Vancouver Magazine, JulAug2018

New West, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond & Port Moody: The Ultimate VanMag Guide “IT’S HARDER TO DANCE WITH A DRINK IN YOUR HAND”: MILLENNIALS SOBER UP RU N, W IEN ER DOG, RU N! // E AT T HIS NOW: OL I V E OIL CA K E // VA NCOU V ER QU EER F IL M F EST R ET U R NS // & MOR E

Is Life Better in the

’Burbs?

JULY/AUG 2018 // $4.99

Suburban life is evolving beyond its cookie-cutter reputation to something that —just maybe— could be worth the commute.

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VA N M AG . C O M

J U LY/AU G U S T 2 0 1 8 // VO LU M E 5 1 // N U M B E R 6

FE ATURE

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Is Life Better in the ’Burbs?

As writer Tyee Bridge grapples with his exodus from the city, we’re breaking down just what the Lower Mainland’s major ’burbs have to offer.

COVER ILLUSTRATION: GERAD TAYLOR; SUBURBS: ALVIN ENGLER; CAESARS: TRACE Y KUSIEWICZ; WATER FIGHT: EARL MAYUGA; MODERN FAMILY: CARLO RICCI; REVIEWS: DARINA KOPCOK; PERSONAL SPACE: K YOKO FIERRO

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City 13

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13 Reasons to Love Vancouver Super Soakers are our weapons of choice for a big brawl.

19 The Dish The olive oil cake is the ultimate in Italian desserts.

14 In Brief Why sobriety is trending among mindful millennials.

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16 Modern Family These winning wiener dogs and their owners are off to the races.

Taste

22

Play 43

43 Personal Space Inside Christy Murphy’s beautiful beach-chic home.

20 Reviews The Joseph Richard Group is dominating the suburbs. We go to Langley’s S+L to find out why.

46 Hot Take Picnic-inspired looks to heat up the summer.

22 Taste Test Our Test Test judges hunt for the best Caesar in Vancouver.

50 City Informer What’s the point of Point Roberts?

48 About Last Night Fred Lee’s social snaps.

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Editorial Director Anicka Quin Executive Editor Stacey McLachlan Food Editor Neal McLennan Associate Art Director Natalie Gagnon Associate Editor Julia Dilworth Assistant Art Director Jenny Reed Online Editor Kaitlyn Funk Videographer Mark Philps Contributing Editors Frances Bula, Amanda Ross Editorial Interns David Kitai, Sam Nar, Laryssa Vachon Editorial Email mail@vanmag.com Account Managers Judy Johnson, Theresa Tran Sales Coordinator Karina Platon Online Coordinator Theresa Tran Production Manager Lee Tidsbury Advertising Designer Amanda Siegmann Senior Marketing Strategist Kaitlyn Lush Marketing Coordinator Christine Beyleveldt Sales Email karina.platon@vanmag.com Vancouver Office 3rd Floor, 2025 Willingdon Avenue Burnaby, B.C. V5C 0J3 604-877-7732 National Media Sales Representation, Mediative Senior Account Manager, National Sales Ian Lederer, 416-626-4258 ian.lederer@mediative.com U.S. Sales Representation, Media-Corps 1-866-744-9890, info@media-corps.com Yellow Pages Digital and Media Solutions Ltd. Vice-President & Chief Publishing Officer Caroline Andrews

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VANCOUVER MAGAZINE is published 10 times a year by 9778748 Canada Inc. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Not responsible for unsolicited editorial material.

Privacy Policy: On occasion, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened organizations whose product or service might interest you. If you prefer that we not share your name and address (postal and/or email), you can easily remove your name from our mailing lists by reaching us at any of the listed contact points. You can review our complete Privacy Policy at Vanmag.com. Indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia Ltd. and also in the Canadian Periodical Index.

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ED NOTE

A cityphile’s guide to the ’burbs.

A CONFESSION: though I’ve lived in Vancouver for almost 20 years, I’m not born and bred. I grew up in Ajax, a sleep-town for Toronto (named after a warship, rather than the household cleaner—the town was built around a munitions factory during the First World War, though the seeming reference to the latter possible namesake does make it more memorable). My teenage years had many of the marks of a classic suburban upbringing: I got my driver’s licence just a few months after turning 16 (ah, those sweet, very unsafe pre-graduated licence days), my friends and I had both bush parties and basement hangouts, and I fled for the city as soon as I could.

But I look back now at my childhood and realize there was a lot of sweetness to it, too: we lived near the lake and spent weekends combing the wetlands. I recently reminisced with friends about our last summer before we all left for university, when we hung out in my parents’ backyard and tie-dyed our sheets for our dorm rooms. My dad and I would clean his kayak there, too. We had plenty of room for it then—unlike where I live now in the West End, where finding a spot to wash down my kayak is exponentially more challenging.

Of course, I’ve been reflecting on this because of our first official Suburbs Issue.

As we started to consider the subject, a poll around the table at our editorial meeting clearly indicated we were all struggling to figure out exactly what defined each suburb, let alone precisely how they were arranged geographically. We’d heard of the cool brewery district in Port Moody, great restaurants popping up in New West and Langley, a legendary adventure park in Richmond, beyond-beautiful beaches in Surrey—was it time for us to figure out what lies beyond Vancouver’s official borders?

And so, in this issue, writer Tyee Bridge shares his take on how he’s learned to love his new hometown of New Westminster, and Jennifer Van Evra tackles the task of finding out what makes each ’burb worth its while. And, for those of you who are considering a move out there, we’ve zeroed in on what exactly the all-dreaded commute times are, too—along with a general idea of real estate options.

While I’m a self-described cityphile, I recognize that there’s a shift happening.

Some of what makes the suburbs work has always been there—see: my childhood— but some of it is part of a new world and worth some new exploration and consideration. (Perhaps over a beer or two at Steel and Oak in New West. I’ll see you there.)

Coming Up Next Issue The Design Issue Where beats the heart of design in this city? For our first annual Design Issue, we’re getting the lowdown on the city’s latest urban design plan (are we the City of Glass no more?), and we’re talking to the people who are shaping the future of Vancouver.

Taste Test: Fish Tacos Keep summer coming well into fall with a squeeze of lime and a little pico de gallo. We tasked our judges with determining the best fish tacos in Vancouver— who has mastered the perfect happy hour snack?

On the Web Eat the Richmond Night Market Our crack team of interns were unleashed on the night market and came back with their selects for the best eats of the fair, from smoking mocktails to kimchi fries.

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Anicka Quin EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

ANICK A . QUIN @VANMAG . COM

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@ ANIQUA

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PORTRAIT: EVA AN KHERA J; ST YLING BY LUISA RINO, MAKEUP BY MEL ANIE NEUFELD; CLOTHING COURTESY HOLT RENFREW, HOLTRENFREW.COM; TACOS: ARIANA GILLRIE

What’s Out There?

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City

RE ASONS TO LOVE VANCOUVER

Reason #38

EARL MAYUGA

Because our homegrown fight club gets wet and wild.

ON ONE CHOICE DAY each summer, Stanley Park is riddled with gangs.

They lurk around Lumberman’s Arch and dart around totem poles, all while armed to the teeth. Their weapons of choice? Super Soakers. It’s the annual Vancouver Water Fight and the splash zone knows no bounds: thirtysomethings run amok in swim trunks while the water balloons fly and teenagers and little ones gleefully trade friendly fire. Flash Mob Vancouver technically organizes the waterlogged battle royale, but it’s the 1,300-plus attendees—some in (hopefully waterproof) costumes, some toting homemade water bazookas—who provide the serious whimsy that accompanies this drenched afternoon. Because who but a true Raincouverite would know how to have this much fun while being soaking wet? This year’s water fight takes place August 11; visit facebook.com/vancouverwaterfight for details.

VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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City

IN BRIEF

AT ISSUE

The Sober Generation

For a growing number of twentysomethings, a focus on healthy living is replacing the need to get wasted every weekend. Should we all reconsider our relationship with alcohol? by

Margaret de Silva

There was a Time when Jacques Martiquet couldn’t imagine a night out without a drink. Extroverted and charming, the 22-year-old UBC pharmacology graduate nonetheless felt nervous about stepping onto the dance floor without a social lubricant.

“I used to be pretty anxious, and I wouldn’t dance in public,” he admits.

How times have changed. As the founder of Party4Health, Martiquet has organised more than 40 sober events, altogether attracting more than 1,500 participants in the past year. These have included bike raves, hike raves and undie runs—all of which have involved dancing in public, often in costume or underwear—without the benefit of liquid courage or drugs.

Martiquet is part of a small but significant cohort of young people turning their backs on drinking culture. It’s part of an international movement toward “mindful drinking”—mindfulness and moderation that embraces partying without getting plastered.

And it couldn’t come at a better time. Statistics released this month from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) show increased alcohol and cannabis consumption across all age groups in B.C. It’s a stark contrast to international trends, with studies

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VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

It’s harder to dance with a drink in your hand.” from more than 20 developed countries indicating decreased alcohol consumption among young adults worldwide. In the U.S., Nielsen research indicates that 18-to-34year-olds are drinking less than those in other age groups, while in the U.K. official youth drinking rates are at historic lows. And even across Canada, the fastest-growing group of “risky drinkers” are not teenagers, but women over 35.

Dr. Tim Stockwell from the CISUR suggests that B.C. could be an outlier due to the introduction of relaxed liquor laws in 2014, growing acceptance of cannabis and increased financial stability. “There’s often an uptick in consumption with the strength of the economy,” he says. “We know that per capita consumption has been going up since the end of the financial crisis.”

Even so, there appears to be an appetite for drug- and alcoholfree events in health-conscious Vancouver. Before he founded Party4Health in January last year, Martiquet helped run morning Wake n Shake pre-work yoga dance parties that regularly attracted about

100 people and inspired him to start his own organization. Party4Health now regularly hosts between 100 and 700 people—most of whom are under 30—at sober bike raves, umbrella dances and morning beach parties.

The group could soon have competition from U.S.-based Daybreaker, an organization that runs sober 6 a.m. yoga raves in 26 cities worldwide and is currently advertising for people to host YVR events that involve an hour of yoga followed by two hours of dancing.

These in-person dry events reflect a growth of global online support groups for non-drinkers and “sober-curious” individuals. U.K.-based Club Soda and Australian-based Hello Sunday Morning are two international brands that claim thousands of Canadians among their digital following, including hundreds of Vancouverites. But the question remains—can mindful drinking make an impact in boozeloving B.C.?

Martiquet is optimistic. Although not a teetotaller, he no longer needs alcohol to get a party started. For one thing, he says, it’s harder to dance with a drink in your hand. But he is also serious about challenging social norms.

#1

#2

Chicken

Burgers According to a Weber survey, burgers rule the barbecue, followed by chicken and steak.

#3

Steak

5% Just 5% of British Columbians say they never barbecue. Nationally, non-barbecuers make up 10% of the population.

THE BRE AK DOWN

Gone Grilling

QUEER FEST: ANGELIK A K AGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s high summer and we’re letting the sun cook our heads while the coals cook our burgers. So pack up your picnic while we take a look at Vancouver’s love for eating al fresco. by Melissa Edwards

“It frustrates me that partying is regarded as an enemy of public health. In my life, partying is exactly what I need to revitalize,” says Martiquet. He argues that a night out doesn’t have to lead to violence or alcohol poisoning. “That’s a specific type of partying that has been commoditized by the drug and alcohol industries.”

Still, it’s not easy to break the social pressure to drink during patio season. Club Soda co-founder Laura Willoughby says bars present a major hurdle by not stocking attractive nonalcoholic options. She encourages consumers to play an active role in getting kombucha, craft sodas and fancy mocktails in stock.

And this generation could be ready for change. “There is a rising mindfulness in young people and it can lead to more-critical attitudes toward marketing material that is shoved down our throats about alcohol,” Martiquet says. Whether that translates to a real reduction in official statistics remains to be seen.

The average balcony barbecue has 280 square inches of cooking space—that’s room for 36 hot dogs.

4% of Vancouverites think alcohol should be banned on all beaches.

37% think booze should be sold at the concession stands.

If wasps are pestering your picnic, keep in mind that they’re doing an important service: one nest of yellow jackets can take out 225 flies every hour.

Place your wasp traps at least 20 feet from your table to avoid drawing wasps to your picnic rather than away from it, says Mike Londry at West Side Pest Control.

There are 81 species of ants that could potentially pester your picnic in B.C. The most likely to be walking across your beach blanket?

Tetramorium caespitum, or the pavement ant.

THE TICKE T

Vancouver Queer Film Festival

The Deets Date: August 9 to 19 Venue: various Price: $12 queerfilmfestival.ca

Beginning in 1988 as a series of private screenings among a small group of friends, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has grown in tandem with the increasing visibility and acceptance of queer culture, marking numerous milestones in the process: its establishment as a non-profit society under the name Out on Screen, the launch of the student-outreach initiative Out in Schools, and its continually expanding role as a plat form for female and minority filmmakers. Now Vancouver’s secondlargest film festival and the largest queer arts event in Western Canada, VQFF is spotlighting indigenous cinema and roles featuring youth and trans women for this year’s 30th-anniversary edition. Besides the workshops, panel discussions and parties, program high points include the Canadian premiere of 1985, Malaysian-American director Yen Tan’s in-thecloset period piece, starring Cory Michael Smith (Gotham) and Virginia Madsen (Sideways), and White Rabbit, in which comedic actress Vivian Bang stars as a queer Korean-American performance artist in L.A. —Michael White

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City

M O D E R N FA M I LY 1 Max: 3 years old; 2017 champion

Top Dogs

At the Hastings Racecourse daschund race, it’s wiener take all. Last summer, these elite contenders took to the track between horse races as their proud owners cheered from the sidelines—or begged their furry friends to at least try to run in the general direction of the finish line.

This year’s wiener dog weekend runs July 14 and 15, but if corgis or bulldogs are more your speed, look for two other dog-themed races hitting the tracks this season.

2 Chloe: 4½ years old

“In 2016, Max was the first one out of the gate, then a lady said, ‘Look, he’s first!’

It startled him and he looked up, so that didn’t turn out well. He loves his Chuckit ball, though. You could walk by him with a rib-eye steak, and nothing would deter him. That’s the ace in our back pocket: don’t forget the Chuckit.”—Susanne Rheinschmitt s, 52, Starbucks store manager

Maia Odegaard Carlo Ricci

AS TOLD TO PHOTO by

Portrait taken at Hastings Racecourse, July 30, 2017

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d

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“Chloe is either stupidly brave or bravely stupid. A few years ago she was in Banff with my folks, and there was a grizzly at a rest stop that they’d pulled into. She got between my parents and the grizzly and just barked and whined and made all these otherworldly sounds until the bear finally went away.

Somehow she didn’t end up as an hors d’oeuvre.”

—Jeremy Sally d, 30, marketing coordinator

3 Boris: 4 years old “We didn’t really train him that much—it was more like separate him from [partner] Chris, and he gets really amped up when he wants to get back to him. That’s how Boris won in 2016: we handed him to my sister and said, ‘Okay, hold him.’

Chris whistled and he just zoned in, and bam. The whistle is the secret, and separation anxiety is the advantage.”—Vanessa Klobucar, 30, server

4 Chester: 8 years old “Chester’s really fast, and he loves water bottles. If you stand at the finish line with a water bottle, he will run like crazy to get it. He even helps with recycling: give him a water bottle, he takes the lid off and he squishes it down.

That’s his advantage: as soon as he hears the squeak of a plastic bottle, he’s off.”

—Laura Willis, 34, accounting professional

4

5 Enzo: 5 years old “Enzo didn’t cross the finish line this time. It’s his third year doing it, and he has yet to finish a race. Last year he went backwards; the year before that, he went into the grass field and the event organizer had to chase him. This year he actually went forward but straight to the exit. It’s become a family tradition: throw him in and see how he does.”—Cam Pitcher, 21, metal shop worker

6 Harley: 1 year old “Harley is known at daycare as Silly Sausage. She is the most friendly little girl you’ll ever meet. I originally wanted to call her Frankie—I always thought I’d get a wiener dog named Frankie. Then we were looking through names and Harley just stuck out.

People think she’s a boy because of Harley-Davidson, but I tell them it’s like Harley Quinn.“ —Jordana Jordana Gallison, Gallison 29, criminology instructor at SFU

5 6

7 Frank Longbottom: 3 years old “Frank’s name is a Harry Potter reference. I was going between the classic wiener dog names and various hot dog things, but the love of Harry Potter prevailed: he has a long bottom—there it is! Every year for his birthday we make a little cake, either with dog bones on it or shaped like a bone—that’s probably why he’s so fat.”

—Caitlyn Birdsell, 27, pastry chef

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17

Tuna Poke Bowl Inspired by the fresh, vibrant flavours of Hawaii.

sesame ginger ocean wise™ ahi, jasmine rice, mango, cucumber, avocado, edamame, radish, crispy tempura

U N B I A S E D R E V I E WS / SW E E T I TA L I A N O

VA N M AG .C O M/ TA S T E

PHOTO: CLINTON HUSSE Y; ST YLING: L AWREN MONETA

Taste

THE DISH

BUONA NOTTE

TRUTH? FOR A FOODIE’S PARADISE, ITALY is surprisingly lacking when it comes to dessert. Pannacotta—meh. Tiramisu? Maybe when Wham! gets back together. That’s why this little beauty of an olive oil cake ($12) from Cibo’s sous-chef Colin Woods is such a wonder. It takes all the things that are great about Italian cuisine—simplicity, unfussiness—and combines them for the perfect end to the meal. And despite its name, the olive oil serves more to provide moistness than earthy flavour. The fact that it’s topped off with a nutty pistachio ice cream is proof we’re not immune to the charms of a dollop of sweetness, judiciously applied. 900 Seymour St., cibotrattoria.com

VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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Taste

REVIEWS

WAY OUT EAST

S+L Kitchen and the suburban juggernaut that is the Joseph Richard Group. by

Neal McLennan Darina Kopcok

PHOTOGRAPHS by

A FEW YEARS AGO I went to a friend’s house for a charity dinner cooked by a winner of MasterChef Canada. I’d never seen the show—in which home chefs compete—and had never heard of David Jorge, but that night he sent out a blockbuster of a meal, with dish after dish of revelatory cuisine. Sharing a glass of wine with him afterward, I asked about a particular showstopper—a simple, perfectly roasted whole tenderloin that had the crowd ditching decorum to load up on seconds, then thirds. “I get the meat at Costco,” he said without bravado, adding that for quality and price, it was tough to beat. This is my kind of chef, I thought at the time—someone down to earth despite having been gifted wings from the culinary gods.

I mention this anecdote because not long after that night, I saw a press release announcing that Jorge had parked his former profession as a successful concrete contractor to take the role of corporate chef of the Joseph Richard Group and to open its new restaurant concept, S+L, in Langley. My first thought was, “Good for him.” My second: “What the hell is the Joseph Richard Group?”

From all accounts, JRG (as they’re known) is the bomb from Coquitlam to Abby, South Surrey to Chilliwack. The chain, founded by former bartenders and Surrey natives André “Joseph” Bourque and Ryan “Richard” Moreno, operates 21 bars and restaurants—that’s more than either Joey or Earls have in B.C.—but they don’t have a single one in Vancouver.

Curious, I jumped in my car and drove for ages, taking the 200 Street exit, where S+L quickly appears on the side of the road. You actually enter from the back, which is odd but convenient if you’re driving. And everyone is driving.

Inside, the decor hits the usual chain suspects—Edison light bulbs, lots of iron

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Chef David Jorge

Langley’s S+L Kitchen

Steal this riesling

Lamb Popsicles

and subway tile, but my eyes are drawn to the clear display case behind the hostess station stocked with hundreds of steak knives, which, on closer inspection, are etched with people’s names. I’ve stumbled upon “Knife Club,” a program where dedicated customers can keep their own steak knives to use when they come in. Odd but thoughtful, and presumably others agree, as the place is hopping.

I sit at a high-top near the bar, and the friendly bartender bolts out to greet me to see if I want something to drink while I peruse the menu. “Just water,” I say, an order that in Vancouver is usually followed by the still-or-sparkling upsell, but here it’s answered with a chirpy, “Can I put a slice of lemon in that for you?”

Master Chicken

The menu will be familiar to habitués of chains: there’s a section for “Handhelds,” a.k.a. sandwiches, a raft of the typical appetizers—calamari, truffle fries—but a curiously small steak section (just five options, and not a rib-eye among them) for a place with a knife club.

On the first visit, I go with the Master Chicken ($23)—though I was oblivious to the fact that this was the dish that won Jorge his MasterChef title, it does live up to its hype.

Three pieces of nicely fried chicken with a slightly sweet seasoning paired with simple mashed potatoes and a bacon-creamed corn that’s a wonder—not runny but firm and rich, it’s the best creamed corn I’ve ever had. It’s the exact sort of delicious, but not poncey, dish I’d expect from the guy who cooked the

Client: C|Prime / Size: 4.6” X 4.9” / CMYK / Vancouver Magazine

THE DEETS

S+L Kitchen & Bar

8399 200th St., Langley 604-371-1040 jrg.ca

A NEW YORK ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

tenderloin of my dreams.

Less successful are the lamb popsicles. I appreciate Langley is a hike from Vij’s (48.2 kilometres to be exact), but it takes some cojones to poach the name of what may be the city’s most iconic dish. Worse, the server doesn’t ask how I’d like them cooked, so they arrive 50 shades of grey. They do sit on a quite good bed of tangy hummus and, at only $17, you’d be hard pressed to find chops for a better price. To match, the “Wine Book” is a welcome respite from the punitive pricing prevalent in Vancouver: sure, it’s heavy on shiraz and zin, but a careful eye reveals jewels like the exquisite St. Urbans-Hof Old Vines Riesling, which is $26.50 in the store and sold Untitled-3 here for a start-the-car price of $44.

Such is the tale of S+L. If you roll in looking simply for a good time and order up your knife from storage, you’ll be served reliable food in a welcoming atmosphere far from the hipster attitudes so common in Vancouver. Drive for 45 minutes with a notebook and a magnifying glass, and you’ll find a few things to gripe about, like (please indulge me here) whisky, when it refers to Scotch (as opposed to bourbon), doesn’t have an e —something you should have checked before you painted it on the wall above your Scotch selection. But there are a couple of standout dishes that show why the JRG team (which, in addition to Jorge, includes ex-Cactus TopChef winner Matt Stowe) is killing it in the Valley (the Wagyu flatiron and oh, that corn), although my inclination is that the carefully crafted sense of belonging might be equally as important to the chain’s success as the food.

Either way, the proof is in the parfait (which is a reasonable $7): JRG hired 200 people last year and expects to hire 200 more this year. You don’t get numbers like these without cranking out satisfied customers.

VanMag.com

Reflected in its carefully crafted menu, C|Prime puts a premium on locally sourced and curated ingredients. Using the finest cuts of BC-raised meats, fresh seafood, vegetables and cheeses paired with innovative, rich sauces and salts, the restaurant offers incomparable dishes that showcase both Italian and New York inspired flavours.

Located in the Century Plaza Hotel

1015 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y5 T (604) 684 3474 F (604) 682 5790

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Taste

T H E TA S T E T E S T

HAIL, CAESAR! Mild or spicy, salty or sweet, garnished or plain-Jane, there’s a caesar out there for everyone. We asked six local competitors (gladiators, if you will) to give us their best shot—and, according to our panel of experts, these are the ones that reign supreme. by

Kaitlyn Funk

PHOTO AND STyLING by

Tracey Kusiewicz

Bells and Whistles

Rodney’s Oyster House

Edible Canada

Bells and Whistles’ take on the caesar is “very purist”—it’s just vodka, Clamato, lime juice and a simple steak spice rim. But our judges all agreed it was a very well-made drink. The pepperoncini garnish was a nice touch, too: “It has a couple of unique twists, but it’s still very familiar,” said Johnson. $10, 3296 Fraser St., bellsandwhistlesyvr.ca

If you like ’em hot, Rodney’s caesar (a.k.a. Zydeco Stew) is the way to go. Its hefty dose of Tabasco and its wallop of freshly grated horseradish had our judges choking back spice: “They are not messing around with this,” said one. $13.25, multiple locations, rohvan.com

If we were judging on garnish alone, this caesar would be the top pick for Palacio (“The candied bacon is good,” she said), but overall, this cocktail just wasn’t flavourful enough: “It’s kind of watery,” said one judge. “There’s just not a lot of spice there.” $14, 1596 Johnston St., ediblecanada.com

The Liberty Distillery

BEST IN SHOW

Liberty Distillery’s “delicate” caesar—gin, Clamato, fresh lemon, Worcestershire, Tabasco, grated horseradish, celery-salt rim—hit all the right notes. “There’s nothing about it that’s super aggressive,” said Povarchook. “It’s just really great across the board.” The refreshing hit of extra citrus also had our judges claiming they could drink this one any day, any time.

From $9, 1494 Old Bridge St., thelibertydistillery.com

HONOUR ABLE MENTION

Earls “This one looks muddy,” said a judge upon first seeing the drink’s dark hue. Made with Clamato, a secret blend of hot sauces and pickle brine, it was the “most interesting” and “weird” caesar of the day. “It isn’t what I was expecting, but it’s still really good,” said one panellist. From $8, multiple locations, earls.ca

Timber Mixed with vodka, Walters mix, IPA mustard and HP sauce (the latter two both made in-house), Timber’s classic caesar has a “good balance of sweet and heat.” And they knocked it out of the park with their garnish (pickled beans, rosemary beef sausage, chicharron) and dehydrated ketchup rim. $10, 1300 Robson St., timbervancouver.com

Meet the Judges

William Johnson is the owner of Fraserhood’s Crowbar. In the most Drew Carey of fashions, he created an it-doesn’treally-matter points system for our tasting.

Olivia Povarchook, bartender at Vij’s Restaurant, is more interested in a caesar’s garnish game than anything else: “I want it to get as ridiculous as it possibly can.”

Jessica Palacio, a former VanMag intern, came to the rescue on tasting day when one of our social media followers pulled a Brutus at the last minute—she’s a modern-day hero, folks!

Follow @vanmag_com for your chance to be a #VMTasteTest judge.

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Is Life Better in the ’Burbs?

WARREN GOLDSWAIN

Cool restaurants, creative events, walkable neighbourhoods...all with a backyard to call your own. The suburbs are upping their game.

Will Vancouverites heed the call?

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Feature

THE SUBURBS

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Suburbs Six yearS ago my wife Michele and I lived at the epicentre of all things, or what we felt it to be at the time: 17th and Main. We were within walking distance of an organic grocery, a Latin restaurant that served killer tacos and fresh-squeezed margaritas, and a pub with a great quiz night. The Pulp Fiction bookstore was 10 blocks away, and transit was easy to catch. There was, as they say, big upside.

The downside was that we were both nearing 40 and renting a 480-square-foot basement. To paraphrase Uncle Monty from Withnail and I: just as it is shattering for an aging actor to one day realize he will never play Hamlet, it is similarly shattering for a 40-year-old to wake up and realize that in his current postal code he will never own a one-bedroom condo, much less a full-fledged house.

We were able to deal with that perceived indignity— and the realization that we had spent the last four years paying $50,000 of someone else’s mortgage—until we had our first and only child. As for many renters in the overpriced but alluring neighbourhoods that make up much of Vancouver, it was parenthood that finally made us shake off our fresh-squeezed fog and say, “What the hell are we doing?”

So we lit out. For the suburbs, if I can properly call New Westminster a suburb. (It is, but it's a certain type.

More on that later.)

We were, apparently, in good company: according to Queen’s University researcher David Gordon, as of 2011, two-thirds of Canadians live in some kind of suburb. And that percentage appears to be on the rise: the number crunchers at Environics Analytics say that between 2011 and 2016 Metro Vancouver’s suburbs grew by 7.1 percent, while Vancouver proper grew by 4.6 percent. Suburban growth outpaces growth in the urban core in other cities, too, like Montreal and Toronto. That’s not necessarily something to celebrate, but it is a reality. (For those who find that depressing, take comfort that the rate of growth

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Tyee Bridge

in the suburbs has declined compared with the five years prior to 2011.)

Our decision to leave Vancouver for the hinterland of New Westminster was somewhat fraught. On the “let’s do it” side, New West was intriguing: a riverbank town of roughly 70,000 people that boosters were touting as “the Brooklyn of Vancouver.” New schools were being built, and there was an obvious push toward densifying and improving some of its more lacklustre areas—including Sapperton, where my father lived back in the 1940s.

Despite the noticeable lack of Sal’s Pizzerias, the Brooklyn comparison has some merit. Like Brooklyn, New West has several bridges, but more substantially it has deep bluecollar roots, an industrialized but ever-more-accessible waterfront, and rapid transit that will get you downtown in much less time than it takes to drive there.

On the “let’s forget it” side, Michele had sworn an oath never again to live in the suburbs. She is a self-assessed sufferer of FOMO who grew up in central Burnaby, a place that for many decades manifestly meant that you missed out on everything. For myself, having grown up in a 1908 farmhouse sitting on five acres—the sort of thing that the urbanite I now am would call, with some awe, a “character” home—I also regarded suburbs with scorn. This was for all the usual apparent reasons, which boil down to assuming they are a kind of cultural dead zone. Surely the ’burbs were what they were in the ’80s: bastions of cul-desac neighbourhoods infilled with tract homes and chain restaurants, and where the lingua franca was a required familiarity with the obsessions of dominant white culture (soccer, hockey, lawn care, six-packs, barbecued steaks).

Five years in, I see things a bit differently. True, homogeneity is an issue in the suburbs, but it’s not about race:

My wife had sworn an oath never again to live in the suburbs.

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THE SUBURBS

Metro Vancouver’s suburbs remain a rich mix of South Asian, Chinese, European, Filipino and First Nations.

New Westminster is no exception. Rather, the “sameness” problem relates not to who lives there, but to what you can do and where you can go. Dominance by corporate chain restaurants and big-box retailers means limited options.

Starbucks for coffee; breakfast at IHOP; dinner at White Spot. That’s an exaggeration, but it points to the tendency.

When we first moved to New West in 2013 there were a few cool spots to eat, like Longtail Kitchen (excellent Thai street food) and Re-Up BBQ (fried chicken Fridays!). But for a couple of years we were a bit down in the mouth about the whole scene. I remember Michele complaining that there was nowhere to get a decent birthday card: it was all Hallmark, all the time. That kind of summed up the dominant vibe. Chain restaurants, chain drugstores—“chain, chain, chaaaain,” as Aretha Franklin sang.

Since then, things have improved here. There are new, date-night-worthy restaurants like El Santo (tortas and mezcal Caesars) and Piva, an upscale Italian place located in the new Anvil Centre. There are microbreweries (Steel and Oak) and excellent cafés that are pushing back against global Starbuckination (Old Crow Coffee). And there are places, yes, where you can get cool birthday cards (Brick and Mortar). There are literary festivals, outdoor vinyl record shows, comedy clubs.

In New West this is partly thanks to progressive leadership by people like councillor Patrick Johnstone and mayor Jonathan X. Coté , who, like many of their counterparts in other boroughs, are doing what they can with smart planning to bring about a revival. Requiring developers to build three-bedroom condos is part of it, as is the kind of attention the city has paid to remaking the industrial riverfront, which now has green parks that offer playgrounds and yoga classes, and a sandlot for beach volleyball. It also includes putting in greenways and bike lanes to help mitigate the suburban legacy of car dependency—the old-school approach to planning that has given all those Realtor.ca listings such low walkability scores.

This brings me back to the type of suburb New Westminster is: in David Gordon’s terminology, it’s a “transit suburb” rather than a car-dependent “auto suburb” like Langley. Via TransLink, I can get from our Victoria Hill condo to Gastown in 40 minutes. Most of the trip is a

pleasant, seated ride on the SkyTrain that allows me to work en route. For getting around close to home, we can walk to those cool shops and restaurants in about 15 minutes, which is not horrible, and I can shave a good 10 minutes off this time by either riding my bike or an adult-sized, foldable scooter (the latter, as I careen down the sidewalks with my shoulder-slung courier bag, looking simultaneously hipsterish and ridiculous).

And that’s the trade-off between transit ’burbs and auto ’burbs. Here we don’t have to drive two hours in traffic each day to get back to our 3,000-square-foot house…but we don’t get to have the house.

Should you seek an actual detached house and venture into the ever-widening grids of Langley where those are (somewhat) more affordable, you would be right to fear the dominance of cookie-cutter tract housing. Langley more and more resembles the kind of poorly conceived sprawl that defines Calgary. But that surface reality of sameness belies benefits, too. My friend Dave and his family moved last year to an honest-to-god cul-de-sac in far-flung Langley, and damn if it isn’t actually pretty cool. On Friday evenings and weekends the neighbourhood kids gather in the traffic-free circle, skateboarding or playing basketball right outside the door, and the adults drift out of their front doors for impromptu glasses of wine (and beer) on front lawns. Sure, it’s all classically suburban, but it’s also got something like real community—not any easier to find on Main Street—which should be the gold standard for defining valuable real estate. And these days the suburban beer will probably be S&O, and the steaks organic and grass-fed.

You can call all of this—as the New York Times did in 2013—the rise of “hipsturbia,” but it’s not about being trendy. It’s about injecting some creativity into the local scene. What the suburbs need is what they’re getting: entrepreneurial and creative people moving in and bringing thoughtful shops, art and festivals with them. They’re pushing for greater transit, walkability, tasty food and progressive leadership. Keep on coming, folks.

You can call all of this the rise of ‘hipsturbia,’ but it’s not about being trendy.

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Feature

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Untitled-2 1

2018-06-01 12:38 PM

OPEN DAILY SAVE UP TO $5 ON PASSES AT:

2-5, 2018

The ’Burbs A Primer for

Vancouverites

CenturyLink Field Event Center seattleartfair.com

Have rising Vancouver housing prices got you feeling ’burb-curious? We got the lowdown on the Lower Mainland’s most intriguing suburbs—places that are challenging cul-de-sac-and-chainstore stereotypes with unique new identities. by

Jennifer Van Evra

additional reporting

Jessica Palacio & Allie Turner

Surrey Richmond Shop These +More

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2018-06-06 4:13 PM

New Westminster Burnaby

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THE SUBURBS

Feature

Surrey Hottest ’Hoods ———————————————————— With its proximity to beaches, nature trails, golf courses and cross-border shopping, South Surrey is a perennial favourite for retirees and families seeking to escape the city din—and for those looking to up their postal-code cred. And while Surrey proper still hasn’t shaken its long-held reputation for theft, vandalism, drug crime and violence, Surrey City Centre represents a new leaf being turned. There, condo towers, a walkable core, a growing number of hip cafés, a stunning Bing Thom–designed library, a Simon Fraser University campus, a SkyTrain hub and more have transformed the area from one of the roughest ’hoods west of the Rockies into one of the region’s smartest upstarts. Still, it’s a bit of an island, as rundown houses, strip malls and payday loan places aren’t far from the new lustre.

Landmarks ———————————————————————

Civic Hotel

its home with Simon Fraser University, while Bing Thom’s modern City Centre Library provides a breathtaking architectural landmark. The new Civic Hotel, a B.C.-themed boutique hotel by Marriott, recently opened its doors, and Hilton just announced a new seven-storey hotel that will be topped by a 180-unit residential tower.

Surrey Art Gallery Vancouver proper is home to most of the city’s best-known galleries, but Surrey Art Gallery is the second-largest public gallery in Metro Vancouver and well worth a detour. You won’t find Emily Carr and Group of Seven retrospectives, however, because the gallery, which features renowned international, national and regional artists, has a decidedly contemporary flair—as well as a soft spot for audio and digital art. They also host talks, tours, workshops and symposiums, and admission is always free.

CRESCENT BEACH: JONATHAN LEUNG; MY SHANTI: ARIANA GILLRIE

—————————————————————————————— City Centre to Vancouver in Rush Hour

Crescent Beach Since 1912, Crescent Beach has been promoted as a resort area, and for good reason: it’s the perfect place to take a dip, soak up the views, go boating, break out the barbecue or stroll along a nature trail. The northernmost point is Blackie Spit, where more than 300 species of birds stop on their annual migrations north and south; thousands of golfers also flock to the area, which has some of B.C.’s top courses.

Wander too far beyond the large boulder, however, and you might find nudists who love to, er, feel the wind in their sails.

Central City Surrey is the fastest-growing city in B.C., and Surrey City Centre is the locus for that skyrocketing expansion. Central City Shopping Centre, which has gone through various incarnations since the 1970s, now shares

38 minutes

37 minutes

2 hours

Best Bites ———————— My Shanti With its plethora of

chain stores—Winners, the Gap and Starbucks, to name a few—Morgan Crossing doesn’t exactly ooze soul, but star chef Vikram Vij brings a blast of culture to the stucco-heavy landscape (and of hot-pink sequins to the building itself) with his most recent restaurant offering. Vij calls My Shanti “an homage to the diversity and richness of Indian cuisine”— one that is inspired by the culinary journeys he has taken across India, with each dish reflecting the uniqueness of a particular region. Its eclectic menu and over-the-top Bollywood style has won the shimmering

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THE SUBURBS

THE HOT TICK E T

LOCALS SAY

“My favourite thing about the Cloverdale area of Surrey is how family-oriented it is. On any given evening, you’ll see so many couples and families either walking or riding bikes around the neighbourhood or playing at the park.”

Surrey Fusion Festival Celebrating the multiculturalism of the city, this free two-day festival brings together more than 40 pavilions, with music, food and dance from different countries.

—Michelle Tyerman, 40, investigative assistant

spot Gold for Best Indian at our Restaurant Awards, and, unlike Vij’s in Vancouver, most nights there’s no wait—and you can make reservations.

Coming Soon ——————————————————————

Tap Restaurant 1 If you’re named B.C.’s top sommelier by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, you’d think that wine would keep you plenty busy—but Alistair Veen is also owner and chef at this top Surrey dining spot. Partnering with local farms, Veen blends French and West 1 Coast cuisine in dishes that range from mussels with coconut curry to crispy pork belly to a sandwich the menu promises is the “Best Clubhouse Ever.”

The Carvery Sandwich Shop 2

West Village Café 3 Surrey gets a

2

dose of downtown Vancouver in this slick, modern daytime café, where you can boost your health quotient with fresh juices, kombucha, fusion tacos, grain bowls and, yes, avocado toast. Not a health trend tracker? Fear not: they serve up more sinful eats, too, from bacon cheddar breakfast wraps to chili chicken sandwiches.

Central City Brewers Long before

craft breweries fanned out across the Lower Mainland, Central City Brewers and Distillers were producing some of 3 the region’s finest beers, ciders and spirits—and they’ve been winning heaps of awards for their Red Racer beers, their Queensborough gin, and their Thor’s Hammer barley wine-style ale. Visitors can check out their popular pub, located right in Surrey City Centre, or head to the brewery down the road for a behind-the-scenes tour.

Rendering, Surrey-Newton-Guildford (SNG) station

The push to turn Surrey City Centre into a bustling downtown, complete with distinct neighbourhoods, an innovation-rich business centre, cultural venues, historic districts, greenways, public plazas and more, continues as the official City Centre Plan enters its next phase and cranes dot the skyline. Along the way the area’s population of 32,000 is expected to more than double by the year 2033—and Surrey’s wider population is predicted to surpass Vancouver’s within the next three decades. That means a lot more people to move, so a key part of the plan is a new street-level light rail system that will connect several communities, with phase one linking Newton, Surrey Central and Guildford, and phase two connecting Surrey with Langley rapid transit. It likely won’t lead to smooth sailing, however, on already-packed bridges and highways.

Move in Now 3 Properties in the ’Hood ———————

Fieldstone Artisan Breads Local restaurateurs Tom and Tracy Gass of the Cabin loved Fieldstone so much that they not only served their baked goods at their restaurant, but they also recently took over the bakery, too, which is legendary among local carb lovers. The bakery has always relied on traditional techniques and fine ingredients—organic flours, filtered water, sea salt and plenty of real butter.

Old Surrey Restaurant Nostalgia is the bread and butter of this restaurant, first opened in 1975 by Spanish native Valentine Aguirre—and one of two Surrey eateries named in a recent “Canada’s most romantic” list by OpenTable. (The other was Tap.) French classics made from local ingredients are the focus, like lamb and veal from the family’s farm.

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Value-Priced

Mid-Range

High-End

$249,900 795 sq. ft., 2 bed, 1 bath White Rock

$518,888 1,114 sq. ft., 2 bed, 2 bath Fleetwood

$1,300,000 4,090 sq. ft., 8 bed, 7 bath Newton

TAP RESTAURANT: PAIGE FRASER/COMMUNIT Y PHOTOGRAPHY; LIGHT RAIL: TRANSLINK

While its name says “hipster,” the Carvery’s King George Boulevard location screams “Surrey strip mall,” so don’t expect any after-lunch boardwalk strolls here. What’s remarkable are their sandwiches, made from fresh local meats that are seasoned and marinated to perfection then piled high, with hearty soups and chowders to match.

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2018-06-08 4:19 PM

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Richmond It’s a heck of a commute, especially for transit types, but with its picturesque wharf and traditional feel, the fishing village of Steveston—which was also the backdrop for seven seasons of Once upon a Time—is a hot spot for locals looking to step out of the action while staying within reach of Vancouver. But more affordable price points and towering high-rises have made Richmond’s already busy City Centre by far the fastestgrowing area in the city—and one that’s expected to reach a population of more than 90,000 in 15 years.

Those seeking more upscale digs are heading for familyfriendly Terra Nova, best known for its $1-million kids’ adventure playground as well as a top grown-ups’ play area, the Quilchena Golf and Country Club.

Landmarks ——————————————————————— Steveston With its wooden wharf, fishing floats, historic buildings and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, this picturesque fishing village really feels like taking a step back in time. Tour the cannery, grab a pack of Pajo’s tasty fish and chips for the stroll, and stop by the public fish-sales float for fresh-caught seafood.

but it turned out it was the smaller Illumination Summer Night Market—which started in 2008 near the Knight Street Bridge—that was shutting down.

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport Richmond Centre is still the go-to spot for Richmond shopping, and critics say the best outlet deals are still south of the border, but those wanting clearance prices minus the border tangles can check out this relative newcomer, which includes brands such as Coach, Ted Baker, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade New York and more. Vancouverites wanting to check out their wares can hop on the Canada Line and get off at Templeton Station.

—————————————————————————————— City Centre to Vancouver in Rush Hour

30 minutes

Bánh Mì Très Bon 1 Named for the French-influenced handmade

bread that’s found in northern Vietnam and baked in-house, the café uses organic ingredients and free-range meats, and puts a twist on Vietnamese classics from flavourful pho to hearty beef stew, as well as sandwiches that are truly très bon.

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3

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1.1 hours

Best Bites ———————————————————————

2

Richmond Night Market Hurricane potatoes, grilled squid, mango desserts, dragon’s beard candy and bubble waffles: the legendary and long-running Richmond Night Market features a summery sea of food stalls and vendors, as well as live performances, carnival games and rides. Devotees got a scare earlier this year when they heard the market was cancelled,

32 minutes

Kirin 2 Roasted squab and pan-fried black cod are just a few of the items on the expansive menu—the à la carte offerings alone run 18 pages— at this top destination for Chinese cuisine, famed for its polished service and meticulously prepared dishes (a feat that caught them a Bronze at our Restaurant Awards).

Pajo’s 3 Ask where to find the best fish and chips in the Lower Mainland, and most people will point you to Pajo’s. Lineups at Steveston’s Fisherman's Wharf location can be lengthy on a sunny weekend, but the wild cod and salmon and fresh-cut fries are well worth the wait.

Golden Paramount Seafood Restaurant Currently located in

a Richmond strip mall but headed for more upscale digs, Golden Paramount may not look like much, but the restaurant’s award-winning dim sum (they nabbed Silver at the

STEVESTON AND PA JO'S: TOURISM RICHMOND

Hottest ’Hoods———————————————————

Steveston

Feature

THE SUBURBS

LOCALS SAY

New West

—Jim Allison, 57, high school principal

2018 VanMag Restaurant Awards) keeps the house packed. Chef May Chau has been perfecting her skills since first apprenticing at a top Hong Kong dim sum restaurant at age 12.

Coming Soon ————————————————————

Revitalized Lansdowne

Six million square feet of residential and commercial space is what’s proposed for the mixed-use redevelopment of Richmond’s tired Lansdowne Centre shopping mall, which shows its age when you look at the ghostly list of anchor stores past—Zellers, Target, Future Shop, Eaton’s and Woodward’s. Almost a city within a city, the pedestrianfocused 50-acre development would include 24 mid-rise towers, residential spaces from condos to street-level townhouses, retail and office space, a community centre, and a civic plaza and park large enough to host major concerts and events. If approved, construction on the first phase could begin in late 2019, but early adopters will face years of construction.

River Boardwalk

Hottest ’Hoods ———————————————————— Real estate marketers are making a serious stretch when they call New Westminster “the Brooklyn of Vancouver”— but with character streets, a growing stock of cool cafés and shops and lower rents and real estate prices, it has become the nesting place of choice for trendy Vancouverites on a budget. For more upscale heritage, the Queen’s Park area is still king, but with its heritage fixer-uppers, more and more buyers are settling in previously overlooked Sapperton.

But it’s uptown New West that’s seeing most of the action, with several glitzy condo and townhouse developments cropping up along the waterfront, all well within reach of SkyTrain. To the east, an unlikely mix of green spaces and outlet shops, as well as more affordable home prices, have transformed Queensborough from industrial enclave to growing real-estate hot spot—at least among those with a Zen approach to bridge traffic.

Landmarks ————————————————————————

Move in Now 3 Properties in the ’Hood —————

Value-Priced

Mid-Range

High-End

$238,000 834 sq. ft., 2 bed, 1 bath Granville

$698,000 900 sq. ft., 2 bed, 2 bath Brighouse

$998,000 1,113 sq. ft., 3 bed, 2 bath West Cambie

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Anvil Centre With four levels of configurable space for conferences, trade shows and special events, the glassy Anvil Centre is looking to lure large groups away from downtown Vancouver and into New West, which is no small feat. Opened in 2014, the waterfront centrepiece also houses a 361-seat proscenium theatre, a new media gallery, the New Westminster Museum and Archives, a community art space and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

L ANSDOWNE: DIALOG ARCHITECTURE; RIVER BOARDWALK: CIT Y OF NEW WESTMINSTER

“Richmond has changed significantly from the sleepy suburb of split-level homes on large lots, farm fields and open ditches of my childhood.

Ten minutes away from bubble tea, luxury cars and shopping malls, one can enjoy the many excellent parks and go for a walk or cycle along the dikes, with glimpses of owls, herons, eagles and sunsets.”

THE HOT TICK E T

LOCALS SAY

“A few years back, when Sapperton refreshed their sidewalks, it changed the feel of the east end of New Westminster, and the brewery district has transformed an old industrial zone into a beautiful suburban neighbourhood.”

New West Summer Farmers’ Market Hit up the weekly street market to stock up on sustainable farmfresh vegetables (and Royal City Donuts), plants and crafts from local artisans.

—Adrian, 38, public servant

Queen’s Park Walking trails, playing fields, picnic areas, a dog park, a petting zoo, a kids’ playground, tennis courts and more make Queen’s Park an all-season favourite, while an outdoor fitness circuit tries to coax passersby into adopting a healthier regimen. If you time things just right, you might also catch the New Westminster Salmonbellies lacrosse team in action or a cutthroat game of pickleball.

Steel and Oak Coffee- and berry-infused Kaffee, Simple Things pilsner, Raincoats IPA and the floral Royal City ale are a few of the tasty brews on tap at the Steel and Oak tasting room, a perfect resting point during a riverfront stroll (the bar unfortunately closes at 10 p.m.). Soon there will be more elbow room, too, because city council just gave owners James Garbutt and Jorden Foss the green light to expand the space by 20 seats.

Coming Soon ——————————————————————

River Market A stroll along the picturesque Waterfront Esplanade leads to this bustling riverside market, which offers tasty takeout, the Paddlewheeler Pub, a Donald’s Market and more—as well as activities from finger knitting to Zumba.

Feel like clowning around? Try your hand at circus arts at Vancouver Circus School’s state-of-the-art training centre, where they offer classes for both kids and adults.

——————————————————————————————

PIVA: DARINA KOPCOK; FREEBIRD AND EL SANTO: ARIANA GILLRIE

City Centre to Vancouver in Rush Hour

36 minutes

27 minutes

1.6 hours

1

Best Bites ————————

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Piva 1 A packed house is the norm at newcomer Piva, located on the ground floor of the Anvil Centre.

There, the open decor matches the modern menu, which puts a fresh spin on Italian dishes, among them duck and fig wood-fired pizza, wild boar and morel mushroom meatballs, and beet and kale salad, as well as veggie and vegan options.

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Freebird 2 Chef Angus An dishes up two types of street-style roasted chicken by the quarter, half and whole at this popular takeout spot.

The secret? The roasted chicken is marinated in coconut milk, fish sauce, garlic and soy sauce; the Hainanese chicken is salted for two days and poached, then heated on a rotisserie to draw out the broth.

Pier West Two of the tallest waterfront towers in all of Western Canada will make for unmistakable landmarks on the New West skyline. Developed by Bosa, Pier West will feature 43- and 53-storey residential towers, with suites boasting high ceilings, kitchens designed by Inform and distant views of the North Shore mountains, as well as shops, restaurants and a child-care facility. But don’t expect any screaming good deals: at more than $900 per square foot (over $2,000 per square foot for the penthouse spaces), Pier West’s prices aren’t far from downtown Vancouver’s—even though it’s still a 30-minute commute away.

Move in Now 3 Properties in the ’Hood ———————

El Santo 3 Contemporary Mexican

food made from local ingredients, reasonable prices and a fresh interior have made El Santo one of New West’s main hotspots, and a Bronze winner for Best Latin at this year’s Restaurant Awards.

Make sure to try the salsas, made the traditional way—by dry-roasting the ingredients—and the tasty cocktails.

Value-Priced

Mid-Range

High-End

$319,900 662 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 bath West End

$628,000 900 sq. ft., 2 bed, 2 bath Victoria Hill

$1,998,000 2,608 sq. ft., 5 bed, 3 bath Queen’s Park

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Feature

THE SUBURBS

Burnaby

Metrotown with Brentwood in the distance

Hottest ’Hoods ———————————————————— Condos are king in Burnaby, which is skyrocketing upward and outward with massive developments at Brentwood, Lougheed Town Centre and Metrotown— all part of the plan to concentrate development around SkyTrain stations and other transit corridors. Flocking there are first-time buyers and commuters priced out of the Vancouver market, although Burnaby is no longer the relative steal it used to be, and you have to love concrete living. At the other end of the market, those looking for more upscale detached still head for picturesque Deer Lake, while family-minded East Van types are setting up shop in Burnaby Heights.

Landmarks ———————————————————————

Square One are numbers one and two.) Burnaby council just approved major redevelopment plans for the area, which could mean big change for the 32-year-old shopping mecca soon.

Burnaby Mountain No matter which way you travel, it’s quite the hike to get there, but perched atop Burnaby Mountain is Simon Fraser University’s Arthur Erickson–designed main campus, itself a cultural and architectural landmark that houses the SFU Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, the SFU Art Gallery and other worthy stops, and the university offers myriad courses, workshops and talks. Outside, the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area is perfect for cycling, hikes and stunning sunsets at the “Playground of the Gods.”

—————————————————————————————— City Centre to Vancouver in Rush Hour

22–25 minutes

15 minutes

1 hour

Best Bites ——————————————————————— named the best restaurant in Burnaby and attracts both locals and foodies from farther afield. Award-winning chef Scott Jaeger focuses on local, organic and sustainable ingredients, and offers both familiar favourites and more adventurous options, from 30-hour-braised beef cheek with potato roulade to panroasted Lois Lake steelhead trout with pommes dauphine and butternut squash.

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Chez Christophe 2 For those with a sweeter tooth, award-winning Swiss-trained pastry chef and chocolatier Christophe Bonzon—also the former executive pastry chef at CinCin—brings his exquisite creations to Burnaby Heights, treating locals to double-baked croissants with pecan maple syrup, elegant truff les, tarte au citron and more.

Burnaby Village Museum

Deer Lake An around-the-lake walking trail, picnic spots and boat rentals make Deer Lake a popular spot to soak in the outdoors—but it’s also home to popular cultural stops, including the Burnaby Art Gallery, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and the Burnaby Village Museum (pictured above). In summer, it’s also an ideal venue for outdoor concerts, this year featuring Ms. Lauryn Hill, Bon Iver and Portugal the Man. Metropolis at Metrotown The ’80s still echo through this megamall, but with nearly 400 stores and services, Metropolis at Metrotown is still B.C.’s biggest shopping centre and the third largest in Canada, drawing more than 27 million customers annually. (West Edmonton Mall and Mississauga’s

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Glenburn Soda Fountain and Confectionery 3 Ice cream lovers

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can step back in time at the Glenburn Soda Fountain, which opened in 2013, but the vibe feels like more like 1953. Ice cream cones, sundaes, milkshakes and malts are all made with local ice cream from Birchwood Dairy in Abbotsford, while nostalgic toys, treats and decor round out the vintage experience.

METROTOWN: ONIKON CREATIVE; CHEZ CHRISTOPHE: LEIL A K WOK PHOTOGRAPHY

The Pear Tree 1 After more than 20 years, the Pear Tree is still regularly

SUMMER IS finally HERE...

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Feature

THE SUBURBS

LOCALS SAY

“I’ve lived in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of North Burnaby for 25 years.

It’s the Italian area of the city, and we have great restaurants, delis and markets. The biggest plus is the lack of strip malls. I abhor strip malls.”

Port Moody

Anton’s Pasta Bar Locals joke that it’s not hard to find this beloved

Burnaby spot: just look for the long lineups outside. Make sure to bring an appetite, too: while it’s known for the quality of its pastas and sauces—more than 70 red, white, clear and seafood-based combinations—it’s famous for serving serious you-won’t-be-able-tofinish quantities.

Coming Soon ————————————————————

Brentwood Rendering

The City of Burnaby is putting most of its development eggs into four very large baskets—Brentwood, Lougheed Town Centre, Edmonds and Metrotown—with all of them doing double time as major transit hubs. Plans include solidifying Metrotown as Burnaby’s town centre, with a dense mix of business and residential spaces, transportation options and amenities. Surrounded by glassy condo towers, Brentwood will host Vancouver’s latest megamall, and thousands of market-priced condos and rentals will continue to pop up in the Lougheed Town Centre area— where towers will reach up to 65 storeys.

Newport Village

Hottest ’Hoods ———————————————————— Port Moody’s small-town feel is experiencing a big change as downsizers and first-time buyers flock to this picturesque village in search of oceanside living without the big-city prices—and the arrival of the SkyTrain means it’s no longer as distant an outpost, although the commute is hardly a walk in the park.

With their contemporary condos and townhouses and close proximity to restaurants, shops and waterfront trails, the Suter Brook and Newport Village areas are happening spots, while those looking for higher-end options are heading up to Heritage Woods or to the Ioco waterfront. However, locals fear that the easier access and rapid expansion could diminish the serenity they enjoy and, ironically, that newcomers seek.

Landmarks ——————————————————————— Rocky Point Park A long pier, a boat launch, an outdoor pool, a skate park, bike trails, a bandshell and a kids’ water park are just some of the amenities that make 3.8-hectare Rocky Point Park one of Port Moody’s most popular destinations—as well as a starting point for endless aquatic adventures.

Move in Now 3 Properties in the ’Hood —————

Value-Priced

Mid-Range

High-End

$359,000 673 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 bath Sullivan Heights

$628,000 506 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 bath Metrotown

$1,868,000 3,082 sq. ft., 6 bed, 6 bath Burnaby Lake

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Buntzen Lake Before a 1904 hydroelectric project was put in place, Buntzen Lake was known as Lake Beautiful—and it’s no wonder. The stunning freshwater lake and surrounding nature make it a must-visit spot for summer swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking or just floating around. A waterfront off-leash dog area makes it perfect for pooches, too.

NEWPORT VILL AGE: CIT Y OF PORT MOODY; GLENBURN SODA FOUNTAIN: TRACE Y KUSIEWICZ; BUNTZEN L AKE: HUBERT FIGUIÈRE

—Jessica Dragojevich, 57, registered social worker

LOCALS SAY

“The best part about Port Moody is the Shoreline/Rocky Point Trail. It is a perfect easy run or walk. It is also a quick drive up to hiking trails and lakes to hike around or swim in during the summer, and Brewers Row is awesome. Port Moody is growing super quickly, and prodviding housing for folks who want to (need to?) move in from the city, but the infrastructure is not growing at the same pace. Thankfully, the Evergreen Line is helping to accommodate.”

—Kelsey DuBiel, 28, youth worker

Rocky Point Pier

SkyTrain It took many years and many false starts, but one of the most significant additions to Port Moody has been SkyTrain service, which makes for easy access to Coquitlam, Burnaby and Vancouver—and for a less car-reliant community. Coming with that transit is a big dose of density for the sleepy seaside community, with several large condo and townhouse developments proposed or in the works.

Meat Craft Urban Butchery Local free-range and ethically raised meats are what make this Port Moody butcher a cut above; make sure to try their house-made sausages, marinades and tasty sausage rolls, too.

Custom cuts available.

Coming Soon ————————————————————— Proposed Flavelle redevelopment

—————————————————————————————— City Centre to Vancouver in Rush Hour

33–60 minutes

40 minutes

1.5 hours

Best Bites ——————————————————————— 1

Brewers Row 1 It seemed like

a funny fluke when two breweries opened on the same street, but now it’s home to four—Moody Ales, Parkside, Yellow Dog and Twin Sails—making this stretch a sudsy destination for lovers of carefully crafted brews and cheerful tasting rooms.

BREWERS ROW, ORIGINAL'S AND SPACCA NAPOLI: ARIANA GILLRIE

Original’s Restaurante Mexicano 2 If it looks like you’re

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heading into someone’s house, you’ve probably found Original’s Restaurante Mexicano, where locals can be transported to sunnier climes through tasty tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, ceviche and more. You’ll also find their food truck wisely perched outside the Parkside or Yellow Dog breweries every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Spacca Napoli 3 For locals it was a slice of heaven when chef Marco Cresciullo, co-owner Davide Di Giovanni, and brothers Danny and Paolo Pero—all with true Neapolitan roots—opened an authentic, woodfired Italian pizzeria. Cresciullo focuses on quality ingredients, but the real secret is the slow-rising rustic crust, made from a recipe handed down for generations.

For more than a century, the 34-acre Flavelle sawmill operated just west of Rocky Point Park—but if a new development gets the go-ahead, it will be transformed into a massive residential hub, with 11 towers up to 38 storeys, retail and office spaces, a seniors’ facility, community amenities and more, as well as parks and a public plaza. Previous attempts to change the site’s industrial designation have failed, and even if the project is approved, construction is still years away—but if it does go ahead, the more than 3,000 new residential units would mean a seismic shift for the seaside community and a huge population boost.

Move in Now 3 Properties in the ’Hood ———————

Rocky Point Ice Cream Now in their 21st year, Rocky Point went

from a tiny summer kiosk to a year-round hot spot for all sorts of frozen goodness: milkshakes, sundaes, mini-ice cream cakes and bliss-producing double scoops, to name a few. Ninety percent of the ingredients are local, and the community-minded owners support a host of local causes, too.

Value-Priced

Mid-Range

High-End

$412,000 611 sq. ft., 1 bed, 1 bath Port Moody Centre

$839,000 1,137 sq. ft., 3 bed, 2 bath Port Moody Centre

$6,850,000 8,390 sq. ft., 4 bed, 8 bath Anmore

VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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VA N M AG .C O M/S T Y L E

Play

Sail Away Wide-plank wire-brushed oak flooring, plus custom wood treads and trim, warms up white shiplap in the entryway and stairwell of this beachy North Vancouver home.

PERSONAL SPACE

DAY AT THE BEACH

If you love the beach, why leave?

How one family brought the summer cottage feel home to the North Shore. by

Julia Dilworth

pHotograpHS by

Kyoko Fierro

THE FRONT DOOR SWINGS OPEN and you’re greeted with fresh white walls of nautical-inspired shiplap —it’s the perfect introduction to Christy and Dan Murphy’s “big beach house” in the hills of North Vancouver. In addition to loving blue and a Cape Cod cottage aesthetic, Christy, the VP of communications at Cactus Club Cafe, says she got a lot of her home’s inspiration from vacations in California. “My dad and stepmom lived in California, so we would go down there a lot.” Her dad passed away two years ago and never got to see his daughter’s finished house, but late nights around a firepit, year-round relaxing on j

VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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Play

P E R S O N A L S PAC E

Family Ties While a Gray Malin photograph of Bondi Beach channels the home’s beachy vibe, wood shelving sourced from Westport, Ontario, (the hometown of Dan Murphy’s mother) reiterates the family-first design.

heated decks covered with sweeping overhangs, and the laid-back coastal aesthetic of ocean blues and weather-beaten woods—these were all elements that Christy wanted to bring into her own home to pay tribute to her dad.

A five-split eclipse door folds away to connect living and dining areas to an expansive back deck, an outdoor living room with plush white sofas, geometric-print indigo pillows and a wooden-bead chandelier. The pool wasn’t in the original plans, but daily summer use from five-year-old daughter Marlowe and her crew makes it seem more than worthwhile. Even the kitchen, a balance of navy and palatial white-with-grey-vein stone, opens wide onto a poolside bar ideal for keeping tabs on swimmers or refreshing dinner-party guests.

The Murphys’ house has become what they always envisioned: a locus for close friends and family to enjoy their slice of West Coast paradise together—where the door’s always open, the firepit’s always ready for s’mores, and a rainy day never means you have to retreat inside.

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Tropics Transported Brushedgold hardware, smoked glass and a chic navy-and-white palm-leaf wallpaper from Serena and Lily make this one of Christy Murphy’s favourite rooms (top right; Christy pictured opposite, bottom left).

Magic Kingdom Maximizing the outdoor space was paramount for Christy and husband Dan (a longtime sportscaster for Sportsnet), so a heated and generous roof shelters the family’s al fresco living room for year-round enjoyment (left).

Ocean Blues A grey-blue grasscloth wallpaper, nautical neutral bed linens, beaded wood chandelier (a steal from Restoration Kids) and another hit of shiplap continue that shoreline feel in the master (right).

In the Navy A darker take on the home’s palette sees a deep navy kitchen balanced with large-format grey-veined white stone slabs and matching white millwork. Peach, the family pup, loves it too (bottom right).

Pool Time The Murphys worked with friends Leanne and Matt Leon of E2 Homes to bring their indoor-meets-outdoor vision to life. The pool was a late add, but daughter Marlowe makes use of it daily with her friends. From left: Logan, Emily, Ella, Marlowe and London (bottom centre).

VA N M A G . C O M J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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Play

T H E H O T TA K E

PARK THIS

by

j Cast your net with Staud’s Moreau bucket bag in quartz pink calf leather—it’s ripe for elegant, outdoor fun. $495, holtrenfrew.com

p When the sun goes down, just pack

up and go with the virtually indestructible Bailey Waits straw telescope porkpie men’s hat. $91, thebay.com

Take your lunch outside with these stylish, picnic-perfect picks.

k To keep that pout looking pretty pre- and post-picnic, the new Dior Addict Lip Tattoo Color Juice collection delivers a 10-hour temporary tattoo effect in mouth-watering shades like Litchi, Watermelon, Cranberry and Orange. $37, dior.com

j Made from a lightweight Japanese crepe with a custom flower print, the Wilfred Fleurette jumpsuit fits any old romping grounds. $175, aritzia.com

n Nigel’s Tartan

blanket by Hermès in cashmere and silk elevates the standard-issue backseat blanket. $4,825, hermes.com

j Sporty or Posh? Spice it up with Chanel’s threein-one interchangeable magnetic sunglasses in butterfly, oval and square lens shapes. $800, chanel.com

NOW OPEN

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver

1809 W 5th Ave., rolls-roycemotorcars-vancouver.com What: The British luxury automaker opens Canada’s first stand-alone Rolls-Royce showroom on the west side.

Why we’re excited: The new 4,500-square-foot dedicated RR dealership spans two levels and houses a no-expense-spared showroom with space for up to six Rolls-Royce models.

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Amanda Ross

Play

ABOUT L AST NIGHT

Fore Good

2

Youth and the city’s homeless benefit from a show of love.

by Fred Lee @FredAboutTown

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Wild.Eco Photography Exhibition Explorer, storyteller and photographer Daniel Fox recently staged an exhibition of photographic works in support of Vancouver’s Urban Native Youth Association. Architect Michael Green, documentary filmmaker Sharad Kharé and power figure Praveen Varshney hosted the exclusive spring event, which was dedicated to raising funds to provide Indigenous youth the opportunity for self-discovery through wilderness education and the great outdoors.

First United Church’s Golf Tournament For the Homeless

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1 Celebrated artist Daniel Fox exhibited his photographic works to send Indigenous youth to the National Outdoor Leadership School in the Yukon. 2 Cheryl Robinson represented the Urban Native Youth Association at the event, which was hosted by architect Michael Green at his Gastown studios. 3 Kim Spencer-Nairn, founder and executive director of the Capture Photography Festival, was on hand for the fundraising party. 4 Documentary filmmaker Sharad Kharé and entrepreneur Praveen Varshney co-hosted the Wild.Eco benefit for the Urban Native Youth Association. 5 Merrymaker Jordan Kallman and his fiancée, Dawn Melody, were among the influential set on hand to support the wilderness initiative.

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9 6 Housing advocate Judy Graves joined tournament director Elizabeth Kerklaan for the annual Golf Tournament for the Homeless.

7 A foursome of Christine Dixon, Anna Hankinson, Anna Panton and Betty-Anne Lindsay hit the links in support of First United Church. 8 Reverend Carmen Lansdowne and former CBCer Rick Cluff were all smiles following the record night. 9 Tournament creator Bob Burrows socializes with committee members Corrine Dahlo and Joanne Barker.

ILLUSTRATION: NIMA GHOL AMI

Elizabeth Kerklaan fronted First United Church’s 11th Annual Golf Tournament for the Homeless at the University Golf Course.

Under clear skies, a full field of 144 golfers hit the fairways to help raise support for the city’s most vulnerable. Greeting them back at the clubhouse for the banquet and more fundraising games were Reverend Carmen Lansdowne and Rick Cluff, the evening’s emcee. The day of golf and camaraderie netted the organization $100,000 to help First United address the many challenges met by residents of the Downtown Eastside—poverty, mental illness, addiction, and a lack of shelter and housing.

The record result pushed the tournament’s overall tally beyond the $600,000 mark.

5

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1088 BURRARD STREET VANCOUVER, BC V6Z 2R9 | (604) 331-1000

2018 Van Mag.indd 2

4/17/2018 4:51:02 PM

CIT Y INFORMER

What’s the Point of Point Roberts? by

Stacey McLachlan Byron Eggenschwiler

illUStration by

WHEN AMERICA AND BRITAIN decided in 1818 that the 49th parallel would serve as the crisp dividing line between their nations—much like two sitcom roommates in an argument— they received a sobering lesson in the value of “measure twice, cut once”: li’l Point Roberts was left dangling off Canadian shores, disconnected from the rest of Washington state. Under the law of “No Takebacksies,” this 12.65-square-kilometre scrap of land has stayed attached to Tsawwassen, but part of the U.S., ever since.

Now flush with Canadian immigrants who set up summer cottages and then forgot to leave, Point Roberts has 1,300 residents, according to the latest census report, though that number swells to 4,500 in the summer. And those stats don’t even include the regular stream of border-hopping day trippers who come to stock up on cheap gas and alcohol and to feast on illegal-inB.C. medium-rare burgers, which, as science shows, taste delicious expressly because of the thrilling risk of contracting E. coli. (Or should I say contracting FREEDOM?!)

The separation from the rest of Whatcom County by the pesky ocean means it’s a 23-mile drive through Canada to get to Blaine, Washington.

The kids of Point Roberts take a bus for the border-crossing journey each

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Point Roberts is a sobering lesson in the value of ‘measure twice, cut once.’ day, up through Tsawwassen and back down again to their school on the U.S. mainland. American citizens also have to head to Bellingham for health treatments—the peninsula has no hospital, doctor, dentist or even openminded veterinarian (technically, humans are animals, right?). Some call it a gated community because the border is the only way to get in: no felons allowed. Rumour has it that the town is home to about 50 people from the U.S.’s Witness Protection Program because of this high-security feature, and while I can’t find any way to confirm this, isn’t the very absence of proof, proof in and of itself? Think about it.

Point Roberts may be small, but there’s a bustling community.

Notable residents have included former Canucks coach John Tortorella, and Heart’s Roger Fisher and Nancy Wilson, unless those are fake identities given to them by the U.S. government. There’s the busy marina and a cottage cottagebuilding industry. And reporting on it all is the All Point Bulletin, delivering hard-hitting journalism (“Tide is low”) and answering burning questions from residents like “Has the theme for the 4th of July 2018 parade been announced yet?”

Sources say no, but feel free to use my personal suggestion: “Undercooked Hamburgers: The Taste of Liberty.”

Got a question for City Informer? stacey.mclachlan@vanmag.com

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The Sport Utility Sedan.

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*MSRP of $24,995 on 2018 Legacy 4dr Sdn 2.5i CVT (JA2 25). MSRP excludes Freight & PDI of $1,650. Taxes, license, registration and insurance are extra. $0 security deposit. Model shown is 2018 Legacy 4dr Sdn 2.5i Limited w/ Eyesight CVT (JA2 LPE) with an MSRP of $33,795. Dealers may sell for less or may have to order or trade.

Prices may vary in Quebec. Vehicle shown solely for purposes of illustration, and may not be equipped exactly as shown. See Owner’s Manual for complete details on system operation and limitations. See your local Subaru dealer for details. Legacy and Subaru are registered trademarks.