito at Bluebird Café before hitting the road for the journey home. I know it won’t be long before I’m back where Golden rules in winter with a bevy of activities for everyone.

G E TA W A Y G U I D E | V I C T O R I A

THE NEW KIDS

pistachio pesto and ricotta on

One of the most anticipated

fresh focaccia. Cap it off with

new restaurants is the free-

nearby Le Croissant Chaud

standing location of Birdman

(@lecroissantchaud.ca), a sat-

(birdmanvic.ca), the hot new

isfyingly decadent and refined

fried-chicken joint that extends

French bakery and café led by

into the wee hours from the

young French-trained chefs.

tight team at Wind Cries Mary

famous for its mortadella with

Lumache

(windcriesmary.ca)—one of our

THE JUVENILES

classy small-plate, cocktail-lad-

Ugly Duckling (uglyduckling

en juveniles that gets buzzier

restaurant.ca) has proven that

every year. Diners here eat

fine dining needn’t be excessive,

messy: digging into fried Ross-

with its pristine, ever-changing

down Farms chicken doused in

set menu that is clearly chef

smoky-sweet Birdman sauce

Corbin Mathany’s love letter to

shellfish, pop into the cozy

and served alongside addic-

nature (now with equally stacked

corner spot of Shuck Taylor’s

tively crunchy, fan-like waffle

pairings to match) in a tiny jewel

(wanderingmollusk.com) for the

fries (dusted with chicken salt,

box of a space in Chinatown.

freshest oysters in town. Eva

no less). Similarly, Dough Eyes

Chobap Sushi Bar (chobap

Schnitzelhaus (evaschnizel

(dougheyespizza.com) opened

sushibar.com) is one more room

.com) is a fantastic departure

this summer, the freshest pizze-

to plan reservations for, with eight

to the deliciousness of casual

ria from the super strong team

lucky seats achieving the thoughtful

German snacky fare, while

behind Café Brio and Bras-

omakase dishes of chef Clark

Café Malabar (cafemalabar.ca)

serie l’Ecole, two of the city’s

Park. Sitting at the bar is like

immediately transports you to

OGs. You won’t find a classic

being in Park’s home, and it’s

the fragrant sensory overloads

margherita here, but all is forgiven

one of the most coveted dinner

of South India’s Kerala. Both

when you discover the N.V., a stun-

invites in town. Rabbit Rabbit

are reflective of the welcome

ning white-sauced pie with fonti-

(rabbitrabbitwinebar.com)

international influence colouring

na, pecorino, zucchini and olives.

is another diminutive—and

Victoria’s culinary scene.

Lumache (lumache.ca), from

smart-dressed—room; visit here

The natural opposite to

ex-Vancouverites James Frost

for Top Chef Canada alum Billy

these humble spots is the fine

(formerly of La Quercia and

Nguyen’s Asian-inspired small

dining destination restaurant

Livia) and sommelier Heather

plates (such as my own favou-

Marilena (marilenacafe.com),

Dosman, is proving the delicious

rite, the albacore tuna crudo

with its luxurious seafood towers

charm of handcrafted pasta

with fragrant yuzu dill tartare),

and deepest wine program. I

and slow-food methodologies,

matched with thoughtful wines

still dream of the mouth-melt-

which are best experienced via

by the glass. It’s bar-hopping-

ing otoro (a bluefin tuna belly)

their eye-opening tasting menu.

ly close to Matadora Tapas

sashimi, a dish bested only

Emmaline’s (emmalines.ca),

(matadora.ca), where lust-worthy

by their outrageous wagyu A5

courtesy of another ex-Van hos-

pintxos and smart cocktails

sashimi. If you’re still scaling ver-

pitality patriot, Elizabeth Bryan,

await—or, you could invent your

ticals and horizontals, it’s worth

has brightened up Quadra Village

own vermut flight from their long

swinging by the Courtney Room

with its casual bistro fare of ro-

list. Adventuresome drinkers

(thecourtneyroom.com) for its im-

tating seasonal home cooking—

know to stop by Tourist Wine

pressively thorough cellar, and to

sharing the ’hood’s glow up with

Bar (touristwinebar.com)—and

catch the creative new menu from

stellar stalwart Part and Parcel

newly next door’s Café Tourist—

ex-Torontonian chef Julie Hyde.

(partandparcel.ca) nearby. For

for constantly rotating plates

Their bar remains one of the

the quickest bite downtown, pop

and glasses, all with a natural-

best happy hour secrets of the

by Otto Charcuterie (otto

ist, minimalist vibe. And when

city (though undocumented on its

charcuterie.ca), a small-scale,

downtown’s omnipresent seagull

own website, whispers abound

ultra-local sandie shop rightfully

population has you also craving

about the $12 cocktails).

VA N M A G . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

Chobap Sushi Bar

Ugly Duckling

THE OGS Two legends have been revitalized under new owners Sam Harris and Vincent Vanderheide, alongside talented wine director Peggy Baudon, leading the aforementioned Café Brio’s (cafebrio.com) effortless Italian into the next generation. The house-cured meats remain a must-order, as does the rotating seasonal contorni. More recently, Brasserie l’Ecole (lecole.ca) has cemented itself as a brilliant neighbourhood French bistro. I can’t not order Brass’s endive salad, lashed with lardon and fresh hazelnuts, but the Salt Spring mussels in Pernod is my epitome of Island comfort food. I’ve been going to both Brio and Brass since each of them opened more than 20 years ago, and they remain top of class.

DON DENTON, JAMES FROST, DOM HALL

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I N D E P E N D E N T

WHY CHOOSE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

S C H O O L S



B.C.'s independent schools are rethinking education for the next generation of leaders, caretakers and innovators. Here's why they believe they're uniquely positioned to get it right.

Stratford Hall

here are around 365 independent schools across British Columbia, according to the provincial government. These schools offer an alternative education pathway for students starting in preschool all the way up to grade 12. Often with lower teacher-student ratios, comprehensive academic programming and a strong sense of community, independent schools might just be ahead of the curve as education continues to rapidly change. Here’s what sets an independent school education apart.

EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES Independent schools are widely celebrated for their exceptional academic rigour, deeply supportive communities and dynamic learning environments. Equipped with

unique resources and remarkable flexibility, these institutions continually adapt curricula to meet emerging educational trends while championing a distinct and inspiring philosophy of holistic student success. At Stratford Hall, a K-12 independent school in Vancouver, the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework shapes students’ learning at all grade levels, emphasizing inquiry, critical thinking, cross-disciplinary connections and global perspectives. “It’s important that students are curious, can think critically and are taught how to utilize those skills so they can thrive and be independent after they graduate,” says Richard Kassissieh, head of school at Stratford Hall. The IB framework reflects a belief that all students are highly capable of achieving at advanced levels when properly challenged and supported.

“Independent schools give students the opportunity and space to build a learning experience around a clear set of educational values and approaches,” says Smita Karam, Junior School principal at Stratford Hall. “The goal is not simply to cover content, but to help students learn how to think and apply their learning in meaningful contexts.” Families may choose an independent school education for many different reasons, one being this unique learning experience it offers. “By balancing academic rigour with emotional well-being, creative expression and outdoor resilience, parents invest in an education that equips well-rounded individuals with the character, perspective and confidence to thrive in an ever-changing world,” says Alison Wall, the director of enrolment management at Stratford Hall.  S P E C I A L

F E A T U R E

S P O N S O R E D

R E P O R T

EXPANDING HORIZONS Rooted in curiosity, integrity and belonging, Stratford Hall provides a learning space where students from all backgrounds thrive and develop holistically.

he fondest school memories aren’t assignment grades or test scores. It’s the teacher turned mentor who inspires a career. It’s the lifelong friendships students develop with classmates. It’s the early morning sports practices, or the extended after-school meetings planning a club event. It’s also the intangible skills students learn and carry into young adulthood— embracing curiosity, questioning and thinking critically or considering different perspectives. Students at Stratford Hall experience just that, and so much more. THE STRATFORD HALL PHILOSOPHY: CURIOSITY, INTEGRITY AND BELONGING As a mid-sized independent school in East Vancouver offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme from kindergarten to grade 12, Stratford Hall nurtures academic education alongside social and emotional wellbeing. “Stratford Hall is a place where students get to exercise their creativity, their curiosity and develop their critical thinking to understand the world both immediately around them and further afield,” says Richard Kassissieh, head of school at Stratford Hall. As the first school in Western Canada to be authorized for the Primary Years Programme, Stratford Hall’s educational philosophy remains deeply connected to the IB framework. This philosophy combines intellectual challenge with inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, service and reflection on one’s learning. “The IB philosophy really does, in today’s age, prepare students for today’s unpredictable reality,” says Kassissieh. “It connects what they’re doing in the classroom to the real world.” Students are empowered to actively construct their worldview, fostering adaptability, resilience and resourcefulness for an evolving future. As part of the IB curriculum, students are encouraged to apply their studies in

service-learning projects. Much of this service goes back into the East Vancouver community. Students have worked with Immigration Services Society of BC, local seniors’ homes and Stratford Hall’s partner elementary school, Queen Alexandra. “We’re able to extend the curriculum and extend the virtues of the IB philosophy directly into our community and take students there to experience it,” says Alison Wall, director of enrolment management at Stratford Hall. “Our aim is to prepare students to become empathetic, responsible and engaged global citizens.” Students are supported to find their place at Stratford Hall, whether it’s on the field in athletics, on stage in the performing arts or finding the appropriate level of challenge in Outdoor Experiential Education. Students also participate in numerous off-campus learning experiences at nearby Clark Park, such as outdoor ecological studies classes and local history walking tours. The school has contributed to public infrastructure improvement projects at the park, including installing a playground to benefit everyone. “We really do see ourselves not just in the community, but part of the community,” adds Kassissieh. DIVERSITY AND BELONGING Thanks to Stratford Hall’s small class sizes, staff make a conscious effort to ensure every child is seen, valued and receives an enriched educational experience. Across the junior and senior schools, a team of full-time counsellors and learning strategists are committed to supporting student success. “We are a diverse community, and we’re here to ensure that students’ needs are met so they can be successful,” Wall says. Stratford Hall’s student body represents 34 languages, and the school also aims to celebrate holidays such as Lunar New Year and Vaisakhi, holidays that are important to the demographic of the school’s community.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES Stratford Hall has exciting plans for future growth. Starting in grades 6, 7 and 8, Stratford Hall is admitting more students as an incremental expansion of its senior school—up to 60 students per grade—while maintaining the junior school’s current cohort size of 40 students per grade. “For 25 years, we’ve had the same size grade at senior school as junior school,” explains Kassissieh. “Now we’re growing our senior school by adding 20 students when we move from grade 5 to grade 6.” While Stratford Hall will enrol more students per grade, the school will add a section to each grade so that class sizes become smaller, and teachers can devote more individual attention to each student. The campus located on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive will also be developed to accommodate this new expansion, including classrooms with specialized facilities for senior students and a new home for the Primary Years Programme. “Having between 40 and 60 students per grade is a sweet spot that allows us to diversify our course offerings while still being able to maintain that personalized attention that comes with knowing the whole grade,” he says. This growth allows the school to offer more options to students, including electives and enriched athletics, while also diversifying the student body even further. At the same time, Stratford Hall is also diversifying its graduation pathways in its senior school. “We will always continue to have the IB Diploma Programme as one option, but we are also providing options for students who wish to design their own graduation pathway,” says Kassissieh. All students will earn the B.C. Dogwood diploma, but now they will have a menu of choices to customize their programs, whether it’s taking a few IB courses or pursuing the complete IB diploma. “Students and families seek out Stratford Hall because they want to find that place where the student will thrive and graduate prepared to navigate this complex world,” says Kassissieh.

Learn more about Stratford Hall and the IB programme at stratfordhall.ca. Connect on:

@stratford_hall |

@Stratford Hall

C REATED BY CANADA WIDE MEDIA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STRATFORD HALL



I N D E P E N D E N T

S C H O O L S

a partnership,” emphasizes Holtum. “We’re taking this journey together.” These connections extend beyond the school to admissions, whether it’s welcoming students from many countries around the world, teaching legacy students from alumni or providing financial assistance. One in five students at GNS are there on either scholarship or a financial assistance bursary package. “Do you want to be here? Is this a fit for you?” says Holtum, “and is this where you want to go? Then we want you here.” Global mindedness also extends to GNS as an IB school. In fact, it's the only IB Continuum school on Vancouver Island, meaning students start an inquiry-based education in junior kindergarten. “We want

Glenlyon Norfolk School

Brockton School

From arts and athletics to research and leadership, students at an independent school grow holistically, not just excelling in academics. Students are equipped with the necessary soft skills to take ownership of their learning and pursue their passion and interests. “Independent schools can develop programs, partnerships and learning experiences that reflect the needs of their particular community,” continues Karam. At Stratford Hall, this is reflected in the school’s design thinking program at the Idea Lab (where students prototype, test and collaborate on solutions to real-world problems), an Indigenous Artist-in-Residence program, outdoor experiential education, connections with organizations across Vancouver and ongoing investment in new spaces and programs. “We want students to leave with a strong academic foundation, but also with selfawareness, confidence, resilience, curiosity and a sense of purpose,” says Andy Wong, Stratford Hall’s Senior School principal. “Preparing students for the future means preparing them to participate in shaping it,” he says.

MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS Strong academics are a key independent school advantage. So too is fostering meaningful connections, whether it’s among students or between learners and educators. Indeed, low student-teacher ratios and small class sizes make an independent school education appealing for many families. At Glenlyon Norfolk School (GNS), an IB school in Victoria, the average class sizes range between 16 and 18 students, with an eight-toone student-teacher ratio. This smaller size ensures every student is known and can be supported in the best way for them. S P E C I A L

F E A T U R E

“We really get to know the kids and the families. We’re community-driven and student-driven,” says Chad Holtum, head of school at GNS. This personalized support extends beyond the classroom. For graduating students, GNS has three full-time university counsellors who all previously worked in post-secondary admissions to help them find their path. “School is an opportunity to try things you've never thought of,” he says. “It’s also important to know what you don't love—and to try it here. If it doesn't work for you, you're surrounded by people who will pick you back up and work with you to look at the next path.” At GNS, students begin their learning journey as early as age three in junior kindergarten and continue through grade 12. This kind of multiyear connection supports the entirety of students’ education as they customize their own pathway. “We take the partnership between families and this school very seriously, because we really do want

to make sure students are curious, are asking good questions and can navigate a changing world,” says Holtum.

HOLISTIC LEARNING Schools are uniquely positioned to support children and youth during their formative years. Second only to immediate family, a school's impact is significant in multiple dimensions of a person’s overall growth and development. At Brockton School in North Vancouver, that significant responsibility and opportunity are recognized, valued and optimized. At Brockton, students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 experience an education that is profound in the overall development of each child, not only as learners, but as outstanding people. Indeed, Brockton’s mission is to “inspire the growth of outstanding humans.” Brockton is one of 70 schools in the world to offer all four International Baccalaureate programmes: the Primary Years Programme,

They came unsure. They left unstoppable. What if school wasn’t just preparation for life, but part of it?

At Glenlyon Norfolk School, students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 are seen, supported and empowered to lead with confidence and compassion. Through the International Baccalaureate continuum and a community of care, the GNS Effect begins early, and it lasts a lifetime. Discover how personalized learning, leadership and belonging come together to shape extraordinary futures.

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Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and the innovative Career-related Programme. These are some of the most recognized and respected programs in the world. Also, the school has an extensive cocurricular program of well over 60 different options. Students are exposed to a diversity of areas, often through highly experiential learning, that allows them to genuinely explore their interests and passions. “A Brockton School education stands apart because we focus on the holistic development of the student that prepares them to thrive in an ever-changing world,” says Brockton’s head of school, Karen St. Michaels McCulla. “Amongst those preparations, and University alongside a meaningful curriculum and an School (SMUS) outstanding faculty, Brockton students graduate with a sense of purpose in this world—which is something that cannot be overstated.” The school has a low six-toone student-to-staff ratio with dedicated resources, so children receive personalized attention and strong mentorship. Brockton also has a diverse range of courses led by teachers who are experts in their field. The school offers over 100 courses across its graduating years alone. McCulla Urban notes that a Brockton education Academy is experiential, dynamic, filled with inquiry, considerate of different perspectives, reflective, innovative and much more. “This is a Brockton student. This is an At Brockton, students are not only outstanding human.” seeking answers; they are asking questions and exploring what might be. STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY “We need our youth to be curious, criticalIndependent schools are often defined thinking, compassionate, collaborative, by their strong sense of community, from communicative, self-aware, purpose-filled student-teacher connections to joining an and inquiry-driven humans,” McCulla says. extensive alumni network after graduation.

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Small, intentional communities at independent schools foster a sense of belonging and collaboration and create lasting relationships that extend well after graduation. This community is reflected in the learning environment at St. Michaels University School (SMUS), an independent boarding school in Victoria for kids from junior kindergarten to grade 12. Within the classroom, community is evident. “Smaller class sizes and a strong culture of student support mean educators know their students well, can support their individual growth and can challenge them to reach their potential,” says Eliot Anderson, deputy head of school and director of the SMUS Senior School. But this person-forward approach at SMUS extends to who students are as people, encouraging values of respect, honesty, courage and service. “From extracurricular activities such as clubs and councils to service-learning opportunities, we encourage students to ask, ‘How can I make a meaningful impact?’” says Ruth McGhee, director of university counselling at SMUS. “Our school promotes lifelong learning and a growth mindset, both key qualities for adaptability to a changing job market.” Ultimately, community at SMUS means instilling the character and skills to thrive in an ever-changing world so students are future-ready. “We focus on what we can control by helping students understand themselves, their values and how to respond thoughtfully

to challenges,” says Keith Driscoll, director of boarding and student life at SMUS. “When students have a strong sense of who they are, they are better equipped to adapt to anything.” Anderson concludes: “Families also recognize the long-term value of an education that emphasizes character, leadership and belonging,” he says. “They want their children to graduate not only with strong academic foundations, but also with the confidence, adaptability and sense of responsibility needed to thrive.”

ADAPTIVE AND FLEXIBLE CURRICULA Independent schools are nimble. Their flexibility allows them to adapt at the speed of change and adjust curriculum to align with global trends and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, which is transforming education. Institutions like Urban Academy, a junior kindergarten to grade 12 school in New Westminster, can bring in real-world readiness while still offering academic rigour and the ability for students to pursue a wide variety of interests. Whether that’s through its newly launched Applied

Real-world Connections (ARC) Program in grades 8 and 9, computer science and economics Advanced Placement courses, hands-on robotics and engineering or a range of performing arts opportunities, Urban Academy allows students to jump wholeheartedly into their learning. Here, educators encourage students to grow and challenge the status quo. "Our entire educational design rests on three simple commitments: every student is known, every student is stretched and every student is future-ready,” says Mike Slinger, Urban Academy’s head of school. “Independent education gives us the freedom to meet students exactly where they are and provide the opportunities and challenges they need to thrive.” By pairing cutting-edge tools with hands-on problem-solving, independent schools ensure students graduate as innovative creators ready to lead in an evolving digital landscape. “Our goal is not simply to help students gain admission to top post-secondary institutions, though our graduates consistently achieve that,” Slinger says. “Our goal is to ensure they enter adulthood

knowing who they are, confident in what they can achieve and ready to make a positive impact in their communities.”

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION Independent schools have more freedom to invest in quality teaching and learning. They can commit to faculty professional development and innovation, ensuring high-impact teaching, the best resources and personalized learning. “At Mulgrave, this includes a better teacher-to-student ratio, specialist teachers in areas such as languages, physical education and the performing arts to support learners from the earliest years. Our school also has rich data and assessment practices that help teachers understand where each student is in their learning. Coupled with that insight, we offer extensive professional learning and opportunities for teachers to collaborate and grow professionally,” says Rupi SamraGynane, deputy head of school at Mulgrave School, an independent IB school in West Vancouver for children from preschool to grade 12.

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intentional about the whole educational experience and to invest in the conditions that support it,” says Samra-Gynane. “Extensive co-curricular and experiential opportunities mean that students can explore a vast range of subject matter to build their skills and confidence in learning— whether it’s in the arts, STEM, athletics, outdoor education or leadership, our students can find the things that get them excited about learning.” She concludes: “As a parent, I value having those opportunities available to my children, but I also value the importance of the relationships they have with the adults around them. For children to feel seen and understood is foundational; they know their teachers are genuinely invested in their growth.”

Mulgrave School

These investments give teachers greater capacity to know their students and support their individual growth. “Great teaching is not simply about delivering content,” she continues. “It’s about knowing students well, understanding how they learn, continually reflecting on and refining practice and creating the conditions in which students

can be challenged, supported and inspired to grow.” Independent schools have the flexibility and resources to be deliberate about their course offerings, and how they support educators who make that experience possible. “One of the strengths of independent schools is the ability to be

LEARN MORE:  Stratford Hall: stratfordhall.ca  Glenlyon Norfolk School: mygns.ca  Brockton School: brocktonschool.com  St. Michaels University School: smus.ca  Urban Academy: urbanacademy.ca  Mulgrave School: mulgrave.com

TIME OUT MARKET // IN SEARCH OF // BEST THING i ATE // OPENING REMARKS // THE WINE LIST

TASTE Shake It Up See page 76 for a drink that brings a nostalgic South Korean favourite snack into a single cup.

Going All Out The best meals among friends happen when everyone gets exactly what they desire, and that’s what we found at Oakridge’s hotly anticipated Time Out Market: flip the page for the dishes we can’t stop thinking about. Plus, the city’s most comforting bowls of pho, must-try new restaurants and bottles to gift even the most discerning of drinkers this holiday season. COURTESY TIME OUT MARKET

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TASTE / / TIME OUT MARKET

Time of Your Life j

Your definitive guide to the best bites at Vancouver’s buzziest new food hall, Time Out Market. by The Editors

As people who work in publishing, we obviously have a slight bias, but hear us out: magazines are one of the last great bastions of taste-making. We must tip our hats to the much-lauded, London-born publication Time Out, which has been covering fashion, culture and food in an extended constellation of cities since the ’60s, always on the cutting edge of what makes metropolitan life so fun. The publication’s eventual expansion into high-end food courts that have landed in cities such as Lisbon, Osaka and its native London... well, it always just felt right. A food court, as curated by the discerning editorial taste we’ve come to know and trust: what’s not to love? And now, Vancouver finally has its own Time Out Market at the shiny, newly redesigned Oakridge Park mall, with a carefully selected mix of Michelin-star chefs, cult-fave treats and not a New York Fries in sight. When it opened in May of this year, foodies jostled to fill their trays with dishes from the city’s hottest spots—no reservations required to snack

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on Lunch Lady spring rolls, DownLow chicken ramen and tapas boards from España in one meal. This Time Out Market is the second in Canada (the first opened up in Montreal), with 20 kitchens, including a dessert counter, a coffee counter and three bars (what?!), all in an airy, 41,000-square-foot space that has already hosted DJ nights (it’s open ’til 11 Fridays and Saturdays!), culinary workshops, mahjong mixers and big-screen watch parties for FIFA. Naturally, with so many great new counter-service spots under one roof, a trip to the food court might now seem as intimidating as picking the perfect date-night resto. So we decided it was time to get to work with some taste-making (and straight-up tasting) of our own. Over two visits, deploying every editor from the team we could wrangle, the Vanmag crew worked our way through the majority of the offerings—though, admittedly, there’s so much more to be discovered, so consider this your starting point. Grab a tray, grab a friend and snag a booth. It’s go Time.

COURTESY OAKRIDGE PARK

Lamb Popsicles

Peacock Peacock from chef Vikram Vij has all the familiar flavours from the chef’s namesake Indian restaurant, Vij’s, but with a Time Out twist. Our pick is the lamb popsicles: grilled and swimming in garlic fenugreek curry on a bed of scalloped spinach potatoes. $29

Cereal Milk Doughnut

Mello What doughnut dreams are made of! This pillowy, made-from-scratch brioche cereal milk doughnut from Mello is topped with pieces of crunchy breakfast cereal and dusted with a liberal coating of powdered sugar. It’s so stuffed with cereal milk cream that you may not need lunch after this sweet treat. $5.75 each

Shaanxi Hot and Sour Fish Wontons

Blnd Tger The dumpling bar specializes in you-know-what, but your best bet is the sour fish xiao long bao. Each little delicate bite-sized bundle brings a serious wallop of flavour—an irresistible trifecta of sweet, salty and spicy. $17

Phnom Penh Noodle Soup

Mee Bar Dining at Touk isn’t an everyday experience for most of us, but chef Chanthy Yen’s Mee Bar offers a more affordable option without compromising taste. The Phnom Penh noodle dish is a light but comforting noodle soup topped with perfectly grilled pork, succulent prawns and a gooey softboiled egg. $25

COURTESY TIME OF OAKRIDGE OUT MARKET; PARK (PARMIGIANA PANINO) COURTESY VIA TEVERE

Parmigiana Panino

Via Tevere The award-winning pizza chefs at Via Tevere know their way around a wood-fired oven—which means that the bread for their panino sandwiches is also perfectly toasty and chewy, holding crispy, breaded eggplant in tomato sauce, squeaky-fresh provolone and a basil spread. $16

The Big Tuna

Barnacle by Bar Bravo This is no Filet-O-Fish. In the hands of Bravo’s crack team of seafood savants, a sesame bun becomes a stage for a perfectly seared slab of albacore tuna, delicately dressed with spicysweet maple-ginger aioli and kicky, crunchy slaw—plus thin slices of fried jalapeno for good measure. $20

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TASTE / / TIME OUT MARKET

The AllStar Lineup Alla Vodka

Pasta e Basta by Ask for Luigi Creamy, tomatoey, absolutely slathered in rich sauce. Those are the sedani rigati noodles in a spicy vodka sauce kissed by Calabrian chili and made even more oozey by parmigiano reggiano. It feels almost too decadent for a lunchtime bite, especially when adding on a dollop of stracciatella for $8 (but we won’t complain about that). $24

We couldn’t hit everything, but maybe you can: here’s the full food-court roster. b Barnacle by Bar Bravo A bounty of casual seafood from the folks behind a past Restaurant Awards Best Seafood winner. b Beaucoup Bakery and Cafe Parisian-style baked goods and espresso drinks galore. b Beaucoup Creamery An exclusive dessert concept from Beaucoup with double-cream softserve cones. b Blnd Tger A dumpling bar from the Laowai team (but no speakeasy to be found here... we think?). b Boba Run Korean-inspired bubble tea with inventive, playful flavours.

Jolly Pong Cereal Shake

Boba Run The Jolly Pong shake from Boba Run is a cereal milk lover’s delight. More milkshake than bubble tea, the drink is topped with Jolly Pong pieces, a South Korean puffed cereal that offers a satisfying crunch to balance the sweetness. Plus, adding boba takes this drink to a whole other level. $9, add $0.75 for boba

b DownLow Chicken Fried chicken from Doug Stephen, the hardest-working man in the chicken business. b España Authentic Spanish food (yes please, tapas platter!) from a West End staple. b Feenie’s Gourmet burgers by chef Rob Feenie, including a foie-gras topped patty. b Heritage Asian Eatery Traditional, comforting Chinese BBQ: the soy chicken is a knockout. b Kishimoto Japanese cuisine from the perennial Restaurant Awards fave of the same name. b Lunch Lady There’s always a line for this cultfave Vietnamese street food specialist. b MaKaam Modern Thai by Baan Lao’s Nutcha Phanthoupheng (no trip to Richmond necessary). b Mee Bar Essential Cambodian eats by chef Chanthy Yen, Top Chef Canada darling.

Yuzu Margarita

Time Out Express Even more evidence this isn’t your average food court: this foodie hub is licensed. We’re delighted to see that a full bar set up anchors the expansive eatery to give us some beautiful bevs—both boozy and zero-proof— to pair with incredible dishes. One strong contender (in both senses of the word) is the signature yuzu marg, a pleasingly tart Japanese-inspired twist on the classic cocktail, complete with Tajin rim. $17

b Mello These artisan doughnuts might just be the perfect post-meal treat. b Pasta e Basta by Ask for Luigi No need to travel to Railtown to get Ask for Luigi’s housemade noodles. b Peacock A casual Indian concept by chef Vikram Vij. b Pidgin Modern Asian-French fusion from the acclaimed Downtown Eastside darling. b Santo Taco If you’re hankering for tacos, find authentic Mexican here. b Via Tevere Neapolitan-style pizza and sandwiches, made in a wood-fired oven.

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COURTESY OF TIME OUT MARKET

TASTE / / IN SEARCH OF

IN SEARCH OF...

TRULY FAB PHO

When Vancouver’s greyest days hit, so do the cravings for a revitalizing bowl of pho. Here, find the bowls from established family legacies, along with others that are carrying the torch in not-so-traditional ways. By Kristi Alexandra

Lunch Lady Wagyu Beef Pho ($36) A hundred pounds of knuckle bones boiled in 100 litres of water for 24 hours makes this broth emollient as hell; the tallow itself is spiced but the beef bones give this legendary bowl of soup the depth of flavour it’s known for. It’s clearer than bowls I’ve had before; there’s less seasoning and more bone, which means a lot of collagen comes through. (Will I wake up tomorrow with smoother skin? I think as I loudly slurp my way through this bowl.) Of course, the biggest sell here is not that it’s made five-spice style (and not with lemongrass), but rather that it contains rare, high-quality protein in the form of strips of raw but melty wagyu beef, served on the side for diners to drown in the broth themselves. 1046 Commercial Dr., thelunchlady.com 1

Pho Anh Vu Phở Tái Nạm ($18.50) Like any good Vietnamese spot, you order here truly by the number, so it feels serendipitous to me that this menu item is number 18, and, as I learn on my visit, the broth for Pho Anh Vu’s pho is simmered for 18 hours overnight. Sure, it’s common practice among pho chefs, but this broth is remarkably different than the gamut of phos that show up in most other places in Vancouver. The Kingsway spot 2

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Lunch Lady

seems palatial in size but quickly fills to feel like a busy food court at any time of day. What makes it so different is the approach: it’s a Northern Vietnamese take on the nation’s most famous soup, with buttery layers of beef (both rare and well-done flank), delicately spiced and bearing no added sweetness. The spices and the bones speak for themselves in this golden broth, layered in with wide, flat rice noodles, then fresh cilantro and Thai basil. No hoisin needed. 2155 Kingsway, phoanhvu.com/vancouver Anh and Chi Phở Hoàng ($26) We’d be remiss not to mention Anh and Chi’s Phở Hoàng, a beef noodle soup named in tribute to the parents of brother and sister duo Vincent and Amelie Nguyen, and their parents’ original pho restaurant that

Anh and Chi

opened in the ’80s (psst—it was also the first-ever pho specialty restaurant in Vancouver). Made in the same way that the original Phở Hoàng did it, this soup dunks classic vermicelli rice noodles in an 18-hour-simmered beef bone broth, with sliced rare AAA striploin and brisket and sliced meatballs (with all your herbs, sprouts and jalapeno slices piled artfully on the side). If you’re new to pho, consider this your introductory crash course in one of Vancouver’s most legendary meals. 3388 Main St., anhandchi.com

Hanoi Old Quarter Pho Su’on Bo ($29) I saw this specialty beef rib pho on the menu at Pho Anh Vu as well, but it was sold out by the time I got to the spot in the evening. It seems to be a trend among the few Northern 4

Vietnamese spots here, and it’s typically only available while supplies last—which, if those nearby know what’s good, is not long at all. Two giant beef ribs are boiled so that the meat falls off the bone with a scrape of a chopstick, then are layered with mounds of wide, flat noodles and tons of fresh herbs and drenched with liquid gold (the pho broth, that is). Hanoi Old Quarter is the remaining chapter of restaurateurs Rose Nguyen and Hong Duong, whose now-shuttered restaurant Mr. Red Cafe took top honours in Vanmag’s own Restaurant Awards in the Vietnamese category for years. Here, they operate with that same zest for Northern Vietnamese cuisine, which is punctuated by clean-tasting but long-tended sauces and broths and fresh-asheck herbs—and that sings in this bowl. 3105 W Broadway, hanoioldquarter.ca

TASTE / / new and hot

BEST THING I ATE

OPENING REMARKS

A fresh sheet uncovering the city’s newest restaurants.

Eurotrip

Love for the Streets

House of Rice

Kristi Alexandra

If the Roman clay walls, Venetian plaster pizza oven and banquettes the colour of a Mediterranean olive grove aren’t enough to transport you to Europe, the food at newly opened bistro Violeté will. Launched by the Van Urban Hospitality group, Violeté offers dishes including forno-fired pizzas, a delightfully lemony branzino à la plancha and the best damn tender gnocchi you’ll try this side of the Atlantic. 1380 Commercial Dr., violetekitchen.com

Butter Chicken, $20

saucy history Trust me, I know how this looks. I—with all of my evidently Scottish-DutchEnglish looks—am stating that the best dish I’m trying at a local Indian spot is the butter chicken. It’s brow-raise worthy. But what draws me to Krsma on Victoria Drive isn’t just the menu, it’s the lore. Owner Sunny Jha is a transplant from Delhi, where butter chicken (murgh makhani) is said to have originated. What’s more is that the relatively new dish when it comes to the Indian canon (“fusion,” if you will) might also be his actual inheritance: Jha’s father is rumoured to be the chef who invented the dish. It’s a story that echoes that of another Vancouver food legend, Hidekazu Tojo—the chef often credited with inventing the California roll. Whether or not either claim can be definitively proven, they’re irresistible food stories. So, when I walk into Krsma on a Wednesday afternoon armed with my research, there’s only one thing to do—put my taste buds to the test. I’ve had my fair share of takeout butter chicken in the past, but at Krsma the dish is something entirely different. It’s compelling: extremely tomato-y, creamy and spiced so clearly that I conjure visions of the fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander being ground by hand. It’s also slow-cooked in a tandoor with the bone in (“no shortcuts, no pressure cooker,” Jha reassures our table), adding a depth of flavour to the chicken that’s already swimming in a creamy pool of tomato gravy. Whether Jha’s father can truly claim the title of the inventor of butter chicken remains disputed. But after one bowl of his father-inlaw’s (who happens to be the chef here) close take, here’s my verdict: this recipe might not be the original, but it certainly tastes like it could be. krsmaindianrestaurant.com

Inspired by Tokyo’s bustling street food scene, Sumu serves up a variety of Japanese fusion eats (on the higher end of casual), like binchotan yakitori, temari sushi, nabe (hot pot), donburi and a selection of bubble tea creations. The 130-seat room sticks to the philosophy of “one table, different cravings”—just like eating at an open-air street-food market with friends. 888 Burrard St., sumucanada.com

Traditional Isaan flavours (and heat that doesn’t hold back) take hold of the menu at Rongsi Thai. Roughly translating to “rice house,” it’s only fitting that one of the spot’s standout dishes, the Isaan lettuce wrap—each bite layered with fresh herbaceousness, hints of fermentation, juicy pork and delightful crunches of rice puffs and shallots—is largely rice-based. 2650 Main St., rongsithaimill.com

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TASTE / / GIFT BOTTLES

THE WINE LIST by

Neal McLennan

HOLIDAY CHEERS

FOR THE SPIRITS DUDE

Glendalough Irish Oak, $76 Some hard truths: you’ll never find a special bottle of tequila in this province and, while we do have elite malt whisky, it often costs as much as a four-year-old Mazda. And while Irish whiskey has been a hotbed of innovation over the last decade, you’d never know it here because the BCL simply stocks the behemoths and leaves out the independents—save for one. Glendalough, the much-lauded craft distiller, just happens to be owned by local beverage magnate Anthony von Mandl, so we get access to beauties like this bottle—matured in insanely rare Irish oak with approachable and rich vanilla, banana and caramel notes—for the same price as a middling bottle of scotch.

A good spirited gift is rarely about the bottle—it’s about the effort and story behind your selection, something that shows you’ve thought about the recipient and sleuthed out something that they never knew they’d love. So, you bring the money, we’ll supply the story and together we’ll make gift-giving magic happen.

FOR THE COMPLETIST

Amaro Alpina, $80 Only somms, bartenders and Italian nonnos actually

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buy amaro—and that’s what makes it perfect for a gift, because you can open someone’s world to the transformative nature of this Italian staple. This bottle from Trento in the north checks the key gifting boxes: it’s not as aggressively bitter as many with its bite of rhubarb and black tea being softened considerably by caramel and cherry notes, and the bottle looks so flipping cool that they’ll be tempted to display it on your mantel. Buon Natale! 3

FOR THE WINE SNOB

Le Nez du Vin 12 Aromas, $170 Oenophiles have already bought the glasses they want, a $35 corkscrew works as well as a $400 one and sabres, well, the less said the better. So, to impress your resident oenophile we need to zero in on one more truth: collecting wine and knowing about wine are often two different things. And the source of the most anxiety for the host

who just opened a pricey bottle of claret is picking out aromas. The nose is like a muscle that needs exercising, so this kit of tiny bottles of common wine aromas can get that sniffer in shape in no time (and, frankly, passing them around blind pre-dinner is an amazing party game). 4

FOR THE CELLARIST

Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay 2023, $70 My cellar management skills are atrocious, which is how I managed to be drinking a 2008 Perpetua—weirdly missing a front label—last month, and while I expected a deep yellow oxidized mess, I was instead treated to a vibrant, banging wine that could easily have passed for an aged Meursault that cost five times as much. I know the company’s much pricier CheckMate chardonnays get all the attention, but this well-priced sleeper will pay dividends years into the future for those with patience.

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FINAL THOUGHTS / / MEET CUTE

SINGLE ALL THE WAY A “festive sweater” dance party at Good Co. promises IRL flirting and throwback hits on the Granville strip. by Kerri Donaldson It’s the season of giving—and is there any greater holiday gift than a report from the frontlines of a “30+ Ugly Festive Sweater Dance Party” for singles on a wintry weekend night? Which is why I’m willing to brave the Granville strip for this Saturday-night party, hosted by dating brand Thursday, and spend $20 at Good Co. to enter a “sectioned off” area where a sign and a stanchion are doing the Lord’s work in terms of separating the haves (partner-wise) with the have-nots. Call me Singles Santa. A quick primer on Thursday before I get ahead of myself: it’s a global singles -events brand built on one soothing promise: “just a bar, everyone single.” They also preach “get off the apps,” which is adorable because they... have an app. The pitch is simple: show up, mingle, flirt. No sweat! Except at this holiday-sweater themed mixer, there is, undoubtedly, sweat. Inside, I find itchy, overheated adults marinating in their woolly Yuletide tops. The dance floor smells like Speed Stick and Axe are fighting for custody of the air. It feels like a wrap party for a Hallmark holiday movie production in here, but one just for the town extras. Santa hats. Light-up antlers. A few men in full costume, as if women can be tricked into attraction through crimson felt and sheer effort. Above us, holiday movie clips loop like emotional sabotage. I clock The Santa Clause (Tim Allen jump scare), then Love Actually’s cue cards (“say it’s carolers”), which is a wild thing to screen over a room of singles trying to

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manifest their own Keira Knightley. I feel that specific dread of arriving one drink behind. It doesn’t help that I’m here alone because dragging a friend to this feels cruel. I’m on assignment. They did not choose this life. The DJ is loud—loud like the music is personally offended by small talk. It’s millennial pre-game nostalgia: “Apple Bottom Jeans,” “Gasolina,” “Mi Gente,” then Rihanna. At this volume, everyone becomes a match because you can’t hear anyone well enough to be disappointed. The music effectively drowns out red flags. Later, I learn the truth: the red sweaters are the red flags. Which raises the night’s core question: what’s the difference between this and a normal club? (Sorry: “clurb,” for those lapping their 30s.) In theory, everyone’s single and here to meet. In practice, it’s everything about the club that makes you tired, minus the youthful naivety that makes it tolerable. Frat-party energy, but older: jobs, skincare and the comment-section confidence of a man named Craig. The room skews male. So does the dance floor, which forms into a circle of sweatered dancers. Honestly? It almost charms me. In a city where people complain about dating then hide at home,

showing up and being awkward in public is kind of brave. Around the edges, men hover at the bar, scanning the room like they’re networking at a conference called “Women.” There are no icebreakers, no games, no structure. Just sweaters and the faint hope that Rihanna’s “We Found Love in a Hopeless Place” is a prediction, not a warning. I manage one fun conversation, but it’s a full shouting match—romantic if you’re courting a lighthouse keeper. Inside a jet engine. I order a beer to function as emotional support while I watch adults dance beneath Hugh Grant’s giant face like it’s... well, love, actually. I pull out my phone to check the address for my next stop. (Repeat after me: always have a chaser plan.) That’s when a man in a Frostythemed crewneck (hubba hubba) peels off the dance floor and beelines toward me. For one delusional second, my brain tries to make it a movie. Meet-cute incoming. Wedding anecdote loading. He leans in, smiles, and shouts into my ear: “Either get off your phone and dance or get out of here.” My spirit goes from Knightley to nighty-night instantly. I swallow the last of my beer and my pride and do the most relatable thing possible: I flee, actually. Outside, Granville roars. I slide into my Uber like it’s a lifeboat and take a lesson with me: if you want people to meet in real life, you need more than proximity. You need structure. You need conversation. You need a vibe that doesn’t punish someone for checking directions. If you go, arrive early, bring a friend and pick a Thursday format with built-in activities or matching, not just a loud room and a prayer. If you want a meet-cute, choose an event where you can actually hear one happen. And if a Grinch in a tacky sweater ever tries to police your fun, remember: dash away, dash away, dash away, y’all.

LEMONO/SHUT TERSTOCK

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