YAM Magazine Sep/Oct 2025

Style Issue

High-volume style / Animal magnetism / Vintage shopping guide Chic home offices / Dreamy night skies / Autumn flavours to savour GET SET FOR FALL ... and so much more! the

Heidi Asgar Jacob Garrett

By Joanne Sasvari

Contents STYLE ISSUE

13

HERE + NOW

A stunning helical staircase; the season’s must-have accessories; why you should smell like a rose; how to put your best face forward for fall; flirting with the playboy ’stache; man’s best friend at your service; the duckiest drawers. Plus: the YAM contest.

18

IN PERSON

Conductor Christian Kluxen has made the symphony a hit. But he’d also really, really like more support for the arts.

By David Lennam

38

LIFE AT HOME

At the new Oakwoods, it’s all about condo living for those who don’t think they’d like condo living.

By Nessa Pullman

61

FOOD + DRINK

Savour the best of the season: tantalizingly tart cranberries, a brand-new restaurant collective, crave-worthy foodie events, the latest restaurant dish, the essential onion primer, a new cookbook of Pacific Northwestinspired desserts and a roundup of Victoria wine bars.

76

DESTINATION

Bike trails, blue skies and spectacular scenery: Why this is the best time to visit Okanagan wine country.

By Joanne Sasvari

80 SCENE

Don’t look now, but the werewolves are on the loose at Heritage Acres. Plus: Culture Calendar.

By David Lennam

82 PERSPECTIVE

Look closer (but don’t touch): Tidal pools at Botanical Beach.

By Joanne Sasvari

Sharpen Your Pencils, September’s Here!

Don’t you have this urge to run out and buy a new pencil case? I sure do. It is, after all, September, seasons of mists, mellow fruitfulness and back-toschool sales.

To me, this always feels like the real start to the year. Time to get back to work, to get serious, to smarten up the wardrobe and stock the pantry in preparation for the colder days ahead. After months of lazing around the backyard, I suddenly feel energized. I want to plan a big trip, tackle the reno projects that were abandoned all summer and fill my calendar with social events.

Most of all I want to learn something new. Not, perhaps, something serious, like accounting, though that would actually be kind of useful. No, I want to master choux pastry and perfect my pasta-making skills. I’ll let you know how it goes. Maybe I’ll just take another wine course instead — it is, after all, the most delicious way to learn about geology, geography, climate, history, agriculture and culture.

Thing is, I have this theory that what keeps us young isn’t just hiding our grey roots or adopting the dope vocab of Gen Z. (Maybe especially that.) What keeps us young is learning. It’s being curious about the world and eager to explore new ideas.

A number of years ago I stumbled across a story that has inspired me to keep learning new things, even when I don’t really want to. It pointed out — and there’s plenty of research backing this up — that after a certain age we don’t tend to try new foods, vacation in new places, change our basic fashion style, enjoy new art or listen to new music. That age, I am sorry to tell you, is generally around 30, when our lives become consumed by adult responsibilities. It seems that when you’re juggling kids, a career and a mortgage, novelty is no longer fun, it’s just stressful. And that’s true in every culture around the world.

So I say, why not stay young? Learn a skill. Take a continuing education class. Discover a new-to-you writer. Try the latest fitness trend. Explore a cuisine you’ve never tried before. Or just have fun adopting a different persona via the season’s hottest fashions. This is, after all,

But you probably need a new pencil case first.

Joanne Sasvari,

Sponsor a Meal at Our Place

Turn your generosity into connection—come serve the meal your donation makes possible.

As the holidays approach, sharing food takes on even greater meaning. A warm meal served from the Our Place kitchen can be the first step toward something bigger— connection, trust, and the hope of a new beginning.

When you sponsor a meal at Our Place, you’re not just filling plates. You’re creating a welcoming table where everyone belongs—a place where dignity is restored, friendships are formed, and healing begins. A first step from merely surviving to truly thriving.

Whether you come with your workplace, family, faith group, or friends, your sponsorship and hands-on involvement help open the door to a full spectrum of life-changing supports at Our Place— housing, recovery, employment, and more

It all starts with a meal served with heart. From there, possibilities unfold: hope grows, healing begins, and new pathways open— including the next steps toward stable housing and lasting recovery.

Book a time to sponsor a meal at Our Place—and help someone take their first step toward a brighter, thriving future

Sponsor a meal today!

Visit ourplacesociety.com/sponsor-a-meal Email SharraH@ourplacesociety.com or call 250-940-5060 ext. 5108

CHILEWICH’S COLLABORATION WITH THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART Made with

Classic textiles by Ernestine Eberhardt Zaumseil — reimagined for modern life and indoor/outdoor versatility by the design team at Chilewich.

107-2360 Beacon Avenue Sidney, BC | 250.656.0011 muffetandlouisa.com

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos Georgina Camilleri

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joanne Sasvari

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant

ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelly Hamilton

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Deana Brown Jennifer Dean Van Tol Cynthia Hanischuk Brenda Knapik Ieva Sakalauskaite

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Rebecca Juetten

MARKETING & EVENTS

CO-ORDINATOR Lauren Ingle

FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe

COPY EDITOR Lionel Wild

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Melissa Gignac, Gail Johnson, Julien Johnston-Brew, David Lennam, Nessa Pullman, Amy Rosen, Diane Selkirk

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS DL Acken, Tony Colangelo, Jeanine Holowatuik, Jacob McNeil, Marthe Mølstre, Tom Parker

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Alamy p. 15; Getty Images p. 7, 15, 63, 67, 76, 79; Living4Media p. 42; Stocksy p. 49, 51, 61, 64

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@yammagazine.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@yammagazine.com

SUBSCRIBE TO YAM subscriptions@yammagazine.com

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES sales@yammagazine.com

ONLINE yammagazine.com

INSTAGRAM @yam_magazine

FACEBOOK YAMmagazine

ON THE COVER Shape of Fall, p. 32

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

Published by PAGE ONE PUBLISHING

580 Ardersier Road, Victoria, B.C. V8Z 1C7 T 250-595-7243 info@pageonepublishing.ca pageonepublishing.ca

Printed in British Columbia by Mitchell Press. Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Page One Publishing Inc. or its affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement, and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in all or part, in any form — printed or electronic — without the express permission of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #41295544

ADVERTISE IN YAM MAGAZINE

YAM is Victoria’s lifestyle magazine, connecting readers to the distinctive lifestyle and authentic luxury of the West Coast. For advertising info, please call 250-595-7243 or email sales@yammagazine.com.

HERE + NOW

STAIRWAY TO STYLE

Who says that a staircase need only be functional, a practical way to get from one level to the next? It can be a thing of beauty, too, as in this sweeping, helical design, the centrepiece of a contemporary-coastal seaside home envisioned by Robert Blaney Design and built by Terry Johal Developments. The dramatic slatted ribbon-of-steel guard rail and handrail, with their aged bronze patina, were created by Broadwell Metal Company, a Victoria company owned and operated by metal fabricator Adam Ruddell. It’s easy to see why their sleek but sturdy metal creations adorn some of the most beautiful homes in coastal B.C. broadwellmetal.com

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES5

Even if you’re not ready to fully switch into fall fashion mode, you can instantly update your outfit with these top pieces.

The Bangle

The comeback of the bangle is just one of many blasts from the Y2K past we’re seeing this season. Whether chunky and oversized at Tom Ford or in classic, high-statusy gold at Fendi, it’s in. Find bangles in materials ranging from precious metals to colourful acrylic and resin, and wear them over a sleeve, paired with a watch or stacked with other jewelry. For a local take on the trend, look to jewelry by Coast Salish artists like this copper hummingbird bracelet carved by Gilbert Pat, available at Artina’s. artinas.com

The School Shoe

In a season that is all about drama — chunky faux furs, oversized silhouettes, animal print everything — it’s something of a relief that fall’s footwear is all about practicality and wearability. The shoe of the moment is the “school shoe,” which could be a chunky loafer, a mary jane or, most of all, a lace-up oxford or brogue, worn day or night with everything from jeans to skirt suits to flowing gowns. Step out in the Modvog Edda, a pointed-toe brogue by Vancouver-based John Fluevog Shoes. fluevog.com

The Claw Clip

If there are still any doubts whether Y2K fashions are back in style, the return of the claw clip should put them firmly to rest. This nostalgic hair accessory, now with a sleek modern update, is still the easiest way to create an effortless updo and a look that’s both casual and pulled together. You’ll see claw clips everywhere this fall, but one uber-popular one to try is the Aimee clip at Anthropologie. anthropologie.com

The Slouchy Bag

Yet another trend from the noughties is the return of the soft, slouchy handbag and the comeback of not just the “It” bag, but the Fendi It bag. While you’ll see soft, supple, squishy handbags from every label and at every price point this fall, it’s Fendi’s updated Spy (first introduced in 2005) and Mamma Baguette (a new take on the original It bag introduced in 1997) that have everyone talking. fendi.com

The Must-Have Belt

It’s been a long time since we’ve even thought about belts and suddenly here they are, the accessory of the season. Buckle up in just about every style imaginable: wide obi-style belts, skinny rope belts, chain belts, western belts (including cow-print ones), belts in neutral browns or vivid colours, belts with oversized buckles or no buckle at all. Wear them over a chunky coat, in singles or multiples, or the traditional way, tucked through your belt loops. Locally, Labyrinth Leather produces handmade leather belts with intricate patterns, made to order in a wide range of sizes and styles. labyrinthleather.com

Oak and Acorn belt from Labyrinth Leather.

Mamma Baguette

Spy Small

Return of the Rose

Not your grandmother’s perfume.

Move over, vanilla. After the decades-long domination of so-called “gourmand” scents, the romantic fragrance of rose is back in style the world over. Victoria’s own Zingaro has just introduced its Bohemia Roseto Parfum, created by perfumer Palma Cafolla to reconnect to “the softer self, femininity, inner beauty in a world where everyone is getting lost in translation.” With top notes of bergamot and cassis, heart notes of delicate Rose De Mai and rich, powerful Rose Wardia, and base notes of cedarwood and rhubarb, it is at once raw, beautiful and a little nostalgic. zingaropure.com

SLOUGHED AND BUFFED

As summer’s golden glow fades, so, too, does your skin. You need to exfoliate.

For a brighter, healthier look, you need to remove the dead skin cells that accumulate on your skin’s surface. There are basically two ways to do so: physical or chemical exfoliation.

Physical exfoliation literally sloughs off dead skin cells with a washcloth, loofah or gritty scrub, while chemical exfoliation uses alpha-hydroxy or betahydroxy acids to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells so they can easily be rinsed away.

One local product that does both is Seaflora’s award-winning Iridaea Exfoliator, a blend of clay, sea mud, red algae and Vitamin C (an AHA) that smooths and brightens your complexion. seafloraskincare.com

The Skinny on the ’Stache

Grooming tips to get the stylish playboy look.

Pedro Pascal. Timothée Chalamet. Benson Boone. Charles Melton. Miles Teller (pictured above). These sizzling hot pop-culture figures are all flaunting the facial hair of the moment — the skinny little “playboy” moustache.

Consider it the modern evolution of the 1970s-era porn ’stache. It’s still sultry, daring and a little bit cheeky, but more restrained and refined than the bushy soup strainers worn by Tom Selleck and Burt Reynolds. It evokes Hollywood’s Golden Age, the 1930s and ’40s, when leading men like William Powell, Errol Flynn and Clark Gable sauntered about with pencil-thin moustaches and effortlessly debonair style.

Now, nearly a century later, the skinny ’stache is back in style.

For those considering growing their own, grooming is key. A modern moustache should not be patchy, uneven or unruly, but comprise a strip of hair that extends from one corner of the upper lip to the other, neatly trimmed to ensure it doesn’t actually touch the lip.

To keep it looking good, invest in a beard trimmer (try the Phillips Norelco Multigroom) and moustache brush or comb, as well as beard balm or oil (try Vancouver-based Barber & Co.) to keep it under control without going all Hercule Poirot.

Where Wellness Meets Beauty

Your Very Best Friend

How a local program helps you train your own service dog.

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1.5 oz Dillons or Tanqueray Dry Gin

1.5 oz Grapefruit juice

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canine companion can assist with everything from providing balance for those unsteady on their feet to alerting the hearing impaired that someone’s at the door to offering comfort for those with mental health issues. But wait times for a trained service dog can be long — typically, two to five years in B.C. — so a local program that helps you train the dog you already have can be a godsend.

The owner train program is just one of the options offered by Woofability Service Dog Training, owned by Tim Land and certified service dog trainer April Sauvé, who bring years of experience in health care and working with diverse abilities to their mission of helping people and their dogs build strong, life-changing partnerships.

Woofability offers one-on-one coaching and hands-on training sessions, public access training, customized task training and realworld exposure exercises for individuals who want to train their own service dog, with the goal of achieving BC Guide and Service Dog Certification.

Of course, not every dog is right for the job, and there’s a temperament evaluation to make sure yours is — if Rover can’t resist chasing every squirrel it sees, he may not be ideal for, say, helping someone recovering from an injury navigate from car to wheelchair. But those that do pass the training could help you live a life of independence, dignity and good companionship. woofabilityservicedogtraining.ca

Ducky Drawers

YAM artist goes undercover with a design inspired by local mallards.

I

n addition to the work she does at YAM, our lead graphic designer Janice Hildybrant also designs patterns for fabrics and wallpaper under the name Dancing Rabbit Designs. Now one of her most popular patterns has just been licensed by the Calgary-based company Devon+Lang for a line of what they call their “life-changing underwear,” which is designed to be supportive, comfortable and sustainable.

“Duck Pond” features whimsical images of mallards diving between reeds in a pond. Devon+ Lang, which partners with Canadian artists, offers the pattern in boxer briefs for men, women and boys, as well as boy short and bikini styles for women.

“The design came about after spending time during lockdown sketching at the Beacon Hill duck ponds,” says Hildybrant, who just received her own pair. “It’s so fun to see my art out in the world — and I can say these truly are the most comfy undies.” devonandlang.com/collections/duck-pond

A Rejuvenating Giveaway

Enter to win a relaxation staycation at Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

The lucky winner of this contest will enjoy a fall reset with a rejuvenating onenight stay for two guests in an Ocean View Guest Room at Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

This staycation prize includes access to the heated seaside mineral pool, hot tub and new Stargazing Sauna — the perfect setting to unwind, reflect and recharge in a luxurious setting just minutes from downtown Victoria.

This prize also includes a $100 dining credit for FARO, the hotel’s modernItalian-inspired restaurant, for a total value of $650.

To enter, visit yammagazine.com or scan the QR code. Some restrictions apply — see details on contest entry page. Contest ends October 28, 2025.

LEVELLING UP

Conductor Christian Kluxen has made the symphony a hot ticket. But better support for the arts would be music to his ears.

By David Lennam

There’s a sense of urgency in Christian Kluxen’s voice.

It gets a bit louder and there’s something very conductorly about it. This is punctuated with some flourishing arm gestures. Also conductorly.

The music director of the Victoria Symphony since 2017 wants to talk about how we (the city, audiences, philanthropists, benefactors, music lovers) need to make the arts a priority and support the symphony. Because if we do not, he cautions, there may not be a professional orchestra to call our own.

“In the season brochure I always thank our community and praise them, but to be honest I’d like to tell them to step up,” implores Kluxen. “You may put this very clearly in this interview,” he tells me, “because this has to happen. If it doesn’t happen you won’t have a symphony in 10 years. Because all the musicians will be leaving.”

Sitting down for some live Brahms or Mozart, allegro, crescendo, the subtlety of genius, all may seem as it always was. But the Victoria Symphony is a costly proposition, despite surprisingly low pay for the musicians. It’s tough to recruit and retain in an expensive city, particularly when an orchestra feels orphaned. There’s no permanent rehearsal hall, so practice sessions move from school gyms to church halls. Concerts might be at the Royal, maybe the Farquhar. Both are pricey rentals with no guarantee they’ll be available.

This said, Kluxen’s influence has resulted in an impressive uptick in attendance — more than 52,000 attendees last season (including 21 sellouts), a 46-per-cent increase from the year before.

“I feel I’m embarking into a new level now with this job,” he beams. “We’ve reached a point where there’s a lot of new, engaged musicians who are fantastic. Now is the time where this community has to really take responsibility.”

HALF CIRCUS CLOWN

Kluxen has certainly kept up his end of the bargain. During his tenure (and presumably for the next three years of his recent contract extension), the 43-yearold Dane challenges his musicians to be exciting.

“He’s the best conductor we’ve ever had,” says Kenji Fusé. He should know. The principal viola for the past 31 years has bowed strings in front of four previous conductors — Peter McCoppin, Kees Bakels, Timothy Vernon and Tania Miller.

Amidst a conversation about philosophy and music and the fact the mercurial maestro is a domestic guy who would just as soon be at home in Copenhagen with his wife and infant daughter, he intentionally creates an edge, just as he does when he conducts.

“My job is half being an archeologist and half being a circus clown,” Kluxen says. “The archeologist is the person who sits at his desk hour after hour after hour looking at old shit, trying to understand why it was made like it was, understanding the context. Lonely, introvert, boring. The other part is completely extrovert. Crazy standing in front of 80 people who all look at you and are expecting you to communicate and be inspiring. There are very few jobs with this division between the two extremes.”

The 10th music director in the Vic Symphony’s 84-year history, Kluxen is earning his frequent-flyer points. A much sought-after guest conductor around the globe, for concerts and operas, he’s also principal guest conductor of the Turku Philharmonic in Finland.

Sometimes described as emotional and a contrarian — and a conductor who always seems to be having the time of his life up there in black, his back to the audience — Kluxen is candid about where his focus lies. Not in career ambitions, though he’s achieved so much, but with a deeper degree of what the late writer/ philosopher Robert Pirsig would call quality.

“He has the enthusiasm of a child, discipline of a boxer. He’s strong willed and he cares a lot what other people think, but it doesn’t alter what he does. It doesn’t affect him. ”

Kenji Fusé on Christian Kluxen

“My compass is, what is the substance of this? What is in my blood is when I go somewhere I am nervous for not fulfilling the intention of Sibelius or Beethoven or the substance of the music,” he says. “Substance, for me, is really the core thing. If people say they like my work, it’s based on the fact that I’m completely obsessive about the core of the music and how I can make [the orchestra] communicate the music better.”

Fusé says Kluxen feels personally responsible for every performance. He’s a technician who is emotionally invested in the orchestra.

“[Musicians] make the mistakes and so many conductors are like, ‘Oh, you made a mistake.’ They want to divorce themselves like they’re not part of it,” Fusé says. “When [Kluxen] messes up a little thing, he beats himself up. He’s driven. He’s got childhood demons he’s still exorcising. He has the enthusiasm of a child, discipline of a boxer. He’s strong willed and he cares a lot what other people think, but it doesn’t alter what he does. It doesn’t affect him. He’s way more intelligent than he lets on.”

AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY

Asked if he’d like to have met any of the great composers like Beethoven, Kluxen reveals that he’s happy not to have had the chance. It would compromise his understanding of their music.

“Let’s say I had met Beethoven and I came to the Victoria Symphony and said, ‘Beethoven wanted it this way.’ They would look at me and say, ‘What does that mean?’ Because his esthetics were based in some completely different world. Let’s say I did know what he meant exactly, I’d still have to interpret it into something my musicians understood.”

Kluxen’s approach has been to create a new sense of togetherness amongst his players, so everyone feels listened to. And then expand that out into the audience.

“We have to create a new way of communicating our art. My vision is that we can’t be, ‘Oh, this is another concert with Beethoven, Brahms and some other work.’ We decided we wanted to tell stories. Every concert should be a narrative in some way. It has to take you on an emotional journey.”

He believes this building of trust has started to pay dividends.

“If we do that at every concert, people will start to understand why we are doing this and when they start to understand why we’re doing this they will also start to feel more engaged. That will lead to a place where we can play almost any music that we want as long as we tell the story well,” he says.

“If you read a bedtime story to your child it doesn’t matter if you read the phone book. What matters is it’s you that reads it. I want to create this sense that we could play anything and our audience would still love it because it’s us doing it and we do it well and they trust us.”

Autumn’s golden light feels different in Tofino. Sunrise beach walks, seafood harvested steps away, a memorable day trip to Hot Springs Cove... Simple pleasures come easily here.

The energy is palpable, whether it instills adventure, relaxation, or a deeper sense of reflection. Feel the connection to the land and sea in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region, with the sand beneath your feet and the wind in your hair.

Tourism Tofino extends our heartfelt gratitude to the ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) and ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht) First Nations for the privilege to work, learn, and welcome visitors on their unceded territories that they have stewarded for millennia

| info@tofinobeachcollective.com

Photo: Chesterman Beach, by Owen Perry

Contemporary Canadian artwork in painting, sculpture & photography.

Forget quiet luxury. Fashion this season is all about lush textures, dramatic silhouettes, bold colours and clothes you’ll love to wear.

By Joanne Sasvari

FUN, FABULOUS & FAUX

Given the state of the world, it may feel frivolous to be thinking about fashion right now. But we still need to get out of the house and put our best foot forward, preferably shod in an on-trend school shoe. We still need to suit up for all fall’s events, for the office and dinners out and gala parties. We still need to express ourselves, to feel good in our bodies, to have fun.

And this fall is a good time for all of that, starting with the season’s top trends.

“The big trend right now is faux fur, big time,” says Janine Metcalfe, a fashion stylist who produces YAM’s Style Watch pages. “Everyone’s doing faux fur, mostly jackets and coats. It’s like a takeover moment. It was out for a little while, but now it’s back big time.”

She adds: “The other trend I noticed a lot was the animal prints. That was big and all over the runways. It’s not going to die. I like it, though — I always like a good leopard print. It’s just one of those trends that is constantly on a cycle.”

Although Metcalfe naturally pays heed to runway trends, she is more focused on how they trickle down to ready-to-wear fashions, especially here on the West Coast. And what she’s seeing is lots of Y2K-inspired fashion, vintage (or vintage-look) wear and the continued dominance of brown as the neutral colour du jour. “Brown is the new black,” Metcalfe says flatly.

There is also the ongoing evolution of the modern silhouette: on the one hand, boxy, oversized, big-shouldered jackets and wide-leg trousers; on the other, the return of the cinched waist. As Metcalfe notes: “Belts haven’t really been a big thing, but it’s definitely the accessory of the season. Oversized belts, skinny belts, chain-link belts, multiple belts are all in style.”

The other key pieces that mark this season include cape coats, pencil skirts, lace shirts and slouchy bags. And if you are searching for that one perfect ensemble that epitomizes fall 2025, it’s “a big faux fur coat, animal print, wide-leg jean, slouchy bag and the school shoe,” Metcalfe says.

Wondering what to add to your own wardrobe this fall? Start with these five essential looks.

STELLA McCARTNEY

Animal Print Everything

Take a walk on the wild side — after all, everyone else is. Yes, leopard is back, but joining the pack is every other type of animal print, from cheetah to snakeskin to zebra, even crocodile and Bambi-esque deer prints, on dresses, accessories, knitwear and skirt suits as well as outerwear. There really is no wrong way to wear it; go subtle with a leopard belt or shoe or go wild and deck yourself from head to toe.

Faux Fur Outerwear

Speaking of going wild … If there is one piece to invest in this season, it should be something in faux fur, which was shown in stoles, bloomers, hats, bra tops, the matching tops-and-bottoms known as “co-ords” and, more subtly, the trim around necklines and hemlines. But you will definitely want a faux coat or jacket, whether it’s capey, drapey and floor-length or short, cropped and voluminously puffy. (This is a terrific season for coats of all sorts, especially elegant cape coats or scarf coats, and you will almost certainly want some new outerwear.) Drape yourself in animal-print faux fur and rawrrr.

TOTEME

BRANDON MAXWELL

DOLCE & GABANNA

STELLA McCARTNEY

CHLOÉ

VALENTINO PRADA

Pencil Skirts

“The pencil skirt is back in, which I love,” says Metcalfe. “I love a good pencil skirt. And it looks good on every shape and size, depending on the length.”

This season sees an elegant sort of ladylike vibe, and the pencil skirt plays a big role in that, whether as part of a buttonedup pinstriped suit or topped with oversized knitwear, strapless bodice, silky camisole or flouncy blouse. In other words, yes, the Y2K going-out-top trend is back, too.

PRADA

VALENTINO

FENDI

Lace Blouses

Another feature of the ladylike trend is lace, especially in both unexpected colour combinations and more neutral tones. At Gucci it was lace leotards in neon hues, at Fendi, sheer lace blouses and at Chloé, billowing boho sheer gowns, while Stella McCartney, Dior and Louis Vuitton worked with lace trims. Look for lace slips, lace gloves, crochet lace gowns, lace-trimmed separates and especially lace blouses.

From luxury candles to elegant home décor, artisan ceramics and other thoughtful keepsakes, our giftware department is full of inspiration for every occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, or just because, you’ll find the perfect treasure — right here in Broadmead Village.

CAROLINA HERRERA

DIOR

CHLOÉ

Denim Trousers

“Denim on denim is still a look — and it’s a good look,” Metcalfe says. The reign of denim isn’t ending anytime soon, and the good news is that there is a huge range of styles, silhouettes and washes this season, including artfully deconstructed and/or reconstructed jeans. Wide-legged jeans are still a thing, low-waisted jeans are part of the Y2K revival and the barrel leg is making its way into the mainstream, though it can be hard to pull off, especially for shorter women. But the best news might just be the return of the flattering bootcut jean, whose slight flare at the bottom helps visually elongate the legs, making it a style that suits almost everyone.

MARIMEKKO

VALENTINO

CHLOÉ

Easy, Effortless, Elegant

For men, comfort meets style in a very wearable season. That means you need a cardigan.

By YAM Staff

The same thread of nostalgia that runs through womenswear this fall is evident in menswear, too, and we are all for it.

The pandemic-inspired all-sweats-all-the-time era is, thankfully, over, but so is the tyranny of the “slim fit” suit that preceded it. (We’re sure many gents will likely breathe a sigh of relief, now that they actually can.)

For the most part, this season is one of looser, boxier fits and fabrics that move with the body. Good tailoring — strong shoulders, wide lapels and nipped-in waists — keeps all that excess fabric under control. And just as brown is the new black in womenswear, so are earth tones taking over menswear, too. Every shade of brown is on trend right now, and so are greens, greys and beiges.

But if there is one essential menswear piece this season, it’s the cardigan.

Zip front or buttons, mock neck or classic V-neck, shawl collar or point collar, sleek cashmere or chunky fishermen’s knit — they are all in style, though the most on-trend cardies evoke a mid-20th century vibe. Wear them with T-shirts and jeans for casual or over a dress shirt, tie and pleated trousers for easygoing office wear. Think Jimmy Stewart, Steve McQueen, Daniel Craig, Benedict Cumberbatch and you’ve got the idea.

Clockwise from top: Burberry wool and mohair cardigan; Massimo Dutti cashmere cardi; L.L.Bean ragg wool cardigan with shawl collar.

Mark McDougall, PREC. Cindy Palmer, REALTOR®. Erica Coling, Unlicensed.

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Victoria’s Vintage Revival

What you need to know about shopping the season’s hottest — and most sustainable — fashion trend. By

Julien Johnston-Brew

Considering Victoria’s love for sustainability, it’s no wonder we’ve been dubbed the Resale Capital of Canada. With the country’s highest number of resale businesses per capita so close at hand — 44 at last count, including antique, consignment, thrift and vintage shops — those looking to add to their wardrobe can find a treasure trove of pre-loved clothing pieces.

Within resale lies vintage. Vintage clothing refers to articles produced at least 20 years ago, with yet more niches within this scope: Y2K of the 2000s, retro of the ’80s, true vintage up to the ’70s and antiques from the 1920s and earlier. All of these are on trend this fall; in fact, vintage and pre-loved clothing has never been more in style.

But where to start? For advice and insights, we turned to some of Victoria’s vintage-clothes curators, who shared their expertise on what to expect when stepping into one of their shops.

Many of the following vintage sellers are part of Secondhand Victoria, a group of Downtown Victoria Business Association members who specialize in resale. (In fact, the DVBA has credited them with adding vibrancy to the city core.) Their Instagram page is

@secondhandvictoria, and maps of vintage and retail locations throughout downtown Victoria can be found at participating stores. Just look for the Secondhand Victoria symbol in the window: an S-shaped ouroboros twined around a Nootka rose and a swooping V, created by local artist and graphic designer Rio Kaneki.

Here’s what they have to say about shopping for vintage.

What’s the biggest appeal of vintage clothing?

Jacqui Tacon, founder, The Velvet Crease: “The second-hand era is really booming and I love the fact that we are actually concerned about the planet, that it’s become a trend. Whatever it takes to save this planet, I think is a good thing. I feel — and this is a takeaway — that everything we need on this planet has already been made. That’s how I feel. So, from the manufacturing level, cease and desist, and let’s just recycle and recycle and learn how to look after things.”

Dan Brown, owner and operator, Island Vintage Events: “My wife and I, we will head out and this is our everyday attire. We do like the attention because people enjoy it. They like to think back to a time when they were growing up, and I can appreciate all the different years because every year has something special about it…. That’s how you get to talk to people about it, and then it just opens up so many more conversations in the community, and you get to talk to different generations and to hear their stories about how they grew up and what they grew up with.”

after Death, Arunimá McNeish loves the quality of older clothing.

Fashion Stylist: Janine

Metcalfe

Photographer: Jeffrey Bosdet

Shape of Fall

Mix vintage and new, volume and cinched waists, neutrals and autumnal hues, for a subtly elegant look. Take your inspiration from these standout pieces.

A Big Blazer

This page: Short-sleeved oversized

and

by

A Ladylike Skirt

blazer

black trousers, both

Smythe, available at Bernstein & Gold. Upcyled scarf, available at Project Wardrobe Rental House. Two-tone Mary Jane shoes by Wonders, available at Waterlily Shoes.

Left: Pre-loved black short-sleeved jacket, black soft pleated skirt, leather purse and straw visor, all available at House of Lily Koi, luxury consignment boutique.

A Fluffy Accent

This

A Dramatic Dress

Right: Tulipe strapless dress available at Project Wardrobe Rental House. Patent leather Mary Jane shoes by Wonders, available at Waterlily Shoes. Feather sleeve, stylist’s own.

page: Black turtleneck by Lisette L Montreal, jacket by Culture, both available at Moden Boutique. Pre-loved fur muff by Dark Horse, available at Amelia Lee Boutique.

A Leggy Look

Black ruffle blouse and wool coat, both by Luisa Cerano, available at Bagheera Boutique. Tights by Cette, socks by Tabbisocks, available at De Mode en Vogue. Black Mary Jane shoes by Wonders, available at Waterlily Shoes.

A Classic Pairing

This

and

Pre-loved

A

Perfect Bag

Model: Bri/Key Model Management

Hair and makeup: Anya Ellis/Lizbell Agency

Cosmetics: Pat McGrath Labs

Hair products: Moroccanoil

page:

top

skirt, curated by Ata Collections. Vintage handbag curated by Danica Wilcox. All available at De Mode en Vogue.

From page 7: Agatha fitted dress in Fossil by Second Female and Gabby black satin tote by A Bronze Age, both available at Still Life.

Character & Convenience

Think you’d hate condo living? The luxury-resortstyle units at Oakwoods would like to have a word.

By Nessa Pullman | Photos by Tony Colangelo*

Whether we’re downsizers, solo dwellers or have a small family, many of us would love the convenience of condo living, but are reluctant to give up the independence and personal character of a single-family home. Now a brand-new housing development in Esquimalt suggests that you might actually be able to have the best of both worlds, or at least close to it.

Oakwoods is located on the same 4.3-acre Esquimalt property as the historic Rosemead House, a 119-year-old mansion that has been transformed into a luxurious 28-room boutique hotel. The creative vision behind the hotel, with its award-winning restaurant and soon-to-open spa, informs the residences, too.

“We didn’t want to build just another cookie-cutter condominium, but rather a unique living experience, one that supports an elevated lifestyle,” says Lenny Moy, founder of Aragon Properties, the developer behind Oakwoods and Rosemead House. “We wanted to craft a residential experience that supports a certain lifestyle by offering access to the world-class amenities of a luxury hotel.”

Left: The two-bedroom garden suites at Oakwoods were designed for downsizers who love to entertain, with gourmet kitchens and massive islands for gathering around. Below: The development is on a historic property in the heart of Esquimalt.

*Unless otherwise noted.

A GRAND DESIGN

Rosemead House was originally designed in 1906 by architect Samuel Maclure as a private residence for businessman Thomas Henry Slater and his family. Maclure’s grand design blended Tudor Revival features with the functional elegance of Arts and Crafts. Skilled artisans from England and Scotland were brought to Victoria to bring his vision to life in wood and stone.

Oakwoods’ architectural vision draws inspiration from Rosemead, but rather than mimic its heritage design, the team at Merrick Architecture chose to interpret it through a modern lens. “It wasn’t about replicating Maclure’s work,” says architect Paul Merrick, “but rather developing a new design language — one that’s sympathetic to the Rosemead House, and acts as a good neighbour.”

Blending heritage elements with modern refinement, the new design features pitched roofs, mullioned windows and exposed timber, reminiscent of the Tudor-Revival style of that era, as well as a colour palette and material finishes that echo the West Coast landscape. Meanwhile, Oakwoods’ lobby areas may be decorated with ornate gilt mirrors and Empire-style armchairs, but the clean lines and live-edge wood features strike a thoughtful balance between heritage and contemporary.

The 179 residences on the property range from one- and two-bedroom condos to spacious, cathedral-ceilinged, three-bedroom townhouses. They are designed for a range of homeowners, all seeking the convenience of a hotel-adjacent lifestyle, but each with their own unique desires and demands.

Units are designed to merge contemporary and traditional design, so downsizers can comfortably move their beloved possessions in and young families can feel at home.

Take the two-bedroom, garden-level suite. “We designed this unit for the type of homeowner who is downsizing, but still wants a spacious place to entertain,” says Moy.

Its split-level layout ensures privacy, with bedrooms quietly tucked away, while the open-concept kitchen, dining and living areas flow seamlessly out to the large patio through 15-foot-wide folding doors. “This design was intended to bring the outside in for an elevated living experience,” says Moy.

It was also designed to tempt anyone who likes to cook, especially the sort of downsizer who wonders where they will store all their accumulated gadgets. The chef-grade kitchen is considerably larger than what you will find in a typical condo and is fitted with top-of-theline appliances, including a gas stove and a 36-inchwide fridge, as well as a spacious pantry and integrated desk area for recipe planning or work-from-home days. Best of all, an oversized kitchen island serves as a gathering place for guests while also providing a convenient spot for casual meals.

And, although it is perfectly contemporary, thoughtful design details, such as herringbone oak flooring, Italian shaker-style cabinets and an exposed brick wall, evoke traditional charm.

Thoughtful and practical details abound, from the acres of counter space and built-in pantry space in the kitchen to the vintage-inspired exposed brick walls in the living room.

What’s

By YAM Staff

Old is New

… but only if you mix the two properly.

Do you find yourself dithering between traditional and contemporary décor, torn between your love of antiques and need for streamlined simplicity? Well, we’re here to tell you that you can have it all, but it may take a little while to get it exactly right.

If you go all heritage, your home can easily end up looking like a museum; all contemporary, and you might as well live in a furniture store showroom. Taking a cue from the Oakwoods design playbook, here’s how to mix traditional and contemporary décor to create a space that feels as if it was collected over time, for a timeless look uniquely your own.

Start with the Architecture

Whatever room you are decorating, it will be predominantly contemporary or traditional, but not both, and it all starts with the architecture. While contemporary homes typically have open floor plans and minimal millwork, older homes may have features like exposed brick walls, ornate crown moulding and other decorative trim. You can work those ornamental details into a more contemporary design with colour (painting a brick wall white for instance) or functionality (hanging a flat-screen TV on it).

Keep the Lines Clean

Contemporary design is all about clean lines, uncluttered spaces, simple curved forms and pieces that are fundamentally functional. Making these the basis of your design helps create a sense of balance and harmony. Then you can add antique or vintage pieces, which might feature intricate wood carving or other finely crafted decorative flourishes.

Unify with Colour

The easiest way to make a mix of periods and styles work together cohesively is through the use of colour. A palette of pale neutrals can easily tie together the linen upholstery on a Louis XV chair, a sisal area rug and a mid-century coffee table in blond wood. Alternatively, choose heritage hues that evoke the era when your home was built — paint brands like Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball and Sherwin Williams all offer historic colours. Just be sure to mix in some nontraditional colours and patterns to keep it fresh and current.

Love Your Layers

Keep those clean lines and unified palettes from getting boring by layering them with a variety of textures, patterns and materials, especially natural materials such as wood, stone, glass and textiles. Consider a lushly patterned wallpaper, gleaming gold hardware, nubbly bouclé upholstery or living plants in vintage-style cachepots.

Mix and Match

Truth is, there are no set-in-stone rules and it’s more art than science to get the balance right. You want your space to look both intentional and as if it evolved organically over time. There are a couple of ways to do this: Go bold with a single statement piece, such as a large, baroque gilt mirror in a modern room or a piece of abstract art in a traditional space; or gradually curate a selection of carefully chosen pieces. Ultimately, if you love them, they should work together.

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“You can have lunch with friends at Janevca Kitchen & Lounge, book a massage [at the soonto-open Salt & Ivy Spa], and host wine and appies at your place — all without ever leaving home.”

COMMUNITY LIVING

Secluded in the flourishing gardens behind Rosemead House, Oakwoods sits 200 feet back from the nearest road. “We wanted it to be quiet … a reclusive oasis,” says Moy. “One you’d feel while on vacation.” Its setting is one of rolling hills, ancient forests, European-style gardens and elegant courtyards, where winding footpaths shape serene, outdoor spaces designed for quiet connection with nature. In addition to mature Garry oaks, more than 20 native tree species are interwoven throughout the property, fostering a nature-forward residential experience unique to the West Coast of Canada.

It is not just a sanctuary, though. The goal was to build a housing community that supports daily living and social connection all in one place, and with a hotel, restaurant, gym and spa right on site, as well as bike storage, EV chargers, yoga studio and theatre room, it offers all the conveniences of travel without ever leaving home.

“We wanted to provide a different housing option for the type of person who enjoys an affluent lifestyle, but doesn’t necessarily want to travel all the time to experience it,” says Moy. “You can have lunch with friends at Janevca Kitchen & Lounge, book a massage [at the soon-toopen Salt & Ivy Spa], and host wine and appies at your place — all without ever leaving home.”

But Oakwoods’ connection to the wider Esquimalt community is strong, too. Aragon’s earlier development of the nearby town square in 2020 helped spark the area’s transformation into a vibrant neighbourhood hub. “With the recreation centre, shopping plaza, parks and beach all within a three-mile radius, you have everything you need right here,” says Moy.

JOAN WALLACE DRIVING SCHOOL

Excellence in driver education since 1976

Because learning to drive is a critical life skill that demands patience and dedication, Joan Wallace Driving School believes in preparing students for life, not just the test. Under the leadership of Joan Wallace, owner and operator, and with a seasoned team of instructors and administrators, the school brings a wealth of experience and dedication to every lesson.

Joan Wallace Driving School has aligned its goals with those of the Driving School Association of the Americas’ (DSAA), which is to produce safe and proficient drivers through ethical education and business practices. The school ensures that quality instruction is accessible to all and caters to drivers of all ages and needs. As expected, the school teaches new teen drivers, but it also serves adults aged 25 to 40 who need a first-time license for employment or are new to the province or country. Seniors preparing for the Enhanced Road Assessment are offered free seminars to help them decide about road tests and are offered follow-up, in-car sessions.

What sets Joan Wallace Driving School apart is its non-franchised, adaptable

approach, allowing it to be a pioneer in many areas. It was the first privately owned driving school in 1998 to offer the Graduated Licensing Program, an ICBC-approved course. This Program training delivers beyond driving tests, such as teaching critical skills like highway high-speed hazard avoidance and space cushion driving — helping to avoid violations and “at fault” crashes. Any new driver can reach their Class 5 Certified Drivers Licence six months earlier, and gain the broad skillset to confidently drive safely within any community. In 2017, Joan Wallace Driving School also expanded its Graduated Licensing Program online to support underserved areas and build safer, wider-spread communities.

The school also offers corporate training, so busy professionals have the chance to make their commute more enjoyable by refreshing their skills in parking for every situation, collision and hazard avoidance, bad weather driving skills and rush hour driving. And the school had the foresight to address a growing area of need for drivers: understanding new cars with ADAS (Automatic Driver Assist Systems).

In the community, Joan Wallace serves on the DSAA board and actively participates in local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau. The school supports the community by funding sports teams and educational activities and offering seminars, scholarships and donations to MADD.

For any new driver learning, they combine the latest technologies with patience and personal attention to ensure that you are kept in the driver’s seat.

Wallace Driving School prepares your teen to drive safely in all conditions, so when it’s time for your precious cargo to move up to the driver’s seat, they’ll be ready.

HOME OFFICES THAT REALLY WORK

How to design a WFH space you’ll love spending time in.

By Gail Johnson

The pandemic sent many of us home to work. Five years later, while physical distancing may be behind us, home offices are here to stay. But having a spare room or a dedicated corner where you can set up a computer is one thing; it’s quite another to transform this area of your home into a productive workspace haven that you actually want to spend time in.

“There’s a focus on the fact that it needs to be good looking — still residential looking — so that it doesn’t make your office look like an office,” says Siavash Madani, a registered interior designer who is the showroom manager at the furniture store Gabriel Ross, which focuses on the mid-century modern esthetic.

Everyone is different, and a winning home-office design all comes down to comfort, says Kyla Bidgood, creative director of interior design firm BIDGOOD.

“For me personally, I want to be saturated in colour at all times,” she says. “If I was going to have a workspace in my home I would want to have the walls in a nice colour and the trim in a nice colour and have a nice area rug in there and plants, as well as artwork that makes me feel good, that inspires me, that brings some colour and life into the space as well — layers of things that feel like me, that inspire and motivate me and that are not distracting me, that make me relaxed and allow me to get into that productive zone.”

As Megan Duffy, design and development co-ordinator and interior designer with Green Island Builders, says: “Your office should reflect who you are. You don’t want it to be a sterile space. Find décor that reflects your hobbies and passions.”

Following are some of the best, designer-approved ways to update your own WFH space.

GO ERGONOMIC

When COVID hit, many people found themselves working at their dining room table, sitting in a dining room chair. These days, more workers are embracing the need for functional furniture that is good for their bodies. Perhaps not surprisingly, the strongest trend in terms of homeoffice design is a shift towards ergonomic furniture.

“Working at the dining room table starts to take a toll on people, and people have moved to ergonomic office furniture: ergonomic chairs, sit-to-stand desks and accessories like footrests and ergonomic keyboard trays,” says Madani. “The goal is to reduce physical strain and prevent long-term injuries like back pain and repetitive stress injuries on the wrist and neck.”

Stylish ergonomic furniture brands like Herman Miller, Knoll, Humanscale, Vitra, Cassina and Poltrona Frau not only solve some of those problems, they are beautifully designed status symbols.

Madani adds: “It’s important to take care of your body, especially if you’re working eight hours from a makeshift station. People want the correct setup. There are different solutions depending on the budget and the constraints of the space.”

Furniture should be functional, comfortable and beautiful, like this Poltrona Frau Downtown chair by Haworth.

The design of your office should complement the rest of your home. Pictured here: The modular Aubrey Home Office Collection from Pottery Barn.

READY TO CRUISE IN STYLE?

Bidgood agrees that ergonomic elements are indeed a dominating factor within today’s home offices.

“Well-being and comfort are becoming the real drivers of design,” Bidgood says. “The number one thing is a good desk chair. That’s an important investment piece. You can design around that to make the room more interesting. You don’t want it to feel like a corporate office. It’s still part of your home and should feel like a natural extension of that. If you can continue to tie in the same esthetic and have some repeated elements or colours to pull into that space so it feels cohesive with the rest of your home, it’s going to feel comforting to you.”

ZOOM IN

Whether Zoom, Teams, Skype or Google Meet, virtual meetings are here to stay, so it’s a good idea to consider what appears on the screens others are tuning into. That means creating an attractive, intentional backdrop.

“Having interesting layers in your space is important. Think about the backdrop if you’re doing Zoom calls, like wall coverings or shelving that’s not crammed with books and stuff, but purged and curated,” Bidgood says. “Just have the books on there that you reference or that inspire you. Incorporate a bit of photography and sculptures or plants. Not having visual clutter or distraction is important.”

CONQUER CLUTTER

The best home offices are clean, streamlined and clutter-free spaces where you can focus on productivity rather than being distracted by other things around you.

“Storage solutions like floating shelves, hidden cables and integrated filing stations are all pieces that help you achieve that in your space and get some of the clutter away,” Madani says.

Your home office should feel like a natural extension of your home.

According to Duffy, an ideal home office would have a custom desk and built-in units with “tons and tons” of closed storage so work materials can be put away, out of sight, behind cabinets. She, too, loves floating shelves to keep the floor and surfaces clear, and opts to use baskets or boxes to organize objects.

Left: A home office may be a functional space, but should also reflect who you are, says Megan Duffy, an interior designer with Green Island Builders. In this room, GIB paired practical cabinetry with thoughtful, personal details.

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DO DOUBLE DUTY

If your home doesn’t have a separate room for an office, the solution might be creating a hybrid workstation within an existing space such as a living room or kitchen. Duffy’s own home office doubles as a spare bedroom, with a Murphy bed and a white linen chair on caster rollers so she can roll around and look at different samples on a large table.

Flexible, modular, adjustable furniture is key to these hybrid workspaces. “This is a trend we’re seeing more of, whether it’s something that folds away or something that folds down and becomes a desk,” Madani says. “This kind of furniture makes it into a space that has more than one function.”

If you don’t have a separate room, you can always carve an office out of the corner of your kitchen or another space — preferably one that is bright with natural light, like this project by Green Island Builders.

LET THE LIGHT IN

Improved lighting is another factor people are focusing on now. “I always say lighting is about layering,” Madani says. “You can’t have just one single source of light and be comfortable in a space; it’s about having that general lighting, then task lighting or accent lighting. Layering it makes a difference. We’ve seen some focus on adding dimmers. It all helps in creating an environment that’s easier on the eyes and helps you focus on the right things.”

TURN DOWN THE NOISE

One of the drawbacks of working from home is the distraction of domestic noises, which is why more and more people are incorporating soundproofing into their home offices. Madani suggests adding acoustic panels or materials like felt that dampen sound. Rugs and curtains also help absorb the reverberation of sound.

“It also prevents other sounds from distracting you and gives you some privacy with sound travelling outside the room or the space that you’re in,” he says. “It’s all about comfort and

ultimately, with comfort, you gain more focus, and if there are fewer distractions, it increases productivity.”

COLOUR YOUR WORLD

Ideally, the colours in your home office should both complement the rest of your home and stand apart, identifying it as a place to work. Duffy, for instance, loves a “good dark and moody” home office — unless the rest of the home is dark and moody, in which case she

would opt for something light and airy. Either way, warm, earthy palettes are solid choices. Think: ivory, wood tones, sage greens and blues. “Those colours can be really calming and inspirational,” Duffy says.

CONNECT WITH NATURE

Biophilic design has long been a trend in home décor, and that includes workspaces, too. Having access to nature or greenery not only makes for a comforting home office, it’s been shown to reduce stress, enhance cognitive function and improve mental well-being. “Adding plants, using natural materials like wood and stone, and creating a more natural environment helps improve mood and productivity,” Madani says. “This is a very popular choice for home offices.”

Ultimately, the most important thing about your home office is that it should be comfortable, both visually and physically. “You want to feel good in that space,” Bidgood says. “If you’re working from home every day, you’re probably spending more time in your workspace than in your kitchen or bedroom. You really want to treat it like one of the most important spaces of your house.”

Treat your home office like one of the most important spaces of your house.

VALBAR STUDIO/STOCKSY

SACRED SKIES

How a Vancouver Island First Nation is protecting darkness for health, heritage and the stars.

By Diane Selkirk

Walking along the boardwalk, I inhaled the forest-scented air: sweet cedar, sharp citrusy resin from fir and spruce, damp earth and moss, the briny hint of ocean.

“One of the most beautiful things about our Indigenous world view is our connectedness,” said our Huu-ay-aht guide, qiic̓qiic̓a (pronounced “Keats Keatsa”). “We are not above or below anything in the world — we are a part of it.”

I let his words settle as I gazed at the rainforest and its shifting hues of green. He spoke of how his people have lived in balance with the plants and animals that surrounded us — not just across the seasons, but through centuries. Some of the ancient cedars still bear the marks of that long connection: strips of bark removed for clothing and baskets, entire planks taken for homes and storage boxes.

A little farther along the trail, the sound of the ocean filtered through the trees. Kii in (pronounced kee-hin), the ancient capital of the Huu-ay-aht Nation and a site occupied for over 5,000 years, lay just ahead. Emerging from the forest, we reached the rugged western edge of Vancouver Island and I dipped my fingers into waves that had tumbled in from that unknowable expanse of sea.

Slipping back into the trees, qiic̓qiic̓a led us toward the moss-covered remains of the ancient village site. He pointed out house pits, fallen cedar beams and carved posts now entwined in the heavy roots of younger trees. Standing at the entrance of what remained of the big house, he explained how it had been built to be oriented toward three stars in what many call the Big Dipper.

“The three stars represent all points in time,” he said, referring to the past, present and future. “They remind us to think about where you were, where you are and where you want to be.”

Then he gestured toward the sky. “We’re deeply connected not just to the land or the ocean, but also to the cosmos. It’s through modern technology and convenience that we’ve become disconnected.”

I felt his words land, and land hard.

Huu-ay-aht guide qiicqiica teaches the importance of connectedness. ‘ ‘

Pachena Beach, Bamfield

Astronomers and researchers now warn of a new kind of risk: “noctalgia,” or sky grief — the sorrow felt over losing our view of the stars, and with it, the stories, traditions, knowledge and sense of awe that come with a pristine night sky.

PROTECTING THE STARS

It wasn’t until the drive to Bamfield for this inaugural Three Stars Dark Sky Pilot Project festival, hosted by Huu-ay-aht First Nations, that I realized I no longer knew the current phase of the moon. The realization caught me off guard. Not long ago, I’d lived aboard a sailboat, and the night sky had been as familiar to me as the urban skyline is now. Maybe more so. I marked days by the moon’s waxing and waning and tracked the seasons through shifting constellations. On clear nights, the Milky Way burned so bright and the stars reflected off the water so completely, I felt like I was floating through it.

From Kii in, it was just a 15-minute drive back to Bamfield. The tiny community is home to about 300 people and it’s divided in two by Bamfield Inlet. The east side has the market, a hardware store and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. On the west side, reachable by water taxi, restaurants, homes, small inns and hotels are scattered along the wooden boardwalk.

Until recently, Bamfield was accessed by two rugged gravel roads. But in 2023 the road from Port Alberni was finally paved. That new road has changed everything. The community has seen a swell of first-time visitors and daytrippers. It’s also brought new momentum to Huu-ay-aht’s plans for a sustainable tourism model — one that balances economic opportunity with cultural and ecological preservation. Including the sky.

In a world overwhelmed by urgent problems, light pollution rarely ranks

high. But our connection to the night sky — something many on Vancouver Island rediscovered during this year’s dazzling displays of the northern lights, brought on by solar maximum, the period of greatest solar activity during the sun’s 11-year solar cycle — is about more than identifying a few constellations.

Science tells us that dark skies are essential: They support biodiversity, regulate our circadian rhythms and sustain ecosystems. Light pollution disrupts all of this. It prevents frogs from knowing when to mate, misguides migratory birds and alters the growth cycle of trees and the flowering of plants.

Today, more than 80 per cent of North Americans can’t see the Milky Way from where they live — a figure from 2016 that’s likely worsened as light pollution has grown by nearly 10 per cent each year. Astronomers and researchers now warn of a new kind of risk: “noctalgia,” or sky grief — the sorrow felt over losing our view of the stars, and with it, the stories, traditions, knowledge and sense of awe that come with a pristine night sky.

This is why the Huu-ay-aht want to protect their stars.

COMFORT IN THE DARK

The Nation hopes to establish its ancestral territory as a dark-sky destination. And this festival was a first step — a trial run for an initiative meant to support community-led economic development, revive astronomical and wayfinding traditions, and draw attention

to our wondrous and endangered view of the cosmos. The long-term goal: align future development with the requirements for international designation as a Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and seek global recognition as a Dark Sky Community by the International Dark Sky Association.

Over the festival’s two days, we heard from astrophysicist Emma Louden on her research into exoplanets and from astrophotographer Jeanine Holowatuik, who spoke about the growing impact of satellites and ground light on the night sky. We toured Huu-ay-aht territory by foot and by boat. At night, we stood on the deck at the marine centre and waited, hoping for the fog to lift so we could glimpse the stars, the partial lunar eclipse, or maybe even the aurora.

But it never cleared. The sky evaded us. And yet, the experience was no less powerful. In some ways, the fog became its own teacher. Darkness, after all, is disappearing. So in that shrouded quiet, where the boundaries between land, sea and sky dissolved into blackness, I found myself returning again and again to qiic̓qiic̓a’s teachings: Everything is connected.

We ended the weekend in the House of Huu-ay-aht with a language lesson. Huu-ayaht language teacher Hinatinyis shared the word tatuus, “star” in the Nuu-chah-nulth language. The sound of the “t” is explosive, she explained.

Like the burst of a shooting star — when the sky is truly dark.

STARGAZING AROUND VANCOUVER ISLAND

Time spent under dark sky allows for mindfulness and relaxation, helps decrease stress and inflammation, and can boost calming hormones and improve immune function. Studies also show that people who feel more connected to the night sky report better mental health and a greater sense of purpose. Here are five dark-sky experiences to check out around Vancouver Island.

DIY Dark Sky Stays with Indigenous Hosts:

Pachena Bay Campground, Bamfield

Tucked beside the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Pachena River, this Huu-ay-aht First Nations campground is a stargazer’s dream. Sleep next to the rainforest, under vast coastal skies, just steps from the West Coast Trail trailhead. pachenabaycampground.ca

Raven’s River Rest, Port Alberni

Set on Tseshaht territory, this peaceful getaway offers cabins and glamping along the Somass River. Enhance your retreat with traditional healing ceremonies, herbal remedies and energy practices rooted in Indigenous knowledge. ravensriverrest.ca

Tsawaak Cabins and RV Resort, Tofino

Owned by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Tsawaak (“We Are All One”) offers private beach access, oceanfront campsites and the kind of clear coastal skies that make you pause in wonder. tsawaakrvresort.ca

Gorge Harbour Marina Resort, Cortes Island

This Klahoose First Nation–owned resort blends dark-sky serenity with creature comforts: glamping domes, tent sites and cabins on Desolation Sound. Gaze at the stars from a place where water meets forest in the traditional territories of the Klahoose, Homalco and Tla’amin Nations. thegorgeharbour.com

Featured Event:

Horizons at Night, October 22 to 26 Pacific Sounds Lodge, Bamfield Join renowned astrophotographer

Jeanine Holowatuik and Huu-ay-aht guide qii qii a (Keats Keatsa) for a four-day retreat blending night photography with Indigenous sky stories and connection to place. Includes hands-on instruction, photo walks, stargazing, bioluminescent boat rides, all meals and transfers. pacificsoundslodge.com

LIVE EDGE VIBES

Who’s Going to Drive You Home?

FOR OUR WRITER, GETTING HER DRIVER’S LICENCE IN MIDDLE AGE WASN’T JUST ABOUT DRIVING — IT WAS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, AND LOOKING INWARD.

By Melissa Gignac | Illustrations by Janice Hildybrant

Tell me honestly, were you even born last time I had my learner’s permit?”

The young lady behind the counter peered at me from behind a caterpillar of lash extensions, cocked her head, and said, rather flatly, “Nope.”

I was 44 years old and standing at the ICBC driver’s licensing counter on my lunch break. The last time I had my learner’s permit was in what my niece nervily calls “the olden days” — a.k.a. the 1990s. Back then, the learner’s manual was a four-by-10-inch staple-bound booklet, and the minimum time between obtaining a learner’s permit and road testing for a Class 5 licence was around six months. Now the manual was the size of a quarterly literary journal, and I was facing down a three-year graduated licensing process, the first two stages marked by the letters L (for learner) and N (for new driver).

“Since you’ve previously had your learner’s, twice, I can knock six months off your L.”

Make that a two-and-a-half-year process.

Pre-Millenial

Tension

I‘d made a half-assed pre-millennial effort to learn to drive, my parents white-knuckled as I sloppily steered their behemoth Dodge Diplomat through the streets of Sidney. I’d sideeyed my older sister for not getting her licence immediately after turning 16, yet dragged my own feet when my mom would take a deep breath, steady herself and ask me if I wanted to go for a spin.

“Later,” I’d say. Always later.

I wanted it, just not badly enough to put in the time. Besides, my best friend not only had her licence but also a saucy red elder BMW we’d dubbed Delores. We did what teens did at the time — driving laps around the Inner Harbour causeway, belting along with Pearl Jam’s Ten, flipping the cassette to side two to fast-forward

to the place we knew “Black” would start when we flipped back to side one. Kids today will never understand the art that was commanding a late 1900s tape deck.

A thousand laps around the Empress Hotel as a passenger princess — and too many laters later — and my learner’s expired. Again. No worry, I was off to Kingston, Ontario, for university and wouldn’t have access to a car anyways.

The Roads Not Travelled

From Kingston I moved back to Victoria, then to Vancouver and, after a brief stint in Montreal, I settled back in Victoria for good. Every city I’ve lived in, or at least the places I’d lived in those cities, had been incredibly walkable, with reliable(ish) transit. Aside from being more useful on road trips, I never had much need to drive. Sure, it would have been convenient — a notion I was aware of when schlepping everything from five-foot pine boards to fishing gear on the bus — but it wasn’t a priority.

Yet I was critically aware of how the world opened up to those who drove. I waved my little sister off as she embarked on a crosscountry road trip, landing in Halifax, which would eventually become her home. I listened to friends recount solo road trips through the California redwoods, and felt the twinge of shame and blame when job opportunities that required a licence passed me by.

By my early 30s, babies started emerging in my social circle and their parents would tease that their kids would be driving before me. I’d laugh and say “bet,” but in honesty, I knew there was a tinge of intentionality to my driving delay. There’s always been a part of me that felt I didn’t really deserve to do the things I most want, to fully participate in life. Maybe it’s a psychological deficit fed by too many sad songs, maybe it’s chemical, but somewhere in my psyche there’s a

With my licence I’d have nothing between me and a road of endless possible destinations, myriad possible lives. Somehow that seemed more daunting than spinning my wheels in the endless familiar.

part that sabotages, delays pleasure and doles out shame in spades. It’s not a fear of failure; rather more of a deep-seated leeriness of success. Because what then? What do I do without an excuse to not do? With my licence I’d have nothing between me and a road of endless possible destinations, myriad possible lives. Somehow that seemed more daunting than spinning my wheels in the endless familiar.

While I was busy holding myself back, time did what time does when one doesn’t take control of it, and sure enough, some of those kids beat me to the road test.

Perimenopausal Passenger to Determined Driver

Women in their 40s are notorious for hitting their “enough of this shit” max, and the drive to drive finally kicked into gear right around the time COVID restrictions retracted and the world started opening back up. With my shiny new L slapped on the back of his Honda Accord, my then-boyfriend Stew, possibly the most patient man on Earth, managed to not visibly flinch as I repeatedly tortured his transmission trying to find the right gear in the evening quiet of UVic’s parking lots. A few lessons in, I decided it would be much less stressful to learn on my own (automatic) vehicle. Within a few weeks, under Stew’s stewardship, I was the proud owner of a 2004 Honda CRV, Black Betty.

From Black Betty’s worn leather seats my world expanded, while in a way, time regressed. In her finicky tape deck Billy Corgan warbled from the mixtape Justine made when I left for university, and Radiohead and Portishead keened from the tape Chelsea crafted when I prematurely departed Kingston. Instead of playing these tapes while bombing around with the friends who made them, I was mired in nostalgia listening to them while working towards a goal the makers had managed before they could vote.

Norma hauled my damp snorkel gear, took me lakeside fishing, moved furniture for my neighbours and allowed my friends to finally be my passenger princesses.

Whoah, Black Betty

After about nine months behind the wheel I was ready(ish) for my road test. I took a few lessons through a driving school and practised the usual test route. To alleviate pressure, I decided to treat it as a practice test. It worked, and despite what my tester described as “agonizingly slow turns,” I was upgraded to a cheerfully green N. I could now drive without adult supervision. (Unless I had two passengers. Then one had to supervise.)

Perhaps I wasn’t quite ready, because less than five weeks later, while exiting a gas station with an exorbitantly expensive full tank, I lurched over the curb and my foot hit the gas pedal. My face met the airbag as my bumper hit a lamppost.

Thankfully no one else was involved, and aside from a damaged nose and reaggravated old shoulder injury I was OK. Black Betty, however, was a write-off. She’d survived 20 years, and then she met me. I killed her before I even got to use her builtin picnic table.

I was devastated, but determined to get back on the road before the scaries set fully in. COVID did a number on the used-car market so it took a few months before Norma, a 2007 Ford Escape, made a home in my garage. Over the next two years Norma and I stormed the Island and over to the mainland. She hauled my damp snorkel gear, took me lakeside fishing, moved furniture for my neighbours and allowed my friends to finally be my passenger princesses.

Licensed to Drive

I passed my Class 5 in August 2025 at the ripe age of 47.

In some ways getting my licence in middle age was a blessing. I’m morbidly conscious of my mortality and keenly aware of the privilege it is to hold a licence so I don’t take any chances behind the wheel. There’s some sadness to it, too. Every time I strap my paddleboard to the roof racks I’m reminded of how long I held myself back from being able to get on the water. How many life choices were made for me by my choice to not drive.

Mixtape: Driving Songs for Aging Hipsters

ISLAND DRIVING IS GETTING BUSIER AHEAD OF THE CURVE

I appreciate the moments I find myself in new places more for having been restricted by bus routes for so long. Sure, I took day trips and roadies with friends, but as someone who relishes alone time there’s a distinct pleasure in having a new-to-me spot all to myself. No tussles over the radio, no arguments about when to leave or worries about how I’ll get home. With 50 on the horizon, I am finally my own ride.

Wallace Driving School prepares your teen to drive safely in all conditions, so when it’s time for your precious cargo to move up to the driver’s seat, they’ll be ready.

to find out more.

Here are 21 tracks to keep late-inlife learners company behind the wheel. Get the Tidal playlist here:

“Nightcall” – Kavinsky

“Midnight City” – M83

“The Passenger” – Iggy Pop

“Big Empty” – Stone Temple Pilots

“At the Stars” – Better Than Ezra

“Trucker’s Atlas” – Sun Kil Moon

“The Golden Age” – Beck

“There Is a Light that Never Goes Out” – The Smiths

“Ol’ 55” – Tom Waits

“Keep the Car Running” – Arcade Fire

“Price of Gasoline” – Bloc Party

“Night Drive” – Chromatics

“Can Rova” – The Afghan Whigs

“Cody” – Mogwai

“When it Don’t Come Easy” – Patty Griffin

“Nightswimming” – R.E.M.

“Passenger Seat”

– Death Cab for Cutie

“Wreck of the Day” – Anna Nalick

“Passenger Side” – Wilco

“Travelling Alone” (featuring Jason Isbell) – Kathleen Edwards

Food + Drink

62

The Dish

What’s cooking around Victoria, from a new restaurant collective to the season’s tastiest events.

64

Peeling Back the Onion

The onion is the hardest working vegetable in your kitchen. Here’s what you need to know about cooking with it.

68

Sweet Thyme

A new cookbook captures the flavours of the Pacific Northwest in cookies, cakes and pies.

72 Raise a Glass (or Two) Settle in for a social gettogether at seven of our favourite city wine bars.

RECIPES

67 Onions “al Rescoldo”

67 Chive Bread

69 Spiced Plum Tarte Tatin

70 Yellow Point Cranberry Cardamom Bars

71 Apple & Aged-Cheddar Scones

IN SEASON

Craving Cranberries?

It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce. But cranberries are much more than a jelly from a can, especially here in B.C., one of the planet’s biggest producers of the tart, red, vitamin-and-anti-oxidant-rich berries. Native to North America, cranberries were long a staple food for many Indigenous people and, later, for the earliest settlers. Today some 70 farmers grow them commercially in B.C., mostly in the Fraser Valley, but also at Yellow Point Cranberries in Ladysmith. Cranberries ripen in September and October, their inner air chambers sending them bobbing to the surface of flooded bogs. Because fresh cranberries are quite tart and bitter, they are most often consumed frozen, dried or made into juices and sauces. We especially love the intense sweet-tart flavour of dried cranberries in salads, baked goods and granola — almost as much as we love the vibrant note cranberry sauce adds to our turkey dinner.

A TASTE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND VICTORIA

A new chef collab and a tasty fall lineup of events.

There’s strength in numbers, and that’s the idea behind the Island Restaurant Collective, a new partnership between small, independent, chef-driven restaurants that may be separated by distance, but are connected by an almost obsessive dedication to their culinary craft.

So far, the group comprises Pluvio Restaurant + Rooms in Ucluelet, Wild Mountain Food + Drink in Sooke, Fox & Monocle Cafe in North Saanich and, in Victoria, Uchida Eatery and Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions. “We hope to discover other partners in the future and see the collective grow to represent the entire Island,” says cofounder Warren Barr, the chef and co-owner of Pluvio.

“The idea to form the collective came together one night after Chef Ollie [Oliver Kienast, of Wild Mountain] and I stayed up way too late drinking everything we could find after finishing Pluvio’s five-year anniversary dinner,” Barr says. “We were discussing the challenges of being independent restaurant owners in remote locations. Being in locations such as Uclulelet and Sooke, among others, has loads of benefits — that’s why we live in these communities. But as restaurant owners, who operate on long and late hours, it can be quite isolating as well … our worlds get quite small quite quickly.

A TASTY LINEUP OF EVENTS

Clear your calendar — the next couple of months are filled with events for food, beer, wine and cocktail lovers.

✸ Great Canadian Beer Festival

September 6 and 7, Topaz Park

“We started the collective to bring restaurant owners who are in the same boat as us together to build a bit of community,” he says. “We also wanted to bring together chefs and operators on the Island who are doing something special. We believe that we are starting to see a Vancouver Island culinary identity emerging and that is worth celebrating and developing.”

In part the IRC is about showcasing the culinary potential of Vancouver Island and providing guests with “a culinary road map” to discover the region’s most exciting food destinations. But for the chefs and their partners, it’s also about working with Island-based suppliers and farmers, as well as sharing resources, purchasing power and, perhaps most importantly, emotional support.

As Barr says: “We hope that as the collective grows, we can support each other and work together to promote the small, independent restaurants on the Island that are trying to deliver an exceptional and unique experience.”

To do that, they plan to hold events like the launch party they hosted early this summer at Averill Creek Vineyard, where the Pinot Noir flowed merrily and guests savoured fancy small bites on the sunsoaked patio. To learn about upcoming events and collaborations, visit restaurantcollective.ca or follow on Instagram @island_restaurant_collective.

Canada’s original craft beer festival — first held in 1993 at the Victoria Conference Centre — has evolved into a legendary event that features craft breweries from across B.C. and Canada pouring more than 200 beers and ciders. Sample the diverse lineup of high-quality brews, savour food from local vendors and enjoy the live entertainment. victoriabeersociety. com/gcbf

✸ Brewery & the Beast

September 21, Starlight Stadium

Wear the stretchy pants! More than 50 of Vancouver Island’s best chefs

Above: The founding members of the Island Restaurant Collective include, from left: Ross Bowles of Fox & Monocle Cafe in North Saanich (not pictured, Tracie Zahavich); Oliver Kienast and Brooke Fader of Wild Mountain in Sooke; Yasu Uchida of Uchida Eatery in Victoria; and Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey of Pluvio Restaurant + Rooms in Ucluelet.

will be on hand cooking over live fire, crafting dishes from locally sourced and ethically raised proteins, including beef, bison, pork, wild boar, lamb, goat, chicken, elk, rabbit and duck. Also enjoy premium wines, cocktails, craft beers and more, along with live music and guest DJs to keep the party hopping. breweryandthebeast.com

✸ Salt Spring Island Apple Festival

September 28, Salt Spring Island

Start at Fulford Hall, where some 400 varieties of apples will be on display and the Pie Ladies will be selling apple pies. Then venture across the island to check out the participating host farms, cideries, Beddis Castle — it’s the only day it’s open all year — and the Food Hub featuring Woodshed Provisions, Francis Bread and South End Sausage. saltspringapplefestival.org

✸ Victoria International Wine Festival

October 2, 3 and 4, Victoria Convention Centre

Whether you are a wine novice or a total cork dork, if you enjoy wine you should plan to attend the wine festival. Since the first one was held in 2014, it’s been the best opportunity in town to taste wines from around the world, learn more about them and just generally have a great time hanging with a convivial crowd. This year’s theme region is Rioja, Spain, so you can expect to taste plenty of beautiful big reds. vicwf.com

✸ Art of the Cocktail

October 18, Crystal Garden

The Victoria Film Festival’s

satisfying lunches and cheeky asides. floydsdiner.ca

Speaking of breakfast things: The Bengal at the Fairmont Empress is set to open any day now, serving brekkie (for now) in what was for many years Victoria’s favourite watering hole. Stay tuned for updates. fairmont-empress.com

annual fundraiser shakes things up with a rockin’ and rollin’ Summer of ’55 theme. Dust off your poodle skirts and leather jackets, and raise a glass to the age of doo-wop, drive-ins and diners. More than 50 local and national exhibitors will be serving drinks on this nostalgic night. victoriafilmfestival.com/ product/art-of-the-cocktail

✸ Chocolate A Tasting Event

October 19, Crystal Garden

It’s the third year for the film fest’s other annual fundraiser, this one featuring more than 40 of Canada’s top chocolatiers offering irresistible creations including chocolate-covered treats, truffles, pastries and drinks. You’ll melt with pleasure. victoriafilmfestival.com/ product/chocolate

IN OTHER NEWS

Great news for burger lovers: Murder Burger has left its temporary digs on Fort Street and moved into the former Floyd’s Diner in James Bay. With the new brick-andmortar location, not only will more people be able to enjoy what are arguably the city’s best smashburgers, they will also get an expanded menu that includes confit chicken wings, soft-serve ice cream and craft beers. eatmurderburger.com

After seven years in a landmark building that was originally the James Bay Tea Room, Floyd’s Diner, meanwhile, is moving a block north into a bigger location in the Royal Scot Hotel where they will continue to serve their hearty breakfasts,

Just a few weeks after closing Nowhere *A Restaurant and stepping aside from Hanks, YAM’s 2024 Chef of the Year Clark Deutscher is back in the kitchen. He’s opened his latest (and currently only) project, Unicorn Sparkles, in the courtyard at Sussex Place, 1001 Douglas Street. Expect to find the kind of flavourful dishes and irreverent humour you know and love. unicornsparkles.ca

In the Cowichan Valley, Unsworth Vineyards has opened its airy new tasting room and is putting the finishing touches on the vast production facility behind it. Combined with the new vineyard land they’ve purchased, this is a great sign that we’ll soon be seeing more of the winery’s excellent Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and bubbles. Next up: a reno and expansion of the winery restaurant, which will be ready by next spring. unsworthvineyards.com

Non-imbibers have reason to celebrate, too: Fizz Bottle Shop has opened at 569 Johnson Street to offer a huge selection of non-alcoholic wine, beer, spirits, fizzy flavoured waters and more, including a pretty impressive selection of Canadian-made products. They also deliver to most of Greater Victoria. fizzbottleshop.com

Finally, in another loss for the local dining scene, we were sad to hear that MeeT on Blanshard would be closing its doors at the end of August. It’s the only Island-based location for the Vancouver-based group serving plant-based comfort food, and we’re sorry to see it go.

Salt Spring Island Festival, September 28.

PEELING BACK THE ONION

A primer to the hardest-working vegetable in the kitchen.

By Amy Rosen

When you think about the best fresh vegetables, onions may not immediately come to mind. But they’re actually the unsung heroes of the pantry, always there when you need them, quietly wearing their orange mesh while lying in wait in a paper bag under the kitchen sink. But here’s the plot twist: Onions should be the all-stars when it comes to cooking.

Think about it. Yellow onions provide the base note to just about any soup, sauce or marinade, while sweet onions can be used raw in your favourite salads. Meanwhile, red (or purple) onions pickle like nobody’s business. And then there are the smaller guys, from cippolinis and green onions to shallots, ramps and chives (and their flowers).

There’s also the native nodding onion, a perennial plant that has clusters of pink flowers that look great in a garden, boast mildly oniony, tasty leaves and flowers, and are a traditional food source for some First Nations peoples of British Columbia.

Chef Matias Sallaberry, culinary director at Zambri’s restaurant in Victoria, who also owns and hosts South Fire asado (fire-cooked) events, is a big fan of the onion, and he specifically likes working with ones from local farms like Saanich Organics. “These onions have such a deeper flavour than you find in the supermarket,” he says.

Chef Sallaberry, who is Argentinian-born but moved to Victoria several years ago to marry his life and work partner, Emily Davies (who is the general manager at Zambi’s), says he always cooks with onions at his live-fire events.

“It might sound simple, but I really like it, and often I use an old technique called al rescoldo,” he says. “It’s a cooking technique where vegetables are buried in embers and ashes, left to cook slowly in the residual heat of the fire.” He says he keeps the skins on, which act as a natural, protective shell, “but they also hold all that smoky flavour. As the layers char and blacken, almost like a bark, the inside steams in its own sugars.” Layers melt into each other. “When you peel it, it’s like uncovering a world of flavour: deep, sweet, smoky and completely transformed.”

The chef explains that “al rescoldo” is a traditional way of cooking used by the Onas, the Indigenous peoples of Argentina’s Patagonia region. Later, the gauchos (Argentina’s cowboys) adopted the technique. “It reflects a deep respect for the land, the fire and the idea that nothing should go to waste, not even the last glowing coals.”

When gauchos travelled long distances, they’d bury ingredients in the embers before they went to sleep. Onions, potatoes, squash and bread got tucked in for the night, too. “In the morning,” Sallaberry says, “they’d uncover these buried treasures, revealing a smoky, slow-cooked feast waiting to be shared for breakfast before continuing the adventure.”

Before we start our cooking adventure, let’s peel back the onion for a little primer.

A taste of tradition in the Inner Harbour

Enjoy a refined tea experience in an historic Victorian mansion. Join us for breakfast, Afternoon Tea, or Scottish High Tea, all crafted with locally sourced ingredients.

Open daily Breakfast

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Scottish High Tea Reservations recommended

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LEVEL UP YOUR LUNCH BREAK!

ONIONS 101:

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Proud members of the allium genus of flowering plants, onions can be as pretty as they are stinky. Other alliums include garlic, leeks and shallots.

When buying onions, choose ones that feel heavy for their size, and have dry outer skins without blemishes. (If you see any black mould, put them back.) They also shouldn’t smell oniony; that means they’re bruised and leaching.

For recipes, a good rule of thumb is that one medium whole onion equals about 1 cup diced.

Onions are nutritious: A good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and folic acid, they’re said to improve heart health, aid in better blood sugar regulation and increase bone density.

Locally, late summer and early fall are harvest season for most onions; green onions and chives, though, are some of spring’s first crops.

Store your onions in a dry, cool, wellventilated area, such as a paper bag under the sink or in a cellar. Don’t store them near the potatoes; onions release gases that can cause potatoes to sprout prematurely and rot faster. (Also keep them away from apples, bananas, citrus fruits and cucumbers.) And don’t store onions in plastic bags — they’ll suffocate and start rotting. If you store them properly, they should keep for up to several months.

Whole onions should not be kept in the fridge, but peeled, cut and cooked ones should. Keep them in well-sealed containers to avoid transferring that oniony scent to other foods. And if you put a whole onion, with the roots intact, in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting it, you’ll have fewer tears when slicing and dicing.

THERE’S AN ONION FOR THAT

Yellow onion: Also known as cooking onions or standard onions. When a recipe just calls for onions, yellow onions are the default. They’re best for caramelizing, low and slow. “Even in home cooking, food requires time,” says chef Sallaberry. “Take the time to caramelize the onions to a dark colour. Let that deep flavour come out.” Besides the onions, he says, time is the most important ingredient.

Sweet onion: Not only do most of the varietals come with fun names (read: Vidalia, Walla Walla and Maui), but the large, white sweet onions have a mild onion flavour and pronounced sweetness that make them perfect for raw preparations like salads and garnishing burgers.

White onion: These may look sweet, but they’ve got bite. The preferred onions in Latin American dishes like salsas, guacamole, tacos and ceviches, they also hold up on the grill.

Red (or purple) onion: This varietal is a real chameleon, going from the barbecue to the pickling jar without missing a beat. They’re also perfect for salads full of sturdy and peppery greens, such as kale and arugula, because they can hold their own.

Green onions: Also known as scallions, these vegetable crisper heroes are often the only sign of something fresh and green we see all winter. And in our gardens, they’re the first sign of spring. Use them as a topping for Taco Tuesdays, throw them into stir-fries, scallion pancakes and more. The green parts are gentler in flavour than the whites.

Chives: “For me, onions have a lot of places to play,” says Chef Sallaberry. “As a stock to a sauce to salads and garnishes, you can do so very many things.” Oniony chives are especially versatile. Fold the snipped herb into a compound butter, sprinkle them over cedar-planked salmon, make them into a gorgeous oil or use them to garnish icy bowls of vichyssoise.

The following recipes focus on two stars of the onion world. One uses yellow onions: It’s easy but takes hours — and embers. The

Onions “al Rescoldo”

Recipe by chef Matias Sallaberry. Serves 4.

• 3 medium yellow onions

• 5 anchovy fillets

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Handful of fresh oregano leaves

• Olive oil to taste, about ¼ cup

• 2 to 3 Tbsp black currant blossom vinegar or red wine vinegar, or to taste,

• Vancouver Island Sea Salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

• Optional: Crispy capers (fry dried capers in oil until crispy; great for texture)

• Optional: Chive flowers (for garnish)

Prepare the fire! Start a wood (or charcoal) fire and let it burn down until you have a

Bury the whole onions, with skins on, in the embers. Cover with more embers and ash and let them roast slowly for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their size. They’re ready when completely black on the outside and soft to the touch. You can pick with a cake tester to feel inside.

While the onions roast, chop the anchovies and mix them with the lemon zest and juice, smoked paprika, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. It should be bright and zingy.

When onions are tender, remove from the ashes. Let them cool slightly and then peel off the charred outer skin. Slice into petals, spoon the vinaigrette over the top and

Chive Bread

Sitting down to breakfast in my Vienna hotel one morning, I noticed everyone around me was enjoying some sort of soft green bread, so I ordered it. So simple, so delicious. Is chive bread the new avocado toast? Recipe by Amy Rosen. Serves 4

• 4 sturdy slices of bread, be it sourdough, rye or multigrain (Do not toast it!)

• 1 Tbsp salted butter, softened

• 2 bunches chives

Rinse and dry chives and finely chop, then spread evenly over a large plate. Spread bread with a nice layer of butter, then gently press onto chives, resulting in a full, green shag carpet of chives. Add a pinch of

Food + Drink

SWEET THYME

In her new cookbook, Salt Spring author Danielle Acken hopes you slow down a little and enjoy desserts made with the flavours of the Pacific Northwest.

September here in the Pacific Northwest means apples, pears and plums, the promise of all those grapes ripening in the vineyards, the last of the abundant blackberries and the first of the elusive huckleberries.

With its cooler days, longer nights and the return to work and school, this is also the month we yearn to get back in the kitchen, to preserve all that late-summer bounty and to bake something sweet with it. That makes this the perfect time for Danielle (DL) Acken’s delicious new cookbook, Thyme for Dessert (TouchWood Editions), produced with food stylist Aurelia Louvet. It’s officially out in October, but we’re thrilled to give you a sneak peek right now.

You probably know Acken best as a photographer and co-author, with recipe developer Emily Lycopolus, of the awardwinning cookbook Cedar + Salt: Vancouver Island Recipes from Forest, Farm, Field, and Sea. But Acken has actually worked on some “20 or 25” books since shooting her first, Lesley Stowe’s Recipes from My Kitchen, which was published in 2014.

Originally from Vancouver, Acken had worked as a photographer in the music industry before landing at Lesley Stowe Fine Foods, the city’s pioneering catering/ specialty foods business, in the 1990s. She eventually became the catering manager before getting married, having kids and moving to the U.K.

“I was always a foodie,” she says. “I was living in the Orkney Islands and had three kids, aged four, three and new, and I was

By Joanne Sasvari

Spiced Plum Tarte Tatin recipe on page 69

bored.” Then her husband gave her a camera, saying: “You love food, you love photography, you should marry the two.” And so she became a food photographer.

By 2011 she was back in Victoria, once again working with Stowe, shooting the chef’s famous Raincoast Crisps and, eventually, her first cookbook. Since then, the books Acken has shot or co-authored include A Rising Tide (about Atlantic Canadian cuisine), Off the Hook (about West Coast seafood) and Let’s Eat: Recipes for Kids Who Cook, the latter two also with Louvet.

And now there’s her new book, packed with recipes that make the most of local ingredients. “This one is desserts from my own kitchen. I was inspired by Lesley Stowe and her recipes,” Acken says.

She was also inspired by all the delicious things that grow on Salt Spring Island, where she has lived for the past nine years (although she still travels frequently to the U.K.). “It’s been really good for me to be home and tapping into the food scene,” she says. “There’s so much food just growing around us on the islands and in the sea.”

Acken is passionate about eating as locally as possible, convinced it’s the only way to save the planet and lucky enough to live in one of the world’s most abundant places. “I don’t need oranges shipped in, I have Jane Squiers growing them just down the road on Salt Spring,” she says, referring to the renowned horticulturalist experimenting with citrus and other sub-tropical fruits. “English market culture is really ingrained in me.”

She thinks we all need to slow down and appreciate the bounty that surrounds us. She loves foraging for spruce tips, berries and elderflowers, which she makes into cordial, and she loves turning other fruits into jams, butters and syrups. In fact, the book includes a whole chapter on preserving. “There’s so many ways of preserving things. I have two giant freezers and they are my best friends.”

The recipes in this book are not fussy or overly complicated. No tweezers or fancy equipment are needed, except maybe an ice cream maker for the Gin-Spiked Rhubarb Sorbet. These are, for the most part, homey recipes for cookies, cobblers, bars, cakes and crumbles, made exciting and new with sometimes unexpected local ingredients. Think: spruce tip shortbread or miso cannoli, herb-scented marshmallows, lemon-balm truffles or cherry hand pies fragrant with fivespice powder.

In other words, these are the kind of sweets you’ll actually want to make, again and again.

“I hope people use the book,” Acken says. “It’s a love letter to the sweet side of Pacific Northwest foods. I hope they just pick a recipe and indulge.”

Spiced Plum Tarte Tatin

This classic French dish is traditionally made with apples, but it is also the perfect way to use up the glut of plums produced here on the West Coast islands at the end of every summer. If you don’t have red plums, this will also work with the black, yellow, Italian or even wild varieties. Recipe from Thyme for Dessert, copyright 2025 by DL Acken. Reprinted by permission of TouchWood Editions. touchwoodeditions.com Makes 1 (9-inch/23 cm) tarte tatin

• 1 whole clove

• 1 green cardamom pod

• 1 whole allspice

• 1 star anise

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• ¼ cup packed brown sugar

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise

• 1 Tbsp red wine

• 4 to 5 red plums, stones removed, cut into 12 even slices

• 1 (12×12-inch) sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed but chilled

Place the clove, cardamom pod, allspice, star anise, cinnamon and sea salt in a spice or coffee grinder. Grind until the mixture is very fine. Set aside.

Cut a 12-inch circle from the puff pastry, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp but not wet tea towel, and place it in the refrigerator to keep cold until needed.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, place the sugar and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has fully dissolved and starts to bubble. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod with the tip of a knife and add them, along with the red wine and 1 tsp of the spice mixture, to the skillet. Continue to cook, stirring to prevent burning, until the mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and arrange the plums as desired on top of the sugar mixture, being sure to cover most of the pan. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and place it on top of the plums, tucking the sides carefully down along the inside walls of the skillet.

Bake on the centre rack of the oven until the pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, put on your oven gloves and carefully but quickly invert the tart onto a serving platter.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

The tarte tatin will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.

A Tony© Award-winning comedy that will make you cry ‘til you laugh.

September 25 – October 12, 2025 PREVIEW September 24

A Gothic romance that embraces love at the edge of death.

November 20 – December 7, 2025 PREVIEW November 19

Enjoy live performances in our intimate theatre. Subscribe now to our 2025/26 Season, featuring award-winning plays and musicals by local and international playwrights. For information about our plays, auditions, tickets, and more, please visit our website at www.langhamtheatre.ca presents the first two shows of our 2025/26 Season

Yellow Point Cranberry Cardamom Bars

In these bars, the toasted fragrant cardamom highlights the tart floral flavour of the cranberries grown at Yellow Point on Vancouver Island. Recipe from Thyme for Dessert, copyright 2025 by DL Acken. Reprinted by permission of TouchWood Editions. touchwoodeditions.com

Makes 16 bars

• 3 whole cardamom pods

• 3 cups fresh or frozen Yellow Point or other cranberries

• cup granulated sugar

• cup freshly squeezed orange juice (1–2 oranges)

• 2 tsp cornstarch

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 tsp ground cardamom (or 3 whole cardamom pods, toasted and ground)

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened, cubed

• 2 Tbsp whole milk

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Using the back of a knife, crack the whole cardamom pods slightly. Then, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, mix together the pods, cranberries, sugar, orange juice and cornstarch. Stirring often, cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly and the cranberries are completely broken down, about 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and remove the whole cardamom pods.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the oats, flour, sugar, ground cardamom, baking powder and salt until well combined. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the mixture until it has the consistency of very coarse sand, then stir in the milk and vanilla.

Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared dish and press down firmly with the back of a spoon to form a solid base. Pour the cranberry mixture over top and spread it evenly. Place the remaining oat mixture on top and press it down gently and evenly with the back of a spoon.

Bake until the top turns golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 1 hour. Once cool, cut into 16 squares.

Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

lightly floured surface and knead the dough with your hands until it comes together.

Press the mixture out into a flat 4-by-12-inch rectangle and scatter the cheese and apples across half of the dough. Fold the dough over itself to encase the cheese and apples and then continue to knead for another 10 to 12 strokes, or until the mixture is smooth.

Press or roll the dough into an 8-inch circle and cut it into 8 equal-sized wedges. Place the wedges 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining 2 Tbsp of cream. Bake until the scones are evenly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and place the scones on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. They are delicious served warm with butter.

The scones can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator. They also freeze well and can be reheated at 350°F for 10 minutes once thawed.

By Joanne Sasvari

RAISE A GLASS (or Two)

Wine bars are super hot right now. Here are some of our favourites.

Wine bars like Bray’s aren’t just about the wine, they are also about the food and conviviality.

What exactly is a wine bar? Well, yes, of course, it’s a place that serves wine, but plenty of places do that without being considered wine bars. It’s not just about the wine or the food or the décor. It’s about the vibe, which should be friendly yet adventurous, sophisticated yet relaxed.

Right now, wine bars are enjoying a moment, tapping into our craving for both new experiences and easygoing hospitality.

A wine bar is a great place to explore new-toyou wines. You can easily nerd out about, say, a Georgian amber wine aged in clay amphora, just as it’s been done for over 8,000 years, or discover a fresh new bubble from the Okanagan Valley. Then again, you could just as easily order an easy-sipping Provençal rosé to share with your best pals.

A wine bar is an even better place to socialize with friends. When done right, wine bars are how we most often enjoy going out these days — casual but stylish, with sharable plates to graze on and fun things to sip, where the whole point is just hanging out.

And the really good news is that Victoria has some terrific wine bars to choose from, whether you’re craving a juicy New World blend, something funkily low intervention or a beautifully structured Old World classic.

Although they are trendy right now, wine bars have been around since the days of ancient Rome. What was known as a “popina” served wine and simple snacks like bread, olives and stews, mostly to the lower classes; a taverna was a similar but posher sort of establishment. In modern times, though, it wasn’t until the 1980s that separate establishments for enjoying wine became a thing. Back then, wine bars were often upscale and glamorous. Today they are likely to be a little more rustic and relaxed, even if the wines they pour are not.

One of the hallmarks of a good wine bar is that the staff know their wine and are excited to share that knowledge. You should never feel intimidated or embarrassed if what they’re serving is unfamiliar to you or even if you don’t like what they suggest; the whole point is trying something new, and you’re not going to like everything you taste.

Most of all, wine bars are all about the conviviality of sharing conversation over a glass or two of something delicious. If that sounds appealing to you, here are some of our favourite local wine bars.

Bray’s West Coast Tapas + Wine Bar

This stylish contemporary hot spot in the Janion Building near the Johnson Street Bridge serves up a globetrotting wine list with some 25 selections by the glass, ranging from a crowdpleasing Prosecco to intriguing orange wine from Spain. Note, though, that the tapas here aren’t the Spanish kind, but sharable modern plates. braysvictoria.ca

Bodega

For the last decade, this charming wine and tapas joint on Broad Street has been the perfect place to explore the wines of Spain and Portugal. It offers more than a dozen wines by the glass, plus a generous selection of sherries and vermouths, alongside authentic Spanish snacks such as the daily pintxos. bodegabar.ca

This beautiful Italian fish stew is very easy to make and has very few ingredients. Don’t feel bound to quantities. There is no harm using more fish or spice or any of the ingredients; cooking intuitively is truly the end goal. You can prepare the soup all the way up to the addition of the fish in advance. Don’t start adding seafood until you are about 15 minutes away from eating.

CIOPPINO

Serves 4

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced against the grain

• 2 cups finely sliced shallots

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp chili flakes

• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

• 1/3 cup white wine

• 2 cups canned crushed tomato

• 1L fish stock

• 1lb of your favourite bivalves, (clams, mussels, swimming scallops) rinsed and bearded if necessary.

The Farmer’s Daughter

This charming Sidney cheese shop and wine bar offers imaginative (and cleverly named) flights of wine, such as the bubbles-only Great Gatsby or The Story of a Nobody, featuring little-known varieties and regions. The accompanying sharing boards, gooey grilled cheese sandwiches and autumnal fondue are simply delightful. thefarmersdaughter.co

• 1lb of your favourite fish, cut into 1” cubes (halibut, lingcod, salmon, sablefish)

• Croutons and basil pesto for garnish

fennel, shallot, garlic, chili, thyme, and salt in the olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the ingredients are soft and translucent and about ¼ of the original volume. Add the wine and cook down for a few minutes. Add tomato and fish stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, allowing the flavours to marry. Add shellfish and cook until they open (remove any that don’t open, they are not fit to eat). Add the cubed fish and cook another 5 minutes or so until the fish flakes when gently squeezed. Garnish with pesto and croutons or a nice crusty bread and serve immediately to the ones you love most.

L’Apero Wine & Cheese Bistro

You may think of this Blanshard Street bistro as a place to enjoy fondue, raclette and other fabulous fromage, and it is that. But it is an even better place to enjoy wine. The list here roams the wine-making planet, especially France, focusing on exceptional expressions of classics such as Beaujolais, Brunello di Montalcino or Chablis. laperobistro.net

Tourist Wine Bar

The clientele skews young and hip at this Blanshard Street establishment — it’s a crowd eager to sample all the funky and fabulous notes of natural, lowintervention and skin-contact wine. This is the place to take your tastebuds on an excellent adventure and have fun while you do. touristwinebar.com

Rabbit Rabbit

This lovely little boîte on Herald Street happily takes you down the rabbit hole of wine, with a list filled with unexpected gems. Lots of bubbles, skin-contact wines and lesser-known regions and varieties, plus terrific English-Asian fusion fare. The best reason to go? The attentive hospitality from a team that is genuinely smitten with wine. rabbitrabbitwinebar.com

Vis-à-Vis

If you regularly find yourself pining for France, then head straight to this lovely spot in Oak Bay. It calls itself both a bouchon (a rustic Lyonnaise restaurant) and a wine bar, and it certainly delivers on the wine front. You’ll find mostly French and B.C. labels, with more than two dozen selections by the glass and a nice mix of classics and surprises. visavisoakbay.com

Falling for the Okanagan

As the weather cools, the spectacular scenery and endless activities of wine country call to us.

By Joanne Sasvari

It’s a funny thing, but in fall, just as the rest of the world seems to be hunkering down and getting back to work, that’s when I find myself yearning to hop on a plane or get behind the wheel and just … go. And mostly where I want to go right now is the Okanagan Valley, with its bluebird skies, light-dappled bluffs and convivial wine-country lifestyle.

Summer is the busiest time of year here. Beginning in late June, herds of RVs roll into the valley for the peaches and beaches and hot, sunny weather. By July and August, sections of Highway 97 slow to a crawl and the lakes are abuzz with boaters and Jet Skis, the water choppy with their wake. But in fall, only gentle ripples remain, like the ghost of

N’ha-a-itk, the legendary creature the local First Nations consider the sacred Spirit of Okanagan Lake.

Tourist season might be slowing down now, but harvest season is in full swing. Instead of giant RVs, tiny vineyard tractors trundle along the roads. The light is softer, the night air cooler, the breeze scented with dusty sage and the winey perfume of crushed grapes. The days are still hot and the tasting rooms still open, but the pace is just a little slower and a little more relaxed, at least for a visitor.

There’s never a bad time to visit the Okanagan, but if you ask me, fall really is the best time to go. Here’s what to do once you get there.

FROM FIRE AND ICE

Both geographically and geologically speaking, the Okanagan Valley is a fascinating place. It was created by fire and ice, by volcanic activity and the last ice age. Ten thousand or so years ago, as what was known as Glacial Lake Penticton retreated, it left behind a series of lakes from Osoyoos in the south to the tip of Okanagan Lake in the north.

All this geological drama has created a landscape that is stunningly beautiful and wildly varied. At the north end of the valley, around Vernon, the climate is relatively cool, green and treed; 180 or so kilometres south, around Osoyoos, it’s hot and dry, home to

Above: One of the most iconic views of the Okanagan Valley is from Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars across Vaseux Lake, with McIntyre Bluff, gateway to the South Okanagan, on the right.

sagebrush and rattlesnakes, as befits Canada’s only true desert.

Chances are good that you’ll start your Okanagan journey in Kelowna, the region’s biggest city, located midway down Okanagan Lake. Some of the region’s oldest, most famous wineries are here, among them Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate and CedarCreek, which not only offer great wine, but also have exceptional restaurants (respectively: The Terrace, Old Vines and Home Block). But there are also countless hiking/biking trails to explore, several marinas and even more golf courses — 30 of them, in fact — as well as a charming downtown dotted with boutiques, galleries, craft breweries and restaurants.

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Head north from Kelowna, and you’ll find yourself in Lake Country, known for cool-climate wines and calm waters ideal for paddleboarding; if you have kids (or even if you don’t), be sure to stop in at Davison Orchards to take one of their tractor tours and enjoy some pie.

Head south and you’ll travel though Peachland, Summerland and Penticton. Stop for a hike or bike ride along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, with its gentle grades and stunning views.

Take a break and enjoy a glass of bubble at the brand new sparkling wine house Evolve Cellars, hit JoieFarm Winery for a gourmet bánh mì hot dog or hop off the trail at Abandoned Rail Brewing for a pint of Farm Folk Lager and a slice of ’za.

Continue along the shores of Skaha and Vaseux lakes, through the kettled landscape of Okanagan Falls, past the giant gneiss ridge known as McIntyre Bluff, and into the sun-drenched South Okanagan. Swing by the District Wine Village, not just for the wine, but for the live entertainment in the central plaza, shopping at Gather Bookshop and lunch at Ward’s Wine Country Kitchen. By the time you reach Oliver and Osoyoos, vineyards and orchards sprawl wherever you look. The communities here are small and sleepy, the vibe calm and friendly, balm for a soul weary of cityfied busy-ness. There are plenty of things to do, too — among them, swimming in Canada’s warmest lake, visiting the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural

Above: Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna offers breathtaking views from Mount Boucherie.

Below: The tractor tours at Davison Orchards near Vernon are fun for kids of all ages.

Centre or driving really, really fast at Area 27 Motorsports Park. (Note that this state-of-theart, high-performance facility is only open to members and their guests, so consider making some friends.)

Or just find yourself a table with a view of the Black Sage Bench, pour a glass of wine and do nothing at all as the setting sun spreads its rosegold glow over the rugged bluffs.

A BOUNTIFUL SEASON

It’s true that the valley has had a rough time of it in recent years: a heat dome, wildfires and floods in 2021; the devastating winter freeze late in 2022; more wildfires and landslides in 2023; and an even worse winter freeze in January 2024,

this one damaging trees and vines so badly there was no commercial grape or stone fruit harvest at all.

Luckily, so far 2025 is looking promising. The vines that survived are lush and bountiful. The apricots, cherries and peaches we missed last year are back and sweeter than ever. Most of all, there’s a new mood in the valley, one of co-operation and collaboration, resilience and optimism.

For a visitor, that means a warm welcome and sincere gestures of friendship wherever you go. And while the fine dining, endless sunshine and beautiful scenery are all good reasons to visit the Okanagan right now, the genuine hospitality you’ll experience once you get here is the very best reason of all.

Getting there: If you drive, you can load up your car with cases of wine and flats of fruit to take home. But it’s a 4 ½-hour trek, plus the ferry, to get to Kelowna. For a quicker journey, fly into Kelowna International Airport and pick up a rental car there. Try the privately owned regional Pacific Coastal Airlines for a seamless flight direct from Victoria International Airport. pacificcoastal.com

Staying there: You can find everything from glamping to B&Bs to lakeside resorts here, but one cool find is Balcomo – A Ramada by Wyndham property in Penticton. The old Ramada on the highway has been given a stylish glow-up, complete with wellness centre and swimming pool. balcomo.com

For more information: To find accommodation, restaurants, wineries and things to do throughout the valley, visit hellobc.com and thompsonokanagan.com. For more detailed info about each community, check out tourismkelowna.com, visitpenticton.com, visitoliver.com or destinationosoyoos.com

Above left: It’s all about bubbles at the new Evolve Cellars on the Naramata Bench. Right: Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos offers tours of sacred Spotted Lake.

The costumed cast members of High Moon: A Werewolf Western loom over the interactive play’s creators, David

IHowl at the Moon

This Halloween, find werewolves on the loose at Heritage Acres.

By David Lennam |

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

an Case knows the value of a good scare. He earned local renown for his always-sold-out, live horror shows at Craigdarroch Castle.

You might recall his Giggling Iguana Productions luring us in for a take on classics like War of the Worlds, Fall of the House of Usher, Dracula or The Picture of Dorian Gray, moving the audience around the castle, inside and out, up and down all those stairs.

After a 13-year hiatus, Giggling Iguana is returning, now rebranded as 31 Iguanas, just in time for Halloween, with an original play that combines a western with a werewolf (or two) and sets it within Heritage Acres on Lochside Drive, just off Highway 17.

High Moon: A Werewolf Western invites theatre goers to move around, quite literally, within the action in the old-timey village that’s part of the historical open-air museum.

There’s a curious appeal to site-specific theatre that Case observed in those shows at the castle when audiences screamed as the House of Usher crumbled or oohed and aahed as an unworldly tentacle slithered out of a spacecraft.

“We really enjoy being immersed,” he says. “It’s a different experience for an audience than sitting and watching a play. When they’re right there it’s easier for them to step through that door of

perception and suspend their disbelief and really get into it.”

Horror is, essentially, part of the human condition, something we’re all psychologically aware of.

“I think it is that seminal idea that there is a beast within and, as humans, it’s our job to try and change the beast within. We are driven by these base desires and impulses, and woe to anyone who lets those rule their life.”

Case created this unique take on a monstrous classic with playwright David Elendune. The pair had first discussed the project years ago and are finally unveiling their hour-long live performance of gunplay, werewolves and mystics, set just after the American Civil War.

“Nobody does westerns on stage anymore,” notes Elendune.

“And not many people do horror shows, either,” adds Case.

They’ve been collaborating since 1994 and have done, as Elendune points out, “everything from Bond to sci-fi to Winnie-the-Pooh.”

A conversation with the two lurches from Ionesco and Star Trek (original series) to Shakespeare, “Beowulf” and The Big Bang Theory. They seem to have their appetites aligned and writing together has allowed them to live in each other’s heads.

“I’m, as Ian would say, a ridiculous ideas man,” says Elendune. “Throw 6,000 things at the wall …” Case interjects: “Then at three o’clock in the morning my phone is going ping, ping — there’s another idea.”

The main challenge of producing outside of a real theatre, explains Case, is trying to problem solve visual thrills like creating mist, a rising moon or a forge for those silver bullets. “We’re looking for tiny bits of magic.”

“Right, and how do you transform someone into a werewolf?” asks Elendune. “That’s the biggie.”

Rod Peter Jr. and Ryan Kniel play two brothers cursed with lycanthropic tendencies. One embraces the hairy, horrible change. The other sees it as a curse. Wendy Magahay and Rosemary Jeffery also star in something Elendune says is as experiential as it gets for the viewer.

Case calls it sort of Bacchanalian.

“You allow the audience to muck around in their subconscious, the dirty side of humanity. That’s where the aliens, and people with holes blown through them, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper, that’s where they all live.”

High Moon: A Werewolf Western runs October 15 to 31, evenings only, at Heritage Acres. Follow on Instagram @31iguanas

Elendune, left, and Ian Case, at Heritage Acres.

1979 BY MICHAEL

CULTURE CALENDAR

Elbows up for a season of (mostly) Canadian entertainment.

HEALEY

September 9 to October 5, The Belfry Theatre

A hilarious — yes, really — play about Canadian politics, ethics and values based on the events of December 13, 1979, the date of the parliamentary vote on then-prime minister Joe Clark’s doomed austerity budget. belfry.bc.ca

RIFFLANDIA

September 11 to 14, Matullia Lands at Rock Bay

Since 2008, September in Victoria has meant Rifflandia, the city’s oldest, largest and arguably best multi-genre music festival. This year sees an eclectic lineup of top acts from near (The Choirs YYJ) and far (Public Enemy, Alessia Cara, Sleater-Kinney, Nx Worries and many more) over four days. Also expect great local food, craft beverages and an event that is all about community. rifflandia.com

BRYAN ADAMS: ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES TOUR

September 13 and 14, Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

The local hero and global rock icon’s biggest tour in years celebrates Adams’s 17th studio album, Roll With The Punches, and nearly four decades of hits including “Summer of 69” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You.” Adams — one of the world’s most high-energy live performers — will be joined by Juno Award-winning rock band The Sheepdogs. sofmc.com

RICK MERCER’S STAND-UP FOR CANADA TOUR

September 16 and 19, Royal Theatre

Enjoy a night of unapologetically Canadian comedy with Mercer’s signature wit, political commentary and unifying voice, just when we need it most. rmts.bc.ca

CONNIE KALDOR

September 20, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

A singer-songwriter and three-time Juno Award winner, Kaldor, who just released her 19th album, Wide Open Spaces, is a legend hailed as “a masterful performer, wildly funny one moment, deeply personal the next.” rmts.bc.ca

BRENT BUTT

September 20, McPherson Playhouse

You probably know him from a little CTV show called Corner Gas (2004 to 2009), which was named the “Funniest Show on TV” by TV Guide readers and still airs in some 26 countries. A performer, writer, executive producer, director and now author of the best-selling novel Huge, Butt is simply one of Canada’s funniest citizens. rmts.bc.ca

NOAH REID: THE “LIVE AGAIN” TOUR

September 21, McPherson Playhouse

We all fell in love with Noah Reid when he played Patrick, David Rose’s love interest, on the popular TV show Schitt’s Creek, but he is also renowned in the music industry for his powerful vocals, wistful songwriting and honest delivery. rmts.bc.ca

CHILLIWACK: FAREWELL TO FRIENDS TOUR

September 23, Royal Theatre

Join the legendary rockers before they are gone gone gone — after 55 years, 12 albums, 15 gold and platinum certifications plus millions of fans. Chilliwack is hitting the road one last time, and you won’t want to miss the show. rmts.bc.ca

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE

September 25 to October 12, Langham Court Theatre

In this Tony Award-winning comedy written by Christopher Durang, middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia live in their old family home, mourning lost dreams and missed opportunities — until their movie-star sister, Masha, arrives unexpectedly with her sexy boy toy, Spike. Hilarity ensues. langhamtheatre.ca

OCIE ELLIOTT WITH GUESTS

September 26 and 27, Royal Theatre

Enjoy the graceful harmonies of the Victoriabased folk music duo of Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy, two rising stars whose songs have been featured on TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and, in 2022, received a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. rmts.bc.ca

SHADE BURLESQUE FESTIVAL

September 26 and 27, McPherson Playhouse

Originally launched in 2019, this year Shade becomes a multi-day international burlesque festival featuring more than 30 vivacious performers of colour, including headliners Mx Pucks A’Plenty, Joy Rider and Hawai’ian Legend of Honour Ka’ena. rmts.bc.ca

BALLET VICTORIA PRESENTS ALADDIN

October 3 and 4, Royal Theatre

This classic ballet with contemporary flair is magical, bewitching and dazzling, an enchanting and exotic adventure set to a score of works by Borodin, Saint-Saëns, Rimsky-Korsakov and more. rmts.bc.ca

BLUE RODEO

October 9, Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

Legendary alt-country rockers Blue Rodeo celebrate 40 years of creating the soundtrack to Canadian lives in this milestone tour. Revisit your favourite songs, from “Try” to “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” to “Diamond Mine” with beloved icons Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor. sofmc.com

WITCH PERFECT

October 11, McPherson Playhouse

This award-winning, live-singing comedy parody loosely based on the cult-classic Disney film Hocus Pocus features Emmy-winning stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race as well as hits from pop icons, Disney classics and Broadway musicals. It’s simply spooktacular! rmts.bc.ca

SARAH

MCLACHLAN:

FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTASY, 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

October 15, Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

Join the Grammy and Juno Award-winning artist for a “real walk down memory lane” as she kicks off her 17-date Canadian tour celebrating three decades since the release of her multi-platinum third album. sofmc.com

PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA PRESENTS TURN OF THE SCREW

October 22, 24, 26 and 28, Royal Theatre

This 20th-century English chamber opera was composed by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, and premiered in 1954 in Venice. Based on Henry James’s 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw, it has been described as one of the most dramatically appealing, and most intricately organized, of Britten’s operas, mixing both tonality and dissonance. rmts.bc.ca

CRAFTED FARMHOUSE MARKET

October 25 and 26, Mary Winspear Centre

Get a jump on your holiday gift shopping (or just buy some prezzies for yourself) at this bonanza of handcrafted goodies. Find everything from jewelry, clothing and home décor to gourmet treats and one-of-a-kind treasures in this boutique-style market. marywinspear.ca

TOM

LAVIN & THE LEGENDARY

POWDER BLUES

October 29, Mary Winspear Centre

It’s the 47th anniversary for Canada’s leading blues band, known for its irresistible mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock ’n’ roll and R&B and for hits including “Doin’ it Right” and “Boppin with the Blues.” Come out and bop along with them. marywinspear.ca

Tidal Time

By Joanne Sasvari

Twice daily, when the tide ebbs away, the ocean leaves behind it entire worlds captured in small, shallow pools. These tide pools (also called rock pools) are rich with life, with barnacles and mussels, snails and urchins, anemones and sea stars, various crustaceans and teeny-tiny fish, even the occasional octopus, all tucked amid green, gold and purplish seaweeds.

While there are tide pools all along the Island’s coastline, the very best place to explore this magical marine world is at Botanical Beach (seen here). With its dramatic rocky formations and rich intertidal zone, this is home to some of the most spectacular tide pools on the planet.

September is a great time of year to go tide-pool viewing here. It’s not just a lovely time of year to hike the 1.5-kilometre rainforest trail to the beach. As summer slips into fall, the tides get lower, exposing more of the pools, but the rainy season has yet to start — and the rains can be epic out here in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park.

But serene as rock-pool viewing may seem, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

First of all, never, ever touch, kick or poke the creatures in a tide pool, or even stick your hand in the water. Even a tiny bit of sunscreen can prove fatal to the fragile marine life.

Secondly, pay attention to the tides. You need to know when the tide is low, because that’s when the rock pools become visible. You also need to know when the tide is about to turn because you don’t want to be trapped by rising waters or swept out to sea by a fast-moving current. Check the tide tables before you leave home.

Otherwise, wear the grippy shoes, pack an extra layer in case of rain and dive deep into this beautiful world in our own backyard.

TOM PARKER