Vancouver Magazine March/April 2026

The future of Healing

We’re creating a medical campus where care wraps around every patient and innovation transforms lives.

At St. Paul’s Hospital, health care isn’t just about treating: it’s about healing. What truly sets us apart is the way we combine deep compassion with bold innovation.

We’re pushing the boundaries of what medicine can achieve with a purpose-built campus thoughtfully designed to accelerate health care transformation. We’re building on a legacy of breakthroughs, moving beyond what is toward what could be.

Learn more at: helpstpauls.com/healingbetter

The Jim Pattison Medical Campus, home to the new St. Paul’s Hospital and adjacent Clinical Support and Research Centre, will set a new standard in care by improving access, privacy, comfort, safety, and healing for every patient.

We’re shaping the future of medicine, ensuring that life-changing treatments and research discoveries are available for BC residents—and communities far beyond—when they need them most.

Setting the global standard for Healing Better

The new Jim Pattison Medical Campus will transform the patient experience. Guided by a patient-centred model of care, every decision puts patient needs first.

Patients will access a wide range of integrated programs and services in one central location, with stronger coordination between care providers and clinics. This seamless approach

helps patients and families to focus on healing, not navigating a complex system.

St. Paul’s Hospital is known for global leadership in heart, lung, and renal care, research, sepsis, digestive health, seniors care, HIV/AIDS, and education. We have tackled the biggest questions for patients with complex, chronic disease and found previously unimaginable cures that go on to help people around the world—breakthroughs the new campus will help us deepen and amplify.

When we set our sights on the future of the new Jim Pattison Medical Campus, we’re keeping our eyes locked on one goal: Healing Better.

About the new St. Paul’s Hospital—Opening in 2027

PRIVATE ROOMS: Every inpatient will have a private, digitally connected room designed to bring comfort, dignity, and seamless care throughout their healing journey.

MODERN COMMUNICATIONS: Smart bedside devices will help patients connect with loved ones, personalize their space, enjoy entertainment, and access clear health information.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: The PA Woodward Foundation Care Coordination Centre, a first-of-its-kind in BC, will operate to improve patient flow, patient and staff experience, and analytics visibility.

A SMART INVESTMENT IN BC’S FUTURE

In addition to ensuring exceptional health care, the Jim Pattison Medical Campus will serve as a catalyst for urban transformation and economic growth:

Attracting highly skilled talent with high-paying jobs

Bringing investment into the province and supporting neighbourhood renewal

Facilitating the commercialization of intellectual property and keeping patented therapies within BC

IMPROVED EMERGENCY: In moments of crisis, privacy matters. The Teck Emergency Department will offer single-patient rooms designed to support dignified and compassionate care.

FAMILY-CENTRED NICU: In the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, private family rooms will allow parents and babies to heal in the same room—supporting vital bonding, reducing stress, and promoting better health outcomes for the tiniest patients.

CARE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: The Shinozaki Family Centre for Healthy Aging will be BC’s first centralized hub for seniors care—connecting home, hospital, and specialized services to help older adults age with dignity, continuity, and confidence.

Breathing

Not that long ago, cystic fibrosis (CF) was a death sentence: most patients didn’t live to adulthood. Thanks to modern therapies and the research at St. Paul’s Hospital’s leading CF clinic, patients are living full lives.

In 1987, at six months old, Trina Atchison was diagnosed with CF—a genetic, progressive, and fatal disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. She wasn’t expected to celebrate her 12th birthday. Due to medical advancements, Trina’s life expectancy kept shifting.

“It was hard to digest that there was an expiry date on my life, and that had a profound effect on my mental health,” she says. “I really didn’t know how long I was going to be around.” By her late 20s, Trina’s lung function plummeted. Frequent hospital stays made working impossible, and she rarely left her Vancouver home.

Every year of research adds a year of life to patients living with CF.

Clinician-scientists like Dr. Bradley Quon are paving the way for life-changing treatments—and eventual cure. In 2018, he led a clinical trial for a new drug called Trikafta at St. Paul’s Hospital. The trial helped secure Trikafta’s approval in Canada and today, the drug is widely available—helping thousands of Canadians breathe easier.

Trina joined the double-blind study, uncertain if she would receive the placebo or the real medication. Within days, she noticed a dramatic shift—and her health continued to steadily improve. “I went from being so sick and decrepit to gaining 30 pounds, being able to walk and breathe, and not gasp for air,” she says.

Trina spent most of her life planning her funeral. Now, she’s able to plan her future. Since beginning Trikafta, Trina says life has never been better. She hasn’t been hospitalized. She can travel, breathe, live.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for research. I really wasn’t able to live before Trikafta, and all the people behind it. You can’t put a price on the difference St. Paul’s Hospital makes in people’s lives.”

Since Trikafta’s discovery, St. Paul’s Hospital hasn’t performed a single lung transplant for CF patients. Trina’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when compassionate care, research, and innovation come together.

MARCH/APRIL 2026

VOLUME 59 // NUMBER 3

Culture 20 24 22 26 18 23 15

PERSONAL SPACE

At home (and work) with photographer Tomasz Wagner and partner Amy Tran.

SHOP HOP

Where to find the best raingear to survive soggy season.

SO FUN CITY

Put some spring in your step with these culture events.

MADE IN VANCOUVER

Lloyd’s signature toque has become a Vancouver wardrobe staple.

THE HAUL

Nettwerk Music Group co-founder Mark Jowett’s favourite things.

AT ISSUE

Restaurants waste a staggering amount of food. Do they have to?

KNOW IT ALL

Granville Bridge’s new benches are ramping up quite the debate.

ceo and group publisher Ryan Benn

vice - president , content Anicka Quin editors - in - chief Stacey McLachlan ( Vancouver ), Darcy Matheson (BCBusiness), Anicka Quin (Western Living)

senior editor Mihika Agarwal (BCBusiness)

managing editor , food and culture Kristi Alexandra

managing editor Dani Wright (on leave)

assistant editor Kerri Donaldson (Vancouver, Western Living)

wine and spirits editor Neal McLennan

contributing editors Frances Bula, Melissa Edwards, Alyssa Hirose, Matt O’Grady

interns Emma Bolzner, Jeannie Lin, Selena Teixeira, Saskia Wodarczak email mail@vanmag.com

- president , digital Darcy Matheson

Confidentially Cool The alwayswhimsical kids’ pop-up art gallery Tombolo (run by cover stars Ryleah Resler [left] and Anita Cheung [right]) is just one of the 40-plus secrets of the city we’re revealing in this issue, starting on page 30.

58 60 62 66 c

Taste

REVIEWS

Blue Coast is a Japanese restaurant that stands out from the crowd.

IN SEARCH OF

These masterful mocktails are pure magic.

BEST THING I ATE

A Vietnamese crepe that’s delicious—and interactive.

THE WINE LIST

This little-known region of Italy is home to your new fave bottles.

GONE COUNTRY

Pack an overnight bag and point yourself to the Cowichan Valley

MEET CUTE

Dating columnist Kerri Donaldson hits the sauna.

Features

30

SECRETS OF THE CITY

Consider this your anti-gatekeeping guide: a feature jam-packed with dozens of insider tips, tricks, deals and steals from the smartest, coolest people we know, all intended to make life easier, tastier and way more fun.

43

REAL WEDDINGS

One Vancouver couple says “I do” for the second time in an unexpectedly romantic space—Mountainview Cemetary. Plus, a rundown of the region’s most interesting venues and your go-to local sources for sleek stationery.

marketing manager Rebekah Ho

brand partnerships/digital copywriter Sandrine Jacquot

design

creative director Jenny Reed

art director Stesha Ho ( Vancouver , BCBusiness )

advisory council

Angus An, Maenam; Patrick Barron, Telus; Victoria Emslie, Nicola Wealth; Peter Jackman, Terminal City Club; Carol Lee, Vancouver Chinatown Foundation; Carol Liao, UBC Peter Allard School of Law; Matt McClenaghan, Edgar Developments; Jennifer Murtagh, Maturn; Gary Pooni, Pooni Group; Greg Zayadi, Rennie Group

sales representation

vice - president , sales Anna Lee

senior media specialists Brianne Harper, Mira Hershcovitch, Cathy Huynh, Sheri Stubel mail sales@canadawide.com

production / administration

group vp , education and administration Jane Griffiths

operations manager Emily Heffring

director of circulation Tracy McRitchie

manager , hr and administration Fiona Cochrane

executive assistant and event producer Julie Fisher

events and office manager Julia Jarman

production manager Kim McLane

procurement manager and business support specialist Natasha Jayawardena

production support technician Ina Bowerbank customer service Kelly Kalirai

finance

group vp , finance Conroy Ing, CPA, CMA

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What a night! On February 5th, we gathered Vancouver’s most influential changemakers at the Terminal City Club to unveil our 2026 Power 50 List—and the energy was electric. From the moment guests arrived, the room buzzed with connection and celebration as cocktails and wine flowed and conversations sparked between the city’s boldest innovators, artists, activists and business leaders.

The highlight came during our awards presentation, where we recognized this year’s Power 50 honourees—the powerhouses propelling Vancouver into the future—and inducted a new class into our Hall of Fame. Watching these remarkable individuals come together under one roof reminded us why we’ve been doing this for 25 years. The best part isn’t publishing the list: it’s celebrating these changemakers in person.

This year’s gathering felt especially inspiring. Our 2026 honourees represent people who power our city in innovating, surprising and heart-lifting ways across politics, philanthropy, technology and beyond. The speeches and emotional moments all reinforced what makes Vancouver truly powerful: its people.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable evening, and congratulations again to all our 2026 Power 50 winners.

PLATINUM SPONSORS THANK YOU

PRESENTED BY

DIAMOND SPONSOR

CHARITY PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNER

VENUE PARTNER

PRINT PARTNER

PHOTO BOOTH SPONSOR

AV PARTNER

PHOTOGRAPHY PARTNER

POURING PARTNERS

TOASTING SPONSOR

LOOSE LIPS, HOT TIPS

What’s the opposite of gatekeeping? Broadcasting? Oversharing? Gleeful blabbing? Loudmouthing? Whatever it is: it’s my favourite pastime. If I discover a funky underground wine bar or a daytime disco or a sick deal on nice cheese or a dental hygienist who remembers what terrible home reno show you were watching on the ceiling TV on your last appointment (shoutout to the team at Moss Dental!), I want everyone to know about it—and to make a date to come with me next time (well, not to the dentist, but you get the point). I cannot understand how it would be fun to keep something to yourself. Recommending a great event or delicious dish to someone that they then try and love? It’s almost as joyful as experiencing it again first-hand.

It’s a good thing I’ve wound up in this line of work, then: the editorial team here at Vanmag has a sworn duty to spill the beans. We infuse every issue with insider intel, but for our Secrets of the City feature (page 30), we’re really letting the recos fly. Sneaky-good happy hours! Food court finds! A whimsical children’s art gallery—the work of cover models Anita Cheung and Ryleah Resler—that turns a whole house into a storybook! It’s a smorgasbord of tips and tricks, some coming from our own personal sleuthing, others sourced from in-the-know friends and friendsof-friends. (Like Guillermo del Toro, who pointed us to the best popcorn in the city, page 32.)

The city’s secrets aren’t really restricted to this feature, though. You’ll find plenty of illuminating info elsewhere in these pages: reveals of the best spots to snag stylish raingear (page 18), the real story behind that weird Granville Bridge bench (page 26), an exclusive peek inside the thoughtfully designed live-work space of wedding photographer Tomasz Wagner and partner Amy Tran (page 15), our unfiltered experience at upscale sushi spot Blue Coast (page 56), a first-hand report from the frontlines of the singles’ sauna (page 62) and so much more. Call us gossips if you must, but we’re firm believers that sharing is caring. And guess what, dear reader? We care about you. Secret’s out.

STACEY McLACHLAN editor

Coming Up Next Issue

37th Annual Restaurant Awards

After months of dining and deliberation, the results are in. Hope you’re hungry. Our annual celebration of the best restaurants in the city in 50-plus categories— Chinese, Italian, French, Middle Eastern and more.

Tripping Out

Get your summer road trip plans in gear with our local travel guide. Will the Sunshine Coast, Mayne Island or Sooke be the destination that inspires you to pack up and get out of town for a while?

behind the scenes

Speakeasy Call Me Back is decked out with vintage phones, all collected by Terminal City Club CEO Peter Jackman (TCC owns Call Me Back). It was a perfect backdrop for cover stars Ryleah Resler and Anita Cheung—founders of pop-up kids’ art gallery Tombolo.

FOLLOW US ON

If you don’t look after your health, who will

No one.

Find out how to prevent diseases.

Remember, prevention is the cure.

illumi HEALTH

Get reliable information to help improve your life. Accurate information can change people’s lives for the better, and illumi.health is the place to find it. The content is engaging, easy to understand, and relevant to Canadians of all ages and backgrounds. Best of all, there’s no cost to join, and no personal information is collected. Let’s all work together so that we can have a long, happy, and healthy life.

CULTURE

Balancing Act

Tomasz Wagner and Amy Tran—the creative and administrative minds behind photography studio Tomasz Wagner Photo and Films— cultivate that elusive work-life balance with the help of a thoughtful design by &Daughters.

by Stacey McLachlan photographs by Tanya Goehring

The Mount Pleasant home of wedding photographer Tomasz Wagner and spouse/ studio manager Amy Tran has always been designated as a live-work space—but until a few years ago, the industrial-grade loft leaned aesthetically toward the “work” side of that equation.

“It was super rough. It used to be a workshop and there were light fixtures just hanging from wires. I would shower at the climbing gym instead of here,” Wagner laughs. Despite the discomfort, the couple stuck it out in the, uh, rustic conditions for years, forgoing small updates in favour of waiting for the big, all-in reno project. “We didn’t want to get too settled,” explains Tran.

Their patience paid off. Thanks to a makeover two years ago from Vancouver design firm &Daughters (a recent winner of Western Living magazine’s esteemed Robert Ledingham Memorial Award), the vibe is now decidedly more in the “live” camp. The loft space was torn down to the studs and then reconstructed into a warm, welcoming home, complete with a cozy dining nook (“It’s actually great for napping,” says Tran) lit by the glow of a paper Hay lamp.

There’s still plenty of work being done here, but Tran and Wagner literally compartmentalize their business hours for their studio to a pod-like space by the front door. The curved, raised workspace is panelled in wood and sound-dampening wool; breezy curtains delineate the area from the living quarters, hung high enough that the couple’s three cats can sneak underneath for a visit in the middle of an editing session.

Though the renovation is now complete inside the condo, the neighbourhood is going through its own overhaul—nearby, construction is constantly under way for new development and the incoming Skytrain upgrades. “Maybe when we get to 55, things will finally really feel like they’re settled,” jokes Wagner. “We’re excited to see the neighbourhood evolve.”

Gather ’Round “A cozy space was the vision: something softer than the industrial space it was, something that felt more like a hug,” says Tran. “The nook was a big part of that.” They eat in the dining nook, of course, but Tran can also vouch for it as a comfortable snoozing spot. The paper Hay lamp is a nod to their love of Danish design, and to Tran’s Chinese heritage.

Hidey Hole The three cats (Gus, Olek and Oola) access their litter box through a discreet cut-out under the stairs (a suggestion from the designers at &Daughters). The previous owner was a woodworker, and made the floorboards himself. A set of KEF speakers flank an EQ3 cabinet in the living room (previous page)—ideal for listening to their vinyl collection, which is heavy on the electronica.

1 Working It Tran has been managing the back end of Wagner’s wedding photography and videography business for more than 12 years. “I think we’ve really hit our stride in the last eight,” she jokes. The couple refers to their workstation as “the cabin,” and it does feel like a retreat. Wool panelling on the walls dampens the sound but also allows Tran and Wagner to pin up art and photos.

2 Sculptural Moment The ceramic pearls on the wall, from Studio Arhoj, were a find in Copenhagen. “We first fell in love with their work six years ago, but it wasn’t until we were staying nearby in Stockholm that we could order the pearls and have them shipped to our hotel,” says Tran. (A few other prints from Arhoj can be found elsewhere in the space.)

3 Camera Ready Photo tools and scanners are tucked away neatly into tension-mounted shelves. Wagner’s favourite photo books (like the collaborative Overgrowth, which he helped fund and includes other artists such as Hideaki Hamada and Miss Bean) are in pride of place for inspo, along with vintage camera boxes and a pristine Hasselblad camera.

4 Photo Finish Wagner has been shooting film for years and does all his own scanning and colour-grading. Usually you’ll find Fuji Frontier scanners in a big lab, but Wagner uses a miniature version—a connected custom keyboard allows him to colourcorrect with a few taps.

Above It All The giant light fixture hanging from the highest point of the sloping ceiling (20 feet up!) was a serendipitous find at the now-shuttered design shop Espace D. “We first found this Petite Friture fixture in Paris but they only make it in Europe, and it was just too hard to bring home, and then there would be conversion issues even if we could import it,” says Wagner. “But then I walked into Espace D and saw one hanging, all lit up, and asked if the owner had any more to sell. He didn’t; he was willing to sell his display one to me.” The couple were touched, and sent him photos of the lamp in its new home. Says Tran, “It’s like we adopted it.”

The Cover Up

Where to source the right gear to survive Vancouver’s everlasting rainy season.

by Ashley Kim

Fjällräven

1976 W 4th Ave. and 147 W Broadway, fjallraven.com

jIf you’ve got nature in your DNA, lucky for you: this Swedish brand does, too. Fjällräven’s love for people and the outdoors is obvious in its durable designs using recycled, organic materials and

that doesn’t mean your ’fits have to High Coast Hydratic trail jacket ($350), with its 2.5 layers and mechanical stretch, comes in classic dark colours, but

Rains

2142 W 4th Ave., ca.rains.com

jHere, neo-Scandinavian minimalism meets serious waterproofing. The Danish brand’s lightweight signature PU fabric promises to keep you dry and unbothered even on the bleakest of days.

With its drawstring fishtail hem and utility-inspired pockets, the unisex Fishtail parka ($200) nails that effortlessly cool commuter vibe. The vented back yoke keeps things breathable, while the hood’s built-in cap means no more droopy fabric getting in the way of your view.

Herschel Supply

347 Water St. and 1080 Robson St., herschel.ca

jThe Vancouver-based brand knows exactly what the weather demands. Inspired by the city’s surrounding mountains and oceans, Herschel’s designs are timeless necessities with that “travel everywhere, travel often” attitude.

The Classic rain jacket ($140) checks all the boxes for go-to rainwear with its sleek silhouette, water-resistant and windproof stretch fabric and a three-piece hood.

Patagonia

1994 W 4th Ave., patagonia.ca

jThe OG environmental activists of outdoor gear, Patagonia has been committed to providing high-quality and ethically produced apparel and equipment since 1973. At Patagonia Vancouver (a.k.a. the Temple of Stoke), you can find everything from sportswear and outdoor clothing to local information and in-store events.

Next time you’re scheduled to be out in the rain all day, consider the Torrentshell 3L rain jacket ($225). Cut from 100-percent-recycled waterproof and breathable fabric, this raincoat keeps it real and simple—simply made to last.

We’ve been chatting with our BC community, and here’s what we learned

DINING HABITS: DID YOU KNOW THAT 72% OF VANCOUVERITES DINE OUT 1-2 TIMES A WEEK ?

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:

We love the great outdoors! WALKING is Vancouver's favorite outdoor activity ( 87% ), followed by HIKING ( 53% ) and PICNICKING ( 39% ).

WHAT MATTERS TO US:

Vancouverites are passionate about the cost of living , healthcare , and affordable housing . Are these topics important to you too?

Everybody Dance

Public Disco gets communities grooving— conspicuously.

by Alyssa Hirose

Underground club culture is as cool as it is inaccessible: hidden venues, private passwords, exclusive experiences available only to the perpetually plugged in. Vancouverite Nickolas Collinet believes those secret spaces are important, but also that their opposite—public parties you can find yourself attending by accident—are equally extraordinary.

Collinet founded Public Disco, a nonprofit that throws block parties in unexpected, high-traffic Vancouver venues, in 2017. The first was in Alley-Oop (that pink-and-orange laneway off of Granville Street). “The key feature is that people can stumble upon it—you don’t have to be in the know,” says Collinet, who worked for other community-building initiatives including Car Free Day and Vancouver Mural Fest before launching his own. The events are meant to be as inclusive as possible, welcoming seniors, newcomers to the city and even kids to join the party.

The functions themselves are diverse, too. There are after-dark parties at The Birdhouse, all-vinyl DJ sets at the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza, queer salsa dancing lessons in

Granville Island parking lots and regular all-ages, open-air events in a neighbourhood near you. A 2025 Pride party

had over 2,700 attendees. This spring, mark your calendar for the Blossom Block Party (held in partnership with the

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival) on April 4.

Well-aware of Vancouver’s “no-fun” reputation, Collinet is all about bringing together friends and strangers to celebrate and connect. Public Disco laid the groundwork for other community parties that have popped up in the last decade, and Collinet says he’s humbled to be part of the change. “The city does evolve and move forward,” says the founder, “and there are great things that we should all be proud of here.”

Spring Things

For even more fun to-dos around town this month, check out the online events calendar at vanmag.com/events

Arts and culture events to put a spring in your step. by Alyssa Hirose

IN THE MIX: VANCOUVER COCKTAIL WEEK

WHEN March 1 to 8

WHERE Various venues

COST Varies

Raise your glass at this weeklong celebration of mixology featuring neighbourhood cocktail crawls, brunch and other high-spirited events.

STAR FISH: SPONGEBOB DRAG MUSICAL

WHEN March 13

WHERE Royal Canadian Legion Branch 179

COST From $12

Are ya ready, kids? Too bad: this unsanctioned 19-plus musical parody of Spongebob Squarepants promises deep sea dirty jokes.

AWESOME

BLOSSOMS: SAKURA DAYS JAPAN FAIR

WHEN April 11 and 12

WHERE VanDusen Botanical Garden

COST $26 for adults

Dig in to taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, ikebana (flower arranging) workshops and more against the pretty-in-pink backdrop of Japanese cherry blossoms.

NO

NONSENSE: ZARNA GARG’S MILLION DOLLAR EXCUSES

WHEN April 19

WHERE Vogue Theatre

COST From $62

We dare you to take your mother-in-law to this incredible Indian-American stand-up comedian with hot and hilarious takes on marriage and family (results may vary).

KILLER

SHOW: CANADIAN PSYCHO

WHEN March 31 to April 12

WHERE Firehall Arts Centre

COST From $32

Marlene Ginader’s fatalistic (and funny) one-woman show takes a stab at our culture’s questionable obsession with true crime.

REAL REELS: DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

WHEN April 30 to May 10

WHERE Various venues

COST Varies

Tired of all the remakes, sequels and prequels? Head down to DOXA for fresh independent films created by talented people from all over the world.

CORK IT OUT: VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL

WHEN March 7 to 14

WHERE Various venues COST Varies

Bonjour, bottles—the theme country for this fest’s 47th year is France. Wine dinners, seminars and tastings galore will focus on rosé (yes way).

SPLISH SPLASH: SAID THE WHALE’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

WHEN April 11

WHERE Hollywood Theatre COST $54

Our very own homegrown indie band is celebrating two decades of music, and the tour appropriately kicks off in Vancouver.

WISH YOU WERE BEER: BREWHALLA NORTH VANCOUVER

WHEN May 1

WHERE The Shipyards COST From $39

Craft beer and kickass bands rule Brewhalla, the craft beverage and music festival returning to the North Shore for its fourth year.

THE PLAYLIST

Here’s what ’90s punk icon (and one-time Vancouverite)

Bif Naked has on her pop culture radar.

THE ALBUM Tate McRae’s So Close to What

My goddaughter has ruined me. She will not stop playing Tate McRae. Such a great artist, and I love her record. She’s an award-winning musician from Calgary—we should support her.

THE PODCAST

The Jann Arden Podcast

You have to listen to her.

She’s so smart and funny. She’s a dear friend, but, of course, it’s very good.

THE MOVIE The Fighter

I’m a creature of habit, and I drive my friends crazy. Anything that has Christian Bale in it I love, but there’s a film called The Fighter that everyone has to watch. I also love The Town

Toque Cool

How Kathy Hamagami, reluctant fashion designer, keeps Vancouverites warm. by Stacey McLachlan

A

few of Kathy Hamagami’s favourite Vancouver haunts and brands.

Though she’s been running Lloyd Clothing for more than a decade now (first with business partner Mira Clancy and now solo), Kathy Hamagami doesn’t necessarily think of herself as working in the clothing industry. “I really don’t see myself as a fashion designer,” says Hamagami, whose modesty belies both the keen eye and industrial design experience she brings to the table. “It’s just fun to have an idea and see it go through all the stages.”

Lloyd’s signature toque—pleasingly stout and made from deadstock fleece, with a wide, folded brim—continues to be the tentpole piece of the brand, but the collection includes plenty of other extremely wearable, Vancouveritebaiting basics, like cozy crewnecks, hooded scarves and boxy half-zip pullovers. When Clancy stepped away from Lloyd to focus on parenting, Hamagami started teaming up with Alterior for production, and over the years the move has inspired a slight shift in her designs. “We went from being very soft and gentle womenswear to being more outerwear and non-gendered, but we’ve still maintained a lot of clients,” she says. “Everyone likes a sweatshirt.”

lloydclothing.com

VINTAGE SPONSOR

1705 Venables St., vintagesponsor.com

“I’m a huge fan of Alterior and the clothing they make, but I also love their store within the store: Vintage Sponsor, curated by Matt Roberge. He has such a specific eye with vintage; it’s really interesting.”

STORY OF THINGS

1111 Commercial Dr., @story.of.things

“This is somewhere inbetween a pop-up and a store, and it’s run by Brandy Colton. She has the space,

Available at Inform Interiors, inform.ca

“Christian Woo didn’t study industrial design, and came to what he did naturally. He’s got a range of solid wood ta-

DANA LEE BROWN

Available at Neighbour, 93 W Cordova St., shopneighbour.com

“She makes clothing, but she also picks out the cotton and manufactures the fabrics for her pieces. She’s originally Vancouverbased, but is now on Bowen with her family.”

Available at Gatley, 1136 Commercial Dr., gatley.ca

“I love Penny Frances Apothecary. The geranium and black pepper botanical soap bar is the best. So is the rose geranium and hibiscus botanical mist.”

Running the influential Canadian indie label Nettwerk Music Group seems like it would be an all-consuming sort of job (the label launched the careers of Sarah McLachlan, the Barenaked Ladies and Coldplay). But co-founder Mark Jowett has managed over the past 40 years to squeeze in at least some time to record music of his own under the name Plain Mister Smith; his latest single, the rhythmic, indie-twangy “We Were Called the Foxx,” dropped in the fall. He’s also found at least a few opportunities to do some shopping along the way. Here are the goods that have brought delight to the record exec.

1. Mallalieus Windowpane Check Jacket

I bought a tweed coat covered in patches in Paris about 20 years ago. It was way beyond my means at the time, designed by the retired team La Renommée. I feel very gentlemanish and “tweedy” the minute I put it on. This jacket captures the same spirit. $495, simons.ca

2. Fender Telecaster

Guitar

I bought my Telecaster

off the infamous Vancouver music critic Alex Varty about 35 years ago, and set it up with an extra pick up to mirror the legendary Captain Beefheart’s own Telecaster. I rocked many a night at the Railway Club with this beauty, and have written many a ditty with it. $940, long-mcquade.com

3. Caran d’Ache Geneve 849 Paul Smith Pen

I write everything at home with this lovely,

stylish Paul Smith pen. Somehow it’s never run out of ink. Is there a patron saint of pens hidden inside, perhaps? $75, shop.vanspecial.com

4. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryū Suzuki

A book filled with invaluable wisdom. It doesn’t mean I don’t flail or get lost, but this book leads me back to where I just may see a path out of my own wilderness. $26, indigo.ca

5. Andalou Hyaluronic and DMAE Lift and Firm Cream

Well, I’m not asked if I want the senior rate when I go to the community gym yet (even though I’m just about at that age). I don’t know if this aging cream has anything to do with it, but maybe. $31, choices market.com

6. Asics Skyhand OG Shoes

These are known as Onitsuka Tigers in

Japan, and they’re my go-to runners. They’re a little costly, but they’re the most comfortable runners ever. They’ll also last a century and look cool to boot (or to shoe). $130, gravitypope.com

7. Lorna Shapiro Quilt

I won a beautiful quilt designed by Lorna Shapiro at a silent auction that I still love. I am awestruck by the hours and hours she would have put into making this exquisite quilt, only to donate it

to a cause she really believes in. $795, quiltersdreamfabrics.com

8. Wendelbo Kite

Three-Seater Sofa

There’s fantastic furniture at Fullhouse, especially for small spaces, and I’ve spent many a night on my small sofa scrunching my brain cells on one thing or another. This model is the full-size version of the loveseat I have at home. $8,390, fullhousemodern .com

From Scraps to Sustenance

Vancouver chefs are transforming food waste into meals, money and meaning—one rescued ingredient at a time.

by Hazel Love

Stacked seafood towers, elaborate tasting menus and bottomless brunches: Vancouver’s hospitality scene loves to show off. But behind the indulgence, a growing number of kitchens are addressing one unsavoury issue: the food that doesn’t make it onto the plate.

“You will always have food waste in commercial kitchens,” says Ben Liegey, founder of BetterTable, a Vancouver-based company that launched in 2022 to help hotels and restaurants reduce their food waste and carbon emissions through consultation and AI auditing tools. “But you can cut that in half, no matter where you are.”

The BetterTable team likens food waste to leaving the lights on all night: wasteful, costly and bad for the planet. By tracking what kitchens toss and why, they’ve helped restaurants cut waste by nearly a third, saving up to $20,000 a year. Their next step is an app that automates the process to make food sustainability tracking as routine as checking inventory.

Canada throws away more than 60 percent of the food it produces every year. A third of that waste—11 million

left) Vegetables are the forefront of every dish from The Acorn, and any cuttings are repurposed in either the kitchen or in the bar; forty percent of the region’s food waste comes from restaurants and hotels; chef TJ Conwi from Ono Vancouver turns food scraps into meals for those in need; chef Rumy Muenala from Ayapacha practices “root to shoot” cooking.

tonnes, to be precise—is perfectly edible. Picture Highway 1 completely filled with perfectly usable surplus food—from here all the way to Montreal.

In Metro Vancouver, households aren’t the only culprits.

Restaurants and hotels are behind nearly 40 percent of the region’s food waste, according to a 2024 Metro Vancouver advisory report.

Vancouver’s kitchens are changing the way they think about food waste. Some chefs focus on sustainability, others

on rescuing surplus. Chef TJ Conwi is doing both. His company, Ono Vancouver, turns excess ingredients into meals for people who might otherwise go without. With one in 10 British Columbians facing food insecurity, his work shows how waste can be reimagined and repurposed. Since 2020, Conwi has turned surplus ingredients

into thousands of meals for vulnerable Vancouverites. Much of the food comes from grocery stores, hotels and suppliers who over-order fresh produce and ingredients. Everyday items like arugula, mushrooms or eggplant become 1,200 to 1,500 chefmade meals each week. Seven local charities help deliver them to those most affected by

food insecurity, with a focus on women and BIPOC communities, says Conwi.

Conwi is constantly hustling to keep the free meal program alive. During the pandemic, he launched ReRoot with co-owner Sean McDonald, which sells frozen meals made from surplus produce. Each purchase supports up to 10 community meals. When retail sales proved tough to scale, the team pivoted to catering events, with a focus on companies making a social impact. Proceeds cover staples like protein and pantry goods: everything needed to turn rescued produce into restaurant-quality meals. “It’s not like any other catering company where people are just working for the paycheque,” Conwi says. “We have a collective purpose.”

Born and raised in poverty in Manila, Conwi knows what it means to go hungry. He and his siblings often turned to

extended family or community sources to scrape together a meal, sometimes just a tin of sardines to share over rice. For him, the most meaningful part of his work is knowing someone felt love and dignity from a warm bowl of homemade pasta that he was able to provide.

If Conwi’s mission is to feed the city’s most vulnerable, chef Rumy Muenala’s is to feed its soul. Through his catering company, Ayapacha (which also focuses on recipe development, storytelling and community events), he draws on Indigenous knowledge to rethink how we value food from seed to plate. Ayapacha means “energy and everything around us” in Kichwa—the name offers a reminder that food is more than just calories, it’s connection. His philosophy, “seed to soul,” honours not just the ingredients, but also the people, land and traditions behind them. “We

want to showcase the journey and the people involved in bringing food to our tables,” he says.

For Muenala, less is more. “Our values are that we don’t want to overproduce,” he says. Careful planning with event organizers keeps portions exact and waste minimal. His “root-to-shoot” cooking—the plant-based answer to nose-to-tail— turns every part of a vegetable into something new. Radish greens become sauces. Trimmings simmer into broth.

That philosophy came alive at Cooking for Change, an event Muenala organized to showcase food-waste innovators. Representatives from ReRoot and the nonprofit Vancouver Food Runners explained their recovery work, and Yellow House Farms wowed guests with snickerdoodles made from kiwi peels—a sweet reminder that “waste” can be delicious.

Some of Vancouver’s top kitchens share this ethos.

At The Acorn, the beloved Main Street veggie hot spot, sustainability is baked into the foundations. Founder Shira Blustein says the mission has always been simple: showcase vegetables with respect for the farmers and land they come from. That means using every part of an ingredient—onion skins become jelly, husks become stock and even leftover

carrot tops can be reimagined as housemade pesto.

“We want to use everything we can,” adds head chef Matt Gostelow, pointing to a winter dish that turns an entire squash—skin, flesh and seeds—into cake, ice cream and sauce. Even the bartenders fold kitchen scraps into cocktails. But going zero-waste isn’t easy. “It saves somewhat on food costs,” Blustein says, “but you spend far more on labour.” That extra time with each ingredient deepens her team’s respect for the food, but may explain why not every restaurant makes it a priority.

Metro Vancouver has tried to dispose of its waste problem. Since 2015, businesses have been banned from sending food scraps to landfills and must compost instead, but contamination and compliance remain a challenge. The region also partners with FoodMesh to help restaurants safely donate their surplus, and runs public campaigns like Love Food Hate Waste to change habits from the ground up. Groups like Vancouver Food Runners, along with public-facing apps such as Too Good To Go, help restaurants and cafés divert leftovers, either by selling them at a discount or donating them directly to people who can use them.

So, if a kitchen wants to make a difference, where should they begin? Start small, the chefs say. Track your waste. Think creatively about scraps. Work with farmers. Redefine what’s “usable.” And, above all, build teams that care.

What’s with the Benches on the Granville Street Bridge?

An awkward seating arrangement has the internet buzzing.

Cyberbullying should have ended forever the day MSN Messenger was discontinued in 2014 (much to the chagrin of mean highschool girls named Ashlee around the world). But it looks like I was wrong: internet cruelty is indeed alive and well, and will be directed at you with glee if you are a weird bench in Vancouver.

The City of Vancouver’s engineers may have thought they were simply installing some humble seating in the protected Granville Bridge Connector bike lane alongside the new walking path, but what they actually installed was a pile-on. Reddit in particular went crazy over the unusual placement of the bench, plopped (the only word for it) at the top of a hastily constructed asphalt ramp next to the recently completed raised pathway. CTV called it an eyesore; social media comments dubbed it “depressing” and “hilariously bad.” The ironic selfies, naturally, were rampant. Someone added the location on Google Maps (naming it “Benchy McBench,” though I personally think it looks more like a “Greg”) and sarcastic reviews came pouring in. Even CBC came out to cover the outrage in a segment I can only assume was titled “Nothing Else Going on Today, I Guess.”

participants “too depressed,” I will say that it’s actually really hard to build things from wet stuff! Maybe the construction worker in charge of ramp installation was more of a “big picture” person who should celebrate their strength as a visionary instead of internalizing a leaky mug—uh, I mean, sloppy ramp—as a reflection of their personal character? The point is: if you’re looking for a good spot for making out, staring at a solar eclipse or cosplaying as Forrest Gump, there are plenty of aesthetically pleasing benches out there that are not in the thick of Highway 99 traffic. Go put your butt on one of those instead! Leave Benchy alone!

by Stacey McLachlan

illustration by Ane Arzelus

Got a question for Know-It-All?

stacey.mclachlan@ vanmag.com

But the haters, as is common with haters, were not working with the full context. (They also, strangely, were fixated on mocking Benchy specifically, even though there are four ramp-top benches in total along the Connector. Every group has their breakout star, I suppose— Benchy must’ve just had that Beyoncé je ne sais quoi.) This bench isn’t supposed to be a destination or a grand lookout: it’s supposed to be a place to sit down when you’re tired. Why mock this piece of furniture for simply being where weary bridge-crossers might need it most? Oh, just because the ramp it’s on is a little sloppy? As someone who has been gently asked to leave a community pottery class for making the other

The city has eventual plans for a wider walkway with ample room for both strolling and sitting, and the maligned seat will be shuffled to a more dignified spot. At that point, engineers will also install sleeker ramps to help folks transition between street-level and sidewalk level. Yeah, that’s right, the ramps are for accessibility: who’s the eyesore now, CTV?

So, yes, the bench situation on the Connector is maybe not the most stylish of makeshift solutions, but it’s functional for what we need right now. If you have a better solution for combining walking, pedalling, biking, scooting, wheelchair-ing and sit-downing, I’d like to see you perfectly design a $54-million multi-modal transportation gateway connecting the Arbutus Greenway to downtown. I would take a swing at it myself, but I have a remedial pottery class to attend. (Please do not tell anyone named Ashlee; I can’t face any more criticism.)

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THE GREAT WEALTH TRANSFER Why Planning Matters More Than Ever

By 2048, an estimated $83.5 trillion (USD) is expected to move from one generation to the next, in what’s become known as the “Great Wealth Transfer.” In Canada, roughly $1-2 trillion is estimated to have passed from baby boomers to Generation X and millennials over the past three years alone.

But this shift isn’t simply about money changing hands. It includes operating businesses, real estate, private investments and family assets—along with the values, expectations and responsibilities attached to them. And while the scale of the transfer is unprecedented, the challenges it creates are familiar.

“It’s unique because it’s the largest ongoing wealth transfer that has ever occurred,” says Russell Feenstra, a wealth advisor at Nicola Wealth. “What stands out isn’t just the size of it. It’s how unprepared many families are for the transition.”

That lack of preparation helps explain why so much wealth fails to endure across generations. The often-quoted statistic that 70 percent of wealth is lost by the second generation, and 90 percent by the third, is rarely the result of taxes alone. More often, it reflects poor planning and limited communication.

START WITH CLARITY, NOT COMPLEXITY

For many families, preparation begins with asking two basic but often uncomfortable questions:

members know where important documents are, who your advisors are and how to access digital assets?

► Have you explained “who gets what and why” so your family understands the intent behind your decisions?

► Do your executors and key family

Education and communication are the first building blocks of a successful wealth transfer.

“Often, family members aren’t necessarily aware of the wealth their parents have,” says Feenstra. Opening the conversation across generations and bringing the right people together to understand the plan and its implications helps reduce confusion and future friction.

Different generations also tend to approach money differently. A second generation may be more comfortable with risk or innovation, while the first may prioritize capital preservation.

“Getting everyone on the same page, or at least understanding where each other is coming from, is important in avoiding issues later, when a significant amount of wealth is passed on,” he says.

THE ADVANTAGES OF EARLY PLANNING

A lack of planning often only becomes visible during moments of stress. If you were to die without a will, do you know who would receive your estate, and would you be comfortable with that outcome? These are practical realities that families face every day. Asking the right questions early can make all the difference:

► If you became incapable, who would pay your bills, manage investments and make health care decisions?

► Have you documented how you want serious illness and end-of-life medical decisions handled?

► How much of your estate could be lost to tax inefficiency without advance planning? These are practical realities that families face every day.

WHERE PLANNING EFFORTS TYPICALLY FOCUS

According to Feenstra, families usually concentrate on two core areas: estate planning and tax planning, with investment planning acting as the connective link between them.

Estate planning includes reviewing existing structures and documents, such as wills, powers of attorney, and representation agreements, to ensure they still reflect the family’s circumstances and intentions.

“Do they have corporations or trusts that need to be reviewed or modified?” Feenstra says. “That’s all part of properly reviewing the transfer process.”

Tax considerations are equally central. “Any decision often has a tax impact,” he notes. Thoughtful planning can help mitigate the tax impact of a wealth transfer, both in the present and long-term, as well as make family members aware of future taxes. Because outcomes depend heavily on asset types and family structures, advice needs to be specific rather than generic. In some cases, improving efficiency may

involve restructuring assets. This can include corporate reorganizations, the use of trusts, estate freezes, or multi-generational insurance planning.

“We’re giving clients specific numbers and developing solutions to pass along wealth in the most tax-efficient way possible,” says Feenstra. “You need to dive deep into the tax planning to make sure you’re covering all the bases. It’s an ongoing process because the tax landscape is ever evolving.”

SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION

Families are increasingly asking a simple but important question: Are there ways to support the next generation today—whether with a business, a first home or education— without putting their own financial independence at risk?

For many, this support is starting earlier than past generations might expect.

“It’s never too early to start the estate planning process,” Feenstra emphasizes. A lack of planning can lead to rushed or lessthan-ideal decisions during emotionally charged moments, such as illness, death or periods of market stress.

As a result, more families are acting earlier. “In my experience, over the past five to 10 years, it’s become more common for families to pass along a relatively significant

amount of wealth while the first generation is still active in retirement,” he says.

ADVISORS SUPPORT FAMILY DYNAMICS & FAMILY GOVERNANCE

Wealth transfer planning is deeply personal, and advisors play a critical role in helping families navigate more than just numbers.

“They can act as a strategic advisor,” says Feenstra. “They are often the one individual who can communicate with each family member individually, build trust and also bring everyone to the table.”

That role becomes especially important when family members have different financial realities or expectations. “For example, siblings may be in very different situations,” Feenstra says. “Those differences often require different planning approaches.” Advisors can also partner with legal and tax professionals to ensure the strategy remains cohesive.

Ultimately, wealth transfer planning is not a one-time event. “There’s the plan, but it needs to be monitored, reviewed and updated regularly,” says Feenstra. It also raises an important question for families: Do you have someone helping you facilitate tough conversations and keep everyone aligned? Thoughtful, early planning, supported by a financial advisor’s advice, can reduce friction and help ensure wealth transitions smoothly to the next generation.

of the City Secretss

Some locals seem to always be in the know about where to find the best of the best—the hottest deals, the coolest parties, the tastiest treats, the essential events and the sneakiest speakeasies. But here’s our inside scoop: and it’s not luck, it’s intel. Fortunately for you, we hate gatekeeping, and here in our Secrets of the City guide we’re happily spilling the tricks, unspoken shortcuts and little loopholes to help you make the most of the good life in Vancouver.

By

Secret No.1

SING FOR YOUR SUPPER

Grabbing a table at any of the locations of Crab Hot Lau is a great group activity, but here’s a tip hotter than chef Cherry Pham’s signature crab broth: the South Granville location has private karaoke rooms you can book out for parties of up to 60 (!) people. Name a better pairing than ho tay shrimp cake and your best rendition of “My Heart Will Go On.” We’ll wait. 2993 Granville St., crabhotlau.ca

No.2

Downtown hot spot Nightingale will sell you balls of leftover pizza dough for just $2 each, so you can make your own pies at home. 1017 W Hastings St., hawknightingale.com

Secret No. 3

DOWNTOWN SPEAKEASY

At first glance, Lions Pub is just your classic Irish-ish pub—meat pies, football on the telly, you know the drill. But step into the red phone booth in the back and you’ll discover a sexy speakeasy with a very different vibe. Call Me Back is velvet-draped and moody, a true cocktail lounge serving up well executed classics (the martini is tops), but it’s playful, too: the menu is designed to look like the pages of an old telephone book, and a statement wall mounted with vintage rotary and pay phones begs for interaction (as seen on the cover!). Ring-a-ding, indeed. 888 W Cordova St., @callmebacklounge

Secret No. 6 Secret No. 5

THE BEST MUSEUM GIFT SHOP IN TOWN

Though a ticket to the Chinatown Storytelling Centre is money well spent, you don’t need to hit the museum to access the very good gift shop. Locals know Foo Hung Curios as the spot for great gifts: Year of the Horse socks, dim sum candles, Hype Chocolate collabs (snag the White Rabbit bar!) and lucky cat bucket hats await. 168 E Pender St., foohungcurios.com

Secret No.4

MAY WE RECOMMEND STARTING

YOUR DAY BY GOING CRABBING OFF THE JERICHO PIER?

The pier at Jericho Beach is finally back open for business after years awaiting repairs, and we highly recommend taking advantage of the sweeping views of the skyline, ocean and mountains with an early morning crabbing sesh. Toss in your trap (after getting your licence, of course) and soak in the sunrise while you wait for your daily catch. (Grab a carafe of coffee and snacks from Beyond Bread on West 4th before heading down to really start the day right.) Jericho Beach Park, vancouver.ca

The private Eluvian Instagram account claims to be a furniture store, but in-the-know foodies follow and DM an enigmatic chef for reservations to his dinners held at Strangefellows Brewing. There’s no menu, no dietary restrictions allowed, kids are charged double and the parade of plates that comes to your table could include anything from fresh milk buns with condensed milk and lime leaf to a whole deboned eel biting into a salted egg yolk. Adventure awaits! From $60 for five share plates. @eluvian_furniture

No.7

HOST YOUR OWN FILM FEST

Instead of squishing all your friends onto the sofa for your annual holiday screening of Die Hard, consider renting out the Dunbar Theatre Pricing starts from $250 per day and, yes, the popcorn is included (good thing, because Guillermo del Toro himself has proclaimed the ’corn here to be the best he’s ever had).

4555 Dunbar St., @the_dunbar_theatre

CUTEST POP-UP ART INSTALLATION IN TOWN

Secret No.8

WHERE TO FIND FRESH BLOOMS ON A BUDGET

Magnolia Flower Market inside Kits Market has a quiet reputation for being one of the best places to snag pretty blooms. Regulars swear by the shop’s great prices, helpful staff and knack for creating beautiful arrangements without blowing the budget.

1575 Yew St.

This fall, artist Anita Cheung and experiential designer Ryleah Resler (our cover stars!) will return with the third installation of their extremely whimsical, deeply delightful pop-up kids’ art gallery. For two magical weeks each year, the pair transforms a new venue into Tombolo, where the space is broken down into an interactive scene from a story, inviting visitors big and small to play with the narrative. Kids’ artwork is proudly displayed (along with artist statements, of course) in a gallery setting. And in addition to exploring the space, kids are invited to participate in workshops throughout the week—printmaking, creative building, monoprints and dance classes. Pop-up kids consignment shopping, cafés and craft stations will be on the schedule, too. Follow Tombolo on social for 2026 opening hours... and for the chance to submit your little artist’s work. tombolo.gallery

Secret No. 11

Head up to the ninth floor of the downtown branch of the Vancouver Public Library for access to a surprisingly sunny patio garden, lush with honeysuckle, white roses and lavender—perfect for a summer lunch break (book in hand, of course). If it’s too full of other folks soaking up the sun, the north terrace on level eight is a nice substitute, with sweeping views of the North Shore mountains.

350 W Georgia St., vpl.ca

If you’re driving downtown in the evenings or on the weekend, Harbour Centre in Gastown is a good budget bet. Their $13.25 rate runs until 6 a.m., making it one of the cheapest ways to park in the core. (The Law Courts are another great budget parking option—only $17 for weekdays ’til 7 p.m., or $11 for all-day parking on weekends—usually with plenty of stalls available.) Harbour Centre, 555 W Hastings St.; Impark Lot 952, 840 Howe St.

CHEAP AND CHEERFUL

Brothers Owen and Jeremy Zsillei moved to Vancouver nearly a decade ago from Cranbrook and have seemingly used every moment since then to attempt to track down hidden gems and great deals: a noble cause that we salute. With camera in hand to capture their experiences for their YouTube show Reelin’ in the Beers, they happily venture into any hole-in-the-wall or parkade-adjacent BBQ joint they come across, hungry for both value and adventure. Here are the spots that have stood out for the fearless foodies.

WANG’S SHANGHAI CUISINE

“It’s weirdly attached to London Drugs on Kingsway and Joyce, and there are consistently absolutely incredible dumplings and noodles,” says Jeremy. “It’s a really fun spot to go eat, they’re rolling the dumplings, they’re slinging the wok. Super chill, no frills.” 110–3328 Kingsway

AUNTIE

JEN’S PIZZA

Jeremy has been to this Commercial Drive spot more than 20 times in the last year.

“They’ve got this stromboli there—kind of like a pizza pocket! There are five or six different flavours, and they’re all delicious. The owner of Auntie Jen’s is a cool dude: he’s got Black Sabbath playing, there are arcade games, he gets to know everyone who goes in. It’s not just me; the things are unreal: my buddy was quiet the whole time he was eating one.” 1417 Commercial Dr., @auntiejenspizzeria

KAORI IZAKAYA

“We happened to be on Main and saw a sign that said two for $6 Sapporos, and yes, that’s how they hook you. But you go in there, and they have a happy hour deal that’s nuts,” says Owen. “It was $25 for two huge meals, with a big thing of karaage and whatever else you want, okonomiyaki, rolls. And at the end, they were like ‘Okay, who wants ice cream?’ It wasn’t even a special event! They brought us 12 Sapporos, ice cold. I can’t wait to go back.” 3043 Main St., kaoriizakaya.ca

YASSER’S CAFE

Yes, it’s in Burnaby, but it’s Owen’s favourite spot to recommend, and it’s just on Boundary, so we’ll allow it.

“It’s such a good lunch spot. It’s always full and Yasser knows everyone by name. It’s so welcoming, and so cheap, and he makes all the food. There’s soup and a sandwich for $10, or a deal on a daily homemade meal like a $6 juicy burger or big plate of spaghetti,” he says.

“It’s wholesome.”

3831 Sunset St., Burnaby, @yasserscafe

READER RECOMMENDATIONS & RUMOURS

YOU SLID INTO OUR DMS. WE LISTENED.

“BLAH— Benjamin Lumb Art House—is the only place to go dancing!”

“Laura’s Coffee Shop on Manitoba is one of the last greasy spoon diners.”

“Noor’s Convenience has the best donair in the city.”

“Rummage Thrift hosts $10 tarot card readings twice a month.”

“Your Dollar Store With More near Cambie is the best dollar store—huge!”

If you’re tired of doing laps around the city hunting for an outlet and an empty chair, the café inside Progression Bouldering is your best bet. With 93 seats, reliable wifi and a fully licensed menu, it’s built for lingering rather than laptop guilt. And don’t worry if you don’t boulder: the café is open to anyone who just needs a place to park themselves for a while. 275 E 10th Ave., progression bouldering.com

Secret No.14

3934 Main St., assemblyoftext.com YOUR WORKDAY HACK MIGHT BE A BOULDERING CAFÉ A ZEROCOST CLUB FOR SNAIL MAIL FANS

Letter Writing Club is a completely free monthly meetup for anyone who loves putting pen to paper. Held at the Regional Assembly of Text, it’s also a rare chance to tap away on a real typewriter while sipping tea and nibbling cookies. Show up on the first Thursday of the month, grab a seat and start writing.

WHY YOU NEED TO EAT AT THE INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE FOOD COURT (YES, REALLY)

If you’re reading this, it means that the headline didn’t scare you away. Congratulations and thank you! Stay with us here, will you? International Village Mall is many things: wonderfully weird, colourfully vintage, confusingly empty. You’ve probably been there recently to see a movie, running as fast as you can up the escalator—but next time, pause on the second floor and take in the scene of the food court.

It’s here that you’ll find a diverse array of people, from families with young kids to senior citizens, munching away on any number of dishes— be it Uzbek, Japanese or Mexican. This tiny microcosm of community is a true melting pot of the city, where locals of all backgrounds come to eat, and eat well. It might not look like much, but this food court is punching well above its weight when it comes to affordable, authentic and delicious meals in the city. Grab a honey green tea from Bubble King and dig in. 88 E Pender St., internationalvillagemall.ca

LITTLE BANGKOK

THAI KITCHEN 2

A word to the wise: if you ask for your food at Little Bangkok Thai Kitchen 2 to be spicy, it will be really spicy. Like, chug-yourwhole-water-bottle spicy. So, you know, maybe consider getting it medium. Just a thought. You do you! There might not be any kidding around with spice levels here, but the food is nonetheless delicious. Consider the classic pad thai, which comes just the way you want it: as a heaping plate of flat rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts, crunchy peanuts and your choice of protein. littlebangkok thaikitchen.square.site

CARNITAS DON JOSÉ

Carnitas Don José’s URL is, rather boldly, www.thebestcarnitas.com. And while we can’t verify if they’re the best carnitas ever, we are willing to put money on the proposal that they’re the best in Vancouver. Ordered by weight for build-yourown fun, these delicious spoonfuls of slow-cooked pork meat are served with warm corn tortillas, fresh white onion and salsa. If you spot him, be sure to ask Don José’s eponymous owner and chef about being an eight-time Mexican national charrería champion. thebestcarnitas.com

TASHKENT

Uzbek restaurant Tashkent is so popular among the Uzbek diaspora that customers are known to drive from the suburbs just to eat here. Standout dishes include Uzbek plov, a steaming rice pilaf cooked in a traditional pot with carrots and tender morsels of beef, and the fried lagman, a stir-fried noodle dish with fragrant spices, hunks of beef and colourful chops of bell pepper, all coated with a welcome light dusting of sesame seeds.

tashkent-restaurant.com

TORIMARU

The hardest part about going to Torimaru will be choosing which ramen you want, because the menu, while modest, is full of mouthwatering options, from black ramen to shoyu ramen. The miso ramen is also an excellent option, served with thick slices of tender braised pork chashu, a jammy ramen egg, perfectly chewy noodles and a warming miso broth, with chili sauce and fried onions on the side for drizzling and sprinkling. Perhaps the best part? You can add kaedama—a second round of noodles—for just $1.50. torimaru-ramen .weeblyte.com

BALI THAI

Instagrammers might flock to Bali, Indonesia, for smoothies and buddha bowls, but authentic Balinese cuisine packs a little more punch (think: stewed meats and steaming noodles). Perhaps the most fun way to eat here is to build your own special: choose between coconut or steamed rice, then select proteins and vegetables to go with it. The grilled eggplant with peanut sauce is excellent, as is the classic beef rendang: a slow-cooked and aromatic dry curry that is brimming with complex flavour. balithaivancouver.com

ZENYA JAPANESE KITCHEN

It wouldn’t be a food court in Vancouver if there weren’t at least two Japanese spots, but hey, we’re not complaining. Whereas Torimaru is all about ramen, Zenya has cornered another part of the market: onigiri. This beloved triangular snack of chewy seaweed, warm rice and any number of fillings is done right at Zenya, where options range from spicy tuna mayo to kombu. Also worth ordering is the classic Japanese curry: a rich and decadent sauce, served simply with white rice and pickled red ginger. @onigiri_zenya.vancouver

TINA VIETNAMESE FOOD

Tina Vietnamese Food doesn’t look like much (sorry, Tina, but you could really stand to upgrade the photos on your menu board), but the food is excellent. Is there anything more comforting on a rainy Vancouver day than a steaming bowl of Vietnamese beef stew? Nope. This dish is brimming with fall-apart hunks of beef, soft carrots and the most amazingly fragrant broth; you can get it with rice, but even better is opting for a small loaf of crunchy French bread for dipping. Bliss. ubereats.com/ca/ store/tina-vietnamese

BECOME A MATCHA SNOB

Vancouver loves its matcha almost as much as it loves a good ritual, and Cultivate Tea’s tastings are a lovely way to learn how to do it properly. Their customizable sessions, from seven-matcha lineups to hōjicha flights, teach you how to whisk and blend with intention. 2280 Main St., cultivatetea .com

Got an itchy green thumb? Food 4

Thought is an urban garden matching program that pairs apartment-dwelling gardeners with homeowners who are happy to share a little slice of their yard. You’ll get the chance to grow your goodies in your neighbour’s backyard, they don’t have to break their back weeding, you all end the season with a solid batch of tomatoes (and maybe some new friends).

Win-win. garden 4food4thought.com

Secret No. 18

DOWNTOWN DRINKS ON AN EAST-SIDE BUDGET

Hawksworth’s bar program is excellent any time, but nothing makes a fancy drink taste better than knowing you got a hot deal on said fancy drink. So hear this: go for happy hour. An extensive menu of expertly executed cocktails—like the signature Hotel Georgia (Tanqueray, orgeat, lemon, orange blossom water, egg white)—are each seven or eight bucks cheaper between 4 and 6 p.m. daily (that Hotel Georgia, for instance, is just $10 instead of $18). You’ll sip like a sophisticate and save your pennies to enjoy another round or two. 801 W Georgia St., hawksworthrestaurant.com

Secret No. 20

SAUNA WITH A SPLASH

With a sauna spa on every block these days, one doesn’t need to head to Deep Cove for a little bit of heat. But Sisu Swim Sauna’s floating sauna (three-hour rental, $1,543) has something the other hot-cold circuits don’t: the option to do your cold plunge in the ocean (from the roof of the boat, if you’re really bold... and have signed the waiver). sisuswimsauna.com

cOTHER SNEAKYGOOD HAPPY HOURS

Drinks at Chickadee (182 Keefer St.) in Chinatown come with two juicy pieces of fried chicken from Juke next door between 4 and 6 p.m.; if you can sneak out of work early, the seafoodforward happy hour at Coast (1054 Alberni St.) features $1.75 oysters and $5 glasses of wine from 2 ’til 5 weekdays; Como (201 E 7th Ave.) gives away free snacks with a drink purchase (gildas galore!) to anyone hanging around the bar between 4 and 5 daily; Maxine’s (1325 Burrard St.) features $5 highballs and $7 glasses of sparkling—a smokin’ deal.

The Vietnamese chicken wings continue to draw crowds to Chinatown, but if you want the goods without the wait, find the same wings at Phnom Penh’s official satellite kitchen in Mount Pleasant, located inside of Woks and Wings. With a Phnom Penh mini menu (wings, beef on rice) served in takeout containers, it’s meant to just be a grab-and-go spot, but if you’d rather hang in the W&W lounge with your order—perhaps grab a drink, too?—the friendly staff don’t mind at all. 1 E Broadway, @phnompenh .restaurant

Secret No.21

SPEND THE NIGHT

IN DOUGLAS COUPLAND’S BRAIN

FIND OUT HOW CELEBS LIKE THEIR COFFEE THE

The Birds and the Beets has become a surprising hot spot for celeb sightings. In the past year alone, Joe Jonas, Olivia Rodrigo, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Lola Tung, Tegan and Sara, Destroyer and BBNO$ have all been spotted at the Gastown coffee shop. Grab a latte and see who might pop in next. birdsandbeets.ca

Secret No.22

NOTSO-SECRET PATIO THAT FEELS HIDDEN

Saan Saan’s patio isn’t exactly a secret, but it certainly feels like one. Tucked behind the shop, the courtyard of the gluten-free, Hong Kong-inspired café is bigger than you’d expect, bright with Asian-inspired decor and surprisingly peaceful thanks to the tall buildings that block out city noise. 227 Main St., saansaan.ca

When the Fairmont Pacific Rim tapped the venerable artist and author Douglas Coupland to design a suite, he didn’t just hang up a few of his paintings and call it a day: he created an immersive art exhibit (that also happens to be an extremely comfortable spot to spend the night). His Suite X is “an immersive living gallery” built as a replica of Coupland’s own living room and jam-packed with details that reflect his obsession with contemporary culture, Canadiana and technology: a staycation like no other. And for the price of your stay (starting from $3,500 a night), you’ll get to bring home an exclusive coffee table book by Coupland, too. 1038 Canada Pl., fairmontpacificrim.com Secret No. 23

Secret No. 26

TRY THE CITY’S WILDEST

ICE CREAM TOPPING

Secret No.24

WHEN THE SWING SET IS TOO WET

Vancouver parents must google “what to do with kids when raining” more than anyone else on earth. It would be simpler, though, to head to Let’s Play Inside, a local-parent-created web resource to consolidate all of the city’s best (or at least most indoor) activities for the playschool set. Sort by day of the week or neighbourhood to find community centre drop-ins, museum schedules and more. letsplay inside.com

If your preferred raingear is Arc’teryx, you’ll be ready to weather the storms for years to come— the company will wash and re-waterproof your jacket for free if you take it to the West 4th store. (Look for the “technical washing” machines constantly spinning in the back, gently laundering Gore-Tex and down coats.) And it doesn’t take long: our tester reported that their jacket got turned around in just a day. 2201 W 4th Ave., stores.arcteryx.com/ kitsilano

Osetra opened in the former Haifa space in the fall, and their focus on seafood extends right into the dessert menu: the fior di latte and lemon gelato ($21) comes topped with a dollop of Osetra caviar and a drizzle of golden, single-origin olive oil. 410 W Georgia St., osetravancouver.com

Ostensibly, you would go to the teeny tiny Bleach listening bar in Chinatown to enjoy tunes from a rotating cast of DJs (or, as the website puts it, to enjoy “a curated, intimate and relaxed environment to appreciate the sonic arts”). Or maybe you could claim you’re there to snack on the innovative, ever-changing small plates menu (themes include “Shit Our Moms Cook”) while sipping natural wine. But let’s be real: you’re there to feel impossibly cool.

611 Gore Ave., bleachstudios.xyz

Morning Disco is a collective of artists and DJs committed to hosting feel-good dance parties at the crack of 11 a.m. at spots like the Mount Pleasant Vintage patio. If music from the likes of Niña Mendoza and Rita Spirit doesn’t get you feeling good on a Sunday morning, the knowledge that partial proceeds from ticket sales go to good causes like the Gaza Soup Kitchen will surely wake you up. @morningdiscoofficial

of the SECRETS CITY

WHERE TO SOURCE WILDLY CHEAP PRODUCE IN THE CITY

Sunrise Market has been family-run for more than 60 years, and, yes, it’s the same Sunrise behind the tofu you’ve seen in every local fridge. Their shop is a goldmine for wildly cheap produce, rare pantry finds and ingredients you won’t spot at your average grocer. 300 Powell St., @sunrisemarket

GO FOR A WALK WITH SOME STRANGERS

Lace up your runners and take yourself off your usual path with a walking tour of the city.

1. The annual Jane’s Walk Vancouver is a festival of free, citizen-led “walking conversations” that takes place each May, inspired by the work of urbanist Jane Jacobs. janeswalkvancouver.ca

ROMANCE FANS, UNITE!

If you love love, Perfect Match Bookshop exclusively stocks romance novels. Browse the stacks or connect with other rom-com fans at regular events: you’ll find Romance Book Club, silent reading sessions in partnership with Catoro cat café, craft nights and pop-up markets populating the calendar. 545 E Broadway, perfectmatchbookshop.com

Secret No.30

SCORE FREE TICKETS TO INDIE COMEDY SHOWS

If you love a free laugh (and who doesn’t), sign up for Little Mountain Gallery’s newsletter. They occasionally send out sameday emails offering complimentary tickets, often enough that it feels like a little comedy score. Keep an eye on your inbox, and you might nab a night out for nothing. 110 Water St., little mountaingallery.ca

2. Hogan’s Alley Walking Tour is an opportunity to see Strathcona from a new perspective; the recurring tour covers about four kilometres and decades of storytelling from the legacy of the neighbourhood’s Black community. hogansalleysociety.org

3. Vancouver Heritage Foundation hosts walks year-round, all over the city: if you’ve ever wanted to dig into the history of Kensington Cedar Cottage or downtown South Vancouver, this is your chance. vancouverheritage foundation.org

OR

IF SCI-FI OR MURDER MYSTERIES ARE MORE YOUR SCENE

White Dwarf books in Point Grey specializes in all things space and fantasy—plus, after consolidating with the former Dead Write murder mystery book store, it also has an extensive collection of crime fiction to peruse. 3715 W 10th Ave., deadwrite.com

The restaurant group behind Kingyo has outdone itself with Toyokan Bowl, a kitschy, bowling-themed restaurant dedicated to over-the-top sea urchin dishes on the corner of Cypress and West 1st. What do bowling pins and uni have in common? We don’t know, and we don’t care. (If bowling isn’t your sport, just head downstairs to Toyokan Plaza for an aesthetic inspired by 1960s Japanese Olympic volleyball instead.) Second floor, 1898 W 1st Ave., bowl.toyokan.ca

Though the Vancouver Art Gallery does a big business renting pieces from its collection to the film industry for set dec, the everyman can get in on this market of masterpieces, too. The rental catalogue is a juried selection of B.C.-based artists: borrow some paintings, photography and sculptures (prices vary) to spruce up your space. If you fall in love with a piece and want to commit to it forever—a “foster fail,” as the saying goes—your rental price will go toward your final purchase. artrentalandsales.com

MEMORIZE THE LOCATIONS OF THESE PHOTOBOOTHS

Eight years ago, photographer Ian Azariah started rescuing chemical analogue photobooths. A dozen of his refurbished Phototronic machines are now peppered across the city, ready to print a good ol’ photo strip on the spot for you. No digital countdown, no digital backdrops, just three minutes and four poses: click-click-click-click. Here’s where to find them all.

MOVE THAT BODY

HIT THE LINKS AT LUNCH

Okay, maybe you can’t squeeze in a full 18-hole game on your lunch break, but Hideout Golf in the West End offers the opportunity to get a few swings in with a stellar midweek deal: $50 gets you an hour of time on their golf simulator, plus a burger (they’ve got crinkle fries!) and a beer. Fore! 1755 Davie St., hideoutgolf.ca

STOP SOGGY CYCLING

Though we don’t personally identify as all-weather cyclists, we know plenty of pedalheads who happily brave rain, sleet and snow—and who know that a successful ride comes down to having the right gear. Our driest, smartest cyclist friends recommend the San Poncho rain cape ($250), which is roomy enough to wear over a backpack and has loops that can hook onto the handlebars to create a tent over your legs. Various locations, westpointcycles.com

FOREST-BATHE SOMEWHERE NEW

If you’re sick of getting lost on Pacific Spirt's Huckleberry Trail, maybe UBC’s Greenheart TreeWalk is more your speed for communing with nature: stroll the suspended walkway through a grove of soaring Douglas firs and cedars, many more than a century old. 6804 SW Marine Dr., botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

STEP INTO THE SUMO RING

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be a 400-pound Japanese man to sumo, as Sumo Sundays sumo club has proved since 2022. Big boys are absolutely welcome, but so are sumo-curious athletes of all body types. Beginnerfriendly classes and drop-ins cover the fundamentals; come push yourself out of your comfort zone as you’re trying to push your opponent out of the ring. 487 Alexander St., sumosundays.ca

TWO STEALTH STALLS AT BC PLACE SERVING $5 BEERS AND HOT DOGS

Did you know that BC Place has two F&B stalls serving up $5 beers and $5 hot dogs, but they blend in a little too well? There is nothing distinctive about them at first appearance, so you’ll need to wander a bit to track down the Dawson’s Dogs stalls in sections 201 and 227—but the savings are worth the search. 777 Pacific Blvd., bcplace.com

GET FREE PRINT MAGAZINES

Could this be the hottest tip on this whole list? You can get a free yearly print subscription to Vancouver and Western Living delivered to any address in Canada. Head to vanmag.com/subscribe or westernliving.ca/ subscribe to sign up for zero (zero!) dollars and finally commit to your goal to read more.

MAKE SOMETHING COOL AT A RISOGRAPH WORKSHOP

For a creative fix that beats another wine-fuelled paint night, join Steph Ford’s tiny risograph workshops (think of it like a photocopier but for screen-printing, $35). With only four spots per session, you’ll learn the machine, pick your colours and leave with a stack of prints or a zine you actually made. It’s messy, colourful and wildly satisfying.

TRY YOUR LUCK AT A REAL ESTATE AUCTION

Every November, the City of Vancouver holds an auction of properties that are three years overdue on their property taxes (homeowners: consider this a reminder to pay yours!). Place your bid for (relatively) dirt cheap homes—if the registered owners don’t make amends within a year, it’s yours. A long wait to find out if you’ve snagged a deal, sure, and more often than not, the owners pay up and get their homes back: but if it works out, you may just have won the Vancouver real estate game. vancouver.ca

THE CRAFT IS CALLING

TURN LEFTOVER TRAVEL COINS INTO A JEWELLERY KEEPSAKE

Soigné’s coinmaking workshop ($60) is a clever way to finally do something with all that spare change you’ve been hoarding in a mostly cashless world. In two hours, you’ll heat, bend and polish a coin into a handmade ring, then leave with a oneof-a-kind piece. 393 Powell St., soigne.ca

2414 Main St., fluoropress.com

SCREENPRINT UP A STORM AT BLIM

Cut down the screen time and ramp up the screen-printing time with a class ($120) at Blim in Chinatown. Once you’ve taken a few classes, you can stock up on screen-printing supplies to keep up with your new hobby... or give up on the apparel and rent out their button-maker instead (from $40 plus supplies). 115 E Pender St., blim.ca

STOCK YOUR STATIONERY STASH

An absolute must-visit for stationery nerds, Porchlight Press’s East Van studio doubles as a retail treasure trove, packed with handmade cards and prints, and a chance to watch vintage machines in action. They also run hands-on workshops, from letterpress basics to greeting card making, for anyone keen to get crafty. 585 McLean Dr., porchlightpress.com

LIVE IT UP AT A TAXIDERMY

WORKSHOP

The ancient art (science?) of taxidermy is alive and well in Mount Pleasant. For those looking to learn how to pin a scorpion, stuff a rat or clean a sheep skull, Pretty Dead Taxidermy is here to guide you with a variety of truly unique workshops (from $125). Not game to get your hands dirty? Stuffed pufferfish ($120) and hipster squirrel sculptures ($225) are available for purchase.

2333 Ontario St., pretty deadtaxidermy.com

HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT UNDERGROUND DJ NIGHTS, ACCORDING

TO OUR YOUNGEST, COOLEST FRIENDS

Social media, it turns out, is everything when it comes to finding cool underground music events here in Vancouver. Our expert sources recommend following event organizers like Blueprint Events or Resident Advisor (and chat with them at events, too: “They’re usually very friendly”). Follow local DJs, artists and collectives to get word on upcoming shows—@therapy.yvr, @hi.ed.crew and @iammadamlolacolby are good places to start. Look outside of Vancouver talent, too: regional and international festival pages and community listings (our source recommends @jupitertoronto, @sundream_____, @thosewhodance__ and @deephousebible) can help you discover artists who might visit Vancouver one day. If you notice those accounts reposting stuff from content creators who are integrated into the scene, those insiders are worth following. (“They’re kind of like music-event influencers.”) Don’t forget to follow performance and event venue pages: Village Studios in Davie Village and Conscious Lab downtown are popular spots for underground, house and EDM nights. Once you start actually going to events and meeting other music lovers—or schmoozing with the DJs—even more connections and invites will emerge organically. “Make friends. Talk to organizers. Who you know is key.”

UNLOCK A DOUBLE FEATURE AT THE IMPROV CENTRE FOR $20

If you’re catching the early show at the Improv Centre, don’t sprint for the exit when the lights come up. On nights with a 9:30 p.m. follow-up, you can pop by the box office after the first performance and snag a double-feature ticket for $20. Considering the second show normally sits around $35, it’s a solid little loophole. The catch? You can’t buy it online, so you’ll have to try your luck in person and hope there’s room.

1502 Duranleau St., theimprovcentre.ca

Be part of the legacy with your dream wedding at the iconic Castle in the City. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has hosted the city’s most memorable events since 1939. Offering an unparalleled blend of opulent spaces, extraordinary cuisine, expert service, and luxurious accommodations for weddings or elopements of all sizes, learn more at fairmont-hotel-vancouver.com

Be part of wedding at the Castle the Fairmont Vancouver has the city’s most events since Offering an unparalleled blend of opulent extraordinary and luxurious for weddings or of learn at

From the editors of magazine

LOVE AMONG THE HEADSTONES

Hilary Twa and Cam Jones chose Mountainview Cemetery’s sleek Celebration Hall for their post-pandemic wedding redo— and discovered the most unexpectedly perfect venue.

by CAROLINE MITCHELL

The idea of a graveyard wedding might sound a little spooky—but Hilary Twa and Cam Jones’s union at the chic and modern Celebration Hall in Mountainview Cemetery in Vancouver felt decidedly more gardenparty than goth.

“I was looking at a picture on Pinterest of a Frank Lloyd Wright house with tall glass windows and thinking about a nice cocktail party in the courtyard, and when I searched for ‘Vancouver courtyard,’ this appeared,” explains Twa, who fell in love with the Birmingham and Wood-designed building as soon as she stepped inside. The venue had only hosted one other wedding previously, but it easily accommodated the romantic, 100-person reception, with plenty of long tables for dinner set up in the high-ceilinged space beneath twinkling Bocci lights.

This was actually the second wedding for Twa, an artistic director, and Jones, a fitness content creator. The couple had gotten married during COVID in a tiny legal ceremony, but in September 2023, with crowd restrictions lifted, they were ready to celebrate with a proper party. The indoor-outdoor Celebration Hall would be the ideal backdrop for a day of love and togetherness. “Some people were outside having cocktails, and some people were on the dance floor, and I felt like I really had the opportunity to spend time with guests,” says Twa. “The flow of the space, allowing us to be with everyone, was so special.”

SPEED COUTURE Twa was going to wear the dress from their first wedding, but when she took it to her sister Aileen Twa Vipond at Relic Atelier a few weeks before the big day with some small changes, Vipond suggested starting from scratch and whipped up a new design inspired by Christian Siriano. “She was the MVP of the wedding,” says Twa. Twa’s make-up and hair artist was Rio Translado.

SUIT YOURSELF Though many modern weddings feature the bride doing a costume change, in this case it was the groom who switched things up for the reception. Jones sported the red RW&Co suit from their legal ceremony for the first part of the night, then switched to an embroidered outfit from KidSuper (his favourite designer).

BLISSFUL BOUQUETS

Marta Sanderson from La Bomba pulled together florals that fit with Twa’s blue, gold and yellow palette, with a heavy emphasis on miniature orchids. “They were easy and beautiful,” says Twa.

TYING THE KNOT Because they didn’t need to do any paperwork or a ring exchange this time, the couple did a Scottish unity knot ritual at their Reality Church ceremony to commemorate wedding number two.

DECOR

DETAILS

Twa and Vipond collect vessels, and pulled out every vase, tray and bowl from their collections to decorate the space. Twa got DIY with the seating chart, ironing Cricuttrimmed letters onto canvas. Additional decor was sourced from Bespoke Decor and Pedersen’s.

A FEAST FOR THE AGES Catering was provided by Tastefully Yours by Jeff : guests dined on barbecue and beautiful, colourful salads. Friends put together a charcuterie spread. Twa’s mother baked the cake—a carrot cake with chocolate stripes. Her siblings made cookies to be given out as wedding favours (under Twa’s art direction).

cc cSTAR POWER

Photographer Meghan Hemstra “made everyone feel like celebrities,” says Twa, who was thrilled with how the photos turned out. “She just made the day feel extra-special.”

THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

You know what they say about wedding planning: location, location, location. These 12 venues in and near Vancouver offer something for every couple, from private rooftop patios to alpaca photo-ops. by ALYSSA HIROSE

1 For the Couple Who First Kissed at Summer Camp A NOSTALGIC, ROMANTIC CAMPGROUND ON A TINY LAKE

Your adorable love story deserves an adorable wedding venue, and it’s hard to get more charming than Evans Lake Camp. A wedding rental means the camp is cleared out for you and your guests—you stay on-property and can swim, hike, paddleboard, canoe and even go rock climbing. There’s a private log cabin for the couple (everyone else sleeps in shared cabins) and the camp’s kitchen provides meals, with options like beef bourguignon and West Coast salmon fillet.

CAPACITY: 120

STARTING PRICE: $25,000 for a 2-day buyout with 50 guests on Friday and 100 guests on Saturday BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue has

a two-night minimum rental from April to October.

2 For the Couple Who Chose Their Date According to the Position of the Stars

A DREAMY LAVENDER FARM IN RICHMOND

If horoscopes, healing crystals and essential oils are your vibe, seek out the suburbs—Richmond’s seven-acre lavender farm is the perfect spot to unite your souls. The plush purple fields of Lavenderland come alive in the summertime, and the extravagant pastel mansion next door makes an incredible backdrop for photos. Also, the whole place smells amazing.

CAPACITY: 150

STARTING PRICE: $2,500 BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue’s

Pretty in Purple

The seven-acre Lavenderland hits all the senses: from the Instagram-ready pastel mansion to the fields of lavender surrounding.

ceremony and reception space is entirely outdoors. Factor tent rental into your budget if there’s a possibility of rain.

3 For the Couple Who Secretly Eloped Last Year

A ONE-OF-A-KIND ALPACA FARM IN LANGLEY

Never let them know your next move. If your goal is to surprise and delight your guests, invite them out to Langley’s Kensington Prairie Farm. This 45-acre estate breeds Huacaya alpacas and, yes, they would absolutely love to pose for your wedding photos. But the friendly animals aren’t even the best part of a wedding here: Kensington’s ceremony package comes with a boutonniere, bridal bouquet, three bridesmaid’s bouquets and florals for your arch (and if you’ve looked into how much

wedding flowers cost, you know this is a gamechanger).

CAPACITY: 170

STARTING PRICE: $2,499

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue works exclusively with Capri Kimberly Photography, who is a pro at capturing both human and animal smiles.

4 For The Couple Who Got A Dog Out Of Wedlock A CANINE-FRIENDLY WATERFRONT WAREHOUSE IN NORTH VANCOUVER

Finally, your dog will have married parents! The Wallace is a gorgeous seaside venue in Lower Lonsdale that is happy to accommodate furry friends on your wedding day. (If having a four-legged ring bearer is wrong, we don’t want to be right.) This North Shore gem has a modern-industrial vibe with 3,360 square feet indoors and a 2,330-square-foot patio. It’s architecturally pretty but basic enough to be decorated to suit your style, and the inhouse bar team will happily craft a custom cocktail named after your pup.

CAPACITY: 200 standing, 180 seated STARTING PRICE: $6,800 for weekends BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue only partners with a list of exclusive local caterers, including Railtown Catering and Edge Catering.

5 For the Couple Who Offer Plant Propagations to Everyone A LUSH WINERY GARDEN IN ABBOTSFORD

Green-thumbed fiancés will fall quickly in love with the Secret Garden at Ripples Winery. It’s greenery galore inside the clear tent (yup, it’s a venue that’s both outdoors and weatherproof), where hundreds of tropical trees, bushes and vines thrive. Beyond the tent is a patio, koi pond and grassy lawn that makes for a pretty ceremony space. The Secret Garden offers a variety of packages; go all-inclusive for full catering, drinks and decor service.

CAPACITY: 50 to 140, depending on package

STARTING PRICE: $2,400 BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue has

permanent decor including chandeliers, fairy lights and white chiffon draping.

6 For the Couple Who Throws Enviable Dinner Parties A LOFT WITH A GOURMET KITCHEN IN LANGLEY

Said with all the love in the world, Manhattan Bar and Lounge really does not feel like Langley. It’s a 3,500-square-foot space inspired by a New York loft, with polished concrete floors, big windows and black and brass accents. For foodies who have fallen for each other, the kitchen will stand out: it’s an expansive, functional space with marble countertops and luxury appliances. Plus, you can bring in your own food.

CAPACITY: 80

STARTING PRICE: $600 per hour

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: If you BYOB, don’t forget a liquor licence.

7 For the Couple Who Insist They Aren’t “That Kind” of Disney Adults A HAPPILY EVER AFTER CASTLE IN VICTORIA

There’s no shame in wanting a fairy-tale wedding day, but you’re thinking luxe glamour, not bird seamstresses and talking candlesticks. Victoria’s Hatley Castle sounds like your happiest place on earth: it’s a stunning national historic site first built in 1908, complete with impressive stone walls and battlements. This venue offers three beautiful gardens on-site and has its own catering company to serve you royally.

CAPACITY: 100 to 250

STARTING PRICE: $12,350

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: If you’re planning on having a ball, you’ll need to rent your own dance floor for an additional $450.

8 For the Couple Who Got Engaged on a Hike A RUSTIC PACIFIC NORTHWEST OASIS IN WHISTLER

If your proposal outfit includes a Patagonia jacket and Blundstones, your wedding

ELEGANCE ELEVATED BY NATURE

From stunning views to curated celebrations, Nita Lake Lodge is the dream Whistler wedding venue to bring your vision to life.

Calm, serene lake waters. Tall trees in lush green forests. Whistler’s picturesque snow-capped mountainscape. Walking down the aisle at Nita Lake Lodge is a breathtaking moment when you’re surrounded by loved ones and beautiful nature.

With showstopping spaces to suit every style and size of wedding—no matter the season—Nita Lake Lodge creates an unforgettable experience, blending natural beauty, luxurious comfort and thoughtful hospitality. Here’s why couples say “I do” at Nita Lake Lodge.

NATURE MEETS ELEGANCE

Nestled on the shimmering shores of Nita Lake and embraced by majestic mountain peaks, Nita Lake Lodge offers a naturally stunning setting for your special day. Recognized internationally as a premier destination wedding venue, Nita Lake Lodge combines luxurious group accommodations and elegant event spaces in one place to ensure a beautifully seamless celebration.

Nita Lake Lodge offers a range of beautiful settings for every type of celebration, from intimate vow renewals to large scale ceremonies and receptions. Begin your day in the exclusive Rainforest Suite, complete with private elevator access for a seamless and private preparation experience. Exchange vows beneath the Porte-cochère, or lakeside where the water’s reflection creates unforgettable photo opportunities. Whether you imagine a cozy gathering in the Train Station, a lively reception in the Nita Room & Foyer or a lakeside dinner overlooking the water, each space can be customized to reflect your unique style.

ATTENTION IS IN THE DETAILS

Let the Nita Lake Lodge team take care of the hosting, so you can enjoy your special day. With a dedicated events team and strong relationships with Whistler’s top wedding planners, florists, photographers and musicians, Nita Lake Lodge’s professionals work closely with you and your team to ensure your day unfolds seamlessly.

At Nita Lake Lodge, extraordinary dining enhances every wedding celebration. The in-house bakery and two on-site restaurants allow them to create menus rooted in fresh, locally sourced ingredients and crafted with care. From sophisticated plated dinners to warm, family-style gatherings and abundant buffets, every dish is designed with your vision in mind by their dedicated culinary team.

LODGE LUXURIES

Nita Lake Lodge also provides extra features that enhance every wedding celebration, adding just the right touch of romance, intimacy and Whistler charm. As a Michelin Key Hotel & Spa, the Lodge offers rejuvenating treatments at the award-winning on-site spa. Reserve bridal spa services to relax before and after your big-day celebrations. With on-site paddleboards, canoes, bikes and an EV shuttle, guests can fully immerse themselves in the beauty of Nita Lake. Just beyond the Lodge’s doorstep, world class skiing, hiking and mountain biking invite effortless adventure. Pet friendly accommodations mean every member of the family can be part of the celebration. Thoughtful touches and genuine warmth infuse every aspect of a wedding at Nita Lake Lodge, creating memories that linger long after the festivities conclude.

YOUR WHISTLER WEDDING AWAITS

The right wedding venue becomes the setting for a lifetime of cherished memories. Your celebration deserves a place thoughtfully designed to reflect your love story. From lakeside views to mountainside vows, Nita Lake Lodge offers the perfect backdrop for a celebration you and your guests will remember forever.

To plan your Whistler Wedding with Nita Lake Lodge, visit nitalakelodge.com/weddings. Connect on: @nitalakelodge | @nitalakelodge | @nitalakelodge

should reflect the same diehard PNW spirit. The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is a truly stunning venue surrounded by towering evergreen trees. Rent the Great Hall for floor-to-ceiling windows and a backdrop of beautiful Indigenous carvings, weavings and canoes. The venue has a museum, art gallery and gift shop—perfect for entertaining guests between your ceremony and reception.

CAPACITY: 100 to 150, depending on package

STARTING PRICE: $5,000

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: The centre requires you to work with a professional wedding planner (your type-A college bestie won’t cut it).

9 For the Couple Who Loves Craft Beer as Much as Each Other AN ISLAND BREWERY IN NANOOSE BAY

Cheers to the chillest wedding day ever. Rusted Rake Brewing in Nanoose Bay (a half hour or so from Nanaimo) is a lowkey spot for your laidback celebration: think a barrel-shaped outdoor bar and buffet-style dining with smoked brisket and mac and cheese on the menu. The venue is surrounded by idyllic farmland, so maybe your motherin-law won’t even notice you shotgunning a beer before walking down the aisle.

CAPACITY: 85

STARTING PRICE: Free venue rental with a $7,800 minimum food and beverage spend

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This barley farm is quite remote, so arrange a shuttle service to nearby hotels to make sure your guests have a safe ride home.

10 For the Couple Who Can DIY Without Arguing A ROOFTOP BLANK SLATE IN MOUNT PLEASANT

The magic of the Gallery by Pavilion is in the possibilities: it’s a top-floor venue in Mount Pleasant that has a gallery space, rooftop bistro and outdoor terrace. It’s the kind of space that will happily accommodate your crepe-paper florals, paper-fan wedding programs, vinyl-cut linen seating chart and branded game of cornhole. Your

mockumentary-style wedding video can be screened on all six of the gallery’s wall projectors.

CAPACITY: 150

STARTING PRICE: $6,000

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: The 2,700square-foot patio is the best part of this space; make sure you give guests time to take photos.

11 For the Couple with Killer Style AN ART GALLERY IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

The Bill Reid Gallery, named for the iconic Haida artist, is the only gallery in the country solely dedicated to the Northwest Coast. It’s a chic, modern space that gives your guests multiple places to gather, including a second-floor mezzanine and an expansive main floor with two magnificent totem poles watching over the whole affair. Venue rental includes tables, chairs and a sound system, plus private access to the whole gallery for all of your guests. A wedding with a side of culture? Don’t mind if we do.

CAPACITY: 200

STARTING PRICE: $2,200

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: This venue works exclusively with Bon Vivant Catering and

Events, a North Vancouver event company that takes care of lighting and decor as well as setup and takedown (score).

12 For the Couple Who Wants Their Wedding to Double as a Group Chat Vacation A LUXE LAKESIDE LODGE IN WHISTLER

If your ideal wedding weekend involves mountain air, matching robes and at least one guest extending their stay “just one more night,” book Nita Lake Lodge

This Whistler hideaway sits right on the water and offers multiple ceremony and reception spaces, from a romantic lakeside lawn to a light-filled ballroom with floorto-ceiling windows. Canoe arrivals are recommended, après-wedding spa time is inevitable and the on-site catering means zero logistical gymnastics. It’s destination energy, no passport renewals required.

CAPACITY: Up to 200, depending on the specific space

STARTING PRICE: Ceremony packages from approximately $3,000; reception pricing varies by season and package

BEFORE YOU COMMIT: Prime summer dates fill quickly, and peak-season weddings may require a minimum guest room block.

GET THAT PAPER

Sure, you could send an e-card— but where’s the romance in that? These six stunning stationery suppliers based right here in B.C. by

EMMA BOLZNER

1 MANGO PAPERIE

For couples who believe the invitation sets the tone, Mango Paperie delivers. The studio offers fully custom designs alongside semi-custom suites that don’t sacrifice style for budget. The L’amour suite channels vintage paintings and swoony calligraphy; Florence skews more restrained, with crisp typography and an oil-painting–inspired liner that feels quietly luxe. mangopaperie.com

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VIOLET GREY CREATIVE STATIONERY

This Vancouver-based studio handles everything from invitations to menus, place cards and signage. Founder Tara Thorp works one-on-one with couples to make sure every detail feels personal—right down to hand-torn edges, specialty die cuts and wax seals that nod to old-world romance without feeling fussy. violetgrey creative.com

3 CORNWALL STATIONERY

Cornwall leans into elegance with a sense of beautiful play. Think scalloped-edge invitations, fan-shaped menus and custom designs that guests will still be talking about long after the last dance. This is stationery that doubles as keepsake. cornwallstationery.com

4 UNADORNED

STATIONERY

Clean, contemporary and thoughtfully restrained, Unadorned is for couples

who like their paper goods modern and clean. Owner Samantha Campisi designs invitations not just for the big day, but also for every celebration leading up to it—engagements, bachelorettes,and beyond— proving minimal doesn’t mean forgettable. unadornedstationery.com

5 MAKING MEMORIES WITH STATIONERY

With nearly 25 years of experience working alongside Vancouver couples, this studio understands just how meaningful the details can be. Though now operating without a brick-and-mortar shop, Making Memories continues to create cohesive paper suites—from florals to signature collections—that feel true to each couple’s vision. makingmemories.studio

6 JRNL STUDIO

Run by Emily Carr University graduate Andy Wang, this Vancouver-based studio treats wedding stationery like a brand launch—in the best way. Each suite features original illustrations and cohesive visual storytelling, and the team will even mail the invitations for you. One less thing to worry about? We’ll toast to that. jrnlstudio.com

TASTE

We dive in to a dramatic culinary experience that gives anew meaning to the word “fresh” with our review of Blue Coast Japanese Seafood Cuisine—plus, a zero-proof drink crawl across the city, hot resto openings, hotter Vietnamese crepes and your favourite new wines from Italy’s unsung regions.

True Blue (Coast)

A fresh new sushi experience by former Miku chef Su Young Kim.

by Kristi Alexandra

Blue Coast Japanese Seafood Cuisine, a new seafood and raw bar kissing the border of Vancouver and Burnaby, has been quietly open for just a week when I get a hankering for a new sushi experience—but, despite it being only mid-week, it’s already impossible to get parking.

As a born-and-bred Vancouverite, a craving to try the city’s most popular cuisine is certainly not rare for me. Quite frankly, I know I’m spoiled for options when it comes to the Japanese canon. With some spots, I’m there for a casual roll, some sashimi and a killer miso soup; with others—like Kitsilano’s Eatery—I’m there for the imaginative fusion rolls (such as sizzling eel and avocado wrapped in rice, all topped with deep-fried banana), but I already know I’m in for something special at Blue Coast.

On Vanness Avenue at Ormidale Street, the corner restaurant is packed and buzzing as theatrical sushi rolls whizz past. Think: raw rolls with billowing plumes of dry-ice smoke, or an unagi dish set on a grate over burning charcoal that still torches the bottom of the roll as it arrives at the table.

General manager Stella Dimova manages to squeeze my husband and I into the cacophonous room without a reservation (a recurring theme for me, whoops), finding us a spot at an intimate two-seater along a bench, with views of the tree-lined street out the window. The bench is upholstered in a vibrant metallic blue, and splayed out on the table are menus wrapped in coloured leather—slate blue, navy and beige. (On a repeat visit a month later, I learn that the tri-colour scheme is meant to represent the palette of the Okinawan shoreline: ocean blue, sky blue and a tawny sand. Hence: blue coast.)

Playing up the coastal vibe of the restaurant is a selection of house cocktails, including the signature Blue Coast Wave ($13) made with vodka, blue curacao, tart lemonade and fresh mint poured over crushed ice, delivering the feel of an elevated beachside slushie (with spirits, of course).

Still, it’s the dramatic presentation of dishes that grabs my attention. The Signature Sky Cloud salmon noodles ($25), developed by chef Su Young Kim, arrive shrouded in dry ice smoke. Strips of cured sashimi “noodles” hang from a T-bar, with two bowls of marinade beneath: a salty soy dashi and a spicy but cold kimchi broth. The noodles are meant to soak rather than dip; I let them sit while moving on to other plates.

Kim and a few members of the crew (including Dimova) hail from Coal Harbour’s Michelin-recommended Miku (others from Brass Fish and the Victor)—which explains the masterful execution of the menu.

The aburi wagyu oshi, for example, melts on the tongue. Lightly torched strips of wagyu beef are drizzled with a creamy zigzag of truffle sauce, pressed on top of tangy, sticky sushi rice in the akazu style: a naturally fermented presentation that is traditional in omakase-style dining. The fermented, perfectly moist pressed rice lies underneath a selection of sashimi— expertly sliced cuts of madai, blue fin tuna and hamachi give way to a fresh-from-thesea but surprisingly buttery mouthfeel, while wagyu, foie gras and unagi provide a

heartier taste. All of which, by the way, are available as part of the premium omakase nigiri set ($78).

As much as I’m enjoying the omakase nigiri experience, my salmon “noodles” are calling from their marinades, and it’s finally time for my husband and I to dive in. I pull the tendrils of fish from their marinating pools and slurp them up, the salty sauce hitting my chin. The noodles are both chewy and tender, a delicate dance of technique and ingredients creating something entirely new.

For me, the true pièce de résistance is the two-tiered seafood tower ($75). Once again, dry ice vapour spills dramatically over crushed ice platters. As it clears, the two-person spread is revealed: on top, there are scallop ceviche “shooters” served on the shell, sashimi arranged on a slate of ice, plump jumbo prawns and delicate crab meat; below are oysters, lightly seared tuna tataki, viscous spicy tako wasabi (packing a punch of umami) and two pressed medallions of rich, velvety ankimo—monkfish liver, also known as “the foie gras of the sea.”

Elsewhere, a seafood tower of this calibre might set you back more than a C-note, so I have to wonder if there was a typo on the menu. Not so, assures Dimova as she clears our plates and asks about our plans for dessert. We opt to keep things simple and go for two single scoops of ice cream ($5 each): a bright, rich mango drizzled with sauce, and an earthy, flecked black sesame scoop, decorated by a single taro crisp.

Our conversation on the (admittedly long) walk back to the car is punctuated by proclamations of our highlights of the night: what each of us loved, what we wanted more of, the theatrical dry ice dishes! The sentiment between my friends on my second visit is the same: excitement, wonder and hatching a game plan for our next dinner here. In a city rich with options for sushi, Blue Coast Japanese Seafood Cuisine has earned a spot in in my regular rotation—and I know I won’t even mind circling the block a few times to snag a place to park.

ZEROPROOF COCKTAILS IN SEARCH OF...

A zero-proof wave has hit Vancouver’s drink menus, and it’s one that doesn’t skimp on taste or imagination. Here’s just a taste of some of the city’s best zero-proof cocktails.

By Kristi Alexandra

1 Meo’s just-bitter-enough Turkish sbagliato ($18) is made with rosewater and dealcoholized spirits by Sansorium, but it doesn’t take away from revelling in the joy of having a cocktail among friends in this stylish time machine of a bar (the schtick for this spot, designed by Ste. Marie Studio, is a vibey ’70s love motel). 265 E Pender St., meochinatown.com

2 Several of the cocktails at Main Street haunt Good Thief can be made zeroproof; the signature Hội An Nights ($18) will transport you right to Vietnam (with alcoholic spirits swapped for Seedlip). This floral, tart and silky beauty is topped with a layer of purple ube foam and a beautiful matching pansy, but inside the glass you’ll find layers of mangosteen, lychee, lemongrass and cacao butter. 3336 Main St., goodthief.ca

3 Over at Olympic Village’s newest Indian restaurant, Kavita, a mind-blowing bar program led by Kabir Sehgal will have you dreaming of mango trees in rural India—but its zero-proof options won’t leave sober sippers behind. The coconut and smoked-honey spritz ($14) is a refreshing take on a glass of bubbles that doesn’t sacrifice the tropical sensibilities of Kavita’s drink program. 250 W 3rd Ave., restaurantkavita.com

4 If the Fairmont Waterfront’s oceanfront destination Arc Restaurant does drinks with a little drama, they don’t lose that fire for their zero-proof options. The Smoke Screen ($15) gives a nod to the smoky nature of Mexico’s famous agave-based spirit, but here the mezcal is “undone,” paired with agave nectar and lime. 900 Canada Pl., arcdining.com

5 Chinatown’s DD Mau is known for its funky but casual approach to Vietnamese fare, and a menu like this wouldn’t be complete without a fun rotation of drinks to round it out. The mango sticky rice cocktail ($17) comes with a virgin option ($12): thick, creamy mango-flavoured coconut milk is mixed with velvety pandan and served with a rice crisp on top. 145 E Pender St., ddmau.ca

6 Commercial Drive’s Mediterranean tapas joint Pax Romana also makes nice with alcohol-free diners—and, by the way, it’s also perfect for a nosh and a quick gossip session with friends before the main course. The Miami Nice cocktail ($10) is a tropical, nectarous take on a whisky sour, with acidified pineapple and strawberry chai topped with a foamy egg white and toasted coconut in a stemmed glass. Now that’s class. 1670 Commercial Dr., paxromana.ca

BEST THING I ATE

by Ashley Kim

ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for any dish that comes with assembly instructions. K-BBQ lettuce wraps, Vietnamese spring rolls, tacos spilling all over your plate—if it involves getting my hands a little messy, I’m already sold.

So when a friend and I visited Hai Chi Em Modern Vietnamese Cuisine for lunch and co-owner Mai Le leaned over our table to explain the proper way to eat their crispy Vietnamese crepe cake, I knew I was in the right place.

I made an audible gasp the moment the two enormous crepes made of rice flour arrived at our table. Each golden crepe—larger than my face—was stuffed with plump shrimp, thick pieces of pork belly, bean sprouts and mung beans still steaming. But what immediately caught my attention was the dainty pair of scissors. Seeing our confused expressions, Le walked us through the ritual: cut yourself a generous piece of crepe, place it on a lettuce leaf with fresh perilla, basil and pickled daikon and carrots, wrap it all up and finally dip it into the flavourful fish sauce.

The first taste was revelatory. As soon as I bit through the crepe’s crispy exterior, savoury pork, sweet shrimp and crunchy bean sprouts met my tastebuds. The herbs added brightness, the pickles brought tang and the fish sauce tied it all together with a wash of umami. My hands were a mess. It was glorious. 2172 Kingsway, haichiem.ca

REMARKS OPENING

1 2

3 Contemporary Korean Wave

Laidback Korean spot Jeju has been a favourite in Tofino for a few years, but in November, the beloved restaurant decided to splash out in Vancouver. Created by Dylan Kim and his mother, chef Myungseok “Julie” Suh, Vancouver’s Jeju menu includes elevated small plates such as gochujang-glazed fried chicken, truffle-topped bulgogi and octopus with aged kimchi, plus major shareable mains like 35-dayaged galbi. jeju-restaurant.com

Opened November 2025 | 540 E Broadway

Caviar on Everything

Opulence is everything at Osetra, the first restaurant from the Key Collection. A luxe, seafood-driven menu led by chef de cuisine Tim Nguyen at the 65-seat space includes raw dishes like a melon and serrano-tinged scallop crudo, caviar-topped buttermilk waffles and a surprising dessert that made our Secrets of the City list (page 30). osetravancouver.com

Opened December 2025 | 410 W Georgia St.

Tacos in a Pinche La Taqueria’s much-anticipated offshoot, Pinche Taco Shop, takes a high-energy approach to casual Mexican with six specialty tacos (charcoal-grilled pollo, suckling pig and the signature trompo picaña among them) and a single dessert, plus cocktails on tap. Taco ’bout a good time. lataqueria.com

Opened November 2025 | 367 Seymour St.

WEST COAST ELEGANCE ON EVERY PLATE

THE WINE LIST

by Neal McLennan

HIGH ON ALTO

Find a person a secret bottle of wine and they’ll drink well for the night; find them an entire secret region and they’ll drink well for the rest of their lives. Though we may have mangled the maxim a bit, places are lurking out there that are beloved by sommeliers and yet are under-the-radar for average drinkers. Find them, and you tap into both an amazing deal and instant respect from the wine pros. Exhibit A is Italy’s Alto Adige. Start in historic Verona and head north: Lake Garda is to your south, the Dolomites to your east and the Alps tower to the north. And, in the middle: a near-perfect valley, with impossibly steep slopes for grape growing, crisp alpine airs to capture freshness and acidity and winemakers who combine Teutonic efficiency (you can literally see Austria) with Italian bravado. Welcome to your new favourite wines.

Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio, $22.50

Wait—we’ve brought you halfway around the world... for pinot grigio? Yes, but Alto Adige might produce the best PG in the world: wines with texture, grip and mineral-y freshness unlike any of their more mass-produced cousins from elsewhere in Italy. And Lageder, the closest thing the region has to a rock star, farms its grapes biodynamically and with infinite care—the wines are widely available and, seriously, there’s not a bad one.

Girlan Pinot Bianco, $26.30

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In this region people generally care more about pinot bianco than pinot grigio, and why shouldn’t they when wines like this emerge? Frankly, this wine recalls how similar Okanagan wines are to those from Alto Adige— great natural acidity and clean fruit delivery. It channels a crisp green apple that’s just at the peak of ripeness, with a lovely balance between bite and taut flesh (but not in a weird way). Remember four letters—PB from AA—and you’ll rarely go wrong.

Elena Walch Schiava, $36

Alto Adige reds are dominated by two varieties: the dense, dark lagrein (lahgrine) and the light on its feet schiava (skee-ah-va), which might become your new crunchy go-to grape. Think of wild strawberries put on a smoker and you’ll get the sense of the allure of this wine. It’s juicy all day long but with a hidden streak of ballast that makes it anything but a lightweight. If it’s warm out, the wine can take a small chill; during the colder months, it can saddle up to a grilled flank steak with equal aplomb.

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 3–6 PM

SUNDAY–THURSDAY 9 PM–CLOSE

FRIDAY–SATURDAY 10 PM–CLOSE

GONE COUNTRY

Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley offers the farm-country experience with a West Coast twist.

By Stacey McLachlan

Is there a house here that isn’t selling eggs?

Honour boxes abound as we roll through the sun-dappled, winding roads of Duncan, each offering the unsupervised sale of a half-dozen oeufs for little more than a fiver—fresh from the henhouse and far less than the price at the supermarket. As if the fields of lazy cows weren’t enough of a clue, it’s clear we’re in farm country—the Cowichan Valley, a charming, rural coastal region that, despite having visited Vancouver Island hundreds of times over the course of my life, I had no idea existed. Oops.

I’m not sure what I thought lay between Nanaimo and Victoria: freeways and box stores, I guess? It was a part of the Island that had never crossed my mind over the decades as I planned teenage jaunts to visit my crush in Victoria, made the trek to pay my respects to my grandparents in Campbell River or braved annual, slightly hungover postsurf-trip drives from Tofino back to the ferry terminal. But opportunity knocked for a whirlwind visit this past fall and, nearly four decades into my relationship with Vancouver Island, it seemed like the perfect chance to see a place I thought I knew with fresh eyes.

And as I traverse this uncharted territory—husband and three-yearold daughter in tow—I find myself having one consistent thought: why did no one tell me? This entire time, a beautiful wine region has been a mere ferry ride away? I get to take a pleasant boat ride (complete with soft-serve and the chance to see whales) instead of white-knuckling it through Abbotsford traffic to get to the Coquihalla? As much as I love the Okanagan, I also love a day of civilized travel—and this particularly civilized journey also allows for a pit stop in Ladysmith’s historic downtown a mere 20 minutes after driving off the ferry.

The Cowichan Valley region stretches along the south coast, encompassing a swath of charming communities from Ladysmith to Mill Bay; the towns of Duncan, Chemainus, Cobble Hill, Cowichan Bay and Shawnigan Lake lie in between. Multiple people tell us it’s the “warmest” climate in Canada: temperate conditions that, as it turns out, are perfect for growing everything from grapes to tea leaves to pumpkins (and cannabis, as a chain of pot shops called “Warmland” remind me).

Yes, there are freeways and box stores connecting these mid-sized Island towns, as I thought previously, but off the Trans-Canada Highway, the side roads lead us by pretty pastoral scene after pretty pastoral scene, glimpses of a glistening ocean or serene lake occasionally visible between them.

We fuel up on homestyle cinnamon rolls from Ladysmith’s jam-packed Old Town Bakery before heading to our home base: “The Tractor Shed” guest house at Emandare Vineyards. Owner Mike Nierychlo grew up in the Lower Mainland, blogging about wine on a blissful, pre-Zuckerberg internet. In 2013, he and his wife Robin, agri-curious, stumbled upon a derelict vineyard in Duncan. “These were noble weeds,” jokes Nierychlo. They rolled up their sleeves and got to work; today, the winery produces an annual 1,000 highly coveted cases of minimal intervention pinot noir and chardonnay with a distinct coastal minerality.

The vines that make these (extremely crushable) wines roll down the hills right outside the windows of our little guest house. “The sink has the best view on the property,” Nierychlo tells us as he gets us settled into the airy, farmhouse-inspired suite, gesturing to the frameless window that lines the kitchen counter.

It’s tempting to continue to hang out here all day, working our way through the crisp bottle of Emandare rosé Nierychlo pops for us, but farm country is a-callin’: we have a total of 10 farms on our list to hit over three days. We’ve waited this long to explore the Cowichan Valley—there’s no more time to lose.

Over a few days, we more than make up for our time away. At Merridale Cidery and Distillery, my daughter romps around the apple trees as the grown-ups tuck into pot pies and sip tart, frosty glasses of perfectly funky cider. Later, we pull on special foot covers to meet-and-greet the sweet cows of Cowichan Station Creamery, where owners Renee Davy and Henry Rekers are dedicated to cultivating a low-stress environment (which, happily, leads to some truly delicious high-fat gouda). Another farming power couple, Rebecca and George Papadopoulos, take us for a jaunt around their Keating Farm, a historic property they’ve been reinvigorating over the past decade—we tour the house, lovingly restored to its 1888 glory, that is host to indoor markets and long-table community dinners; meet an ornery goose named Ivan the Terrible watching over the chickens; watch my daughter put on an impromptu dance recital in a barn that’s home to both a rustic-romantic guest suite and dozens of twinkle-lit wedding receptions

Funnily enough, all of these winemakers and farmers seem to have something in common besides living off the land they’re all first-generation agriculturalists.

a year. That afternoon, chef Bill Jones also welcomes us into his home; at his Deerholme Farm, he hosts field-to-table dinners several times a month (they always sell out), inspired by ingredients from his neighbours or the mushrooms he’s foraged nearby.

On another misty morning, we walk through the tea slopes at Westholme, Canada’s first tea farm, before settling into the converted-barn teahouse for a hot pot of oolong, overlooking the lush Westholme Valley below. The scene is equally beautiful at the state-of-the-art new Unsworth Vineyard tasting room, an open, concrete-andglass beauty with clear views of the rows upon rows of grapes and swooping starlings, hoping to get lucky.

YES, CHEF

Funnily enough, all of these winemakers and farmers seem to have something in common besides happily living off the land—they’re all first-generation agriculturalists. We meet former teachers, construction workers, an epidemiologist and a startling amount of recovering engineers. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit here: folks hoping to grow more than just a few carrots in this special little sliver of the West Coast.

As we hop from farm to farm—with breaks for berry-packed danishes from Hank’s and an enchanted forest sauna experience at Setri Nordic Spa—Cowichan goes from being a mystery to a place I can’t imagine forgetting. The sensory memories layer one on top of the other: crisp, mineral-forward sauv blanc washing over my tongue at Averill Creek Vineyard as I try and fail to teach a toddler to play cribbage; the late-October sun on my face as I bite into a too-hot wood-fired pizza on a terrace above Alderlea Farm’s sprawling land; a tickle on my palm from a soft muzzle as I feed the easy-going miniature goats trotting around Yellow Point Farms.

My daughter is snoring in the backseat before we’re even out of the Emandare driveway— exhausted from meeting pigs and picking pumpkins for days on end (and, admittedly, crying that she didn’t get to wear her own pair of special protective booties at the dairy farm). It’s been a big weekend: a crash course in a place I’m so grateful to now know. I haven’t caught the same bug that inspired so many of these operators to ditch their big-city jobs and embrace farm-life full time—my lifestyle-journalist hands are far too soft for the demands of farm labour and goodness knows my three-year-old isn’t going to pull her weight—but it’s nice to know that when I do feel like going country, the experience is just a ferry ride away.

I SEE WET PEOPLE

I tried Kolm Kontrast’s Singles Social because modern dating needs a hard reboot and apparently my nervous system is the only thing still willing to commit. by Kerri Donaldson

Modern dating has turned my personality into a loading screen, so I went offline and tried Kolm Kontrast’s Singles Social: sauna, ice baths, tea lounge, actual eye contact. I know. Reckless. A bar lets you hide behind a drink. An app lets you hide behind “haha totally.” But a sauna? In a sauna, the only barrier between you and finding love is a layer of sweat.

I get there 10 minutes early, and it’s a check-in pileup, towels and nervous energy everywhere. Next time, I’d do 20. It gives you time to change before the rush, grab tea and acclimatize to the fact you were fully clothed on Cambie but two minutes ago and now you’re in public in your underwear (waterproof, sure, but spiritually alarming).

The event is sold out and it feels like close to 50 people, with the room skewing roughly 60/40 women to men, which makes it noticeably more chill, despite the fact we’re all just adults holding towels, trying to look normal while half-naked and emotionally available. There are solo flyers (me, shaking) and small friend groups, plus a few people who clearly know the routine and move through the space like they’re on a gentle, hydrated mission.

The tea lounge taught me a key truth: flirting is partly posture. Some people look effortlessly magnetic at a tasteful 30 percent incline on a wooden lounger. Others (me) sink into a bean bag and become a towel-wrapped question mark on the floor, praying their (my) bangs don’t betray them (me).

Two facilitators run the night and set the tone: friendly, low-pressure, not weird. They make it clear you can come to meet

someone romantically, but it’s also fine to make friends and just do the experience. That framing matters. It makes everyone unclench. Also, there are no phones, which is both the point and a personal attack. I had multiple moments where my hand tried to reach for my phone out of habit before I remembered where I was and what I was wearing. Nothing like a towel and a lack of wifi to reveal your coping mechanisms.

And then come the icebreakers, which seem simple until you have to answer them out loud, by cheering or physically migrating to one side of the room, in front of a bunch of damp strangers (sure, the sauna part hasn’t started yet, but nerves are real, okay?). Cats or dogs. Morning person or night person. Going out or staying in. Then they hit you with the curveball questions for one-on-one responses with the people next to you: “What makes you feel alive?” One-half of the room wants to be honest, the other half wishes they’d prepared a more intriguing answer than “hiking.” Luckily, all answers are the right answer, because the ice is broken (in the room, not in the plunge pools): people are ready to mingle.

Into the sauna we go. With all 50 of us packed in there, it feels like a sweaty town hall with better lighting—a low, colour-shifting glow. Steam. Music that’s pure spa-techno, more chill-wave than club, upbeat enough to keep you conscious and soothing enough that nobody tries to dance and wipes out into the ice bath. The steam makes everything cinematic—but with candlelit-dinner energy—except everyone’s kind of soggy. People are styling their towels like it’s a Project Runway chal-

lenge. I go classic: long toga dress, tragic Greek heroine, here to learn a lesson. Talking in the sauna is its own sport because the heat slows your brain and the steam turns sound into soup. Where are our scientists and why aren’t they fixing this? I chat with a guy in a sauna hat, which instantly tells me he is not new here. I ask for his favourite spots to sauna (it’s a verb!), then remember we are currently inside one, doing the thing, and I suddenly sound like a tourist on a gondola. I move on to the other literal hotties. At one point, I decide to “make my move” from the top bench and open with the classic: “It’s hot in here.” The response is lukewarm. Still, it gets the conversation going. It’s not the stuff of meet-cute, tellmy-grandkids legend, but it’s reassuring proof that talking to strangers is still possible—and maybe even enhanced by being trapped together in a cedar sweat box. Then comes the cold reality check. The plunge pools outside the sauna sit at 0°C to 4°C. There is no cute way into that. If you want to stress-test your flirting skills, try doing it while your body is screaming like a CPR dummy discovering consciousness. Any trace of mysterious come-hither energy gets replaced by angry gasping and teeth-gritting dissociation—still, honestly, this isn’t even my most uncomfortable date.

I don’t leave with a soulmate. But I do leave with proof that Vancouver singles can be warm (literally and figuratively), funny and open when you put them in a room where nobody can hide behind a phone, makeup, clothes or emotional aloofness. At an event like this, the activity does the heavy lifting: you’re not trapped in an interview date nightmare. The whole evening cycles you through heat, cold and recovery, which is basically how dating feels anyway, but with tea. And sometimes that’s the meet-cute. Not the Whole Foods hand-brush fantasy. Just you, showing up, choosing real life, letting yourself be seen. Wet. Human. Still alive.

Next month, I’m back out there. If you’ve got an IRL dating dare you want me to try, send it. I’ll go first. I’ll report back.