VICTORIA LIFE AT ITS FINEST

SEPTEMBER 2015

FOLK REVIVALFashion thatsfreewheeling,fun and fabulous

RED HOUSE, BLUE HOUSEColour makes a splash in sleek Uplands reno

MISERY To MASTERYtheatrical triumph

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6SEPTEMBER 2015

Lia Crowe wears white top ($270)

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FEATURES

20 MISERY TO MASTERY Behind the scenes of a VOS production By Thelma Fayle

26 THE PRINCESS AND THE SUPERHERO Childrens bedroom decor By Amy McGeachy

34 FOLK REVIVAL Freewheeling and fun fashion By Lia Crowe

43 KRAUT TO KIMCHI Secrets of fermented food By Cinda Chavich

COLUMNS

42 HAWTHORN Oak Bay High rising By Tom Hawthorn

DEPARTMENTS

8 EDITORS LETTER The joys of the journey

10 HOT PROPERTIES Red house, blue house By Carolyn Heiman

18 TALKING WITH TESS Michael Shamata By Tess van Straaten

30 DESIGN MATTERS Sultry scents By Sarah Reid

32 FASHION FAVES Kylee Weber By Lia Crowe

50 TRAVEL NEAR Bear watch By Susan Lundy

52 FRONT ROW Cirque du Peking, Theatre Inconnu, Chalk Festival and more By Robert Moyes

58 SECRETS & LIVES Carollyne Yardley By Susan Lundy

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Issue 09, Volume XXIlIICONTENTS

Penny Sakamoto

Susan Lundy

Lily ChanLorianne Koch

Mario GedickePat Brindle

Oliver Sommer

Mario Gedicke 250.891.5627

Miki Speirs250.480.3277

Cinda Chavich, Lia Crowe, Thelma Fayle, Tom Hawthorn, Carolyn Heiman, Amy McGeachy, Robert Moyes, Sarah Reid, Tess van Straaten

Paula Brown, Lia Crowe, Don Denton, Cathie Ferguson, Leia Vik

Victoria Boulevard is a registered trademark of Black Press Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publishers written permission. Ideas and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Black Press Group Ltd. or its

affiliates; no official endorsement should be inferred. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents, both implied or assumed, of any advertisement in this publication. Printed in Canada.

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ADVERTISE Boulevard Magazine is Victorias leading lifestyle magazine, celebrating 24 years of publishing in Greater Victoria.

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8Recounting the joys of the journeyEDITORS LETTER

HIS PAST JULY, we pulled out from the Last Chance Saloon in the heart of Albertas Badlands, and turned right towards

Calgary, set to traverse a highway that included a Very Important cable ferry across the Bow River.

Its so cool! enthused Bruce. We have to check out!

When the gas warning light lit up the trucks dashboard, we didnt think much of it wed driven 75 km once before with the light on, and how far could it be to the next gas station? By the time we reached the cable ferry (yes, yes, very cool), wed driven 65 km, and the ferry guy said the nearest gas station was an hour away.

So began an adrenalin-laced journey through the middle of nowhere, as we hopefully identified small towns on the map and then, deflated, passed through mere clusters of farmhouses. (Adding to my personal discomfort was the Last Chance Saloon beer now hitting my bladder ....)

As we drove, angry black clouds formed in the distance over Calgary. Soon the distance arrived and in addition to watching the clock, the kilometres and our frustratingly slow progression along the map, we were suddenly kaboom! slammed by wind, hail and torrential rain.

We looked at each other and laughed and laughed.Ultimately, the truck died four kilometres from a gas

station. We called for service and a tow truck hero arrived with $5 worth of gas and an $80 bill for his four-kilometre trouble.

But the point of all this is that none of it mattered. We laughed. It was fun.

I thought of this again as we drove out to Sooke for an anniversary sojourn to Point No Point. Our journey was slow: one stop took longer than anticipated; there was a lengthy work call but again, it didnt matter because the

journey itself was just as important as the destination. We were together; we enjoy each others company. All was good.

In this issue of Boulevard our feature story documents the joys (and tribulations) of the journey as writer Thelma Fayle describes the pre-production months of Les Misrables, Victoria Operatic Societys triumphant spring presentation (page 20). The piece is informative, fun and eye opening. And while the destination received kudos across the board, the journey itself also became the story.

Food writer Cinda Chavich takes us on a journey too as she shows us how to ferment foods for a destination thats both tasty and

healthy (page 44). In Hot Properties, writer Carolyn Hieman explores the path to a vibrant and explosively colourful Uplands home renovation (page 10), while columnist Tom Hawthorn tours the new Oak Bay High

School (page 42). Of course, destinations are

great too, and I invite you to travel with me to Bella Coola for a bear-watching excursion (page 50), and a promise of things to come a little closer to home.

This is not to say that journeys cant be fraught with a few twists and turns. As we

trekked back from Sooke via the scenic circle route through Port Renfrew and Cowichan Lake, I recalled our pre-trip assertion: why worry about rain; it hasnt rained here in months. In fact, the heavens unleashed a torrent of rain as we puttered along in our trusty, 78 VW van, which was all set for the season except for the small matter of windshield wipers ... which didnt work at all. On this occasion, our destination home felt pretty darn good.

We hope you enjoy your travels through these pages of Boulevard.

BY SUSAN LUNDY

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9OUR CONTRIBUTORS

I have seen Les Misrables in Japanese in Tokyo, in French in Montreal, and in English in Vancouver, Chemainus and now Victoria. I love Victor Hugos writing and was inspired by the integrity of the VOS production. There is nothing quite like watching volunteers who genuinely love what they are doing! Thelma Fayle is the author of Ted Grant: Sixty Years of Legendary Photojournalism.

It must be so much fun to do your job. Thats a common refrain I hear. And writing home profiles for Boulevard magazine is that. But it is made so much more fun when talking to people like Sarah Bowder and Fiona Hamilton who have boldly gone where few others do when it comes to colour. Just look at their home and try not to smile. Carolyn has been writing about Hot Properties for over four years.

BoulevardMagazine

@BoulevardMag

We welcome your letters:editor@blvdmag.ca or visit us on Facebook and Twitter for updates and links to featured stories and local events.

WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU

Thelma FayleWRITER: MISERY TO MASTERY, PAGE 16

Carolyn HeimanWRITER,HOT PROPERTIES,PAGE 8

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JUNO and CCMA winner (and BC boy) Dean Brody kicks off his 22-city Canadian tour on Sept. 24 with Lindi Ortega at Save On Memorial Arena. For wine lovers: The Victoria International Wine Festival takes place Sept. 25-26 at Parkside Hotel & Spa, featuring over 350 wines from 100 international and local wineries. For golf lovers: The 3rd Annual BC Hospitality Foundation Victoria Golf Tournament, presented by Tourism Victoria, takes place Sept. 21 at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa. For tea lovers: On September 12, the public is invited to garden party at Government House celebrating Queen Elizabeth II as Canadas longest-reigning monarch (surpassing her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria). The Lieutenant Governor will welcome members of the public to enjoy music and tea service. Hats and gloves are encouraged.

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MAGINE A HOUSE decorated with an almost Dr. Seuss-inspired wackiness an unfettered exploration of playfulness and all the primary colours. This is how it feels stepping into a recently renovated Uplands home, which

imparts joy and tugs at ones inner child. This sense of whimsy begins right at the vaulted entryway,

where a playful space saucer wall sculpture created by Vancouver artist 12 Midnite commands attention. In an adjacent room, a square mantel around the fireplace is painted a glowing orange and on it hangs a brightly coloured surfboard with a Marimekko-like flower pattern. The powder room is tomato red.

Brilliant sunshine yellow is splashed over the laundry room walls, guaranteeing that you cant be grumpy when doing laundry, muses Sarah Bowder, who with her partner, Fiona Hamilton, has boldly transformed the ubiquitous 1960s rancher into a vibrant home, inviting fun, relaxation and happy times.

The two easily found their own style after living in other homes, some of which they renovated. They quickly discovered that taupe and other neutrals a common colour template for many does not suit them in the least.

Hamilton says, I grew up in a house like this mostly white and primary colours. Wherever Sarah and I saw an opportunity to inject colour, we did.

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I GREW UP IN A HOUSE LIKE THIS MOSTLY WHITE AND PRIMARY COLOURS. WHEREVER SARAH AND I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO INJECT COLOUR, WE DID.

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Adds Bowder: We wanted this fun house for kids to come over and play. And the 3,000-square-foot home with a saltwater swimming pool in the backyard has more than delivered on that front based on the gaggle of boys who had just departed.

While some might tire of the commanding look, it feels right to the couple whose lifestyle is focused on balanced living and raising their 13-year-old son in an environment that is ready-made for playing games, friends dropping by and an active lifestyle.

We didnt want an old and stodgy living room where kids are not allowed, says Bowder.

So this house no longer has a living room. Instead, the space has been turned over to the pool table, which, rarely used when it sat in the basement, now sees regular action. On the wall overhead, double television monitors are tuned into duelling sports channels so that no big team play, or golf champion, is missed.

The two, who still have career connections to Calgary, purchased the home sight unseen, knowing from the listing photos that it met key criteria: the right location, the right southeast sun exposure, the bones of good construction and a ranch-style layout that easily lent itself to an update. It got bonus points for its two supersized garages that can fit six cars with one garage now assigned to housing their myriad sporting equipment. As a further bonus, the house is spitting distance from the Uplands Golf Course, increasing play frequency and the likelihood of improved games.

This house is so perfect for our family. Everyone has their own space but we are never very far away from each other, says Hamilton.

The L-shaped rancher, which includes a lengthy private wing with three bedrooms (one is used as an office), now has at its heart a generous great room featuring a gleaming blue and white kitchen, bookended by a dramatic red-faced fireplace. At its centre, sits a bright red kitchen table that is more likely to be ground zero for epic games of Risk, or be covered with puzzle pieces and craft items, than dressed up with dinner napkins and cutlery.

Bowder credits CSD Design with adding the polish to the room.

The work on the cabinetry in the kitchen A niche in white-washed oak provides a quiet space.

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and bedroom closets and the built-in in the great room was done impeccably, on time and with incredible integrity and care. We were extremely impressed with the work from CSD Design.

This part of the home is the showstopper, although it didnt start that way. When they purchased the house, the space presented the biggest renovation challenge. Chopped into three spaces a smallish kitchen, an atrium with a leaking sunroof, and a family room the ceilings were just under eight feet tall, making it feel especially cramped. The couple imagined they would open up the space horizontally, but the leaking skylight forced discussion with their builder and designer regarding more significant changes, and Hamilton and Bowder are forever grateful.

Tim Agar, principle owner of Horizon Pacific Contracting, recalls the discussions. Originally, he says, the couple only wanted a light renovation touch. Just update the kitchen, update the bathrooms but dont get involved with relocating rooms or other costly renovations.

This home had a great footprint with its wrap-around the pool design, but the low ceilings really dated it, he said. Meanwhile, it was apparent that any changes would have to meet modern seismic performance requirements.

There was a lot of consideration around how best to accomplish both those changes at a reasonable cost. Once

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we vaulted the ceilings [and removed lowered ceilings in the living room and dining room area] it completely revolutionized how they felt about the home, says Agar.

The end result is a room that has a dynamic ceiling with architecturally interesting bulkheads, beams, skylights and vaulting angles. Hamilton credits Bowder for recognizing the potential for a vaulted ceiling, and Horizon Pacific Contracting and designer Tonia DIntrono for working out the details including new structural beams that made it a success.

When we started, we debated do we need a designer, yes or no? says Hamilton, adding they already knew what colours they wanted. As well, from searching Houzz.com, flipping through Dwell magazine, and bringing forward design features that worked in previous homes, they were certain about many design details they wanted right down to the fumed European wide plank oak floors.

But ultimately, the designer paid dividends in working out many hard-to-imagine details.

For example, DIntrono added small floating shelves where the kitchen cabinetry ended instead of leaving the space blank. The kitchen cabinetry and counters also wrap around a wall into the dining room, creating harmonious cohesion between the two areas and providing super amounts of storage.

Bowder also credits DIntrono with translating their vision and ensuring that the look stayed consistent.

But perhaps the big narrative about the renovation is what it says about the Greater Victoria region, says Agar.

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We see a ton of people coming in from out of town to Victoria and they are often very frustrated by the lack of housing inventory in the central areas. But there are great opportunities to renovate older housing stock. This house shows that Victoria is a city that is constantly reinventing itself.

Carolyn Heiman writes about gorgeous Victoria-area homes for Boulevard Magazine. You can contact her at cheiman@shaw.ca

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T A TIME WHEN many theatres are struggling or have closed down, Victorias Belfry Theatre is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. People at the iconic playhouse havent been afraid

to take risks and for artistic director Michael Shamata, the key to the Belfrys success is simple.

First and foremost, its our audience we have a remarkable audience here in Victoria, he says. Secondly, the Belfrys had a very clear mandate. Its contemporary, its fun, its smart entertainment at its core, and its always had a kind of quirkiness that I think our patrons respond to.

Shamata should know hes worked in theatre for more than four decades all across Canada. The experienced director, who wrote his first play when he was in the first grade, says he always knew theatre was his passion.

Theres something amazing about words being shared live between actors and an audience, Shamata explains. Theres something that happens that exchange of emotion and energy, it goes back to the basics of storytelling. A great play can float ideas in a way that doesnt happen in film and television, which are passive mediums.

Yet in our high-tech world, where tablets and smart phone screens are getting more and more of our attention, making a go of theatre isnt easy. First, theres the cost of mounting a production the basic cost for the Belfry is roughly around $200,000, not including marketing and administrative expenses and then theres making sure people still come out.

Theres definitely a fear right now and its a big topic of conversation in our business, but I have to believe a good story well-told will hold people, and that the novelty of what we do versus the quick sound bites of 140 characters makes us different and makes us interesting, Shamata says.

It seems like theatre has always been looked upon as an endangered art form but its lasted since people sat around fires and shared stories. And while the form it takes and the way it exists may change, I think theatre will always survive.

Key to theatres survival, Shamata says, is making sure its relevant. And with an annual operating budget of $2.5 million for the Belfry, theres a lot of pressure to pick the right plays and put on a successful season.

When youre putting together a season of plays its

TALKING WITH TESS

FOR THE LOVE OF THEATRE BY TESS VAN STRAATEN

featuring

MICHAELSHAMATA Belfry Theatre Artistic Director

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always a tricky balance, he admits. When Im starting to plot a season it definitely keeps me up at night because I want to make sure I find the right balance.

Its a lesson Shamata learned the hard way a few years ago, when he says he went too far, too fast one season. The result? What he still refers to as a dark season.

It was a badly put-together season and while I stand behind the pieces we did, the combination of them together is something I regret. But I think our audiences have forgiven me, Shamata says.

For Shamata, whos never looked back after dropping out of university to go on tour with the Shaw Festival, one of the biggest lessons in theatre has been making sure plays are chosen for the right reasons.

I learned the value of doing the work I believe in and not pandering, because an audience doesnt want to be pandered to, he says. Its very easy to let other voices get in the way what will colleagues think, what will granting bodies think, what will sponsors think? But you have to be clear on your mandate.

And while trying to attract new patrons is always a goal, Shamata says, one needs to put a season together based on the audience that already exists.

The biggest money lesson for me is to try not to put on theatre for people who dont go to plays. Theres this myth that if you pick the right plays all these other people will come to the theatre. But the truth is theres people who come to the theatre and people who arent interested in coming and I need to program for the people who come.

Looking back on his career, Shamata says hes been very lucky. But its also taken a lot of hard work and an openness to feedback, both good and bad.

Its a funny business because once you start directing, colleagues stop giving you feedback on your work. I see so many talented young directors who are full of potential but their work doesnt move forward the way that it should, Shamata says.

You have to solicit feedback and you have to be a good person in theatre thats all we have to work with.

I HAVE TO BELIEVE A GOOD STORY WELL-TOLD WILL HOLD PEOPLE, AND THAT THE NOVELTY OF WHAT WE DO

MAKES US INTERESTING.

Tess van Straaten is an award-winning journalist, television personality and fourthgeneration Victorian.

Visit us online at SplashesOnline.comor follow us on Facebook!

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FEATURE STORY

FromMISERY toMASTERY

BEHIND THE SCENES OF COMMUNITY THEATRE

BY THELMA FAYLE

F YOU TELL PEOPLE what to do, they will remember it for a short time, Matthew Howe says, but they are likely to forget quickly because they did not have a hand in creating the moment.

Four months prior to Victoria Operatic Societys monumental community theatre production of Les Misrables in Victoria last May, esteemed director Howe gathers 39 actors selected from a pool of 170 auditions to begin work on Victor Hugos 153-year-old story.

Howe and the actors band together for the first time in a cavernous warehouse in Esquimalt. Rehearsals for the next four months, from 6:30 until 9:30, three nights a week, will be the demanding regimen for the volunteer actors who have jobs and families and responsibilities. A production crew will also use the space to build a functioning bridge that will be dismantled and moved to the Macpherson Playhouse, where it will be reassembled for the show.

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Matthew Howe, director, and Heather Burns, music director, transform individual talents into a mesmerizing collective in Victoria Operatic Societys Les Misrables.

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Everything happens here, until a week before opening night, explains Patrick Heath, co-producer and 22-year VOS volunteer.

At one of the early rehearsals, music director Heather Burn mentors a group of 12 men on their first take of the song: Do You Hear the People Sing.

Focus on maintaining a connection as an ensemble as opposed to individual voices, Burns calls out as she plays the piano and shouts instructions for each vocal group. Sing from your core, not your limbs.

Actors straggle out to the costume designer to get measured as Burns carries on. With a Masters degree in piano performance and accompaniment, she quickly breaks down the musical number, doles out advice and then asks all to stand for a rendition. In less than 30 minutes, the song is transformed from discordant beginnings.

Janet Hender, stage manager, and her assistant, Rob McDonald, observe all rehearsals, take notes and calculate the timing for every physical movement that shapes the production. They add 400 directional cues to the pages of script dialogue.

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Scene from the triumphant and dramatic VOS production of Les Misrables.

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THREE MONTHS TO OPENING NIGHTHowe has the actors read the script aloud and together.

The exercise forces the actors to step back from their usual roles as accomplished singers and begin to feel the heartbeat of the characters.

As the group speaks the lyrics, join in the right to be free, Howe stops to ask if they feel inspired by the words. No, someone says of the reading that is becoming rote after 10 minutes. The question and the answer shift the actors focus to think about how a right to be free might feel.

To bring audiences to their feet, Howe explains, they must be moved by how the actors create the horror of battles and the despair of the characters dramatic losses. An audience can easily see the difference between actors who are feeling joy and actors who are simply smiling.

One night, after a practice of the song I Dreamed a Dream, Howe asks all present to think of a personal loss while the actor is singing.

Think of a lost child, family member, or friend, he says. With the strengthened support around her, the actor sings with a stronger presence.

With the perceptible intensity of an alpha timber wolf,

In last springs VOS production, Marius survives the violence of the barricades to reap a heart full of love with his beloved Cosette.

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Howe never takes his eyes from the actions of the actors. He continuously prods with comments and questions, and announces that he wants the audience to be stunned by the end of Act One.

As a director, you have to make strategic decisions about where you get on and off the stage or where the scenery flies in, explains Howe. But that takes less time than people think. And it is less important in the overall storytelling of the piece. The process of investigating the truth of the story will always work, regardless of style of show.

TWO MONTHS TO OPENING NIGHTChris Stusek good-naturedly promises that the costumes

will be completed on time, and no one will be naked onstage. Stusek is volunteering on her fourth show and appreciates a dozen helpers who stitch under her guidance.

Albert Gillespie, one of the cast members, is a physics teacher at Stellys Secondary School. Gillespies daughter Emma persuaded him to audition with her for two of the ensemble roles. It is his first theatre experience since long-ago high school days. They are one of several parent-child combinations in the cast.

Burns and Howe maintain intensity and keep the cast present through every line and scene.

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Says Burns: The challenge with four months of rehearsals can be in keeping volunteers engaged in the process, unlike working with professionals for four weeks to cover the same material.

ONE MONTH TO OPENING NIGHTI see wandering eyes and little risk-taking, Howe

cautions after a two-hour rehearsal of the wedding dance. Like a demanding metronome, Howe maintains pressure

and a fast pace with all steps to brusque counts of six. The actors have the dance moves fixed in their muscle memory but they are tired. Shoulders sag. Howe acknowledges their hard work and continues to push.

John Britt, Guy Chester, and a crew of carpenters have built the stunning set designed by Bill Adams. Britt, with 45 years of experience building sets for the VOS, wordlessly discloses his love of wood in a workshop tour.

With only days to go, co-producers anxiously sort over logistics of a challenging plan to share 28 house mics with 39 actors.

Actors sing with passion in Les Misrables.

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And at the end of a long, last rehearsal, Burns announces, Musically we are in good shape, please continue to give 100 per cent.

PREVIEW NIGHTThe theatre is full with media and guests of cast and crew.

Costumes, lighting, and orchestra transform the ambience from the warehouse setting to full-out theatre mode.

At the end of the production, the audience gives a long, standing-ovation. After two rehearsed bows, the actors remain on stage. They stare at the audience and look puzzled. They have been focused on their task for four months and do not know what their work looks like from the outside. They perform with a brilliant, coalesced integrity.

I always had the feeling I was supposed to do this kind of work, Howe says after the performance. It is amazing to watch actors find their roles.

After decades of hard work, Howe is still nourished by the practice of his craft.

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AT HOME WITH BOULEVARD

BY AMY MCGEACHY

AND THE

THE

FUELLING IMAGINATION WITH BEDROOM DECOR

SUPERHEROPRINCESS

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HILDREN HAVE THE MOST amazing imaginations constantly pretending, and thrilled to try something new and different. They love discovering all that our world has to

offer and happily believe they can easily be a princess or super hero. Tea time still occurs every day, and, yes, you can wear a cape or a tiara to the grocery store ....

Childrens bedroom decor can help them express themselves, and encourage a life of imagination and creative play. Its not just a place to sleep, its also the home of dress-up clothes or multiple action figurines. Creating a bedroom or nursery for your child is a place where your imagination can also run wild. It is an opportunity for you to create a world of fantasy, while adding those special touches that make it unique to your child.

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By using a regular dresser with great lines as a change table, it will continue to serve a purpose once baby out grows the diaper stage.

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THEME: We definitely know that many little girls love princesses, and boys often want to be Spiderman or Batman. However, you dont necessarily have to create a gender specific room. Creating a neutral base with soft grays, beiges or off white paint and flooring choices, and then accenting with a colourful range of accessories and toys will allow you to easily change up the room with the changing interests of your child. Dont forget to add fun lighting to the room, like a crystal chandelier or large drum shade. Even a retro ball light can help pull the look together.

VERSATILITY: Dont feel that you have to run out and purchase all of the specific nursery furniture pieces. Many of my friends and clients have found its a real advantage to be able to use nursery furniture elsewhere after their babies have grown. A low, wide dresser can start as a changing table, and then provide lots of storage space. A neutral-accent rocking chair can move out to the living room once the baby no longer requires it in his or her room. And most cribs now also convert to youth beds, increasing their lifespan.

PERSONALIZE: Add family photos, personal messages and unique nameplates to your childs room for that special touch. Growth charts, furniture pieces, mobiles and even floor cushions, are all things you can try creating yourself to add to the rooms theme. Kids love having their own art, or creations hanging on the walls. Place them in interesting frames to create an art collage. Use chalkboard paint to create a wall surface that kids can draw on, and wash off.

FUNCTIONALITY: Storage is key in a childs room. Everything needs a home to ensure clean-up time runs smoothly. Bookshelves are great for a large collection of picture books and games, while drawers are ideal for organizing craft supplies and small toys. A child size set of table and chairs can serve as their own art centre, or be the serving centre for afternoon tea parties with their friends.

SAFETY: Remember to secure all large pieces of furniture to the wall, and avoid items that have sharp corners. Toy boxes should have safety hinges that dont slam shut on little fingers.

CREATING A BEDROOM OR NURSERY FOR YOUR CHILD IS A PLACE WHERE YOUR IMAGINATION CAN ALSO RUN WILD.

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FASHION FAVES

LIFE & STYLE BY LIA CROWE

HE START OF 2015 MARKED

THE END of an era for Kylee with the sale of her boutique, Suasion, co-owned with her

retail soul mate Tiffiny Dobson. Suasion was one of the original, core downtown clothing boutiques responsible for turning lower Johnson Street into a hot shopping destination (now called LoJo). This September, the month of new beginnings and fresh starts, opens with the launch of her new business and solo project, Meraki Boutique, at Uptown Shopping Centre.

I feel like Ive reached that top step. Its a big, beautiful space; its

a little more grown up and it feels really good.

Best life lesson learned since 40? I know my strengths and weaknesses. If I could pass anything on to my [two] boys its to do something you love. Ive always done what I love and Ive always had the unconditional support of my parents bless their hearts. Ive never not loved going into work. What I love is a combo: the great people I work with and the business side. Youre always learning; its always changing and bringing new challenges. You cant ever really put your feet up.

Kylee describes her style as

classic. I like clean, minimal, monochrome (greys, creams and blacks) with a bit of an edge, a slight twist, something a little off that makes it unique.

Meraki is a Greek word that means doing something with soul, creativity or love putting something of you into it.

To this end, Meraki Boutique may be a visual reflection of Kylee-ness: her innate lightness and sense of fun; classic, clean, minimal fashion aesthetic; a well-earned maturity and overflowing with the contagious energy and inspiration that comes from doing what you love.

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KYLEEWEBERWhen Kylee opened a clothing store 14 years ago, she was fuelled by a love of good fashion. But as time went by, her passion for business grew. This year marks the end of downtown boutique ownership for Kylee and a fresh start on new soil. Our downtown girl grows up. And by up, I mean up town.

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Style Inspirations /

LifeCelebrity who inspires your style:

Angelina Jolie. Shes always classic, wears a lot of black and doesnt really follow trends.

And I love the work that she does. Favourite Blog: FIGTNY.com. Its all black white and grey, so classic,

so beautiful. Musician: I used to like David Bowie and Duran Duran but now I listen to a lot of R&B. Film: Top Gun. Era: Ive never been a fan of the 80s, every time it

comes back I still dont like it. I like the natural feeling of the 90s but no, I think Ive always liked the same look, Ive never veered off what I like. Favourite local restaurant: Brasserie

lEcole. Album on current rotation: Songza R&B playlist. Last great read: Room by Emma Donoghue. But the last book I read was The Maze Runner [by James Dashner]. I tend to read Young Adult, what my son reads, so we can chat about it. Favourite city to visit: I love New York but

Im not a city person, I would go to Tofino any day over New York. Fav App: Instagram. Favourite flower:

White tulip. Favourite place in the whole world: Thailand. I love the language, the people,

the climate and the beaches.

Fashion / Beauty

Uniform: Black skinny jeans, a good pair of boots and a leather jacket. Fav Jeans:

Citizens of Humanity, Rocket high-rise skinny. All time favourite piece: Mackage black leather jacket. Day bag: Mackage leather backpack. Its so nice to be

hands free. Jewelry designer: Fiona Morrison of Wolf Circus. Coveting: Holy Stone leather boots in black, handmade in

Australia. Favourite Shoes: Flip flops, Kylee laughs, because Im with my kids all summer. But if not those then maybe my Sam

Edelman sandals. Necessary indulgence: Chap Stick, Nivea? says Kylee laughing again, Im sorry, thats so boring. Im just not really a beauty product person. Moisturizer: La Roche

Posy face cream and Tizo sunscreen. Hair: Redken All Soft shampoo and Bumble and bumble curl cream.

Beauty secret: Exercise, running. If I dont have a really good sweat every three days I

feel it. Scent: Noble by MCMC Fragrances.

FASHION

TRUE GRITClaire blouse ($198), poncho ($268) and black tights ($148) by Bridget Savard Designs at bridgetsavarddesigns.com; Tessa ankle boot by Frye ($428) at Footloose Shoes; handcrafted, real Arizona turquoise set in sterling silver rings and silver cuff available at Vivah Jewelry.

FOLK REVIVAL

FOLK REVIVAL

BY LIA CROWE PHOTOS BY CATHIE FERGUSON

COOL ELEGANCE Zoe dress in Hunter green by Diane von Furstenberg ($485) at Bernstein & Gold; Tiller hat by Brixton ($80) at Still Life for Her; Bali Beautiful handcrafted, sterling silver rings, pendants, bangles and cuff all available at Vivah Jewelry.

TASSELS AND FRINGE, LEATHER AND SUEDE, BILLOWY BLOUSES AND BOOTS. FREEWHEEL YOUR WAY INTO THE BIRKIN-ESQUE LOOK OF AUTUMN, AND FALL IN LOVE AGAIN WITH THE ERA WHERE CHIC MEANS PLAYFUL, EXPRESSIVE AND MOST OF ALL, EFFORTLESS.

ON THE FRINGE Sofiya blouse ($310), Margaux skirt in Bordeaux ($285), fringed clutch ($285) and chain fringe necklace ($123) by BCBGMAXAZRIA and available at BCBGMAXAZRIA Uptown.

THE NEW BOHEMIAN Dayne dress ($478) and Hannover vest ($479) by ELIZABETH and JAMES at Bernstein & Gold; Rosetta pendant necklace by Lizzie Fortunato ($525) and labradorite beaded bracelet with tassels by Augustine ($95) at Bernstein & Gold; black lace-up shoes by BCBGMAXAZRIA and available at BCBGMAXAZRIA Uptown.

Makeup: Jen Clark jenclark@shaw.caModel: Lia Crowe

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42

HAWTHORN

NLY A FOOL WILLINGLY goes to school in the summertime, so there I was on a sunny July lunch hour obediently answering a summons from the vice principal. Garrett Brisdon marched me up and

down corridors, pointed out details, tried to get me to think critically about what we observed. My homework assignment: 700 words on the new cole Secondaire Oak Bay High School.

The start of the school year has always seemed to be a time of renewal, with the evenings in September holding a hint of the fall soon to come.

When an anticipated 1,270 (or more) Oak Bay students arrive for the first day of classes on the Tuesday following Labour Day, they will enter a sparkling, state-of-the-art facility that will be a community landmark for decades.

The building boasts a 420-seat theatre, two gymnasiums with sprung floors, an auto and metal shop with two car lifts, a high-tech room for robotics and 3D printing, a woodworking shop, a photography darkroom, arts rooms, food labs, chemistry labs, biology labs, an aboriginal nations education centre, and several bright classrooms. Computer labs can be found on each of the new buildings three floors.

The entire structure has been built to the highest environmental standards (lights switch on and off automatically when one enters and exits a room). As well, it is designed to withstand an earthquake and will be a designated gathering place for Oak Bay should the Big One strike.

The vice principals tour came on a day that workers scurried from classroom to classroom to complete the project. Brisdon, who is entering his 39th year as an educator, knows playing a part in the building of a new school like this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This is an absolute privilege, he said.Even as we explored the site, including arts rooms in

which sliding garage-like doors opened to the outdoors, we

could hear a rumble coming from elsewhere on campus. The demolition of the old science wing, where Brisdon taught, was nearly complete. How did that feel?

Strange, he acknowledged. A little sad. The old Oak Bay High has been here many, many decades. It has meant a lot to many kids, who are now adults, and it has meant a lot to many generations.

In time, the remnants of the old school, opened in 1929, will be torn down to make way for a new rugby pitch. Its a fair trade, as the new school was built on the site of the old rugby pitch.

The 151,000 square-foot facility cost $54 million, most of it covered by School District No. 61. The municipality kicked in $1 million as a contribution to the theatre, which, like much of the building, will be available for public use in evenings, on

weekends and in summer. The school is left to raise a final $1.7 million to complete the theatre, place a technology package (digital projector, screen, Apple TV, speakers and laptop) in each of the 40 classrooms, and to furbish a fitness centre, as well

as for turf and lighting for an outdoor soccer field.While on tour, we took a pause before a row of squat lockers

with extra wide doors outside a classroom. The vice principal quizzed me on their purpose. I hazarded a few guesses, all wrong. Turns out these will be for band students, who will be able to store tubas, French horns and other instruments too wide for ordinary lockers. The new band room includes a separate choir room and a recording studio. It replaces a ramshackle temporary building known as The Band Shack, which was located across the field from the old school.

With all the excitement about a new building for a new school year, there is also sadness. Colin Campbell, the schools longtime music teacher and bandmaster, was killed in a motorcycle accident this summer. He was a dynamic figure and his loss is a reminder that it is teachers who influence generations of students. It can only be for the better that his colleagues can now try do so with the best tools available.

OAK BAY HIGH RISINGBUILDING A COMMUNITY LANDMARK

PLAYING A PART IN THE BUILDING OF A NEW SCHOOL LIKE THIS IS A

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.

BY TOM HAWTHORN

O

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FOOD & DRINK

KEFIR, KRAUT, KIMCHI, KVASS

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF THE WORLDS FAVOURITE FERMENTED FOODS

VE ALWAYS SAID I could easily survive on fermented foods.

Theres beer and wine, of course, with bread and cheese, perhaps a slice of salami. Pile some sauerkraut on that sourdough, and add some pickled beets and

cornichon on the side (or fiery kimchi, if youre feeling adventurous), and youve got most of the food groups covered.

Coffee and tea, chocolate and yogurt, miso and soy

sauce, are fermented, too all the result of millennia of human experimentation with preparing and preserving the local harvest.

And while all of this is literally ancient history, fermentation is finding new fans in the slow food world of chefs and others interested in healthy, seasonal and sustainable eating. By putting up whats fresh and local now, we can avoid relying on imports later.

I TEXT BY CINDA CHAVICH PHOTOS BY DON DENTON

Fermented water kefir in a large jar, front, and hot sauces at Nourish Kitchen & Caf on Quebec Street.

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FOOD & DRINKBut all pickled, salted and preserved foods are not

created equally. In fact, in todays era of processed, pasteurized, shrink-wrapped and sanitized food, you may be hard-pressed to find many pure, fermented products, at least any that still have their bubbly probiotic bacteria intact.

The good news is that you can ferment simple sauerkraut or dill pickles with a mason jar and a handful of sea salt in a few days on your kitchen counter. And there are more people, both at home and in professional kitchens, who are doing just that.

PROBIOTIC PIONEERS

Sandor Katz is the self-described fermentation revivalist who most people turn to for expert advice. His books, Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation, are the bibles of fermented food, with recipes for everything from classic sauerkraut and kimchi to fish sauce and miso. Acolytes of fermentation can travel to his communal farm in Tennessee for a bit of a bacterial bootcamp an immersion in all things fermented. Which is exactly what Todd Graham of Hand Taste Ferments did to hone his fermentation skills.

The former Victoria musician and craft brewer now teaches fermenting workshops and hosts pop-up monthly fermentation dinners in Vancouver. Graham is also the official fermentor for Vancouvers Forage restaurant, working with chef Chris Whittaker to ferment everything from sauerkraut, natural ketchup and rhubarb kimchi, to fish sauce (using Quadra Island herring) and miso made with locally grown chickpeas, barley and lentils.

Fermented foods are on the menu at Nourish Kitchen & Caf in Victoria, too. At the restaurants new downtown location, owner Hayley Rosenberg has set up her own fermentorium, producing a variety of fermented vegetables for the cafs whole food menu, from curling strands of beet pasta to creamy fermented cashew cheese. Theres even a daily batch of bubbly kefir water flavoured with seasonal fruits and herbs on tap.

And at OLO, you can see chef Brad Holmes colorful ferments, from pickled vegetables to vinegars, displayed on an open shelf in the dining room, and try them in dishes like pork and perogies with kimchi and cultured cream.

Melanie Furman, founder of Culturalive on Salt Spring Island was a student of Katz, too. Furman also known as The Sauerkraut Lady sells her inventive versions of fermented cabbage and other vegetables in jars at farmers markets and in city shops including Niagara Grocery, Fairfield Market, Lifestyle Markets

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and Ingredients Caf and Community Market. What began as a way to cure her own digestive ills, is now a booming business.

Im fermenting 200 to 350 pounds of vegetables a week, says Furman from her island farm, where she also grows much of the cabbage, beets, fennel and onions that go into her jars of Curry Kraut, Kimchi, Radiant Roots and other seasonal combinations.

DIY HEALTH FOOD

Theres a good reason to pickle your vegetables with natural fermentation. First its easy. Just start with a clean vessel, some vegetables and salt, and the microbes in the air will ingest the natural sugars in the vegetable juices to create enough natural acidity to pickle and preserve it all. No need for boiling water baths and canning kettles.

Plus, unlike vinegar pickles that are heat processed and pasteurized, your fermented food will have healthy probiotics the good bacteria for a healthy digestive tract and strong immune system. Some studies suggest fermented foods can help you lose weight, prevent heart disease and diabetes, even generate serotonin that can elevate your mood.

Fermented cabbage and other vegetables whether plain sauerkraut, spicy kimchi or combinations with other vegetables is great alongside any rich meat or charcuterie, rolled into sandwich wraps with cheese, or piled onto a grilled sausage. Furman recommends her sauerkraut on salads, in tacos, rolled into sushi, even simply eating a few tablespoons before bed to cure insomnia.

Live fermented foods offer way better digestion, help the nervous system relax, are anti-inflammatory and even help the brain function better, says Furman.

If you cook your kraut, say in a soup or a traditional Alsatian choucroute, you lose the probiotic benefits, but not the flavour that comes with fermentation another gourmet benefit of this traditional preservation process.

YOUR FERMENTED FOOD WILL HAVE HEALTHY PROBIOTICS THE GOOD BACTERIA FOR A HEALTHY

DIGESTIVE TRACT .

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FERMENTING 101

Natural ferments are easy to do but involve some trial and error. Rosenberg says its a process, akin to baking naturally leavened breads, and success requires practice.

Water kefir probiotic soda is a simple place to start. You can buy the kefir grains at Nourish and ferment a fizzy probiotic lemonade in just two or three days.

Cabbage is quick and easy to ferment at home, which is likely why sauerkraut and kimchi are so common in European and Asian cuisines.

Its important to choose pristine produce (nothing soft or moldy). Use filtered or non-chlorinated water and sea salt (not iodized table salt).

If the food isnt submerged in the salt brine, it will become moldy, and thats a signal to throw out the batch. Otherwise, there are no food safety issues, she says the lactobacillus that results from natural fermentation actually creates an environment thats unfriendly for bad bacteria, both in your fermenting crock, and your gut.

Fermented Swiss chard in a large jar at Nourish Kitchen & Caf.

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For more practical information about fermentation, go to Katzs website, www.wildfermentation.com or look for local fermentation workshops at Nourish and the Compost Education Centre this fall.

SIMPLE SAUERKRAUT

Cabbage Sea salt

Optional Carrots, onions and ginger, hot peppers or fennel, daikon

radishes and ginger, or green onion tops

Fermenting cabbage is really a no-brainer. Simply shred the clean cabbage into a big bowl, massage in a tablespoon of sea salt until the cabbage is limp and giving up its juices, then pack it into a clean, wide-mouthed Mason jar. Press it down until the liquid rises above the solids in the jar. To keep the contents submerged, use a small canning jar or bowl that just fits inside the mouth of the jar. Cover loosely, set in a pan (to catch any overflow), place it in a cool place and wait.

Fermentation will begin almost immediately and you can slow it down anytime by covering the jar and putting it into the fridge. It will bubble and there may be some foam or even white mold to scrape off the top, but thats okay, as long as the cabbage stays submerged beneath the liquid. Taste it from time to time, and when its sour enough for you, its time to put it in the fridge. This process can take a week or up to a month.

If its too hot, the sauerkraut will ferment too fast and tends to get soft (and spoil), so find a place thats about 65F for fermenting. If youre feeling adventurous, flavour your cabbage kraut with shredded carrots, onions and ginger, add hot peppers or fennel, daikon radishes and ginger (for kimchi), or green onion tops. Refrigerated, the sauerkraut can keep for a year or more.

PROBIOTIC PICKLES

Small pickling cucumbersSea saltFlowering dillGarlicBlack peppercorns

Optional Grape, oak or bay leaves

Though pickles are more finicky than sauerkraut, Im taking the plunge with the recipe for fermented Sour Pickles from Sandor Katzs book.

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I picked up a $10 bag of small pickling cucumbers from a local farm market, washed them well to remove bits of soil, snipped off the stems and blossom ends, and then chilled them well in ice water.

I mixed six tablespoons of sea salt in two litres of water, brought it to a boil and cooled it to create a brine.

You can ferment in a crock or in canning jars divide four heads of flowering dill, four to eight cloves of peeled garlic, and a few black peppercorns, between four wide-mouth, quart sealers or use a ceramic crock. If youre using fermenting jars, pack the cucumbers in tightly, standing them upright in one or two layers, then pour brine over top, making sure they are completely submerged and theres an inch of head space above the brine to allow it to bubble up. Screw lids on loosely, and open to release the gas inside every day (called burping). In a crock, use a plate, weighted with a plastic bag of brine, to keep the vegetables submerged.

Melanie Furman (of Culturalive) suggests topping the crock or jar with clean grape leaves the tannins in the leaves keep the pickles crunchy while they ferment. Oak leaves or bay leaves work, too.

Check the pickles daily and skim off any mold or white scum. You want to see fermentation in action fizz or bubbling in your crock or jars. Its perfectly natural for the brine to become cloudy. If theres not enough brine at any time, add more (1 tablespoon of salt per cup of water).

Taste the pickles after a week pickles require one to four weeks to sour but its up to your taste. Refrigeration slows fermentation. Fermented pickles can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Fermented cultured cashew cheese with seedy bread (buckwheat and seeds), and currant and blueberry water kefir from Nourish Kitchen & Caf.

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GRIZZLY VIEWING HERE AND THERE

BEAR WATCH TEXT AND PHOTOS BY SUSAN LUNDY

TRAVEL NEAR

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IVE OF US SAT in a large rowboat on a river, hushed into silence. The only sound breaking the October air was the crunch of bone, as a grizzly, standing on the shoreline a few metres away,

carefully stripped the skin off a dead salmon and ate the flesh underneath.

The sight of the bear was intoxicating; its proximity, slightly unnerving. But our guide from Tweedsmuir Park Lodge in Bella Coola said the bears ignore the people in the rowboats, understanding, it seems, that we pose no threat.

This was our second day at the lodge, which is located 40 minutes from the Bella Coola airport, or six hours from Williams Lake in the Cariboo region of BC.

Our first bear sighting occurred within hours of our arrival, when, thrilled, we watched a mother bear and two cubs meander through a field below the lodge.

Wed also seen a few bears in the distance on an earlier float and searched unsuccessfully in the bush with a guide but this was definitely the closest wed been. I could toss a salmon to this grizzly and I cant throw very far.

Grizzly bear viewing occurs throughout BC in the summer months, but late September and early October is often the best time to plan a trip as the salmon return in massive numbers to spawn and eventually die in various rivers.

Although Im a guest of Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, which runs a heli-skiing operation in the winter and

expanded six years ago to included grizzly viewing in the summer and fall, there are several bear watching companies throughout BC.

Closer to home in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, bear-viewing wannabes have several options, from tours in areas such as Tofino, Ucluelet and Port Hardy, sailing excursions (some leave from Victoria) and at least two lodge offerings, the closest being Painters Lodge/April Point Resort & Spa in Campbell River just three hours from Victoria which has launched a bear watching component this year.

The daily grizzly tours there run until October 12, and include a two-hour boat ride to Orford River in Bute Inlet and then three hours on viewing platforms, which are another great way to see bears.

Unlike Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, which has a one large viewing platform complementing its river tours, the Painters Lodge excursion offers guests a series of small platforms, just six feet above ground, stationed along the river. Guides lead bear watchers to the two or three platforms that have the most activity that day. Painters Lodge already offers wilderness tours, fishing and whale watching, and so is poised for success with its new venture.

Both Tweedmuir Park Lodge and Painters Lodge were built in 1929 Painters as a fishing lodge, and Tweedsmuir as a hunting lodge. The original Painters Lodge burned down in 1985. The property was purchased by the Victoria based Oak Bay Marine Group in 1987; a

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new lodge was constructed, and it reopened two years later. It sits on the edge of Discovery Passage, right at the doorstep of vast, open wilderness and a short water taxi ride across the narrows to its sister resort at April Point on Quadra Island. Fishing remains a huge draw and when I was there this past summer, I met a group of 10 men, representing three generations, who had travelled there from Chicago, for five days of fishing.

Tweedsmuir Park Lodge has been transformed from a

hunting lodge into a place accommodating those seeking more eco-friendly adventures. Its quietly elegant: tasteful, subtle and cheerfully warm, especially when theres a fire crackling in the fireplace. The lodge sits in a valley beneath a towering rock face and snow-tipped mountains amid 60 acres of wilderness, including 600 metres of frontage on the Atnarko River.

Immediately upon arrival at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, we checked out the observation platform. There were no bears, but we watched a mesmerizing fleet of salmon, wiggling, splashing and leaping out of the water. As one of our guides later pointed out, these salmon sit at the very root of the ecosystem, providing nourishment for everything from maggots to grizzlies.

Just below the platform, we got out first bear sighting a massive claw footprint carved in the sand right next to a decomposing salmon. It was a sign of things to come, and by the end of our visit, wed seen many, many bears, including some from the platform.

But the trip highlight was definitely the floats down the Atnarko and Bella Coola rivers. These occurred in non-motorized McKenzie drift boats, led by informative and

interesting guides. All the guides are excellent oarsmen, know the area well, and have extensive experience on the rivers.

But the real heroes of the day were the bears: massive and potentially fierce; yet seen here in their element, passively lumbering along the riverside, crunching on dead salmon.

I COULD TOSS A SALMON TO THIS GRIZZLY AND I CANT

THROW VERY FAR.

Professional photographers use a viewing platform to capture bear images.

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FRONT ROW BY ROBERT MOYES

CIRQUE DU PEKINGMore than 800 jaws dropped about a year ago when

the National Circus and Acrobats of the Peoples Republic of China made their debut performance at UVics Farquhar Auditorium. According to venue manager Ian Case, the return engagement of the award-winning troupe will be even more spectacular. What we saw in 2014 were moreso acrobats in training this is going to be the A Team, says Case. These are performers at their physical peak, doing unbelievable stunts. Coming directly from Beijing, the 40-plus performers of the National Circus will present Peking Dreams, which was featured at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and has since been performed for more than 400,000 people throughout Asia and Europe. Combining elements of acrobatics, circus and Chinese Opera, this is a window

into a unique artistic and cultural tradition going back centuries. Unlike Cirque du Soleil shows, which feature a magical storyline and a lot of technology, Chinas National Circus is a more like an old-fashioned vaudeville performance: a showcase of traditional acrobatics as well as dramatic stunts involving unicycles, platter spinning and umbrella juggling done with the feet. Throw in the extravagantly colourful costumes and stylized performances of martial arts and this becomes a truly exotic experience. In terms of technical ability, their acrobats are on par with those from Cirque, says Case. But because the focus isnt the story but rather what the performer can do, in some ways the effect is even more amazing. Its quite incredible what they can accomplish on our stage.

Performing September 5 at UVics Farquhar Auditorium. For tickets, call 250-721-8480.

Colour and drama at Cirque du Peking.

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THE CONSEQUENCES OF WARAlthough actor-director Wendy Merk is usually

associated with Shakespearean comedies and the musicals of Gilbert and Sullivan, her excellent direction of Margaret Atwoods often-savag