Special Features - The Connector - Nov/Dec 2018

Connector ONBOARD MAGAZINE FOR THE WILSON’S GROUP

The Fun Is In The Getting There!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

IN THE

Gastown

groove THEN AND NOW IN AN ICONIC VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOOD

A FESTIVAL OF TREES FUNDRAISING FOR BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

HOT ON THE DUMPLING TRAIL

DINE OUT ON DUMPLINGS IN RICHMOND

FIVE ON THE DRIVE MUST-DO EVENTS IN VICTORIA & VANCOUVER

330 Quebec Street, Victoria, BC | huntingdonmanor.com To book, please contact us at 1-800-663-7557 or reservations@huntingdonmanor.com

Butchart Gardens PACKAGE INCLUDES: One night’s accommodation in the Huntingdon Manor Hotel Breakfast for two Complimentary parking Two vouchers for entrance to the Butchart Gardens From $240.00 (Taxes not included) Valid from May 1 – December 31, 2018

Experience Egypt at the Royal British Columbia Museum PACKAGE INCLUDES: One night’s accommodation in the Huntingdon Manor Hotel Breakfast for two Complimentary parking Two Vouchers for entrance to the Egypt Exhibition From $205.00 (Taxes not included) Valid from May 18 – December 31, 2018

Pets are People too PACKAGE INCLUDES: One night’s accommodation in the Huntingdon Manor Hotel Breakfast for two Complimentary parking A gift for Fluffy or Fido From $195.00 (Taxes not included) Valid from May 1 – December 31, 2018

2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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Contents NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

5 President’s Message 6 Victoria Architecture 8 In the Gastown Groove 11 Hot on the Dumpling Trail 12 Ask the Concierge 14 Five on the Drive 20 Hit the Road 22 Festival of Trees

6

8

ON OUR COVER

Gastown’s steam powered clock.

Photo by Nelson Mouellic / Tourism Vancouver

12 PUBLISHER Mario Gedicke 250.480.3204 250.891.5627 mario.gedicke@blackpress.ca EDITOR Susan Lundy lundys@shaw.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan

ADVERTISING Ruby Della Siega 250.480.3222

PRODUCTION Janice Marshall Michelle Gjerde

Patty Doering 250.480.3242 Annemarie Rindt 250.480.3244 Vicki Clark 250.588.2424

PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton Sierra Lundy

WRITERS Sierra Lundy Lauren Kramer Sean McIntyre Hans Tammemagi

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14

20

CONNECTOR magazine is published six times a year by Black Press and is distributed by The Wilson’s Group. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or The Wilson’s Group.

The contents of Connector magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

818 Broughton Street Victoria, BC Canada V8W 1E4 www.blackpress.ca

www.gowilsonsgroup.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 3

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welcome tO THE holiday season!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

’T

is the season to be holly, jolly and travel! Whether it’s people visiting family and friends, doing a little shopping, or checking out some of the festivities, the holiday season brings a certain hustle and bustle to the streets.

One of our family’s favourite holiday traditions is to bundle up and go for a stroll through The Butchart Gardens to see all the beautiful lights on display. Or, if you’re heading to Vancouver, there is also a wonderful lights display at the Bright Nights at Stanley Park; it’s perfect for the whole family.

Looking for something to get you into the holiday spirit this year? Make sure you check out our “Five on the Drive” feature, starting on page 14. Here you will

find fun activities and events that are taking place in both Victoria and Vancouver over the next few months.

Starting this month, the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees will be on display. This is an event that can be found in both Victoria and Vancouver during the holiday season, as well as many other locations across the province.

This is a fantastic event that The Wilson’s Group has been involved in over the past few years. We are thrilled to have the festival featured in this issue. Turn to page 22 to find out more information about the Festival of Trees and all the great things it’s doing for BC Children’s Hospital.

Planning a trip this winter?

Whether you’re flying some place tropical to get away from the winter cold, or going to visit family and friends, let our BC Ferries Connector help get you there! If you are a traveller from Victoria looking to get to Vancouver International Airport, make sure you check out our schedule for departures to/from YVR every day.

Finally, as we see the end of 2018 drawing near, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone — our customers, staff, community partners, family and friends — for all their support and for another great year.

Wherever this time of year takes you, I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season!

John Wilson President

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 5

VICTORIA

BY HANS TAMMEMAGI

DAY-TRIPPING: TOURING VICTORIA'S HISTORICAL STRUCTURES

the grande dames of architecture Craigdarroch Castle lit up at night.

PHOTO BY DOUG CLEMENT/TOURISM VICTORIA

E

legant Victorian and Edwardianera mansions, stately hotels and impressive heritage sites abound in Victoria, reminders that this is the oldest city in Western Canada (founded 1843) with a rich colonial past.

To the wail of a busker’s bagpipes you can visit two architectural masterpieces on the popular Inner Harbour: the Parliament Buildings (1898) and the Fairmont Empress Hotel (1908), both designed by Francis Rattenbury.

The Parliament Buildings are located on Belleville Street facing the Inner Harbour.

With a grand, 150-metre-long facade, 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

central dome and two end pavilions, the building is an impressive Romanesquestyle monument. Atop the central dome a gold-gilded Captain George Vancouver gazes onto the harbour. The Parliament Buildings are particularly attractive at night when it is outlined by thousands of lights.

The Fairmont Empress, at the head of the Inner Harbour, is an imposing National Historic Site that has attracted kings, queens and celebrities since it opened in 1908. The Edwardian, châteaustyle hotel was designed by Rattenbury for Canadian Pacific Railway. The Empress

is built on an asymmetrical plan including stone and brick cladding, steeply pitched copper roofs, ornate gables and dormers and turrets. The hotel is known for elaborate décor, comfortable elegance and its classic Victorian afternoon tea service.

The notorious Rattenbury (1867-1935) was born in England and moved to BC in 1892. As a new immigrant, he entered the competition for a legislative building, signing his drawings with the pseudonym “A B.C. Architect.” Surprisingly, he won.

Rattenbury’s success led to commissions for the Empress, the CPR Steamship Terminal (located across the street from the CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

Legislature) and many other buildings in Western Canada. Then he fell out of favour.

Divorced amid scandal, he moved back to England and was murdered, purportedly by his second wife’s lover. The sensational story of sex, drugs and betrayal has inspired several books and plays.

Many other notable historic buildings lie within walking distance of the Inner Harbour.

The soaring Christ Church Cathedral at 911 Quadra Street took almost a century to complete. The first version, built in 1856, burned down in 1869. The second church was too small almost immediately for the growing congregation. In 1893, architect J.C.M. Keith won the competition for the third and present cathedral, which has a design in the 13th century European Gothic-style of concrete and stone with transepts and a great central lantern tower.

Due to financial constraints, building was delayed and a partial new cathedral, faced with rusticated stone, did not open until 1929. The Depression and Second World War delayed matters further. The western towers were completed in the 1950s. Ten peal bells were dedicated in 1983 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The roof is copper cladding, and two 135-foot stone towers bracket the west front. A huge central arch frames a dramatic rose window. Enormous buttresses stretch almost the full height of the towers, and the nave is one of the largest in Canada.

Nearby, on the corner of Fort and Langley streets, sits the Temple Building (1893), an elegant two-storey, Victorianera commercial building. This landmark is distinct for its brick walls, rusticated sandstone base and rounded entry arch with relief ornament in terra cotta. A prominent plaque beneath the cornice reads “Temple Building.”

This significant building was designed

by Samuel Maclure, who, with Rattenbury, was a dominant architect at this time, having over 450 commissions in BC. In Victoria, notable achievements include Hatley Castle, Government House (destroyed by fire and later rebuilt) and Rosemeade Manor (1906), now the English Inn. In the late 1800s, Chinatown, one of Victoria's most popular attractions, held the largest Chinese community in Canada. The Gate of Harmonious Interest leads into this National Heritage Site, which includes Fan Tan CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

Statues on the Parliament Buildings.

PHOTO COURTESY TOURISM VICTORIA

Alley — Canada's narrowest street (which once burgeoned with opium dens and gamblers). More historical Chinese buildings reside here than

THE CHIMNEYS AND STEEPLES SOARING SKYWARD ARE REMINDERS THAT OLD BUILDINGS DO MORE THAN MAKE HISTORY COME ALIVE: THEY ARE UPLIFTING AND INSPIRATIONAL. in any other North American city. A beautiful example is the Chinese Public School (1909) at 636 Fisgard Street with its pagoda-like roof, temple filial, tiled eaves and Chinese characters.

Short car rides from downtown lead to several more historic architectural gems.

Hatley Castle, also a National Historic Site, located in Victoria’s West Shore community, was completed in 1908 for the wealthy BC Lieutenant Governor James Dunsmuir and his family. Dunsmuir told architect Samuel Maclure, “Money doesn’t matter, just build what I want.”

A 40-room mansion in a Tudor Revival style, its impressive exterior is matched only by the lavishness of the interior: oak

and rosewood panelled rooms, baronial fireplace and teak floors. The large building has a crenellated turret and a 650acre estate, including hundreds of heritage trees and formal Italian, rose and Japanese gardens. The property has been featured in many films and shows.

The federal government purchased Hatley Castle in 1940 (the Dunsmuirs had passed away) as a home for King George VI and family during the war. The Royal Family, however, never came.

Craigdarroch Castle, also a National Historic Site, is in the Rockland neighbourhood, near downtown Victoria.

Constructed in the late 1800s as a family mansion for the wealthy coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, it has 39 rooms. The fourstorey, Romanesque Revival Style mansion has been meticulously restored, and the lavish furnishings with stained glass and intricate woodwork give insight into privileged life in the 1890s. The tower provides grand views of Victoria.

The chimneys and steeples soaring skyward are reminders that old buildings do more than make history come alive: they are uplifting and inspirational.

If You Go Tours are offered for all the properties described above. Check their websites.

Other fascinating historical properties to visit: • Point Ellice House, pointellicehouse.com • Emily Carr House, emilycarr.com • St. Ann's Academy, stannsacademy.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 7

VANCOUVER

BY LAUREN KRAMER

DAY-TRIPPING:

GASTOWN NOW AND THEN

This neighbourhood has witnessed many milestones in Vancouver's history and continues to grow and change with each passing year.

Hotel Europe Intersection in Gastown.

PHOTO BY CLAYTON PERRY / TOURISM VANCOUVER

Where past and present converge

In the Gastown Groove

BY LAUREN KRAMER

T

he neighbourhood of Gastown is the beating heart of Vancouver —the place where the city began and now a vicinity tightly knit with top-class restaurants, boutiques and interesting corners and alleyways.

Many visitors are satisfied with a photograph of Gastown’s famous steam clock, which expels steam every 15 8 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

minutes. But to really understand this fascinating corner of Vancouver, consider a walking tour.

We joined costumed tour guide Rowan Jang one evening for the Lost Souls of Gastown tour. Dark was descending over the city as we embarked, and Jang, a convincing actor, immediately slipped into the role of a fictional character to relay what life was like in Gastown in the late 1800s.

Back then, Cordova and Dunsmuir streets were the centre points of town, and they were often filled with inebriated loggers and sawmill workers.

“The average man drank 82 bottles of whisky a year, because whisky was considered safer than the well water,” he explained. “To give you some idea what life was like here in 1886, there was a brothel well before there was a school.”

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Everything changed on June 13, 1886, when the lively neighbourhood burned to a crisp. A fire whipped through Gastown’s wooden buildings in 20 minutes, causing immediate destruction and giving residents just minutes to make life or death decisions. Those that survived fled two miles east to Burrard Inlet and dived into the choppy water.

But Vancouver rose from the ashes of the Great Fire, and within days new buildings were erected and new homes built around them. The city ensured all the new buildings in Gastown were made of brick and those same red bricks adorn the gentrified warehouses, cafes and specialty stores today. As we walk, Jang extracts images of the streets of Gastown from days gone by and we marvel at the contrast.

The tour is peppered with interesting anecdotes.

We learn about Birdie Stewart, the owner of a popular Gastown bawdy house in the 1880s, whose sex workers paid hefty weekly taxes to the city.

Those taxes were used to fund Vancouver’s first firetruck, which ironically arrived in the city two weeks after the Great Fire.

Jang also describes the effects of the 1893 smallpox epidemic, which swept mercilessly through the city. Those infected with the disease were quarantined at Deadman’s Island off Stanley Park, today a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve unit.

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We end the tour gazing up at the statue of John Dayton or “Gassy Jack.” He was the British expat responsible for starting the first bar in the area in the days before Gastown even existed, and the area was known as the Granville Townsite.

The next day we ’re back in Gastown for a signature Canadian experience: a gastronomic tour of the neighbourhood with Vancouver Foodie Tours. Our guide, Miguel Alzugaray, escorts us on a four-course meal with drink pairings in four local restaurants, each one remarkable for its cuisine and architectural design.

“Gastown was voted the number one neighbourhood for restaurants,” he tells us as we walk to Nicli Antica Pizzeria for authentic Neopolitan-style pizza.

The pizzeria is registered with an Italian association that ensures its members create true, traditionally-made Neopolitan pizza. This means the pizza dough is hand-formed, comprised of all natural ingredients (including tomatoes all the way from Italy!) and then baked in a wood-fired oven. We lovingly dig into a margarita pizza and the Pesto BBT, a

bacon, basil pesto and tomato pizza. Simple in their toppings, the pizzas here are soulfood: nourishing, flavourful and deeply memorable.

At Tuc Craft Kitchen, Alzugaray points to the décor: a bar constructed from old warehouse wood and massive decorative chains derived from a train.

I sip on a coconut mocktail, then taste chardonnay with grapes grown in the Okanagan Bench and munch on parsnip fries served with lime coriander ketchup, thinking, “It doesn’t get much better than this.”

I’m wrong, though. At Meat + Bread, one of Vancouver’s most sought-after sandwich shops, we’re served crunchy, slow-roasted pork “porghetta” sandwiches with salsa verde, lunch confections that redefine my understanding of what a humble sandwich can be. And at Wildebeest, our bowls are delivered with crème brulée featuring honey from East Vancouver beehives.

The restaurants, packed close together, offer a glimpse of their chefs’ devotion to unique dishes derived from locally sourced ingredients. And each one is a hole-in-

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We end the tour in the Woodward’s Atrium, a plaza where the old Woodward’s Department Store, an historic Gastown icon, operated until its closure in 1993. Located on the brink of the Downtown East Side, the lightfilled plaza features a basketball hoop, a piano that the public can play and art installations representing Gastown’s distinct history – good and bad.

This neighbourhood has witnessed many milestones in Vancouver’s history and continues to grow and change with each passing year. It’s a rich, fascinating place to explore.

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An Asian Culinary Concerto

Hot on the Dumpling Trail

PHOTO COURTESY TOURISM RICHMOND

BY LAUREN KRAMER

I

f you’re a foodie at heart, you’ll want to arrive hungry in Richmond, BC — home to some of the world’s best Asian cuisine. Chances are you’ve whizzed past it many a time en route to Vancouver, never stopping to consider that 74 per cent of the population is Asian, and 50 per cent of them from China.

The influx of Asian immigrants over the past 20 years has transformed Richmond into a hot spot for North America’s top Asian chefs. And the best way to taste their talents is to venture out on the Dumpling Trail.

There are 20 stops on the trail, all of them closely located around central Richmond, so it’s best to select a handful and work through them slowly, savouring the unique assortment. Along the way, you’ll learn the difference between gyoza and mandu, wu gok and wontons, four of the 12 varieties available on the trail. Some are fried, others boiled, but each carries, in addition to its particular filling, the scent of a faraway place, a culture transported across the ocean and lovingly followed through its culinary traditions.

We began our journey at the familyowned vegetarian, Taiwanese-style eatery 4 Stone, starting with gyoza and steamed dumplings. Filled with vegetarian meat, cabbage and bok choy, these little pockets of pleasure represent Asian comfort food.

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Tasty, hot and deeply satisfying, they easily whet the appetite for more.

Our second stop was at Pepper Lunch, a Japanese chain whose only two North American locations are in Richmond.

Within minutes of ordering, our beef and chicken gyoza arrived teppanyaki-style on a sizzling iron griddle, the dumplings still cooking right in front of us. We turned them carefully to brown them on both sides before demolishing them in a few quick bites. That’s the thing about dumplings: they are so easily consumable. No dipping or spicing necessary, these crispy pan-fried delicacies are irresistible, filling the belly with warmth.

We have two more trail stops for the day, and one of them is at Jade Seafood Restaurant, a 250-seat Cantonese eatery whose tables are bustling with Asian diners enjoying dim sum. We sip our jasmine tea as we wait for our order of steamed mushroom dumplings. There’s no warm and fuzzy atmosphere at Jade, where service is curt and the ambience is businesslike. That’s typical Cantonese-style, a stark contrast to the Shanghainese restaurant we visit next, Suhang, where the owner is friendly, welcoming and effusive.

Suhang restaurant, named for two cities in the Shanghai region, has a glass wall behind which a female chef carefully rolls her dumplings. When a plateful of Xiao Long Bao, steamed dumplings filled with vegetables and Chinese mushrooms arrives

tableside, we’re unable to resist, and despite sated appetites, we gobble them up quickly.

Later, to better understand some of the ingredients that appear in those dishes, I walk through the Osaka Supermarket in Richmond’s Yaohan Centre, marvelling at an array of products that hail from all over Asia. I pass imported Japanese and Korean teas such as aloe vera and ginseng chrysanthemum, snacks like wasabi pea crackers, shrimp chips and prawn crackers and frozen dim sum and dumplings ready to be steamed or boiled at home. The vegetable crates are brimming with leafy greens carrying exotic names like sing gua, nagaimo, chun ho and gai-lan. And in the seafood department, a massive king crab claws against the glass as shoppers select live conch, scallop, barramundi and sturgeon from the tanks.

Timing is crucial on the Dumpling Trail as many restaurants serve dumplings only during Dim Sum, a morning meal of shared plates served between 10 am and 2 pm. Don’t be deterred by the poor English grammar on the menus, nor by the fact that yours might be the only table speaking English. Bring friends to share the dumplings, cash in your pocket (some restaurants do not accept cards) and step into this Asian culinary concerto with an open mind and an empty stomach.

You’ll be rewarded with a sumptuous and distinctly different feast.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 11

ASK THE CONCIERGE

with

DEBORAH SLENO

AT THE FAIRMONT EMPRESS

What is the most common question from guests at the Fairmont Empress? “How can I book

Afternoon Tea?” Afternoon Tea has been served at the Fairmont Empress since 1908 and continues to be very popular.

Where’s your favourite breakfast spot in Victoria?

Victoria has so many great breakfast choices.

If I am up for standing in line, I will go to the Blue Fox for the eggs Benedict and delicious pan fries. But if I don't want to wait, I got to Frankie's Modern Diner for the breakfast burrito and an Americano with complimentary mini chocolate chip cookie!

Deborah Sleno.

PHOTO BY DON DENTON

Where would you schedule a business meeting?

Deborah Sleno, who has been the concierge at the Fairmont Empress for 22 years, says:

“In total, I have worked at the Fairmont Empress for 35 years. I was fortunate enough to work my way up from Housekeeping, Room Reservations, Tour Coordinator, Front Desk and finally my dream job – Concierge!”

Zambri’s – located in the beautiful Atrium building – has a private room equipped with a large-screen TV. Zambri’s serves traditional Italian cuisine made with the finest ingredients.

What restaurant (s) really shows off Victoria?

Other than our Q restaurant, which offers farm-to-fork cuisine, I would have to say AURA, located in the Inn at Laurel Point.

AURA has a beautiful harbour view from its dining room and restaurant, and features Pacific Northwest cuisine with a Pan Asian flare. My favourite dishes are the deep-fried sushi and the duck.

Where’s a great place to take young children?

Beacon Hill Park — from March until October, Beacon Hill Park has a pay-bydonation petting zoo for the kid in all of us.

The park also has a play area and a water park. In the winter months, I recommend Miniature World and Victoria Bug Zoo. What’s a unique-to-Victoria activity? Whale watching: from May to October there are three southern resident Orca pods that come into our area. The trips are approximately three and a half hours in duration and there are many wonderful companies that we work with and which provide amazing trips.

Where would you find a unique shopping experience? Located in our Old Town, lower

Johnson Street – or as the locals say “LoJo” – offers a variety of local boutiques and shops.

Where do you take friends for a drink?

Veneto in the Hotel Rialto has a great bar with amazing mixologists. The happy hour is from 3-5 pm and features 50 per cent off their appetizer menu. The mussels and frites are a favourite.

What’s your favourite local wine? For truly local, Charme De L'Ile from Unsworth Vineyards located on Vancouver Island in Mill Bay. And from the mainland in BC, Joie Noble Blend from the Naramata Bench.

What’s the perfect date spot in Victoria?

Café Brio would be my choice. The warm, smoky grey walls covered in beautiful oil paintings, and the hardwood floors make for an intimate dining experience, especially if you are lucky enough to get a booth or one of the private alcoves. Café Brio offers local, seasonal cuisine with an Italian flare and a fabulous wine list. I also like the fact you can have a small or large portion of their entrées – great for sharing.

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Must-see and must-do events in November and Decembber

FIVE DRIVE ON THE

VICTORIA>VANCOUVER>

VICTORIA

Dance Me

Where: Royal Theatre When: November 16-17

Montreal’s most esteemed ballet company pays tribute to that city’s most globally cherished son with Dance Me, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal’s exploration of the legacy of Leonard Cohen.

Dance Me premiered last December and has consistently elicited rhapsodic responses from national and international audiences. Featuring 17 songs in five separate choreographies that express the full arc of Cohen’s life, Dance Me was forged in collaboration with Cohen, who wanted the show to be more creative than just a “greatest hits” compilation. Aside from dramatic video projections, two of the songs are performed live on stage, and 1000 Kisses Deep features not the song but a recording of Cohen reciting the lyrics.

rmts.bc.ca

Rent

The King and I Wher: Royal Theatre When: January 2-6

Two worlds collide in this “breathtaking and exquisite” musical based on the four-time Tony award-winning Lincoln Center Theater production. One of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, The King and I boasts a score that features such beloved classics as “Getting To Know You,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “Shall We Dance” and “Something Wonderful.” Set in 1860s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children. The King and I is “too beautiful to miss” (New York Magazine). Broadway in Victoria brings this lavish production featuring a cast and orchestra of 44 to the intimate Royal Theatre. It’s the largest Broadway musical ever presented in Victoria.

rmts.bc.ca

Butchart Gardens: The Magic of Christmas Where: The Butchart Gardens When: December 1 to January 6

Where: McPherson Playhouse When: November 23 to December 2

Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's musical RENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side. The way in which these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. With songs that rock and a story that resonates, RENT is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, RENT has become a pop cultural phenomenon.

This is theatre at its best – exuberant, passionate and joyous.

rmts.bc.ca

14 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

December 1 marks the first day of The Butchart Gardens’ Magic of Christmas season, which runs all the way through to January 6 and is jam-packed with festive fun and wonderful displays. Enjoy a sky full of tiny, twinkling lights that mimic a galaxy, holiday wreaths, hot CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

drinks from the local coffee shop, carollers and brass band music, ice skating and festive dining — and, of course, the gardens in their winter bloom. Keep your eyes peeled for displays of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are scattered throughout the garden wonderland. For those 12 years and younger, don’t forget to bring a homemade paper snowflake to exchange for a cup of hot chocolate in the coffee shop. You may see it again later adorning one of the windows! butchartgardens.com/christmas

candles and feel the holiday spirit at the Make-A-Wish candle grotto. Enjoy entertainment, including the famed dancing light show on Livingstone Lake. The Festival of Lights also includes Santa with his Christmas Elves and Candy Cane Express model train, guaranteed to light up the night for youngsters.

Little Women: Classic Family Musical

Where: Jack Poole Plaza When: November 21 to December 24

vandusengarden.org

Vancouver Christmas Market

Where: Chemainus Theatre Festival When: November 16 to December 30

Louisa May Alcott’s beloved holiday story is a buoyant musical of romantic escapades, sibling rivalries and Christmas wishes. With their father off to fight in the Civil War, the four March sisters have many imagined and real adventures. As they dream of their futures, encounter growing pains of youth and rise with courage to face their destiny, the March girls learn the true value of hope and family. chemainustheatre.ca

VANCOUVER

VanDusen Festival of Lights Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden at 5251 Oak St. When: December

This festive event not only showcases the jawdropping 55-acre outdoor oasis of the VanDusen Botanical Garden, but also displays countless strings of twinkling lights and bedazzling holiday props as it is transformed into a winter wonderland.

Grab your friends and family and drift through interactive themed sets, satisfy your sugar craving with sweet and savoury treats, light CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

Check out one of Vancouver's signature yuletide celebrations, offering its greatest and grandest festivities ever.

A memorable holiday tradition for locals and out-of-towners alike, the Vancouver Christmas Market features winding alleys of more than 75 huts piled with authentic, German sweets, Old World treats and festive treasures. Enjoy live, toe-tapping entertainment, arts and crafts at the Kinderhuts, visits with Santa, trivia games and prizes, signature German beer and belly-warming Glüwein (hot and spiced mulled wine) and downtown Vancouver’s one-and-only Christmas Carousel. Take a walk around and even in the walk-in Christmas tree, which stands at 30 feet tall and blooms with 36,000 twinkling lights! vancouverchristmasmarket.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 15

FIVE ON THE DRIVE

A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill Where: Waterfront Theatre When: November 21 to December 30

The holiday sell-out, A Charlie Brown Christmas, is back and playing in a special double bill feature with You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown! Join Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas as he tries to direct his friends in the school Christmas pageant. With help from his friends and a ragged little tree, Charlie Brown discovers what the season is really all about.

Then, somewhere between Beethoven’s birthday, peanut butter sandwiches and the existential merits of a Peter Rabbit book report, Charlie Brown and the gang stumble upon the true meaning of happiness in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown.

Both of these lively musical adaptations also feature a live jazz trio!

carouseltheatre.ca

Beautiful The Carole King Musical Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre When: November 13-18

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom. From being

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in a songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history, this musical covers it all. A stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil is featured, including, “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song, “Beautiful.”

theatervancouver.com

EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival

Where: Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront Ballroom and various venues around Vancouver When: November 5-10

The 16th annual EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival is one of Canada's most anticipated premium world-class culinary festivals in support of Project CHEF. Attracting attendees throughout North America, the 2018 EAT! Vancouver takes place from November 5 to 10 and features culinary collaborations between award-winning chefs across Canada and the US. Enjoy a culinary experience like none other at this year's events including: EAT! Dinner Series, EAT! Harvest, EAT! Pastry, EAT! Expert Classes, and the all new EAT! Fine.

eat-vancouver.com

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MEET THE WILSON’S GROUP TEAM Who is your family?

PHOTO BY DON DENTON

Chelsea Smith

• Gray Line Sightseeing Victoria Operations Manager • At Wilson's for seven months.

• Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but grew up in Regina and Calgary.

We are the Smiths! I have two sisters (older and younger) and both my parents and their partners. I have a large extended family with many aunts, uncles, cousins and a few grandparents. We are a very close family.

and sharing them with others. I also love working with people. This industry lets you meet people from all over the world and hear their unique stories. This job also lets me grow and expand and I love having projects at my fingertips.

What path did you take to get to this job?

What are your hobbies outside of the job?

I went to university for a BA in Global Tourism Management and since graduating I have worked in many tourism-related and management jobs. I have worked overseas in a few countries in my field doing bike touring, restaurant management, wine tour guiding and lots of customer service positions. It felt like the right fit taking on the role at Gray Line Sightseeing Victoria.

What do you like best about this job?

I love getting to explore my own city and see it from another perspective. I enjoy finding new hidden gems in Victoria

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I love the outdoors and staying active.

I was a competitive gymnast growing up, so I still have the competitive flare in me. I enjoy golfing, snowboarding, running and hiking (the list goes on). I am also bit of a bookworm.

What is a "must-do" in victoria for visitors?

Victoria is a very special city with many things to do and see, and it is hard to pick just one. Our Hop-On Hop-Off tour really showcases a wide variety of attractions in Victoria all in one day.

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Oak Bay (Victoria) 250-595-6257

www.shannonoaks.com Baptist Housing Enhancing Seniors Living Since 1964 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 17

together for health

a campaign for the the future I

magine a new, better approach to medical teaching and learning … a collaborative approach that connects health students with established community professionals.

Victoria’s Camosun College has envisioned just such a place. The new Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness is designed for 21st-century health education and will educate the next generation of nurses, community support workers, lab technologists, medical radiography technicians, mental health workers and other professionals for Victoria’s health care and social services systems.

To help fund it, the Together for Health campaign, led by volunteer cochairs John Wilson and daughter Samantha Wilson, from The Wilson’s Group of Companies, is expected to gain momentum over the coming months.

The Ministry of Advanced Education

Father and daughter John and Samantha Wilson.

and the Government of Canada have invested $43.5 million for the centre. The Camosun College Foundation is raising a further $5 million from community and industry donors, efforts that have included a vital donation from Victoria’s Campbell family.

Inspired by families like the Campbells, the Wilsons look for ways to give back to the community, and the campaign was a natural fit.

“My dad and I were interested right away,” says Samantha, whose grandmother is a retired nurse and whose great-aunt is a retired nurse and former faculty in Camosun’s nursing program. “I was born and raised here and so was my father, and in order for our community to flourish, we need buildings like this. We’re incredibly grateful for the Campbells’ generous donation and we feel so very fortunate to be part of an initiative bearing their name. We’re a little over the halfway mark and we’re confident we’re going to get there, but we still need the community’s help to make it happen.”

With construction underway, the Centre for Health and Wellness is expected to be completed in 2019 Learn more at camosun.ca/togetherforhealth

Since 1917

Providing essential services for piano 2328 Government St.• 250-384-3935 Welcome to the amazing world of insects and arachnids! Discover roughly 50 species of giant walking sticks, alien-eyed praying mantis huge horned beetles, glow in the dark scorpions, hairy tarantulas, and Canada’s largest captive leafcutter ant colony. Our animals are live and you get to hold them on a safe and fun environment!

Tours are always in progress so come by anytime!

631 Courtney Street Downtown Victoria 250 384-2847

victoriabugzoo.ca 18 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

COMING TO VICTORIA? Traveling by land, sea or air, The Wilson’s Group has you covered.

YOUR DIRECT LINK BETWEEN VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND DOWNTOWN VICTORIA

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 19

HIT THE KIM JAY PHOTO

PHOTOS AND TEXT

BY SIERRA LUNDY

ROAD

STYLE-SAVVY TRAVELLERS

Steve Thorp at Vancouver Urban Winery in the Settlement Building in Vancouver.

Steve Thorp

Managing partner of Settlement Building Collective (Postmark Brewing, Belgard Kitchen, Vancouver Urban Winery) and Havana restaurant.

Where are you from and how did you get to Vancouver?

I grew up in Airdrie, a small town 15 minutes north of Calgary. I grew up fishing, camping, hunting, dirt biking, skateboarding, snowboarding and generally being outside all the time. When I was nine, my dad took me on my first BC salmon fishing trip. I still remember every second of it: driving across BC, taking the ferry to Vancouver Island, fishing pocket water on the Big Qualicum River and catching my first 20-pound salmon. I was hooked (no pun). For the next nine years, we did two to four BC trips per year, fishing 20 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

every river system we could find, and having a few salt water adventures as well.

I knew I was destined to live in BC. When my older sister moved to Vancouver, I would bus to BC in the winter to snowboard and crash at her house. I knew Vancouver would be my home. Two days after high school in 2000, I packed my whole life in a U-Haul and moved to Vancouver!

What does a “work day in the life” look like for you?

My workday is extremely diverse, creative, interesting and flexible. I generally work from the Settlement Building, but I’m also out of the office a lot for meetings or travel. In a nutshell, I watch over the whole company, find new opportunities/ partnerships/projects and then design/ brand/market them. I have been an entrepreneur my whole life, starting

my first company when I was 18, so I have worn many hats. My passion is in innovation, business development, brand design/strategy and marketing.

What excites you about your work?

Many things. I love that I’m surrounded by gifted, talented and happy people. It is a true honour. Also, the creativeness, the quality of goods, the progressiveness, the global influence and being able to call BC our business home.

How does your work influence your personal style?

I worked in the lifestyle clothing industry for seven years from 2001-2008 and have been fortunate to watch many of my close friends start new brands and ventures. I have always appreciated fashion and I watch it closely as it ties CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

At Postmark Brewing: jacket, Jamie Reid Jacket ($165) from Obey; shirt, Organic Cotton Pocket T-Shirt in Black ($24.50) from Frank and Oak; pants, 501 Skinny Stretch $90) from Levi; shoes (not seen), Chuck Taylor All Star Low ($50) from Converse.

At Vancouver Urban Winery: jacket, The Demarco in Black ($298) from Baro; shirt, The Jasper Oxford in White ($49.50) from Frank and Oak; pants, Iggy Skinny in Easy Indigo ($210) from Neuw Denim; shoes, Ellington Suede in Light Tan ($110) from Clae.

into our current brand Postmark Brewing. I dress for style and function. Many days I’m meeting people as CEO, so I usually wear an Oxford-type collar. These match well with jeans and kicks (Converse or Vans), which I love and feel most comfortable in. If I need to dress up, I toss on some Clae leather kicks or boots.

experiencing new places, people, products and events. My fave quote is: “If you can dream it, you can do it” — Walt Disney.

What does good travelling style mean to you?

Comfort! When travelling, which is often for me, either personal or work trips, I have a pretty set routine. I’m usually using travel time for work catch-up, or sleeping. So I need to be comfortable.

Always: LSTN over-ear headphones, memory foam neck pillow, water bottle, snacks, hoodie and casual soft pants. Socks in my Nikes so I don’t walk barefoot through customs.

What makes you happy?

My friends, being outdoors and being inspired by new people, places and things! I’m a simple person to please — a very social person — but easy! I will play almost any sport and do any activity. I have a cabin on Galiano Island, which is a big part of my life. Hosting new and old friends to enjoy the cabin is a true gift. I love to smile, laugh and pass along good vibes.

What do you like to do on a day off?

Cabin, fishing, boating, music festivals/live shows, dirt biking, hockey, snowboarding, travelling, family, eating, socializing with friends and making new friends.

What do you like to do while you’re riding the bus?

Listen to music, check my emails, read short articles on inspiring industries and products and watch the world around me.

Anything else we should know?

I’m a Taurus and I love stargazing, late night swims and generally having the best time every day of my life. I love

CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 21

WILSON’S GROUP SUPPORTS

FESTIVAL OF TREES

The Wilson’s Group is committed to actively supporting a healthy and vibrant community through sponsorships, charitable donations, and by having its leadership team volunteer on various boards and committees. The support is wide and varied, from arts programs to sports and local charities, and the company takes tremendous pride in these relationships.

A Festival of Trees for ctoria Real Estate Specialist BC Children's Hospital

BY SEAN MCINTYRE

high-profile downtown location and record-setting public participation have made the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s annual Festival of Trees a must-see holiday season stop in Victoria — and elsewhere in the province.

Organizers are predicting a

A

record-setting event at The Bay Centre in downtown Victoria for this year’s festival.

Every year in the lead up to the Christmas season, companies, community groups and families have stepped up to sponsor individual trees, which are decorated and displayed at the shopping complex from November 15 until January 7.

Camosun Camosun

Judges select their favourite The Greater Victoria Real Estate Specialist MVictoria Real Estate Specialist trees on kick-off er Ca m o night, s u but n

Camosun

Contact me for a free RD.COM Camosun consult if you are in the planning stages of Camosun buying or selling The Greater Victoria Real Estate Specialist

250-744-0844 Camosun Camosun

Camosun Camosun

DALESHEPPARD.COM

22 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Camosun

Camosun

DALESHEPPARD.COM

Camosun

DALESHEPPARD.COM

voting for the People’s Choice Award will be open until the event’s closing day.

Shaun Cerisano, a spokesperson for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, says last year’s event raised Camosun $163,000.

The money helps the Camosun Vancouver-based hospital meet the Curgent a m ohealth s u n needs of patients, provides kids with specialized care to suit their unique needs, and helps kids shine, he says.

“Thanks to having so many great community partners, we can accomplish this with very little overhead and few expenses,” Cerisano says.

One participant who’s been involved since the festival’s early years is Mayfair Optometric Clinic. Mary Lou Newbold says her company has taken part in the event for the past quarter

Camosun

Camosun

Estate Specialist

century because of its value to her office’s team, the broader community and the young patients who will ultimately benefit from the fundraising campaign.

“Being a sponsor is part of our community team engagement, and something we are really proud of,” she says. “It helps the kids in our community, is great for team building, solidifies our reputation for new recruits and supports our marketing. A definite win for all.”

The Victoria festival is the largest Festival of Trees events hosted by The BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Other Festival of Trees events are held in Vancouver, Kelowna, Whistler, Sooke, Nanaimo, Oliver and Osoyoos. For information about how to sponsor a tree, to view last year’s winners, or to donate or vote, go to bcchf.ca/FOTYYJ CONNECTOR l THE WILSON’S GROUP

The Magic of Christmas

A family tradition

December 1 - January 6

Skating Victoria, British Columbia Canada butchartgardens.com

Entertainment

Dining

From December 1 - January 6 The Gardens is open daily at 9:00am (except December at 1:00pm) and Open25daily at 9am is available for viewing until 10:00pm. butchartgardens.com/christmas

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Full Service Bakery, Floral, Meat, Produce, Deli and Seafood Departments