w H e n yo u l ov e f o o d yo u l ov e t H e m a r k e t s to r e s
feel tranquility wash over your body and your citified soul when you ease into the water off the dock. Just a warning: island fresh-water swimming holes have limited parking and a “hello there, neighbour” atmosphere due to condensed beach space. Those who prefer the ocean could head for Beddis Beach at the end of Beddis Road. It has a sandy stretch of beach perfect for sunbathing, wading, beachcombing or fullon salt water immersion ( but brrrr, it’s cold.) August is a good month for fine dining, too. Chef Ernst Dorfler of Vancouver’s Five Sails restaurant is up to plate, August 15, at Hastings House Country House Hotel as part of its Chefs across the Water program. There’s also House Piccolo in Ganges, where Finnish-born Chef Piccolo Lyytikainen, a member of the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, brings upscale European cuisine to his 36-seat boutique restaurant. Away from town, less extravagant folks will find the Seaside Kitchen at Vesuvius Bay, which boasts (in my humble opinion) the best small deck with a view and good seafood. Reservations recommended. After dinner, you might like to stroll by the Treehouse Café in Ganges to catch the remnants of the retro (hippie) vibe. Owners Mark and Terena LeCorre, (he’s a sound engineer for Avril Lavigne, The Tragically Hip and Dido), provide island musicians with a funky venue 111 nights a year.
Later on, Duthie Gallery, in addition to daytime hours, has illuminated wood installations to complement summer’s dusk (Thursdays to Mondays, 9 pm to 11 pm.) Longer visits might include a wildlife or whale-watching excursion with Ian Gidney of Outdoor Visions in his 12-passenger Zodiac. A spotting network keeps him in the orca loop. He’ll customize tours on request. At Sacred Mountain Lavender, the colour purple is still there in August. But to really get away from it all, visit the North End: Fernwood Dock and Raven Street Café are a mere 10 minutes from Ganges, but a world away from busyness. Planning a circle tour, arriving in the south from Sidney and leaving via the Vesuvius Bay ferry to Crofton, lets you head back to Victoria down the Malahat or carry on up-Island. It’s a great start to an extended vacation or a three-day getaway. If You Go: Visit bcferries.com for sailing schedules and fares. For air, google Salt Spring Island Air, Harbour Air, Seair Seaplanes. You can leave your car at Swartz Bay and get around by bus (Salt Spring Island Transit System,$2 exact cash/Under 5: no charge); taxis (Silver Shadow: 250-537-3030) or Salt Spring Car and Scooter Rental (saltspringcarrental.com.) With no bike paths and narrow roads, cycling calls for caution but is widely done. VB
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well,
if one has not
dined well.
V I R G I N I A W O OL F
H e a lt H y f o o d f o r a H e a lt H y l i f e s t y l e .
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