PEOPLE / HOMES / FASHION / LIFESTYLES
Theory blazer ($180) and Gucci belt ($490) both from Turnabout, Ralph Lauren blouse ($65) and cowboy boots ($125) both from House of Savoy, FRNCH skirt ($245) from Tulipe Noire, and Naghedi tote ($475) from Bernstein & Gold.
In my first year as a journalist, working at my university’s paper, I met a lot of passionate people. People standing up against a development threatening green space; protestors calling against forced organ harvesting in China; young men zealous about growing moustaches to advocate for prostate cancer.
Little gets done without passion – it is the spark that compels action. But how does one find it?
One thing I have learned over years of interviewing people who have made waves, is that finding passion requires curiosity and leaving one’s comfort zone. It also comes from knowing oneself – a process that can take time. While some naturally and easily find something that hooks them, for others, it develops spontaneously as they try new things and listen to their inner voice. Albert Einstein was the embodiment of the latter:
“I have no special talents,” he famously said. “I am only passionately curious.”
The three Oak Bay business owners in this issue’s feature story have a lot to teach us about passion. From Stacey Moore using the art of perfume to soothe her own neurodivergent sensitivities and help others find peace, to Ben Brannen, a designer who loves people as much as colour, there exists a fascinating story behind their successful ventures. Hopefully, theirs and other stories in this issue will inspire you to find or foster your own spark.
If there is one call to action embodied in the pages ahead, it is best summed up in the words of Oprah Winfrey: “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”
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As
Thinking of selling or buying in Oak Bay? Let’s talk.
By Janice Louise | Modhaus Design
Strong golds and oranges guide us into fall with fervor, their abundance warming us into the cozy nights ahead. While representing autumn, they evoke happiness, optimism and a call for change. Consider how these vibrant, crisp colours can inspire you in the season of harvest, feast and turning leaves.
Co-owner of Liv Cafe and Bistro
When Milton Rebello and Louise Lu opened Liv Cafe and Bistro in Oak Bay in May 2025, it was a dream decades in the making. Now, the dynamic duo is an unstoppable force, bursting with an incredible amount of creativity and talent.
Rebello is an award-winning chef who prides himself as much on vibrant, exceptional plates as he does on building the right team. But his greatest teammate is his wife, Lu, a talented pastry chef, who not only tends the multi-layered Saanich garden that grows their fresh ingredients, but who also designed the bright and airy restaurant – and the beautiful pottery sold within it. The couple have plenty of plans for the restaurant named after their 12-year-old daughter. Rebello was kind enough to give a glimpse into the beautiful life their family has grown here in Greater Victoria, and what makes Liv Cafe such a gem in Oak Bay.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in India in a small, coastal Portuguese colony called Udyavara, where my ancestors were farmers and fishermen. I was then brought up in Mumbai. I left India in 1992 and worked in 10 countries before coming to Canada.
Why was it your dream to open a restaurant in Greater Victoria?
I worked with Fairmont Hotels and was sent to different locations, including the Empress. The cruise ship I worked on also used to come here. Once I experienced the Island, I was mesmerized. I always wanted to move here, but the timing had
to be right. I needed the right home, the right land to grow things, the right job. So my wife and I took a leap of faith. We decided to sell everything we have and move here. We started in Alberta, then Saskatchewan. My wife was eight months pregnant when we moved, thinking it would be temporary – but we stayed 14 years. I opened three restaurants, won
Together, we have travelled to probably another 30 countries to experience the food. So that’s what our menu is all about. Everything is from our travels or the places we’ve worked in.
awards, and even ended up on the Food Network. But we’ve always loved gardening and outdoor life. And in Saskatchewan, the winters are long. So we saved up, finally bought a small farm in Saanich, opened our restaurant in Oak Bay, and are loving every bit of it.
How many countries have you lived in?
I worked in Dubai, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Tanzania, Kenya. In my younger days, I wanted to experience and see different places, so I joined the cruise ships: Carnival Cruise Lines and Disney. Carnival sponsored me to go to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. When Tamarind restaurant sponsored me, I met Chef Rubino, who took me to restaurants that got four-star ratings by the New York Times. Those five years were great.
Louise was born in China, but she’s been living in Canada longer than I have. Together, we have travelled to probably another 30 countries to experience the food. So that’s what our menu is all about. Everything is from our travels or the places we’ve worked in.
How did you and Louise meet?
I was the executive sous chef in a hotel, and we ended up hiring three students at an Edmonton culinary school – Louise was one of them. I was very good at carving fruit and vegetables, so I would go to schools to share my skills. This girl, she would outdo everything that I made. Of course, she does embroidery and sculpts, so it was easy for her. I always had an eye to see how she did it better, and then I picked up my level. And we ended up really liking each other. It’s been since 2007, and the rest is history.
She keeps me together. It’s two different energies. She’s calm, really, really calm, very composed. She does everything that I can’t do.
If you could throw a dinner party and invite any three people in the world, dead or alive, who would you pick and what would you serve them?
There are a lot of chefs who have contributed to my success. One was Daniel Rubino, with whom I worked for three years in New York. He was Italian, a great chef with a very loud attitude, but his food was outstanding. Then there was Chef Hans on the cruise ships. He was Austrian. And of course, Chef Michael Brown, who I worked with at the Western Hotel
in Edmonton for four years. I would love to get them together again and cook for them, but this time, my style of food, and I’m sure they’d appreciate how they have contributed to my success and my style of cuisine.
What’s the best way to elevate a dish?
We want people to experience local ingredients. And of course, the presentation is important. Louise and I, we paint, we draw, when we approach a plate. That helps us make the plates look beautiful. It’s also more about what our customers like to eat rather than what I like to cook. We are very, very conscious about it, so at Oak Bay, we have kept it very approachable. But one of our biggest guidelines is that we try to stick to five ingredients on each plate. We tell ourselves five textures, five colours, five flavours. That guides us to keep the flavours pure and clean.
What’s your favourite thing about farm life?
We love farm life. It took us a long time to get used to it. The first two years were tough because we had to till the land and build the garden beds. That was a lot of work, especially because we are on a slope, so we had to create three levels. Then we had to make an eight-foot-tall fence because the deer here are – they’re cute, but they’re notorious. But now, it is stunning. Louise planted thousands of flower bulbs that grow throughout the year, so our restaurant is always stocked.
What’s on your playlist?
I love Latino bachata and merengue; those have the same rhythms as the music I was brought up with. But I also listen to rock, soft rock. When we were young, I listened to the classics with my dad and my mom’s music. My dad used to play the mouth organ, and my mom used to sing. And then it progressed to meeting friends and listening to Black Sabbath and Aerosmith – that was the fun years.
What’s a goal for next year?
We’re going to focus a lot of energy towards our dinner service, along with private dinners, cooking classes and catering. Some very good chefs are coming from Vancouver to join us. Next year, we want an ice cream shop from the express window. Then we want to focus on custom-made, subscription dinners for locals. That’s the reason we picked Oak Bay; it’s the right demographic.
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We love that our home is tucked away and so private. It is like living in the country, yet minutes from so much. The gardens are like living in Butchart Gardens, and we have stunning views of Mount Baker, of sunrises, of southern sunshine, and the private beach is perfect for launching our kayaks.
Just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city, tucked away on one of the most exclusive cul-de-sacs in Oak Bay’s prestigious Uplands neighbourhood, is a secluded oceanside oasis.
“This is all about privacy and location, location, location!” says listing agent and realtor Jason Binab of The Agency. “It’s a rare south-facing exposure in the Uplands so you have all-day sun but also lots of shaded areas, thanks to mature trees and the beautiful landscaping.”
Set on just over half an acre with more than 200 feet of private oceanfront and breathtaking panoramic views and gorgeous gardens, the gated Tarn Place property feels like your own private resort.
“We love that our home is tucked away and so private,” says the homeowner, who’s owned the house for 26 years. “It’s like living in the country, yet minutes from so much. The gardens are like living in Butchart Gardens, and we have stunning views of Mount Baker, of sunrises, of southern sunshine, and the private beach is perfect for launching our kayaks.”
The special spot was created by subdividing the property next door several decades ago. Built in 1980 and designed by wellknown Victoria architect Pamela Charlesworth, the Tudor-style home underwent extensive renovations in 1999 — a year after the homeowners purchased it — and again in the early 2000s to add an addition that includes guest quarters, a breezeway, and a double-car garage with a multi-purpose rec room and hobby area above it.
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“We had the good fortune with our significant renovation to have Pamela Charlesworth help us incorporate a more contemporary interior design and expanded footprint, while still maintaining the elegance and charm of the English cottage she had originally designed,” the homeowner said.
The homeowners have poured a lot of love into this passion project over the years, including a new open-concept chef’s kitchen, family room with a gas fireplace, and an adjacent dining area that’s cozy enough for family meals but also great for entertaining. A large mud room and laundry, with separate entry, was also added in 2010. It’s a great spot for shaking the sand off after beach adventures.
The main floor also has a spacious, formal living room with a gas fireplace, and an English estate-inspired wood-panelled den at the end of one wing. The guest suite is on the opposite wing and all of the rooms have big windows and stunning views of the Salish Sea.
“My favourite part is being able to see the ocean from all the rooms,” the homeowner says. “It was designed so perfectly to fit in with the lot.”
Upstairs, you’ll find a luxurious primary retreat with a balcony off the bedroom and vaulted, floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the stunning view. The character-filled, six-piece bathroom has arched doorways, double vanities, a large walk-in shower, and a big soaker tub that has one of the best views in the city. Another bathroom and two
large bedrooms on the top level were also designed to maximize the view.
But as beautiful as this home is, it’s the sprawling outside area that’s the real showstopper. With several patios, lush green lawns, gorgeous, hand-built stone walls, an outdoor kitchen area, a private hot tub overlooking the water, and direct access to a sheltered and sandy beach cove, the property is coastal living at its finest.
“We kayaked right out our back door to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club for dinner, walked to Willows Beach on Saturday afternoons, and were a short drive to the Victoria Golf Club for our family golf!” the homeowner says of how lovely it was to raise their two sons here.
The spectacular garden was designed by Lily Maxwell and is meticulously maintained. But as much as the homeowners love the property and made many happy memories, they’re now based in Alberta and don’t get to spend much time at it.
“For the last several years, this vacation home has been occupied for less than two months a year as we travel a great amount,” the homeowner says.
Sitting in Adirondack chairs on the sun-drenched corner point that juts out into the water, I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave.
“This is my favourite spot,” says Jason, sitting beside me. “I’ve seen killer whales in the water, and this is where the homeowner and I sat to chat about life. I also cold-plunged off the rocks here, and I saw seals. It’s pretty special.”
A perfumer, a caterer, and a designer are changing their community through a deep connection to their work
Words by Samantha Duerksen | Photos by Don Denton
They say if you do what you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. But it also takes grit, risk and the kind of staying power that can make it last into something meaningful. The following three creative business owners in Oak Bay are the rare, lucky ones who truly embody their passion in their work and have been able to sustain that spark. From the alchemy of scent to the art of celebration to the language of design, these owners show how devotion to one’s calling can be not just a career, but a way of being.
Stacey Moore owns Atelier Flore Perfume and Pigment at 1848 Oak Bay Avenue
Walking into Atelier Flore is an inviting, sensory experience. An in-house perfumery at the back pulls you into an old-world workshop of alchemy. Then there are the details, scattered among the perfumes, the high-end paint products and locally crafted goods: textiles, the touch of pearls, gold. “They all have their own feeling,” Moore says.
From a young age, Moore knew she was highly sensitive. “Part of being sensitive is that you pick up on things that others might not see, smell or feel. When it came to my sense of smell, though, I always knew how magical it was.”
Part of that was escaping to a fantasy world when she felt overwhelmed. Through scent, she would close her eyes and let her imagination carry her.
Perfume didn’t come until she was 30, as a single mom in the mountains of Pinantan Lake B.C., embracing life close to the land. Having a daughter connected her back to her own childhood. “I was picking wild roses, and making salves and natural products for her,” she said.
A specific scent shared by a natural perfumer started what
she called an obsession. “I could not stop smelling it,” she said. It was labdanum, an aromatic resin obtained from the rockrose shrub, extracted in traditional – almost mythical –ways: combed from the hair of goats.
“That’s what changed everything. I was obsessed. I started training and reading tons of books and making concoctions. It just felt like it was my way of storytelling.”
When Moore, now 50, approaches perfume creation, she thinks of scent as a language. Each unique bottle she creates uses natural ingredients and tells a different story, whether that’s inspired an ingredient she’s attracted to, the seasons or something else that moves her.
It’s this intuitive process and not using chemicals that attracts international clients, and differentiates her from a corporate perfumer. “[Natural perfume] is very intimate. It lasts between one and three hours; the people who smell you are in your bubble.”
Customers are also drawn to her unique offerings, such as individualized perfumes created through intuitive workshops. “I get to know their life, who they are, and I will start to choose different notes as I talk to them,” Moore said. People might tell her about where they’re from, share memories of loved ones, or open up about recent losses. “We go on this scent journey; a lot of people will cry or they’ll have memories that come up. It’s more about the process than the end result,” she said.
“It’s our limbic system, so it’s the most ancient and most primal part of us. Our sense of smell is the most magical because it goes beyond our consciousness.”
Her new shop, which opened July 5 after moving from downstairs (an Oak Bay staple for almost a decade), is designed as a soft, sensory house that will also hold art workshops; it’s designed to be especially welcoming to neurodivergent visitors like herself. “I want it to be a safe, soft place ... a place to escape the world and disconnect.”
Cheryl Schultz has owned Cheryl’s Gourmet Pantry (2009 Cadboro Bay Road) for close to four decades
“That lady right over there, that’s my mom,” Cheryl Schultz says in her little cafe and headquarters, pointing to a smiling woman rolling out some dough. “She’s a great entertainer and a great cook; she does beautiful designs and table settings. So, I kind of grew up with that. My grandmother and my aunt all set beautiful tables and beautiful food.”
Schultz has only worked two jobs ever in her life; restaurant management before starting her own catering business at 23 – almost 40 years ago.
“At a very young age, I picked, well, kind of mum picked catering for me. It was everything I love. I love the food. I love the decor. I love doing flowers. It has a bit of everything. I would have also maybe gone into interior design, and this also has a bit of that to it.”
The longer one talks with Cheryl, the more they become aware of the scope of what she does. Not only does she create the recipes and menus – which might include beef wellington with foie gras, or her famous buttermilk fried chicken. Her company can also design the entirety of a party; renting the tents, finding the location, choosing the perfect linen – “everything,” she says.
Often at her side is her mom, who got involved with the business after Cheryl’s dad died five years ago from Parkinson’s. “She comes down here almost every day. She loves it, and she’s a great worker.”
It’s that deep family tie and the extravagance of bringing beautiful, diverse events to life – a “lost art”, she describes it – that keep her locked in after nearly 40 years.
“I have not lost my passion,” she said, smiling. “I just signed up for another five-year lease.”
Ben Brannen is owner and principal designer at Bespoke Design, 1820 Oak Bay Avenue
Ben Brannen doesn’t just love design; he loves people and the way their personalities translate to paint, pillows and patterns.
His love for design started young. As a business school student, he worked part time in a paint store, building a passion for colour. After interior design classes and a foray into that world, an opportunity came to partner at Bespoke. The rest was history.
Upon walking into the dynamic, beautifully curated store, Brannen might be found animatedly discussing the latest project with his coworkers, samples of fabrics and paint strewn across a table.
When it comes to helping clients, their philosophy is people first. “We don’t believe that we have to be the director of your journey for interior design,” Brannen said. “We can be your assistant, we can be your cheerleader, or we can do the whole thing.”
What matters most is that the team understands their client and their personality, he said. “You almost develop a friendship,” he said. He’s come to understand what colours and textures will light someone up and the symbolism behind things people don’t want anymore. “It could be a divorce, it could be some sort of trauma. Eventually, they open up and you get it.”
Then there’s the interesting challenge of improving someone’s space who might already have everything they need. “You’re curating the best of what they have,” he said. “And that is very rewarding.”
Through close interactions, the depth of those bonds Brannen builds sometimes surprises even him. “When you don’t have the need to meet with that client as much, there is sort of a mourning,” he said. “It’s a professional relationship, but there’s enough of an interest in, a bond in their day-today life that you miss it when the job’s over.”
With over 35 years of experience working with clients and a team that he loves, Brannen continues to bring joy, thoughtfulness and excitement into each new project.
“I think it just goes to show that if you do find something you love to do and you put your mind to it, it is the best way to spend your professional life,” he said.
Fall is all about putting your best foot forward and stepping into new ventures. These bold pieces can serve as a focal point of your outfit, creating a memorable look that will set you apart from the crowd –wherever you find yourself next.
Photographer: Michelle Proctor Hair & Makeup: Jen Clark
Styling: Émilie Hamel www.houseofsavoy.ca
Model: Jamie Sikora
Internationally acclaimed Oak Bay couple keeps life exciting with shared musical passion
By Sean McIntyre |
Whether featured in Richard Wagner’s The Ring Cycle or Mozart’s The Magic Flute, opera families notoriously exceed the bounds of dysfunction. So, it’s a testament to their hard work, creativity and patience that real-life opera husband-and-wife team Anne Grimm and Benjamin Butterfield have proven family life off stage can be every bit as exciting without the additional drama.
The Oak Bay couple met mid-career studying at a summer singing program near Chicago (Anne being from the Netherlands and Benjamin from Victoria). They later raised two daughters who are now in their early twenties — a dancer and a rower, but both good singers too. Between being away from one another for long periods of time, conflicting work schedules and mood swings wavering from the excitement of a good show to the misery of a bad one, the couple knows all about taking on tough roles. It’s a shared passion for music, they say, that’s helped strengthen their healthy and ever-evolving relationship.
“Although being in the same business has its challenges, Anne and I have remained enthusiastic and philosophical about our lives as musicians and more so as singers, because it continues to be a life full of discovery and change,” Benjamin says. “We have always been supportive of each other through the ups and downs of this career and life. There is never a dull moment.”
In addition to their singing careers, Benjamin and Anne have been teaching a new generation of aspiring singers at the University of Victoria for nearly 20 years. When Benjamin took on the role of head of voice at the School of Music, they moved back to his hometown in 2006. Anne joined the voice department in 2009 but now teaches at the Victoria Conservatory of Music as well.
“It was the right time for me — and us — to create more stability in our lives moving on a bit from being solely freelance performers,” Anne says. Settling down with a family and full-time teaching positions has given both Benjamin and Anne another perspective on their craft.
“Teaching voice in my view is a journey of exploring and searching together where and how effortless singing can be found,” Anne says. “The human voice is something so personal and unique; there are of course lots of technical tools but the magic of it all is something else and never stops to fascinate me. Teaching requires flexibility and adaptability, and I learn with every lesson that I teach.”
She also encourages her students, and all aspiring singers, to stay curious and enjoy the journey rather than getting caught up in the results. “If your heart is truly in it, good things will happen.”
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Perhaps, unsurprisingly, Anne and Benjamin’s like-minded principles have helped them both rise to be internationally-recognized singers, albeit coming from two different continents. Benjamin, whose Victoria debut dates back to 1990 when he took on the role of Triquet in Eugene Onegin, has since made appearances with the
Singing is physiological, but it is not a condition that one must try to overcome through heady techniques that can complicate the phenomena that is the human body and mind itself. Learning to sing, in my view, is learning to find the middle of everything so that you can present the totality of anything.
Being a singer supersedes everything and can take priority over some of a family’s most precious moments. Holiday occasions, or anything dependent on a fixed schedule and predictability are often sacrificed in a singer’s busy and erratic schedule. Benjamin describes the process as a recurring loop of studying, auditioning, practicing, eating, travelling, performing and sleeping. One can stop and enjoy the view as well, they say, but given the rigours of an opera singer’s life, it’s incredible Anne and Benjamin have found time to work on projects together along the way.
The past few summers they sang together at the Sicily Music Festival and Competition in Noto, Italy where they also both teach. They also sang together locally for the 30th anniversary of the Victoria Chamber Orchestra and the 90th of the Victoria Choral Society.
But, Benjamin says the most all-time memorable was the Butchart Gardens 100th Anniversary concert with the Victoria Symphony. “Anne was seven months pregnant with our second daughter, and our first ran down the lawn with abandon to the edge of the stage enthusiastically wanting to join us. What a glorious day.”
When they’re not on stage or in the classroom, the couple loves to take an evening walk along the esplanade at Willows Beach or Ogden Point. They enjoy walks on Mt. Tolmie to get to and from UVic each day and try to keep their garden in shape.
“We like to go to the grocery store together to get away from it all for a moment,” Benjamin says. “We also just marvel in general at how lucky we are to live in Oak Bay and to have been able to raise a family here in the first place.”
Anne and Benjamin are currently at work on a faculty concert for this coming fall as well as an upcoming 2026 tour called Opera? Are You Kidding Me? that’s already booked for eight performances across B.C. There’s a strong possibility the finale will be in Victoria, so Vancouver Island opera lovers can look forward to a local homecoming.
If you are looking to buy or sell your home, I am more than happy to sit down with you for a personal, private consultation. No two clients are the same. The better I know you, the better I can serve your needs.
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Fall is our giving issue of Tweed, a moment to reflect on what matters most and the causes you care about. We thought it was especially fitting for an issue themed ‘Passion’!
Our region has a long tradition of generosity, where neighbours support neighbours and philanthropy is woven into the fabric of community life. Whether it’s local charities, grassroots initiatives, or individuals quietly making a difference, the spirit of giving runs deep here.
In the following pages, you’ll discover the vibrancy of the non-profit sector in our area. We hope to inspire you to join in—through your time, talents, or financial support—alongside family and friends.
Stay connected with your local community news at www. oakbaynews.com. Thank you for being a valued reader, and we wish you all the best in the upcoming season!
This past year, 5,635 generous donors, 150 dedicated volunteers, and visionary leaders in care, set new standards for Royal Jubilee and Victoria General hospitals. Together, we turned bold ambition into life-changing breakthroughs, transforming care for every Vancouver Islander who depends on our acute care centres.
Introduced Canada’s first MRI of its kind with the country's most advanced AI technology, revolutionizing diagnostic care
Launched the Island’s first surgical robotics program, bringing nextgeneration precision to patient care and maximizing efficiency
Ushered in a new era of minimally invasive surgery by introducing equipment never before seen on the Island, keeping patient care local
Invested in 252 pieces of equipment, helping caregivers to deliver specialized care across all areas of care
Empowered 510 caregivers through scholarship funding, strengthening engagement and retention, and building a promising future of Island care
Championed 34 local researchers reshaping the future of healthcare, with a focus on prevention and patient care to ease system demands
At Oak Bay Volunteer Services, we believe that meaningful connection is at the heart of healthy, independent living. Over the past year, we’ve expanded our programs to better meet the evolving needs of our community, and the results have been inspiring. Our Cultural Companion program has brought joy and enrichment to participants by providing opportunities to attend arts and cultural events with a companion, while our Silent Disco program brings people of all ages together, fostering connection, play, and healthy movement through music and dance
Alongside these new initiatives, our core services continue to support independence and well-being every day. Volunteers provide rides to medical appointments, make reassurance phone calls, and accompany clients on destination walks, ensuring adults in Oak Bay remain engaged, safe, and connected. This year, our growth continues with the launch of the Welcome Team, supporting new residents and those navigating life transitions. We are also proud to participate in a social prescribing initiative through our Community Connector program in partnership with United Way BC | Healthy Aging, helping to strengthen connections and co-build paths to wellness for older adults across Greater Victoria. Together, these efforts create meaningful opportunities to engage, explore, and thrive
None of this progress would be possible without the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers. This is where you come in! With a goal of building a strong asset base of $8 million, OBVS is committed to ensuring long-term sustainability for the programs that strengthen our community Your gift, whether a one-time donation, monthly support, or legacy contribution, directly enables adults to stay connected, active, and independent, now and for years to come.
By giving, volunteering, or including OBVS in your legacy, you are investing in a community where adults of all ages can flourish. Together, we can continue to create opportunities for connection, joy, and meaningful engagement, ensuring that Oak Bay remains a vibrant, welcoming community for generations to come Get involved today by visiting our website at oakbayvolunteers org.
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There’s no “cure” for grief but being with people who’ve been there can help.
A series of Grief Cafés offered by Victoria Hospice Bereavement Services gives people in bereavement a chance to share their experience and connect with people who understand what they’re going through.
“Grief can be profoundly isolating,” says Marney Thompson, Director of Bereavement Services. “Bereaved people often feel vulnerable, drained, and disconnected from the world. Grief Cafés offer a warm, welcoming space to step out from that solitude, even just for a moment.”
Volunteer facilitator Rick Styles was used to finding solutions to problems in his professional career. But that’s not how grief works, he says.“ One of the key takeaways from our volunteer training is that grief can’t be ‘fixed’. There’s no prescription for it. Everyone’s grief is different, and everyone’s grief journey is different. The best thing you can do to support someone in bereavement is to be there and listen.”
Grief Café participants are encouraged to support each other without giving advice. “We often ask, ‘how is your grief today? People share in their own way and
in their own time,”he says. “There are tears and laughter in equal measure.”
Rick’s first exposure to Victoria Hospice care came about when his father received end-of-life care on the Inpatient Unit. “When I arrived, I found a quiet, calm place. It was really comfortable for me and my sister. The staff were matter of fact about my father’s death, but in a caring way. I didn’t really know what I thought about death, but I was curious, and I thought, well, this is a good place to find out,”he says. “I wasn’t sure whether I was afraid of it, or if there is life after death. I don’t think I had terribly unique questions, but they were front and center for me.”
Impressed by the care team and volunteers on the unit, and aware that Bereavement Services is 100% donor funded, Rick was inspired to join the community support and bereavement volunteer teams. “I get the sense that the Grief Cafés give people the opportunity to share things they may not otherwise have,” he says. “We certainly hear how grateful people are for the experience. It’s rewarding.”
The biweekly Grief Café is free and open to anyone in bereavement. Find out more or reserve your seat at victoriahospice.org/events
SUNDAY OCTOBER26,2025
volunteer Rick Styles lends a comforting ear at the Grief Cafes. Victoria Hospice Bereavement Services, including professional counselling, support groups, and workshops are 100% funded by grants and community donations.
Learn more or make a donation: victoriahospice.org
250-519-1744
The Garth Homer Foundation provides funding in support of its vision for a society where people with diverse abilities discover freedom of choice and unleash their full potential.
The Foundation’s purpose is primarily, and to the greatest extent possible, to fund the Garth Homer Society to support adults with developmental disabilities to make a life, a home, and a place in the world. This mission for the greater Victoria region began in 1968 to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to participate, feel valued, make informed choices and to access services tailored to their goals. We believe in the model –that our community is enriched when everyone can contribute!
In partnership with iA Financial/Richardson Wealth, CanadaHelps and Benevity, we create Endowments, Matching Grants, Legacies, Tributes/ Gifts In Memorium and Corporate Giving opportunities to accelerate transformation for our region; through the work of the Garth Homer Society.
In March 2023, the Foundation announced a transformative $34 million legacy gift from Kathleen Sheret, a longtime supporter and friend of community leader Garth Homer. This donation is one of the largest ever given to support people with cognitive disabilities in Canada and is used to build communitybased supports for generations to come.
Upon receiving this generous gift and scaling up its responsible investing activity, the Foundation established its popular matching program to ensure all gifts have twice the impact. The Foundation now grants $2M, growing to $3M per year over the next few years, to the Society. You may have seen the colourful Garth Homer vans around town, met Garth Homer employees or volunteers throughout the communities, followed the progress of the Belonging Project for housing in Saanich, or seen Garth Homer artists’ works in the Museum, ‘paint-ins’ at Market Square; or at any of the beautiful Gardens in our region – among many other things-to-do!
GARTH HOMER FOUNDATION
301 - 1321 Blanshard Street
Victoria, B.C. V8W 0B6
Your support can be directed to Garth Homer Society programs or for long term investment to help us build an expanded scope of services, a greater array of choices, and expanded access to technology, transportation, and facility resources. Contact Catherine Lord, Chair Bruce Homer, Vice-Chair info@garthhomerfoundation.org 778-410-5174
89426 9422 RR 0001
Visit us online garthhomerfoundation.org garthhomersociety.org
@garthhomersociety garthhomer garthhomersociety
Join the momentum
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Learn about more ways to give Canada Helps
www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-garth-homer-foundation Victoria Foundation
Gifts from Donor Advised Funds are gratefully received and matched
Butchart Gardens
Gifts from the beautiful coin fountains are matched by the Foundation Benevity
www.causes.benevity.org/causes/search/--/ 124-894269422RR0001
YourgifttotheVictoriaSymphony empowersmorethanextraordinaryperformances
Youareapartofourcommunity’sfuture.
Didyouknow?
VS youth programs directly impact the lives of more than 6,000 local school children each year.
VS outreach programs connect with dozens of local service groups to provide access to the healing power of music.
44 outstanding professional VS musicians share their expertise and passion as teachers and mentors.
Over 95% of our expenses go to paying local employees, artists, and businesses.
victoriasymphony.ca/support
Contact: Amy Hinrichs | 250.412.1985 donorservices@victoriasymphony.ca
Christopher Causton was mayor of Oak Bay for 15 years. He is now the Goodwill Ambassador and a captain with Victoria Harbour Ferries. He is the former owner of Jason’s (Wind Cries Mary) and Rattenbury’s (Old Spaghetti Factory) and is a classically trained hotelier, a member of Harbourside Rotary for 40 years. He has been the Volunteer Steward at Gonzales Hill Park for the past decade. ec595@hotmail.com
A love story between our region and its parks
The August news that two singlefamily home waterfront lots of just over five acres combined were now on the Oak Bay market for $52.5 million surprised more than just a few people. Even more staggering is the realization that, in comparison, the CRD parks department has bought over 12,000 acres of pristine land for everyone in the community to enjoy with almost the same amount of money over the past 25 years. Next time you are on a ferry going through Active Pass, look at the southern portion of Galiano called Matthews Point and say a big thank you for the initial $312,000 well spent.
In 1997, John Ranns, Mayor of Metchosin, was having restless nights worrying about how a new parks master plan, involving a huge increase in the CRD buying private land for future generations, was going to be funded. Past park purchase interest payments had mounted up and were still outstanding, but there was an increasing opportunity to buy land from private individuals and forestry companies. David Anderson, a great lover of parks and influential in the federal cabinet, was our local MP. A parks advisory board had set out a parks master plan for future purchases; central to that plan was Sooke Wilderness Park, Sandcut Beach, Island View Beach, and Sooke Potholes, to name a few, but all at a price.
The idea was hatched to introduce a Land Acquisition Fund and ask all the municipalities in the municipal elections of 1999 to put the question to their constituents in a poll. Six municipalities agreed to put a nonbinding question to their electorate, and the
other seven, including Oak Bay, agreed that their communities would eagerly support it. Hence, in the year 2000, the most popular tax the CRD has ever introduced was passed unanimously! Initially set at an average of $10 per person for the first ten years, it was raised by a dollar a year after 2011.
The parks department had lots of friends at court besides David Anderson, and MP and MLA-to-be Murray Rankin. Bill Turner headed up The Land Conservancy (TLC), and the CRD partnered with this organization in a two-thirds/one-third funding arrangement. The TLC did the purchasing and raised significant funds from donors, while CRD staff like Diana Lokken, Simon Joslin, Lloyd Rushton and Jeff Ward stayed in the background with expert strategic, legal and purchase expertise.
Over the past 25 years, CRD Regional Parks has dramatically increased its inventory thanks to the foresight of so many wonderful park enthusiasts. Just as an example, I received, as board chair, over 1,300 individual petitions of support for the introduction of a parks acquisition fund. Unfortunately, in 2022, the CRD board voted to return to old ways of borrowing. One individual who had been there at the beginning and was still on the board argued strenuously against any change: the former Mayor of Metchosin.
This generation, and those to come, who live and visit this gem of a place, realize the role that parks play in our enjoyment of our homes and our health. Don’t forget to take that moment of grateful reflection next time you are on a ferry in Active Pass!
Current Proprietor Dave Higgins
Words & photos by Ivan Watson
Fish and chips with an ice cream cone at the ‘Galley’ and a stroll down Estevan Avenue to Willows Beach on a sunny afternoon has been a cherished tradition for generations of Oak Bay kids and families.
Anchoring the corner of Estevan Avenue and Dunlevy Street for nearly a century, the distinctive little general store building has housed the popular Willows Galley since 1980. More than a local landmark, it is a treasured community institution woven into Oak Bay’s culture, heritage and identity.
Its story begins during the homesteading years of the early 20th century, when farms, fields and Garry Oak meadows with dusty dirt roads gently sloped towards Willows Beach and its unspoilt views of Mount Baker across the sea.
In 1913, change was on its way. Uplands Limited, with 450 acres of mostly unsold lots to promote, helped to fund an extension of the streetcar line from downtown Victoria. The new ‘Uplands’ line extended from Midland Circle along Cadboro Bay Road and Dalhousie and Dunlevy streets.
Along with people, the streetcar brought opportunity. “Beautiful lot on Dunlevy St., cornering on lane, streetcar passing the door,” read a contemporary property ad. “This is a select buy in the district, near Uplands. It is improving every day.” The cost? $1,700 with at least one quarter cash up front.
Savvy entrepreneurs who could see that daily improvement with their own eyes purchased nearby lots over the following years and Estevan Village gradually evolved, modelled after a traditional English high street.
In 1926, Miss Mary Fairclough was granted two building permits for a residence and adjacent store building, with construction costs of $3,500 and $600 respectively, at 2567 and 2559 Estevan Ave. From 1927 to 1949, she operated Estevan Grocery as a rural ‘general store’—a prime location as the streetcar ran several times daily in front on Dunlevy Street.
From 1950 to 1965, Stanley and Doris Watson purchased it and operated Watson’s Grocery and Confectionary. Goods for sale included Grape-Nuts Flakes, tinned meats and fruits and British sweets and chocolates. In 1965, it was leased to tenants who opened Estevan Fish and Chips.
In 1978, the Watsons, then retired, but still living next door, put the two lots for sale, Including the house and corner store.
Glen Harper purchased both and on April 17, 1980, officially opened the doors to the Willows Galley for the first time.
“I never got to meet my first customer,” Glen recalled recently. “We had got everything ready and I forgot to lock the front door. When I came in, the ice cream box was open and somebody had written a note and left a dollar bill for two small cones. We waited for years for them to come back, but they never did!”
He framed the dollar bill and put it up on the wall where it remains to this day. With Glen’s good nature and work ethic, the Galley soon established its reputation for tasty
food and old-fashioned customer service. He made it a place where everyone felt welcomed, and he greeted regular customers by name, with their usual order already on the grill.
Glen remembers the day in 1988, when local hockey star Geoff Courtnall, whose family were regular customers, called him up and asked if he was busy. “I said why, and he said because he was on his way over with the Stanley Cup,” he recalls. “It was quite an event. Word spread quickly and all the neighbourhood kids showed up.” Over the years, celebrities like Nelly Furtado and Steve Nash were also regulars.
Glen sponsored local sports teams and helped local kids whenever he could. “The Willows school kids would come over at lunchtime,” he recalls. “We had a few shirts that said ‘Galley Slaves’ so we made a deal where if they could put them on and pick up some trash from around the neighbourhood, we’d give them a free bag of chips or ice cream.”
The Galley’s cozy and eclectic style evolved over time. The carved wooden galleon on the side of the building was salvaged from an apartment block slated for demolition. The main ‘Fish and Chips’ sign was painted by Indigenous kids who appreciated Harper’s respect for their culture. A small porthole under the main counter featured a rotating display with a sign ‘For Kids Only’ that became a running joke when the occasional adult tried to sneak a peek. The leather-seated swivel chairs and long common table by the main window created the impression that guests were eating aboard an actual ship.
Dave Higgins, current proprietor since 2011, has continued these Galley traditions, unsurprisingly because his first experience of the business was as a 12-year-old when Glen hired him to work in the kitchen.
“Glen taught me the ropes. I started out doing dishes, peeling potatoes and making the chips and as the years went on, moved into doing the grill—basically learning everything from him,” recalls Dave. “It was the coolest thing as a 12-year-old, having a job. Glen even trusted me with a key to the building and allowed me and my friends to hang out there after hours as long as we were respectful.”
Dave knows he is carrying on Glen’s legacy. “The foundation of the Galley is Glen and it’s the kind of neighbourhood place where people feel welcomed and just want to come in and sit and chat. I think that’s what’s really special about the Galley and that’s what Glen taught me—to be open and welcoming to everybody who comes through the door.”
Glen couldn’t be happier with how Dave has carried on his legacy. “People just take to him, he’s an honest-to-goodness good guy and he likes the business,” says Glen. “Dave’s good with people and he’s got a good heart. Basically, that’s what it’s all about.”
For generations, the Galley has been a gathering place for good food and good service— a local gem in Oak Bay’s Willows neighbourhood, and the perfect place during any era—past, present and hopefully long into the future—for a delicious home-cooked style meal and a refreshing ice cream cone, served up with a smile and a friendly chat.
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Leaving the intense crowds and congestion of Rome behind us, we drive through the rolling hills of Tuscany on our way to the Italian Riviera. Lush, green parcels of land dotted with vineyards line the way north from the cruise port of Civitavecchia, where we rented a little white Fiat, towards Pisa.
My husband, Shane, had never been to Italy and I told him we had to jut inland to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s one of those things you just have to see to believe. I’d first experienced it at just 12-years-old and given its incredible tilt, it’s hard to believe it’s still standing,
Unlike when I first visited, we were able to purchase tickets to climb the tower. It was a disorienting experience going up the stone steps — first lilting to one side, and then the other. But the view from the top of Cathedral Square and beyond was incredible.
Our next stop was the seaside resort of Viareggio, along the Ligurian Sea, on Tuscany’s northern coast. As the sun set, we walked along its famous golden-sand beach that stretches on for miles, and took in the Art Nouveau architecture along the wide, shoplined promenade.
The port town of La Spezia is where we’ll spend our first night. Arriving in the dark, we wouldn’t see the palm-tree lined promenade until the next morning when we headed out in search of a cappuccino. After using my very limited Italian (all I can do is ask for coffee with milk and say please and thank you), we strolled along the water on another beautiful fall day before walking to the car-free inner core of the city, lined with historic buildings and wide walkways.
Later, we drive along narrow, winding roads to the picturesque fishing village of Porto Venere, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its colourful, medieval houses. It's often called the ‘sixth town’ of the world-famous Cinque Terre, where small harbours are filled with fishing boats and pastel-painted homes look like they’re clinging to the cliffside.
This is all part of the 350-kilometre-long Italian Riviera — also called the Ligurian Riviera as it’s on the Ligurian Sea — and the charming coastal town of Rapallo is our next stop. I immediately fall in love as we walk along the Lungomare Vittoria Veneto, a beautiful long waterfront walkway, to a tucked-away seaside cafe for lunch. While we're here to sip a bubbling glass of Prosecco and savour the most delicious grilled squid I’ve ever tasted, this town offers plenty else to do, like the historic Castle by the Sea, the Valle Christi Monastery and a cable car up the mountain for breathtaking views.
Wishing we could sit there all day, we then make a short, stunning detour along the water to the famous fishing village of Portofino, where a small cobble-stoned square is a hub of activity.
Skipping Genoa in favour of smaller towns (driving a standard in crazy Italian traffic can be challenging!), we head to the colourful San Remo, a perfect spot for a gelato along the water. Widely known as the City of Flowers for its involvement in flower farming, there are beautiful parks and gardens, including Villa Ormond.
The Prince’s Palace
Monaco is a blend of medieval fortress and elegant Renaissance/Baroque architecture.
Before crossing into southern France, we pick up $5 bottles of Aperol Spritz in the border town of Ventimiglia, a congested former customs port that we’re happy to escape.
We didn’t need a sign to tell us we were in a different country. The difference was astonishing— pristine streets, less crazy drivers, and the beautiful and welcoming French Riviera town of Menton. After checking into our historic hotel, we stroll wide streets into a lively, beautifully decorated restaurant full of locals. Ordering in French (thankfully, better than my Italian), we savour a butter-drenched journey of fresh baguettes, escargot, Coq au Vin, and Tarte Tatin for desert — the apples caramelized to perfection.
Walking along Menton’s wide, restaurant-lined promenade the next morning, I wish we had more time here; there’s so much to see, but Monaco is calling. The tiny principality, which is the second smallest sovereign state in the world after Vatican City, is packed into a two-squarekilometre area of the French Riviera and bordered by France to the west, north and east.
Home to Monte Carlo, the Monaco Grand Prix and sky-scrapers perched perilously close together, Monaco oozes opulence. It’s one of the wealthiest places in the world and fancy cars line the streets along with luxury shops.
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It's a long trek up to the Palais Princier, or the Prince’s Palace which is perched on rocky headland that juts into the sea. It’s the official residence of Prince Albert II, who succeeded his father, Prince Rainer, to preside over this city-state. Along with the beautiful gardens and sprawling palace, which you can tour, is the historic district Monaco-Ville, which is known as ‘The Rock’, and is the oldest part of the principality.
Continuing along the sun-soaked French Riviera or Côte d’Azur, my biggest regret is not having enough time here. The city of Nice is one of our favourite stops with its long, seaside promenade, beautiful architecture, numerous art installations, and incredibly walkable city core with cafes and restaurants pouring out into pedestrian-only streets.
We would have loved to explore nearby Antibes next, but we only have time for one more stop: Cannes — home to the famous film festival and a playground for the rich and famous. Like Monaco, luxury brands and shockingly expensive sports cars line the main street.
It’s a place to see and be seen but instead of celebrity-spotting, I’m compelled to take photos of some of the fanciest cars for my teenage son.
After more window shopping, we stroll along Cannes’ palm-tree fringed beach promenade as the sun begins to set, taking in the view and soaking up our last moments along this ravishing riviera.
Furever homes wanted! For this issue, Tweed joined up with the Victoria Humane Society to present a selection of pets looking for new homes. (And who wouldn’t want to live in Oak Bay?) Visit victoriahumanesociety.com for more information.
Kittens & Cats - available at our satellite adoption partners: Bosley’s Royal Oak, PetSmart Langford and PetSmart Duncan.
Asanctuaryfortheloveyouhold.Whetherfacinggoodbye,navigatingthequiet thatfollows,orhonouringalifewell-lived-youdon’thavetowalkalone Gentlesupport.Compassionatepresence.Spaceforyourgrief,yourmemories, yourlove.
FaynixeChartrand www.havenheights.ca 778.678.1705 support@havenheights.ca
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Listed By: Tanya Zakkour
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