March 28, 2012

bout A TOWN Spring 2012

Sweet ride …

Ski and Surf keeps on keepin’ on

5

10

Fossil tours serve up lasting memories

Food from the not-so-far East

31

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ABOUT TOWN

DCBIA

The president’s message

COMOX VALLEY

RECORD Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joanna Ross Feature Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miguel Strother Photography . . . . . . . . . . Erin Haluschak, David Prothero, Miguel Strother Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (250) 338-5811 Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (250) 338-5568 Mailing Address: 765 McPhee Avenue, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2Z7 E-mail: editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com www.comoxvalleyrecord.com All material contained in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is expressly prohibited by the rights holder.

4

Reasons to host a

ROMANCE HOME PARTY

S

pring is here; a time of renewal and putting away our heavy winter clothes to revel in the sunny weather and promises that spring flowers bring. Flowers are springing up in the beautiful borders and gardens that the City of Courtenay gardeners plant and maintain, and shops and restaurants are bursting with new items to offer in this season of new beginnings.

Some of that newness is well underway for event planning in the downtown core. The Downtown Courtenay BIA is very pleased to be a major sponsor of the new Elevate the Arts culture crawl throughout downtown on Saturday May 5, featuring visual art, craft, design, music, photography, dance, film, healing arts, kids’ stuff and much more. On July 1, the Canada Day Parade will march right through downtown, winding its way over the old blue bridge into Simms Park where you’ll find entertainment and celebrations for our new citizens and those of

Valley Classic Cruisers us privileged to be born Show and Shine, in town here. Next, Downtown on Sunday July 29th.

Courtenay will host the This fun event closes 42nd Annual Market downtown streets to trafDay on Saturday July 21, fic, allowing about 400 along with the Comox vintage automobiles to Valley Community Arts show off their rumbleCouncil’s 7th Annual seats, souped-up engines Local Colours Festival. and polished chrome.

A huge open-air market Businesses will have open on Fifth Street combines doors to welcome them artisan products, fresh and everyone coming to food, unique finds and view the cars. This is a great bargains with DCBIA president fun annual event attractpainters, musicians, writMark Middleton ing car enthusiasts and ers and more who will anyone looking for somefill the downtown core. thing that the whole family could enjoy.

Watch for performances on the main As we see events affecting global stage and watch artists working at their easels on downtown street corners economies and smaller communities and in shop windows. This is a celebra- sometimes struggling to survive, we are pleased that our beautiful downtown tion of local talents and the best of continues to thrive and grow. what our area has to offer, right in the Thanks to everyone who shops centre of the Comox Valley. locally!

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ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

3

COMMUNITY

OF THE CITY Some of the Valley’s most recognized names in arts and culture are throwing their energy, talent and experience into a new arts festival in downtown Courtenay scheduled for this May.

“Elevate the Arts” is a grassroots celebration of all things arts and culture in the Comox Valley. This considerable cultural undertaking is scheduled for May 5th in venues across the heart of downtown. Organizers hope that with so much discussion about how to keep downtown Courtenay a vibrant community focal point, this event will help demonstrate just how unique the downtown core is.

The festival is a 100 percent volunteer initiative championed by a passionate group of local professionals, artists, musicians, businesses and community non-profits. Their objective is to do more than celebrate the bricks and mortar of the downtown cultural district. They want to illuminate the people, businesses and organizations who contribute to the arts in the Comox Valley in so many ways.

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“A vibrant arts and culture community relies on more than the artists to succeed,” says Elevate the Arts co-chair and Comox Valley Community Arts Council Vice President Bobby Herron. “It’s also the commitment of businesses, non-profits, government, educators, local professionals and volunteers that is at the root of a dynamic arts scene.”

“This event is about giving the arts a place of respect in our community. People are quick to turn to artists to support fundraisers with donations of art or performance and artists are consistently generous with their talents. We also like to talk about the economic benefits of the arts as a way to give them “value.” However, arts and culture should also be valued as an integral part of our lives. Art and culture Continued on page 4 makes life worth living

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

and helps to illuminate the beauty, mystery, sadness, joy and irony of everyday life.”

There is no shortage of activities planned for this day-long cultural experiment. There are opportunities for visual artists, musicians, dancers, street performers, crafters and artisans, kids activity coordinators, photographers, videographers, social media crew, volunteers or sponsors. According to publicist Meaghan Cursons, a long-time organizer of Vancouver Island MusicFest who is now focusing her energy of this project, Elevate the Arts is going to be an unforgettable event. She hopes the inaugural event will build the foundation of a strong and ongoing affair.

“The idea has been really well received by business and the cultural community,” says Cursons. “I think people are curious about how we’re going to pull this off.

Some are jumping on board wholehearted and some are waiting in the wings to see what happens. That’s cool. Everyone is welcome, whether participant or spectator. The Valley is ripe and ready for a new cultural adventure and we’re happy to take the first step to make that happen.

We really hope this is just the first step in a new adventure that will add to this amazing community and help us grow and evolve culturally and help us to be more open to new ideas about how to make this a great place to live in the long term.”

The diverse programming is a reflection of the eclectic arts community that calls the Comox Valley home, says Cursons.

“I think the community has changed a lot in the 17 years I have lived here. But I think the arts are still in catch-up mode.

This community is more sophisticated than we give it credit for being. People move here for a mellower rural lifestyle but it doesn’t mean that they want to leave behind a cultural scene that is actually challenging and boundary testing.

There is room for both the comfortable, familiar cultural offerings and events that shake things up a bit. I think the Elevate crew wants to practice testing some boundaries. We want to be brave. It may take us a few years but I think Elevate the Arts has the potential to be a catalyst for exciting new work. This will happen in partnership with organizations like the Comox valley Art Gallery, Comox Valley Community Arts Council, Image Comox Valley and others!”

Films in the alleys, a healing arts fair, kids trash art, screen printing demo, roof top concerts, Art Karts, a radical puppet theatre, and “random acts of violins” and you get a sense of what kind of day is coming together in Downtown Courtenay.

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Elevate the Arts is driven exclusively by a crew of volunteers committed to culture in the Comox Valley. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK Exhibits range from “Tattoo and You” by acclaimed photographer Gordon Ross, an “Elevate” Art Show at the Muir Gallery, an “Underground Art fair” at the Lower Elks featuring quirky or controversial arts and crafts, and a kids book reading at the Courtenay Library. Additionally, the Comox Valley Art Gallery will also be offering programming inside and out.

Joe’s Garage will be home to a mini writer’s festival and a VidzFest event featuring locally produced short films, Wallfarmers Gallery and Art Alchemy will both be presenting special exhibits and submissions are now open for an iPhone photo show.

Live music is slated for much of the day at Union Street Grill and Zocalo Cafe and a “Piano Corner” is planned for seasoned players and any members of the public that want to take a turn at the keys.

Just a few of the community partners include the Comox Valley Community Arts Council, , Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association, Comox Valley Art Gallery, Comox Valley Record, City of Courtenay, Zocalo, Art Alchemy, Cumberland Village Works, Emagination Design, Beyond the Kitchen Door, Union Street Grill, Mudsharks, Village Quirks, and Sure Copies.

For more information check out www. elevatethearts.com.

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ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

5

R E TA I L

Sweet ride

Ski and Surf keeps on keepin’ on in the adventure sports game

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skier so because these are the things that I like to do, I like to assist people in getting involved in these sports and enjoying them as much as possible.”

Also, because he knows the difference, the shop carries a much higher quality inventory than what the box stores can offer. That can make a big difference, especially when somebody is getting into a sport like skiing or kayaking for the first time. “(Box Stores) sell what’s considered entry-level product,” says Lawrence.

“Sometimes you can try an entry-level product and not appreciate the sport because of the inferior

product you are using. It can get in the way of enjoyment.”

That opportunity to get exposed to adventure sports like kayaking under the right conditions is likely one of the reasons that Lawrence does offer both lessons and rentals out of the shop.

The rental business also allows him to bring in new products such as stand up paddle boards and offer lessons around those products.

Because of its prime location Ski and Surf is also something of a hub for visitors and locals alike who are interested in adventure sports. And

according to Lawrence rarely does a day go by where people don’t drop in to ask for directions or advice about Mount Washington or the water conditions on the Puntledge.

“We are also able to act as somewhat of a visitor center. People are always asking us for directions for different recreational facilities or different products they might find downtown.

We also educate people on different trails to walk and ride on or how to get to the mountain and how to find different water features that are out there. We’re kind of a community hub, for sure.”

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ing for the first year. After owner of what was then he old van may be that we got into crossSki and Patio Unlimited, long gone, but Kevin country skiing and snowchanged the name to Ski Lawrence, owner of boarding and we’ve been 5th Street’s Ski and Surf is and Surf Unlimited and running with that from has been a cornerstone still on one heck of a ride. about 1993 until now.” adventure sports retailer An avid windsurfer, Ski and Surf moved in the Valley ever since.

Lawrence moved to the to its current location “In 1991, when we West Coast from Winnipeg, on 5th Street. The scene moved into the storeManitoba and started sellhas grown around outfront location we started ing windsurfing equipment door sports like out of his van in snowboarding 1989.

I love what I’m doing. I’m and kayaking has “Basically I was grown substana passionate and an avid kayaker, mountain biker, Lawrence avid windsurfer and skier so because these are the tially, says the retail and I started travindustry should elling to a lot of the things that I like to do, I like to be mistaken windy locations on assist people in getting involved in never as easy. He has the West Coast,” these sports and enjoying them as seen many ups says Lawrence. “I and downs, includwas being asked a much as possible. ing the arrival of lot for assistance because I have a lot – Kevin Lawrence big box stores, but says that it’s Ski of knowledge about carrying kayaks,” says and Surf’s commitment to the sport, so I started Lawrence. “In the sumproviding exceptional prodbringing in product and mertime it was windsurfucts and service at very selling it out of the van. It ing and kayaks and all competitive prices that has was what I did in the sumthe necessary equipment seen the business through. mertime. “ for those two sports. But “What keeps us comThat outfit eventually we also grew into a very petitive is quality, service moved from his van into large fashion-based busiand experience,” says his basement suite and ness with surf brands like Lawrence. “I’ve got over then into a retail location Billabong, Quicksilver, 30 years of experience in in the bottom of the old Reef and Roxy. And in the sports retail. I love what Collingwood Inn on the winter the business was I’m doing. I’m an avid kaycorner of 17th and Cliffe. geared towards alpine skiaker, mountain biker, and Lawrence bought out the

6

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

EVENTS

Puntledge River Paddle Festival runs on

i

The annual celebration of all things Puntledge River readies for year eight

t’s easy to overlook that the Comox Valley offers world-class recreational opportunities, even if at least one of those opportunities runs right through the middle of town.

Every year, the Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society hosts the Puntledge River Paddle Festival and it’s no accident that this last weekend in May always has some of the best conditions of the year. The Society works with BC Hydro to study precisely what type of release from Comox Lake makes the conditions exactly right for recreational kayaking. And the festival, held this year on May 25-27, is based on a planned water release that swells the Puntledge to world-class paddling levels.

“Hydro is very good at getting the flood levels just right,” says David Prothero, who helps organize the event. “We’ve been doing a study for five years and they release the water at certain levels related to those findings. Basically, those are tested and we’ve

found the best levels for kayaking.”

According to Prothero, the combination of this unique relationship hydro and an exceptional natural resource in the Puntledge River has the Comox Valley ready to pop onto

I’ve worked all ❝ over the world on rivers and this river is quite unique, running right through our town here.

❞

– David Prothero the paddling radar in a big way.

“It’s very unique that BC Hydro does this on the Island and in British Columbia for recreational use like this,” says Prothero. “It’s a very positive relationship that we have with them and we want to continue that and grow on that over the years to come.” And according to Prothero, “That is helping build an unbelievable culture around paddling in the Valley.”

This year festival organizers hope to welcome 200-plus people to the Puntledge. Most of the people who’ve attended in the past are beginner and intermediate level paddlers who enjoy guided tours up and down the river and all of the events surrounding the festival. Overall, it’s designed to be a friendly environment that gives equal on and off water opportunities to every level of kayaking ability. This extends from families with young children through to those here for what Prothero calls world-class level 4 and 5 rapids.

“I’ve worked all over the world on rivers and this river is quite unique, running right through our town here. It’s warm, blue water. It has well defined beginner, intermediate and advanced sections. The intermediate section has really nice waves for surfing and playing on. And the upper section, which is Class 4 and 5, has 15 and 18 foot waterfalls and slides on it.”

The river also offers a very continuous flow, which makes it just that much

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scenery, including downtown Courtenay. Despite this amazing combination of characteristics, according to Prothero, relatively few people still really know just how good the Puntledge is. But he also says the secret is starting to get out.

“I would say it’s definitely world-class but people don’t know it as much in the kayak community,” says Prothero. “However, it’s getting there.”

The Puntledge gets about 70 days of really excellent paddling every year. However, other releases from the dam are not always planned as far

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in advance as the one for the Paddle Festival. As such, kayakers have to be ready on very short notice, which doesn’t always give people from down island or the Lower Mainland enough notice to make it on the water in time.

“The thing is it doesn’t run all the time, it runs off and on,” says Prothero. “The Paddle Festival dates are the only two set dates of the year. The rest of the year Hydro only lets us know about releases a little bit in advance, depending on what they get for weather data, and the level the lake is at. They do let us know by e-mail a couple of days before but to get people coming over from the Mainland, for example, it’s a little harder.”

Along with the growing interest and number of participants, which the Society estimates to be nearing 20 percent, the sponsorship for the event appears to be increasing.

That has downtown retailers and restaurants such as Ski and Surf, Atlas Café, as well

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Organizers hope to welcome 200-plus people to the Puntledge River Paddle Festival, which is scheduled for May 25-27.

PHOTO BY DAVID PROTHERO as local media outlets such as the Record and the Eagle onboard for the festival. Many other sponsors from across the Island and Lower Mainland team up with the Society and offer excellent prizes for par-

ticipants, including weekend getaways to Ucluelet and float plane flights.

“There is really a lot more interest in sponsorship,” says Prothero. “There are great prizes for participants all

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

COMMUNITY

U

t

g n i n n u p &R CVAG new media lab already operational

selves, they came by way of the he Comox Valley Art Computers Schools t ffor S h l program, Gallery is well G ll ll on its way to C a program the Gallery found, realizing its goal of setting up a new media lab. In fact, the tapped into and that Karsten can’t say enough about. lab is already in operation.

“What they do is take disWe first reported on the new carded corporate computers media lab in the fall issue of that might be a year or two old.

About Town as new adminisJust think about the corporate trator Sharon Karsten started world and how these computers on the ambitious project. are flipping hands so quickly.

Despite the fact that she says Some corporations have polishe would like to be moving cies in place that even faster, the have machines lab already has It’s important replaced every six computer year so the stations up and to put it out there dumpsters get running. that this is meant loaded up with “We are computers. And already using to be a democratic we’re not talkthe lab, so you space and that we ing about crappy have to be computers. happy about are open to ideas They’re high-end. that,” says that people have.

But you know the Karsten. “It’s best for the best taken a little right? So what bit longer than – Sharon Karsten Computers for I had anticiSchools does is pated. Even just they refurbish them and you pay painting the room, setting up like $20 a computer and no shipthe network, getting the equipment, etc. took a bit longer. But ping. It’s amazing.”

Also, the further Karsten everybody is pitching in, everybecomes familiar with the combody’s excited and it’s already munity, the more connections really generating some intershe’s been able to make. One of esting opportunities.” these connections has the lab Much of the opportunity potentially providing resources presented by the new media to the neighbouring Vancouver lab is because of the Gallery’s Island Public Library branch, can-do approach to building which has a great interest in innovative community prothe swell of information technolgrams on a budget. A prime example of this approach is the ogy. It’s a natural partnership as the library is already heavily computers that now sit in the involved in providing digital lab. The monitors were proaccess services to the commuvided at a discounted rate by local company ACS Computers. nity. It’s those connections in a community filled with artists And as for the machines them-

❝

❞

and innovators that has K Karsten th t h t excited about the lab’s progress and future.

“We are looking to activate the community’s imagination around the space,” says Karsten. “We have some ideas about what this place could be and how we would like it to be for both for our members and for particular pockets of individuals in the community. We’re looking at doing targeted partnerships to bring in those people who don’t normally have access to this technology. So there’s a Democratic philosophy of engaging people in the public sphere.”

The wheels are already in motion for a project run in partnership with Courtenay’s Wachiay Friendship Centre.

The partnership involves developing a project for aboriginal youth.

“The program will see a group of 10 youth undertake an eight or nine month project.

They will come in for six hours on Saturdays. So we’ll have an instructor working directly with the youth to get them to express their visions for the Comox Valley through new media. As part of that there’s a respect for tradition by bringing elders and bringing in individuals to help the youth develop the processes of articulating their own views.

Although CVAG is still looking for a few pieces of the equipment puzzle, the new media lab is starting to take shape.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

It is stressing new media as a platform, sort of a megaphone for youth and a basis to express their visions.”

All the steps taken to date represent the realization of meeting the Gallery’s goal to offer access to emerging technology. It is something Karsten continues to see as critical to

artists and the arts community in general.

“It’s important to put it out there that this is meant to be a democratic space and that we are open to ideas that people have. We really hope people will come forward and tell us how the space might be used to benefit the community. So whether it’s a particular non-profit that has ideas, or something that needs to be articulated or voiced on a higher level, whatever those ideas are, we’d love to hear them and to engage in a dialogue.”

ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

9

COMMUNITY

f

Cultural growth

rom m driver’s licences to cancer treatments, the Comox Valley Multicultural tural & Immigrant Support Society (CVMISS) has been helping new Canadians ns in the land of milk and honey for more than 20 years.

The combination of space and a high quality of living is attracting more and more people from around the world to the Comox Valley. The efforts of some of those supporting that growth are moving into Courtenay’s downtown core. As of the start of April, CVMISS will be headquartered downtown. Thanks to Maggie Ma of Ansley & Company, Barristers & Solicitors, the society now has access to office space and its President Jin Lin couldn’t be happier.

“We recently moved our office to the downtown core, upstairs from John Duncan’s office,” says Lin. “I talked to Maggie about the fact that we have no office and it makes it very difficult to reach out to the people in the Valley and she’s very kindly allowed

us to share one of her business offices. So that is very good and very kind and very generous from Mrs. Ma.” According to Lin, the society sees its role as bringing Canadians of all

races, faiths, languages, and cultures together to celebrate diversity and culture. She says that extends from sharing music from her native Taiwan to introducing new Canadians to the First Nations cultures of Vancouver Island.

“I think that it is very important to engage the different cultures and very important to provide the opportunities for people to learn and share the culture and experiences from each other,” says Lin.

The society does not put many limits on what it will do to support immigrants in the Valley. Lin says that she herself has done everything from help people get groceries to organize fundraisers for families without proper health care coverage. The long list of organized efforts undertaken by CVMISS includes providing English as Second Language (ESL) tutoring, as well as other language classes including Mandarin and Spanish.

Also popular are cooking classes, citizenship classes, a group outing to the July 1 parade, Lunar New Year celebrations, and fundraising and networking events.

It’s all part of what Lin calls CVMISS’s position of hope and togetherness.

“We believe that better communication and understanding are the keys to harmony, equality, diversity, and crosscultural collaboration in the community,” says Lin. “We hope that through teamwork, CVMISS can be a positive influence to our community.”

Lin knows the ser-

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vices that CVMISS offers are invaluable to new Canadians. This is because she spent plenty of time utilizing rather than helping those services.

Lin was a landed immigrant when she came from Taiwan in 1993. Her husband and his partners built T.F. Specialty Sawmill in 1992, which was the reason they moved to Canada. She definitely felt the culture shock associated with living in a new community and country. She says she found CVMISS by accident, but doesn’t know how she could have managed without it.

“I realized the difficul-

ties of getting involved in the community as a newcomer because of the barriers in language, culture and Canadian society,” says Lin. “I went shopping with a dictionary quite often. I felt how useless I was for a long period of time. I felt homesick and wanted to go home for almost two years.

I cried and cried!”

“I found CVMISS accidentally, and I became a volunteer as a receptionist in 1994. My first volunteer job was to answer phone calls, and my English was very poor at that time.

However, I have gained my self-confidence through the work as a volunteer.

Spring has

I realized that I was not the only person who could not use English properly, and I had no clue why some Canadians went to take English as Second Language class at all. As a volunteer, I had more chances to get involved in our community; as a volunteer, I had more chances to make new friends.”

In addition to its new office, CVMISS will soon be offering free Tai Chi lessons at Simms Park. To learn more about this or other programs on offer through CVMISS, contact the office at Tel- 250-8989567 or visit www.cvmiss. com.

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10

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

ACTIVITIES

s e i r e v o c s i d s s e l d En

c Along the banks of the Puntledge River a 3 year old discovers the joy of Earth Science PHOTO BY MIGUEL STROTHER

Courtenay Museum fossil tours serve up lasting memories

ourtenay may still be a small town, but there is certainly no shortage off big discoveries left to be made, even for those who’ve lived here for many years.

Take for example the fossil tours that Pat Trask and company offer out of the Courtenay Museum on 4th Street. The museum leads hundreds of tours to thousands of people throughout the year. These include outings for everybody from local seniors to Whitehorse school groups.

All come with the hope that they’ll be able to unearth rare fossils along the banks of the Puntledge and Trent Rivers and most important, have some fun while learning about

Earth Sciences.

“It’s the number one field trip on Vancouver Island, from what I understand,” says Trask. “And we definitely get a lot of repeat visitors.

People love it, especially kids.”

Along with three other curious explorers, I recently joined Trask for a somewhat off-season trip to the Puntledge to search for fossils. The level of the river was relatively low for February and what was to be just a quick trip turned into a lasting memory.

Like most people who sign up for one of the tours, we joined Trask at the front of the quaint red-bricked museum and began with a brief his-

tory of the 80 million-year-old fossils found inside. The biggest and most famous is the Elasmosaur, which Trask’s twin brother and his 12-year old daughter found in November of 1988 and put this small town on the international paleontology map.

The first thing one notices at the start of the fossil tour is the genuine enthusiasm for the subject displayed

by Trask. He clearly enjoys the opportunity to share the museum’s collection about as much as a little boy sharing his most precious hockey cards.

“I like portraying enthusiasm for the subject and trying to impart that on the kids,” says Trask. “There are

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ABOUT TOWN

still so many things to be discovered in the natural world and I don’t think people really appreciate that as much as they could, so I try to help how I can.”

Instead of Bobby Orr and Dave Simenko, Trask spills out names like ammonite, oriodon, and trilodite. And from the moment he points to the Elasmosaur that hangs above the display cases, our audience at least, was completely captivated.

After a brief tour of the museum’s permanent collection, Trask passed us a map to a spot along Powerhouse Road where the real bones of the tour begin. Following a short drive from the museum we hopped into his 4x4 and travelled a gravel road for about 10 minutes to the place where the Puntledge and Brown’s rivers meet.

Within seconds of getting out of his vehicle, Trask caught a sparkle in his eye and was scuttling down a steep embankment chirping half to us, half to himself, “I think that might just be an ammonite.” And sure enough within a minute of arrival Trask was pointing out a worm-like impression in a medium sized, triangle shaped rock, which he eventually gave to the wide-eyed 5 year old in our group. However, that wouldn’t be our only discovery of the day and it would be far from our most exciting.

It is a wonderful walk along the Puntedge all on its own. Even in the winter time the views of the river running across smooth sand stone, over waterfalls and swirling in small pools before eventually moving toward the Pacific Ocean is nothing short of serene.

But having somebody like Trask offering info about the First Nations tribes that once lived along the banks, or the water height 80 million years ago, makes it just that much

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

11

With all the enthusiasm of a little boy sharing his hockey cards, Pat Trask shares a love of Earth Sciences with people of every age.

PHOTO BY MIGUEL STROTHER

more interesting. This is obviously somebody who does not mind coming to the ‘office’ one little bit.

“Any excuse to get out and explore is good for me,” says Trask.

After a few fascinating facts and twists along the trail we arrived at the

There are still ❝ so many things to be discovered in the natural world and I don’t think people really appreciate that as much as they could, so I try to help how I can.

❞

– Pat Trask

main bank of fossils. The 10-foot scar of broken black stones cuts a bank on the side of the river that runs for about 50 feet. But if you didn’t know it was there, you might never see it while walking the pathway above. When we did get down to the river, Trask handed us all goggles, hammers and chisels and we all began vigorously

whacking at the shale stone to his instructions, dreaming that we might just be the next people to unearth some as yet unknown species of shark or snail.

There is not much that is difficult about finding the small balls of lava and cracking them open, or turning over the loose stones to see if anything is inside. In fact, it was Trask’s niece Heather who found the Elasmosaur while walking the river with her dad. They didn’t exactly set out to make a major discovery that day.

And now Heather is recognized around the world for the finding.

“This is the only scientific field that I can think of that a child can make as important a discovery as the most accomplished professional,” says Trask.

And although it was not quite a complete Elasmosaur, we did in fact make a significant discovery on our trip as well.

About 10 minutes into smashing and turning over rocks, we had something: a serrated, almost entirely intact tooth that Trask excitedly identified as

likely being a shark’s tooth.

Needless to say, the explorers with us were more than a little bit proud of what they’d discovered.

And several days later,

Trask wrote to tell us that the tooth belonged to a cow shark that was somewhere in the range of 8-10 million years old. The tooth would be further analyzed and

eventually put on display in the Museum, with the two children listed as the official discoverers.

Now that’s a lasting memory.

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

FOOD

ean and green L t

he phrase “quality vegan gan food” brings to mind ind images of busy little cafes afes on bustling city streets, eets, places where conversations sations are lost in screeching eching traffic and customer chatter. Yes, vegan resby Mitch taurants are definitely found in the large urban centres such as Vancouver or Victoria but why drive all the way to the big city when there is great vegan food in our own backyard?

As downtown Courtenay’s only full vegan restaurant, Zen Zero Juice Fountain and Vegan Restaurant has been providing good food and excellent service to hungry residents for a little over eight years. Besides the food, what really separates this restaurant from others is that it also offers a wide variety of organic and raw food options in addition to more typical vegan fare.

Even more unique is the absence of common vegan staples such as soy and tofu from the menu.

“Most vegan restaurants rely heavily on soy and tofu,” says Marussia Nesling, who shares ownership of Zen Zero with her sister Kyla. “We don’t have any of that in the store, because there are quite a lot of people with soy sensitivities.”

Another thing that sets Zen Zero apart is the number of child friendly features the restaurant has to offer. This includes an extensive kid’s menu, which presents an array of nutritious finger foods and smoothies. The play area

provides parents with a chance to relax while the kids burn off all of that excess energy they have from healthy eating. All of these options make Zen Zero a prime destination for health-conscious parents looking Beattie for a healthy alternative to restaurant dining.

Zen Zero regularly hosts events to provide those interested in a dietary change a chance to explore vegan options.

The first is a three course raw meal, which according to Marussia Nesling is a great way to showcase all of the possibilities raw vegan food has to offer.

“This is a chance for people to see all of the amazing things you can do with raw vegan food.”

On top of that, a potluck is held the fourth Sunday of each month. This offers people of all diet types, whether raw vegan or not, an opportunity to get together and socialize over good food.

In addition to the fresh food they offer up at Zen Zero daily, it is through events like these that the owners reveal just how truly passionate they are about what they do.

“We really believe in the food that we are serving and giving out to people” says Kyla Nesling, co-owner and one of Zen Zero’s original employees.

Kyla took over the business just over 3 years ago, when the original owners, Janette and Alan Murray offered to sell her the restaurant so they could return to Australia to be

with their family. Soon after taking the helm at Zen Zero, Kyla recruited her sister Marussia, who was operating a smoothie wagon at the time. Both sisters have ample experience working in the restaurant business and had been looking for an opportunity to collaborate within the industry.

“My sister and I have always wanted to do something together,” says Kyla of the chance to work with her sibling the past few years.

The Neslings’ passion for vegan cuisine is definitely something that was carried over from the original owners, who left a permanent impression of their own on downtown Courtenay—wildflowers that can be seen at the old Palace Theatre site during the spring.

According to Kyla, Allan was tired of staring at the empty lot and decided one night to do a little impromptu gardening. So with a couple of bags full of seeds and dirt in each hand, he headed over to the theatre site and threw the contents of each bag over the fence.

The flowers have come back every year.

“It’s a fun legacy for them to have left behind.” says Kyla with a smile.

The new owners of Zen Zero are carrying on the other portion of that legacy by continuing to serve up quality raw vegan food on a daily basis.

Mitch Beattie is an Introduction to Journalism student at North Island College

The sisters of Zen are into the art of healthy eating.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

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ABOUT TOWN

i

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

13

RETAIL

s there really anything better than good sex? It’s a trick question: Both a yes or a no answer mean you need to pay a visit to the Romance Shop.

The Romance Shop might not be exactly what you think it is. As a business built around a carefully crafted philosophy of helping people have good, healthy sex, it’s a long way removed from the 25 cent peep shows of big city sex stores. In fact, the Romance Shop gets a ton of doctor referrals and the staff spends as much time offering information and health advice as they do selling slinky lingerie.

“We get a ton of women and men who come in from the doctor,” says Zolner. “For example, women after cancer treatments often have their vaginal muscles get really tight and they need dilators. And unfortunately lots of men eventually have prostate issues and have trouble getting erections. We help them by offering information on herbal products, or manual products if they need them. We get all kinds of interesting medical needs.”

Zolner says it is her job to help people feel as comfortable as possible when they come into the shop, regardless of the reason they visit.

“Everybody wants to have good orgasms. Our customers are all normal people, just like you and me, who want to have good clean fun and great relationships.

All my staff are super friendly and super well trained and we just create a really awesome atmosphere for people to feel

g n i l g n i r p F S The Romance Shop continues its legacy of good, good lovin’

Christa Zolner, manager of the Romance Shop, says everybody wants to have good orgasms.

PHOTO BY MIGUEL STROTHER

comfortable able in. We want them to let their hair down and feel comfortable enough to ask questions that could ld help them with their own personal sonal sex lives, whatever they might ght have going on.”

It’s alll part of keeping the

original owner Joy Martin’s mission of helping the world live liberated, healthy lives. Perkily perked in one of downtown’s most prominent locations, you can’t drive through downtown without passing this long-time

Courtenay retailer. Pinned between 5th and 6th on Cliffe Ave. the shop is 17 years old and part of a chain of Romance Shops up and down the Island started by the late Martin, also affectionately known as “Miss Romance.”

She unfortunately passed away at just 54-years-old in 2007.

According to Zolner, she was a wonderful woman who inspired outeverybody she met with her out going, kind nature, and encouraged all to live life to its fullest.

“She touched many lives in many different ways and I’m happy to be here trying to carry Zolner. that on in her name,” says Zolne “I’m tearing up just talking about abou many her. She just empowered so man people to believe in themselves and to be strong and look for what they want and to get in bed with the right people for the right reasons. She taught people not to settle for less and to just go out and get on with enjoying your life, whether that means big your job or your sex life. It’s a bi name to live up to.”

And according to Zolner, the Romance Shop is thriving, likely because of its commitment to Martin’s finding ways to carry on Martin legacy. Part of that is making sure people always have a good time and the custom parties the shop offers are a good example.

“The parties are really popular,” says Zolner. “People get a little bit of everything from the home. store within the comfort of home It’s really fun and we provide a whole bunch of good information about our built-in pleasure systems and the latest, greatest products and things, and just inform people about what’s out there. And with the parties a lot of people are buying on spur of the moment because their heart says they like this or that and it, this way they walk away with it batteries included!”

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14

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

RETAIL

YOU ARE WHAT YOU

l

ook good, feel good right? But what if what you’re wearing to help you look good is made by a nine year old in Sri Lanka who works long hours for pennies a day?

In the Comox Valley, more and more people are making conscientious decisions about how they spend their money. As a result there is a market not just for things like organically grown food, but for ethically manufactured goods of all types, including clothing. Courtenay retailers like Be Clothing Boutique are more than happy to answer the call.

Erin Dean bought Be a little more than three years ago and diversified the young store’s product line substantially. She stretched past the yoga wear carried by the previous owner and into more original Canadian made women’s clothing that ranges from exercise to semi-formal.

“People are really becoming more and more conscientious about what they support with their money and where and how the things they buy are made,” says Dean. “And so I find that they come in and are amazed at how many Canadian independent designers there are and how gorgeous the things those designers are making are.”

All of the designers represented in the store make informed choices about materials and production.

These clothing lines combine to reflect an obvious commitment to quality that definitely lets buyers look good and feel good.

r a e W “I was personally a big supporter of locally made and Canadian made, that whole movement long before coming into the store,” says Dean.

“I had a lot of connections in that universe and had known a lot of the BC designers already. So I started with what I knew, knew lines I was familiar with and knew are quality and

(People) come ❝ in and are amazed at how many Canadian independent designers there are and how gorgeous the things they are making are.

❞

– Erin Dean have that commitment to ethically made and environmentally sustainable fabrics and processes, those kinds of things.”

Almost directly across the road from the Atlas Café at the foot of fabulous 6th Street, Be is still something of a secret it seems. According to Dean, that’s perhaps because people sometimes forget that there are even more excellent restaurants and retailers just steps from the heavier traffic on 5th Street. These include not only one of the best restaurants in town (Atlas), but the Art Gallery’s gift shop, Happy’s Sports and Ski Tak Hut. “It’s a really nice location but it’s a bit of a challenge because people tend

to forget about 6th Street and 4th Street. When they think about shopping people tend to just go to 5th Street, which is really too bad because 4th and 6th have some great things to offer.”

The store has a loyal following, however, and many repeat customers. Many of Be’s customers are generated by word of mouth and the fact is the quality of the clothes speaks for itself. Products include pieces by designers such as Floating Gold Iceberg, who is based in Victoria, and Vancouver trio We-3, who run a well-known shop on Main Street called Twigg & Hottie. “(We 3’s) clothing line is fantastic,” says Dean.

“They use lots of environmentally sustainable fabrics and practices in their design.”

One of the most important parts of running a successful retail outlet like Be is making sound buying decisions. The shop is quite small and intimate and as such Dean only carries 30 to 40 designers, including those that design the shop’s many unique accessory lines. And as her web site and reputation has grown, Dean is now not only approached by conscientious customers, but by a much longer list of designers who want Be to carry their clothes.

“I just focus on thinking about who I am, who my local customers are and the kind of things they appreciate, and then try to bring in some things that are unique and different and that you don’t see everywhere else.”

Be lives up to the expectations of consumers who want more from the products they buy.

PHOTO BY MIGUEL STROTHER

J • E • W • E • L • L • E • R •S Downtown Courtenay

Anniversary

celebrate your love

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ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

15

AWARDS

s r e z a l b l Trai

d

The Green Room wins first-ever st-ever award for recycling recognition

owntown that are different,” says living. It’s a great award Courtenay Upham. “Our vision was for us because it really let’s y continues to blaze a store where a person people know that we are aze a trail in the Comox Valley. This committed to that.” could come in and know time it’s local retailers Upham also says that where every single product the Green Room pickshe is encouraged by the that is in here comes from, ing up the first ever fact that the entire Comox because we’ve researched Comox Valley Chamber Valley seems to be making it beforehand. That way of Commerce award for a shift toward green thinkwhen a customer buys Recycling Recognition. ing, including some signifisomething, they can really The Green Room is cant additions to the city’s feel good about it.” owned by Rebecca Wood infrastructure.

As for how the Green and Cortney Upham. This Room came to win the “There’s a lot of talk business at the foot of right now of having a Chamber award, it was 5th Street is built almost pedestrian and bike bridge nominated anonymously entirely around the idea built into the downtown and Upham says they still of sustainable core. That’s a living and very positive For us it’s really important to seems a perfect step towards get it out there in the community precedent for bringing extra the inauguthat we live in, that it’s important to people into the ral Chamber downtown who support healthier and more organic award. are like-minded “Our busiand enjoy the living. It’s a great award for us ness pretty outdoors and because it really let’s people know much encomthat healthy livpasses all of ing and lifestyle, that we are committed to that. the four Rs,” I think.”

— Cortney Upham says Upham.

And yes, “That really green developdon’t really know who was goes beyond just putting ments are good for the our recycling box out once responsible. She and her Green Room. But with a week. We encourage our partner are thrilled, howorganizations like the ever, and say everything customers to rethink how Chamber taking notice, helps when it comes to they consume and where that green direction is liketheir products are coming growing a small business, ly good for the region’s ecoespecially under the curfrom.” nomic growth. According rent economic conditions.

When the shop opened to Upham, that will have “I think what it does for in 2008, the mission was a positive impact for all of to offer consumers choices our business is it makes the businesses (and people) people aware of who we are downtown, not just her in terms of how they use and what we do and that’s their purchasing power. own. a huge thing,” says Upham.

By stocking the shop “We all kind of thrive “We’re a new business and with Canadian made, fair off of each other downtown with the economy, less trade and organic prodso definitely I hope that in people have got that extra ucts, items they feel good the next year we can all spending money. So for us about carrying, Upham draw more people downit’s really important to get says the Green Room is town. That way people can it out there in the commurealizing that goal. have shopping experiences nity that we live in, that “We wanted to have a that are different than it’s important to support business that was differwhat is available at big box healthier and more organic stores.” ent and to offer products

❝

❞

Rebecca Wood and Cortney Upham are thrilled to have their business recognized by the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

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ABOUT TOWN

ANNIVERSARY

F

I R S T

R

A T E

:

5th Street Florist flourishing

s

teven Meier, owner of 5th Street Florist, has been in the flower business for nearly 35 years.

Considering he is just 48 years old that’s quite an accomplishment.

Before coming to Courtenay Meier worked for some of the Lower Mainland’s biggest flower shops and consulted on some incredible projects, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ wedding, to name one.

He estimates the flower costs of that wedding alone ran into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Bill Gates’ wedding reception was probably the most I was elaborate,” says Meier. actually decid“I was one ing between of three designers. whether to open We went a shop here or down to Seattle and in Whistler. But spent a I came downweek there town and fell in just getting ready for it. love with it right It was pretaway. ty big and lots of flow– Steven Meier ers. It was a whole house that was all taken apart and then set up for the reception. I think he owned the house but it was actually the house that the movie the Gay Divorcee was shot in. It was kind of neat. It was empty when we got there and they brought in all this furniture into the house and we just sort of grew the whole place. It was interesting because the helicopters would be going every night trying to get a photo of what they could. That was probably the biggest.”

It is ten years since Meier moved to the Comox Valley and took ownership of Courtenay’s oldest flower shop but the store’s been around since 1944. It has had eight different locations and owners but Meier

❝

❞

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Ten years in for 5th Street Florist owner Steven Meier and every day still feels fresh.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK bought it in its current downtown location on Duncan Street and says he couldn’t be happier.

“I started coming over to the Valley to visit a friend of mine and I just fell in love,” says Meier. “It’s funny, I was coming for three or

four years before I even came into the downtown core. My friend had mentioned that her friend was selling a flower shop and I hadn’t been down to this area. I was actually deciding between whether to open a shop here or in Whistler. But I

ABOUT TOWN

Florist Steve Meier says September is the new June when it comes to weddings in the Comox Valley.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

came downtown and fell in love with it right away. Our downtown is very unique and has quite a charm to it. There are so many wonderful people wandering around and lots are regulars.”

The business appears to be thriving, and Meier says his excellent customer base appreciates the unique perspective and high quality his shop provides.

“I would describe the shop as funky, a little different. We definitely try to do things a little bit different here. It’s not at all like the grocery stores and I don’t mean to slam the grocery stores, but it’s kind of like walking into a liquor store and comparing baby duck and a bottle of Dom Perignon. Mostly in those types of shops you find seconds and the qualities are quite, quite different.”

Although the shop stays busy year round, it sees a significant rise around Mother’s Day and stays steady through to September with grads and weddings.

In fact, Meier says that September in the Comox Valley is the new June. This is because the weather has been so unpredictable in June in recent years and September tends to be so beautiful. As such Meier sees a much larger demand for destination type weddings in that month in particular.

“Mother’s Day is the biggest floral holiday of the year for us,” says Meier. “But there’s always something new to keep doing. Wedding season gets big and it’s interesting because September is the new June. June has become quite a rainy, wet month. It’s been very unreliable for at least the last five years. September is always beautiful and (the Comox Valley) has become a bit of a destination place for weddings.”

Although 5th Street Florist has a very diverse range of offerings and a stock that is approximately 50 percent local, it is particularly well known for bouquets.

“We tend to do a lot of European handtied bouquet, which is a bouquet that’s all put together and designed as a bouquet,” says Meier. “So all somebody has to do is put them in a vase. They don’t come in a box so you don’t have to arrange them yourself. It’s an already arranged bouquet and that is something we’re more known for.”

Although Meier sees the rise of both large box stores and the digital economy impacting businesses downtown, he says his shop is thriving, especially as the weather turns.

“You definitely notice there’s a lot more people walking around and coming into the stores for sure. It means we need to keep more stock because the last couple of days it’s been just walking out the door.”

. g n i r Sp Sarah Pacini Signal Elemente Clemente

360 Fifth Street, Courtenay

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17

18

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

PEOPLE

y l i m a f e h t f o t r Pa i Susan Lock’s love for books and people keep her smiling at the Laughing Oyster.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

Long-term employees help add to the friendly, personal feel of downtown Courtenay

n any business, ness, whether it is retail, professional fessional services, or food and beverage, good help dh l iis hard to find. So when a company, especially a small business, finds somebody who both enjoys and does their job well, hanging onto that person can be critical.

Several of downtown Courtenay’s most established businesses have employees that have been part of those establishments for longer than the actual owners. Susan Lock is one of those employees. Lock has been an integral part of Laughing Oyster Books through three ownership changes and an employee for 16 years. She says that the book busi-

ness is a huge part of her life and that the little shop on 5th Street really away from home. ll is i a home h f h “I began coming in as a customer first because bookstores were, and still are, like my second home,” says Lock. “I’d been supplying books for certain kinds of workshops and at one point said to the owner, ‘And by the way, if you ever have any space for me I’d really love to come in and work for nothing because I’d really like to learn the business’.”

The owner of the shop at the time said that it wouldn’t be fair to other employees to have Lock work for free and that no, there weren’t any openings. But within a couple

of weeks they called Lock back and eventually offered her a job.

“The “Th rest, t as they th say, is i history,” hi t ” says Lock.

Lock has seen many changes in the book business in recent years, particularly the fact that plenty of authors are now forced to publish their own books. This is because larger publishing houses are less and less willing to take chances on unknown writers. While this is challenging for authors, it means that people like Lock get to interact more with those authors. And according to Lock, that interaction with the often unique personalities of writers has always been a significant job perk.

Jewelry • Unique Gifts Gemstones • Crystals Spiritual Books Musical Inspiration

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ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

people came in, just so that “It’s always been she would be memorable. rewarding to meet the And her books took off. I authors. It is one of the think that a lot of that has things I really love about to do with the fact that this business. And they’ve the sellers were able to had to become more and promote her book because more accessible. There are they and their customers many, many more writers and readers festivals today, knew her and connected with her as a person.” for example, which means Lock is not the only that those authors have employee who’s had a long to be out there promoting history working downtown. their books.”

In fact, there are many One author that Lock has particularly fond mem- employees who’ve spent more than a decade of ories of is Gail Anderson. their working lives with She remembers just the same how well downtown Anderson It’s a business employer. did at and industry and a Sheila connecting with clientele that I really McLellan, for examindividual love. It’s like being in ple, has people and been with although a family.

Beyond the her writing – Susan Lock Kitchen is fabulous, Door for 12 she is ceryears. However, she says tain that her personality she remembers her first was a big reason people day like it was yesterday. bought her books.

“I can remember my “There have been many, first day somebody asked many, many encounters me for something that I with writers,” says Lock. “I had no idea what it was, an remember when Anderson, Ebleskiver,” says McLellan. who used to live in the “It is a Danish pan used to Interior and then came make something that looks to live on the Island for sort of like a cross between while, had her first book pancakes and Yorkshire out. She came in with her pudding and is filled with husband and her small jam.” child to promote her book.

Now McLellan says she She brought in these handmade bookmarks that were tells that story to any new employee in the store. absolutely delectable. They “It’s fair to say we were all pressed flowers or are all well versed in drawings and very quaint.

Ebleskivers, yes!” says She was handing these out McLellan. “But we are able at all the bookstores as

❝

❞

to find just about anything else that a customer might want as well.”

McLellan says she has met people from all over the world while working on 5th Street and they are always thrilled by the variety of what they find in Beyond the Kitchen Door.

“People come in from all over and are often surprised at what they can find here and haven’t been able to find anywhere else.”

As for what keeps people like Lock and McLellan in their jobs, it’s not just a love for cooking or books. Both confirm it’s what a great environment their employers and the people of downtown help to create. And Lock says that being part of a small, independent book shop like Laughing Oyster is like being part of a family.

That’s because in a small community like the Comox Valley, the relationship between stores and their customers takes on a very personal shape.

“It’s a business and industry and a clientele that I really love. It’s like being in a family. You see people come and go from the community, and from this earth. You see people having kids and you watch those kids grow up. It’s really rewarding. And everybody who comes in is really interested in books and interested in literature or interested in their family. So it’s very warm.”

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

FOOD

At this downtown café, mother and daughter work side by side.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

s c r e n w o t n w P o D

o

ne e of Courtenay’s most popular cafés changed hanged hands last year, turning Shark’s hark’s on 5th into Percs 5th Street Café.. And although the name is new, the location ion remains one of the finest for getting a jolt of Joe in all of the Comox Valley.

Tina Card bought the café in June of last year. Before making the entrepreneurial leap, she worked at PLATES Diner. She had been considering going out on her own for some time and when the shop came up for sale she says she couldn’t help but grab the opportunity.

“It was actually just the perfect place and perfect timing,” says Card. “We liked the history and we opted to come here instead of somewhere like an empty retail space. With this, it was just walking in and turning the key.”

And although Card says it has its challenges, being an entrepreneur is very liberating and after getting over the initial hurdles, she is enjoying the new venture tremendously.

“It’s smoother sailing now,” says Card.

“It was a little rough at first just figuring out exactly what we wanted to do and what we were offering and what people wanted in return. But it’s definitely smoother now.”

Now the café offers very fresh food for both breakfast and lunch, with a par-

ticularly nice selection of freshly baked goodies. And in addition to the quality food, Percs still serves up one of the best patios on 5th Street. The patio is small garage-type but by simply opening the garage type door at the front, Percs turns into a wonderful open air café exposed to all the hustle and bustle that comes with sunshine on 5th Street.

“All we have to do is open it up and it’s ready to go,” says Card. “It’s a great feature.”

For Card, one of the greatest joys of owning the restaurant is being able to collaborate with her daughter Jessika, who works in the shop alongside her.

“It’s very rewarding to work with my daughter. It’s very nice having her because she’s also experienced in the industry and she can help me with both the front and back of the house.”

Another benefit of being the owner of her own place is being able to get to know the clientele more intimately.

“I’m normally in the kitchen, and that’s where I’ve been until we purchased this place and now I’m out front to meet with customers and it’s really nice to hear the stories of where people are from and what they’re doing in the area, and to hear all the nice things said about our Valley. It’s just so interesting to hear their stories.”

ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

SERVICES

p

Lava Lamps (Plasma & Regular) “Come check out our Window Display”

Keeping it real

eople say accounting isn’t sexy.

However, tax time can make a quality bookkeeper or accountant look at least as good as George Clooney or Giselle Bunchdale. Especially to your good old buddy the federal government.

Although the tax season hits its apex leading to April, it’s important to get on top of it early in the year. This is particularly true for small and medium sized businesses, of which there are many in the Comox Valley.

Bookkeeper Debra Roberts of Roberts Bookkeeping Services, figures that there must be more cottage industries in the Comox Valley and on Vancouver Island than in any other place in Canada. As such there are plenty of people who not only need her services, but who are offering those services as well.

“We probably have the largest cottage industry per capita in most of Canada, that would be my guess,” says Roberts.

“There are a lot of people doing their own thing and as such there are plenty of bookkeepers in the Valley to meet the demand.”

Roberts moved her business to downtown Courtenay in May 2011. She says it’s a great place to operate a professional services firm like hers because it is an environment both she and her clients feel comfortable in.

“Downtown is very convenient for my clients,” says Roberts, who enjoys her perch above the Golden Carriage on 5th Street. “It’s a nice central location. There is lots of parking here and it’s handy to everything.”

Bookkeeping is one business that has not run into the buzzsaw of the online economy, despite the many software packages that are readily available online.

According to Roberts this is because even with the software in their hands, a realtor or a bricklayer (or a freelance writer!) simply doesn’t want to spend time doing that type of work. And nor should they.

“I do see people who have specific skill sets trying to keep small business expenses down while doing their bookkeeping themselves, and some of them do just fine.

But mostly they don’t want to spend their time on it.”

More often than not people who try to do it themselves, or even worse simply ignore their bookkeeping altogether, wind up with a larger, more expensive clean up.

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5th Street, Courtenay 250-871-7771

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Debra Roberts of Roberts Bookkeeping Services says a good bookkeeper will save you both stress and money.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

“The longer you try and do it yourself, the more of a mess you can make and the longer it will take for somebody to straighten it out.”

By employing the skills of a bookkeeper, Roberts says people and businesses will end up saving money in the long run, especially with everybody’s old buddy.

“In the end it will save you money with first your accountant because you wouldn’t want an accounting firm doing the kind of work that we do because they’re just too expensive. Find a bookkeeper and have things taken care of immediately and don’t cause yourself more grief down the road. It can become very costly when somebody’s got to go back into years. And if your tax returns are not done in time then the government’s not very happy with you.”

The best advice she can give to people who may be running into the types of trouble she describes? Find a good bookkeeper early in the year.

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250-338-8151 250-339-7522 250-334-8230

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

RETAIL

y a D d o o G nshine u S

With spring ng in the air it’s time to set up your sunroom

W

ith the start of spring and nd the promise off summer, it’s definitely time to start thinking about your sunroom again. Luckily Courtenay is filled with talented designers and downtown retailers with an eye for what fits well with Island living.

Like any good design, however, starting a sun room project demands a plan. One that takes into account just what it is you’re after in your completed paradise and good idea on how you’re going to get there.

“The first thing you need to do is to plan from the beginning to end right at the start,” says Linda Ritchie of FD & Interiors, who has been in the design business since 1982.

“Otherwise you are going to run into surprises and cost overruns and it is not going to end up being what you

hoped for.”

Another downtown Courtenay interior designer, Leanne Anglin of Tab Imports on 5th Street, says in many instances the best place to start on a sunroom is the floor, as it’s likely the largest surface in the room.

“Sunrooms are a little bit different because they don’t necessarily have a lot of wall space that you’re putting art and things on,” says Anglin. “You want furniture and fixtures that are going to complement what you see out your windows.”

Of course what’s a sunroom without windows?

Whether it’s to look out on a well-groomed garden, a group of grandkids playing in the grass, or if you’re lucky enough, an ocean view, windows are going to make or break your sunroom space. But just because that view and those windows are good for you doesn’t mean they’re

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good for your furniture.

“With sunroom furniture you want something that’s going to withstand the climate,” says Anglin.

“You want things that have UV protection. Leather, for example, really isn’t a good thing to put in the sunroom because it fades. Nothing is foolproof but you can get things that will last longer.”

Furniture made of a metal or umbrella fabric is often suitable for a sunroom, as is most wicker type furniture, including rattan which can be found at Rattan Plus located right next door to Tab Imports.

Rattan Plus has been in business since 1984 and one step inside it’s 8000 square foot showroom tells you why this is such a great spot for all things sunroom. From bench seating to full patio sets, Rattan Plus has plenty on offer to help with your sun-

SHARKS ON 4TH COFFEE BAR

fresh baked goods, sandwiches, sandwiches light lunches and much more…

Downtown Courtenay retailers are set for spring.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

room renovation. And if you can’t find it in stock the folks at Rattan Plus will help you get it.

Rattan does very well in moisture as it is grown in very humid climates and as such fits well on the west coast of Canada, including Courtenay.

All-in-all there are plenty of options right here in downtown Courtenay if you are looking to renovate your sunroom this year.

All it takes is a quick trip into one of the downtown shops to get some expert advice.

“You don’t need to make an appointment, just drop by the store,” says Tab Import’s Anglin.

Live Music

Original art and

photographs

Full Breakfast • Lunch Specials • Dinner Mon - Wed, 7am - 5:30pm • Thurs, 7am - 9pm • Fri & Sat, 7am - 10pm • Sun, 8am - 5pm

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ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

FD Interiors Originality, quality and follow through.

Our business was up and running with no delays.

Courtenay 1-Hour Optical They’ve rescued me more than a few times having left my glasses at home. Only readers, but high-end service always.

Marigold Pharmacy Rudy is a great listening ear with healthy, successful results.

Penny Tyme I started shopping here before even moving here. Love Sandwich.

My 10 ect picks perf Who: Vashti Lehrle Where: In our beautiful downtown Courtenay What: Co-owner of Secret Drawers Lingerie Ltd. PHOTOS BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

The Atlas Breakfast here … carmelized onion, crab! Good morning!

Runge’s Imports & Delicatessen Swiss Farmer’s Sausage, Kroes Cheese Wafers and show-stopper cheeses! Every get-together needs a little of these.

House of Color I love Benjamin Moore paints! 20 years of living in colour and 7 different colours I’ve had on my front door … what’s next, I wonder.

Graham’s Jewellers

Shoebiz A welcome edition to my closet. Worth shopping locally for!

Jamie has kept me on time for years so I also bought a new watch for my husband … no fault of Graham’s that he’s still late.

Backdoor Gallery Totally trusted Ed a couple times, no regrets, he just knows what works.

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

Calendar of EVENTS MARCH March 28 – 21 April Comox Valley Art Gallery - Exhibit – My Utopian Comox Valley March 28 – April 21 Comox Valley Art Gallery – Exhibit – Diverse Approaches to Water Colours

March 30 Sid Williams Theatre – Ballet Victoria’s – The Four Seasons March 31 Sid Williams Theatre – 54-40 March 31 Courtenay Library – Introduction to EBooks 11am-12pm

April 7 Easter Weekend April 10 Courtenay Library – Toddler Time – 11am11:30 – Ages 18 months to 36 months April 13 – 21st Sid Williams Theatre – Courtenay Little Theatre presents Waiting for the Parade

March 28 – April 21 Comox Valley Art Gallery – Exhibit – From the Treasure Box – A Look Inside Children’s Imaginations

April 1 Comox Valley Art Gallery - Film - Carnage

March 28 Courtenay Library – Story Time for Adults 12 – 12:40pm

April 2 Sid Williams Theatre – Mattina Musica featuring Ariel Barnes

April 17 Courtenay Library – Toddler Time – 11am11:30 – Ages 18 months to 36 months

March 28 Courtenay Library – Toddler Time 11am-11:30 – Ages 18months to 36 months

April 3 Courtenay Library – Toddler Time – 11am11:30 – Ages 18 months to 36 months

April 22 Sid Williams Theatre – Richard Scarry’s – Busytown Mysteries for Kids

APRIL

April 15 Comox Valley Art Gallery – Film – A Dangerous Method

EACH JULY, CLASSIC Cruisers of many shapes, colours and sizes fill the streets of downtown Courtenay for car enthusiasts of all ages.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

AY D R U SAT

NG:

I ATUR

WL FE E CRA

usic, m , n F , desig , film, t IT IS A f a r c l art, phy, dance tuff a u s i v ss g ra photo ng arts, kidore heali d much multiple venuees downtown. an e held at m oughout th LTUR AY CU ULL D

thr ill b ent w ected) The ev the unexp d ide an , outs

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ABOUT TOWN

APRIL April 27 Sid Williams Theatre – Ron James April 28 – June 2 Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit – Emily Carr University Graduates from North Island College External BFA Program April 28 – June 2 Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit – What We Wear April 29 Comox Valley Art Gallery – Film – We Need To Talk to Kevin

MAY May 5 Elevate the Arts – culture crawl in the heart of Courtenay May 10 Sid Williams Theatre – Women Fully Clothed

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

25

May 20 Jaclyn Guillou Quintet plays the Georgia Straight Jazz Society’s Sunday concert at the Elk’s Hall.

JUNE June 9 – July 7 Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit – Glory Boy June 9 – July 7 Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit – Striking Gold June 16 Father’s Day

JULY

Ariel Barnes performs April 2 at the Sid Williams.

July 1 Canada Day Weekend – Celebrating 145 years!

$5 burgers on sale at 11am.

Live Music, 120 seat air conditioned lounge.

July 4th Annual Wearable Art Show – TBA

July 29 Classic Car Cruisers – 26th Graffiti Bash – Downtown Courtenay

July 14 July 28 – Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit - Diagrammatic

May 12 Mother’s Day

July 21 Downtown Courtenay Market Days and Local Colours

May 19 Sid Williams Theatre – True Colours Youth Dancers

July 22 Elks Hall – Annual Open House.

AUGUST Aug 4 BC Day Weekend Aug 4 – Sept 22 Comox Valley Art Gallery Exhibit – Carvers of the West Coast First Nations

LET ’S GO

!

N G I O B WL

Spring League - Starts Wednesday May 1st at 9:30 am BIRTHDAY PARTIES - Saturdays/Sundays SCHOOL GROUP - by Reservation KOSMIC BOWLING - Weekends

OPEN

Socialize, Exercise, Make New Friends!

BOWLING

No One Too Young Or Too Old! The Coffee Is Always On And Fresh!

SHOW’S THE THING Rehearsals for Courtenay Little Theatre’s next production are underway. Waiting for the Parade by John Murrell runs in the Sid Williams Theatre from April 13 to 21. Meantime, Susan Bradshaw, Kymme Patrick, Sharon Pridham and Krista Young enjoy the Second World War setting of this renowned play.

PHOTO BY TERRY PENNEY

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26

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

RETAIL

m o d g n i k l a m i n A i

Downtown Courtenay is full of wonderful creatures – some of them are even pets

to see. Border collies and t’s the first of March shelties are sheep dogs and and the sun is shining are well-known for their on Courtenay’s downlove of work, so it’s easy to town core. Fifth Street is see why they make perfect full of shoppers and on additions to Wagz. every block there’s a bowl Just down the street of water left out for their at Winds of Change sits canine companions. You Gypsie. The four-and-asee, Courtenay is a good half-year-old Yorkie sits place to be a pet and one patiently in of the big

by Michael LeTourneux front of the reasons is shop winthe animaldow with a red ball in his loving owners of the mouth, looking at every downtown stores, many passer by as a potential of whom take their pets play-date. Gypsie has been to work with them. These drawing people into Winds little “employees” have not of Change for 3 years. only developed a following “He has developed quite among the customers of the following with people downtown stores, but have traveling from as far as added a more personal and Port Alberni who come just welcoming feeling to the to see him,” say Amanda whole area.

Delisle, owner of Winds of For people with chilChange and proud parent dren, the presence of a of Gypsie. “He loves people friendly animal in a store and people love him.” With occupies the kids while the his curly golden hair and parents do their shopping. spunky attitude, it’s easy And let’s face it, there’s a to see why. welcoming feeling we all Across the street at get when a floppy-eared, Sylvie’s boutique you’ll find furry face looks up at us, feet bouncing and tail wag- a sign in the front window that reads, “This property ging. is protected by shih-tzu To many who shop at Wagz on 5th Street, Furgus security system.” These aren’t ordinary shih-tzu’s and Raven are well-known but Buddha and Meggie. shelties. Bill Weston, coBeing a part of the store owner of Wagz say Furgus for several years, they sit and Raven are on “alterpatiently by the front door nating shifts” with two waiting to see who enters, other pups named Hamish hoping for a kind word or and Teddy. Hamish is compliment. They have another sheltie and Teddy become a popular part of is a boarder collie that is the store and as long time not only a friendly figure in Wagz but also the store’s Sylvie’s employee Susan Christie says, “There mascot, with his picture are even customers who in the front window for all

come to visit Buddha and Meggie as part of their daily routine.”

Dogs aren’t the only pets on 5th Street. Second Page Books, situated kittycorner to the library on Duncan Street, has two special tabby cats that love books just as much as their owner, Craig Carson.

Princess Teeka and Boo the Magnificent are fairly new additions to the store, having been there only three months.

They are the predecessors of the late and great Purdy the cat, who was known throughout the Comox Valley. Even after his passing into the great library in the sky, people still come in expecting to see Purdy. Carson would like the customers who remember Purdy to know that his memory is carried on through the cats that have taken his place.

Feeling right at home, Teeka and Boo lay in the front window soaking up the sun or on the counter guarding the till.

Other shops like Searle’s Shoes, Razzmataz, and 5th Street Florist also have pets that come to work. Together they give the downtown core a further sense of community and even family. There’s pride knowing that our town goes out of its way to make people and pets alike feel welcome.

Michael LeTourneux is a student at North Island College.

With Gypsie, the dog of Winds of Change, kisses come free.

PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

27

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY BEAUTY Salon Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 BOOKSTORES Laughing Oyster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 BUTCHER SHOP Butcher’s Block Meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 DANCE SHOPS Silhouette Theatre & Dance Shop . . . . . . . . 6 DELICATESSEN Runge’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ELECTRONICS Visual Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 FASHIONS - Men’s • Women’s Cherry Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Jim’s Clothes Closet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Penny Tyme Fashions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Robert A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Secret Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Sylvies on Fifth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 FITNESS Codes Country Lanes Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Freedom Now Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 FLORISTS Courtenay 5th Street Florist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 FURNITURE McConochie’s Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Tab Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 GROCERIES/HEALTH FOODS Edible Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Thrifty Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 HOME & GIFTS Beyond the Kitchen Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Romance Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Winds of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 JEWELLERS Francis Jewellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Graham’s Jewellers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 MUSIC Bop City Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

PET STORE Wagz Lifestyle for Dogs & Cats . . . . . . . . . . 7 POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES Don McRae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 REAL ESTATE Coast Realty Group (Comox Valley) Ltd . . . 5 RESTAURANTS/CAFÉS Atlas Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Billy D’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

MUSEUM Courtenay & District Museum . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Cardero Coffee & Tea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Delicados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Early Bird Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Vogue Optical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 SHOES

Mudsharks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Searle’s Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Yamato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Shoebiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Zocalo Cafe & Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 SERVICES Hi Tec Brazenwear Sportswear . . . . . . . . . . 9 One Hour Optical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Primetek IT Solutions Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

SPORTS Ski & Surf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 THEATRES Sid Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 TOY STORE

Piercy’s-Mt. Washington Funeral Home. . . 30

Planet Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Salvation Army Thrift Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Whales Tale Toys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

DOWNTOWN a taste of

Delicious diversity hardly begins to describe the eateries in downtown Courtenay. From steaming espresso and fresh-squeezed juices, gourmet pizzas to tempura and teriyaki, you’ll find fabulous fare sure to tempt everyone’s tastebuds.

ATLAS CAFÉ The café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a global flair – “a little something for everyone” featuring freshbaked goodies, espresso and fruit juices.

Licensed. 250 Sixth St. Phone: 250-338-9838. www.atlascafe.ca

BILLY D’s Check out www.billydspub.com for our fabulous daily specials. We are located downtown at 268 Fifth Street. We serve mountains of nachos, colossal platters and everything else your appetite may desire. With our huge portions and low prices you won’t find a better deal.

Phone: 250-334-8811.

CARDERO COFFEE AND TEA CO. Find coffee, tea, light lunches, ice cream, blended drinks, smoothies, plus an internet lounge. Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Located at 232 Fifth Street.

Phone: 250-338-2519.

DELICADO’S SOUTHWESTERN CAFÉ It’s a funky, high energy restaurant/deli that screams personality, which translates into a fun and exciting atmosphere at Delicado’s. Eye-catching decor, excellent service, great music and wholesome, reasonably priced food have made Delicado’s famous. In the Courtyard on the corner of 5th and Cliffe. Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Phone: 250-338-8885.

EARLY BIRD CAFÉ Breakfast served all day. Daily homemade soup and sandwich specials. Also burgers, wraps and salads. Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

307-Fourth St.; Sunday breakfast buffet, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Phone 250-897-7025.

MUD SHARKS COFFEE BAR and SHARKS ON FOURTH Enjoy specialty coffees and teas, along with home-baked treats and light fare at a great street-side patio. Open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Phone: 250-338-0939.

RUNGE’S IMPORTS & DELICATESSEN In business since 1969, Runge’s offers sandwiches, cold beverages and sweets to go, plus all the fixings for your picnic – sliced meats, cheeses, potato salad and more. Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Saturday at 347 Fourth St. Phone: 250-338-8621.

Yamato JAPANESE RESTAURANT since 1996

visit our

website

www.cvyamato.com

CORNER OF CLIFFE & 6TH, COURTENAY

250-334-2025

Early Bird Café Come see what’s cooking!

Specializing in fresh homemade Breakfast, Breakfast Lunch and Sunday Brunch!

307 - 4th Street Downtown Courtenay • 250-897-7025 Celebrating 15 years of the simple things

YAMATO This fully licensed Japanese restaurant features a wide menu selection including sushi, teriyaki and tempura. Debit card and major credit cards accepted. Corner of Cliffe Avenue and Sixth Street.

Phone: 250-334-2025

atlas café 250 6th St. in Downtown Courtenay

ZOCALO CAFÉ AND GALLERY Featuring fresh, delicious food, specialty coffees and teas, café events, local art, wireless internet and more. Licensed.

Open Mon. – Wed. 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

208A Fifth St. Phone 250-331-0933.

250 338 9838

atlascafe.ca

The Island’s Isla famous Delicados is now available in Courtenay

Our Food is prepared fresh daily on the premises serving a delicious variety of

flavourful, colourful and healthy southwestern food BIGGEST Licenced Patio on 5th St. In the Cour tyard on the Corner of 5th & Cliffe | 250.338.8885 Parking behind building by Central Builders

www.delicados-deli.com

ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

29

s e c a l s e ac P

& F

Come in and see the great selection of new and used clothing at Retroactive Clothing operated by “new owners” Shelley Denny and Debbie Young.

Spa Roché is owned and operated by Roche Borowicz, a certified permanent makeup technician and highly trained clinical esthetician. Drop in and see her on 5th Street in the Zocalo building.

The Comox Valley is home to Canada’s first VICKY FORM store, which is owned and operated by Silvia and has relocated up the street to 231 5th Street.

Freedom Now Yoga — newly opened and operated by husband & wife team Gary & Cindy Fort - they will be offering professional and attentive yoga instruction in a serene studio, centrally located in downtown Courtenay on 5th Street above Ski & Surf.

There’s lot of treasures to be found at Courtenay Antiques now located on 4th Street. Owner Mary and daughter Meghan have created a great space to step back in time!

Lavish Hair Salon is now owned by Andrea Ball and her team Christina Roersma and Julie Hargrove, who offer full service hairstyling for men and women.

30

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

Prescription Designer Eyewear Now Available!

Ask our friendly staff for details on this and our many other services.

BE BOLD BE Beautiful

PROFESSIONAL HAIR CARE FASHION ACCESSORIES

OUT OF NEW YORK Full aesthetics by:

Victoria’s Aesthetics Care 250-871-1212

SALON

Eye Exams arranged

1-877-489-2020 349B 5th Street, Courtenay 250-334-2043

visit us online: www.vogueoptical.com

BRIDGES 244A 4th Street • “4TH STREET SQUARE” • Courtenay • 250-338-5712

Funeral Planning Introducing Rosemarie Clark 320 - 5th Street, Downtown Courtenay

250-334-2611

Say it with a

DIAMOND

Certified Pre-arrangement Counselor Piercy’s-Mt. Washington Funeral Home Rosemarie’s passionate, results-driven service attitude has been key in developing relationships with integrity and respect. She comes to us with 10 years experience with First Memorial Funeral Services, Victoria.

Rosemarie invites you to call her for your complimentary “Personal Planning Guide” and if you are a member of a group or service organization and are searching for a dynamic speaker for a 15-minute presentation on “Dying to know before you go” please call 250-334-4464. A door prize and cake will be offered for p participants. p

Rosemarie Clark Family Service Advisor

PIERCY’S ~MT. WASHINGTON 250-334-4464

www.piercysmtwashingtonfuneral.com

ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

31

FOOD

i

Food from the not-so-far East

t might not ot exactly be Vancouver uver when it comes to ethnic diversity, but there are more than a couple of options for downtown Courtenay restaurant goers ers with a taste for quality global cuisine. In addition to the many worldly creations of the chefs in kitchens across Courtenay, the following specialty restaurants are worth checking out, especially for those with a love of the Orient.

Hana Korean You won’t find many more authentic ethnic restaurants in downtown Courtenay, or anywhere else for that matter, than Hana Korean. The restaurant sits on the corner of Cliffe and 5th and offers very reasonably priced fare with a homemade flavour.

The restaurant doesn’t advertise much and doesn’t have a web site, likely because they are able to let the quality of the food do the talking all on its own.

For anybody who hasn’t tried Korean food, this is a good place to start.

Those who have won’t be disappointed in how Hana stacks up. The simple shop is very authentic and definitely reminds of the tidy little mom and pop shops that sprawl across the twisting side streets of Seoul.

The take out turnaround time is excellent.

However, it is always worth going in to experience not just one main dish like Bi-Bim-Bap or Dalk-Gal-Bi but to enjoy the many banchan (side dishes) that are integral to Korean dining, including kimchee (fermented veg-

Hana Korean offers authenticity and value for Courtenay foodies with a taste for international fare PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK

From Szechuan to Seoul, you ❝ can definitely find a wide variety of international goodies for foodies in downtown Courtenay.

❞

etables and spices).

The menu at Hana Korean changes daily with several repeats throughout the week. But with almost every dish on the menu under $15 all week long, Hana offers one of the best balances of quality and value.

Golden Carriage A family restaurant with nice big windows that look out onto 5th Street, the Golden Carriage offers a nice simple buffet for both lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

The restaurant gets a steady regular crowd even on weekday afternoons, which leaves the cooks in

the back busy. From behind the swinging door to the kitchen, one of those cooks regularly emerges from the clamour of spoons mixing in stainless steel bowls to produce a steaming dose of fresh food for the buffet.

Most of the dishes at the Golden Carriage are the mainstays of Chinese restaurants across Canada (vegetarian chow mien, wonton soup, sweet and sour pork). However, the dry ribs and green beans stand out as unique and definitely worth a trip for seconds if you’re working the buffet. Hungry eat-in customers definitely take full advantage of the buffet

but the comprehensive list of items on both the dinein and take-out menus come in ample portions as well.

If you choose to stay and eat, ask for one of the window seats so you can watch the world go by. For take-out, which appears to be a significant part of the Golden Carriage’s business, be sure to order early. This is especially true on the weekends when late in the afternoon and early in the evening can get very busy for the restaurant.

Yamato Japanese Restaurant As we’ve reported in previous issues of About Town, Yamato Japanese Restaurant specializes in offering fresh, well-priced Japanese food ranging from sashimi to yaki-udon.

The well-sized restaurant on the corner of 6th and Cliffe can accommodate customers of any type,

whether you want the warmth of a traditional Japanese booth complete with geta (Japanese sandals for wearing inside) or a stool at the sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chef preform his handiwork.

Mandarin Village Restaurant It’s hard to know just what the connection is between small Canadian towns and Chinese Food.

However, there always seems to be at least one Chinese restaurant in the most prominent locations in towns across

the country. Mandarin Village at the corner of 5th and Cliffe is Courtenay’s contribution to this ongoing tradition.

Kitty corner to Hana Korean (above) Mandarin Village is warm and welcoming. They offer dim sum Tuesday to Sunday and have an excellent selection of Cantonese, Szechuan and Canadian dinner combinations for individuals and groups.

From Szechuan to Seoul, you can definitely find a wide variety of international goodies for foodies in downtown Courtenay.

32

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

ABOUT TOWN

Toshiba | Alpine | Panasonic | Denon | Polk Audio | Boston Acoustics | Sharp | Marantz | Audio Technica | NAD | Sanus

Locally Owned & Operated Audio Video Unlimited is a Canadian owned and operated company. We currently stand at over 100 locations nationwide and growing. Our kids go to school with your kids and many of our stores are family businesses.

We are a part of the Canadian community.

We Know Our Stuff.

Nothing Beats our Passion For Perfection.

Over 100 Stores Nationwide With over 100 stores and $150 million in annual sales, we have the buying power to compete with anyone in our industry. We believe that service is important and strive to deliver “Legendary Service” that will exceed your expectations and keep you coming back. We also know that PRICE IS IMPORTANT. We assure you that our everyday prices are competitive in the marketplace. We believe our AdCheque price protection policy is Your Best Price Guarantee.

We Got This Good By Listening

Truth in Advertising Our goal is to earn your business by offering you excellent products and personalized service with a competitive price. We do not believe in deceptive advertising or “bait and switch” tactics. We believe in carrying only top quality brands and not simply every brand available. www.avu.ca

We are proud to announce the launch of our new Webstore. Now the audio and video equipment of your dreams is only a click away. For the first time our entire catalogue of products is available anywhere across Canada.

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*See in-store for full details.

Please check with your local store as participation varies by individual market.

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Y Best Your Price Guarantee!

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Great Outdoor Entertaining Includes Great Music

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Our AdCheque program guarantees the most competitive price today and after your purchase. If the price is lowered within 30 days, you are entitled to a cheque for the difference. We watch our competitor’s ads daily, if their price is lower, we adjust our price accordingly.

The bottom line is, the price you pay is the best price, and it’s protected for the next 30 days. For down-to-the-minute pricing browse our online flyer: www.avu.ca/flyer

VISUAL SOUND AVU

BRAND NAME ELECTRONICS • PERSONAL SERVICE

456 5th Street | Courtenay | In the Leung's Building | 250-338-5177 or 1-877-865-3691 | www.visualsoundstore.com

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