Special Features - Best of Kelowna 2014

WINING & DINING HEALTH, BEAUTY & STYLE SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DIGITAL LOCAL GOODNESS OTHER GOODS & SERVICES

2014

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Greater community awareness was reflected in the voter participation in the Best of Kelowna 2014 contest.

In its second year, contest founder Jim Csek, with welcometokelowna.com, said the popularity poll appears to be gaining traction from more widespread media coverage and the marketing enthusiasm of local businesses.

“I think it adds credibility to it by increasing the number of votes cast,” said Csek, noting the vote count went up from about 75,000 last year to 184,000 this year.

“I think businesses were better prepared for it this year, getting the word out to their customers by promoting it in their stores or restaurants.”

Csek says his intent from the beginning was and continues to be providing a popularity poll with voting credibility, as no one can vote more than once.

2014

Celebrating the “We’ve all seen those types of contests in the past where someone sits at a computer all day just casting a vote by hitting a keyboard button,” he said. “Some people do complain about the voting limitations, but I wanted it to be a legitimate vote, so to come out on top in a given category has a legitimate meaning.”

Csek said the feedback from last year was that businesses that were either winners or in the final three generated customer response.

“I think there is an interest from the public in these kinds of things, and it might help convince someone to try out a business or service just to see. In the end, though, it’s up to that business to ensure those customers keep coming back.”

Csek said there will likely be some further tweaking when the contest

WINING AND DINING .....................6-11

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HEALTH, BEAUTY, AND STYLE ......12-13

FITNESS TRAINER • HAIRSTYLIST • HEALTH PRACTITIONER • MANICURE OR PEDICURE • MEN’S CLOTHING STORE • PLACE TO BUY JEWELLERY AND/OR ACCESSORIES • SALON • SPA • WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE • WORKOUT FACILITY • YOGA

SPORTS ........................................14-17 BICYCLE SHOP • FEMALE ATHLETE • GOLF COURSE • MALE ATHLETE • SKI & SNOWBOARD SHOP • SKI HILLS • SPORTS TEAM

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ART GALLERY • LOCAL ARTIST • LOCAL BAND OR MUSICIAN • ARTS COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION • MUSIC VENUE • NIGHTLIFE VENUE • THEATRE GROUP

Publisher Karen Hill Managing Editor Barry Gerding Production Director Tessa Ringness Advertising Manager Karen Hill

Production Designers LaToya Allan Nancy Blow Kiana Haner-Wilk Laura Millsip Editorial Warren Henderson Kathy Michaels Kevin Parnell Wade Paterson

returns in 2015, such as the change from last year that saw the number of categories increased to 85 from 74.

“I think the other thing we might want to look at is some categories are more crowded with entries than are others, and perhaps we might want to reflect that by choosing more than just a final three,” he said.

While Csek said the contest has brought public awareness for his website and to the other media partners involved, which includes the Capital News, ultimately his main goal was to create a “community feel-good project that is beneficial to local consumes, the business community and for tourists who come here looking for direction on how and where to spend their money.

DIGITAL ........................................23-24

DIGITAL COMPANY OR MARKETING AGENCY • HIGH TECH COMPANY • LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY • LOCAL WEBSITE • OVERALL FACEBOOK PAGE • TWITTER

LOCAL GOODNESS ......................26-28

BEST PARK • CAMPGROUND • EVENT OR FESTIVAL • HIKING TRAIL • LOCAL CHARITY • LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL • LOCAL MEDIA • LOCAL MEDIA PERSONALITY • MIDDLE OR SENIOR SCHOOL • PLACE TO TAKE A DATE • WEDDING VENUE

OTHER GOODS & SERVICES .........28-30

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE/MECHANIC • BIG BOX STORE • COMMUNITY • FLOORING COMPANY • FLORIST • FURNITURE OR HOME DECOR • HOME AND GARDEN STORE • HOTEL OR RESORT • LANDSCAPER • MOTEL • NEW CAR DEALER • PET BOARDING OR KENNEL • PET GROOMER • PHOTOGRAPHER • PLACE TO BUY A GIFT FOR A GIRL • PLACE TO BUY A GIFT FOR A GUY • POOL AND SPA COMPANY • REALTORS • RV DEALERS • SMALL BUSINESS - RETAIL • USED CAR DEALER • VETERINARIAN

Jennifer Smith Alistair Waters Account Executives Cindy Draper Teresa Huscroft-Brown Antony Hutton Bob Lindsay Terry Matthews Rick Methot Sheri Jackson

Alan Tomiak Michelle Trudeau Wayne Woollett Front Page Photo Brent Crozier Best of Kelowna is published by Black Press 2495 Enterprise Way, Kelowna Ph. 250-763-3212 Fax. 250-862-5275 adsales@kelownacapnews.com www.kelownacapnews.com

Distributed free to select households in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.

The publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

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Kathy Michaels, Staff reporter Keeping carnivores content has been the Keg’s claim to fame for decades.

So, it’s no surprise to downtown Keg owner Steve Stinson that they came out on top in the Best of Kelowna “best steak” category.

“We sell 60,000 steaks a year,” said Stinson, who’s been at the helm of the Water Street location for 27 years, and with the BC-born Keg franchise for a total of 37 years.

What keeps customers going back for more, he said, is consistency.

There are a total of 105 Keg restaurants that can be found in cities across Canada, as well as Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver and Seattle in the United States. And at each steak-loving stop, the bar has been set high. In particular, the chain says there’s three ingredients to its success, “quality, comfort and value.”

What’s kept them on their leader-board locally, however, is also the connection between food and the community.

Not only does the downtown Keg offer the franchise’s signature menu, it’s located in a strip of foodie hotspots, in the heart of the city and in a historical building.

It’s a combination that doesn’t necessarily change the flavour of the fare, but makes the experience all the more enjoyable to partake in.

Stinson has been walking in to that experience for decades, after all, and pointed out it’s something he’s never tired of.

“April 14th was our 40th anniversary of being downtown,” he said.

“Being in one location for that amount of time and delivering a good product is really important.”

The Keg chain was founded in 1971 in North Vancouver, B.C. Originally known as The Keg and Cleaver, the restaurant was founded by George Tidball and opened in an old industrial building in the Moodyville area of lower Lonsdale.

As it grew, the Keg became well known for buying up historic manors and turning them into restaurants.

Examples of this are the local Keg, which is in the old Kelowna Daily News building, the Keg Mansion in Toronto, and the Keg Manor at the Maplelawn Estate in Ottawa.

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care about what they eat Alistair Waters, Staff reporter When one thinks of bakeries in this area, most people immediately think of Bliss Bakery and Bistro, which started in Peachland in 2003 and for the last two years has also had an outlet in Kelowna’s downtown, at Ellis and Cawston.

The nine-year-old business, voted the top bakery in this year’s Best Of Kelowna survey, has become an institution in Peachland, so much so that it is now used as an identifying landmark.

“I knew we had made it when I started seeing real estate ads that described the property as being a block from Bliss Bakery,” said Barry Yeo, who with his wife Darci operates the business.

While Barry has 30 years of experience as a baker, both he and his wife were in the hightech business 10 years ago when they decided to pack it in, move to the Okanagan and open what they envisioned would be “village” bakery in Peachland.

Sine then the business has grown.

Like any business, it took a while to get going but once it did it became the go-to place in Peachland, attracting both locals and customers from farther away to its lakeside location both for its food but also its welcoming atmosphere.

The success prompted the Yeos to open a second Bliss Bakery and Bistro in Kelowna’s downtown after a plan to set up shop in South Pandosy fell through.

“We were getting lots of

requests to open in the Mission,” said Darci, adding the original plan was to go into the Sopa Square building. But when that project stalled, and space in downtown Kelowna became available, they jumped at it.

And now the Kelowna outlet is expanding, having acquired the property next door.

The Kelowna Bliss will be closed until the end of the month for renovations and the expansion, with the plan to come back bigger and better than ever.

According to the Yeos, the secret to the success of their business lies in large part in the food.

“It’s about not compromising,” said Barry when asked the question.

From the beginning, the plan was to provide food free of additives, chemicals and other things people do not want to see in what they eat.

The bakery serves only organic coffee and foods that are free of trans fats and other additives.

“If you care about what you’re eating, Bliss is a good place to go,” says Darci, who runs the business side of the operation while her husband spends a lot of time in the large commercial kitchen they build in West Kelowna. It is there that the food Bliss serves is produced.

Unlike most regular coffee shops, where coffee sales are the bulk of the business, Bliss’s business is equally split between coffee, baked goods and bistro foods, a testament to the popularity of the food Bliss produces on a daily basis.

Barry and Darci Yeo, owners of Bliss Bakery and Bistro

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JOB ACTION ▼ TEACHERS’

Fat Cat Festival felled by stalled contract talks

Demand for community gardens guidelines

FOR US The Fat Cat Festival tradTHERE’S HUGE is a hotly anticipated DISAPPOINTMENT ition for Kelowna kids.one But this year, it’s THAT THE to the many will miss due beTEACHERS CAN’T current contract strife the BRING THEIR tween teachers and STUDENTS. province.

6 June the to Doors Dorothee Birker, and 7 event are usually Fat Cat Festival on the opened to schools of Friday, and busloads the tival grounds and can get to children are brought the most out of a half-day partake to said. festival grounds year, at the event, she business in the frivolity. This the The loss of be imhowever, that won’t will have a financial but case. to pact on the festival, dis“The teachers, prior be Birker said the bigger they’d said is seeing the lockout there appointment faces at the coming so long as strike fewer smiling wasn’t a rotating isn’t, event. that day, and there “It’s my favourite means but the lockout day,” she said. the supervise they can’t “I’m very emotionhour,” kids over the lunch Fat al about it. It’s not somesaid Dorothee Birker, dir- thing that any of us can Cat Festival’s artistic control, but the energy is ector. those students bring That means the vast fantastic.” simmajority of teachers the Birker said that stuenply aren’t able to bring dents are much more kids to the festival. thusiastic when they’re While parents, she with their classmates and volunteered have to exsaid, super- have the freedom with a to do some of the point- plore the event visory work, Birker of their peers. group large ed out that it’s not enough “For us there’s huge the to let the show go on. disappointment that The only students teachers can’t bring their trip who will get the field to students,” she said. go will be those who within schools located See ContractA2 fesclose proximity of the

Jennifer Smith STAFF REPORTER

garden program runWith growth of the community Okanagan’s behind the Central ning wild, the societycouncils to lean on developers to 15 garden sites wants housing. build plots into new it to the public to encourage “I think the city owes Sandy James, Central Okasaid developers to do this,” coordinator. for nagan Community Gardens that they can provide “It’s a beautiful space and, by doing that, those building that in and they will the residents other in their garden each other. people will meet each and get to know become a stronger buildinggrowing a tomato and having “This is not just aboutsocial connections.” the a yummy tomato. It’s with the society since 2003 and now has James has worked new sites. The society KelowWest takes charge of building between Oyama and more than 350 plots than 200 people in the City of Kena, but there are more a plot. for (in Glenlowna alone waiting I built Sutton Glen “Back in 2010, when That one was it really took off. more), that’s when the outset,” said James, noting over-subscribed from it was run, how little it costs to people saw how well skyrocketed. have a plot and demand follow development.

Calls for more gardens many condos and apartso “They’re building garden,” said place for people to ments, but there’s no president, noting its a key form of Ruth Mellor, COCG portion of the population. recreation for a large in charge of the gardens on BarbuildMellor is personally was only one apartment ley Road and says there it was built eight years ago; toing in the vicinity whencondos and townhouses. by day it is surrounded See Demand A6

ITAL NEWS WARREN HENDERSON/CAP

sponsored by The DooDah Bird booth a popular attraction the Capital News was YMCA’s Healthy again at the Kelowna held last Sunday, a Kids Day festivities held at the free family fun event Rutland. Cailey Kelowna Y facility in Isabel Simpson Schindler (left) and off their finished (lower photo) show DooDah birds.

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One of the

top 20 best winery restaurants around the world in our own backyard

Quail’s Gate Estate Winery, headed up by CEO Tony Stewart (top left), is the top winery among Best of Kelowna finalists CONTRIBUTED

Warren Henderson, Staff reporter Three years after his brother, Ben, produced the first vintage, Tony Stewart was asked to come home and help run the family business.

In the 25 years since the doors first opened, Tony continues to marvel at the evolution of Quail’s Gate Estate Winery— from a small, humble, farm operation in West Kelowna to an internationally-renowned winery and restaurant which hosts 100,000 visitors annually.

“At the beginning, we saw lots of potential and we believed if we made good wines, it would continue to grow,” said Stewart. “But I don’t think anyone expected quite the expansion we’ve had. We’ve seen massive growth and it’s really been quite amazing.”

Tony and Ben’s dad, Richard, acquired the Allison Ranch in 1956 where the winery now sits, then began planting grapes in 1961.

The winery was opened in 1989 and has witnessed steady growth, but none more dramatic than that of the last decade.

Since 2002, Quail’s Gate has doubled

its output and now produces 50,000 cases annually.

While the winery’s success can be directly attributed to its quality and award-winning wines, Stewart said food is playing an increasingly important role in how Quail’s Gate continues to evolve. The Old Vines Restaurant and Wine Bar has been attracting world-wide attention and was recently named by dailymeal.com as one of the 20 Best Winery Restaurants Around the World.

“We didn’t envision ever having a year-round restaurant, but here we are today with exactly that,” Stewart said. “We’ve worked really hard at the restaurant and we’re doing very well, but with Roger Sleiman (head of culinary program) leading the way, we’re not through, we have lots more to do. We’ll continue to work on the local cuisine component to be sure we celebrate our wine the best way we can.

“I believe what we’re seeing is the start of what is going to become a very famous culinary region.”

As for the wine, the staff at Quail’s Gate

Estate Winery—including winemaker Nikki Callaway—are understandably proud of their product.

Stewart said great wine isn’t possible without great people behind it.

“It all starts in the vineyards, the viticulture, making great wine,” he said, “and the most critical aspect of that are the people.

We have a great team that cares passionately about what they do.”

As for being named Best of Kelowna’s No. 1 winery, Stewart said receiving accolades from the Stewart family’s hometown is both meaningful and humbling.

“Kelowna’s our home town, we’ve been farming and living since here 1908, our roots are in Kelowna,” he said. “A lot of companies have been successful and have moved out.

But my brother and two sisters still live here.

“We take pride in that, and I think it’s very meaningful to win something like this in your hometown.”

And what does the future hold for Kelowna’s favourite and one of Canada’s most respected wineries ?

“We’re not looking to grow to much more in size in terms of units we produce, but we want to continue to define our craft and grow the food component,” Stewart said. “We’re very much about trying to grow slowly and gradually while still making good wines.”

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 11

4

BEST

Ward Willison, All Body Care The Core Wellness Centre

4

Manicure or Pedicure O Spa

BEST

4

4

Mint Esthetics Studio

4

4

Mirror Mirror

BEST

4

Men’s Clothing Store

4

4 4

12 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Blue Ginger

Pandora

Salon

4

4

HWY 97 AT COOPER, KELOWNA, BC 1.800.610.7467 | ORCHARDPARKSHOPPING.COM

Funktional

4

4

THANK YOU KELOWNA for voting us the Best Place to Buy a Gift for a Boy and Girl!

Posh

IT’S A TIE 4

Watch for Best of Kelowna coming in 2015 with even more categories to choose from, and vote on!

Okanagan Health and Performance

4

The best of what you love!

4

Sarah McDermott

4

4

Dustin Handley

Place to Buy Jewellery and/or Accessories

4

Ashley Nitti

4

4

Stacy-Lynn Zeman

Health Practitioner

4

Loyal Wooldridge

4

4

Sarah Fraser

Hairstylist

BEST

Fitness Trainer

BEST

BEST

BEST

HEALTH, BEAUTY & STYLE

MacDermott’s Menswear

Winners

Man + Woman

Loyal Hair Therapy

Cream Salon & Spa

Plan B

BEST Sparkling Hill

O Spa 4

BEST

4

Spa at The Cove

Women’s Clothing Store Winners

4

4

Blonde

4

4

Frock

H2O

Kelowna Family Y

Oranj

Yoga

4

4

2014

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Pets Allowed: Yes, on a leash at all times and in designated dog beach area Concession: Yes (sells ice, frozen treats, cold drinks, sundries, some groceries) Roadways: Paved Beach/Swimming Area: Yes, but no lifeguards on duty Boat Launch: No Biking: On roadways only (dirt bikes/ATVs not permitted) Check-In Time: 1 pm Check-Out Time: 11 am (strictly enforced during peak times) On Site Security: Yes Entrance Gate: Locked nightly from 11p.m. to 7 a.m.

Quiet Time: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Generator Policy: Generator use is only permitted between the hours of 9 and 11 a.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m.

Workout Facility

4

4

PARK FEATURES: Total campsites: 122 vehicle accessible, including 18 dbl. sites Reservations Accepted: All sites are reservable First Come, First Serve Sites: None Campsite Description: Most are private, many shady or part shade with a gravel pad, picnic table and firepit with each site Overflow Camping: Yes (located in day-use parking lot, full fees apply, no tents permitted) Showers: Yes Flush Toilets: Yes Pit Toilets: Yes, on hiking trails

4

PARK OPENING / CLOSING DATES (PARK GATES OPEN): April to October (gates locked during off season but accessible on foot)

Drinking Water: Yes Hook-ups: No Sani-station: Yes, $5 discharge fee in effect Large Day Use / Picnic Area: Yes Change Building: Yes, in dayuse area Playground: Yes Campfires Permitted: Yes, unless fire ban in effect Firewood Available: Yes, may be purchased from staff for $7/ portion Groupsite: None

Spa

4

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Bear Creek Provincial Park is the most popular campground in this year’s Best of Kelowna contest.

The park is popular both for tourists, consistently booked up before the camping season is barely underway, and for local residents looking to have a break from the hustle and bustle of living and working in the Central Okanagan, only 15 minutes away from Kelowna’s downtown core.

Located on the Westside, the park features lakeside camping, sandy beaches, hiking trails, swimming, boating and has some 122 campsites.

Below are some other facts about camping at Bear Creek Provincial Park:

BEST

Make the best of your Bear Creek camping experience

BEST

HEALTH, BEAUTY & STYLE

Moksha Yoga

Hot Box Yoga

Oranj

T ha n ks for voti ng!

THANK YOU to everyone who voted!

We are so honored and grateful and look forward to serving our community further!

Much thanks from your Mint Esthetics girls Jessica,Angela and Andrea.

We are proud to use and sell the following products:

Bio Sculpture Gel | Eminence Organic Skin Care & Miscencil Lash extensions

mint .esthetics studio.

To make an appointment please call

778.484.2466 or email

mi ntesthet ics@gm ail .com Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 13

1

#

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e The BC Interior’s Exclusiv FIAT retailer - only at the Big Store!

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VOTED BEST BIKE STORE TWO YEARS IN A ROW

CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM FIAT

People

love

their bikes

By Jennifer Smith, Staff reporter

2013 2014

2014 - We thank you for your votes.

When you vote & shop locally owned, it means we can give back & support you & the community in Kelowna.

• $10,000+ in charity donations • 900 student bike checks • 4 bike to work week stations • Bike support for races • Team sponsorships • Trail Maintenance

For all your biking needs: • Sales • Service • Knowledge • Selection • Accessories • Ladies clinics & rides • Weekly fun road & mountain bike rides for all levels of experience Two stores to serve your bike better: 103-2949 Pandosy Street 1461 Sutherland Avenue

Pat Rosen at Kelowna Cycle is an artist.

It’s not just his creative sense of design, evident in the extraordinary layout of his main store on Pandosy Street, but in the overall branding of a bike shop that seems to dabble in a little of everything.

His secret, as it turns out, is an education in creativity.

“I always wanted to be a painter,” said Rosen, who trained in fine arts at Okanagan College.

His store was founded in 1948, but Rosen didn’t buy it until 2008, having worked his way up the ranks as a mechanic in the business for 15 years.

Rosen connected with bikes in Toronto where he was working in a photofinishing lab.

“I realized the most efficient way to get around a big city like Toronto was by using a bike,” he explained. “Mountain biking was just kind of getting started and I got interested in that and became a mountain biker and a commuter cyclist.”

At first, the bikes were a hobby. He would go into bike stores to fix up his own ride— a Norco Pinnacle purchased before he moved east from Lindsay Van den Elzen at Kelowna Cycle—and notice how interesting the shops seemed.

“I started realizing there

was a culture that was going on at bike stores. The people were there because they love bikes and they love their jobs,” he said.

In 1993, when he moved back Kelowna, he finally got involved, signing on with Van den Elzen at Kelowna Cycle as a mechanic. He didn’t have a direct goal to own the store, but the idea had cropped up before.

“Retail and dealing with the public was already part of my life and I realized if I could take that and turn it into something really good, something that’s good for them and good for the world, being bikes, then it would be a pretty fulfilling job,” he said.

The store suffered what appeared to be a set-back when his Pandosy Street location caught fire in 2011, but his team quickly rallied and opened a temporary location on Sutherland Avenue.

He now runs both locations and does well enough to earn Kelowna’s vote for best bike shop.

Rosen isn’t a racer, but you can find him on his Rocky Mountain Instinct on a nice sunny weekend enjoying the ride that inspired a career.

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 15

Harvest

Predator Ridge

4

4

Crystal Flaman

Two Eagles

4

4

Roz Huber

Ski & Snowboard Shop

4

Kelsey Serwa

Golf Course

4

4

4

Cycle Path

4

4

Fresh Air Experience

4

4

Kelowna Cycle

Female Athlete

CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM FIAT

BEST

Bicycle Shop

BEST

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

BEST

BEST

SPORTS

One Boardshop

Fresh Air Experience

Freeride Boardshop

Ski Hills

Male Athlete

4

BEST

4

Gallagher’s Canyon

BEST

IT’S A TIE

4

Josh Dueck 4

4

Bruce Cook 4

Silver Star

Crystal Mountain

Jordan Cooke

BEST

4

Sports Team

4

4 4

16 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Big White

Kelowna Rockets

Okanagan Rockets

West Kelowna Warriors

SPORTS

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM FIAT

Diversity of exercises key for top fitness trainer Eat clean. Train dirty. Get results.

That’s the slogan fitness trainer Sarah Fraser has used for her studio, Crave Fitness, in Lake Country.

And it seems to have resonated with her clients.

Fraser received the most votes in the fitness trainer category in this year’s Best of Kelowna voting.

“It’s a huge inspiration,” said Fraser, after learning she had been named top fitness trainer.

“I feel so lucky to have my form of work be something that I really love and enjoy doing.”

Fraser’s training began at the age of 15, when she became interested in martial arts. Since then she added certifications in kickboxing, yoga and personal training to her resumé. She’s even started teaching stand-up paddleboard classes.

That diversity is important to Fraser because she wants to offer her clients a variety of fitness options.

“I kind of look at fitness almost like nutrition…we can’t just eat protein and say that’s a complete diet,” says Fraser.

“Mobility and flexibility are just as important as learning how to build strength.”

An increasing number of people are realizing the importance of physical activity beyond superficial benefits, she says.

“It used to be people would come to fitness classes because they wanted to change their physical appearance.

“While that’s important,

and it’s part of it, I think what’s more important is the changes you don’t necessarily physically see on the outside, but that are happening inside your body.”

She says the most rewarding thing about her job is hearing about clients who have been able to reduce their medication thanks to improved health from exercising.

Another encouraging trend Fraser has noticed is the increasing number of couples who work out together.

“It’s almost like their date night; it’s something they do together.

“So you’re building a stronger body and a better lifestyle, but I think at the same time you’re building a better relationship, too.”

Currently there are a wide range of clients who attend Crave Fitness.

Fraser says she avoids beginner and expert classes; rather, tries to make every class suitable for all fitness levels.

“I try to design classes so that somebody who has been training for a while can still come in and find (a) challenge, but at the same time create levels so that somebody who is maybe just entering the world of fitness can still come in and feel confident…being in the same group.

“They might be doing slightly different variations, but they’re all working together.”

Fraser says the hardest part of making the commitment to get into shape comes at the beginning stages.

She says some people may fear they won’t do an exercise correctly, or they might worry

people wil stare at them because they’re not as fit.

“From what I see, everybody is so encouraging.

“As new people come in, it’s like you’re welcoming somebody into your team.”

Those interested in learning

2014 TOP FEMALE ATHLETE

Wade Paterson, Staff reporter

more about classes and instruction offered by Fraser can visit cravefitness.ca.

Twitter: @PatersonWade

Crystal Flaman

Social Entrepreneur ,11x Ironman Triathlete & 273km Ultra-marathoner It is a great honour to receive the award of Kelowna Female Athlete of the Year for 2014 and I would like to say a very humble thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, not only for me, but for all worthy nominees in every category! I am very grateful for your support and this recognition!

It is my purpose to use my athletic endurance to make a difference in the world and feel extremely fortunate for the opportunity to do so! Currently, my focus is in supporting the charity, Room To Read. www.roomtoread.org. They build schools and libraries around the world for children, so that they may receive an education and become leaders of tomorrow! In 2013, I ran the Grand To Grand Ultra (a 273km self-supported run, considered to be one of the 9 most challenging footraces on the planet) and raised almost $20,000 for Room To Read! In 2014, I am running the TransRockies Run, a 257km high altitude race in the Rocky Mountains and hope to raise another $20,000 for Room To Read! A very special thank you to all those who have supported me and shared in my vision over the years! Once again, thank you to all those who voted for me in receiving this award and to The Kelowna Capital News!

INSPIRING PEOPLE TO GET TO THE START LINE OF THEIR DREAMS

www.inspiringsuccess.ca Creator of The Ripple Effect www.imaginetheripleeffect.com

Founder of D.I.V.A. Retreats www.divaretreats.com

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 17

Local Band or Musician

Wild Son

Windmills

4

4

Jolene Mackie

The Wild

4

4

Meghan Wise

Arts Company or Organization

4

Alex Fong

4

4

4

heART School

4

4

Kelowna Art Gallery

4

4

Rotary Centre for the Arts

Local Artist

BEST

Art Gallery

BEST

BEST

BEST

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Kelowna Actors Studio

Rotary Centre for The Arts Bumbershoot Children’s Theatre

kelowna.ca/theatre Thank You for making us the Best of Kelowna’s #1 Music Venue!

Celebrate with us! Enter to WIN a pair of Tickets to any of these upcoming shows.

Enter to win at kelowna.ca/theatre or call (250) 469-8948 God Save the Queen

Bandidos Cerveza

Stuart McLean

Symphonic Classic Rock

Haunted Howler

Max & Ruby

Comedy Festival

25 Piece Orchestral Rock Band

September 14

September 19

October 23

October 31

November 16

Tickets for these shows are or will be available: Online at selectyourtickets.com, by phone 250 762-5050 or in person at the Prospera Place Box Office 1223 Water St. Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 19

Music Venue

4

Kelowna Community Theatre

4

Habitat

4

Minstrel Cafe and Bar IT’S A TIE

4

Prospera Place

Stone

Sisters

•1874 Scottish immigrant Arthur Booth Knox acquires cattle range via crown grant.

Knox, in turn, sells the land to the Okanagan Fruit and Land Company.

•1906 Land subsequently subdivided and resold into smaller parcels.

•1910 A family vault is constructed by Rembler Paul

on the portion of parkland now known as Paul’s Tomb.

•1912 Dr. Benjamin deFurlong Boyce, first doctor of Kelowna, purchases 190.82 acres that encompasses the mountain.

•1939 Dr. Boyce donates the to the City for park for $1.00.

•1958 First Knox Mountain Hill Climb event hosted.

•1967 Stanley M. Simpson establishes a trust fund for capital improvements in the park. Improvements include construction of a paved road and the first Pioneer Pavilion.

•1989 The City acquires Paul’s Tomb properties.

•1990-92 Park expands to include the summit of Knox

BEST

Group

The history of Knox Mountain Park

Nightlife Venue

4

Rose’s Waterfront Pub

4

4

OK Corral

4

Doc Willoughby’s Pub

Theatre Group

4

4

20 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Mountain with development of the Magic Estates Subdivision.

•1999 The park advocacy group known as the Friends of Knox Mountain Park is formed.

•2002 The Simpson Trust Fund, in partnership with the City, provides funding to replace the original pavilion, and to construct a washroom building and caretaker’s residence.

•2006 Park expands with the City purchase of the lands around the Kathleen Lake area.

•2010 Two City-owned parcels east of Grainger Road are dedicated as park by City Council to form Knox Mountain East

BEST

BEST

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Kelowna Actors Studio Bumbershoot Children’s Theatre UBCO Theatre26

Knox Mountain’s natural features provide to great recreation

easy access MARK GODDARD

Wildlife abounds on Knox Mountain, Kelowna’s best park

Kevin Parnell, Staff Reporter Standing atop Knox Mountain near downtown Kelowna, it’s not hard to understand why the park was not only voted best park in the city but also the best trail.

One could have added best view to the list as you peer out from the highest lookout atop Knox Mountain, checking out Okanagan Lake and a large part of Kelowna’s landscape.

At 331 hectares (766 acres) Knox Mountain is the City of Kelowna’s largest park and probably the most used recreational area within the city.

It features an amazing array of trails, native landscape and wildlife.

“I think it’s a real jewel in the Kelowna area,” said Ian Wilson, City of Kelowna parks manager.

“It’s a large natural park, very close to downtown, so it’s a great location. It’s right in the middle of Kelowna. It has the lake on one side and good access to downtown.”

Making Knox Mountain unique is it’s proximity to downtown Kelowna. It’s a hop, skip and a jump from the city’s cultural district and downtown business core to an area that remains untouched and provides

great recreation to citizens of Kelowna and tourists alike.

“It makes me think of Stanley Park in Vancouver,” said Wilson.

“Its kind of like our Stanley Park. It’s right in the downtown core, a large natural park with a variety of trails and experiences to explore.”

Knox may provide ample opportunity for people to explore nature but it is also home to several plant and animal species that are endangered and in need of protection, making life on Knox a balancing act between providing people with a place to recreate but also protecting endangered species.

Some of the last native Okanagan grasslands in the

region are located on Knox as development continues to push further and further into our ecosystem. The balance between people and sensitive ecosystems is the biggest issue on Knox Mountain, according to Wilson.

“That’s been a big issue over the years: Non-sanctioned trails that have been developed and people taking shortcuts,” he said.

“The worst time is early spring because as soon as the weather is nice, people want to get out and recreate. But the mountain can be muddy and the soil can really get ripped up with off trail hiking and biking.”

Over the years, the City of Kelowna has spent between $100,000 and $200,000 on

Knox, developing trails and signage and fencing and working towards allowing people to enjoy the mountain but also keeping sensitive species protected.

On any given day you can run into deer, or see hawks or native birds or a gopher snake.

There are species that are on government endangered lists such as the Lewis Woodpecker and Swainson’s Hawk.

It’s major reason why people are asked to stay on marked trails.

“It’s a very unique area, part of the Okanagan grassland habitat that is threatened throughout the valley,” said Wilson. “Our management plan a few years ago mapped out specific areas that have some of the more rare types of plants and animals. Its a pretty unique ecosystem.”

This year the city is working on upgrades to mountain bike trails that will include construction of new trail alignments on The Balsamroot Bluff Trail, The Simpson Trail, The Ponderosa Trail and The Shale Trail. Work is expected to be complete by mid-June.

Trails will be open during construction; all park users are asked to use extra caution while enjoying the amenities in Knox Mountain Park.

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 21

Local Website

22 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Overall Facebook Page

Overall Twitter

DIGITAL

This year’s winner of the top high tech company in the Best Of Kelowna survey is Club Penguin.

The massively popular multiplayer online game, involving a virtual frozen world

inhabited by cartoon penguins and their pet puffles, was created by three Kelowna men, Lane Merrifield, Dave Krysko and Lance Priebe in 2005 and immediately took the Internet by storm. The popularity stemmed, in large part, from the fact it was designed to be a safe place for kids to play online.

BEST

BEST

A safe place to play online at Disney’s Club Penguin Alistair Waters, Staff reporter

Digital Company or Marketing Agency

4

4

Cheeky Monkey

Local Social Media Personality

4

Acro Media 4

4

4

Csek Creative

Kevin & Sonia

Ian MacKinnon

Andy & TJ IT’S A TIE

4

4

SW Audio Visual

4

4

Accelerate Okanagan

Local Website

4

4

Club Penguin

BEST

BEST

4

High Tech Company

Casey & Roo

Castanet.net

KelownaNow. com

ClubPenguin. com

After just two years, Club Penguin claimed to have more than 30 million user accounts worldwide and its popularity peaked the interest of the giant Walt Disney Company.

In 2007 the huge American entertainment conglomerate bought Club Penguin for a reported $350 million, with the promise of an additional $350 million if certain corporate targets were met by 2009.

While those targets were not met, the site, aimed at kids aged six to 14, has continued to grow in popularity and now has an estimated 200 million user accounts around the world, a mixture of free memberships and paid. The later allow the young players to access a range of additional features, like virtual clothing, furniture and pet puffles for their penguins by using in game currency.

Still headquartered here in Kelowna in the Landmark complex of high-tech office buildings, Club Penguin also has international offices in England, Brazil, Argentina and Russia.

According to the reports, Merrifield—who stayed on at Disney for a few years after the purchase but then left to pursue other local high-tech endeavours—Priebe and Krysko wanted to build a safe, socialnetworking site for kids, one that was free of advertising. They financed the start-up with their own money.

Since the sale to Disney, Club Penguin has continued to grow, including branching out from the Internet to become a Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii game.

CAPITAL NEWS

Club Penguin associate art director Emily Mullock (right) draws a portrait of Premier Christy Clark as one of the company’s signature penguins during Clark’s visit to the Kelowna headquarters of the massively popular website last year.

The Club Penguin Headquarters in Kelowna offer employees a relaxed atmosphere, including the usual offices and workstations, as well as a colourful theatre with a stage where presentations are made, a coffee shop decorated like the coffee shop in the Club Penguin online virtual world, an area called the Hangout where employees can relax playing ping pong and lounging on beanbag chairs and a lobby decorated with pictures of the penguins who made the game famous.

During her campaign in the 2013 Westside-Kelowna by-election, Premier Christy Clark was given a tour of the offices and shown some of the thousands of letters and drawings young Club Penguin fans send to the company on a regular basis. Each child gets a reply.

While there, one of the company’s artists drew a picture of the premier as a penguin, complete with here own pet puffle.

Clark promised to hang the penguin portrait of herself in her office.

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 23

DIGITAL

Rockets hockey team a boost to downtown businesses

Members of the Kelowna Rockets salute their fans this past WHL season.

The Rockets were voted the best sports team in Kelowna.

BEST

MARISSA BAECKER/KELOWNA ROCKETS

Overall Facebook Page

4

4 4

BEST

Sun FM

KelownaNow

Big White

Twitter

4

Sonia Sidhu

4

KelownaNow

4

Colin Basran IT’S A TIE

4

Big White

24 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Kevin Parnell, Staff reporter When the Western Hockey League’s Rockets moved to Kelowna in 1995, the franchise came to a market that was clearly ready for the highest level of junior hockey.

Despite having to play it’s first few years in the cramped confines of Memorial Arena, the Rockets and Kelowna were a fit right from the start as fans jammed into Memorial Arena to watch big bruising teams and followed the team across the road when it opened play in what was then Skyreach Place.

“Right from the start we felt Kelowna really jumped on board with our team,” said Gavin Hamilton, the Rockets director of business development. “It was tough for the first few years operating out of Memorial but when we got to the new building, our franchise really took off.”

The new 6,007 seat arena now called Prospera Place, not only provided the Rockets with ample space and seating for its team, but also gave a jolt to Kelowna’s downtown, serving as an economic booster to the downtown as fans sold out the rink year after year and poured into the Kelowna downtown following games, providing big economic spinoffs to downtown businesses.

On the ice the team has had unprecedented success. In the 15 years since the team took up residence in what is now known as Prospera Place, only twice has it finished below .500. The Rockets have been to four Memorial Cups including winning it as host in 2004. Banners hang from the rafters signifying WHL BC Division championships, WHL championships and the 2004 Memorial Cup banner.

The Kelowna Memorial Cup was a week long festival that really changed the way Memorial Cups were held. The organizing committee made

it a community event and festival off the ice that had people flocking to the downtown. On the ice, Kelowna’s team rewarded its fans with a championship for the ages by claiming the biggest championship in junior sports.

If success were only counted by wins and losses, the Rockets are easily the city’s top sports franchise.

But the Rockets organization is also immersed in the community, raising thousands of dollars for charity with events each and every year.

The biggest benefactor of the Rockets charitable work is the Kelowna General Hospital as each summer Rockets alumni gather in Kelowna for the Rockets Alumni Weekend, raising funds for KGH to the tune of over $300,000 in the alumni weekend’s history. Each year the Rockets work with many charities at their games, combining with groups like Brain Trust Canada, the Kelowna Community Food Bank and others to raise money in the community.

Along with its charitable work, the Rockets have also become a huge part of Kelowna’s economy with the downtown arena serving to revitalize Kelowna’s cultural district and many of its past players staying in the community to live.

In 2010, a UBCO study on the economic impact of the Rockets found that the team contributes over $30 million dollars to the Central Okanagan economy in both direct and indirect spending each year.

While the past has been prolific, the Rockets continue to build both on and off the ice. The last two years the team has set consecutive records for wins in a season with 52 in 2012-13 and 57 in 2013-14 while its charitable work continues including the team adopting a family at Christmas time this past season.

“We’re really proud of what we have been able to accomplish in Kelowna,” said Hamilton. “It’s been a true team effort between our franchise, our fans and sponsors and everyone who supports us.”

f

Station offers an upscale feel So hamburgers, fish and chips and “big” that broke out during the Depression. salads are in ready supply. There’s also a Orchardists and their families, who were focus on smaller scale breweries and local unhappy with low prices for apples, laid One of Kelowna’s most history-laden wineries. down on the tracks in front of fruit-packed buildings is bursting with new life.

At the Corner of Ellis and Clement, “We champion craft beer, so people come trains. the Train Station Pub’s offering of great in and try those up,” he said, adding that It was also where soldiers from the Second food, drink and customer service has struck they’re often changed-up so it’s always fresh. World War said goodbye to their loved ones, as a chord with the community, prompting they went overseas to serve. And, if they were Local wines are also regularly rotated them to vote it “best pub” in the Best of through the menu, although what really gets lucky, where they were able to reunite with Kelowna rankings. those same friends and family. things going is the half-price wine night, Steve Stinson bought the 3,500-squarewhich takes place every Thursday.

Railway passenger service ended in the foot building two years ago, just months “There are a lot of different components ‘50s, but the station was still a focus for after it had been completely overhauled working together,” he said, noting the food, commercial shipments for decades after from the state of disrepair it had fallen into. the drink and the music combined have that.

And, with the savvy he’s accumulated created a much more upscale feel than its It was deemed a historical landmark from a life in the restaurant industry, he contemporaries. in 1991, and ownership of it and the turned it into a neighbourhood hub.

“If you look at different pubs, they have surrounding railway properties in the “It’s full of energy and life,” he said. a distinctly different feel,” he said. downtown north end passed to Canada “We’re getting incredible feedback.”

“We’re also in a neighbourhood that’s Lands, a federal Crown corporation.

In the last year sales have boomed, he becoming more populated.”

It was a run down mess of broken said, noting it’s a change of menu—both All of that new life is happening in windows and garbage in recent years, until it food and drink— that’s at the heart of a building that’s seen some of the most was refurbished. recent success. colourful moments in the valley’s history.

In their efforts to make new what was “When you walk into a pub you expect According to files from Kelowna’s daily once old and broken down, they have been certain things to be on the menu, so we put newspaper, the building that was built in mindful of the history within. them there,” he said.

1926 was the centre of a civil insurrection Run Date: June 13, 2014 Kelowna Capital News (7.750" x 4.667") Full Colour EOR#6490 Kathy Michaels, Staff reporter

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Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 25

Ian MacKinnon - 99.9 Sun FM

Middle or Senior School

4

Casey & Roo Country 100.7 FM

BEST

Kevin & Sonia - 99.9 Sun FM

4

4

BEST

BEST Paws it Forward Dog Rescue

4

4

Beaver Lake Resort

Kelowna Women’s Shelter

4

4

4

Fintry Provincial Park

Local Media Personality

4

Kelowna SPCA

Sun FM

CBC Radio

4

Local Charity

4

4

Bear Creek

4

Campground

Myra Canyon Trestles

Paul’s Tomb

4

4

Waterfront Park

Castanet.net

4

4

4

Mission Creek Greenway

Local Media

Knox Mountain

4

4

Knox Mountain

Hiking Trail

BEST

BEST

Best Park

BEST

BEST

LOCAL GOODNESS

BEST

26 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

4

4

Okanagan Wine Festival Society

4

4

Parks Alive!

4

4

Canada Day

Local Elected Official Colin Basran

Rick Webber - Global Okanagan

4

Event or Festival

4

BEST

IT’S A TIE

Kelowna Secondary School - KSS Rutland Senior Secondary RSS Okanagan Mission Secondary OKM

Local Goodness

Hon. Christy Clark

Ron Cannan BRENT CROZIER

BEST

LOCAL GOODNESS

4

4 4

BEST

Shawn Talbott took his shot and won

Place to take a date RauDZ

By Jennifer Smith, Staff reporter

Summerhill Winery

Hotel Eldorado

Wedding Venue

4

Sparkling Hill Resort

4

Summerhill Pyramid Winery

4

Bo.ttega IT’S A TIE

4

The Laurel Packinghouse

Talk to Best of Kelowna’s photography top dog, Shawn Talbott, and one word comes to mind: focus.

Since childhood, he has shown singular dedication to shooting, saving his pennies from lawn mowing jobs and his paper route for film and development before winning his way into the Gulf Island Film School at 14 years old.

While his dad wanted him to be a doctor, he steadfastly pursued this one passion, attending five schools to hone his skills, dining on Kraft Dinner and pounding the pavement in the big smoke until he caught his break.

“My parents always accused me of having tunnel vision,” he said with an affable laugh. “And I had taken thousand and thousands of pictures by the time I was 15.”

Degrees didn’t interest Talbott. He cherrypicked his training, enrolling at Ryerson to absorb the school’s artistic, guerilla-style documentary filmmaking, Capilano University and Langara College for their complex lighting courses, and Vancouver Film School for cinematography lighting.

The result is a globetrotting career where he balances wanderlust with the kind of attention to detail necessary to keep the high-end clients capable of financing such adventures rolling through the door.

“I have a lot on my bucket list, but I’ve seen pretty much everywhere in North America, including the Caribbean, and I just finished my fifth Asia trip,” he said when asked about his travels.

Iceland is his favourite haunt.

“Photographers call it the land of contrast,” he explained. “You can drive 20 minutes and the

Kelowna’s top photographer gambled on creativity and built an awe inspiring life

landscape and the weather completely changes; so to spend 16 hours, you can do the entire circumference and it’s like doing 10 countries. It’s incredible.”

There are those who would also call Talbott’s career incredible and when local filmmaker David Nault did so, the compliment came with a proposal.

The pair have known each other for ten years and listening to Talbott’s adventures got Nault thinking.

“It came to me one day that every shoot he goes on is quite an adventure. So I just thought it would make a good visual story,” he said.

The result is a nine-episode web series called 1 Stop Closer, which launches on 1stopcloser.com July 10. It is being pitched to both Canadian and American networks.

Needless to say, Talbott’s vantage on the world at this point is extraordinary, but he does not take any of it for granted or let it go to his head.

Crediting Think Marketing, a defunct Kelowna advertising agency, for getting him started, he says it was shoots for local companies like Campion Boats, which gave break he needed to take on the world.

“I like working with professionals, with people who know what they’re looking at and have a creative sense of the final outcome. It’s a challenge for me to meet their desires,” he said.

Talbott and Nault have a KickStarter campaign going to help secure the funds to take 1 Stop Closer to the next level and they are very close to achieving their $17,500 goal. To help, log on to kickstarter.com and type in “1 Stop Closer” in the search bar.

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 27

EXPLORE A TROPICAL PARADISE

Automotive Service/Mechanic

Introducing PANDORA’s New Summer 2014 Collection.

BEST

BEST

OTHER GOODS & SERVICES

4

4

Kal Tire

Flooring Company

4

4

Boyd Autobody & Glass

POSH GALLERY 1393 Ellis Street • Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1Z9

4

4

POSHGALLERY GALLERY POSH

250.862.9404 • www.poshjewelry.ca

Elite Auto Centre

POSH250.862.9404 GALLERY

www.poshjewelry.ca 1393 Ellis Street • Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1Z9

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Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1Z9

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1393 Ellis Street • Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1Z9 1393 Ellis Street • Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1Z9 250.862.9404 • www.poshjewelry.ca 250.862.9404 1393• www.poshjewelry.ca Ellis Street

Big Box Store

250.862.9404 • www.poshjewelry.ca

Nufloors Kelowna Okanagan Hardwood Flooring Co. Ltd.

Florist

4

4

Costco Wholesale Canada

End of the Roll Discount Carpet & Flooring

Creations by Mom & Me

Sterling Silver charms from $29

Winners Apparel

4

4 4

4

Glenmore Community

4

Rutland Community

The Greenery

Art Knapp Plantland & Florists

Furniture or Home Decor

4

Downtown Kelowna

BEST

Community

4

4

BEST

4

4

28 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Superstore

Homesense

Treehouse Interiors Ltd.

Lakehouse - a Home Store

BEST Kelowna BMW

BEST

4

4

Doggytopia

4

4

Kelowna Ramada Hotel and Conference Centre

The Spotted Spa Retreat

Bone Appetit

PetSmart

Shaggy Chic Dog Boutique

Photographer

4

4

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott

Bark ‘n Fly

4

Kelowna Toyota

Pet Boarding or Kennel

Holiday Inn Express Kelowna Conference Centre

4

4

BEST

Harmony Honda

Pet Groomer

4

4

4

2014

Manteo Resort Waterfront Hotel & Villas

4

4

IT’S A TIE

4

4

Hotel Eldorado

Motel

4

4

The Cove Lakeside

Sierra Landscaping Synergy Landscape Design Ltd.

4

4

Art Knapp Plantland & Florists

Sparkling Hill Resort

Ken’s Horticultural Services

4

4

Home Depot

New Car Dealer

4

The Greenery

Hotel or Resort

BEST

Landscaper

4

4

BEST

BEST

Home and Garden Store

BEST

BEST

OTHER GOODS & SERVICES

Shawn Talbot Photography

Andrew Lipsett

Blissful Vision Photography

T h a n ks for votin g!

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 29

Voyager RV Centre Ltd.

4

Kelowna Truck & RV Ltd.

4

4

Valley Pool & Spa

Country RV Centre Ltd.

Mosaic Books

Blonde

BEST

BEST

IT’S A TIE

of our convenient locations

T h a n k y of uo r y o u r s u p p o r t !

30 Best of Kelowna | Spring 2014

Funktional

4

TRUE SERVICE...at all 5

4

4

2014

VOTED BEST IN KELOWNA

Dave Kotler - Royal LePage

Elite Auto Centre

Auction World

Veterinarian

4

4

Quincy Vrecko & AssociatesRE/MAX Realty Kelowna

Small Business Retail

Harmony Honda

Thanks for voting!

Westgate RV Centre Ltd.

4

The Krieg Family RE/MAX

BEST

Stone Sisters

4

4

4

Golf Town

4

4

Grouse River Outfitters Ltd.

4

4

Orchard Park Mall

Realtors 4

BEST

IT’S A TIE

Place to Buy a Gift for a Guy

Used Car Dealer

4

Beachcomber Home & Leisure

4

4

4

Funktional

RV Dealers

4

4

4

Blue Ginger Trading Company

Sunshine Pools and Spas

BEST

Pool and Spa Company

4

4

Orchard Park Mall

BEST

Place to Buy a Gift for a Girl

BEST

BEST

OTHER GOODS & SERVICES

Fairfield Animal Hospital Ltd. Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital Tri Lake Animal Hospital

other goods & services

Fresh start, ingredients recipe for

best Indian restaurant Wade Paterson, Staff reporter The best Indian restaurant in Kelowna was created five years ago because a family from England wanted to start a new life for themselves.

The Dosanj family, who previously owned and operated a convenience store in Southampton, England, had no experience in the restaurant industry before moving to Kelowna.

“We decided we needed a new start in life,” says Harry Dosanj, bartender and general manager of Poppadoms.

Serge and Jas, along with their children— Harry, Aman and Jasmin—moved to the Okanagan on an entrepreneur visa in 2008.

According to Harry, his family had three years to create a business or else they’d have to leave the country.

Creating an Indian restaurant was always Plan B for the Dosanjs. Initially, they looked into buying a franchise; however, the more they considered their back-up plan, the more they believed they could make an Indian restaurant work in Kelowna.

“The first year was so hard because we were still finding our feet…still learning.

“We didn’t have long to prepare for the restaurant, so we had to get everything together and pretty much open up as soon as we could because of the time constraints.”

Getting the permanent visa was his family’s biggest accomplishment, he adds.

Each member of the Dosanj family brings an attribute to the business.

Chef Jas is the mastermind behind the food. She spends time in the kitchen every day before the customers arrive, prepping fresh ingredients.

“She likes to use low salt…(and) the smallest amount of oil,” says Harry.

The restaurant also prides itself on using local ingredients to support local businesses.

Eat Magazine awarded Poppadoms with Best Dish of the Year honours in 2013, for the restaurant’s bengali fish.

Aman is in charge of marketing and helps out in the kitchen; Jasmin assists with photography and design.

Serge is chief executive officer of the restaurant.

Harry has helped out in a role he never could’ve predicted. After the head bartender left the restaurant, Harry was forced to fill in. He had never heard of an Old Fashioned at that time. And he wasn’t sure how to make a Mojito.

Since then, Harry has honed his skills.

He’s competed in five local bartending competitions; he was crowned champion three times.

“I want everything to be as good as possible; it doesn’t matter how long it takes me.

“People are paying good money. The drink has to be good.”

He credits the restaurant’s overall success to delicious food, great drinks and an inviting atmosphere.

“My sisters designed the whole decor of this place.

“It has a nice little warmth. It’s modern—

JASMIN DOSANJ

Harry Dosanj mixes a drink at the Poppadoms bar.

simple.”

Poppadoms has also recognized the importance of variety. The restaurant has begun partnering with other local chefs to put on unique events.

Its next event, The Butcher and the Bar, A Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea, takes place Father’s Day, June 15. The event draws on inspiration from the Dosanj family’s English roots. It’s filled with meat and cocktails, served with an Indian-inspired twist.

The event will feature a collaboration with Chef Jason Leizert of Salted Brick.

Harry says it’s “a huge honour” that local chefs want to partner with Poppadoms to make great food, together.

He adds the unique events allow his family the chance to try new dishes and think outside the box.

As for the future, Harry would like to see Poppadoms eventually move to a downtown location.

“Downtown would be the ideal location for us.

“There’s a lot to think about, we can’t just pickup and go. But we love the lifestyle there.”

Twitter: @PatersonWade

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By far the biggest selection at the lowest grower prices!

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Best Home & Garden Centres!

Spring 2014 | Best of Kelowna 31

July 16 to August 2, 2014 Directed by Karlisa Hiebert Music Director Roslyn Frantz Choreographer Jennifer Davies