Special Features - Pearl - Oct/Nov 2018

PEARL THE GEM OF THE SALISH SEA

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PEOPLE LIFESTYLES T R AV E L DESIGN

This Fall,

Relax...

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Pearl SH SEA F THE SALI THE GEM O

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› PeoPle es › lifestyl › t r av e l › design

PEARL

CONTENTS

GOLD Winner Best Special Publication 2018 Ma Murray Newspaper Awards.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

8 Editor’s letter 10 Fir Crazy 14 Pillow Talk 16 Style, Advanced 20 Spirit of the West Coast 25 Portal to the Wild 28 Walk With Brenda Taylor 31 A Toast to the Past 34 Happy Hours 37 Paws on the Peninsula 38 Meet our Advertisers

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14

10

on our cover Model Suzanne Whyte, photographed on location at Victoria Distillers in Sidney.

Photo by Lia Crowe

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GROUP PUBLISHER Penny Sakamoto 250.480.3204

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan PEARL CREATIVE & DESIGN Lorianne Koch

PUBLISHER + ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Dale Naftel PHOTOGRAPHERS publisher@peninsulanewsreview.com Don Denton 250.656.1151 Lia Crowe EDITOR Susan Lundy lundys@shaw.ca

Wendy Coleman wendy.coleman@ peninsulanewsreview.com 250.656.1151

PEARL magazine is published six times a year by Black Press.

The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Pearl. The contents of Pearl magazine

CREATIVE SERVICES Rosemarie Bandura Michelle Gjerde

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lia Crowe 4

ADVERTISING Dale Naftel publisher@ peninsulanewsreview.com 250.656.1151

PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

DISTRIBUTION Marilou Pasion marilou@blackpress.ca 604-542-7411

are protected by copyright,

prohibited without written

103-9830 Second Street, Sidney, British Columbia PH 250.656.1151

consent of the publisher.

www.peninsulanewsreview.com

including the designed advertising. Reproduction is

DECKED OUT – no ordinary sofa

Complimentary Design serviCe 1802 Government Street 250.386.3841 | SaGerS.ca mon-Sat 9:30-5:30

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PEARL

PAUL D. SIMMS

CONTRIBUTORS

B.A. & L.L.B.(MB), Cpl. Ret’d

Everson Law

Everson Law welcomes Paul D. Simms to their office.

Paul offers legal advice on civil litigation matters, personal injury, administrative law, immigration and other related tribunal work, such as residential and tenancy issues. Paul is honoured to continue his legal practice here on the Peninsula with Everson Law following his military career with the Canadian Air Force.

LIA CROWE

Born and raised in Victoria, Lia spent the first decade of her career working in the international fashion industry and now has more than 10 years’ experience working on the editorial side of lifestyle magazines.

For legal consultation, contact Paul through our website or by phone.

DON DENTON

Don is the Photo Supervisor for Black Press, Greater Victoria.

He contributes photographs to magazines such as Boulevard, Tweed, Monday and Pearl.

104-9840 Fifth Street, Sidney, BC

104-9840 Fifth Street,250-665-6869 Sidney • 250.665.6869 | Fx 250-665-6969 eversonlaw.ca eversonlaw.ca

JANICE JEFFERSON

LAUREN KRAMER

SEAN MCINTYRE

NESSA PULLMAN

HANS TAMMEMAGI

SHAI THOMPSON

Janice is an interior designer who creates well-functioning spaces with mix of playfulness and refinement.

Lauren Kramer is a Richmondbased writer, who loves travelling to — and writing about — the Saanich Peninsula.

Lowering our prices, Not our standards Because family matters.

Let us take care of yours.

Sean McIntyre is a freelance writer from Montreal who now works, plays and enjoys living on Salt Spring Island with his wife, Natsuko, and their dog, Goma.

Nessa is a book publisher, freelance writer and aspiring novelist. She is passionate about sharing the stories that create this wild and fascinating world.

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

Hans’ writing includes travel, environment and Indigenous culture. He has penned 10 books and writes for numerous newspapers and magazines in Canada and internationally.

Shai brings over 20 years of experience as a leader in sales training and fashion and personal style development. She and her style team work their magic at House of Lily Koi in Sidney.

PHOTO BY LIA CROWE

O

utside the room’s expansive windows, the sun glints on the waves crashing gently against the rocky shoreline, while the deep blue of the ocean stretches before us and disappears into the horizon. The sun is low in the sky, casting a brilliant hue of pinky orange fingers above us.

Inside the Black Rock Resort, which is perched at the edge of the West Coast in Ucluelet BC, we are revelling in the comforts of our spacious, onebedroom suite, eyeing the soaker tub on the one hand, and, on the other hand, considering the chairs on our balcony that call out for an oceangazing glass of wine. Indeed, the Prosecco bottle has been cracked and a platter of food, including smoked salmon, capers, crackers and cheese, is set out on the table.

Surely a romantic evening is about to unfold.

But wait. What is this? On the cosylooking couch facing the large-screen TV, two hockey jerseys are laid out. Our conversation is speculative and couched in a glorious sort of tension. Finally! It is the start of hockey season and our romantic fall getaway will kick off (face off) with six hours of wonderful hockey watching. First, my husband’s beloved (sigh) Maple Leafs will open their highly-anticipated season against the Montreal Canadiens. Then my lowly but equally beloved Canucks will challenge the wretched Calgary Flames. This is

EDITOR’S LETTER SUSAN LUNDY

Love is in the air romance!

Luckily, my husband and I are both avid hockey fans. And as much as we love the arrival of fall for all its glorious colours and crisp-but-sunny weather, it is the advent of hockey season — after months of flirting with Blue Jays baseball and the Canadian Football League — that really sets off the season.

Fall means a stop in at the cable

BUT WAIT. WHAT IS THIS? ON THE COSY-LOOKING COUCH FACING THE LARGESCREEN TV, TWO HOCKEY JERSEYS ARE LAID OUT. office to purchase the NHL package (all games all the time!). It has me agonizing over my fantasy hockey picks — do I go with my heart (Canucks) or brain (Leafs)? This is the season we pull out our game-wearing jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies and our Leafs and Canucks mugs. I google “Canucks news” three times a day and probably know as much as the game and colour commentator. I follow team members on Instagram ... so I can say things like, “Well Jake, maybe you shouldn’t have gone to that concert last night.”

Fall is also the time Bruce rediscovers the high range of his vocal chords and

adds some colour to his vocabulary. It turns out that every single referee in the NHL is out to “get” the Leafs!

For most of the year, my husband and I are compatible hockey fans, kindly cheering for each other’s team.

Twice a year, however, when our teams meet, things get dicey. Last year, I hid Bruce’s lucky Leaf socks because he claimed the team always wins when he wears them. Sure enough, the Canucks won! Sadly for Bruce, I have yet to recall exactly where I hid them.

Many of you will be pleased to know that despite the hockey-entrenched autumn of the Pearl editor, there is no hockey elsewhere in this edition.

But there are many things to help you celebrate the season. Start with an exploration of Laura Waters’ culinary adventures cooking with fir. Enjoy the spectacular images of photographer Dave Hutchison; tour an exquisite oceanfront estate; meet Olympic gold medalist Brenda Taylor; wander a crossroad of Peninsula history; get cosy this fall with pillows; and feast your eyes upon local fashion. Enjoy our regular features Paws on the Peninsula and Meet the Advertisers.

Back in our luxurious room in Ucluelet, both our teams pulled out opening-night wins. The Leafs didn’t look quite as good as expected — must have been those referees — and the Canucks looked better than anticipated. Indeed, it was the perfect start to our romantic fall getaway. P

Susan Lundy has been writing stories since she was six years old. She has a degree in creative writing from the University of Victoria, and after working for many years as an award-winning journalist, is now a magazine editor, author and freelance writer.

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

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PEARL INSIDER [ food + drink]

FIRCRAZY Laura Waters’ passion for fir sparks a culinary adventure WORDS: LAUREN KRAMER

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: DON DENTON

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“MY DOUGLAS FIRS HAVE GIVEN ME A WHOLE NEW PALATE TO COOK WITH.” hen Laura Waters purchased a four-acre farm in North Saanich 10 years ago, her original goal was to grow Christmas trees, a harvest that takes six years for each planting. Four years into the project she changed her mind.

“It bothered me that I was growing these trees just to cut them down,” the Saanich Peninsula entrepreneur confided. “All you’re doing for the first six years is mowing the grass in between the trees for two to three hours a week, and the trees also require a lot of care and pruning. I thought, ‘All we’re going to do is cut them down?’”

Waters was determined to find a more sustainable, renewable use for her Douglas firs, one that would see the trees’ bounty enjoyed far beyond the Christmas period.

“I knew they were citrusy and had a floral tone, and that distillers and brewers were using the fir tips,” she recalled. “West Coast First Nations have traditionally made tea from the fir tips, too. I wanted to figure out how to do something different from what everyone else was doing and create a non-alcoholic product.”

A floral and paper designer with a passion for cooking, Laura began experimenting in her kitchen. Blackberry bushes were heavy with fruit, so she started with a blackberry vinegar. The Douglas fir product line followed quickly, with a vinegar and a sparkling fir “shrub” — an effervescent, bubbly drink akin to lemonade but tastier.

Over the years that ensued, more fruit-infused vinegars emerged as Laura’s sense of adventure and creativity grew. Today, the selection of innovative flavours includes peppered nasturtium, pear anise, plum basil and apple, cardamom and cinnamon. New flavours are added each year as old ones are retired, and all the vinegars are made with sulphite-free Canadian white vinegar. The final products have a fruity zing, perfect for salads, marinades or a refreshing drink when mixed with soda water.

“My Douglas firs have given me a whole new palate to cook with,” she said from Snowdon House Gourmet & Gifts, the farm

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shop that stands steps from her beloved firs.

Laura has supplemented her product line with beer and cider bread mixes, which make a tasty homemade bread when soda or shrub is added to the mix. There are herb packages for salmon toppings, soup mixes that make you wish for wintry days, a tomato and Douglas fir seasoning and a “fir and fire” Brie topper that transforms the basic appetizer into a tantalizing, irresistible dish.

Islanders quickly took note of her delicious products and demand escalated quickly. Today Snowdon House gourmet items are sold online, in 35 retail stores across British Columbia and at craft and farmers’ markets. Victoria Distillers is making cocktails with Laura’s Douglas fir shrub and participants in her cooking classes expand their culinary repertoire with dishes that broaden their horizons and include Laura’s ingredients.

On a recent visit to the gift shop, I watched as Laura poured a full bottle of blueberry vinegar into her sorbet machine. A whirring

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A fir-infused waffle with Brie topper from Snowdon House, and other products made from Douglas fir tips.

sound filled the room and 15 minutes later we were sampling the cool nuances of blueberry sorbet. Fully aware that most home chefs don’t know how widely her products can be used, Laura has developed a number of recipes incorporating her fruit-infused and Douglas fir vinegar.

When she’s not creating new recipes, she’s making gift cards and gift packaging with beautiful, delicate designs. Look closely at her paper products and you’ll see recycled gold and silver leaf, petals, bark, recycled aluminum cans, spices and even soya silk, a by-product of tofu.

On top of new product development, store sales, paper-making and Douglas fir tip harvesting, Laura also runs a bed and breakfast from her farm. A tireless woman, her life has not been free of adversity. But if there’s one thing Laura has learned along the way, it’s that “you can cook your way out of any mess! I love sharing what we make on the farm,” she reflects. “I really like people, and I love to cook, garden and create art, so the whole thing fuels all my passions.” P

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PEARL INSIDER [ home design]

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Style, Advanced “Nana don’t dress like that no more!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: LIA CROWE STYLING: SHAI THOMPSON

Taupe vintage hat

by Chapeau Vimenet ($98), Leopard Ring ($38) , Gold Necklace ($48) and cashmere coat by Jaeger ($398), all from House of Lily Koi; black and brown stripe shirt by Foxcroft ($165) from Barbara’s Boutique; black taupe floral pants by Marc Cain ($280) from W&J Wilson.

Turquoise cashmere sweater by Biline ($325) from Baden Baden; orange-pink rhinestone earrings ($15) from Lilaberry; floral block heeled bootie by HISPANITAS ($240) from Waterlily Shoes, Bags and Accessories; orange and pink scarf by Hermes ($198), denim by Highline ($28), tobacco leather jacket by Jean Paul ($298) and gold ring ($18), all from House of Lily Koi.

Cobalt coat by Marc Cain ($830) and colbalt pants by Marc Cain ($310) from W&J Wilson; mustard top by St. James ($83) from Baden Baden; burgundy shoes

by Karston ($195) from Waterlily Shoes, Bags and Accessories; gold and amber bracelets ($28 each), chunky gold necklace ($28) and amber crystal earrings ($48), all from House of Lily Koi.

Makeup and hair: Jen Clark Model: Suzanne Whyte Photographed on location at Victoria Distillers. A huge thank you to the staff at Victoria Distillers for hosting our fashion team for the day.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 PEARL

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PEARL [ feature story]

SPIRIT OF THE WEST COAST Oceanside living at its very finest on the edge of the Saanich Inlet WORDS: SEAN MCINTYRE 20

PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

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he great room of 8244 West Saanich Road is a place that lends itself to lingering, says Murray Lawson.

Being the property’s listing agent and a close relative of the owners, he knows of what he speaks.

The home’s entryway grabs my attention as soon as I pass through the hefty, double-oversized main entry doors. As I enter, I’m greeted by vaulted ceilings crafted from locally sourced cedar and a hand-carved totem by Chief Tony Hunt.

A few steps lead around the carving and into the house’s main living space — a gathering area that’s modelled on a Coast Salish longhouse.

The room draws myool bar eye forward, straight through the expansive interior and beyond the opposing wall, which is graced by windows with southwestern views overlooking the Saanich Inlet and the forested hills of the Malahat.

Stairs leading to the floor below reveal glimpses of an indoor pool, surrounded by twin fountains and fibre optic lights.

The house is an excellent illustration of architecture that blends West Coast elements and luxurious accents — something that realtor Jerome Peacock says is a huge draw for out-of-province home buyers. He says this house is one of approximately a dozen homes on the Peninsula on the market for over $5 million. (In fact, a nearby waterfront property recently sold for upwards of $9 million, setting a record for the region based on statistics dating back to 1990.)

He’s seen some buyers from outside of British Columbia looking to buy with what sometimes turns out to be misguided priorities.

Sometimes they’re looking for dream homes that involve a prominent use of brick or stone, prevalence of columns and Victorian-era influences. But in this, they’re overlooking the merits of a West Coast style home.

Long a marketing buzzword for everything from cuisine to fashion, West Coast inspiration really took off in the real estate and construction world during the early 1990s, around the same time that 8244 West Saanich Road was constructed.

A West Coast home blends into its surroundings because it essentially relies on wood and stone found locally. The use of glass, be it as floor-toceiling windows or skylights, invites the surrounding landscape inside the home.

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In this case, the house is built in a linear style to maximize the view, and the two acres of gardens that surround it are meticulously landscaped to highlight the quintessentially West Coast elements of forest, sky and sea.

Lingering at this house is one thing, but trying to take in the unmatched scope of this luxury property is another matter altogether.

“Breathtaking” is an all-too-common cliche and often overused in the real estate world, but not in this case.

The property’s spec sheet reads like a extensive string of typos. The 8,900-square-foot house is situated on a total of 16 acres of waterfront forest. The house features five bedrooms and eight bathrooms, four of which are full en suites, including a his-and-her bathroom off the master bedroom. The main garage, accessed through a sheltered breezeway, has room for four vehicles and includes a self-contained 923-square-foot, one-bedroom accommodation for staff or guests. And yes, it too has ocean views. A second garage has over-height doors and ceilings for two larger vehicles and a wood-stove heated 200-squarefoot artist’s studio.

Numbers like these deserve exclamation marks.

A blend of scenic and functional, the property features 840-feet of water frontage, including a waterside studio, covered off-season boat storage, oceanfront patio, liftable access ramp, coveted foreshore lease and a private 50-foot dock.

Murray says the site is perfect for cooking up the seasonal spot prawn bounty of the inlet, paddling over to the property’s private cove for clamming, taking a dip in the ocean or embarking on a leisurely cruise to enjoy the nearby spectacle of fireworks at The Butchart Gardens.

Inside or out, this is oceanside living at its finest.

“Every room in the house has a view; you can’t go anywhere in the house without seeing the ocean,” Lawson says. “This is very much the open concept. It was very much ahead of its time when it was built.”

Beyond the house’s garden is the remaining 14 acres of forested acreage that feature impressive stands of towering firs and statement cedars, a rarity in this part of the Saanich Peninsula, where agriculture and industry date back to the early settlers.

Lawson says the owners once considered lopping off a five-acre parcel to enable construction of an additional home along the inlet. Decades

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later, the decision to preserve the property has translated into a sense of seclusion that’s hard to find in a part of the region that’s growing rapidly.

On my way out, I take a moment to soak in the home’s grandeur one

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

PEARL [ feature story]

WORDS: NESSA PULLMAN PORTRAIT PHOTO: DON DENTON

Photographer Dave Hutchison.

Portal to the wild The natural world of Dave Hutchison photography

I

t’s by following our curiosity that we find our true passions — by listening to that small, subtle voice inside, begging us to come a little closer. But not everyone hears that voice right away. And for Peninsula-based photographer Dave Hutchison, it took awhile to find the path to his passion.

But today, Dave has carved out a career niche with his love of photography, working for clients that range from BC Ferries to National Bank Financial, and producing images for over 20 calendars, books, thousands of art cards, tourism guides, magazines and more.

Recently, he’s had two images accepted into the PPOC National Images Salon (competition) and received his second PPOC Accreditation in Scenic/Pictoral Photography from PPOC. “I consider myself fortunate to have ventured into places that many others don’t visit,” he says on his website at davehutchison.ca.

“The Great Bear Rainforest … has called me back repeatedly with the lure of grizzly and Spirit bears.”

He has also photographed whales, wolves and birds, landscapes and seascapes from all over North America and, recently, Europe.

His images are breathtaking.

Growing up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Dave was drawn to the outdoors. Cycling, a cherished hobby, gave him the opportunity to be outside in nature — easily his favourite place to be. By 1993, Dave found himself on the West Coast of Canada in Vancouver, selling commercial exercise equipment to large corporations such as Telus, BC Hydro and Canada Post.

In 2002, Dave gravitated to the Saanich Peninsula in search of a quieter surrounding to call home. Still working for the company in Vancouver, Dave commuted from his home in Sidney to his workplace on the Lower Mainland every few days for two years.

“That back and forth lifestyle — it’s enough to burn anyone out.

You start to feel like you don’t really live anywhere. I needed to find an outlet to offset that,” explains Dave.

As the owner of four Whippet dogs at the time, he began photographing dog racing around BC. What started out as a simple pastime, soon catapulted into a career in which he never thought he’d find himself.

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“ “WHEN YOU’RE ALONE WITH WILDLIFE, YOU CAN ONLY BE FULLY THERE— NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. AND THAT’S WHERE THE REAL TEACHING COMES INTO PLACE ... IT TEACHES YOU TO STAY CALM, TO BREATHE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT MAGNIFIES ITSELF INTO ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE.” “It was just very peaceful, being out in the field, no one else around except me and the dogs. To me it was very therapeutic after a long work week.”

Soon after that, Dave went on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with his friend and fellow photographer Shane McDermott.

“I remember being completely wowed by the abundance of wildlife — bison, pronghorns, elk — everywhere I looked. It was that connection to photography that I hadn’t yet experienced. It was the bait that lured me in,” he recalls, the memory still so tangible.

“It was an image I had taken on my trip to Yellowstone that was my first framed and sold piece of art. It was then that I realized this could become much more than just a pastime.”

As he launched his career in nature and wildlife photography, his home in the Saanich Peninsula provided an “excellent training ground to experiment and practise with landscape photography,” he says. “The Peninsula has these amazing sunsets … from Deep Cove to Moses Point.”

Dave approaches photography as a form of communication.

“What I love most about nature and wildlife photography is that I can communicate to others what is out there to preserve — what we have to

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

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cherish and keep. People buy artwork because they can connect to it, whatever it may be,” he explains. “There are so many different genres to communicate — whether it’s painting, music, or dance — it’s all the same in the sense that we are trying to communicate. For some reason photography happened for me — whether it came to me or I came to it.”

What especially draws Dave to his work is the way in which immerses him in nature.

“It’s a whole different life when you are out there in the wild with another being; it teaches you how to be present in an instant,” he says, adding, “When you’re alone with wildlife, you can only be fully there — nothing else matters. And that’s where the real teaching comes into place … it teaches you to stay calm, to breathe, but at the same time it magnifies itself into all areas of your life. Photography is just a medium — a portal — to reveal how you’re going to be in this world.”

Dave began conducting one-on-one photography workshops eight years ago.

“When I work with my students I don’t call it ‘photography,’ I call it ‘image making.’ I teach them how to create images, not to take snap shots — they already know how to do that.”

He soon expanded the personal sessions, and within a few years, he was hosting group workshops and photo tours around BC. “For me, it’s about meeting the students where they’re at, not to be above or below them. We are all creative beings, it just sometimes takes something to bring it out in us. For me, it was much later in life.”

As I sit down with Dave on a late summer’s evening, I can feel his excitement as he tells me his plans for his upcoming international workshops in Italy, Colorado and the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in Northern BC. Dave’s outlook on his craft may seem ordinary to some—but it’s his outlook on our role as creative beings and communicators of our earth, that seems imaginably exceptional. P

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WALK with …

BRENDA TAYLOR WO R DS : S U SA N LU N DY

Brenda Taylor and Susan Lundy PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 28

PHOTOGRAPHY: LIA CROWE

Claim to fame on the Peninsula: Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champion Rower and Race Director for the World Rowing Coastal Championship

N

ice to meet you, Brenda. Where were you born, where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Nanaimo on Departure Bay.

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You’re known as an Olympic Gold Medalist in rowing: what drew you to the sport?

I love being outside and on the water; I love hard physical work and I love the fluidity and swing of a boat that is moving really well and the feeling it gives you of flying over the water.

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How did you get to the Peninsula?

I moved here after attending the University of British Columbia to train at Elk Lake full time. I wanted to be back on Vancouver Island and live somewhere rural and near the sea. I missed the arbutus trees. My boyfriend (now my husband) is a wooden boatbuilder who worked in Sidney. We bought a boat and lived on it for a few years and then bought a house on the Peninsula.

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What were the other highlights of your rowing career?

From a performance point of view: our first gold medal (in the 4-) at the World Championships in 1991; and being inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame — more for the chance it gave the five of us to get together and tell stories after 25 years. I love the rowing community and the people I’ve met and worked with — both when I was racing and through my work at Victoria City Rowing Club.

Recently, you were involved in organizing the World Rowing Coastal Championship, which ran in Sidney on October 11-14. Why was this event good for rowers, Canada and the Peninsula?

We wanted to introduce coastal rowers to the West Coast and the Salish Sea as an beautiful place to race and tour; and we wanted to introduce local and Canadian rowers to a new discipline — to the fun of using a rowing shell to explore the coast, staying fit and racing in a different way. We hope this event will be a catalyst for the growth of coastal rowing in BC and Canada, with the Peninsula recognized as a fantastic place to play on the water.

What were some of the challenges you had to overcome in organizing it?

The biggest challenge by far was the tight timeline. The idea of hosting the WRCCs was put to us in October 2017, after the city that

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was expected to bid pulled out. We weren’t even thinking about it a year ago. The first bid was due in November and the final bid in January. We didn’t hear until end of January that we were successful and while we have hosted flat-water regattas before, we have never hosted a coastal regatta or a FISA-level regatta.

Both bring a whole other level of complexity and challenges.

Almost everything was new. We joked that we were going to get T-shirts made up that say: “Bear with us — we are figuring it out as we go!”

Funding was the other big challenge. There were no entry fees, so the event was funded almost completely through grants and sponsorship. With the tight timeline, it was challenging to get the financial support. Local businesses were amazing in providing value in kind, but in many cases their budgets for sponsoring community events was already allocated for this year.

In Remembrance

You are also the manager at Victoria City Rowing Club.

What is the goal of the VCRC?

Via Choralis

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A concert of choral music to both honour our veterans and to promote peace and reconciliation amongst peoples and nations.

Sunday, November 11th | 2:30 p.m.

To foster a love of rowing, to give people of all ages and skill levels the opportunity and support to strive for their goals, and to provide really excellent rowing experiences for people at all ages and levels.

Who is your hero/who do you admire? And why?

Handel’s Messiah

Via Choralis combines with 45-member Soooke Philharmonic Chorus, Sooke Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and four soloists, all under the baton of Nicholas Fairbank in this full performance of Handel’s masterpiece.

Sunday, December 16th | 2:30 p.m.

Hmm. No particular person. There are different things about lots of different people I that admire. Mostly I admire people who are generous with their time, who try hard, who do their best with what they’ve been given. Our 4- squad from 1991-1992 had T-shirts that said, “The alchemy of effort.” That sums it up for me, as well as the line from Leonard Cohen: “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” I admire imperfections.

It is the imperfections that make things interesting, and what people do with or despite their imperfections.

Eat, Drink and Be Musical

What brings you joy?

Sunday, February 24th | 2:30 p.m.

Anything else you’d like us to know?

Via Choralis will tantalize your taste buds with choral selections about drinking and eating, while local producers of food and wine provide tasty accompaniments to the music.

A beautiful morning out on the water, with my rowing buddies, cranking out some hard pieces, with the boat flying under us, and going on adventures in the wilderness with my family.

The people and businesses on the Peninsula provided amazing support for the rowing event. Thank you all. Buy a boat — try coastal rowing! (Contact VCRC.) P

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So much wonderful choral music comes from Britain-from folksongs and sea shanties to classical and contemporary works.

Via Choralis combines with guest instrumentalists, dancers and Collaborative Pianist Sandra Fletcher to bring you toe-tapping airs and beautiful melodies from 5 centuries.

Sunday, May 5th | 2:30 p.m.

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PEARL INSIDER [ history]

Andrea Pickard enjoys the view of historic St. Stephen’s Anglican Church.

A TOAST TO THE PAST ON THE CROSSROAD OF CENTRAL SAANICH HISTORY W O R D S : H A N S TA M M E M A G I PHOTOGRAPHY: DON DENTON

M

any say the soul of a community is its church, but the beating pulse is the local tavern. This certainly seemed true for the Prairie Inn— prominently located on the intersection of Mount Newton Cross Road and East Saanich Road in Saanichton—for though I visited midweek, business was brisk.

Andrea Pickard, a friend interested in local history, and I were sit-

ting at the well-worn bar, studying a pamphlet that described a Heritage Walk along Mount Newton Cross Road. Keen to learn about Central Saanich’s past, we were at the tour’s first designated stop.

There was one catch: the brochure was more than three decades old.

Was it still current? What would we find?

We chatted with the barkeeper, who explained that the pub was built in 1859 for Henry Simpson, an early pioneer in the area.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 PEARL

31

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

Called the Tavern, it was one of the first pubs in the province. The Tavern burned down in 1893 and was rebuilt as the Prairie Inn. Pouring us an ale, the bartender listed the inn’s many historic achievements.

“If you don’t count the brief stoppage while it was rebuilt, this is the oldest continuously operating pub in British Columbia.”

“Furthermore,” he continued proudly, “we started brewing beer — the bestseller was Olde Tavern Ale — in 1985, as [one of the] first brewpubs on Vancouver Island.”

Sadly, the brewery part of the operation was discontinued more than 25 years ago. But later, we learned that in 1974 the Prairie Inn received the province’s first official designation as a “neighbourhood pub.” We sipped our ale in reverence, happy to be in such historic surroundings.

As we started westward along Mount Newton Cross Road, we read from our notes that Henry Simpson, the original owner of the Prairie Inn, was one of the first pioneers in this area. He ran a large farm and was a prime initiator of the annual Saanich Fair, even donating five acres of land to get it started. As we were to learn later, he was a flamboyant gent, who dabbled in many exciting businesses.

After a few hundred metres, we were immersed in rich farming land; the agricultural character of the landscape was clearly evident.

Glancing at our literature as we strolled, we learned that the original inhabitants of this area were the Saanich First Nations, who lived off the bounty of the land and sea. They considered Mount Newton, which rises on the north side of the road, as a sacred mountain.

The earliest settlers were of British background and were (or became) farmers, drawn by the fertile soil and availability of land. As we meandered by, we gazed at one of the first, still-standing homes in the district, the Lidgate cabin, built in 1858.

In 1864, the early pioneer homes here led to the creation of Mount Newton Cross Road, the very road we were striding along, connecting East and West Saanich roads.

Heading west, we entered the Rose Farm property, which was established circa 1890. Now the thriving Mount Newton Seed Orchard, nothing remains of the original buildings except a stone creamery and barn, built of massive hand-hewn timbers in 1907. Bags of evergreen cones formed neat piles against the barn.

Proceeding, we discovered that two of the heritage houses marked on the brochure were no longer in existence. Several other properties were

HENRY SIMPSON …WAS A FLAMBOYANT GENT, WHO DABBLED IN MANY EXCITING BUSINESSES. private and we could only catch glimpses of old homes through bushes from the roadside.

Bannockburn, built by William Thomson, is the oldest surviving house on the crossroad. Private and well set back, it was not easily visible. However, a large brown sign announced, “Bannockburn/1189 Mt. Newton X Rd./Est. 1855.”

We entered the quiet, serene grounds of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church and Cemetery through an elegant white picket fence. St. Stephen’s was founded in 1862 after William Thomson gifted five acres for the building of a church and school. Consecrated in 1868, it is the oldest church in the province, used continuously since built and on its original site. Now a heritage site, the simple white wooden building with a bell tower above the entrance porch is gracefully surrounded by oak trees and tombstones.

Inside, Andrea and I sat on a pew in the sombre duskiness and admired a large, stained-glass window at the front. The deep, rich wood forming the walls and ceiling consists of California redwood, rather than the local Douglas fir. I bowed my head and thought of the many, many generations who have worshipped here.

We completed the tour at Mount Newton Cottage, circa 1893, on the corner of West Saanich Road, and then returned to the Prairie Inn. In the late 1890s, the Victoria-Sidney railway, the wood-burning train dubbed the Cordwood by locals, ran right in front of the inn. Imagining we were thirsty, disembarking passengers, we re-entered the building.

Between servings, the bartender continued his description of Henry Simpson, who not only tended a 300-acre farm and ran the Prairie Inn, but also operated a post office and was a contractor. Simpson’s most unusual business, however, was renting horses for the trip to Victoria. If the rider was not returning to Saanichton, he had to take the horse to a livery, buy it a meal and water, and then turn it loose. According to legend, the horse always came home by itself!

Andrea and I raised our gasses and toasted Central Saanich’s long and colourful history. P

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FOOTLOOSE

TRAVEL LOG

HAPPY HOURS Palm Springs is A Snowbird Paradise WO R D S : H A N S TA M M E M AG I P H O T O S : C O U R T E S Y PA L M S P R I N G T O U R I S M

IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, SINATRA WOULD RAISE A FLAG AT HIS HOME, A SIGNAL THAT IT WAS TIME FOR DRINKS . . . SOON, A MERRY PARTY WOULD BE IN FULL FLIGHT. SINATRA’S CUSTOM LIKELY LED TO “HAPPY HOUR,” NOW A WELL-ESTABLISHED TRADITION.

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

A

lthough it sits the middle of a sand-blown desert, Palm Springs, with its endless procession of dry, hot, sunny days, is irresistible to Canadians.

“Enough of this long, dreary winter,” my wife, Ally, and I decided, and headed south.

From the airplane we could see Palm Springs nestled in the Coachella Valley, surrounded by light brown, desiccated mountains and a desert terrain starkly different to anything in Canada.

The greater city of nine connected, unique communities stretches northwest-southeast across 30 miles: Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella.

Palm Springs first gained prominence in the 1950s when movie stars, including Frank Sinatra, settled here so they would be within driving distance of Hollywood studios — often a requirement of their contracts. In the late afternoon, Sinatra would raise a flag at his home, a signal that it was time for drinks.

His friends would arrive and soon a merry party would be in full flight. Sinatra’s custom likely led to “Happy Hour,” now a wellestablished tradition.

We settled in at our hotel, and immediately discovered how much we loved lounging by the pool, slathered in sun block, roasting under a cloudless, azure sky. When we wandered out, everything was modern, clean, high-end and relaxed. Sprawling malls were everywhere and we couldn’t resist visiting El Paseo, known as the Rodeo Drive of the Desert, which features top-end stores such as Gucci, Prada and Rolex. I glanced covetously at the Bentleys and Mercedes regally parked along the curb.

Golf courses abound (there are a total of 124!). It took a while, however, to get accustomed to the golf carts roaming the streets.

In the evenings, we struggled to choose from more than 600 restaurants, ranging from food trucks to trendy bistros and luxury locales. Happy Hours — with real deals! — are a mainstay of the area. Two of the best, we discovered, are at Guillermo’s (Mexican) Restaurante in Palm Desert and The Falls in Palm Springs. As a bonus, California, of course, produces superb wine.

Ally and I set out to explore. We were impressed by our first stop, the Sunnylands Center & Gardens. Internationally renowned philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg bequeathed this estate to be used as a a place that focusses on issues of world importance. For more than four decades, US presidents, royalty, leaders of government and others have mingled at the 25,000-square-foot residence situated next to a nine-hole golf course.

Part of the complex includes a garden and visitors’ centre. The latter

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Indian Wells Golf Resort — one of many in Palm Springs. is an architectural masterpiece filled with art. Reflecting pools lead to gardens featuring desert flora. Birds chirped and butterflies fluttered among the beds of agaves, desert milkweed, barrel cactus, yucca and palo verde trees. Signs warned of rattlesnakes but, happily, we didn’t encounter any.

We also loved the Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Gardens. While I enjoyed a model train set with locomotives pulling long rows of rail cars, Ally toured the remainder of the 1,200-acre site, which contains some of the world’s rarest desert animals and plants. She particularly enjoyed feeding the long-tongued giraffes.

We received unique insight into local history at the Hard Rock Hotel.

On a (free) tour of the rock-and-roll memorabilia, we saw Sammy Davis Jr.’s day-and-night funky suit, a wool jacket worn by Frank Sinatra and a leather biker jacket owned by Elvis Presley.

Museums and art galleries abound. At the Palm Springs Air Museum, I was overwhelmed by the number of airplanes (45). We saw fighter jets, helicopters, cargo planes and biplanes from yesteryear. I clambered aboard a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar and pretended to be the pilot — although I was bewildered by a maze of dials and gauges. I even tried a flight simulator. Okay, I crashed a few times, but it was exciting.

Although the Palm Springs area is modern and bright, every now and again there is a reminder that you are in a desert. In the occasional undeveloped area, I was surprised to see snow fences holding back drifting sand. And we were told that snow plows clear sand from roads after windy days. Ah, it brought memories of the Canadian winter we had left behind.

Progress along Main Street at Old Town La Quinta was difficult as I kept stopping to photograph the attractive Spanish-style buildings that capture the spirit and architecture of Old California. The area was bustling and full of chic boutiques and delicious dining, much of it al fresco.

One day we drove through San Gorgonio Pass, the northern entrance to the Coachella Valley and a place of mighty winds. Desert sands drifted across the highway and more than 2,500 giant wind turbines could be seen everywhere.

Some days we would take day trips into the surrounding area. We discovered that the nearby hills proliferate with good hikes, and high vantage points offer sweeping views of the entire valley including a trace of the feared San Andreas Fault.

We loved Joshua Tree National Park with its rolling desert landscape of precariously piled reddish granite boulders and distinct, isolated Joshua trees.

Palm Springs was paradise, marred by only one difficulty: the daily choice of where to enjoy Happy Hour. P

2018

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

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Seen here, clockwise, are: Gigi, a 3 year old Shih Tzu; Stella, a 2-year-old Pyrenean Shepherd; Lucy, a 13-year-old Husky cross; Jasper, a 3-year-old Doodle mix; and Jelly, a 2-year-old Lab.

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In your time of need we keep it Simple OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 PEARL

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Award-winning, consistent quality home support customized to fit your every need. Servicing the entire Saanich Peninsula, Victoria and now the Gulf Islands.

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John Carswell and Alice Bacon and their son Will are the proprietors of Brentwood Bay Village Empourium. They are delighted to operate in their own neighbourhood to share their love of food, coffee and community.

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SAGER’S HOME LIVING

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Owner, Chris Stephen invites you into her welcoming and fragrant boutique. A pretty plethora of unique finds that are a pleasure to give and to receive. Come and indulge all your senses!

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FOUR QUARTER MEATS

Geoff Pinch, owner/operator of Four Quarters Meats, was raised on a farm in Victoria eating braised rabbit, lamb sausage, fresh goat cheese, and organic vegetables. In Oct/13, he opened Four Quarters Meats. His new business market is geared towards restaurants, catering companies, specialty meat shops and individuals.

See ad on page 12.

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PEARL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

For the way you live

1802 Government 250-386-3841 1802 GovernmentStreet Street 250-386-3841 Monday-Saturday SundayNOON NOON Monday-Saturday9:30-5:30 9:30-5:30 Sunday to 5to 5

sagers.ca www.sagers.ca

DEEP COVE MARKET

Rosemary Scott, owner of the Deep Cove Market brings her passion for food and shopping to a unique little destination in the country.

See ad on page 27.

BEACON LANDING LIQUOR & MORE

Sidney’s boutique style liquor store offering rare finds of Wine, Scotch & Spirits.

See ad on page 13.

SKYVIEW INDUSTRIES

Proudly serving Greater Victoria and the Gulf Islands for over 30 years. Spa sales, supplies & full service.

Buy Canadian, and get the best, for less!

See ad on page 15.

MARY WINSPEAR CENTRE

ELIZABETH MAY

W&J WILSON

W&J Wilson the oldest family owned clothing store in Canada est. 1862! Now run by the sixth generation Scott Thompson.

See ad on page 16.

5000 square feet filled with horse equipment, pet supplies, fabulous apparel and footwear. Beautiful new pet-grooming salon to take care of all your four-legged family members!

See ad on page 33.

FIRST & LAST CHANCE CHRISTMAS

A TOUCH OF SALTSPRINg

ARTSEA ArtSea Community Arts Council supports all the ways you may experience arts and culture in our community every day. Our mandate is to help you participate in all forms of art. Please visit the ArtSea Community Arts Office and ArtSea Gallery at 9565 Fifth Street in Tulista Park in Sidney.

See ad on page 32.

Since 1997 Fima has helped clients with all their optical needs in both our Victoria and Sidney locations.

See ad on page 33.

gREENHAWK EQUESTRIAN SPORT

The Mary Winspear Centre is the only state-ofthe-art event, conference and theatre facility located at the gateway to Vancouver Island.

See ad on page 39.

Jantina Froese is the proprietor of JLee Creations.

Jantina loves that she is able to support local west coast artists & artisans through First & Last Chance Christmas Craft Shows held yearly at the Mary Winspear Centre.

See ad on page 29.

EYELAND OPTICAL

Elizabeth May is the Member of Parliament for Saanich – Gulf Islands. She was first elected in 2011, and re-elected in 2015. She is also an environmentalist, writer, activist, lawyer, and leader of the Green Party of Canada.

See ad on page 30.

Originating on Saltspring Island in 1991, Touch of Salt Spring Craft & Art Show, offers over 230 crafters and artisans work. If you are looking for unique and thoughtful gifts for the holiday season, make a point to come see the show.

See ad on page 36.

RUSSELL NURSERY

LANDMARK DENTAL

VIA CHORALIS

Russell Nursery has been providing great plants and good advice to local gardeners for almost 25 years. We love plants and it shows!

See ad on page 29.

Is a mixed-voice auditioned community choir. We perform an eclectic repertoire and include Canadian works in all our concerts. Our season usually comprises three programs, one of which includes a major work with orchestra.

See ad on page 30.

Dr. Donald Neal has been practicing in Sidney for over 25 years and together with his son, Dr. Trevor Neal, they provide personalized dental care at the Landmark Dental Centre.

See ad on page 11.

Embrace the Music

!

Speaker Series BONUS SPEAKER! The Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell rose to fame as Canada’s first female prime minister and one of the world’s youngest leaders of a nation. Following her tenure as the nation’s leader, she traveled internationally to represent Canada and strengthen democracy and women’s leadership around the world. From her service as an international ‘leader of leaders’ to an educator of tomorrow’s change makers, Ms. Campbell brings a unique perspective on leadership, diversity, current events, politics and international relations.

Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell Tuesday, November 13

Gender & Power Ms. Campbell has spent much of her life breaking barriers for women. Through her political career serving at all three levels of Canadian government, Kim knows what it’s like to make it in a man’s world, and is widely regarded as one of the foremost thinkers and speakers on gender issues.

2243 Beacon Avenue, Sidney

250-656-0275 www.marywinspear.ca OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 PEARL

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Enjoy gReAt sAViNgs and help us FUNDRAise!

Our Biggest AnniversAry sAle eVeR! visit our website or our store for full details

• • • • • 9 8 1 9 F i F t h S t r e e t, S i d n e y

High End Quality Furniture Huge Selection Above & Beyond Customer Service Deliveries – on your schedule Access to thousands of items

250.655.ShOP (7467)

onestopfurniture.ca