April 10, 2014 by Westender

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Whales in captivity 4 Safe Amp Society 8 Cinaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European fare 12

Garden variety

How urban farmers are making it work 5-7, 11

The girls from Victory Gardens. Rob Newell photo

the week ahead Kwantlen fashion grads stretch the limits of design

The Kwantlen Polytechnic University fashion and technology grads are stretching the limits of design for their 2014 fashion show. This year’s designs range from functional children’s outerwear, to plus-size active wear, to eco-friendly fashions. “It really is truly a magical night where the students get to showcase their four years in one night,” says Lindsay Norris, the teacher behind this event. “It’s more than just a fashion show.” Kaylyn MacKenzie created her line, You,, (pictured) because she noticed that most adaptive apparel was out-of-date. Her line is wheelchair-friendly and she wants to show that disability has no limitations. Pulse by Nicole Picco is inspired by the active girl with curves. This activewear line is designed for plus-size women and focuses on fit, comfort and quality construction. The show is April 24 at 1, 3, and 7pm at the River Rock Show Theatre. Tickets are $18 for day shows and $38 for the evening show. — Kelci Nicodemus (photo by Maria Koehn)

Sebastien Archibald, Colby Wilson and Emma Slipp. Andrew Klaver photo

Shop Hop comes to Gastown Gastown’s boutiques are celebrating new Spring fashion with food, music, and special promotions during the Spring 2014 Gastown Shop Hop, taking place on Thursday, April 10. More than 40 retailers are opening their doors until 9pm to showcase the season’s latest arrivals, and to mingle with stylish locals who share an appreciation for one of a kind fashion. Gastown’s cobblestone streets will be decorated with balloons for this special night. You can choose your own adventure — stop by your favourite shops or follow the Shop Hop map found at participating shops. Shop the in-store specials and receive dining vouchers to end the evening soothing your appetite at some of Gastown’s best restaurants. Visit Gastown.org for more information. — Robert Mangelsdorf

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Killer Joe a deadly good time ITSAZOO is producing a play for the Tarantino set. Instead of negotiating narrow aisles, those attending Killer Joe can sidle up to a bar in a Texas-style trailer park, down a beer and a hot dog and then take a seat among an audience of 30 who will sit two feet from scenes of violence, nudity, sexuality and coarse language. “The outside of the trailer looks just like a trailer from the Trailer Park Boys,” said Chelsea Haberlin, ITSAZOO’s co-artistic director and director of Killer Joe. “We’ve got a couple other trailers on the lot and a few other broken down cars and we’ve got pink flamingos and Astroturf and cans of beer.” Killer Joe, the first play by Tracy Letts, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who penned August: Osage County, follows a deeply dysfunctional Texas family, the Smiths. Chris, the eldest son, hires a cop-by-day/hitmanby-night, Killer Joe Cooper, to murder their mother to collect life insurance. But when Cooper takes an interest in Chris’s virginal younger sister all hell breaks loose. The players include ITSAZOO’s co-artistic director Sebastien Archibald as Chris and Emma Slipp as the step mom. Killer Joe runs April 15 to May 4 on the parking lot of the Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan at Grandview Highway. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com. — Cheryl Rossi

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Vision commissioners call for end of whale captivity at aquarium By Sandra Thomas

n an unprecedented move, two Vision Vancouver park board commissioners are stating publicly they want all cetaceans — whales and dolphins — phased out at the Vancouver Aquarium. Not coincidently, the city’s bylaw surrounding the keeping of cetaceans in captivity is up for review next year. Vision commissioner Sarah Blyth says it was her decision not to seek a third term on the park board that gave her the inspiration to speak out. “No one doubts the aquarium does amazing conservation work,” Blyth said. “But everyone I talk to asks about the whales and dolphins.” In 2010, a motion by Green Party commissioner Stuart Mackinnon recommending a non-binding plebiscite on keeping captive cetaceans was voted down by Vision Vancouver commissioners, with the exception of Constance Barnes, who now sits as Vision’s vice-chair of the park board. But, Blyth notes, the increased push to include a referendum in the November election could be ill-timed. “I’d like to see the question asked, ‘Should whales be kept in captivity at this time?’” Blyth said. “But we can’t bind another board to a decision we’ve made.” Both Blyth and Barnes admit watching the movie Blackfish was a pivotal moment in their decision to speak out — and is partly why Barnes also wants whales and dolphins phased out at the aquarium, a decision she describes as a personal one. Blackfish is a documentary film about a captive orca named Tilikum, which was involved with the death of three people, including a trainer at the now-defunct Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria in 1991. The film also examines the consequences of keeping orca whales in captivity. “I’m very supportive of Sarah, and it’s not news I don’t support keeping whales in captivity,” Barnes said. “But I also know the aquarium does really great work on the rescue and rehabilitation side as well as saving endangered species like the Panamanian golden frogs in the news last week.” Barnes says she receives numerous emails daily from residents concerned about keeping whales and dolphins at the

aquarium. The aquarium is in the midst of completing phase one of an almost $100-million expansion, which will eventually include larger whale and dolphin tanks. With the expansion came a renewed lease with the park board until 2029. Aquarium president John Nightingale says once the larger whale tank is completed, the facility will increase the number of belugas on display. There are currently two belugas at the aquarium. “But, we’ll very likely be bringing back the ones we already own that have been on loan to other accredited institutions,” said Nightingale. “Not wild whales.” Nightingale says everything the aquarium does is 100 per cent within the current bylaw and he is well aware the park board will be reviewing that law next year. As Barnes and Blyth attest, the Vancouver Aquarium is world-renowned for its education, research, rescue and rehabilitation, and conservation work. Besides its recent success in breeding the endangered Panamanian golden frog, other accomplishments include the Ocean Wise program, which encourages restaurants to use sustainable seafoods, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, animal protection programs, numerous research projects and the Marine Mammal Rescue program. Paul Spong, a neuroscientist, cetologist, former Vancouver Aquarium employee and one of the province’s foremost orca experts, agrees the aquarium does some great work. “I just find it very unfortunate that they have a blind spot when it comes to keeping captive cetaceans and wish they would once again lead the way as they did when they decided to end orca shows,” Spong said. “It’s very disappointing they continue the practice.” Spong says the trend of keeping “big-brained animals” in captivity is quickly dwindling worldwide so he’s surprised the Vancouver Aquarium is still so determined to continue the practice. He also doesn’t buy the aquarium’s reasoning for keeping cetaceans in captivity. “It’s a tired old argument from the captive industry,” said Spong. “To be quite blunt, what it really teaches children is that it’s OK to mistreat these animals. There are many other alternatives they could consider.”

These two future police dogs need names. Dan Toulgoet photo

Cops ask kids to name crimefighting pups By Sandra Thomas

ute nicknames like Fluffy, Muffin or even Fido just won’t cut it for a naming contest sponsored by the Vancouver Police Department. The VPD’s Name That Puppy Contest is looking for monikers for two pups destined to join the distinguished lineup of police dogs that share their bloodlines and go by the names Scout, Bear, Jackal, Flash and Saint. The two German shepherd littermates are eight weeks old and, while one is black the other is sable, both are destined for service with the VPD. While the VPD has dubbed the puppies the “Cutest Crimefighters,” the puppies have no official names. That’s why the VPD is turning to the experts: kindergarten to Grade 7 students attending schools across the city. During the next two weeks the students will work together as a team in their individual classrooms to decide on a name. The VPD says the names are important because the dogs will become an integral part of the force. The contest continues now through 11:59pm, April 17, and the winners will be announced April 22. The winning class will be provided with a tour of the Dog Squad’s facility, have a chance to meet the puppies and in-service dogs up close and receive a police dog demonstration. If a class is unable to travel, the Dog Squad will come to the classroom. Stories courtesy Vancouver Courier

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A nostalgic battlecry for self-sufficiency

uring the First and Second World Wars, one of the home-front battle cries was “victory gardens!” If people could grow more of their own vegetables at a time when many farm hands had signed up to fight, then governments could invest more of their resources in winning the war and bringing the men home. “Sow the seeds of victory!” a poster exhorted. And Canadians listened. In 1943 there were almost 210,000 victory gardens in Canada, producing an annual 250kg of vegetables each. Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Samantha Philips were born three generations after the Second World War and not only do they love that “We can do it!” spirit, they are also ethically committed to the idea of being more self-sustaining. But in the 70 years since war’s end, society became more urbanized and food production became industrialized. Very few parents were passing down gardening know-how to their children, who grew up believing that if you want to eat, you go to a grocery store or a restaurant. So the three friends decided to start their own gardening business and called it Victory Gardens. Not only do they hire themselves out to create gardens — they just established a rooftop garden at HootSuite’s headquarters and one for Acorn, the vegetarian restaurant — but they also host workshops and seminars on growing your own vegetables. Winning the $25,000 prize from the Co-

At Victory Gardens, Sandra Lopuch, Samantha Phillips and Lisa Giroday are helping to transform Vancouver’s backyards and rooftops into gardens that provide residents and businesses with their own vegetables. Rob Newell photo operators’ National Co-op Challenge will help them spread the message even further. They’re using the money to produce an educational series of YouTube videos that show people how to create and nurture their own urban vegetable gardens. “Success is one of the easiest ways to be inspired to grow food,” says Giroday, who still marvels at the miracle of planting a seed in the earth and watching it grow into something she can put on the dinner table. In today’s world where so much is ephemeral, gardening really does allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labour. When Victory Gardens does an initial as-

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sessment for a client, one of the things they take into consideration is how much time and gardening experience their clients can put into it once the three women pack up

For updates on workshops and events, go to VictoryGardensVancouver.ca.

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their shovels and leave. Lupoch knows that if a garden’s demands become too overwhelming, it’s easy to abandon all those good intentions. Her mother started out with a garden in the back of their Maple Ridge home but when she went back to work after her three kids got a little older, the garden was ripped up because she no longer had the time to tend to its needs. Philips’ father was and is an organic gardener — “it was pretty much an obsession,” she says with a laugh — and she learned through osmosis. No matter where she lived, she had a garden. And that’s the point. There is a way to create gardens in cramped urban spaces, whether it’s planting a rooftop garden at HootSuite’s headquarters or in the back yard of one of HootSuite’s green team members who got so inspired by the project that he wanted a garden of his own. (Victory Gardens built six raised beds in which he’s now growing peas, radishes, spinach and kale with tomatoes to come later in the season.) Shelley MacArthur is getting Victory Gardens’ help to create a garden in her front yard so that when she wonders, “What’s for dinner?”, the answer is only steps away. She also wants to entice her 22-month-old son to eat more veggies — right now she has to hide them in his food — by having him help with the garden. Little farmers grow into big vegetable eaters. “It’s all about fostering a connection between people and the food they consume,” says Lupoch.

Learning today - Leading tomorrow

Victory Gardens harkens back to the days when people did their patriotic duty by growing their own

April 10 – 16, 2014

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Vancouver has more than 75 community gardens, located in city parks, in school yards, on private property — and even one on the grounds of City Hall.

Leading us down the garden path By Raman Kang

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he City of Vancouver is always coming up with new ways to be green and with more than 75 community gardens in city parks, schools and hospitals, feel free to call us the Hulk. Community gardens come in all shapes and sizes, from gardens with only a few plots, to some with well over a 100 plots. If you’re unable to have your own garden then being a part of a community garden is a good opportunity to benefit from locally grown food. Whether a garden is on city land, such as the one in front of city hall, or in a city park, such as the one in China Creek South,

Urban Seed Project starts something good By Raman Kang

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or even on non-city-owned land, such as the one by 12th and Clark, every garden is operated and maintained by a non-profit society. New gardens opening up in the spring of 2014 are: • Beaconsfield Park, which will include more than 40 community garden beds for everyone to use, space for children and food to support local communities • Creekside, which will include a children’s play area, indigenous food plants and a culinary herb garden Riverfront Park can expect to see fruit trees and Nelson Park Community Garden will see an expansion of of 30 more garden plots, a kids’ area and a new water connection. Jonathan Rogers Park will also be expanded.

hen was the last time you were able to pronounce all of the ingredients in your meal? The Urban Seed Project allows you to grow your own food and take control of what you eat. It was started in the Downtown Eastside Vancouver to create sustainable vegetable gardens for people with little to no yard space. The project focuses on community involvement and showing children the benefits of gardening and growing your own food. It has a Truck Farm that drives around the city to teach children not only about growing, but about cooking and nutrition as well.

So you want to go pro SPIN Farming (Small Plot INtensive), an educational resource intended to help you transition beyond traditional home gardening practices, suggests that aspiring farmers start by answering these questions: • How will you sell your produce? • How much income do you want? • What is the average level of sales you need to generate each week?

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It packages seeds that are non-GMO, free of chemical treatment and openly pollinated. There are also various combinations of vegetables and herbs, such as “Quick and Dirty,” an array of dwarf gray sugar peas, miniature white cucumbers, French breakfast radishes and caracas carrots. If you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry. There are starter kits, step-by-step instructions on every package and recipes that make planting (and eating healthy foods) easy. They even have seed kits aimed specifically at kids so no one is left out of the farming fun. Proceeds help food-growing programs in Vancouver and create job opportunities for people living on disability and welfare. Strathcona1890.com • What crops can you grow without too many problems that are in demand? • What is the size of your land base and how will you be allocating it? • Can you do most of the work? • What’s your refrigeration capacity? • What type of infrastructure and equipment do you have in place right now? More guidance is available at SPINFarming.com

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Grow your own way Raena and Rob Blusson both have full-time jobs in Vancouver, yet begin and end each day on their working 10-acre farm in Maple Ridge

or one Vancouver couple, the concept of farm-totable didn’t exactly translate to dining at Fable a few nights each month. In 2011, Raena and Rob Blusson made their urban farming dream a reality — purchasing a 10-acre plot of land in Maple Ridge while living and working downtown. Three years later, the duo now wakes up every morning in Maple Ridge, tends to the animals and chores, and then rides the West Coast Express into the heart of Vancouver to continue their full-time careers in the mining sector. After high school, Raena, the tomboy farm girl who was horrified by the pink boots her parents tried to give her at age six, thought she was done with Maple Ridge — the rural municipality between the Fraser River and Golden Ears mountains where she was raised. She moved downtown, finished university and left her parents’ lamb and chicken farm in the childhood rearview. Rob, 36, was a South Cambie boy who grew up across from Queen Elizabeth Park. He spent much of his youth outdoors, striding in the footsteps of his geologist father. And while that didn’t stop him from a career cultivating “soft accountant hands” in corporate finance, he says he, like Raena, always hoped for a homestead to stretch his legs. The property, located just across the street from her parents’ house, had sat idle for two years before they bought it. In its heyday, the farm was kept golf-course-green-clean by the sheep and cattle it supported; up for sale, however, weeds were going rogue and the Band-Aid coloured 1960s rancher (“sponsored by Johnson & Johnson,” jokes Rob) was crying out for an update. They initially disregarded it, thinking they’d purchase in Langley when the time was right. But then they realized Maple Ridge is one of the few areas of the Lower Mainland where you can own farmland and still come into the city every day by public transit. Suddenly, they could see past the land clearing and home renovations straight to the potential. The newly named Ashlar Farm now has horses and chickens, and a lush garden next to a commercialscale honeybee operation. As you pull around the winding gravel drive, a fence line — so new the wood is still pink — guides the eye along the salmon river that torrents through the front fifth of the property. Over by the hedges, Rob is tossing bone meal into a freshly dug blueberry patch while a fivemonths-pregnant Raena looks on. “Raena loves giving tours,” Rob quips, more than slightly out of breath as I walk up. “Shut up,” she bandies back playfully. “I’ve been working, too.” She turns to me and whispers, “Yesterday we did dick-all because it was raining.” She laughs, relaxed, while leading me around the house to the back eight, where a monolithic covered bridge spans the aforementioned river (the North Alouette to be precise) and a cathedral grove of spruce and cedar keeps the peace. Here she plans to graze cattle and lay a test plot for the 30 hop rhizomes being delivered next week. (There’s a craft beer industry brewing in BC, after all.) “The idea just came to me a couple of months ago. I kept hearing about these microbreweries going crazy in Vancouver, and I started reading about hops,” the 29-year-old explains. “In the ‘40s, the Fraser Valley was the biggest hops producer in the Commonwealth. It’s a prime place, but they grow on 20-foot trellises so we’ve got a lot of infrastructure to put in!” Which is what they spend

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every evening and weekend doing, learning as they go. “It really sucks in the winter when we get up and it’s pitch black and we’re feeding animals and it’s pouring rain, and we go to work and we come back and it’s pitch black and we’re feeding animals and it’s pouring rain. But as soon as it gets lighter, we come home and we’re out until it’s dark just puttering,” she says, her glow infusing more than just her words. According to Smart Growth BC, 38 per cent of farmers in BC are over the age of 55. Opportunities to get into the industry are available to the next generation largely because arable land, always so close to the beauty developers pay top dollar to frame, has been protected since 1973 by the Agricultural Land Reserve — a province-wide zoning classification in which farming is prioritized and non-agricultural uses are controlled. Approximately 3,814 hectares or 13 per cent of Maple Ridge’s land is in the ALR, compared to 279 hectares, or 2 per cent, in Vancouver. “Raena’s got all sorts of ideas about the crops she’d like to have or the types of animals she’d like to have out here, and I’m 100 per cent open to them,” says Rob, who, according to his wife, has made the adjustment from city boy to farm whisperer like a natural. “But had you asked me even five years ago about the ALR, I would have probably asked if it was a fancy car.” Rob sees any lifestyle sacrifices not only as an investment in his family’s food supply, but in his community. “I’m starting to understand the requirement of protecting these sorts of lands so that we can maintain a good source of local food. More than anything, I look at this as an opportunity for our family to have food. But, taking it to a broader sense, I’d love to have something sustainable to provide food to our local neighbourhood here.” High-intensity urban farming systems can yield as much as $50,000 per half-acre, but Raena is a realist: “It’s easy to grow a lot of food, but making a livelihood from urban farming? I don’t know how people do that. To be classified as a farm you have to make $2,500 in revenue a year — and we make that — but it’s a ton of work just to make $2,500. This is a lifestyle for us and we’d love to keep building businesses, but we have no intention of quitting our jobs.” She points to her beekeeping as an example of the risk farmers take on. Despite producing exquisite wildflower honey that sells out every year, her hives are regularly gutted by colony collapse. “Farming is a hard way to make a living. It has been glamorized a lot lately — I read those magazines and get all dreamy-eyed, too — but the weather, disease, death… There are so many variables. It could all go to shit in a day. I don’t know if I’d want the stress of having our livelihoods depend on a farm like this. We don’t have 200 acres in Alberta where we’re producing mass crops. This is a small, diverse farm.” A farm which waits for no one. “The honey harvest is about two weeks

Raena and Rob Blusson balance full-time careers in Vancouver with farm life in the suburbs. Kelsey Klassen photos before my due date, so, unless Rob suddenly becomes a beekeeper, I have every intention to keep going,” she says with a smile. “I might be in for a wake up call, though.” For someone so matter-of-fact, it’s fitting that she says the highlight of taking up farming so far has simply been “getting projects done.” “I would have thought you’d say marrying the love of your life on this property,” counters Rob. Raena rolls her eyes. “She’s not a sentimental one...” he concludes with a grin.

KERRISDALE ANTIQUES FAIR April 12 &&13 • 10am-5pm Aug 31st Sept 1st • Decorative china and glass • Boho chic accessories • Chintz • Textiles & linens

By Kelsey Klassen

April 10 – 16, 2014

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Safe Amp: All-ages music all the time

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SMOKADELIC SATURDAYS Vancouver Seed Bank, 872 E. Hastings Saturday, April 26

By Kenzie Colbourne

SALSA NIGHTS Grandview Legion 2205 Commercial Drive Every Thursday, 8pm

VANCOUVER SONG SLAM Cafe Deux Soleils 2096 Commercial Drive Monday, April 28

KARAOKE WITH FRANNY BEEZER El Cocal 1037 Commercial Drive Every Tuesday

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: A LIVE COMEDY EXPERIENCE Rio Theatre 1660 E. Broadway Wednesday, April 30

ARGENTINE TANGO DANCE 2155 Commercial Drive Every Friday Lesson: 8:30 - 9:30pm Dance: 9:30pm - 1:30am

JOE MAVETY Latin Quarter 1305 Commercial Drive Every Thursday

Half Chinese performed at Astorino’s as part of Safe Amp. Steve Louie Photography

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other like-minded people,” she says. Working on a first-come, first-served basis, Safe Amp never has a problem filling the seats. “We have way more interest than we are able to accommodate every month, people are very appreciative in having a place to play and having a place to hang out.” Safe Amp will be celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, and is hosting a birthday bash on April 18. Looking back on the past year, Aubrey says there have been a lot of memorable milestones. “The growing moments have been awesome, just the cultural mix of things.... It’s a chance to try something new. If you’ve got a cool idea we’re really open to possibilities, so just get in touch.” Go to SafeAmp.org for details or to fill out a booking form for your band.

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e’ve all had the experience of wanting to go to shows we weren’t old enough to see, says Kirsten Aubrey, who as a teenager always resented not being allowed into many music venues. She’s making life easier for today’s teens. Aubrey works with Safe Amplification Site Society, Safe Amp for short, a place where people can go, no matter their age, to play or listen to music. Located at Astorino’s at the corner of Venables and Commercial, Safe Amp aims to create a safe, legal space for anyone to enjoy their favourite band. All shows are all-ages and alcohol free. Adopting an all-inclusive attitude, Safe Amp is accessible to everyone. They even cap admission fees to keep the price affordable and reasonable. The not-for-profit group was created a year ago this week after many of the all-ages venues shut down and underage bands and concert goers had fewer places to go to be creative and listen to music. Although currently only at a temporary location, this doesn’t stop the group from pulling off nine shows a month. Many bands are in high school and since Safe Amp doesn’t have an age minimum, it gives young bands a place to safely play their music and create a community, says Aubrey. “People get a chance to use their creativity, they get a chance to play in their band, they get a chance to meet

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April 10 – 16, 2014

eat & drink

Fresh Sheet

Local Food & Drink Happenings by Anya Levykh

SCENE | HEARD Summerhill Pyramid Winery has just released its 2013 Ehrenfesler, the first BC wine made with the use of a nitrogen generator in order to reduce unnecessary sulphite addition during the winemaking process. Summerhill.BC.ca April is Sweet Dreams Dessert Month at all Cactus Club Cafes. One dollar from every dessert sold throughout the month will be donated to Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon. This is the restaurant chain’s 14th year raising funds with this initiative. CactusClubCafe.com Galloway’s Foods is holding a series of food and health presentations, classes and demos at their Burnaby and Richmond store locations throughout April and May. Topics cover live blood analysis, raw food around the world, fermented food and probiotics, and infant health. GallowaysFoods.com

involves lots of fishy fun. Both restaurants are offering different prix fixe menus throughout the month. Mediterranean is offering three courses for $45 and Marinaside is offering four courses for $48. ProvenceVancouver.com In addition to launching a new spring menu, Wild Rice has also launched “Appy Hour” for April. Every Friday and Saturday between 3-5pm, receive 50 per cent off all starters. WildRiceBC.ca April 17 is Malbec World Day, and 55 cities in 44 countries will be celebrating this popular varietal. In BC there will be more than 40 free consumer tastings, including at Marquis Wine Cellars and Everything Wine on April 12, and Legacy Liquor Store on April 17, as well as BCLDB tastings. For full listings, visit MalbecWorldDay.com. Market by Jean-Georges is launching a new Movies at Market series on April 23-24 with the Vancouver premiere of Spinning Plates. Tickets are $78 and includes champagne, popcorn, dinner and the movie. MarketByJGVancouver.com The annual Spring Sessional Cask Festival, presented by the Campaign for Real Ale Society of British Columbia (CAMRA) is back on May 10 from 1-6pm at The Cobalt. Tickets are $30 ($25 for CAMRA members). CamraVancouver.ca

Odd Society Spirits has obtained a lounge licence from the city and is now officially open for cocktail service Thursday through Sunday from 1pm. OddSocietySpirits.com

Chef Angus An of Maenam is hosting Meyer Family Vineyards for a special wine dinner on April 16 at 6:30pm. The familystyle three-course dinner will be paired with Meyer Famiily’s new release Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and is $95 per person. Maenam.ca

The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island has launched its Endeavour Gin just in time for spring. Available at the distillery. TheLibertyDistillery.com

Last week, Central City Brewers + Distillers released 2,000 cases of its annual Imperial IPA for Autism, with $2 from every bottle sold going towards autism research.

DRINK | DINE

Anya Levykh has been writing and talking about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @ foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/Food GirlFriday. FoodGirlFriday.com

Running now through April 30, Provence Restaurants are holding their sixth annual Poisson d’Avril (April’s Fish). Similar to April’s Fools, this tradition in France

FAMILY TRADITIONS EASTER BRUNCH

Synchromesh in the capital

uty called in Victoria Monday night, via a message sent my way from Alan Dickinson, proprietor and winemaker of British Columbia’s Synchromesh Wines. He’d invited me to a winemaker’s dinner he was hosting at Little Jumbo, the stillfresh hotspot owned by Shawn Soole, the Aussie expat who’d made a name for himself in the local cocktail world at Clive’s Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria. by Kurtis Kolt In my few brief encounters with the Okanagan Falls winery, I’d been impressed with not only their tight focus on Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc (three of my favourite Okanagan varieties), but also for Dickinson’s clean and honest winemaking style. He employs minimal winery intervention so his wines can be bright and fresh, singing with local terroir. Accompanied by my friend Treve Ring, a well-known wine writer/consultant in both Victoria and Vancouver circles, I was looking forward to enjoying the wines with Little Jumbo’s casual, small-plate fare — things like duck liver parfait with grilled bread. In its first seven months of being open, Little Jumbo has become the centre of the Victoria’s burgeoning wine scene. It’s become my go-to venue when I host BC Wine Institute seminars in town, and there are monthly VISA (Vancouver Island Sommelier Association) tastings and seminars for Island trade. The crowd Monday night was composed of a who’s who of local wine folk, sommeliers, retail buyers, as well as the Turyk family, proprietors of the Island’s (quite good) Unsworth Vineyards. It was cool to see the clamouring of local industry there to support not only the wine hub that Little Jumbo has become, but also this ultraboutique winery (just 1,200 cases made last year) that’s quite worthy of your attention. Wines are available at prices listed below over at SynchromeshWines.ca, or for a few bucks more at private wine stores around town. Here are my three favourites:

City Cellar

Kurtis Kolt caught up with Synchromesh winemaker Alan Dickinson at Dickinson’s industry dinner in Victoria Monday night. Synchromesh 2013 Storm Haven Riesling | $31.90 This version of Riesling comes from the Synchromesh home vineyard in Okanagan Falls and is a touch more delicate and floral than the Thorny Vines version. Perfumed peaches and honey mingle charmingly with hints of the property’s mineral-rich soil. There are echoes of Germany’s Mosel region in this bottle; that ain’t a bad thing at all. With this one chiming in at 8.2 per cent alcohol, you might have to steer yourself away from drinking it by the pint. Synchromesh 2012 Pinot Noir | $24.90 This cohesive study of East Kelowna Pinot Noir is assembled from three different clones of the grape, fermented separately and kindly licked by a little neutral oak. Red plum, black cherry and purple beets abound. Serve with a hint of a chill and a whole lot of duck. While column space concerns ensure brevity of recommendations, there isn’t anything in the Synchromesh portfolio I’d steer you away from. Do get to know them. Good stuff abounds.

Synchromesh 2013 Thorny Vines Riesling | $18.90 A zippy, lemony testament to Naramata sunshine. The moderating effect of Lake Okanagan keeps the acidity both bright and in check, while the mere 9.2 per cent alcohol makes this quaffable dazzler good for constant top-ups.

Having trouble finding these wines or want to say hi? Drop me a line via KurtisKolt.com.

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eat & drink

The downside to farming downtown

uck! I am literally ducking from the non-organic food scraps that might get thrown at me by the people about to read this week’s column. (Since they’re non-organic scraps, it wouldn’t be a waste, right?) Wow. Are we really opening up a can of worms in an “urban farming” issue? Figuratively, yes. I’d better start by saying I am not against urban agriculture but I do like to play devil’s advocate, think critically, and encourage discussion. There’s no discussion when by Mijune Pak we all agree. Agree? There are many reasons why urban farming is great: it educates people about food, it brings the community together, it’s healthful, economical, environmentally friendly, and a good use of ‘unwanted’ space. But is it really? I wrote about my issues with the “eat local” movement, and while urban farming makes it easier to participate, it may not be the most economical, healthy or even realistic. The promotion of urban agriculture has resulted in more community gardens and job opportunities, but at the expense of taxpayer dollars. They don’t necessarily make money, but they save money since growing food is more economical than buying it. On that note it kind of contradicts the whole “buy local” movement and the need to support our local farmers. And is it more environmentally friendly to drive around cities visiting each artisan for meat, cheese, and jam, or buy it all under one roof? Luckily we have excellent farmers’ markets, which we all bike or walk to, right? I’m not a locavore or capitalist, just stirring the pot of compost. Reserving ‘unwanted land’ (hard to think any even exists in Vancouver) for growing produce isn’t a bad thing, but maximizing valuable space needs to be considered.

Follow Me Foodie

Vertical farming or rooftop farming are two suggested urban-farming methods, but the upkeep cost of a vertical farm is outstanding — think of implementing a hydroponic system to start. As for a rooftop garden, it also requires a pricey drainage system and it’s small scale, but so are the standard community gardens now. The community gardens in downtown Vancouver are a solid reminder of why eating “real food” is important, but the pollution in densely populated areas inevitably affects the soil and water. So while growing food is rewarding, farming safety should be priority. For example, I wouldn’t recommend eating mushrooms cultivated in urban areas since they are extremely porous and absorb all the nutrients and contaminants in their natural environment. Same goes for raspberries as well as a lot of fruits and vegetables. The farm-to-table movement and urban farming go hand in hand but the truth is it’s impossible to feed all of BC locally. That’s why I don’t always give restaurants crap for buying fruits from California, unless they market themselves as an “eat local” restaurant. The amount of food required to feed the population is more than the amount of available public land we have for farming, let alone urban farming. In an ideal world it would work in harmony, but until then it’s a fantasy… or more optimistically, a work in progress. I’ve barely scratched the surface of a mother topic, but I’ve probably planted some controversial seeds.

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ENTER TO WIN CONTESTS

OF THE WEEK LISTEN TO THE SQUAWKING CHICKEN

Enter to win a copy of Elaine Lui’s book, “Listen to the Squawking Chicken”

THE BOOK OF KALE & FRIENDS Enter to win a copy of “The Book of Kale & Friends,” by Sharon Hanna & Carol Pope

DEATH DO US PART

Win a copy of Death Do Us Part, a movie starring Julia and Peter Benson about a Jack and Jill party that goes horrifically wrong.

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Catch a White Spot tradition. Halibut is back on the menu at White Spot! Sourced from Pacific waters, our crispy tempura battered halibut is served with creamy coleslaw and ‘endless’ signature fries cut from fresh BC Kennebec potatoes. It’s a tradition worth catching. On now for a limited time.

and tasty traditions

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Valid after 11am at participating White Spot Restaurants until April 13, 2014. Not to be combined with any other promotional offer. Plus taxes.

GRANVILLE & DRAKE 718 Drake Street 604-605-0045

GEORGIA & CARDERO 1616 West Georgia Street 604-681-8034

CAMBIE & 13TH 2850 Cambie Street 604-873-1252

BROADWAY & LARCH 2518 West Broadway 604-731-2434

OAKRIDGE CENTRE 41st & Cambie 604-261-2820

April 10 – 16, 2014

eat & drink

Cinara takes menu beyond borders The Dish

Chef/owner Lucais Syme of La Pentola takes diners on a trip to Europe with his new endeavour, Cinara. Rob Newell photo

by Anya Levykh

n ancient Roman legends, there is the story of a young goddess who fell out of favour with the other gods and was cast out and turned into a thistle — prickly on the outside and soft on the inside. Thistles, in case you didn’t know, are from the same family as artichokes. The young goddess’s name was Cinara. When chef/owner Lucais Syme of La Pentola and business partner Gill Book decided to open a second restaurant, they chose to move away from the classical Italian ethos of their first operation. “We wanted to branch out of the mold and cook what was most interesting to us,” explains Syme. “We wanted to be free to use whatever ingredients were fresh and

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good at any given time… just because it’s awesome.” Syme’s wife Jill read the story of Cinara in a book on ancient Roman cookery, and the name seemed like a good fit for something that was meant to be beyond the border of any one country. Outstanding starters such as the peas and carrots over honey-spiced ricotta are simple, elegant and fully adult dishes that owe nothing to greasy spoon trends, but do speak to modern European dining habits and ingenuity. The ricotta is sourced from a farm just outside Kelowna that raises hormone-free organic cows that graze freely in the surrounding pastures. The cheese gets made every Wednesday and is in Syme’s hands every Friday. Peas are still coming from hothouses at the moment, but the growing season is just around the corner, and Syme promises the dish will stay on the menu as long the green baubles are in season. This doesn’t mean everything will be as long-lasting. Depending on what’s delivered daily from Syme’s army of suppliers, garnishes, salads, sauces, whole dishes will be changing on a daily/weekly basis, so best to take the online menu as more of a guide, rather than a bible. Rabbit terrine will stay on longer, due to the consistency of the supply, and it’s another winner. Wrapped in prosciutto and served with mustard, pickles, toast and mixed greens, it’s a meaty, hearty starter that has incredible texture and a mild, sweet flavour. Roasted branzino (European seabass) or duck breast with fermented crepe feel more Alsatian in flavour, while

By Kenzie Colbourne

W 1215 Davie St • 604-569-1215 scan me

April 10 – 16, 2014

All ratings out of five stars. Food: ★★★★1/2 Service: ★★★★★ Ambiance: ★★★★ Overall: ★★★★1/2 Open for breakfast daily 7am-10pm and dinner TuesdaySaturday 5-10pm. Cinara | 350 W. Pender | 604-428-9694 | Cinara.ca Anya Levykh has been writing about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/FoodGirlFriday. FoodGirlFriday.com

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pan-fried chicken livers with salad hint at German or more eastern roots. The wine list is equally dynamic, thanks to sommelier Terry Threlfall’s consulting work. The list will rotate with the seasons and has a small but solid list of by-the-glass options, as well as several dozen reasonably priced bottles. Service is stand-out thanks to GM Alison Shaw and servers like the über-knowledgeable and extremely pleasant Meghan Marshall. And in a room like this, with its bright windows, antique yet comfy chairs, and retro dishware, it all makes for a very pleasant dance indeed.

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ith recipes rich in flavour — and even richer in nutrients — The Book of Kale & Friends is chalk full of creative ideas for every occasion. Wintery soups, crisp salads and hearty dishes anchor the book, along with dressings, desserts and delectable cocktails. Authors Sharon Hanna and Carol Pope wrote the book as a follow up to Hanna’s Book of Kale, with a focus on kale and 13 other garden-friendly “superfoods.” Although kale is the main focus of the book, it’s Pope’s job to explain in detail how to plant and grow it and other healthy foods such as arugula, mint, garlic and sage, to name a few. Many recipes are gluten free, vegan or

vegetarian, but there are also some flavourful concoctions for the meat eater, too. Each recipe is packed full with healthy vegetables, fruits or herbs, complimented by creative kicks to inspire the taste buds and fill your belly. An easy-to-read and easy-to-do cookbook, The Book of Kale & Friends has more than 130 recipes to encourage healthy eating and enable you to grow what you eat. Cost effective and good for the environment, these kale crazy ladies have created the ultimate book for the ultimate eater. You can enter to win a copy of the book on WEVancouver.com/contests

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renewal. Century Group announced April 1 that it plans to build the first new office building in Gastown in decades, one that will keep and restore a historic facade in front of a new structure. The Delta-based developer is not relying on any city incentives for its 39,500-squarefoot project, which includes four floors of office space and two retail units on the ground floor, said Colliers International associate vice-president Stephen Moscovich. “That’s probably smarter than to rely on city incentives,” said Salient Group president Robert Fung, who has extensive experience rehabilitating Gastown buildings and restoring facades. Fung said that he feels betrayed by the city for not allowing him to sell bonus density that he accumulated on a handful of projects that have helped rehabilitate the neighbourhood, which was a rundown, largely vacant and crime-ridden no-go zone. Bonus density is square footage and can be sold to other developers allows them to develop buildings that are taller or bigger than the city would otherwise authorize. Fung’s many projects were built and financed on the understanding that the city would provide him with bonus density to recoup costs associated with restoring 100-plusyear-old buildings to a level considered new for insurance purposes. In 2007, the city slapped a moratorium on granting new bonus density for heritage upgrades not yet in the planning process. That left developers such as Fung, Reliance Properties CEO Jon Stovell and Westbank CEO Ian Gillespie with a total of about 1.2 million square feet of density, said Brian Jackson, the city’s general manager of planning. Because the city granted Fung more than 200,000 square feet of bonus density and has been slow to allow him to monetize it, Fung has had to finance carrying costs on debt that he would otherwise have been able to pay. “City incentives have been hollow,” Fung

Colliers International associate VP Stephen Moscovich predicts there will be strong demand for a new Gastown office building. Dominic Schaefer photo said. “It hasn’t been an incentive that’s been honoured in a way consistent with the intent of the program.” What’s worse for Fung is that he believes that the city is now acting to devalue his density’s unrealized value. The city originally capped the value of Fung’s density at $65 per square foot, and Fung’s understanding was that the city would encourage future developers to pay Fung that amount for density as part of their projects’ community amenity contributions (CAC). Instead, he said the city has told many developers to pay for daycare spaces, affordable housing and other amenities as their CAC. The city has now committed to buying and cancelling $4.8 million worth of bonus density in a Dutch auction whereby developers compete against each other to sell their density. In a Dutch auction, the lowest bid wins. Fung would have preferred that the city simply pay what was previously expected to be $65 per square foot. Bids had to be received by April 1, and auction winners will likely be known in June. Jackson said the auction will reduce the amount of available bonus density, which will increase its value. He added that the city will also “potentially” allow any developer of a commercial CD-1-zoned site across the city to bid to buy the density as part of a CAC. Previously, only developers of CD-1 sites in the West End, downtown and Broadway corridor were allowed to buy density as a CAC.

Unrivaled splendor. Vancouver’s premiere waterfront residences combining two suites and conceived over 2 years of design & construction • 270 degree views flr-ceiling views of marinas, False Crk, Granville Island & cityscapes • House size 3255 sqft complimented by a 360 degree elliptical flrplan centered around a glass wine room, 4 bdrms, 4 bathrms, 5 parking & 2 storage lckrs • Featuring: 12 piece Miele & Thermador S/S appliances, Capolavaro granite, Zebrano bookmatched cabinetry, 2 home theatre systems, surround audio thruout, marble & onyx flooring thruout, T5 wired, video security system, Lutron one touch light & shades control, all rooms are a unique design & statement, Swarovski chandeliers, 6 piece master bath with 273 spray & steam shower, air jet tub, his/hers sinks; W/I closet, a ‘pink mosaic Bisazza’ bathroom, family room, great room, formal & informal dining areas, formal living room, dual entry, two balconies, two gas f/p, nanny quarters & much more • Simply spectacular!

2807-198 AQUARIUS MEWS – AQUARIUS II: $1,189,000 false creek north I yaletown I coal harbour

GROUP WEST COAST REALTY

RARELY ON THE MARKET – High above the horizon, SW corner with gorgeous unobstructed False Creek & Marina views as far as you can see • Views from every room with westerly David Lam & False Creek views too • Sprawling 1264 sqft, 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, large den for an oﬃce, breakfast nook, S/S appliances with gas stove, luxury hardwood floors throughout, floor to ceiling windows to maximize views, sleek rollerblinds, generous bedrooms, master fits king size bed, 5 piece master ensuite bathroom with separate shower, gas fireplace, beautiful open modern floorplan, covered balcony for bbq’ing all year round • 1 parking & 1 large storage locker (bonus) • Resort Amenities: I/D pool, hot tub, sauna, theatre, gym, 24/7 concierge, Lagoon gardens/clubhouse & more • The sky above & everything at your doorstep: Urban Fare, Canada Line to YVR, Roundhouse Community Center, Aquabus, marina, shops & restaurants.

FER G OF DIN N E P

false creek north I yaletown I coal harbour I downtown 2868 SPRUCE ST – CRAFTSMAN STYLE 2103-1438 RICHARDS STREET

CURRENT RATES

5 Year Fixed 5 Year Variable

(Prime less 0.65%)

Rates subject to change without notice. O.A.C.

Contact me for all your purchase, refinance and renewal options. Other rates and terms available.

CALL 604-805-5888

maureen@maureenyoung.ca | maureenyoung.ca Dominion Lending – Downtown Financial An Independently Owned & Operated Corporation

WEVancouver.com

LTI

Exquisite new modern renovations with vintage restoration –MUST SEE. Call for more information. GROUP WEST COAST REALTY

LTI

A collection of 5 gorgeous boutique townhomes in the heart of Fairview – 3 storey 1574 sqft modern luxury complete with 3 supersize bdrms, 2.5 baths, 2 outdoor decks, 2 parking & storage • Eric Hamber Secondary, Carr Elementary & L’Ecole Bilingue Catchment • Steps to VGH/UBC Medical district, Granville/Cambie Village, mins. to Downtown & Canada Line • 9’ ceilings, oak hardwood flrs, open gourmet kitchen, S/S appls., granite counters, gas f/p, separate dining • Quiet SE corner – plenty of natural light, huge main flr deck for bbqs • Exclusive master suite on 2nd level w/ walk-in closet, oﬃce nook, private deck & ensuite bath w/ Nuheat flrs • Top floor has two supersized bdrms & 4pc. bath • Perfect for families of all sizes/ages! • Show suite quality.

Beautiful floorplan N, E & S corner 1079sf 2 bdrm + 2bath + real den • Across the street from Elsie Roy Elementary, seawall, David Lam Park, Roundhouse Comm. Centre, Urban Fare, Canada Line & Yaletown • Generous rooms, master fits king bed, granite counters, window in kitchen, marble in bathrooms, H/W flrs & new carpet in bdrms, views of False Creek, city & courtyard, Iarge insuite storage, excellent for entertaining w/ spacious living/dining, den w/ windows. Solid building, best managed in Yaletown w/ onsite Mgr. I/D pool, hot tub, gym, bike room.

ATTENTION AZURA II 1495 RICHARDS:

1603-189 DAVIE STREET

UPCOMING:

Gorgeous completely renovated 2 storey character home w/ basement 1 bedroom mortgage helper – EAST SIDE.

T J U S L D! SO

RECENT SALES AQUARIUS III: $608,000

503-1018 CAMBIE STREET

YALETOWN LTD EDITION: $419,000

I have buyers for ‘05’ units. Please contact me if you are looking to sell an ‘05’ unit in this building.

1209-195 WEST 2ND AVENUE RESIDENCES AT WEST

202-1190 WEST 6TH AVENUE ALDER CROSSING

3103-1438 RICHARDS STREET AZURA I

124 E. CORDOVA STREET LEASED

802-1455 HOWE STREET POMARIA: $509,000

Not intended to solicit for properties currently listed for sale or individuals currently under contract with a brokerage.

611-1500 HORNBY STREET 888 BEACH TOWERS: $438,000

false creek north | yaletown | coal harbour | vancouver

Certified Senior Agent & Luxury Marketing Specialist

Senior Mortgage Advisor

2.59% 2.99% 2.35%

T JUS D – FERS! L SO PLE OF

—Story courtesy of Business in Vancouver

MAUREEN YOUNG

3 Year Fixed

Spectacular 180 degree views of unobstructed water, park & as far as you can see in a luxury waterfront Masterplanned community • Steps to the seawall, million $ parks, Granville Island aquabus, seaside restaurants & marinas • SW Corner 1138 sqft 2bdrm+2bath+real den • Features hardwood flrs throughout, S/S appliances, gas stove, granite countertops, flrceiling windows, lots of natural light and views from every room! • TWO PARKING STALLS & storage locker • Mint condition and show suite quality • Resort amenities: Club Viva pool, hottub, concierge, squash courts, theatre, gym, guest suite & more.

T JUS D – FERS! L OF O S PLE

9E-139 DRAKE ST. CONCORDIA II: $659,000

MODERN TOWNHOME: $949,000

AZURA I: $969,000

A Sophisticated Approach to Lifestyle Attainment. Professional Advisement and Marketing of Fine Vancouver Properties. WEST END

CURRENT LISTINGS:

NEW LISTING! WEST END

FIRST OPENS THURS 5:30-7PM FRI 10AM-12PM, SAT & SUN 2-4PM

OFFER PENDING!

OPEN SAT & SUN 2-4PM

704-1250 Burnaby Street, $238,000, “The Horizon” • Sub Penthouse 839sq.ft. 1 Bed • High-End Principal Residence (Could be 2 Bed) Designer Reno! • Concrete 6-Storey Boutique Strata • NW Facing with Huge 138sf Deck • 430sq.ft. Studio Leasehold • Best Leasehold Bldg in • Quiet,Tree-Lined Street in Davie Village West End • Pets and Rentals Allowed • Investor Alert! Short-Term • Exercise Room, Saunas, Large Rentals Allowed! Storage Locker • Sold With or Without • In-Suite Laundry Hookups, Best Furniture Parking Stall • Clean, Move-in Ready or Reno. • Call For More Details 504-1133 Harwood Street, $448,000, “Harwood Manor”

Welcome Home!

Crest Westside Ltd.

Prepare to be MOVED™.

MOUNT PLEASANT

NEW LISTING! DOWNTOWN/ WEST END

OPEN SAT & SUN 2-4PM

703-288 East 8th Avenue, $348,800, “Metrovista”

• Upper S/W View 1 Bed & Den • Landmark Boutique Concrete in Heart of SOMA! • Great Floorplan and Fresh Enviro Paint! • Doggies, Pets & Rentals OK! • Right Across From Mount Pleasant Community CEntre • Solid Building, 1 Parking, 1 Storage, Gym & Workshop! • Welcome Home

WEST END

NEW PRICE!

SHAUGHNESSY

NEW PRICE!

JUST SOLD!

OPEN SAT & SUN 2-4PM

BY APPOINTMENT

PH06-1238 Burrard Street, $488,000 “The Altadena” • North West Corner 710sq.ft. 1 Bed Penthouse • Solid 10 Years Young Concrete Boutique 12 Storey • 2 Huge Decks (250sq.ft. total) • Best Davie Village Location • 2 Dogs & 2 Cats Allowed! Rentals Allowed • Call For More Details.

301-1250 Burnaby Street, $228,000 “ The Horizon” • Gorgeous Reno’d Jr. 1 Bdrm • Best Leasehold Building in West End • Designer Finishings • Investor Alert! Short-Term Rentals Allowed! • Sold Fully Furnished or Empty • Vacant - Immediate Possession Available! • Call For More Details

4489 Oak Street – South Facing 120’ Laneway BUILDING LOT, $1,598,000 • Shaugnessy “2” Building Lot • 120’ South-Facing Frontage • 4500sq.ft. Home and 900sq.ft. Laneway House • Rented 4 Bed, 2 Bath Bungalow Currently • Best Schools and Amenities in Catchment • Call For More Details

Call Us Today for a Confidential Needs Assessment and Market Analysis

604-787-5568

www.MichaelDowling.ca April 10 – 16, 2014

real estate

DEXTER ASSOCIATES REALTY 604-689-8226 604-263-1144

Kevin Skipworth Managing Broker

Layla Bamford

Erik Carlson

Christopher Dohm

www.dexterrealty.com

Sandi Fratino

Gaetan Kill

Bob Moore

Kris Pope

Francoise Robertson

Mike Rooney

Sheila Sontz

Gurdeep Stephens

Larry Traverence

Esther Twerdochlib

Barb Vogel

Michael Webster

Andrea Williams

Laurel Wood

Reid Dewson Ed Gramauskas 604-618-9727 604-263-1144 www.loftsvancouver.com

Su-Marie Baird 604-263-1144

$595,000 309 – 680 W.7TH AVE.

104 – 1010 CHILCO ST

NEW LISTING

OPEN SAT 2 - 4PM

LOCATION, LOCATION!! West of Denman garden level suite with a private entrance, your pooch will love it. Well laid out 1,048 sq.ft. 2 bdrm, 2 bath with some updating, waiting for your personal touch. Includes gas f/p, laundry, parking & storage in this well-managed bldg. Pets & rentals welcome. 1 blk to Stanley Park & 2 blks to English Bay.

205 – 2630 ARBUTUS ST

211 – 22 E. CORDOVA ST.

OPEN SAT 2 - 4PM

$274,900

2910 – 928 BEATTY ST.

Candice Elliott 604-263-1144 info@candiceelliott.com www.candiceelliott.com

102 – 1655 NELSON ST

Bob Moore 604-506-8965 www.robertmoore.ca

$315,000

OPEN SUN 1:00 - 2:30PM Fantastic opportunity to live or invest in a spacious 1 bedroom city home. Quiet south-facing garden suite with many upgrades. Situated in a well-maintained building w/ a proactive strata. Recent building upgrades include a new roof (2013), piping (2008), hot water tanks, elevator, common area upgrades & money for a new boiler. 1 parking and 1 storage locker included. Rentals and pets allowed! All this in the heart of the West End, just steps to the seawall, English Bay, shopping and all the great amenities downtown has to offer. www. candiceelliott.com

$485,000

PERFECT PACKAGE! I’ve got it all. Choice views, excellent floor plan, like new or better condition. 660 sq.ft., one bedroom & den. Just looking for the perfect owner!

loftsvancouver.com

Check out our website, www.dexterrealty.com for current market condition updates.

Cosmo. One Bedroom and Den with city and Mountain views. Rentals allowed.

RENOVATED STUDIO LOFT. VAN HORNE. Renovated studio loft with hardwood floors, granite countertops and new fridge & stove.

OPEN SUN 2 - 4PM

Bright, immaculate 1 bedroom with 2 dens in the Arbutus Walk neighbourhood. Larger den could be a child’s bedroom, the smaller den could be an office, nursery or storage. Plus: gas fireplace, laundry, granite counters and eating area, laminate floors and parking. Pets & rentals welcome.

$399,000

LIBERTE P/H APARTMENT. Fully renovated Penthouse apartment 1 Bed and den, great city views. F/P, 2 parking and storage.

$425,000

NEW PRICE

$534,900 1909–161 WEST GEORGIA ST

Commercial Real Estate Needs? Dexter Associates Realty’s

commercial team will answer all of your questions and will help with all your commercial needs. Whether you need office space, somewhere to set up your business or retail store, or are looking to buy an investment property we can help you. Call us at 604-689-8226 today.

Details & Photos of all lofts for sale in Vancouver -4 2

T Ed Gramauskas & Reid Dewson Cell: 604-618-9727 SA EN OP

STEPHEN BURKE

SHAUGNESSY STYLE AS NEW & BAY VIEW

SUTTON GROUP - WEST COAST REALTY 301-1508 W BROADWAY

604-714-1700

www.stephenburke.com ALVAR

604-551-4190 VIEW VIEW VIEW! SOUTH GRANVILLE W NE

YVR GETAWAY

G TIN LIS

• • • • •

Pristine 1 bedroom + den 721 sq ft Teak floors, stainless steel gas kitch Bright with windows in 3 directions 9’ ceilings, Air-con, 1 park, 1 storage Across fromAquatic Cntre, Sunset Beach

1005 BEACH 14

• • • • •

Eng Bay, City & mountain views Sub penthouse level 1 BR 632 sf Fab loc in trendy South Granville Great balc for BBQ & martinis Avail immediately. No pet or rental

$518,800 1633 W 8TH

April 10 – 16, 2014

• • • • •

ED AT OV N RE

As new 1 BR 670 sf + 95 sf patio Lrg outdoor fenced patio for fido, BBQ Stainless steel & granite kitchen All New bath vanity, fresh paint, crown 1 parking, storage too. On Bike route

$419,800 1790 W 10TH

• • • • • • • • Close to Beach & Park–Parkwood Manor • Completely reno’d, stainless steel kitch • Bathroom upgrade, HW floors, wall bed • Plantation shutters, huge walk-in closet • No pets/rentals. 1 INDOOR PARK, storage •

W NE

Like a private home on Beach Crescent Concrete construction, 1 common wall 2300 sq.ft. indoor space +700 sq.ft. outdoor Private front courtyard, balconies off BR’s Huge terrace off Den or Master Bedroom 3 bedroom (or 2+den plan) 3 1/2 bathrooms X hall plan main, bring the baby grand! Entertainers’ DR for up to 10 people Granite & stainless steel gas kitchen w/bar Custom designed Butler’s pantry off kitchen King MBR, 3 ensuite bath + main powder room SW exp. at entrance to Beach Cres neighbourhood Concierge, health club, pool, 2 SxS parking, Pet ok

1975 PENDRELL $259,900 595 BEACH L SO

$309,900 1517 BARCLAY $549,900

G TIN LIS

W NE

• • • • • •

1023 sf 2 BR 2 Bath 2 SxS Parking 1 storage Completely retrofitted Crystallis, warranty New roof, rainscreen, new windows, common areas Gorgeous English Bay sunset view Renovated baths, new stainless steel kitchen 190 sq. ft. corner deck, 2 small pets ok

$1,998,000 1020 HARWOOD $769,900

GREAT W.E. 2 BR BUY

G TIN LIS

• Renovated 2 BR central West End • 130 sf private concrete patio for BBQ

2-4 AT S EN OP

1-3 • Pet friendly garden level, 3 mins to dog park UN • New kitchen, updated bath. Eng HW floors S & • Real wood burning FP, 13’x15’ LR, sep DR • 1 parking 1 storage. Great strata council

1234 PENDRELL

$434,900

WEVancouver.com

real estate

Rob Joyce & Sales Associate Roger Ross

West End Specialists Nobody knows the West End better! MLS Diamond Master Medallion Award 2013

Sales Associate Roger Ross

West End Specialist Rob Joyce

1879 Barclay #201 Coming this week West of Denman bright heritage 650 sf 1 bdrm suite with gleaming hardwood floors. $298,000.

1665 Nelson #210 Just off Denman Large 687 sf renovated post & beam construction quiet suite. Laundry room & more. $318,000.

D L LD O O S S

1330 Harwood #2004 Unobstructed views to city, mountains & water at Westsea Towers. Beautiful renovations. 620 sf. $335,000.

1720 Barclay #305 English Bay Just off Denman St. An absolute gem on English Bay with first class upgrades. $229,900.

View! View! View! English Bay

Rarely available PANORAMIC OCEAN VIEW studio + large open sunny South facing balcony at Westsea Towers, perched directly over Sunset Beach & the seawall. Jaw-dropping sweeping water views to False Creek, English Bay & Gulf Islands. Building has rooftop deck & outdoor pool. $258,000.

1625 Hornby #1403 English Bay Listed & Sold by Rob Joyce. Stunning views to False Creek & the marina. SW corner. $639,900.

WEST COAST

604.623.5433

www.robjoyce.ca

104-1010 Chilco St, 2 bdrm, $595,000, Sat 2-4

WEST END

WEVancouver.com

GASTOWN 13

211-22 E. Cordova St, Studio loft, $274,900, Sat 2-4

MOUNT PLEASANT 703-288 E. 8th Ave, 1 bdrm+den, $348,800, Sat/Sun 2-4

ARBUTUS 13

205-2630 Arbutus St, 1 bdrm, $425,000, Sun 2-4

1720 Barclay #103 Listed & Sold by Rob Joyce. Best priced updated two bedroom in the West End. High quality bldg. $299,900.

robjoyce@telus.net CARNEY’S CORNER

Real Estate Opens 504-1133 Harwood, 1 bdrm, $448,000, first opens Thurs 5:30-7, Fri 10-12, Sat/Sun 2-4 102-1655 Nelson St, 1 bdrm, $315,000, Sun 1-2:30 1234 Pendrell, 2 bdrm, $434,900, Sat 2-4, Sun 1-3 704-1250 Burnaby St, Studio, $238,000 Sat/Sun 2-4 301-1250 Burnaby St, Jr. 1 bdrm, $228,000, Sat/Sun 2-4

LDD SO L

Water view studio 1330 Harwood #1206 View! View! View!

g ng asskkiin r a e r oovve

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! Cherry blossom festival in full swing! You will enjoy the gorgeous trees & the sounds of singing birds outside your windows of this spacious two bedroom corner home. Covering half the front section of the second level of this well built, lovingly maintained coop, this two bedroom apartment is larger than most bungalows, offering space for lavish entertaining, oversize furnishings & display of all your treasures. A rare find West of Denman, steps to Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, Lost Lagoon & English Bay seawall! $479,000 SPRING ON A ROLL! The market is vibrant this spring, many properties sold and many buyers awaiting new listings to spend their newly acquired 3% interest rates. If you have been considering a move now could be a great time. We have buyers waiting for YOUR property! Don’t delay; contact us today!

WEN

West End Neighbours

Important updates, please see website. If you are not receiving your newsletter please email or check in to website: www.westendneighbours.ca

TALK TO LIZ CARNEY 604 685-5951/603-3095

liz.carney@century21.ca • www.vancouvercondo.com Century 21 In Town Realty • 421 Pacific • 1030 Denman

In Town Realty

April 3 – April 9, 2014

film & tv Reel People: Shorts Arctic Air is selling off its massive inventory of props and costumes. The inventory sale from the recently cancelled CBC series will take place this Saturday and Sunday at County Line Elementary School in Aldergrove. Items up for grabs include vintage clothing, leather jackets, aviation items, camping and fishing gear, parkas, and Arctic Air memorabilia. 11am-5pm on April 12; 9am-5 pm on April 13. Cash only; items are priced to sell, so expect pennies on the dollar. DOXA unveiled the line-up for its upcoming DOXA Documentary Film Festival at a press event on April 2. The festival runs May 2-11 at venues around the city and features more than 90 films from around the world, including To Be Takei (about Star Trek alum and social media sensation George Takei) and A Brony Tale, in which Vancouver-based My Little Pony voice ac-

tress Ashleigh Ball seeks to understand the adult male fans of her show. DoxaFestival. com.

Costner comeback continues

Vancouver web series won big at LAWEBFEST in California last month. Local winners include Aeternus (cinematography and directing); Convos with my 2-yearold (series premise); Fools For Hire (guest actor and cinematography); Les Pevetistes (lead actor); Polaris (writing and cinematography); Standard Action (cinematography, sound design, score and directing); The True Heroines (cinematography, series and directing); and Under the Hud (special/ visual effects, theme song and directing). LAWEBFEST is the first and largest web series festival on the planet.

DRAFT DAY

The SyFy Network has ordered 13 episodes of mythological drama series Olympus from Vancouver’s Thunderbird Films. Production will take place in Vancouver and London. The series is set to premiere in 2015.

Sherree Mitchell & Frank Zomar Born and raised in Vancouver – let our local knowledge move you. Sherree Mitchell 604.240.0762 Frank Zomar 604.377.5728

SELECT PROPERTIES

tom davis P E R S O N A L R E A L E S TAT E C O R P O R AT I O N

5487 West Boulevard, Vancouver

604.787.1456 tom@tomdavishomes.ca www.tomdavishomes.ca

LAGUNA PARKSIDE 1801-1925 Alberni Street Floor Plan 1,582 sq ft Offered at $2,498,000

Oculus offers fresh look at familiar horror tropes OCULUS

Starring Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites Directed by Mike Flanagan Odds are there’s been some point in your life when you’ve honestly believed that your mirror had it in for you. Director Mike Flanagan takes a looking glass’ capacity for cruelty and conflates it to supernatural levels, rendering an inanimate object unexpectedly menacing and crafting an extremely clever horror film in the process. Fresh off a 10-year stint in a mental institution, Tim (Brenton Thwaites) is convinced by his sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan) to help destroy the cursed mirror responsible for his sectioning and their parents’ grim fates. She’s established precautions and fail-safes, all of which prove hopelessly overmatched by the dark forces that inhabit the antique wall hanging and display a funhouse’s flair for distorting reality; persistently tricking Tim and Kaylie into harming themselves and one another. Interweaving the siblings’ tragic past

with their perilous present while incorporating phantasmagoric elements, Oculus keeps a viewer more off-balance than most of its contemporary horror brethren. It’s also granted sufficient emotional weight by its lead characters’ solemn childhood vow of retribution. Seeking out sinister adversaries rather than fleeing them, Gillan is a notably proactive heroine. Furthermore, she joins the film in scoffing at rational explanations (regarding exactly how a mirror embarked on a centuries-long killing spree) and simply gets on with the grisly business at hand. And while it boasts sporadic instances of gore, Flanagan’s film largely subsists on the suspense derived from an inability to separate reality from illusion. There’s no denying that many horror fans have seen this all before. However, he finds intriguing new angles from which to approach these familiar tropes, making the hoary appear horrific once again. Brenton Thwaites — Curtis Woloschuk

Clunky script derails action

Open plan living/dining area features gas fireplace & 2 large balconies. Ocean and mountain view master with spa-like 5pc ensuite featuring steam shower & soaker tub.

Recognizing that he was going to have an awfully hard time topping the unrelenting martial arts mayhem of The Raid: Redemption, Gareth Evans changes tack for this follow-up. Whereas the original promised — and delivered with a vengeance — “one minute of romance, 99 minutes of non-stop carnage,” this installment keeps the incredibly high carnage quotient but grafts on roughly 45 minutes of storyline. Rejoining the resilient cop Rama (Iko Uwais) right after he’s fought his way through a Jakarta apartment block of gangsters in a matter of hours, the sequel charts the subsequent years he spends infiltrating the ranks of the city’s organized crime syndicates. Befriending the entitled heir to an underworld empire (Arifin Putra) while undercover in prison (a setting conducive

www.tomdavishomes.ca/309 for pics and floor plan

AORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE

rthshore. Royal 2407LePage Marine Northshore. Drive, West2407 Vancouver, Marine BC Drive, V7V West 1L3. Vancouver, This communication BC V7V 1L3. is not Thisintended communication to cause is ornot induce intended a breach to cause of anor existing induceagency a breach agreement. of an existing agency agreement.

April 10 – 16, 2014

years to come and save football in Cleveland. So, Sonny decides to go with his gut and trade for the number one draft pick. The movie begins with some awkward exposition that sets the stage in a clunky manner; it may not be elegant writing but it cuts to the chase well. Things recover soon afterwards as Draft Day manages to weave a rather compelling yarn that examines an area of professional sport Thor seldom explored on film. Diakow The script may get bogged down by some familiar tropes at times and the dramatic music swells a bit too much but a committed cast, including Denis Leary, Chadwick Boseman and Frank Langella, fill their roles effectively. Draft Day contains few surprises but showcases Costner’s talent with enough ‘working man’ charm to pay off.

Spectacular unobstructed 180° wraparound VIEWS from English Bay, North Shore Mountains to Stanley Park, Yacht Club and Marina. Gourmet island kitchen, granite counters and built-in Thermador stainless appliance package.

Quality concrete building, 24hr concierge, hot tub, indoor pool & billiard lounge. Walk out the front door to Stanley Park trails, West End Shops & Public Transit. 2 secure underground parking stalls. Enjoy Coal Harbour prestige with the serenity of a West End location.

Starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner Directed by Ivan Reitman You won’t find any last minute Hail Mary passes deep into the end zone to win the game or rousing locker room speeches from an embattled coach in Ivan Reitman’s new comedy drama. Instead, Draft Day is a glimpse inside the seemingly less exciting but perhaps equally fascinating world of the National Football League’s annual player draft. Kevin Costner, in the midst of an enjoyable comeback of sorts, plays Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver. Things are a bit stressful for the GM — his father recently passed away, his girlfriend and team salary cap manager (Jennifer Garner) is pregnant and he wakes up with 12 hours to make a blockbuster deal to ensure the success of his team for

THE RAID 2

Starring Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Alex Abbad Directed by Gareth Evans

to a couple of epic battles royal), he becomes entangled in the machinations of a power-hungry schemer (Alex Abbad) once released. While Evans’ sublime fight choreography once again brings a balletic grandeur to brutal showdowns, his ambitions to step out of his skull-crushing, spine-snapping comfort zone reveal that he’s a rather crude storyteller. Ultimately, the majority of the dramatic scenes only generate tension due to the audience’s understandable impatience for the next set piece to be ushered in. Having backed his way into a corner with his pedestrian scripting, it’s only fitting that Edwards opts to fight his way out. Consequently, this Raid earns its redemption by way of a final hour that’s a breathless sequence of elaborate melees executed with considerable brio. At this stage, it seems that Edwards’ only worthy adversaries in the realms of action filmmaking are his own limitations. — Curtis Woloschuk

WEVancouver.com

film & tv

Genre-hopping daddy Horror films prepared actor Jesse Moss for fatherhood By Sabrina Furminger

esse Moss isn’t the first actor to say that horror movies are fun to make, but he might be among the first to describe them as training grounds for parenthood. “With horror movies, you’re shooting all night and your sleep patterns become irregular,” said Moss, a father to a three-month-old boy. “Being up all night with my son isn’t that much of a change.” The Vancouver-based Moss, 30, stars as obnoxious hipster Seth in Extraterrestrial, a new horror flick from local writer/director duo the Vicious Brothers that will have its world preVancouver actor Jesse Moss miere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18. stars in horror flick Extrater“[Seth]’s the most obnoxious character I’ve restrial, premiering this month ever played,” said Moss. “He goes a bit psycho, at the Tribeca Film Festival. which is a lot of fun to play.” In Extraterrestrial, a group of kids head into the woods to search for the wreckage from a fireball they saw fall from the sky. No spoilers, but given that this is a sci-fi horror flick, it’s safe to say that terror of an alien variety ensues. It’s a busy time for Moss, who in 2007 won a Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series Leo Award for his work on Whistler. This summer, he’ll be seen on the big screen in the comedy/horror flick Wolfcop, as well as on CTV’s Motive and Hallmark’s Cedar Cove.

Real life husband and wife Peter and Julia Benson wrote and co-star in the Leonominated Death Do Us Part, which comes to DVD April 15.

Horror-ific love

Julia and Peter Benson open up about writing and costarring in Death Do Us Part

Reel People by Sabrina Furminger

eath Do Us Part isn’t a peek into the marriage of Julia and Peter Benson — which is probably a relief to the people who love them. Peter and Julia (together with Ryan Copple) wrote and produced and also starred in the Leo-nominated horror flick, coming to DVD on April 15. In Death Do Us Part, the Bensons — Julia is widely known for Stargate Universe, Peter for jPod — engage in what are best described (without giving too much away) as hair-raising, relationship-changing showdowns befitting a horror movie. But they’re quick to point out that their on-screen confrontations bear little resemblance to their off-screen dynamic, which is more mutual appreciation society than horror movie fare. “Peter and I don’t fight in real life as a couple that often, so we were like, ‘It would be fun if we could fight on screen,’” says Julia in a weekend interview with WE. Linked in together via conference call, the couple takes turns singing each other’s praises. “Peter’s leadership and his ability to collaborate with people and then inspire them to do the best they can do, it’s amazing to watch,” gushes Julia. “She’s got the most amazing tenacity and determination to execute things,” Peter says. Throw this mad love together with a shared passion for film and a desire to create movie magic with their actor friends, and the Bensons’ debut feature project was healthy from the get-go. Death Do Us Part’s press release describes

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it as follows: “[Six friends] go to a remote cabin in the woods to celebrate a Jack and Jill bachelor party… Friendships are ripped apart and accusations fly in this bloodfilled psychological horror with a whodunit twist.” They filmed over 11 days up at Julia’s father’s cabin on the Sunshine Coast in 2011 with director Nicholas Humphries (The Little Mermaid) at the helm. “There’s majestic beauty as you look out on the water, but 100 yards away, there are all these abandoned creepy shacks in the woods,” says Peter. “We’re like, ‘what an ideal setting for a horror film.’” Besides location, the desire to have fun dictated what type of movie they would make. For actors, it doesn’t get much more fun than horror. “The stakes are always so high in those kind of movies, so it’s fun to just play,” says Julia. And having industry friends on board — including Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Kyle Caissie (True Justice), and Emilie Ullerup (Arctic Air) — heightened the fun. “These are all people that we went to acting school with or trained with, and we’ve seen them do this huge array of character work that maybe the roles they’ve gotten on TV haven’t showcased,” says Peter. “We wanted to give them roles that they could sink their teeth into and show a different side of themselves.” Death Do Us Part won’t be the couple’s last collaboration. They’re already hard at work on their follow-up: a romantic comedy entitled What An Idiot. “We started this right after Death Do Us Part and decided, ‘let’s do a film where we’re nice to each other,’” laughs Peter. For updates on Death Do Us Part, follow @DDUPmovie.

Royal Reel for Rennie Brown Vancouver’s Rennie Brown won the Royal Reel Award in the category of documentary short at last month’s Canada International Film Festival, held at the Edgewater Casino, for his first film, Group Therapy.

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April 10 – 16, 2014

culture

Vaisakhi a festival of food and fun

By Raman Kang

very April thousands of people in the city enjoy an abundance of free food, live performances, and a festive parade for Vaisakhi. In Sikh culture, it marks the end of the harvest, the beginning of the new year, and the anniversary of one of the most significant events for Sikhism, the birth of the Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood). More than 50,000 Vancouverites attend the parade every year to enjoy food given out to them by nearly every house, tent, and store along the parade route. Expect to see a lot of colour — most people will be dressed in traditional Indian attire. This year’s celebration is April 12. The parade Vancouver WestEnder starts at 11am-at the Ross Temple (8000 Ross at 64th). It moves onto southeast Marine Drive, then

west onto Main Street down 49th, east onto Fraser and finishes by going south onto 57th before returning to the temple. Do not take your vehicle; streets will be shut down. If you miss this parade, there will also be one in Surrey that will draw nearly 200,000 people on April 19. Enjoy foods such as: Samosas — a fried pastry filled with spicy potatoes, onions and peas. Pakoras — a piece of vegetable such a cauliflower or a potato, coated in seasoned batter and deep-fried. Sholay puri — chickpeas sautéed in sauce with spices and served with a small, round, flat piece of bread made of unleavened wheat flour, deep-fried. Saag and roti — a leaf-based dish made with a combination of spinach, broccoli and other greens and served with a chapatti (roti). Chai tea — traditional Indian tea.

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The Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi celebrates the traditional end of the harvest and the beginning of the Sikh brotherhood, and will be marked with a parade throughout South Vancouver on April 12.

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Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny • Week of April 10

ARIES (March 21-April 19): It’s compensation week. If you have in the past suffered from injustice, it’s an excellent time to go in quest of restitution. If you have been deprived of the beauty you need to thrive, now is the time to get filled up. Wherever your life has been out of balance, you have the power to create more harmony. Don’t be shy about seeking redress. Ask people to make amends. Pursue restorations. But don’t, under any circumstances, lust for revenge.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Our brains are no longer conditioned for reverence and awe,” said novelist John Updike. That’s a sad possibility. Could you please do something to dispute or override it, Taurus? Would it be too much to ask if I encouraged you to go out in quest of lyrical miracles that fill you with wonder? Can I persuade you to be alert for sweet mysteries that provoke dizzying joy and uncanny breakthroughs that heal a wound you’ve feared might forever plague you? Here’s what the astrological omens suggest: Phenomena that stir reverence and awe are far more likely than usual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I wonder if it’s time for you to modify an old standby. I’m getting the sense that you should consider tinkering with a familiar resource that has served you pretty well. Why? This resource may have some hidden weakness that you need to attend to in order to prevent a future disruption. Now might be one of those rare occasions when you should ignore the old rule, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So be proactive, Gemini. Investigate what’s going on beneath the surface. Make this your motto: “I will solve the problem before it’s a problem — and then it will never be a problem.”

horoscopes eat for free as they provide a service for the large reptiles. As I analyze your astrological aspects, Scorpio, I’m inclined to see an opportunity coming your way that has a certain resemblance to the plovers’. Can you summon the necessary trust and courage to take full advantage?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Are you sure you have enough obstacles? I’m afraid you’re running low. And that wouldn’t be healthy, would it? Obstacles keep you honest, after all. They motivate you to get smarter. They compel you to grow your willpower and develop more courage. Please understand that I’m not talking about trivial and boring obstacles that make you numb. I’m referring to scintillating obstacles that fire up your imagination; rousing obstacles that excite your determination to be who you want and get what you want. So your assignment is to acquire at least one new interesting obstacle. It’s time to tap into a deeper strain of your ingenuity.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1937, physicist George Paget Thomson won a Nobel Prize for the work he did to prove that the electron is a wave. That’s funny, because his father, physicist JJ Thomson, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1906 for showing that the electron is a particle. Together, they helped tell the whole story about the electron, which as we now know is both a wave and a particle. I think it’s an excellent time for you to try something similar to what George did: follow up on some theme from the life of one of your parents or mentors; be inspired by what he or she did, but also go beyond it; build on

a gift he or she gave the world, extending or expanding it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You have been a pretty decent student lately, Aquarius. The learning curve was steep, but you mastered it as well as could be expected. You had to pay more attention to the intricate details than you liked, which was sometimes excruciating, but you summoned the patience to tough it out. Congrats! Your against-the-grain effort was worth it. You are definitely smarter now than you were four weeks ago. But you are more wired, too. More stressed. In the next chapter of your life story, you will need some downtime to integrate all you’ve absorbed. I suggest you schedule some sessions in a sanctuary where you can relax more deeply than you’ve allowed yourself to relax in a while.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You have the power to shut what has been open or open what has been shut. That’s a lot of responsibility. Just because you have the power to unleash these momentous actions doesn’t mean you should rashly do so. Make sure your motivations are pure and your integrity is high. Try to keep fear and egotism from influencing you. Be aware that whatever you do will send out ripples for months to come. And when you are confident that you have taken the proper precautions, by all means proceed with vigor and rigor. Shut what has been open or open what has been shut — or both. Homework: Comment on the following hypothesis: “You know what to do and you know when to do it.” SCAN WITH LAYAR TO BUY NOW

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takes or do you not have what it takes?” That’s the wrong question to ask, in my opinion. You can’t possibly know the answer ahead of time, for one thing. To dwell on that quandary would put you on the defensive and activate your fear, diminishing your power to accomplish the task at hand. Here’s a more useful inquiry: “Do you want it strongly enough or do you not want it strongly enough?” With this as your meditation, you might be inspired to do whatever’s necessary to pump up your desire. And that is the single best thing you can do to ensure your ultimate success.

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dynamic when I hike along the trail through the marsh than if I’m pretzeled up in the lotus position back in my bedroom. Maybe I’ve been influenced by Aristotle’s Peripatetic school. He felt his students learned best when they accompanied him on long strolls. Then there was philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who testified that his most brilliant thoughts came to him as he rambled far and wide. Even if this possibility seems whimsical to you, Leo, I invite you to give it a try. According to my reading of the current astrological omens, your moving body is likely to generate bright ideas and unexpected solutions and visions of future adventures.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Throughout North America and

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As they lie in the sand, African crocodiles are in the habit of opening their jaws wide for hours at a time. It keeps them cool, and allows for birds called plovers to stop by and pluck morsels of food that are stuck between the crocs’ molars. The relationship is symbiotic. The teeth-cleaners

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do ignorant things, ignorant things may eventually be done to you. Engage in generous actions, and at some future date you may be the unexpected beneficiary of generosity. I’m expecting more of the latter than the former for you in the coming days, Libra. I think fate will bring you sweet compensations for your enlightened behavior in the past. I’m reminded of the fairy tale in which a peasant girl goes out of her way to be kind to a seemingly feeble, disabled old woman. The crone turns out to be a good witch who rewards the girl with a bag of gold. But as I hinted, there could also be a bit of that other kind of karma lurking in your vicinity. Would you like to ward it off? All you have to do is unleash a flurry of good deeds. Anytime you have a chance to help people in need, do it.

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April 10 – 16, 2014

today’sdrive 20 VW Beetle 14

Your journey starts here.

GSR

It’s a special edition and a real honey of a car Environment: BY BRENDAN McALEER

brendanmcaleer@gmail.com

•

Tweet: @brendan_mcaleer

While waiting politely for a pedestrian to clear the intersection while turning right, this car received a wide grin and a giant wave from a woman wearing industrial welding goggles. She looked a bit like a bee. So does this. It’s the Beetle GSR, a special edition version of Volkswagen’s Turbo Beetle that’s a real honey of a car. Take that comment literally; this machine really does look like it was hatched in a hive.

If yellow stitching on a flat-bottomed steering wheel can really be considered tasteful, then the inside of the GSR is more tasteful than the exterior. It’s actually quite reserved in here, and you might never know it was a limited-run model – except that VW has helpfully written that fact on the steering wheel. Just 3500 GSRs will be sold worldwide. With the original car, all were gone in just two months. In Canada, fewer than 100 will be imported, so perhaps the rarity value is worth something.

The name comes from a tribute to the 1973 Gelb-Schwartz Renner (Yellow-Black Racer), a similarly bumblebeeshaded machine that is so famous, you never heard about until just now when I mentioned it. Sold only in the German home market, it had 50hp from an aircooled 1600cc and slightly larger wheels and tires – no Muhammad Ali here.

As far as the rest of the interior goes, this is essentially just an R-Line Beetle with a few extra badges. You get comfortable, great-looking seats that don’t provide quite enough lateral support as compared to a GTI, a very VWlooking dash layout, and a multi-gauge pod. Where the regular Turbo Beetle gets a neat carbon-fibre trim, this car gets matte-finish treatment to most of the surfaces, and the aforementioned yellow stitching everywhere.

Still, for the time the car was fairly nippy, and marked a change for the humble people’s car from modest little fuelsipper to unlikely performance hero. This new version has 210 turbocharged horses to draw on: is it all buzz, or is there a sting in the new GSR’s tail?

This particular version was equipped with the Beetle’s Technology package, which adds satellite navigation and an 8-speaker-plus-subwoofer Fender-branded premium audio. This works great for cleaning out your ears because it can and will melt your earwax.

Design:

While the Beetle’s shape does limit headroom and would send most young parents tut-tutting and heading for a fivedoor GTI or a GLI instead, it’s actually not all that bad for short distances. A child seat does (barely) fit, and an adult passenger could endure a short lift across town.

The previous generation of front-wheel-drive Beetle was very popular, but might have been accused of being a bit cutesy in its homage to the sturdy, no-nonsense original. I mean a flower vase next to the steering wheel? That’s a bit much. However, when VW decided to drop the turbocharged four-cylinder engine out of the GTI into the car, those cute looks were suddenly hilarious. Here was a car from the Care Bear / My Little Pony school that was perfectly capable of dusting off the hot hatchbacks of the day. The new car is much less saccharine-sweet, with an extended profile that gives it something of the look of a Porsche. All GSRs get the cosmetic upgrades of the R-Line cars, which means aerodynamic trim including a large spoiler, and 19” alloys shod in wide, 235-series rubber. There’s also LED strip lighting up front, and in case you missed the point, an all-over yellow-and-black graphics package that includes “GSR” proudly emblazoned on the flanks.

Essentially, owning this car requires something of a sense of humour, both inside and out. And, speaking of giggles, let’s talk about what’s under the hood.

Performance:

Ten more horsepower - that’s all I’m asking VW, just ten more horsies to give this blazing-yellow Bug some genuine performance credentials over and above the regular Turbo Beetle. No dice. Still, the original GSR didn’t have any more punch-buggy than the 1600 Beetle it was based on, so perhaps tradition is being upheld. Besides which, this isn’t really a car about winning races – this is a car designed around the concept of having a bit of a laugh. Two transmissions are on offer, a six-speed manual that’s a bit more engaging, or a $1400 six-speed dual-clutch

gearbox that adds stop and go practicality without losing much of the fun. The 210hp, 2.0L four-cylinder turbo is the same venerable mill that’s found throughout the VW line-up. It’s responsive and grunty, and makes a really good noise. So, if you’ve got a racing helmet with a VW sticker on it, then maybe you’re best off sticking with the GTI, particularly the new one coming later this year which is simply excellent. But what if you just want to have a bit of fun? Here, the GSR becomes an out-and-out hoot. If someone in a more-powerful Focus ST wants to stoplight race you, then just roll your eyes and let them go – the GSR isn’t built for would-be Vin Diesels. Instead, it’s easy to drive, with much better sightlines than the old car, excellent grip on long sweeping corners, and a comfortable, upright driving position. It’s not a serious car, but the world is full of serious cars stuck in traffic. At least with this bright yellow package, you’ll gather a smiling wave or two, rather than a scowl.

Features:

As mentioned, the GSR is a trim beyond a fully-loaded top-of-the-line R-Line Turbo Beetle, so you get 19” alloys, full leather interior, Bluetooth handsfree, heated seats, biXenon headlamps, etc., etc. Aside from choosing which transmission you want for your waggle-dance, the only option on the GSR package is the Technology bundle. This includes satellite navigation and the powerful Fender stereo for $1090 – not bad. Fuel economy for VW’s four-pot turbo isn’t bad either, with official ratings of 9.0L/100kms city and 6.5L/100kms on the highway. Like any other turbocharged vehicle, you’ll struggle to hit those figures if you drive the car as it’s meant to be driven, but VW is often closer than most.

Green Light:

Nice interior; sense of fun; responsive engine and transmission; unique appeal

Stop Sign:

No better dynamically than regular Turbo Beetle; stiff ride; slightly compromised handling

The Checkered Flag: Buzzy, but in the good way.

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OUT AFTER DARK is a weekly feature highlighting social and cultural events around Vancouver. Got an upcoming event? Email us at outafterdark@wevancouver.com.

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out after dark

Aisenstat with guests at the 15th anniversary of his high-end steakhouse April 3. Lauren Joan photo 2 Torben Norgaard, director of sales and marketing for Commercial Electronics, Yumi Murayama, design consultant for BoConcept, and BoConcept’s founder and owner Steen Skaaning at BoConcept’s launch of its Nendo line at Hapa Izakaya in Coal Harbour on April 2. 3 Acclaimed fashion photographer Raphael Mazzucco with Eco Fashion Week founder Myriam Laroche, Jim Michaels (co-executive producer of Supernatural), and Vernard Goud of LuvnGrace Entertainment at the April 1 LuvnGrace & Leone party in Mazzucco’s honour. Dan Poh photo 4 An April 2 tribute to Wynne Powell, who retired as president and CEO of London Drugs in February, raised $206,000 for the BCIT Foundation. From left: London Drugs owner Brandt Louie, BCIT president Kathy Kinloch and Powell. 5 Market by Jean-Georges executive chef Montgomery Lau and the Spice Market’s executive chef Anthony Ricco co-hosted a Spice Market dinner at the Shangri-La on April 3. 6 Eva Stachniak was at Chapters at Granville and Broadway to sign copies of her new book on Catherine the Great, Empress of the Night, April 2. (Story online at WEVancouver.com)

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FWD LE $25,685 MSRP includes F+PDI

FINANCE FROM ††

4x4 Double Cab V6 $33,285 MSRP includes F+PDI

2014 TACOMA

165 0.9

LEASE FROM ‡

FINANCE FROM ‡‡

semi-monthly/60 mos.

per month/48 mos.

% $

DESTINATION TOYOTA BURNABY 4278 Lougheed Highway (604) 571-4350

9374

REGENCY TOYOTA VANCOUVER 401 Kingsway (604) 879-8411

5736

8507

CASHBACK

SUNRISE TOYOTA ABBOTSFORD Fraser Valley Auto Mall (604) 857-2657

1,000

Learn why we're better than bi-weekly at: ToyotaBC.ca

VALLEY TOYOTA CHILLIWACK 8750 Young Road (604) 792-1167

8176

OR UP TO ‡‡‡

SEMI-MONTHLY SAVES YOU UP TO 11 PAYMENTS!

To y o t a B C . c a

WEST COAST TOYOTA PITT MEADOWS 19950 Lougheed Highway (866) 910-9543

7662

SQUAMISH TOYOTA SQUAMISH 39150 Queens Way (604) 567-8888

WESTMINSTER TOYOTA NEW WESTMINSTER 210 - 12th Street (604) 520-3333

31003

8531

April 10 – 16, 2014

April 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 16, 2014

WEVancouver.com

April 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 16, 2014

EARTH WEEK Prices Effective April 10 to April 16, 2014.

While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.

100% BC Owned and Operated PRODUCE

MEAT

Organic Fair Trade Mini Red Seedless Watermelons or Honeydew Melons

Sockeye Salmon Fillets

previously frozen, pin bone removed

4/5.00

2.98

each product of Mexico

Whole Specialty Frying Chickens

13.99lb/ 30.84kg

Organic Fair Trade Hass Avocados

3.99lb/ 8.80kg

product of Mexico

Organic Red Bunch Beets

2/4.00

product of USA

Organic Bunch Green Kale from San Miguel Farm

Organic Lean Ground Beef

Ovation Lamb Shanks

value pack

2/3.00

6.99lb/ 15.41kg

8.49lb/ 18.72kg

product of USA

GROCERY

HEALTHCARE One Coffee Organic Fair Trade Single Serve Coffee

Danone Activia Yogurt assorted varieties

assorted varieties

SAVE 6.99

30%

12 packs K-Cups packed in Canada

Crofter’s Organic Fruit Spread assorted varieties

SAVE 2/5.98

SAVE

35%

18% 2/6.50

650g product of Canada

Avalon Organic Cottage Cheese

Northern Choice Rice Chips

SAVE 4.99

40%

SAVE 12.49

17%

product of Canada

product of USA

19%

500ml product of Canada

assorted varieties

2.29-5.49

18.99

Granola King Granola assorted varieties

SAVE

5.49-7.99

FROM

35%

454-750g product of Canada

103-473ml

8.99

25%

320-454g product of Canada

assorted varieties

15% off

Seventh Generation Paper Towels single roll, 2 varieties

SAVE

40% 1.99

BULK

Blue Monkey Coconut Water

Great Northern Organic Beans

assorted varieties

20% off regular retail price

1.79

520ml • +deposit +eco fee product of Thailand

GLUTEN FREE

xxx • product of xxx

Organic Multigrain Bread

Summer Fresh Hummus Toppers

whole or half loaf

assorted varieties

4.49

15ml

Green Beaver Products

5.99

xxx BAKERY

DELI

Powerful protection against colds, flu, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Milder taste. Laboratory tested for purity and potency.

assorted varieties

SAVE

60 capsules

New Roots Oregano Oil C93

Kan’s Gourmet Indian Meals

product of USA

Mediterranean Organic Olives, Capers or Peppers

600g • product of Canada

Natural Factors® Stress-Relax® line up -calming solutions to stress, anxiety and insomnia.

11.99

FROM

205g product of Canada

assorted sizes

7.49 500-600g

Pearl’s Frozen Perogies

SAVE

3/9.99

Seventh Generation Diapers

assorted varieties

2/6.98

16%

500g product of Canada

Life Choices Breaded Frozen Meat Products

SAVE

Natural Factors Stress Relax Tranquil Sleep

assorted varieties

1 or 2%

29%

235ml product of Canada

Uncle Luke’s Organic Maple Syrup

300g

Choices’ Own

Hot Cross Buns, Easter Cookies or Cupcakes

2.49-3.99

1.99-3.99

260-530g

package of 2 to 4

Organic Cheese

Choices’ Own

Green Garbanzo and Bulgar Salad

! New

1.49/100g

save .50/100g off regular retail price

www.choicesmarkets.com

Hazelnut Mousse Torte or Decadent Chocolate Cake

Muesli or Fruit Bars

3.49-4.49

14.99

package of 3 to 6

/ChoicesMarkets

@ChoicesMarkets

Kitsilano

Cambie

Kerrisdale

Yaletown

Gluten Free Bakery

South Surrey

Burnaby Crest

Kelowna

Floral Shop

2627 W. 16th Ave. Vancouver

3493 Cambie St. Vancouver

1888 W. 57th Ave. Vancouver

1202 Richards St. Vancouver

2595 W. 16th Ave. Vancouver

3248 King George Blvd. South Surrey

8683 10th Ave. Burnaby

1937 Harvey Ave. Kelowna

2615 W. 16th Vancouver

Best Organic Produce

500-850g