YAM magazine July/August 2018

ISSUE 56 JUL/AUG 2018

yammagazine.com

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

2018

Restaurants THE ULTIMATE LIST OF WHERE TO EAT NOW

WINNER

Best Overall Page 43

FOOD+DRINK ISSUE PLUS: POOLSIDE STYLE | ORGANIZED LIVING | FOREST BATHING | BEACHY DÉCOR

G A I N G R O U P P R O U D LY P R E S E N T S

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TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO VISIT MOTORGATHERING.COM motorgathering

motorgathering

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NOW OPEN 1010 Broad Street Victoria, BC V8W 1Z9 250-590-4120 good-bones@shaw.ca

FOOD+DRINK ISSUE

CONTENTS 45

Best Casual

42

YAM’S BEST RESTAURANTS 2018 It was a delicious challenge for our judges to choose their favourites for YAM’s inaugural Best Restaurants feature.

Here are their top culinary choices for 2018.

By Cinda Chavich

56

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

48

The mindful culinary practice of mise-enplace can bring order to your life outside of the kitchen.

Best Cocktail Bar

By Athena McKenzie

62 44

unner Up, R Best Overall

THE POWER OF TREES

A forest bathing getaway to Tofino unlocks the restorative potential of nature.

By Athena McKenzie

4

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

IN EVERY ISSUE

66 32 8 EDITOR’S NOTE 11 YAM CONFIDENTIAL Get Canada’s leading banks to compete for your mortgage.

Whether you are purchasing, renewing or refinancing, Jodie can help you find the best terms and conditions. It’s what she does best.

Give her a call to find out how easy a professional mortgage broker can make your mortgage negotiations.

250-885-5738 jodie@modernmortgagegroup.ca www.jodiesmortgages.ca

A wine tour giveaway, favourite summer tastes, and events for food and wine lovers.

15 H ERE & NOW

Summer sips, tropical prints, a wine-and-cheese love story, new hot spots and YAM’s Design Insider.

22 FOOD & DRINK

15 Turmeric tequila cocktail, anyone?

With long-table dining, it’s the experience that counts, whether you prefer a potluck, a formal affair or an annual feast.

By Cinda Chavich

32 HOME & LIFESTYLE

A bold reno transforms a dark Vancouver Island manor into a light-filled beach house.

By Danielle Pope

40 IN PERSON

Hayley Rosenberg, owner of Nourish Kitchen and Café.

By Danielle Pope

66 STYLE WATCH Red hot summer.

By Janine Metcalfe

70 SCENE

Pre-Pride, picnics and that parade — plus Culture X3.

By David Lennam

DLC - Modern Mortgage Group 207-3531 Uptown Blvd.

Victoria, BC V8Z 0B9

74 DO TELL

A Proust-style interview with chef-turned-winemaker Bailey Williamson.

By David Lennam

6

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

74

EDITOR’S NOTE

WHATEVER MOVES YOU

HAVE A SEAT

One of the largest selections of bar and counter stools on Vancouver Island — starting at $119.

Available in bar and counter heights and featuring spectator height (seat height 34") Completely customizable colours and fabrics and many more styles available in store

Welcome to YAM’s FOOD+DRINK issue featuring our region’s best restaurants. I’ll certainly be relying a great deal on the restaurant recommendations of our seven judges in the coming weeks as I prepare to move homes for the first time since 2011. My freezer is now empty and my cupboards are increasingly bare. In fact, my whole life is in boxes and most of my furnishings have been given away or sold as we await new pieces designed specifically for condo living. Last night, my husband dismantled our Kerry Slavens, Editor-in-Chief bed and we slept on a mattress on the floor. It reminded us both of our university days.

Back then, moving didn’t seem like such a big deal. Our most valuable possessions fit easily into a couple of cardboard boxes, and we hadn’t yet begun to inherit possessions from our grandparents, from antique tea sets to Hummel figurines to photo albums full of people we mostly don’t recognize. Our storage wasn’t full of our daughter’s baby clothes, and we hadn’t yet bought — or created — art for our walls.

Now, after years of marriage and family life, and faced with no storage space, we actually had to decide what could stay and what must go.

Once we started getting rid of things, it became surprisingly easy to keep letting go…

The Magic of Letting Go I’ve talked a lot in YAM about how clearing space in our lives creates room for new ideas and opportunities. I think of it as space-clearing magic — and it really works. Yet despite many space-clearing stints over the years, I’ve still managed to acquire a lot of “stuff.” And most of it could simply not be allowed to find a home in our new condo.

As my husband and I have struggled with what to keep and what to release, we’ve realized how everything we own, from old EuroRail passes to broken pottery, has emotional weight.

So the question became: what weighs us down?

What have we been hauling around out of guilt? And what actually give us joy and is worth keeping?

In the end, we kept surprisingly little. Instead, we sold or gave away about half of our belongings (while crossing our fingers that our many departed ancestors would forgive us for giving up our inheritances — we just aren’t Royal Doulton people).

It Gets Easier Once we started getting rid of things, it became surprisingly easy to keep letting go, so much so that what began as a process of offloading physical baggage grew to include emotional baggage: habits that didn’t serve us, behaviours weighing us down, people who loaded us up with their problems, and dreams we’d lost interest in.

I actually went so far as to write the name of each emotional burden on a piece of paper, stuffing it in a small box and throwing it out along with broken picture frames, odd socks and old greeting cards.

“By handling each sentimental item and deciding what to discard, you process your past,” writes Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. “If you just stow these things away in a drawer or cardboard box, before you realize it, your past will become a weight that holds you back and keeps you from living in the here and now.”

So yes, getting rid of our possessions has forced us to process our past. It’s also freed us to become the new people we will most certainly become when we finally inhabit our new home.

Max Furniture is locally owned and operated in Victoria since 2008

1-2745 Bridge Street, Victoria maxfurniture.ca 8

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

Email me at kslavens@pageonepublishing.ca

Four Generations of Family Together – Sylvia, Janet, Lana and little Colton Inspired furnishings and personalized options with complimentary design services from our talented interior designers.

2655 Douglas St | Victoria BC | 250.386.7632 | luxevictoria.ca

VICTORIA’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kerry Slavens DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Janice Hildybrant

DEPUTY EDITOR Athena McKenzie

STAFF WRITER Susan Hollis

ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jo-Ann Loro

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Neville Tencer ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Deana Brown, Sharon Davies, Cynthia Hanischuk DIGITAL COORDINATOR Karin Olafson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cinda Chavich, David Lennam, Lana Lounsbury, Danielle Pope CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR Janine Metcalfe

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Tracey Ayton, Dean Azim, Jeffrey Bosdet, Joshua Lawrence, Jo-Ann Loro, Belle White

Come get your

PROOFREADER Renée Layberry CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Alamy, p.62; iStock, p. 59; Stocksy, p. 22, 57; Thinkstock, p.11, 16; Unsplash, p.61

GENERAL INQUIRIES info@yammagazine.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@yammagazine.com TO SUBSCRIBE TO YAM subscriptions@yammagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES sales@yammagazine.com ONLINE yammagazine.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/YAMmagazine TWITTER twitter.com/YAMmagazine INSTAGRAM @yam_magazine

ON THE COVER OLO’s smoked sockeye salmon plate with beets, pickled onion, cattail shoots and spruce cultured cream, finished with a bit of juniper oil and watercress.

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

Published by PAGE ONE PUBLISHING 580 Ardersier Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 1C7 T 250-595-7243 info@pageonepublishing.ca pageonepublishing.ca

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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.

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YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

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.

YAM CONFIDENTIAL

TASTE the REGION

Rebecca Barritt

GIVEAWAY

realtor® Win a CHEERS COWICHAN VALLEY WINE TOUR for four!

Discover the flavours of Vancouver Island on this immersive tour of three local wineries. At each stop, you’ll sample varietals representative of the vineyard’s production, enjoying white, red and sparkling wines. Visit yammagazine.com for contest details and to enter. Contest ends August 15, 2018. Good luck!

YAM’S TOP TASTES OF

SUMMER

We asked a few of YAM’s staff foodies which local flavours taste like summer.

“

Jo-Ann Loro:

The vegan ice cream from Say Hello Sweets, carried by Very Good Butchers.

I love their Lemon Squeezy flavour.

Janice Hildybrant:

“I crave the tart-sweet combo of Kid Sister’s chocolate-dipped raspberry paletas in summer.

Raspberries are great, but chocolate just makes everything better.”

“

Jennifer Kuhtz:

I love ripe watermelon in summer — and watching my kids eat it is almost as good as eating it myself.

Athena McKenzie:

“Hoyne Brewery’s Summer Haze Honey Hefe is light, with just a bit of sweetness — and it’s only available in the summer, so you really look forward to it.”

“

Jeffrey Bodset:

My go-to is a gin and tonic, with Ampersand gin and an extra squeeze of lime.

Cynthia Hanischuck:

“Jicama, served ice cold and cut into sticks, is a refreshing low-carb summer treat. Try it with Mexican chili mix or sprinkled with cinnamon.”

See you there Here are a couple of the food events on our must-do list for the summer. These are ultra-popular, so get your tickets early!

Feast of Fields August 26, 1–4pm Kildara Farms in North Saanich feastoffields.com

Stroll a scenic organic farm and spend a magical Sunday afternoon sampling local fare at this wandering gourmet harvest festival. Meet local chefs and food producers at this tasty fundraiser to help FarmFolk CityFolk cultivate a local, sustainable food system.

FIND YOUR WAY HOME

250.514.9024 rbarritt@sothebysrealty.ca rebeccabarritt.com

SOLD

303 - 391 Tyee Rd., Esquimalt

Victoria International Wine Festival September 20–22 Parkside Hotel & Spa vicwf.com

Held in the last days of summer, this dedicated wine festival is ideal for those who want to expand their wine knowledge and sample some of the best international wines.

Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated.

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

11

LIVE INSPIRED

Your best life begins with a home that inspires you.

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BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,659 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,675 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,253 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 2 BATHS: 2 1,542 SQ.FT.

Christine Ryan

Brett Cooper

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$2,695,000

7912 Bedwell Dr., Pender Island

2269 Compass Pt., Langford

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 3 2,907 SQ.FT. 149 ACRES

9 ACRES WITH PRIVATE DOCK

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S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S » RECENTLY SOLD

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$850,000

5074 Cordova Bay Rd., Victoria

1055 Thistlewood Dr., Saanich

3456 Fulton Rd., Colwood

2002 Hannington Rd., Victoria

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 3 2,397 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 5 3,340 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 4 BATHS: 4 3,906 SQ.FT.

BEDS: 5 BATHS: 5 4,063 SQ.FT.

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Andrew Maxwell

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VICTORIA 250.380.3933

SALT SPRING 250.537.1778

VANCOUVER 604.632.3300

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WEST VANCOUVER 604.922.6995

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SUN PEAKS 250.578.7773

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« CONDOS & TOWNHOMES UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES »

« UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES

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BEDS: 3 BATHS: 2.5 1,800 SQ. FT.

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47.20 ACRES GOLF COURSE

1,626 SQ.FT. IN ICONIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

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price upon request

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BEDS: 3 BATHS: 2 2,153 SQ.FT.

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SOTHEBYSREALTY.CA

harbour city kitchens f ine cabinetry & storage systems

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•

250-652-5200

www.harbourcitykitchens.com find us on

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HERE &NOW

SUMMER LOVE A little bit savoury, a little bit sweet — this chilled and delicious tequila-based cocktail is summer in a glass.

TURMERIC TEQUILA SMASH • 1 four-inch piece unpeeled turmeric root, chopped • 3 slices cucumber • Small handful cilantro, or to taste • 1.5 oz tequila blanco • 1.5 oz turmeric cordial (recipe below) • Club soda Muddle turmeric root, cucumber and cilantro.

Add tequila and cordial, then shake and pour into a highball glass. Top with club soda.

Turmeric cordial (makes a large batch) • 1 cup white sugar • 1/4 cup hot water • 50 grams chopped, peeled turmeric • 1 1/4 cup fresh lime juice Steep hot water, sugar and turmeric for 24 hours.

Strain, then add lime juice.

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

Shu Fa Longdrink glasses by Nachtmann, available at Penna & Co. ($40/set)

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

15

Flamingo catchall Hooked on Walls Jungle Jive wallpaper in Greenery

(cb2.com, $45)

(Design District Access, $320/11-yard roll)

CB2 banana leaf curtain panel

Monstera leaf melamine platter

(cb2.com, $100 to $140)

(Chapters, $28)

Collector item: Dolce & Gabbana’s signature Sicily tote (farfetch.com, $3,354)

Special edition Tropical Origami Lamp by Orikomi

(pamono.ca, $299)

Tropical Summer Consider tropical the new floral. From throw pillows adorned in palm fronds to leafy bags and shoes, décor and fashion accessories have a breezy botanical vibe this summer.

Designer’s Guild Christian Lacroix Goya Vert Buis cushion

(line carried at Muffet & Louisa)

Eron Hamill sterling silver button leaf earrings (Side

Street Studio, $70)

Marc Fisher Hogan3 tie knot heeled mule sandal

(Hudson’s Bay, $175) Palm leaf yoga mat

(alwaysxalways.com, $125)

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YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

DESIGN INSIDER

By Lana Lounsbury

Kitchen Light You’ll Love

Registered interior designer, Lana Lounsbury Interiors

The perfect kitchen has a great atmosphere — and the biggest atmosphere creator is lighting.

Here are my tips to help you illuminate your kitchen with an ambience you’ll love.

Design flash: people are moving away from multiple small pendants in their kitchens, opting instead for one or two larger fixtures.

Not only does this approach bring more freedom in terms of style, it also allows you to really make a big statement with your lighting.

When choosing lighting, I prefer to use the less dominant style as the cue. So if your kitchen is transitional white, but you prefer a beachy vibe, do a wooden or shell chandelier over the island. If your kitchen is sleek and modern, add an industrial metal fixture.

Visual Comfort’s Cannes pendant in polished nickel with white glass

LAYERING LIGHT

There are two types of kitchens where I prefer recessed lighting to fixtures hanging above an island.

The first is a contemporary kitchen where hanging fixtures tend to look cluttered and take away from the clean lines of the finishing. The second is a small kitchen where the island or the peninsula is not symmetrical. In both cases, hanging fixtures tend to look like the owner thought they should have pendants, but the result isn’t pleasing. For a cleaner, more open feel, recessed lighting is a great option.

Layering light is a powerful way to create ambience in your kitchen. For effective layering, you will need recessed lighting for tasks, pendants or a ceiling fixture for general light, and cabinet lighting for both task and mood lighting. Cabinet lighting includes under-cabinet, lighting inside glass cabinets and mood lighting in kicks, crowns or under floating cabinets. For most cabinet lighting, I use an LED tape light with a soft white diffuser to create an even glow. Control all this lighting from your phone or wall pad with dimmers and a Lutron lighting system.

JOSHUA LAWRNCE

PENDANT POWER

RECESS TIME

The fine print

Botanical boost

Wild Hill Botanical’s Facial Protocol Kit comes with Nootka Rose Cleansing Clay, Blackberry Serum and a choice of toner created from Island-grown plants.

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

The botanicals of Vancouver Island are the inspiration for the unique skincare products of Wild Hill Botanicals. Based in East Sooke and owned by husband-and-wife founders Teague Griffin and Sarah Richer, Wild Hill grows its own organic herbs to create smallbatch, handcrafted products.

“We grow herbs like comfrey, calendula and rosemary, and plants like bay laurel, roses and rose geranium,” Griffin says.

“We distil, tincture and infuse botanicals in our lab here on the farm, producing leaf and flower distillates, grappa-based tinctures and oil infusions ... used in plant-based natural skincare.”

W

hile many of us received calligraphy sets as children, few have managed to turn this handcraft into a career like calligrapher, illustrator and designer Laura Lavender.

“In my twenties, I noticed there were lots of people offering their services for wedding work, and I knew I could do it too,” she says about launching her eponymous business in 2009.

Specializing in elegant calligraphy created with a pointed pen, she has since designed for greeting card companies, and lettered for big brands, book publishers and fashion designers.

Along with her calligraphy services, Lavender offers in-person workshops and online classes, including pointed-pen calligraphy, chalk lettering and wedding calligraphy.

“I really enjoy the fact that through my work and classes I’m keeping an old tradition alive,” she says. “Sometimes it feels like it’s soon to be extinct, but that said, there is a renaissance in all handcrafts, including the art of calligraphy.” lauralavender.com

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

17

The Garman Group uses proven strategies to sell your current home and find your next home.

We provide smart advice, creative solutions and outstanding service before, during, and after each step of your real estate experience.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT

T Scott Garman

Advisor, BCom, MBA

Mike Garman Advisor

he story of The Farmer’s Daughter, Sidney’s new cheese shop, wine bar and bistro, is also a love story. Owners Jessica Sommers and Tom Dai met while working at the Artisan Wine Shop in downtown Victoria. “[We] discovered that the person we had been working with for over a year was also the person we were in love with,” says Sommers.

Inspired by the Ontario dairy farm owned by Sommers’ family, and Dai’s worldwide travels learning about “everything wine,” the pair decided to create a

TRENDING

Michelle Harrison Advisor

Oak Bay, Victoria, and Saanich Real Estate Experts

Call 250-896-7099 or visit GarmanGroup.ca

18

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

place that celebrates both.

The wine bar’s “thoughtfully “It’s been a dream of mine to selected and perfectly paired” do something that connected cheese-and-wine flights also me more with my roots, which come with detailed tasting is dairy and notes. The farming, but I space serves “It’s really about didn’t want to a cheesemaking two things focused smallbe a farmer,” that are good on Sommers says. plates menu their own become “It also allows and a full great when paired Tom to follow wine list. together.” his passion for “It’s a wine.” cozy, casual Along and intimate with selling cheese, the environment to try cheese fromagerie offers a cheeseand wine,” Sommers says. of-the month club, with home “It’s really about making two delivery of three unique things that are good on their premium selections with own become great when detailed description cards. paired together.”

Goat Yoga

Alan Mayfield admits he wasn’t ready for the demand when he first started goat yoga classes at Victoria Lavender Farm last year.

“We were caught totally unawares last spring and were not prepared at all for the avalanche of interest,” he says. “This year we have many more baby goats, with a scheduled birthing program, and 76 classes between April 28 and September 2, versus the 25 classes last summer.”

Mayfield credits the activity’s popularity to the “ridiculously cute” baby goats, who truly love the interaction with humans.

“And most important, it is great fun,” he says. “The sound of laughter is always contagious.”

JEFFREY BOSDET/YAM MAGAZINE

Overwhelmed about the selling process and how to ready your home for listing?

A new concept boutique in Fernwood Square, called Maude Kids Decor, takes a kidfocused approach to the modern esthetic. Owner Andrea Arient has filled her shop with brands she loves and uses in her home with her own two children.

“Maude was inspired by my grandma, whose mid-century modernist design esthetic was constant in my early years,” Arient says. “I was a graphic designer and creative director for a decade and a half and [my boutique] is a real blend of my love of design, obsession over mid-century chairs and desire for my own kids’ “Somehow that kid clutter looks better with rooms to look as cool (and be as functional) as their parents’ [rooms].” a Scandinavian touch.”

From the classic, natural lines of convertible Katon cribs to the minimalist form of Oeuf NYC’s Mini Library storage shelf, most items have a clean, Scandinavian-inspired esthetic.

“Somehow that kid clutter looks better with a Scandinavian touch,” Arient says.

“Besides being gorgeous, the products we carry are solid, well-made and neutral in that they can work in many types of rooms, no matter what the design theme is.”

Modern Essentials

BELLE WHITE/YAM MAGAZINE

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

T

he first thing you might notice about Good Bones, the new women’s boutique in downtown Victoria, is its name.

“There is a story behind that,” explains co-owner Kim Bremner, “It started with my frustration in finding a store that carried the great closet classics — the ‘good bones’ of a wardrobe.”

The second thing that will grab your attention

is the store’s offerings of those wardrobe classics.

Frank Lyman, a Canadian line of sophisticated women’s fashions, is an anchor brand, along with Joseph Ribkoff, Stenstroms, Alberto and Papillon.

“We appeal to professional women looking for a store to call home,” Bremner says. “The reaction to the store and all our products so far has been very positive!”

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YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

19

Sweeten up summer with Sugarfina, curated confections from around the world. These grown-up gummies are anything but ordinary, like their signature Dom Pérignoninfused Champagne Bears® imported from Germany.

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FOOD&DRINK

By Cinda Chavich

THE LONG TABLE IS SET

STUDIO FIRMA / STOCKSY

Communal dining is back in vogue — wherever there is fresh, seasonal food to enjoy, the long table brings people together to share it.

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TAKE IT OUTSIDE

When chef Dan Hayes of The London Chef prepared a long-table dinner last year for dozens of diners at The Root Cellar in Victoria, he spoke of the long-held European traditions of communal dining and restoring our relationship with dinner.

“We’re so lucky to live here where the vegetables are so outstanding,” Hayes said, surveying the produce from hundreds of local growers while passing platters of roasted zucchini, beets, potatoes and acorn squash drizzled with a citrus salsa verde. His hearty menu drew from a variety of local ingredients,

SIMON DESROCHERS

rom annual Diner en Blanc pop-ups, where hundreds gather to sup under the stars, to the outdoor meals hosted in vineyards and orchards or on farms across the country, al fresco dining with strangers is a phenomenon that seems to be growing with every harvest.

Dining at a communal table is ultimately egalitarian. A writer might sit next to a judge, a bartender alongside a farmer or pharmacist.

As the family-style platters are passed, the conversation flows — it’s a way to create community in an ever-fragmented world.

“The sharing makes it different from the usual wine dinner,” says Oak Bay Beach Hotel general manager Michelle Le Sage, who often joins the group gatherings at the hotel’s series of summer long-table winemaker’s dinners. Dining on the hotel’s grassy terrace overlooking the spa and the sea, guests may have the best seat in town.

“It starts with people who don’t even know each other and they’re friends by the end of the night. It’s magical.”

There’s something delicious about dining outdoors. Whether it’s an impromptu picnic or a backyard barbecue, al fresco dinners are inherently casual and convivial.

When you have a spectacular patio or other outdoor space, it’s just a given that you’ll find a way to serve dinner in the sunshine or under the stars.

At Oak Bay Beach Hotel, the impetus for the dinners was definitely the space, says food and beverage manager Christian Sealey who, with executive chef Kreg Graham, organizes four longtable dinners over the summer months, centred around B.C. wines.

The wine dinners, for about 25 to 30 guests, feature a family-style menu, with Graham creating seasonal dishes with local B.C. ingredients, from platters of grilled salmon to short ribs with creamy polenta and colourfully composed salads, all designed for sharing.

“The idea is also to encourage socializing, which is why the dinner is served family style,” adds Sealey.

Though there are logistical challenges when cooking and dining outdoors, the long table brings an instant air of celebration and magic to the meal.

Whether it’s the memories of big holiday dinners, with tables cobbled together to accommodate everyone in the family, or the kind of harvest celebrations in the local church hall for the whole community, a long table is inviting.

Setting it up outdoors, or in an unusual venue, just adds to the fun.

Which may be why the long-table format has become popular for fundraising parties and summer weddings.

At last year’s long-table dinner at The Root Cellar, a narrow table and family-style dining contributed to the intimate ambience of the event.

from kale crostini and free-range chicken thighs served with mushroom risotto, to his Eton Mess dessert of crisp meringue and seasonal berries.

The long table was set inside a big tent that usually serves as the garden centre at The Root Cellar, transforming a utilitarian space into a beautiful outdoor venue.

So dinner became a happening, making the event as much about bringing people together around the table, and sharing, as about the food.

FARM, CITY OR BOTH One local culinary couple, Alana and James Day, believes so strongly in the long-table concept that they created their business, The Long Table Series, around it. They even provide the long table, hauling their custom-made, red cedar table (25 feet long and made from a single secondgrowth tree) to serve dinners at locations as diverse as Victoria Distillers and Fairburn Farm.

Their long-table dinners feature creative seasonal plates ranging from compressed celeriac tartar, charred onion and celery foam, to local duck and sunchoke soup, and sweet potato brownies topped with parsnip ice cream.

Last year, they even set up their long table amidst the lush rows of vegetables sprouting on a strip of land next to the Galloping Goose Trail.

The venue is home to TOPSOIL, an innovative

urban farm that supplies fresh herbs, vegetables and salad greens to local restaurants.

It is the perfect spot to gather a group for a farm-to-table feast.

“We want to connect our guests with the food they’re eating and where it comes from,” says James about the couple’s choice of TOPSOIL’s locale to launch their al fresco catering company last year. “We can be picking the products and cooking right in front of our guests.”

The Long Table Series builds on the Days’ years of experience in the restaurant and hotel industry. James, a British-born-and-trained chef, honed his craft with British chef Raymond Blanc at English country hotels and Canadian ski resorts, including a stint with Vancouver chef David Hawksworth. Since arriving in Victoria, James has combined a love of local food and holistic nutrition with cooking classes and wellness workshops, and customized long-table dinners.

“This summer we’ve ‘adopted’ an acre of farmland in the Cowichan Valley to grow our own food crops,” he says, “and will hopefully have some dinners out there in the field.”

Planned future events include dinners with local distillers and wineries, and a return to the TOPSOIL urban garden.

“We design the menu around what is in season and available, then cook on site,” says James, who can now take his high-end cuisine anywhere.

CREATING YOUR OWN MENU A menu for a long-table dinner may revolve around any season or celebration, but it’s always great to feature a show-stopping main dish.

Whether that’s a whole grilled salmon, a pork butt or beef brisket from the smoker, a seafood paella, or a turkey with all the trimmings; it’s up to you. But at the height of summer the bounty of fresh vegetables, seafood, free-range meats, tender tree fruits and ripe berries, offers lots of inspiration.

Consider how your dishes will look on large platters, and how easy it will be for your guests to serve themselves. If you’re cooking a whole salmon, for example, fillet and portion before serving. Make big composed salads that look impressive but are easy to share. Pass baskets of local artisan breads and fruity olive oil for dipping.

Consider portioned and portable desserts — whether it’s individual mini cheesecakes, tiny tiramisus, muffin-sized carrot cakes, or brownies.

Whether you go for a collection of rustic picnic tables with wooden platters, a long roll of newsprint to dump out piles of steaming crab, or white-on-white china and linens, long tables are meant to be social.

Do keep table centres to a minimum — you want your guests to be able to chat across the table — and leave plenty of space for bowls and YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

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platters. Classic tablescapes range from glass bowls of floating flowers and entwined evergreen boughs, to driftwood with smooth stones, beach glass and lots of votive candles.

The locale may be a backyard, a beach, an orchard, a vineyard or even a curved table in a suburban cul-de-sac. You may set up your long table under a tent, beneath twinkling lights or out in the middle of a field.

You can have a Peperonata with long-table dinner Buffalo Mozzarella for a wedding, and Baguette the entire (this page) neighborhood or a regular supper Kale Crostini (recipe club of eight at yammagazine.com) of your closest friends. Whether Grilled Maple-Brined it’s a casual Salmon with Zucchini potluck, a formal Pasta and Roasted affair or an Tomatoes annual feast it’s (page 23) the experience that counts — Cherry Clafoutis coming together, (page 24) dining together and enjoying Individual Summer Berry together.

Cheesecakes (recipe at The long table yammagazine.com) is set!

MENU

PEPERONATA WITH BUFFALO MOZZARELLA & BAGUETTE James Walt, executive chef at Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar/Il Caminetto in Whistler, is famed for the huge long-table dinner he serves out in the field at North Arm Farm each August. He shares this recipe for peperonata from his new book Araxi Roots to Shoots.

It’s a colourful starter of shallots and bell peppers that he says “keeps well for three to four days and actually tastes better the day after it is prepared.”

“Nothing says summer to me like this dish,” he says.

Serve it with some good crusty bread and a quality buffalo mozzarella, like the version from Natural Pastures in Courtenay, made with milk from Vancouver Island water buffalo.

• 1/3 cup + 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 6 shallots, thinly sliced • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced • 3 large bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange), seeds removed, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup sherry vinegar • 1/4 cup raisins, soaked in warm water until plump, then strained • 2 tbsp granulated sugar • Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted • 10 mint leaves, very thinly sliced • 5 balls buffalo mozzarella, each 4 to 5 oz, cut into quarters • 2 tbsp balsamic crema or balsamic vinegar • 2 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish Heat the 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes, then add the vinegar, raisins and sugar. Cook until the vinegar has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

Once the peperonata has cooled, fold in the pine nuts and mint. Mix thoroughly and check the seasoning. Arrange the peperonata on a serving platter.

Place the buffalo mozzarella on the peppers, drizzle with the 3 tablespoons olive oil and the balsamic crema (or balsamic vinegar), and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with some fresh mint leaves and serve.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of an appetizer platter.

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MAPLE-BRINED SALMON GRILLED ON A CEDAR PLANK WITH CILANTRO SUNFLOWER PISTOU, ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI AND ROASTED TOMATO Kreg Graham, executive chef at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, serves this classic planked salmon to guests at his long-table dinners. Drizzled with cilantro pesto sauce and plated with zucchini spaghetti and roasted tomatoes on the side, it’s a colourful dish for an outdoor summer celebration.

SALMON: • 1/2 cup maple syrup • 2 tbsp kosher salt • 3 bay leaves • 1 medium shallot, sliced • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 1 cup water • 1 cup ice cubes • 2 lbs salmon filet, cut into 5-oz portions • Cedar plank (soaked in water for 4 hours or overnight) CILANTRO PESTO: • 2 cups fresh cilantro • 1 clove garlic • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice • 3/4 cup olive oil • 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI & ROASTED TOMATOES: • 2 medium zucchini, 8 to 10 inches long (green and yellow) • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided • 12 small tomatoes on the vine (or 24 cherry/ grape tomatoes) Combine maple syrup, salt, bay leaves, shallot, garlic and water in a medium pot and bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat and add the ice cubes. When the brine has cooled below 40°F, place the salmon in the brine and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.

For the pesto, combine the cilantro, garlic, sunflower seeds, orange juice and 3/4 cup of the olive oil in a blender and purée until smooth.

Season with some of the salt and pepper. Set aside.

To cook the salmon, preheat your barbecue to approximately 350°F (medium high). Set the planks on the preheated grill and heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until beginning to smoke.

Remove the salmon from the brine and place on the cedar planks, skin side down. Cook the planked salmon approximately 7 to 12 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness (chef Graham suggests cooking the salmon to medium).

Meanwhile, use a spiral cutter to cut the zucchini into noodles.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the zucchini until tender but not soft. Keep warm.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Grill on the barbecue (or roast under a hot broiler) until the skin begins to blister and char.

To serve, arrange the salmon on a large platter (or individual plates) surrounded by nests of zucchini noodles and tomatoes.

Serves 6.

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JO-ANN LORO/YAM MAGAZINE

OKANAGAN CHERRY CLAFOUTIS Teddy Gopaloo, pastry chef at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, shares his recipe for this rustic French dessert, a simple ending for a casual summer menu. You can substitute other fresh fruit, from berries to chopped peaches or apricots, in this traditional recipe. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk • 1 cup sugar • 4 eggs • Seeds from half a vanilla bean • Kosher salt • 1/2 cup flour, all purpose • 1/4 cup almond flour (finely ground almonds) • 4 cups Okanagan cherries, pitted • 2 tbsp icing sugar • 6 scoops vanilla ice cream Combine milk, 3/4 cup sugar, beaten eggs, seeds from the vanilla bean and kosher salt in a mixing bowl and beat gently until well combined.

Sift the flour with the almond flour and gently fold into the egg mixture until a smooth batter is created.

Heat your oven to 350°F, prepare an 8- to 10inch round cake pan by buttering the inside and dusting with flour.

Pour 3/4 of the batter into the pan, and bake for about 8 minutes until the batter is set at the top.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the cherries to the top of the batter.

Sprinkle the cherries with the reserved sugar and drizzle the remaining batter on top. Return to the oven, reduce heat to 325°F and continue baking for another 45 to 60 minutes or until cooked through. Test by poking a wooden skewer into the batter. If the clafoutis is done, the skewer will come out clean of any batter.

Let cool slightly, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 to 8.

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tastes + trends

By Cinda Chavich

Korea Rising Creative Korean eateries are conquering Victoria’s once-traditional palate — and we can’t get enough.

C

hef David Chung describes the beautiful, shareable plates he creates at his new Persimmon Tree restaurant as “modern Korean cuisine.”

Featuring a sophisticated and exotic menu, the sleek, modern restaurant is a welcome respite from the bustle of nearby big-box stores and fast-food chains.

Don’t worry if you’re not yet familiar with the nuances of spicy kimchi or savoury gochujang sauce. The Persimmon Tree is just one of a growing collection of Korean eateries around town.

It’s all part of a moment that Korean cuisine is having around the world. A recent Technomics restaurant survey found Korean fried chicken grew by nearly 30 per cent on menus last year, and

some are calling gochujang the “new ketchup.”

Chung favours a contemporary take on the food he grew up eating in Korea, a fusion of traditional flavours with the techniques he learned at B.C. culinary schools and in top Canadian hotels.

From rare seared tuna salad with pickled radish and seaweed, to spicy kimchi-fried rice sizzling in a stone bowl, his Persimmon Tree plates are made with fresh local ingredients and artfully presented.

And when it comes to that addictive crispy Korean fried chicken, locals are raising a glass at Chimac Korean Pub and Fried Chicken on the downtown waterfront and lining up daily at Chicken 649 for fried chicken to go.

In a minimal space stacked with takeout boxes, Tony Yeom and crew at Chicken 649 are masters of this Korean fast food.

Their fried chicken is so popular diners must call ahead when the restaurant opens at 3 p.m. to get into the queue for their order. Brined overnight, then fried to crispy perfection, the chicken arrives plain or bathed in traditional sauces, like Yangnyeom made with Korean gochujang, a sweet pepper paste of chilies and fermented soybeans.

You can also get your Korean food fix at King Sejong, popular with Korean students, or at Dak where you’ll find Korean-spiced

Veg bibimbap from the Persimmon Tree

rotisserie chicken or bulgogi beef sandwiches. At Bao, try fresh bowls of bibimbap (rice topped with a choice of Korean fried chicken, fried tofu or pork belly, with the requisite fried egg and kimchi).

The sweet and spicy flavour of gochujang or the probioticrich kimchi can be addictive. But thankfully Victorians now have more local spots to explore both authentic and creative Korean cuisine. I’ll raise a glass of soju to that!

1318 Blanshard Street 250-384-4175 maycockeyecare.com

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Chef Profile

SPONSORED

THE SUMMIT RESTAURANT

T

he Summit Restaurant, a stunning ocean view dining destination at the Villa Eyrie Resort and Spa, is proud to feature the culinary creations of Executive Chef Mario Gross.

Mario has delivered Michelin Star dining experiences for over 17 years in some of Germany’s most awarded and renowned restaurants and hotels. His past experiences include the Michelin Star and Gault Millau “Alpenhof” in Bavaria, the Michelin Star “Wine and Tafelhaus” and the renowned 3-Michelin-Star Waldhotel Sonnora, both located in the beautiful Mosel Area in Germany.

After establishing himself as a star on the rise, Mario brought his passion and skill to Vancouver Island to be with his new wife, Anna. It’s Mario’s goal to make his mark at

Italian-inspired, farm-to-table fare

the Summit Restaurant and give Western Canada a new culinary destination.

His honed skill set combined with his level of passion, expertise and experience are displayed on the current menu at the Summit Restaurant. Old world favourites like schnitzel and spätzle are crafted with modern techniques while retaining the essence of their home-style flavours. Other variations of European cuisine have also been brought into the new style of the Summit which will surely impress and satisfy everyone, from culinary foodies to those with a more discerning palate.

The Summit Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort is open daily from 7:00 a.m. for breakfast, with lunch served at 11:00 a.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Brunch is served on weekends from 7:00 a.m. Walk-ins are welcome.

It is Chef Mario’s goal to make his mark at the Summit Restaurant and give Western Canada a new culinary destination.

600 Ebadora Lane, Malahat // villaeyrie.com/summit-restaurant

Restaurant Profile

SPONSORED

NOODLEBOX Real food, made fresh — with fire

sustainable and ethical producers, with farm-toplate practices that deliver a premium product with trusted transparency that is evident in every box that is served.

Friends in Food

I

t’s been almost 20 years since a small food cart serving up made to order, delicious Southeast Asian-inspired noodles first appeared in Victoria’s Chinatown. The Noodlebox quickly became a local favourite with its signature boxes of spicy peanut and chicken teriyaki.

Fast forward to 2018, and Noodlebox is still a local favourite, and now has four locations in Victoria and serves up over 1,500 boxes a day with the original signature dishes still among the favourites.

Spicy Peanut Please

The most popular dish is the Spicy Peanut Box featuring rich and creamy Indonesian spicy peanut sauce, WOK

DEAN AZIM

Noodlebox owners Jeff Jefford, Jeremy Wilson and Jim Hayden

It was the Spicy Peanut box and the company vibe that hooked a group of local entrepreneurs and made them jump at the chance to own this iconic and beloved homegrown company.

These friends in food, Jim Hayden, Jeff Jefford, Ken Whitaker and Jeremy Wilson, bring a variety of talents to Noodlebox ensuring that serving amazing food in a friendly, social atmosphere will always be at the core of what Noodlebox offers.

They pride themselves on their ongoing commitment to the company’s flavourful and local beginnings.

fried with ribbon noodles, coconut milk, hand cut Asian greens, garlic, onions, peppers and sprouts. All cooked to perfection and garnished with fresh herbs, peanuts and a lime wedge.

So much goodness in one box.

Real Food Made Fresh with Fire

At Noodlebox, food quality and food integrity are synonymous with making really great tasting food. Fresh food, created in house daily with the best ingredients, including non-GMO vegetables, are sourced locally whenever possible. The signature sauces, including the Cambodian Jungle Curry, are all made in house daily, simmering for hours until the desired flavour profile is achieved. Noodlebox supports

Douglas, Uptown, Shelbourne, Langford // noodlebox.ca

Proud to be Local

Jim Hayden, managing partner, and the rest of the ownership team support non-profit organizations through local based contributions and fundraising events, including their annual $5 Noodlebox Charity Day in support of mental health and sponsorship of the annual “Ride Don’t Hide” bike race.

For Jim and the rest of the Noodlebox team, “the importance of giving back to the community where Noodlebox was founded has and always will be a very important part of what we do.”

Restaurant Profile

SPONSORED

THE COURTNEY ROOM Local steak & seafood, with a French twist

E

xecutive Chef Sam Harris’ menu is inspired by both land and sea, and celebrates Canada’s local and seasonal products with a classic French twist. The menu is ingredient-driven, yet understated and approachable. “I want my dishes to convey a real sense of place, and I am excited to continue my close work with the amazing local producers on Vancouver Island,” says Chef Sam Harris.

Look for house-made sausage and charcuterie, in-house dry-aged beef, fresh local produce and seafood. Watch for some old classics with a creative

new preparation. For an exceptional dining experience, indulge in the Chef’s 5 Course Tasting Menu, with optional wine pairing and caviar service.

The wine list boasts 60 wines, representing the best of varietals and regions; BC wines are showcased, and French wines are well represented.

With a wine preservation system, you can enjoy more than 20 different wines by the glass, including four sparkling wines. Craft and import beer, along with premium spirits, some from Vancouver Island, round out the bar. Enjoy a classic cocktail, or try one of our house specialties.

Just two blocks from the Inner Harbour, the restaurant design takes cues from the grand old dame hotels of Paris and classic French bistros. The ambience is casually elegant with high ceilings and elements of Art Nouveau. Dramatic artwork by local artist Blu Smith enhance the space, and the central black granite bar and wine room with floating shelves provide beautiful focal points.

Gather at the bar for fresh-shucked oysters, unwind with friends over sharing plates in the lower brasserie or savour an elegant dinner in the upstairs dining room with impeccably prepared local seafood, steak and fine wine.

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Happy Hour 619 Courtney Street, Victoria // thecourtneyroom.com // Open 6:30am to late, 7 days per week

Restaurant Profile

SPONSORED

ZAMBRI’S Serving Italian food for the soul since 1999

F

or over 18 years, Zambri’s has been fortunate enough to serve Victorians Italian soul food paired with all the best wines of Italy.

We’ve grown as Victoria has grown, but at our heart, we have remained true to our roots. Eighteen years of working with local farmers, being a contributing member of our local community, caring for the environment (we are carbon neutral), hosting Italian wine dinners and always making sure that our vision for our food stays true, have brought us to the place we are now.

Join us for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. Sit on our sunny patio for happy hour, come for one of our monthly wine dinners, or have your next event in one of our gorgeous private spaces.

Come experience Zambri’s for yourself!

820 Yates Street, Victoria // zambris.ca // 250-360-1171 // Serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch

HOME&LIFESTYLE

THE LUXURY OF LIGHT A bold reno transforms a dark Vancouver Island manor into a light-filled beach house.

By Danielle Pope // Photos by Tracey Ayton

M

ary Lou Booth and her husband built their dream home together 25 years ago on a mid-Island waterfront property, tucked into a cove of coniferous trees.

When her husband passed away in 2015, Booth knew she needed a change. She didn’t want to leave her home and the memories built there, but she’d need to reinvent the space if she were going to stay.

Fortunately, with the help of a keen designer and contracting crew, she was able to transform the 4,500-square-foot home into a revitalized beach villa — one that spoke directly to her style.

“When I wake up in the morning and I’m staring out at the ocean with my coffee in hand, now I think how fortunate I am,” says Booth. “This change was part of my healing, and the space feels entirely different. It’s a real beach house, and every window can change your outlook.”

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Homeowner Mary Lou Booth found a way to reclaim her space with this extreme home redesign. The formerly dark room, weighed down with navy carpets and a red brick fireplace wall, was transformed into a bright beach house. Carpets were replaced with white oak hardwood throughout the main floor, which required sanding and a specialty stain with titanium and iron oxide to create the worn look. “Traffic” finish from Bona US was layered on to keep the colour clean and crisp. The ceiling was sanded and hand brushed with a semi-transparent stain over the varnished boards to show off its parallel lines.

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PLAYING TO POTENTIAL When designer Jessica Touhey, owner of Jessica Touhey Interior + Design, first saw the home, she knew serious changes were needed. The house was dark, with navy carpets, a red brick statement wall, dark cedar ceilings and fir trim that captured the reddish tone of the brick. Booth loved to entertain but, despite the expansive rooms and waterfront views, the home was gloomy and uninviting.

“As soon as I saw the main room, I could see how much potential it had and how underused it was,” says Touhey. “I said to Mary Lou, ‘Oh, I’m going to impress you with how much we can transform this — you are going to love it.’”

She was right. Touhey had a mission to bring in more feminine energy and brighten the space by turning nearly everything white. It would be a bold shift, even by Touhey’s standards, but this home was an ideal candidate for the look.

With the help of contractor Steven Fitzpatrick, owner of Made To Last, they created the light and airy feel. The carpets and tile elements were replaced with white oak floors in a driftwood stain. The trim, railings, mantles and architectural beams were refinished. The ceiling was sanded and stained with whitewash, and the house was repainted with Benjamin Moore “White Dove” throughout, and accented with “Snowball.”

New interior doors were added, with polished chrome hardware. White shutters completed the look.

Yet, the biggest statement came from painting over the brick wall.

Left: The living room’s bold wagonwheel lights from Mercana tie in the beach theme and draw the eye upward to add dimension to the home. The jute rug from Restoration Hardware offers texture, which designer Jessica Touhey says is essential when working with a monotone palette.

White shutters were installed to complement the beachy look.

Right: Booth and Touhey aimed to bring as much femininity into the redesign as possible.

The home was entirely repainted with Benjamin Moore White Dove, creating a harmonious look for the trim and walls. The walls feature an eggshell finish, while the doors, hardware and wainscotting are in semigloss.

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Before

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YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

“The more peace we can build inside a home, the more it keeps our soul relaxed.”

“Mary Lou was looking for a new beginning, so we had to go all in. Even the furnishings were dark and their layout was awkward, so we changed them,” says Touhey, noting some things stayed — like the locally made harvest table. “We wanted to pay respect to the past, but make the space entirely her own.”

Touhey integrated the beach theme in more subtle ways, adding rope lamps and a tan Berber stair runner that mirrored the nautical look. She partnered a white couch with a pair of bleached teak chairs, and brought in elements of beach glass and ocean décor. With such a monochromatic look, Touhey went heavy on textures to ensure the space kept a soft and dynamic feel.

“My goal is to create rooms that feel good,” says Touhey. “The more peace we can build inside a home, the more it keeps our soul relaxed.”

THE RIGHT TIMING Fitzpatrick was pleased with the success of the renovation, and that the team could change so much without having to disturb the integrity of the home.

Left: The original dark red fireplace feature wall was repainted with the same Benjamin Moore White Dove found throughout the house — a move some contractors warned Booth was risky on brick. The result, however, turned out even better than expected. Wainscotting was installed throughout the stairwell and the hallways of the home to add dimension, and the trim, railings, mantles and architectural beams were refinished to match the look.

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BRIGGS & STRATTON & ASSOCIATES

LIVE VICTORIA Together this dynamic team, offers their clients an in-depth knowledge of Victoria’s real estate market and the characteristics of the array of neighbourhoods under consideration.

SOPHIA BRIGGS 250.418.5569 Personal Real Estate Corporation

NANCY STRATTON 250.857.5482 REALTOR®

strattonandbriggs.com Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: Not intended to solicit properties already under agreement.

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Before

Part of Booth’s challenge was to decide what to keep and what to let go. The locally made harvest dining table, which Booth and her husband had purchased together, was one item to stay. To freshen the look, however, Booth and Touhey decided to keep three of the original chairs and bring in three modern pieces. Flowing Ralph Lauren curtains and an elegant rope-iron pendant lamp, done in the same style as the wagon wheels in the living room, contribute to the beach-house feel.

Fitzpatrick says the redesign didn’t require drastic ‘plastic surgery.’ “In a lot of cases, it’s easier to start from scratch, but this home had great bones, so a change like this worked. Sometimes, you don’t know what you’re up against until you start pulling things apart.”

Booth says she plans to live here as long as she can. It’s become her dream house again and, this time, one with her own style.

“Your first reaction when you lose your partner is to say, ‘How am I going to do this?’” she says. “But you will survive, and slowly things get better. There is wisdom to the advice that you shouldn’t make any major life choices right away. When the time is right, you will find yourself again.”

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IN PERSON

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An appetite for happiness Hayley Rosenberg, owner of Nourish Kitchen and Café, talks simplicity, change, and cooking the way Grandma used to.

By Danielle Pope // Photo by Dean Azim

“I

knew this would be the place — the moment we opened the front door, it was like coming home. But there was definitely some energy here.”

Hayley Rosenberg talks about her 1888 heritage home-turned-restaurant as we climb the steps into the attic office of Nourish Kitchen and Café. It’s a room few visitors would guess is here, closeted behind a subtle door on the second floor. The stairs are steep and narrow, and creak up to a tiny loft with a picturesque window, two desks, mismatched chairs and stashes of paperwork. With white walls, distressed wood floors and a scattering of plants, it’s one part design catalogue, one part office den and one part grandma’s house.

This is where the planning happens — where themes are decided, important conversations are had and administrative work is executed. It’s also the place where Rosenberg and her staff agree you can feel the soul of the house.

“This was definitely a creepy space when we first came in,” says Rosenberg, the mastermind behind the restaurant. “We laughed about it being haunted, but it was. It felt sad and lonely and ignored. We really worked with the space to bring it back to what it could be.”

Guests often compliment Rosenberg on Nourish’s warm, inviting nature — it is, in fact, like coming to Grandma’s house, they tell her, even for those who never had a grandma like this. That’s the pinnacle of what Rosenberg has tried to create: a place where people feel connected and cared for.

That approach put Nourish on the prestigious list of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2016, and it’s become a must-see attraction on Victoria’s tourist footpath.

NOURISHED, BODY AND SOUL The philosophy behind Rosenberg’s kitchen is simple: use real food to make people feel nourished. That means sourcing seasonal, whole and unprocessed ingredients to create dishes for everyone: meat lovers, vegans and those living gluten or dairy free. And, make space for people to visit (hence the upstairs gathering rooms). For some, the restaurant is a rare find; for others, it’s something a little different.

Rosenberg credits everything she holds dear about nutrition to her own grandma, “Bubbie,” who believed food could heal the body and soul.

It was how she expressed her love, Rosenberg tells me.

“By age two, I was in the kitchen making bagels with Bubbie and, at Friday night dinners, I had a special task to set the table,” says Rosenberg, who grew up in the fishing town of Steveston. “I took my role very seriously.”

Later, when Rosenberg enrolled in a holistic nutrition course in Vancouver, she learned the science behind what her grandmother had already taught her — for example, how bone broth is such a nutrientdense elixir that it can be instantly absorbed by the body. Rosenberg tells me if someone was overtaxed or ill, the first thing Bubbie would do is put on a pot of soup.

“The recipe we use at Nourish is actually Bubbie’s recipe for bone broth,” she says. “It’s her contribution. And, in that way, it’s kind of like she’s here.”

as an annex to Nourish and a tribute to how it all began.

“With any success, you have to ask yourself, ‘Is this success for me? What are we working towards, and why?’ says Rosenberg. “You have to try, but when you realize you’ve stepped off the mark, you have to give yourself permission to adjust. I want to live consciously and be really intentional with this company.

Our goal is to make sure we’re creating something healthy and sustainable.”

The day I meet with Rosenberg, she’s just announced Nourish will no longer be serving dinners.

It’s a move most restaurants would consider detrimental, but Rosenberg is clear on her mission. She wants to create change in the industry, fostering an environment where people can connect meaningfully, and she wants to do this with the wellbeing of the staff, environment, economics and lifestyle in mind.

“With any success, you have to ask yourself — is this success for me?

What are we working towards, and why?”

A RETURN TO WHAT MATTERS Before Nourish was a concept, Rosenberg worked for years in Vancouver’s restaurant industry. She loved entertaining and seeing the connections people made when they dined together. But as her training and her grandma’s wisdom took root, she found the glutenous meals, excessive waste and high bills increasingly uncomfortable to witness.

As her work life fell further out of alignment with her principles, Rosenberg’s vision became clear: a restaurant that could make people feel happy and healthy.

Her fascination with traditional food philosophies brought Rosenberg and her husband to the Island to create her dream. It started in 2010 as a tiny café on Quayle Road in Saanich. As the restaurant grew in popularity, it soon outgrew its space. Rosenberg knew things had become unsustainable, and she even considered shutting down — until, in 2015, a friend showed her a heritage house that had just come on the market.

Nourish grew quickly in its new home, transforming from a mom-and-pop café to a business with very real numbers. The learning curve was huge, Rosenberg says. It would be another few years before she would know what to do with the Saanich location. Thanks to the resident cat, Charlotte, and the local wildlife, Charlotte & The Quail was born,

HEALTHY CHANGE If there’s one theme Rosenberg has lived by for years, it’s edit and revise. That, she says, is nature in a nutshell. More change could be coming — her dream is to own her own farm on Pender Island. For now, she’s focused on this one.

“I love making things beautiful, and I’m inspired by the seasons and cycles Mother Nature takes us through,” she says. “I try to mimic that in our atmosphere and our menus. Change is inspiring. It gives us a lot of opportunity for creativity.”

Rosenberg says Nourish will always be changing — from the menu, to the furniture, to the platform. But there are a few things guests can expect with every dining experience: there will always be something green on your plate, the food will connect you to the season, you’ll never see anything processed or deep fried and, most importantly, what you eat will help you feel good.

“My vision for Nourish was always that we’d create an environment that was happy and healthy and fun — for our guests, for our staff and for us,” says Rosenberg. “I want people to feel inspired. It’s that simple.”

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YAM’s

Best Restaurants 2018

By Cinda Chavich Photos by Jeffrey Bosdet

V

ictoria is a city of creative people and that energy is on delicious display in our eclectic food scene. Whether it’s a beautiful brunch, the best fish tacos, warm cookies to order or perfect falafels, there seems to be an almost endless array of independent restaurants, bakeries and other food purveyors to discover.

It was a delicious challenge for our judges to choose their favourites for YAM’s inaugural Best Restaurants issue, but we’ve compiled a list of their top spots to eat out in 2018.

It’s been a busy year in the local restaurant world. We’ve seen new eateries open and renovations of old favourites — a fancy new

kitchen and cocktail menu at popular Pagliacci’s, the launch of the swanky Q at the Empress dining room and bar, and the reimagined Veneto Kitchen, with more sizzle and steak.

Chef Kunal Ghose has been busy with a second Fishhook location, and eclectic Pacific Rim small plates at his new Dobosala Cantina, complete with a bike-thru window for take-out. The Courtney Room at the Magnolia Hotel, arguably the city’s most elegant new dining space, is a stylish French bistro with award-winning chef Sam Harris behind the stoves.

There’s more inventive ethnic fare to taste around town too: tasty Indian food at Royal Spice, fresh Middle Eastern fare at Superbaba and fast

Mexican at Taco Stand Al Pastor. Pizza purists can check out “the people’s pie” at Fernwood Pizza or drive to Stoked Wood-fired Pizzeria on the highway near French Beach.

Standing tall among the newbies are restaurants with staying power, which is perhaps the most fickle part of the business. But amidst changing tastes and demographics, spots like Zambri’s, Brasserie L’Ecole, Cafe Brio, AURA and Marina Restaurant continue to lure devoted diners. Others, like Sooke Harbour House, are the shoulders so many have stood upon to reach their dreams.

Local. Artisan. Craft. Victoria is ground zero for curated cuisine. Here’s a look at where to taste it all!

The Judges

Cinda Chavich

Bruce Williams

Kathryn McAree

YAM’s food writer Bruce is well known Happiest when is an award-winning for his years with CTV travelling or up to her journalist, cookbook Vancouver Island, elbows in gastronomic author and former often weaving local wizardry, Kathryn Calgary Herald food food and cooking into loves the Island, where editor. In her extensive segments he produced she’s spent many travels, she’s always and hosted. The years focusing on the thinking about where c0-owner of Spark local culinary scene she can source the best Strategic Group is an orchestrating her TASTE local ingredients for advocate of all things festival, food tours and a her next meal.

Vancouver Island. weekly radio show.

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Don Genova An award-winning food journalist, Don has produced and hosted weekly CBC radio food columns and written for the Globe and Mail and more. He’s the author of Food Artisans of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Steve Walker-Duncan This CCFCC-certified chef de cuisine and chair of Camosun’s Culinary Arts program also hosts a TV series, Flavours of the West Coast, and inspires children with his Growing Chefs program.

Joan Athey

Jason Lloyd

Joan is “an enthusiastic eater” who’s “followed her taste buds” to cocktail emporiums, dive bars, eateries and restaurants from NYC to Victoria.

This bon vivant loves to host dinners for friends.

After 26 years in hotels, restaurants and private clubs, chef Jason is a Vancouver Island University culinary instructor and runs the Farm to Table restaurant at Providence Farm, VIU’s satellite culinary program.

Best Overall OLO When chef Brad Holmes and his wife Sahara Tamarin arrived in Victoria, Holmes was fresh from a stint working with top Vancouver chef David Hawksworth and had a dream of an intimate, chef-driven restaurant here. That dream started with award-winning Ulla, then morphed into OLO, a stylish space that’s now firing on all cylinders.

With its slow food (and now slow fish) focus, great cocktail and wine program, and stellar service, OLO appeals to Victoria’s discerning but casual crowd, fulfilling Holmes’ ongoing desire to craft beautiful, seasonal dishes and pay homage to local farmers, fishers and foragers.

He’s dubbed it “time and place” cuisine, and his new chef, Carmen Ingham, is on point with dishes ranging from lamb tartare with sorrel and cured egg yolk, to sablefish cheek with daikon and pickled seaweed, all artfully plated with an array of colours and textures. There’s also a seasonal family meal for diners to share — a selection of main courses like a whole roasted chicken, smoky ham hock with tender pierogis, or a platter of local seafood swimming in savoury dashi broth.

Holmes says OLO translates to “hungry” in the coastal patois, and he’s channeling that Cascadian cultural influence with a team that offers a seamless dining experience.

Brad Holmes, chef and owner of OLO. Right: OLO’s smoked sockeye salmon is served with beets, pickled onion, cattail shoots and sprucecultured cream made with crème fraiche infused with spruce tips.

On the cover

Best Overall 2nd Runner Up Agrius Agrius won major national accolades upon opening in 2015, and was named one of the best new restaurants in the country right out of the gate. With its urbane vibe, Agrius continues to win loyal fans.

An offshoot of Cliff Leir’s uber-artisan Fol Epi bakery, Agrius truly walks the farm-totable talk. Come for daily brunch, noshes like oysters or corn dogs during afternoon happy hour, or elegant evening creations like spot prawn gazpacho or wild ling cod with mushrooms and pak choi. Vegetables are fermented in house; there’s a daily terrine to sample alongside house-made charcuterie and freshly baked breads. Whether it’s Stillmeadows pastured pork or grass-fed Island beef, the food is seasonal, organic and intentional.

The space is busy, noisy and full of energy, with an open kitchen where the culinary magic is on constant display, whether it’s butcher Paul van Trigt stocking the curing room or chef Max Durand plating on the line.

The cured albacore tuna from Agrius is accompanied by shaved turnips and radishes, a turnip green emulsion, pineapple sage, fennel and almonds.

3rd Runner Up Zambri’s

The local vegetable salad at Zambri’s features spring salmon, octopus, coriander flowers, balsamic vinegar glaze and vegetables that are only delicately touched by heat.

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When it comes to Italian cooking, chef Peter Zambri comfortably commands the space between innovative and authentic.

After nearly 20 years behind the stoves at Zambri’s, the chef, mentor and recent inductee into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame is still in his downtown kitchen every day, exploring this classic cuisine. Whether it’s rare olive oil or vegetable croccante with fior di latte cheese, spaghetti alla puttanesca with local tuna, or riffing on Sicilian-style sardines with local herring, cranberries and hazelnuts, Zambri’s menu continues to evolve. Diners can expect authentic Italian ingredients and combinations that showcase what’s seasonal and fresh.

Peter opened Zambri’s with his sister Jo in 1999, first as a sandwich shop, then as a cozy trattoria that grew into today’s stylish space in the Atrium. Zambri says the great chefs and sommeliers who’ve come through the restaurant have “helped us forge our name,” keeping the food a consistent reflection of his style.

With his quality Italian food — and his sister’s savvy front-of-the-house management — Zambri’s offers diners a comfortable, and comforting, experience, whether you arrive for a simple plate of pasta or a special celebration.

Part & Parcel’s beet falafel is served with handmade ricotta, grilled radicchio and grilled and pickled beets, all sprinkled with beet powder.

Tasting Room Vineyard Terrace Events • Weddings

At Deep Cove Winery, our family’s passion is the constant pursuit of the perfect blend between sustainable practices

Best Casual Part and Parcel Victoria is a casual dining town with many options, but our judges’ choice is Part and Parcel, a simple counter-service spot with exceptional, chef-driven food.

Whether it’s Grant Gard’s crispy fried kamut chicken sandwich, beet falafel, or his inventive seasonal salads and sides, this is a marriage of fresh, local ingredients and international inspiration. With his wife Anna out front, Gard creates delicious, healthy and affordable food in the heart of Quadra Village.

Runners Up Superbaba > Superbaba is tapped for its scratch Middle Eastern cooking — think falafel, meaty kebab or shawarma with labneh and fried cauliflower, wrapped in a house-made pita or piled on a bowl of fresh greens.

Fishhook > Fishhook fuses Ocean Wise seafood with Indo-Canadian flavours in shareable thalis and addictive chowder.

and embracing old-world winemaking techniques.

This philosophy allows for the creation of our handcrafted, world-class wines that reflect what beautiful British Columbia has to offer.

For inquiries or event bookings:

info@deepcovewinery.ca 250-656-2552

deepcovewinery.ca

Honorable Mention: Dobosala Cantina YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

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Best Hidden Gem

Uchida’s Eatery’s salmon donburi, with wild sockeye salmon and local organic greens served on house polished organic sushi rice.

Uchida Eatery Uchida Eatery/Shokudo really defines the idea of a hidden gem — a tiny Japanese lunchonly spot, secreted off a downtown street, and offering pristinely fresh fish, miso soup, donburi and beautiful home cooking. Look for the daily specials on their Facebook page, but make sure you arrive early — this Monday-to-Friday diner opens at 11 a.m. and the popular daily dishes disappear quickly!

Runners Up Artisan Bistro > What you’ll find at the Artisan Bistro in Broadmead Village is a noteworthy B.C.-centric wine list and an ambitious menu, from handmade gnocchi and tuna poke to sous vide tenderloin and prawns.

Persimmon Tree >At Persimmon Tree, in a suburban mall in Langford, chef David Chung prepares beautiful Korean fusion food, offering a truly exotic dining experience in an unlikely locale.

Honorable Mention: Le Petit Dakar

Best Upscale OLO OLO offers everything you’d expect in a fine dining experience: creative, farm-to-table plates from chefs Brad Holmes and Carmen Ingham, a great wine and cocktail program, and seamless, professional service. Though the small, stylish space on the edge of Chinatown is informal and designed to reflect the owners’ belief in food and community, the treatment of fresh, local ingredients is as fine as it gets — featuring 45 local suppliers, from farmers and fishers to foragers.

Runners Up Café Brio > The owners of Café Brio are service-oriented, helping diners feel at home as they enjoy chef Laurie Munn’s rustic cuisine, cured meats and pâtés.

An OLO dessert featuring rhubarb poached in elderberry syrup, strawberries macerated in the same syrup and sake lees, elderflower parfait, strawberry shiso sorbet, and rice crisps.

Saveur > Saveur is the place to put your trust in chef Robert Cassels and his multi-course tasting menus and wine pairings, whether you’re a committed carnivore or adventurous vegetarian.

Honorable Mentions: AURA, Sooke Harbour House

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Best Chef Driven Zambri’s Peter Zambri is one of the city’s best-loved chefs and together with his sister Jo, delivers beautiful Italian “soul food” at Zambri’s. It’s a bright, modern space with an excellent wine list, professional staff and a green, carbon-neutral ethos. Zambri’s has space for large groups, but singles can grab a seat at the bar too. It’s a comfortable and convivial place to dine, whether you’re craving a simple plate of pasta or an inspired, multi-course Italian dinner.

Runners Up Saveur > At Saveur, chef Robert Cassels cooks every night, melding his French style with local ingredients for truly innovative tasting menus that offer a culinary journey in protein- or vegetable-forward courses.

Wild Mountain Food & Drink > Chef Oliver Kienest looks to local farmers and fishers for his inspired seasonal cuisine at Wild Mountain Food + Drink, where ingredients are literally foraged in the forest or beach outside his kitchen in Sooke.

Honorable Mentions: OLO, The Courtney Room

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Best New Kid on the Block The Courtney Room Our favourite new restaurant is The Courtney Room in the Magnolia Hotel, a stylish bistro that embodies Parisian flavour. From the oyster bar in the casual main level, to chef Sam Harris’ smoked duck salad, leek vichyssoise and dry-aged steaks in the dining room upstairs, there’s a lot to explore in this modern, French-inspired menu. And with a $1.5 million renovation under its belt, it’s simply a stellar spot to dine out.

Runners Up Persimmon Tree > Chef David Chung describes the shareable plates he creates at Persimmon Tree as “modern Korean cuisine,” and it’s worth the drive to the suburbs to try his fresh take on Asian classics.

Dobosala Cantina > Chef Kunal Ghose continues to impress with his latest venture, Dobosala Cantina, offering South Asian and Latin-inspired small plates in a new contemporary space.

Honorable Mentions: The Kitchen by Accio, Fernwood Pizza

The Courtney Room’s seared scallops feature Foxglove Farm radishes, charred cauliflower, pickled pearl onions and wild lamb dressed with anchovy and pine nut emulsion.

Cook Street . Fort Street . Cobble Hill

Best Cocktail Bar

Great food Great drink all day long

Little Jumbo Marked with a purple neon elephant and hidden down a hallway off a downtown street, Little Jumbo is our go-to bar for its speakeasy vibe and imaginative craft cocktail menu that’s as much fun to read as it is to sip. The food is the other secret to uncover — chef Gabriel Fayerman-Hansen offers creative plates for late-night noshing, from tuna tartare and Humboldt squid in chickpea crust, to crispy pork belly with shaved fennel and apple.

Runners Up Q at the Empress > We also like the new Q lounge at the Fairmont Empress, a hip, modern addition to this historic downtown hotel.

Veneto > The re-imagined Veneto lounge is just as bright and buzzy in a new street-side space that’s perfect for peoplewatching.

Honorable Mention: Clark & Co.

A FRENCH-INSPIRED BISTRO SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS

350-777 Royal Oak Drive (Broadmead Village) | 250.590.9333 | www.artisanbistro.ca OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 8 AM – 9 PM

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Best Morning After Jam Café There’s no doubt this is a breakfast town, and top billing goes to Jam Café, the hip spot to line up for big buttermilk biscuits, Red Velvet Pancakes and inspired egg dishes (try the Charlie Bowl), in a vintage space in Old Town.

Though the line never seems to end, you’ll get a table soon enough — and probably make some new friends while you anticipate breaking the fast in style.

Runners Up The Ruby > The Ruby now has two locations for its rotisserie chicken-centric breakfast offerings — and lures discriminating diners with duck confit and smoky beef brisket bennies too.

Mo:Lé > Mo:Lé is a morning institution, offering all-day, build-your-own breakfast combos, bennies, banana pancakes and a legendary biscuit, bacon and egg sandwich beloved by hipsters and seniors alike.

Honorable Mentions: John’s Place, Don Mee

The Beatrice beef burger from DeadBeetz features a local grass-fed beef patty with Vancouver Island sauce, lettuce, cheddar, and truckmade pickled beets.

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Want to know what your home sold for?home?

When should you contact ourneighbour’s team before listing your Call us for your complementary neighbourhood market report.

Tasha Medve* REALTOR®

Saira Waters* REALTOR®

Jam Café’s pulled pork pancakes are a concoction of in-house seasoned pulled pork sandwiched between a double stack of buttermilk pancakes then topped with a bourbon barbecue glaze, jalapeno sour cream, pickled cabbage, diced tomatoes, green onions and garnished with fresh cilantro.

Best on Wheels Deadbeetz Who knew that the humble beet pickle could be such a game changer? But it’s chef Karrie Hill’s homemade pickles — and the grass-fed beef — that define her Beatrice burger and put Deadbeetz at the top of both our food truck and best burger lists. Look for the funky purple truck parked behind the Royal BC Museum (or at summer festivals).

Vegetarians will love her cashew chickpea burger with fresh salsa too!

Runners Up Finest at Sea Food Truck > Finest at Sea, the popular local fishmonger, now serves amazing fish and chips (plus fish burgers and tacos) from their food truck outside the shop.

Indecent Risotto > The orange Indecent Risotto truck makes big golden arancini (risotto balls) stuffed with pulled pork, roast chicken and gooey cheese, with chef-style sauces.

Honorable Mentions: Songhees Seafood & Steam, Taco Justice YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

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Best Farm to Table Agrius Farm-to-table is the mantra for Island chefs, and Agrius snagged our top spot for its attention to every local detail, from the house-fermented vegetables and breads made with house-milled flours to Island-farmed meats and organic produce. Owner Cliff Leir points to his chef Max Durand and his “inspiring kitchen team” for following Fol Epi’s lead, by sourcing ingredients from like-minded, ethical producers, and making this one of the city’s best-loved local tables.

Runners Up 10 Acres Kitchen > 10 Acres Kitchen literally bought the farm (in Saanich) to supply their own seasonal vegetables, duck and free-range pork to three busy outlets.

Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub > Victoria’s original city brewpub, Spinnakers lives the vida local, whether it’s eclectic brews (think Silk Road Iced Tea Pale ale or Holliewood Oyster Stout) and a gastro-pub menu that boasts a who’s who of Island purveyors.

Honorable Mentions: Wild Mountain Food + Drink, Sooke Harbour House

This perfect summer plate from Agrius features poached rhubarb, strawberries, toasted buckwheat, yogurt mousse, sheep sorrel and a buckwheat tuile.

PH: 250-381-6511 462 BURNSIDE RD. EAST, VICTORIA WWW.INCREDIBLECLOSETS.CA

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Top Tastes & Places With so many great food and drink venues on the South Island, we had a hard time confining our list to the top 10. So we asked our judges for more of their favourites.

Best West Coast

Grill up a West Coast favourite this summer with our seafood kabobs!

Convenient and ready for the barbecue, our Wild Sockeye Salmon and Halibut kabobs are made in-store with fresh bell peppers and flavourful red onions.

Wild Mountain Food & Drink 2 AURA waterfront restaurant + patio

3 Marina Restaurant

Best Small Bites Stage Wine Bar 2 The Livet 3 The Tapa Bar

Best Caffeine Caffe Fantastico on Quadra 2 The Parsonage Cafe 3 Bean Around the World

Best Afternoon Tea Venus Sophia 2 The Fairmont Empress Hotel 3 The Pacific Restaurant and Terrace (Hotel Grand Pacific)

Best Dessert AURA’s brownie with peanut butter ice cream

2 Kid Sister’s passion fruit ripple ice cream 3 Ruth & Dean’s ginger and black pepper layer cake

Best Late Night Bites Vis à Vis 2 Little Jumbo 3 Northern Quarter

Best Place for a Date Il Covo Trattoria 2 The Courtney Room 3 Saveur

thriftyfoods.com

1.800.667.8280

Connect with us

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Top Tastes & Places Best Place to Dine Solo Zambri’s 2 Vis à Vis 3 Foo

Best on the Bone Jones Bar-B-Que’s ribs 2 Chicken 649’s Korean chicken 3 5th Street Bar & Grill’s dry-rubbed ribs

Best Bakery Crust Bakery 2 Fol Epi 3 Fry’s Bakery

Best in a Bowl Foo Asian Street Food 2 Bao 3 Superbaba

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Where to find the Best Restaurants: For locations, visit yammagazine.com.

Best From the Sea

Best Pizza

Marina Restaurant 2 Red Fish Blue Fish

Pizzeria Prima Strada 2 Fernwood Pizza Company

3 Oak Bay Seafood

3 900 Degrees Wood-Fired Pizzeria

Best Pub Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub 2 Canoe Brewpub 3 Four Mile House

Best Takeout Salt & Pepper Fox 2 Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop 3 Chicken 649

Best Charcuterie The Whole Beast 2 Four Quarters Meats 3 Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese

Best Ambience Brasserie L’École 2 Q at the Empress 3 The Tapa Bar

Best Customer Experience Olo 2 Brasserie L’École 3 Bodega Bar

Best South Asian Royal Spice 2 Fishhook 3 Spice Jammer

Best Mexican/Latin La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop 2 Cafe Mexico 3 Mesa Familiar

Best Middle Eastern Yalla 2 Superbaba 3 Bold Butchery & Grill

Victoria’s favourite all-day breakfast and lunch

patio now open!

Best Japanese Fudo 2 Sen Zushi 3 Uchida Eatery

Best Italian Zambri’s 2 Il Covo Trattoria 3 Il Terrazzo

Best Eastern European

537 Johnson Street | 250.381.8414 | willies.ca

Cook & Pan Polish Delicatessen & Cafe 2 Sült Pierogi Bar 3 Taste of Europe Deli

Best Vegetarian/Vegan be love 2 Nourish Kitchen & Cafe 3 Rebar

Jaw dropping view.

Showstopping sushi.

Best Thai Thai Lemongrass 2 My Thai Cafe 3 Baan Thai Wok and Bar

Best Chinese Golden City Restaurant 2 Ho Tong Restaurant 3 J&J Wonton Noodle House

Best Burger DeadBeetz 2 Bin 4 Burger Lounge 3 Big Wheel Burger

250 598 8555 | marinarestaurant.com | 1327 Beach Drive

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Everything in its Place YAM EXPLORES HOW THE MINDFUL CULINARY PRACTICE OF MISE-ENPLACE CAN BRING ORDER TO LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN.

BEN RAHN

By Athena McKenzie

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Kyst Hus — the ultra-organized onebedroom A-frame on Union Bay that artist Christine Boyer shares with her husband and three children — was featured in The Modern A-Frame by photographer Ben Rahn.

E

TRINETTE REED/STOCKSY

ver have one of those mornings where you spend 15 minutes looking for your car keys? Or have your big weekend plans to redo the living room go off the rails when you discover you sold all of your paintbrushes in the last garage sale?

If so, you might find the phrase mise-en-place appealing. It could be the easy way it rolls off the tongue but it’s more likely its inherent promise of order. Translated from French it means “put in place” — words that are decidedly less elegant but still practical and gratifying in their own way — and it’s the name for the system that culinary professionals use to organize their kitchens.

It literally means to gather and arrange the ingredients and tools needed for cooking. For many chefs it also goes much deeper. Mise-enplace transcends the kitchen and becomes a way of life.

In his recent book, Everything In Its Place: The Power of Mise-En-Place to Organize Your Life, Work and Mind, author Dan Charnas argues that the secrets to a well-organized life can be found by taking on some of the mise-en-place practices of chefs. And who doesn’t want to be more organized?

A SYSTEM AND A PHILOSOPHY At its core, mise-en-place revolves around three central values: preparation, process and presence. As Charnas writes, these words may cosm10142_2pg Horz_Be Skinthey Smart_X1a.pdf seem mundane, but when practiced become

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Flader Business Centre 101-9837 7 Street, Sidney, BC profound. He puts forward mise-en place as a system and a philosophy — something that has commonalities with a spiritual tradition that can be used to create order and balance in one’s life.

For Island artist Christine Boyer, the principles of mise-en-place are at play in the home she shares with her husband and three children. To make their life functional and joyful in their one-bedroom A-frame, named Kyst Hus, on Union Bay, organization and a methodical approach are essential.

“For me, when my career intersected with the culinary school at the local college and its students, I formally came to understand the concept of mise-en-place,” Boyer says. “I could see how we use it in our own home naturally before we actually knew the term.”

From minimizing belongings to having lockers for the children’s stuff in the mudroom/ laundry room to establishing a family-wide practice of regular “resets” through the day to return the home to its ideal state, Kyst Hus operates like a well-run kitchen.

Boyer credits her early life for instilling a natural appreciation for mise-en-place. Her grandfather ran a successful farm in Denmark and her father had his own meticulous shop.

“I was introduced to the concept at a very young age,” Boyer says. “That things ran efficiently when you kept your space clean and orderly.”

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CREATE YOUR DAILY MEEZE

“You will need resets in your space. And the more you work on it, you really strengthen that muscle. We’re not all good at everything. It’s about learning and practicing.”

The core practice of mise-en-place is the 30-minute daily meeze, a fourpart planning session. It can be most beneficial to undertake your daily meeze in the evening.

Clean Your Station This part takes the most time.

From clearing out your workbag to emptying your inbox to decluttering your desk, everything before your eyes should look clear and open.

Sharpen Your Tools Get your planning tools in order. Adjust your calendar and action list. Check off completed tasks and reschedule the missed tasks and appointments.

Assign priorities to any action items.

Adapted from Everything In Its Place by Dan Charnas.

Plan Your Day Make a list of the day’s actions from the calendar, along with any you want to add. Create a timeline, if that appeals. Don’t overschedule.

Gather Your Resources Do whatever you can to give yourself as little as possible to do the next morning.

This could mean packing your workbag, gathering ingredients for breakfast or even laying out your clothes.

— Jaclynn Soet

GREET THE DAY It’s safe to say that many of us are underplanners. Especially when compared to successful chefs with orderly kitchens who understand that preparation is essential. Of course, they can’t wing it: if someone orders a meal off the menu, they have to deliver.

By doing simple things, we can make each day easier. (Think about the time we commit to grooming or watching television. A little of that time devoted to planning could eliminate mistakes and make our days flow so much better.)

A major recommendation from Charnas’s book is to create a daily meeze like a chef. While chefs use their meeze to plan a dinner service, anyone can use the practice to order their day.

“I absolutely use it in the everyday, and it’s not voluntary, it’s automatic,” says Victoria chef Gilbert Noussitou. “Personally, when I get up in the morning, if I jump into things my day is messed up. I need a few minutes to think about the day and what I am expecting to do. Now I have a mental list of the things I will do, and that’s my mise-en-place for the day.”

Charnas recommends a 30-minute-session at the end of the day to clean your physical and virtual spaces, clear your mind and plot your next day. While 30 minutes may seem daunting, you’ll be starting the day with your plan in hand, and you’ll save time — and earn peace of mind —by establishing a regular practice of planning and engaging with your goals.

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ALL IN THE DETAILS An easy way to look at the philosophy of miseen-place is that organization sets the stage for excellence. As chef Noussitou explains, the system is important to ensure that all of the essential ingredients are in place before the pressure of preparing and serving the meal begins.

“The challenging part of dealing with pressure is being ready for it,” he says. “So, we work up to it. Then when the time comes, it’s a piece of cake. If you’re not ready for it, then it’s just chaos.”

Noussitou also applies these principles to his role as a teacher at Camosun College’s Culinary School. From gathering his text to lesson planning to working out his presentations, he looks at it all as his mise-en-place.

While chefs may be aiming for the perfect meal service, organization in everyday life can also lead to an ideal outcome, whatever that means for you. It’s something that interior designer and professional organizer Jaclynn Soet of The Happy Nest witnesses all the time in her practice.

“Something I’ve noticed working with people is that as we determine what matters most to them with their belongings, they start to see themselves with more clarity,” she says. “I’ve noticed big changes in people. Their social life expands, they take on new jobs, new roles and new exciting activities. It stems from getting their homes in order.”

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“I’ve noticed big changes in people. Their social life expands, they take on new jobs, new roles and new exciting activities.

It stems from getting their homes in order.”

CLEANING AS YOU GO Another central tenet of mise-en-place is the practice of working clean. It’s not enough for items to find the right place; chefs must keep their system of organization no matter what develops.

As Charnas writes, even the most refined systems become useless unless maintained. For cooks, this can mean cleaning as you go.

While working clean is imperative in the chef’s kitchen, where a dirty station can be a health hazard, outside of the culinary world, working clean is often a choice.

When Soet helps a client organize their home, she also builds in systems that make it easier to keep things in their place.

“That could mean measuring spaces and finding the perfect fit for items and then putting everything away so it’s neatly sorted, tracked and labeled,” she explains. “It’s beautiful because it helps people maintain the organization.”

The way Boyer sets up her studio is another great example of taking mise-en-place out of the kitchen and also illustrates that mental clarity that many chefs point to as an argument for working clean.

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“All my tabletops are covered with a white cloth that I replace periodically, so I feel that my surfaces are clear and I can see my tools,” she says. “By the time your surfaces are covered in paint, it’s difficult to see your chalks and your paints. When everything is white I can look down and find my tools. I work in many different styles, so when it’s time to transition from something with fluorescents to a landscape piece using natural tones and hues, I really have to reset the studio back to a clean palette. At least once a week, I’m repainting the studio floor white, so I’m not distracted by the bright colours or steering a painting towards a hue it shouldn’t be in.”

THE MINDFULNESS OF MISE-EN-PLACE Distilled to its most basic form, mise-enplace means that resources, space and, most importantly, time are precious. By using them wisely and with mindfulness, we’re better set to deal with whatever comes our way.

“I think everyone should practice mise-enplace,” chef Noussitou says. “It takes a little bit of training but it makes such a difference on the outcome of a shift or a day or wherever your mise-en-place is applied.”

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8 MISE-EN-PLACE PRACTICES TO USE OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN 1 Plan daily Commit to being honest with time.

Planning should be the first thought, not an afterthought. Schedule your tasks, respecting both abilities and limitations. By planning, one knows where to start and will save time later.

2 Work clean This means more than making things look pretty. Commit to optimizing your space in terms of organization and mobility. An organized space can help organize one’s mind.

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3 Clean as you go All systems are useless unless they are maintained. Plan for regular resets to return your space to its optimal conditions. Working clean helps you get things done faster and better.

4 Start now Set your priorities and don’t put off what can be done now. Commit to using time to your benefit.

5 Finish the job Orphaned tasks create more work.

Commit to delivering.

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6 Slow down to speed up Also known as haste makes waste.

Commit to doing a task smoothly and steadily.

7 Waste nothing Commit to valuing space, time, energy, resources and people.

8 Evaluate yourself According to the principles of miseen-place, mastery is never achieved; it is a constant state of evaluation and refinement.

Adapted from Everything In Its Place by Dan Charnas.

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A forest bathing getaway to Tofino unlocks the restorative potential of nature. |

By Athena McKenzie

THE POWER OF TREES

T

he winding boardwalk trail to Hot Springs Cove offers Instagram photo-ops around every corner. Dappled light filters through the forest canopy, playing off the gnarled and ropey trunks of a myriad of massive redwood cedars.

But I resist the urge to pull out my phone to share the wonder on social media. My partner, Robert, and I are immersing ourselves in the latest health and wellness trend: forest bathing. First steps: find a spot; leave your camera and phone behind.

When I tell people about my forest bathing trip, I’m met with confused faces and quips about lying naked in the woods. But forest bathing does not require disrobing or taking any kind of bath (though a soak in a natural hot spring is encouraged — more on that later.) The practice asks one to use all of their senses to slowly and mindfully experience nature — to soak in the splendour of the forest.

“This is not exercise, or hiking, or jogging. It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch,” writes Dr. Quin Li in his book Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, The Japanese Art and Science of Shinrin-Yoku.

“Indoors, we tend to use only two senses, our eyes and our ears. Outside is where we can smell the flowers, taste the fresh air, look at the changing colours of the trees, hear the birds singing and feel the breeze on our skin. And when we open up our senses, we begin to connect to the natural world.”

Li, an associate professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo and president of the Society of Forest Medicine in Japan, is considered one of the world’s leading experts on forest bathing. He has conducted numerous studies and collected a huge mass of data to understand the benefits of forest bathing on various aspects of human health.

While originally a Japanese practice that started as a national health program in the 1980s, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is finding devotees around the world, due to its promises of reduced blood pressure, lowered stress, increased energy and improved concentration and memory. One study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that nature and forest bathing “offers humans an authentic way of healing and health prevention for the mind, body and spirit.”

Time in nature may seem a simple fix but it’s a proven balm for the ills and constant demands of the digital age.

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The original trail to Hot Springs Cove was created over time by the Hesquiaht First Nation and then by early settlers, who created the boardwalk.

A new boardwalk was constructed in the 1990s to protect the natural landscape.

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100 Harbour Rd thespadeltavictoria.com 250.360.5858

RELAX. WE’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

The writer, Athena McKenzie, in the old-growth rainforest near Hot Springs Cove.

“The good news is that even a small amount of time in nature can have an impact on our health,” Li says. “A two-hour forest bath will help you to unplug from technology and slow down. It will bring you into the present moment and de-stress and relax you. When you connect to nature through all five of your senses, you begin to draw on the vast array of benefits the natural world can provide.”

PROFOUND BEAUTY There are a number of simple ways to try Japanese forest-bathing, from visiting a local park to filling your home with indoor plants, but the first place I think of when I hear about the practice is Tofino. It is important to find a place that suits you and that encourages strong connections. In his book, Li shares the expression y gen, a Japanese word for a feeling that is hard to put into words but that gives a profound sense of the beauty and mystery of the universe. With its dramatic seascapes, dense rainforest and towering trees, Tofino has always inspired a deep sense of y gen for me; my first trip to Tofino, when I was still living in Ontario, was so affecting I knew I had to move to B.C. as soon as I could.

The new Tofino Resort and Marina is our base camp for our nature adventure. Located right in the heart of town, it sits on the waters of Tofino Inlet, offering intriguing views of the big trees of Meares Island and the quirky float-house community at Strawberry Island. Our first night we sit on our deck and watch a sea lion bob around the harbour as sunset paints the horizon a flaming orange.

The view is mostly obscured by fog the next day when we head out on the resort’s six-hour tour to Hot Springs Cove. As it clears, our guide, Captain Ike, points out the area at the centre of the Clayoquot protests in the early 1990s. Known as the “War in the Woods,” the logging protests 64

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

“When you connect to nature through all five of your senses, you begin to draw on the vast array of benefits the natural world can provide.”

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drew international attention.

“It’s a good thing they did,” Ike says. “Or else there would be no trees left for anyone to enjoy.”

As we make our way along the two-kilometer walk from the Maquinna Marine Park dock to the hot springs, we follow Li’s instructions for forest walking: slow walking is recommended for “beginners.” It is important not to hurry through the forest — we are not on a hike. By taking our time, we can keep our senses open. We stop every now and then to take in our surroundings, feeling the knobby bark on the cedars, smelling the damp and resinous air, and listening to the soothing rhythm of the distant waves.

We emerge from the cool shade of the forest to blue skies peeking through the fog. Clear, steamy water cascades down the rocks to form deep, narrow pools near the rugged shoreline.

For those lucky enough to have access, Li says that hot-spring therapy is considered a natural extension of forest therapy. The hot, silky water is intensely soothing and our walk back to the boat is languid and relaxed (and we do allow ourselves to stop and take a few photos).

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ALL THE SENSES The day is all about the sights, sound and feel of nature; the evenings are all about the taste.

According to Li’s guide to making the most of nature therapy, there is no better way to taste the flavour of the region than to eat the foods that are grown there. At Wolf in the Fog, we feast on chef Nicholas Nutting’s baked halibut — caught in the very waters we sailed on earlier in the day — with bright green brassica, local nettles, peas, butter clams, radish coins and little pierogies.

Bar director Hailey Pasemko mixes a Cedar Sour, created with cedar rye (made in-house by soaking the purified offcuts from a local furniture maker in rye). The cocktail is earthy and spicy, an evocative sensory reminder of our earlier hike.

According to Li, the fragrance of cedarwood relaxes and calms the spirit. Between the day immersed in nature and our woodsy cocktail, it’s safe to say we have achieved peak relaxation.

It’s tempting to credit our blissed-out state to a particular magic of place. But according to Li you can forest bathe anywhere there are trees or lots of plants; in hot weather or cold; in rain, sun or snow.

“The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air — these things give us a sense of comfort,” Li says. “Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy, vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us.”

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STYLE WATCH Fashion Stylist: Janine Metcalfe Photos: Jeffrey Bosdet

RED HOT SUMMER

BRING THE HEAT POOLSIDE IN RETRO-INSPIRED BATHING SUITS THAT CHANNEL OLD-HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR.

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Opposite page: Valentina bathing suit ($150), available at Beach Rags; GUESS gingham sandals ($139) available at Hudson’s Bay. This page: Magicsuit swimsuit ($218) and Bubble Cap bathing cap ($17), both available at Suits U; Thierry Lasry sunglasses ($660), available at Maycock Eyecare; and Girlie earrings ($42), available at Paradise Boutique.

On her: OW Swim swimsuit ($135), available at Frances Grey; GUESS gingham sandals ($139) and Design Lab earrings ($30), both available at Hudson’s Bay. On him: Toujours AU swimsuit ($46), available at Suits U; and Skechers slides ($40), available at Hudson’s Bay.

NATURANA swimsuit ($90), available at Beach Rags; Nine West black straw hat ($45), available at Hudson’s Bay.

Models: Stephanie Mitchell, Icon Model Management and Michael Timmermans, Coultish Management; Hair & Makeup: Anya Ellis, Lizbell Agency; Stylist Assistant: Cheri Mancuso Special thanks to homeowners Pam Zanini and Phil Reaume, and to Russ Etherington for use of his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air.

SCENE

PRE-PRIDE, PICNICS AND THAT PARADE Through years of much-loved revelry and pageantry that goes along with Victoria Pride, a vital message endures: people have the right to live their authentic lives.

By David Lennam

Then

Now

Then: The Gay Pride Parade, as it was called originally, grew out of a picnic in Beacon Hill Park.

One year, Joe Carson led the parade as Queen Victoria; Judy Bell, dressed as a Mountie, led the parade in another year. Now: In recent times, the LGBTQ2 community and their allies march in the Victoria Pride Parade, the city’s biggest parade of the year.

W

hat began as a modest march down Government Street in 1993 by a couple of hundred supporters has ballooned into one of Victoria’s major events.

This year’s Pride Parade, the 25th, will likely see as many as last year’s 120 entries, with thousands lining the route through downtown.

Thousands more gathered at MacDonald Park in James Bay for a celebration of LGBTQ2 culture, music, food, libations and one of the more intoxicating parties thrown in this town.

But a story lost amidst the revelry, pageantry and strengthening of community that has come to define Pride Week and its myriad events — from the Big Gay Dog Walk, to Pride in the Word, to the Memorial Drag Ball game — is that of the pre-Pride parades and picnics.

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There were several years of now-famous picnics held in Beacon Hill Park beginning in 1991.

According to Colin Craig, one of the handful of gay men who initiated those gatherings, the first was simply a Hibachi, some hot dogs, balloons … and 200 people.

The 61-year-old explains that The Island Gay Society had recently disbanded and there were “six or seven bucks left over” and a feeling that something should be going on; some community event should be taking place where gays and lesbians could meet and mingle outside of the darkened anonymity of a bar.

“We’d never been outside doing anything as a group,” recalls Craig. “This was the first time many of us had seen each other in daylight.

Before that we had the Queen’s Head at night.

It didn’t open until nine, it had a cabaret

license, and we were in a dark place.”

Craig laughs thinking about how those picnics became like a little Pride Parade in reverse.

“The Tally-Ho horse-drawn wagons (full of tourists) would come along and we’d kind of wave at them.”

Michael Halleran, who’s now 74, says the picnics were always trouble free, but there were still members of the queer community with a not-entirely illogical sense of paranoia.

“I remember one gentleman was convinced that the rednecks were going to come out of the bushes and go at us with bicycle chains and tire irons,” he says.

Another was alarmed that pink balloons might be on display and complained, “Oh my god! People might think we’re gay!”

“

“Quite a few people cheered. Quite a few people told us to get lost, but none of us felt afraid even though there were no police.”

“I felt we weren’t ready to do a parade in Victoria at that time,” says Craig. The gay and lesbian community still operated, if you will, under the radar, and plenty of picnic participants were leery about flaunting their sexual orientation in a procession through downtown.

The picnics continued to be family-friendly, low-key affairs with games like tug-of-war.

Within a couple of years they were attracting more than 600 people, and the donation jar, originally set out to pay for the hot dogs, was filling up.

As soon as there was a profit in the till, the (Victoria) Pride Society was organized, remembers Halleran, one of those who helped put it together.

And the formation of the society meant there was finally a presenter for a parade.

But hold on a sec. There had already been Pride parades in Victoria, begun by a group of lesbians in 1989.

Barbara McLauchlin, who had been editor/ publisher of LesbiaNews (a magazine that later became the Lavender Rhinoceros), was tasked to contact City Hall and obtain a permit for a parade.

“I said OK because I usually said OK to everything and I found the scariest thing to do was to phone the City for the license. I was petrified. I mean, nothing was really good yet.

It wasn’t legal, although I was fairly OK about being ‘out.’ Anyway, I picked up the phone and dialed and got this woman whose response was, ‘At last, Victoria’s going to have a Pride Parade!’ and all my sweat dried up.”

But it came with a caveat. Participants would have to stick to the sidewalk because police would be unavailable to close the streets due to a large Christian parade group marching at the same time along Dallas Road.

McLauchlin’s partner, Judy Bell, bedecked in a Mountie costume, led a couple of hundred along Government Street.

“Quite a few people cheered. Quite a few people told us to get lost, but none of us felt afraid even though there were no police,” recollects the 75-year-old. “The drag queens made it. They put on an absolute show.”

Kevin Doyle, who photographed those early parades, was surprised how many shopkeepers lined the street.

“I remember Jim Munro with his scarf was out there. I couldn’t believe how many of them were clapping.”

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“It takes courage to participate in a parade.

Our community has so many different subgenres, but we all have the same goals.”

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2018-03-21 4:21 PM

There’s a story of Times Colonist gossip columnist Jim Gibson reporting that a group of bystanders on the lawn of the Empress responded to the paraders’ chant of “We’re here.

We’re queer,” with “We’re square. You’re there.

We don’t care.”

McLauchlin’s ambitious collective repeated the parade the following summer although it became a more in-your-face event led by, as McLauchlin explains, “bare-breasted dykes.”

“I was so embarrassed. I don’t necessarily think the Pride Parade should overwhelm the straight community.”

David Tillson, in his 14th year as president of the Victoria Pride Society, has watched the parade grow into the behemoth it is, just as the gay and lesbian community has expanded to encompass a diversity of identities, not all of them wanting to be recognized the same way.

It’s becoming quite political, he says.

“Last year UVic Pride boycotted the parade because we don’t represent First Nations or homeless people or people who are neurotypical.

They had a whole list of things. This year they don’t want the police in the parade.”

Tillson’s group has grown the parade by 10 or 20 entries a year over the last 10 years without, he says, consciously excluding anyone.

“It takes courage to participate in a parade.

Our community has so many different subgenres, but we all have the same goals. We want to live our authentic lives and not be discriminated against or have violence committed against us. My theme for this year is there has to be room for everybody. If we’re all going to be part of the same community, we all have to be able to gather.”

Gather they will. The Pride Parade starts at Centennial Square, July 8 at 11 a.m., heads down Government Street past the Legislature, then winds through James Bay to MacDonald Park.

Visit victoriapridesociety.org.

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Out of his sandbox More modern music god than mere musician, one-time Beach Boy Brian Wilson headlines Rock The Shores. At the other end of Atomique Production’s threeday outdoor festival’s captivating lineup is actor/ singer Juliette Lewis (whom we still probably all recall sucking Robert De Niro’s thumb in Cape Fear). In between: Sheepdogs, Jesse Roper, Bedouin Soundclash, X Ambassadors, Social Distortion and two dozen more.

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Three’s company Three colleagues — Nancy Day, Laura Hilts and Carmen Mongeau — share their distinct works at an exhibition at The Coast Collective Gallery & Art Centre. Mongeau presents Murmurs, new prints that include monotypes, Chine collé and collagraphs; Day presents Mystique, a series of provocative landscapes in several dimensions; and Hilts presents Organic Geometry, her series of watercolour and acrylic works that combine geometric and organic shapes.

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DO TELL

Wine and Wisdom

By David Lennam // Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

C

hef-turned-winemaker Bailey Williamson of the Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan remembers first getting into the vintner trade at Road 13 Vineyards in Oliver. His mother, who grew up on the family farm in Alberta, looked him dead in the eye and said, “Bailey, never forget this is farming.”

Well, it’s farming and sales and marketing and chemistry. He laughs as he recalls being a 40-something trying to learn chemistry because he didn’t pay enough attention to it in high school.

He admits the real satisfaction of his craft is the craft, being an artisan and getting to share what he’s created. “That’s the joy for me — to see other people enjoy it as much.”

What’s your idea of perfect happiness?

Champagne brunch on a patio in the sun, and no disruptions.

What’s your greatest fear?

Being a terrible father.

What quality do you most admire in friends?

Unconditional acceptance for each other.

What’s the trait you most deplore in others?

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Dogmatism. People become immovable in what they believe.

You need to be open to changing your beliefs because they are not immutable. Otherwise you work yourself into a bit of a corner.

What’s the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Impatience.

Which historical figure do you most admire?

Stephen Hawking. No matter what Hawking’s origins were or the

YAM MAGAZINE JUL/AUG 2018

challenges he faced, he brought a whole new thinking. We’re pretty quick to write certain people off.

If it had been 100 years earlier, he would have not have been heard of and no one would have got this information.

What’s your greatest achievement?

What’s your greatest extravagance?

Going away alone.

Philip Carey in Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham.

Who is the greatest love of your life?

My wife ... We work together.

We live on the winery property.

We are cheek to jowl ...

Do you have a motto?

Your most treasured possession?

I’m not materialistic.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?

Winery dog. You get all the treats you can manage. You get to just hang out and have a pretty big space to run around.

Surviving and not ending up in jail or the morgue.

Who’s your favourite hero of fiction?

I stole it from a Tom Waits lyric.

“Die young and have a goodlookin’ corpse.”

Is there a wine you’d like to own?

No, but many I would like to drink.

How did you decide what variety of grapes to grow?

The Prophet of Delphi.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Having no wine.

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