Special Features - Bijou Magazine Fall2019 by Black Press Media Group

J EWEL O F T HE N O RT H FRASER

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I NSI DE / / / / /

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CONTENTS FALL 2019

8 10 12 14 20 26 34 40 48 50 55

Publisher’s Letter Talk Wordy to Me Love at First Bite Easier Days Ahead Beautiful Inside and Out The Art of Style Left to Their Own Devices Art as a Refreshing Pause Paw-Parazzi Wanderlust Meet our bijou Community

40 PUBLISHER & EDITOR Lisa Craik 604.476.2728 ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL DESIGN Carly Overs Hannah Needham Kelsi Leaming

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ADVERTISING Adam Alcalde Vipan Aulakh Jackie Brittain Karen Derosia Karen Murtagh Jamie Hayes DISTRIBUTION Brian Yip 604.476.2740

Bijou magazine is published quarterly by Black Press Media. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of bijou. The contents of bijou magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

  @bijoumagazine

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CONTRIBUTORS

ALFONSO ARNOLD

COLLEEN FLANAGAN

Shooting professionally for over 15 years, Alfonso Arnold has proven himself as a renaissance artist. With a penchant for beauty and an expressive approach with communication, Alfonso can be seen shooting luxury editorials and commercial images for startups and developing clientele. These last few years, his skill-set and experience led him to being photo director for Eco Fashion Week, working as an instructor at Lasalle College in Vancouver and showcasing his fine art work from his travels in Asia.

Colleen Flanagan is an award-winning photographer who has been with Black Press Media since 2003. Colleen’s photography skills have been recognized across Canada and she loves to photograph unique individuals in the community. Colleen had a lot of fun capturing Paw-Parazzi this edition.

LISA MANFIELD

RONDA PAYNE

SUSAN LUNDY

SHERI RADFORD

There’s nothing better than profiling people who are genuinely changing the world. The folks at Left are making a tangible difference in people’s lives, and that is so very inspiring. Lisa Manfield is a writer, editor, and writing instructor. She was the founding editor of BC Living Magazine and currently writes for Real Weddings, Boulevard, Enterprise ad Right Sizing magazines.

Interviewing people and learning about how they feel about the things they are passionate about is a huge honour for me. I love getting to know people on a deeper level and asking questions is a sure-fire way to do it. A writer since she could hold a pen, Ronda Payne is a fulltime copywriter, freelancer and storyteller. She happily lives in Maple Ridge with her husband and their pets.

My time at Shelter Point Distillery on Vancouver Island really opened my eyes to the glories and possibilities of West Coast spirits." Susan Lundy is an awardwinning freelance writer, editor and author, who loves travelling to all corners of the earth, almost as much as she loves coming home again.

After speaking to Elaine Tan Comeau, I'm inspired to take better care of myself—and start my own business!” Sheri Radford works as a writer and an editor, writing books for children and editing magazines for grown-ups. Each year on her vacation she runs a half marathon in a different country to raise money for charity. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and extremely handsome cat.

Photographer

Left to their Own Devices

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Photographer

What Writers Read

HAROLD DUNCANWILLIAMS Fashion

Harold Duncan-Williams is a full time realtor, social media fashion influencer, part-time actor, gym enthusiast and founder of The Duncan-Williams Foundation, a non-profit humanitarian organization benefiting the VGH, BC Children’s Hospital Burn Unit and communities in need of clean drinking water. When Harold is not exercising at the gym, transacting a real estate sale, commercial auditioning, playing chef in the kitchen or spending time with his three beautiful girls and wife, he is capturing fashion style images as a social fashion influencer on Instagram.

Wanderlust

CHEF DEZ

Love at First Bite "I truly believe that there is no replacement for the natural flavour that hardwood charcoal imparts on ingredients. Not to mention that natural wood charcoal is the oldest, most natural form of cooking fuel to humankind. Big Green Eggs (ceramic charcoal smoker/BBQ) have been around for over 45 years and they produce the most succulent food ever." Chef Dez is a national food columnist, author and culinary instructor in BC for over 16 years. If not in the kitchen, you will find him outside at his Big Green Egg.

Easier Days Ahead

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER + WORDS BY LISA CRAIK

changing seasons

he temperatures may still be warm but it is clear that the trees know more than we do. Fall is here and our cityscape is changing dramatically as leaves turn to red, gold and orange. A slight chill is beginning to surround us as we get up each morning, and a thin layer of mist rises from the Fraser River. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “The only constant is change.” Fall reminds us that our minds, bodies and hearts are always developing and always changing, so it is important to enjoy what we have before it’s gone. The mystery of this change in nature is awe-inspiring and the crisp fall air personifies those unknowns. It is a time for us to preserve life and go inward, contemplate the coming months and plan ahead, as well as reconnect with ourselves in our safe havens — our homes. This past summer I spent some time at the family cabin in the Interlakes area near 100 Mile House doing the above, but perhaps a month early. The days were spent with blissful peace — no ringing phones or beeping computers. The rattle and hum of daily work was put behind me for a few days and I immersed myself in Mother Nature. I quietly paddled around the lake and focused on my core balance, and later watched the fish gently swim around my feet as I waded into the water. I observed leaves fall from the trees (of course, fall arrives much sooner in the north than down here) and felt the warmth of the sun on my face. Perhaps best of all was the tremolo voice of the loons that sent me off to sleep at night. This time was taken to prepare myself for the fall months, to get ready for change — and change is here. We are excited to launch bijou lifestyle magazine into the Mission area! After only two editions, we received such a warm welcome from the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows that we had to consider our Mission friends and take our balance of storytelling and creativity to their market. Bijou will expand in this edition to include the full North Fraser corridor and showcase to our loyal readers the 8

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amazing things happening in these three neighbouring communities. Please join me in welcoming a unique part of the Lower Mainland into our bijou family. We are delighted to include your amazing history, vibrancy and special stories in our publication, let go of what we initially thought we were, and become who we were meant to be. Our edition this month includes stories about art and inspiration, showcasing talented local artist April Lacheur. Alongside April, we have GoldEdge Properties from Mission revealing a love of design and balance that they create in their homes, which is another style of art. The flow of wood, metal and water that becomes a haven for their clients is breathtaking. Stepping into fashion, the style of Harold Duncan-Williams, with his family joining him on this photo shoot, gave us a window into his world of influencing and challenging style trends through his Instagram account @mensstylesource online. Two of our stories celebrate changing the world, one step at a time. Chris Jensen, co-founder of Left, and his team are focusing on connecting the next billion people online, raising 150,000 people out of poverty through enhanced connectivity. Read about this revolutionary technology being developed right here in Maple Ridge. Elaine Tan Comeau has reached the halls of Dragons’ Den and Amazon with her magnetic scheduling products for families. This “mompreneur,” who is changing the way families start their days, making it a more positive experience, is now venturing into working with people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Truly a remarkable story from the North Fraser. As fall gives us the chance to tap into the balance within us, with day and night being equal lengths of time, we hope that you find some balance in learning more about the communities that bijou serves and opening yourself up to the opportunity to harmonize with the earth at this time of year through the celebration of our stories.

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TALK WORDY TO ME

+ WORDS BY RONDA PAYNE

WHAT WRITERS READ WHEN THEY’RE NOT WRITING

Something old, something new: a creepy crime thriller and a giggly romance too. The Bone Collector

t may be that I’m a deranged reader, but like with my creative writing, I don’t focus on one particular genre. I also read a fair number of older books and this can be great because I often find fabulous authors who already have a bunch of books (so no waiting for the next read). But I love new reads too, especially by local authors. The first book I read for this issue of bijou is older, written by a prolific writer. The Bone Collector by Jefferey Deaver was published in 1997. It has been made into a movie and is the first of 15 other books in the series with the last one coming out in 2018. He’s also written five other series. I could learn some writing productivity tips from Deaver! For some reason, the title kept me from reading the book (or watching the movie) until now. The main character is Lincoln Rhyme, an arrogant quadriplegic with no interest in living after the accident that pulled him from his job as a forensic criminalist. In walks a serial killer with a twisted obsession (trigger warning: if you don’t like nasty mental images, this book is not for you) and Rhyme finds himself living again. I like books that keep me guessing and this one has mental puzzles in spades. Sure, some things are predictable like the power struggle over who “owns” the case and the fact that there are multiple victims (there’s always another victim, right?). But the flow and pace are good and kept me reading. It’s dark in places but never went past my personal line.

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My criticism of The Bone Collector is around character development. I don’t care about Rhyme in the first two-thirds of the book. I want to care, because I’m being pulled through the story on a solid plot with some interesting characters, but Rhyme feels flat, especially given the issues he’s dealing with. However, to be fair, character development has never been the biggest thing in crime thrillers and certainly not one written in the late 1990s. I suspect Rhyme becomes more developed in future books. I give The Bone Collector 3.5 diamonds out of 5.

Dear Dwayne, With Love A playful romance by local author Eliza Gordon was my second read. Dear Dwayne, With Love is sweet, a little silly (sometimes ridiculous) and provides a sense of, “You CAN do this girl!” Not to mention the fact that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson features prominently in main character Danielle Steele’s motivation. Dani has a crap job, dreams of being an actress and is out of shape when a competition to be in one of Johnson’s upcoming movies turns her life on its head. Romances are supposed to follow a basic format and fortunately, Gordon doesn’t break the mold. There are scenes Dani goes through that made me wince and had me offering suggestions to her from the comfort of my jammies in bed. There were moments where I was cheering for her, believing she could have it all. I don’t have a lot of criticism of Dear Dwayne. It’s quirky and light as you would suspect from the cover and back -page blurb. I fully enjoyed the quick, easy, entertainment. I give Dear Dwayne, With Love 4 diamonds out of 5.

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LOVE AT FIRST BITE FANTASTIC ACCOMPANIMENT AT YOUR NEXT BBQ â€“ GREAT ON GRILLED STEAK, CHICKEN, AND FISH... OR SERVE IT AS AN APPETIZER WITH YOUR FAVOURITE TORTILLA CHIPS

FALL FLAVOURS Maple & Bourbon Beef Short Ribs + RECIPES & PHOTOS BY CHEF DEZ, CHEFDEZ.COM 4 Tbsp sweet smoked paprika 2 Tbsp garlic powder 4 tsp salt 2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper 6 large beef simmering short ribs (approx. 1.5 kg. total) 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 2 Tbsp prepared seed mustard or your favourite mustard 1.

Prepare your Big Green Egg barbecue for indirect cooking with Big Green Egg Oak & Hickory Charcoal and steady temperature at 225 degrees F. If desired, additional smoking chips can be included in with the charcoal.

2. Mix together the paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme and cayenne. 3. Liberally coat all surfaces of the ribs with this spice mixture. 4. Place the ribs on the cooking grid. Lower the lid and cook at 225 degrees for 6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the ribs reaches a minimum of 190/195 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. While the ribs are cooking, combine the maple syrup, bourbon, brown sugar and mustard in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook this mixture until just under 1 cup of this mixture remains. Reduce the heat to medium-low in the process to prevent the mixture from boiling over. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool in the pot at room temperature. 6. Remove the ribs from the cooking grid and place them in a small cooler for at least 1 hour. This process will not only continue to slowly raise the temperature of the ribs, but also help to make them more tender. The smaller the cooler the better (not too much excess space around the ribs). 7. Plate the ribs and drizzle the reduced maple and bourbon sauce over them. Serve immediately. 12

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Fire Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salsa 2 cobs sweet corn, husks removed 1 large red bell pepper, cut into large pieces 1 medium red onion, thickly sliced 2 Tbsp canola oil 1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans 1/4 cup soft sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped 1/4 cup firmly packed finely chopped fresh cilantro 2 garlic cloves, minced or pureed Zest of 1 lime, finely chopped Juice of 1 lime 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper 1.

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Easier Days Ahead A successful entrepreneur tackles her biggest challenge yet: slowing down and taking care of herself

laine Tan Comeau has some advice for every busy woman out there: take care of yourself first. But Comeau admits she struggles to heed her own words of wisdom.

Last year, the busy entrepreneur, wife and mother of three waited 14 hours before seeking medical attention after suffering a stroke. The left side of her body stopped functioning, but somehow she cooked meals, worked, took her youngest to field hockey practice and put the kids to bed before going to the hospital. “I had my family to take care of, and business to take care of," she says. Comeau has always focused on making other people’s lives easier. When she worked as a schoolteacher, parents constantly asked her to create a visual daily routine for them, similar to the one she made for her classroom. After becoming a stay-at-home mom, it occurred to her that people might be willing to pay for the product she’d been giving away for years. Never one to go the easy route herself, she launched her company, Easy Daysies, a mere two days after her third child was born. The company’s goal: to help kids and families have easier days. Easy Daysies magnetic schedules feature kid-friendly tasks such as Brush Teeth, Pack Backpack and Make Bed. Moving an item from the To Do side of the schedule to the Done side gives children a send of accomplishment more powerful than “a sticker or a lollipop or a dollar.”

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+ WORDS BY SHERI RADFORD + PHOTOS BY ALFONSO ARNOLD Seen here, left to right, are: Ron, Elaine,Naomi with Cookie Ninja Comeau, Abigail and Justin.

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COMEAU CONSIDERS THE STROKE A BLESSING, BECAUSE OF ALL THE VALUABLE LESSONS THAT CAME WITH IT.

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Having no idea how to mass-produce these schedules, Comeau searched the Internet. “Google was my best friend,” she says. “Google still is my best friend.” With her husband’s help, she got Easy Daysies up and running and worked on it from her kitchen table in Maple Ridge. “We had over 100,000 magnets in our home at one point,” she says with a laugh. “We had 11 four-by-four pallets. It looked like Costco.” There was obviously a market for the magnetic schedules, because they began to sell briskly and win awards. She decided to pitch her product on Dragons’ Den. Again, she didn’t go the easy route, taking all three of her children onto the TV show with her. Right before walking onto the set, her four-year-old son squeezed her hand and said, “Mommy, I’m not scared of Dragons.” Comeau recalls, “I wanted to throw up on the spot,” adding, “It was the most nervous experience I’ve ever had — a mom going on with three children under the age of eight.” But the risk was worth it: a bidding war broke out among the five Dragons, and Easy Daysies was later named one of the most heart-warming pitches in the show’s history. “It’s when you take a risk that you can grow,” Comeau says. “It’s pretty hard to be something if you just stand still.”

In addition to founding and running Easy Daysies, Comeau somehow made the time to start a podcast, become head of the BC chapter of Mompreneurs Canada, and write a book called Sell Your Passion. She also launched a version of Easy Daysies for adults with memory loss, which came in handy after her stroke. “I ended up having to use my own product, which makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.” The medical emergency forced her to pause and focus on herself, especially since tests after the stroke showed it wasn’t her first one. “I have learned that there’s a very powerful word that I wasn't good at using until this past year. That word is “no.” And it’s okay to say it.” The stroke made her realize she needed to prioritize her health and her family. It made her accept that it’s okay to swallow her pride and ask for assistance sometimes: “It takes a very strong person to ask for help.” And it made her understand the importance of focusing on one task at a time. “We’re always so proud to show how much we can juggle. I have experienced that, where I feel like I’m juggling with one hand tied behind my back, because there’s so much going on. But it’s okay to drop balls.”

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Comeau considers the stroke a blessing, because of all the valuable lessons that came with it, lessons she now feels compelled to share with other women. It’s a word she uses often: blessing. She expresses gratitude for all the people and experiences in her life. Comeau may be spending more time on her health and her family, but she still has big ambitions. In the fall, she’s starting up Elaine’s Kitchen Table Podcast: The Business of Real Life again, after taking a hiatus for recovery. She dreams about one day giving a TED Talk. Plus she’s now a passionate spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, because she wants other people to learn from her story and her mistakes. Can Comeau actually follow her own advice? She’s certainly trying to, and part of taking care of herself is reminding herself not to multi-task. “Our children, our families, our friends, our loved ones will not remember our multi-tasking moments, but they do remember when we’re single-tasking with them, whether it’s having a face-to-face conversation, eating a meal together, or going bowling with our kids.”

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BEAUTI inside & out 20

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+ WORDS BY LISA MANFIELD + PHOTOS BY MARTIN KNOWLES PHOTO/MEDIA

GoldEdge Properties builds custom luxury homes that let busy homeowners get more quality time — and space — outside.

IFUL

J Sidhu wishes more people could enjoy the beautiful outdoors in his community of Mission, BC, without actually having to leave the comfort of their homes.

“Life is busy,” he says. “When you come home, you want to spend time at home.” That’s why the custom homebuilder has focused on creating the best of both worlds for his clients. And he's become known for his beautiful outdoor living spaces and landscaping. “It’s an area that always gets overlooked because of the budget,” he says. “But we pay attention to outdoor space as much as we do to the house itself. We’ll make the outside deck area look like a living room.” Sidhu says beautiful outdoor spaces are something more and more people are now asking for. “From 2014 to 2016, we had barely any requests for outdoor living spaces. But now, people are pulling money from indoor spaces and putting it in outdoor spaces.” Last year, Sidhu and his company GoldEdge Properties won the Best Outdoor Space award through the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association of BC, and were a finalist in the best custom home category as well at the Georgie Awards. “Right now we’re working on a cool home that we’ll enter into the Georgies as well,” he says. “The customer wanted a Hamptons beach house. But because they lived on a farm, we’ve settled on a Hamptons farmhouse. It will be rustic with a bit of elegance.”

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A love of building beautiful things Sidhu started building homes as soon as he graduated from high school. “I borrowed money from my parents, along with my brother, to build my first home as a business in 2007,” he says. “I sold it and made some profit and thought, ‘This is awesome.’ I liked it so much, I went to BCIT and got my building engineer diploma.” Sidhu then partnered up with his best friend, Clint Hale, who had been doing government renovation work, and together they’ve been building custom homes in Mission since 2013. “We do about four homes per year,” Sidhu says, “and we will take two or three renos a year — but only from family and friends I can’t say no to.” The partners focus on custom and high-quality homes and are very hands-on, doing everything from the excavation to the landscaping themselves. Sidhu also works with his wife, Melissa, to do all of the custom design from start to finish.

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THE CUSTOMER WANTED A HAMPTONS BEACH HOUSE. BUT BECAUSE THEY LIVED ON A FARM, WE’VE SETTLED ON A HAMPTONS FARMHOUSE: IT WILL BE RUSTIC AND ELEGANT.

“I’ve always liked hammers and nails, and I’ve always been creative,” he says. “And I love working with high-end materials. So we do as much as we can and our team of tradespeople takes over what we can’t do. We have a great team of sub-trades we’ve been working with for the last eight years.”

Moving into multi-family While GoldEdge specializes in custom luxury homes, two years ago it also entered into the multi-family sphere. 24

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“We’re doing a 58-unit custom townhome project in Mission called 58 on Cherry Hill,” Sidhu says. “It’s our first townhome project.”

“We pre-sold 51 units with the majority of the buyers coming from the west — Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and Langley especially.”

The 2,300-square-foot units are three storeys high with a double car garage, yards and driveways.

Sidhu is thrilled that his hometown is finally seeing a bit of a boom.

“Mission isn’t as used to townhomes so we decided to keep them a bit bigger,” Sidhu says. “They’re for downsizers but still quite big.” The project was launched in response to the influx of people moving eastward to Mission.

“It’s about time!” he says. “I was born in Mission and always wondered why it’s not happening here. Chilliwack is growing and Maple Ridge is growing. But in the last year and a half, Mission has been dramatically expanding with developers coming in, and people coming from the west and seeing a luxury

Now open in Mission! product out here. We decided to just build luxury-quality homes and people are liking it. So we’re sticking with the custom and high-quality niche market.” What sets GoldEdge apart from its competition — aside from the beautiful backyards — is a full-service approach to building that starts with all-inclusive bidding and provides everything from lending advice to real estate support. “We know what luxury homes cost and we reflect that in our pricing. We don’t add all the extras in later, as many contractors will.” GoldEdge also offers extra support via its extended team members. “We have a realtor on board as well as one of the greatest mortgage brokers ever,” he says. “We offer support from start to finish; if our clients need their house to be sold, we have a realtor for that.”

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THE ART OF STYLE C

onfident, refined, sophisticated, dapper, flashy, gallant, ultra-posh, ultra-smart and — one of my favourites — ultra-hip ... these are just a few descriptors that define the very persona of the word “fashion.” Fashion is a statement for some people and a reflection of one's personality or disposition for others. It’s an art that's voiced through the colours and silhouettes of one's attire. Fashion reveals a unique ability to allow judgment upon ourselves, ignoring the rules our mommas once told us: “Never judge a book by its cover!” Here is what "fashion" is to me and what has transpired as a result of my affinity for it. Before we dive into that, I’d like to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Harold Duncan-Williams. I am a husband to an amazing and beautiful wife and a father to three beautiful daughters. I’m a full-time realtor — duncanwilliams.ca — and founder of The Duncan-Williams Foundation (duncanwilliamsfoundation. ca), a non-profit humanitarian organization focused on providing donations to the Vancouver General Hospital, BC Children’s Hospital Burn Unit and communities in need of clean drinking water.

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+ WORDS BY HAROLD DUNCAN WILLIAMS + PHOTOS BY ALFONSO ARNOLD

From left to right: Harold, Azraya, Keyra, Amiyah, and Melisa Duncan-Williams

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FASHION IS A STATEMENT FOR SOME PEOPLE AND A REFLECTION OF ONE'S PERSONALITY OR DISPOSITION FOR OTHERS. IT’S AN ART THAT'S VOICED THROUGH THE COLOURS AND SILHOUETTES OF ONE'S ATTIRE.

Now that we are better acquainted, let's talk fashion. I found art at a very young age, and it later evolved into an appreciation for fashion. I was first inspired by my mother’s clothing alteration company. She was my superhero. I admired her in every way, and the majority of my time as a child was spent as a second shadow to my mother. I was amazed at how she could turn simple fabrics into pieces of art. My passion grew as I grew and eventually I enrolled in the Fashion Business and Marketing Program at the University of the Fraser Valley, where I studied the laws of colour, fashion design, business and marketing. Today, when I’m not in the gym, I’m behind the camera hoping to inspire other fashion-conscious individuals through my fashion blog on Instagram @mensstylesource and at duncanwilliams.ca, where you will find a mixed array of fashion styles.

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Although I prefer a well-fitted, comfortable suit, when I am not in a suit (which I'm finding more rare these days), I enjoy the classy modern-hip look of layers. The layered look can be tricky if you are trying to keep the sophisticated, aesthetically pleasing appearance while staying comfortable at the same time. It’s important to make sure the fabric choices are comfortable and not irritating to the skin. The first layer should always hold some stretch to it. This will save you from walking around looking like a modern-day Phasmatodea, aka a stick bug! The added layers should hold the same rules: stretch, a loose fit and comfortable fabric. Keep the colours to two or three at maximum and make sure the colours complement each other. If executed correctly, the layered look will naturally inspire applause and maybe even turn a few heads.

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FALL 2019

Your Next Move?

LOCATION, COMMUNITY, OPPORTUNITY

Take a moment to imagine yourself relaxing on this wraparound veranda, enjoying views of Westminster Abbey, an orchard and majestic mountains - views that inspired the luxury, comfort and style of this timeless retreat. This piece of paradise on ten stunning acres is only 80 km east of Vancouver and minutes to the West Coast Express. The house welcomes you with an open floor plan with quality and comfort at every turn. Cosy up in the great room in front of the wood-burning fireplace. Gather with family and friends to prepare meals using local farm produce. Relax at the end of the day in the hot tub or master ensuite steam shower.

There’s just something special about living in the Fraser Valley with access to beautiful trails, mountains, lakes and rivers and opportunities for adventures amid the spectacular scenery. And the community here is welcoming and actively growing with all the amenities you’d expect. I know from experience, it is certainly a wonderful place to raise a family and build a business. If you want more information on this unique property, or would like to explore all the Fraser Valley has to offer, I’d love to hear from you.

Bob McLean | 604-302-0177 PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

www.bobmclean.ca | 1-7221 Park Street, Mission BC V2V 6A4

Have you ever purchased a suit thatâ€™s too fitted? It will have you walking around looking like a baby giraffe that was just born, tripping all over itself. That is definitely not the head turns we are aiming for! To stay up to date with fashion tips and inspiration you can find me on Instagram: @duncanwilliams.ca OR @menstylesource.

FALL 2019

Motorized Shades

Ease. Efﬁciency. Safety. Smiles. Our new Smart Home Collection is easy to use, easy to afford, and since we do it all for you, everything connects just beautifully. Motorized, cordless window coverings give you extra child safety, home security, energy savings and real convenience.

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FALL 2019 33

+ WORDS BY LISA MANFIELD + PHOTOS BY ARNOLD ALFONSO

Left

to their own devices

FALL 2019

Maple Ridge tech company finds innovative way to connect — and change — the world

hey say if you want to change the world you should start at home. For Chris Jensen and John Lyotier, that meant leaving their corporate jobs to start a local tech company with a global mission: “To build something of real and lasting value that will impact our community and make our mark on the world.” The duo founded Left in 2010, when both had tired of their corporate jobs. “I moved here from the UK in 1997 where I was a bank manager for eight years,” Jensen says. “It was the longest decade of my life.” Jensen and Lyotier would get together over beers at startup pitch events. “We always had opinions,” Jensen says. “So we decided to pitch our own startup. I’m good at business strategy and John is brilliant in online marketing, and we had hundreds of ideas. So we phoned the organizer of an event and asked if we could pitch. We pulled together a few ideas and picked the best one,” Jensen says. “Three out of four judges said they’d invest.”

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What’s in a domain name? With a $100,000 investment secured, Left started as a web development company that "built out" local domain names. “Originally it was Left of the Dot Media,” Jensen says. “We’d take a domain name and build to the left.” For example, they’d take a domain such as massage.com and build out mapleridge.massage.com. “This would allow massage therapists to go online,” Jensen says. “But we couldn’t make money doing it.” The duo tried six or seven different offerings before getting into online tourism, and that’s where they found their niche.

TOMES & TALES New and Used Books ⋅ Silk Road Tea Essential Oils ⋅ Jewelery Tea Accessories ⋅ Unique Gifts tomesandtalesbooks@gmail.com | 604-459-5000 103-19141 Ford Rd. Pitt Meadows, BC

FALL 2019 35

“We started listening to what people wanted to buy and that’s how we moved into the travel space; helping people connect with online vacation rentals. We discovered we were good at that and it has been the core of our business since 2013.” Jensen outsourced early development work overseas through the site now known as Upwork. “We found a man in Bangladesh — Rakib — who always won the competitions, so we said ‘please come and work with us.’ So he joined us,” Jensen says. “And a month later he said he had a friend with a master’s in computer science — Ayesha — so we hired her too. And about three weeks later there was another friend who wanted a job. So we got an office in Bangladesh. That was in 2010. Now Rakib and Ayesha are married with two children and they still run the office of 95 people. They build the websites and the supporting technology for us.”

Left launched RightMesh with the goal of connecting a billion people, and hired Dr. Jason Ernst, whose Ph.D. was focused on working out whether or not such a product was technically possible and a scalable solution. “If I want to send a text to someone in the same room, it shouldn’t have to go out through the router, over the cloud, then back via a cell tower. That is incredibly wasteful,” Jensen says. “What if phones could connect to each other directly if you’re within close range? It’s like AirDrop, but you’re not tied to the iPhone.” The RightMesh technology would work for more than just text messages; it could power all the apps you would normally use on a phone.

It was a solid foundation for their plan to change the world.

Connecting the world through RightMesh

“This gives people access to health information, education, economic information,” says Jensen. It’s a game changer in many Third World countries.

Rakib and Ayesha, much like Chris and John, were big thinkers. They also had the technology chops to put their ideas into action.

As both the Maple Ridge and Bangladesh teams work toward a 2020 launch, Jensen says, they’ve already garnered interest for pilot projects around the world. Their most high-profile pilot is with UNICEF.

loc ae xperts

“About five years ago, they came to us with an idea,” Jensen says. “In

THE EXPERIENCE THE TOOLS THE KNOW-HOW

Bangladesh, everyone uses a mobile phone and data is expensive. The infrastructure is crappy; an 8-MB file takes eight to 10 minutes to download. They created a basic solution that allowed them to share things with each other without having to use data. We were amazed by their creativity and said, 'Awesome, let’s do this properly and connect the world.'"

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FALL 2019

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“We’re building an app that allows people in refugee camps to connect,” Jensen says. “In the Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, for example, there are hundreds of thousands of people and many have smartphones. But they’re not allowed to have a SIM card, and there’s no internet coverage, so you can’t share what’s on your phone. Our mesh application allows NGOs to send announcements like ‘Food is arriving’ or ‘There’s an outbreak of disease.’ You can also search for people you know.”

Working for the best Left has not only been recognized for its innovation around the world, it’s also gained acclaim for its strong corporate culture. “We actually finished number 16 on Canada’s Top 100 Employers list for our Canadian office [of 40 people],” Jensen says. Of note was Left’s community service program, which offers employees unlimited community hours.

“You define your community, and when you’re out doing your thing, we’ll pay you,” Jensen says. “If you’re a Big Brother on Thursday afternoons, we’ll pay you for it because it makes you a more balanced, healthy and productive person.” For Jensen, it all comes down to working with the best people. “We want to work with good people, but they are always in demand. Many of our people could go to work in the States or downtown Vancouver and earn more money, but here they’re getting a chance to change the world and do something important.”

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FALL 2019 39

FALL 2019

+ WORDS BY RONDA PAYNE + PHOTOS BY BRITNEY BERRNER

Art as a Refreshing Pause April Lacheur’s first career was helping people; her artwork extends that contribution

rees and nature move April Lacheur’s spirit. While she has been selling her paintings for 12 years, only recently did she feel ready to make the move from part-time to full-time artist. She creates in her beautiful backyard studio in central Maple Ridge surrounded by the natural elements that inspire her. Lacheur was lucky enough to learn that trees were her artistic calling early in her development as an artist. She is self-taught and — as one might guess from her acrylic paintings — has a kinship with Mother Nature’s giants. This kinship is something she hopes others will pick up on when they take in the brushstroke-covered canvases she produces. “When I started, [trees were] just what I was attracted to,” she says. “I feel like they’re protectors. You’re really safe around them. We’re similar to trees; they thrive together, like us. We have these roots that are covered up. The more we know about each other’s roots, the better we can get along.”

FALL 2019 41

Her family traditionally chose practical occupations over creative ones and Lacheur did as well, attending nursing school instead of art school despite having been an “artsy kid.”

able piece. Quickly, she saw how the process allowed her to not only to improve her mental health, but also advance her artistic skills through exploration.

“I wanted to go to art school,” she explains. “And I like working with people. I value [nursing] so much because I think it has allowed me to see the value that art brings people.”

“I’m learning from the doing,” she says. “There’s value in spending time in the process, whether [the end result] is good or bad.”

As an RN sharing diabetes education, Lacheur experienced people’s stories and realized the value in creativity. She was hesitant to teach courses in the past because she didn’t want people to try to conform to her methods. Then, when her mom died, something shifted. “When I actually tried to use [painting] for stress release was after my mom passed away. So that was four years ago,” she says. “Sometimes I have this overwhelming feeling to just throw some paint around.” She allowed herself the freedom to play and not worry if the end result would be a sal42

FALL 2019

Recognizing the benefits she gained from playing with paint, she embraced giving workshops to help others release their creativity without expectation and improve their mental health. “Being creative is good for your health,” says Lacheur. “Because I’ve had this experience of learning how valuable it is, I learned this is a workshop I can teach. This makes me excited.” She shared the joy in creativity with 65 women at a uBlossom Retreat at Loon Lake Lodge earlier this year. Other workshops are gradually becoming part of her schedule, like one she led in the spring at Little Cricket Gift Gallery.

“IT’S ALWAYS EXCITING WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU WHAT THEY SEE IN YOUR WORK. IT’S VERY NICE WHEN IT’S PRETTY, WHEN IT GOES WITH THE WALLS AND FURNITURE . . . BUT IT’S EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU HAVE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH IT.”

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Lacheur works on multiple paintings at one time for shows, commissions or to add to her offerings for sale (see her available paintings at aprillacheurart.com) and looks at her time differently now, listening to the inner voice prompting her to “just throw some paint around.” Whether in the creating or in the viewing, she believes art should provide something of an escape. “You’re going about your busy day. You should get a little escape looking at it,” she says. “It’s always exciting when someone tells you what they see in your work. It’s very nice when it’s pretty, when it goes with the walls and furniture . . . but it’s even better when you have an emotional connection with it.” Every time she embarks on a new project, she feels lucky to have a common theme to draw upon. “I am not an artist who would create a show that is entirely different from something I’ve done in the past,” she notes. She is able to piggyback on previous works that bring something from the past forward and may even make use of some of the learning gained while “throwing paint around.” Sketching also gives her the ability to explore concepts and if she is creating a series of paintings, she will often have one or two pieces underway when she senses she can work with the overall idea. Lacheur also gave herself the freedom to take an art class not long ago, which is a big step for a self-taught artist. 44

FALL 2019

Making your new home a priority • Real Estate transactions • Estate and personal planning • Sponsorhip and travel letters & more!

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FALL 2019

“I was very nervous in the beginning,” she explains of her hesitancy to take classes. “I didn’t want someone else’s style to influence me.” Instead, she has allowed her own style to define her art and the common elements tell people they are looking at a painting by April Lacheur. “There needs to be a particular style threaded through,” she says. “That’s the goal of an artist.” Maple Ridge has been Lacheur’s home for the last four years and she feels welcome in the community, especially as an artist. “I did the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Art Studio Tour,” she says. “I did it for the second year this past May. I pursued doing it because I wanted to meet people.” Now, she’s involved in the organization of the annual tour. This and meeting people in other ways allows Lacheur to fulfill her desire to help them grow. “I want to encourage other people to find their creativity so they can see the value in it too.”

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FALL 2019 47

PAW-PARAZZI

+ PHOTOS BY COLLEEN FLANAGAN

Seen here, clockwise from top left: Mr. Wilson, a 7-year-old cross between a Malamute and Golden Retriever, loves to run on open trails; Gibson, a four-year-old mini Australian Shepherd seen at Alouette Lake; Louie, an 8-year-old Chihuahua; FooFoo, a 7-year-old Maltese Papillon cross; Miss Mavis, a 2-year-old Husky Retriever cross; and Lucy Goose, a Great Dane who likes long walks and lounging around the fire. 48

FALL 2019

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FALL 2019 49

WANDERLUST + WORDS BY SUSAN LUNDY + PHOTOS BY LIA CROWE

FROM SEED to SPIRIT Brewing success at Shelter Point Distillery

FALL 2019

lthough whisky and I have a bit of a troubled past, I’m eager to put aside our differences and sample the spirits at Shelter Point Distillery, which is one of the largest producers of single malt whisky in Canada.

MY DAUGHTER DIDN’T LIKE THE TASTE OF THE WHISKY. SO WE TOLD HER TO GO AND CREATE SOMETHING SHE DID LIKE.

Since it’s located on the eastern side of Vancouver Island near Campbell River, we’ve found the journey here along the Old Island Highway a joy in itself. But pulling into the parking lot, we’re stunned by the beauty of the setting. A glorious wooden building, flanked by gleaming grain silos and bourbon barrels filled with flowers, arises amid fields of golden barley and distant views to the Salish Sea. And it’s here on these 380 acres that the distillery, which barrelled its first batch of whisky in 2011, now produces more than 125,000 litres of spirits — whisky, gin, vodka and liqueur — per year. I can’t wait to start sampling it! But first we have the fortuitous opportunity to meet owner Patrick Evans. Patrick and his family have been dairy farmers in the region for decades. But with dairy farming in decline, he looked to establish value-added agriculture on his land. Creating Shelter Point Distillery, he says, was more about capitalizing on an opportunity than about being a whisky aficionado. He says, “I asked myself, ‘how do you value agriculture to the highest degree?’ Well, one acre of land produces 800 litres of alcohol — or 2,700 bottles of whisky.”

General Manager Jacob Wiebe, Cicily Evans, Warehouseman David Marshall and distiller Leon Webb in the Barrel Room.

What must have been seen as a leap of faith in 2011 is paying off today with robust sales and numerous accolades, including two gold medal wins at the 2019 World Whisky Masters. And plans are afoot to get even bigger by adding an additional still and eventually developing a true “field-to-flask” operation with on-site malting.

FALL 2019 51

Currently, Shelter Point out-sources malting to a plant in Armstrong. But within the next few years, Patrick hopes to be malting on site, meaning every aspect of production — from seed to spirit — will occur on this land. And with the malting process in place, the distillery can add a smoked whisky to its repertoire, incorporating true west coast flavours like maple, driftwood or seaweed. “There are different perspectives on what defines the flavour of the whisky,” Patrick says. For him, as a farmer, it’s all about the soil. But there are other factors too, including the distilling process, the type of barrel used and the variety and quality of grain. Water is also important since it’s added to the barrel-aged spirit to cut back alcohol percentages (unless the whisky is being bottled at cask strength). Water at Shelter Point bubbles up from a mountain-fed aquifer, so it’s hard to imagine a more pure-tasting addition to the spirits.

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FALL 2019

Before settling in at the tasting room counter, we take the complimentary tour of the distilling process. Stepping into the distillery room with its soaring, timber-trussed roof, shiny, six-metre-high copper stills and futuristic-looking columns is like walking onto a sci-fi movie set. The entire Shelter Point building is gorgeous, but this room is truly spectacular. The distilling process is fascinating and we wander among the stills, poking our heads into them and inhaling the delicious scents. But — finally! — it’s time to sample the wares. Whisky was once a favourite spirit of mine; I even organized whisky evenings for my friends. But after a night of overindulging on a cask-strength brew, our relationship has been strained. However, after tasting samples from two bottles of Shelter Point whisky, I’m ready for a reconciliation. This whisky is among the best I’ve sampled. We quickly pick up two bottles for purchase. Then comes the vodka and gin. Light and clean with a hint of caramel, this vodka is too good to mix with

tonic. It’s made for sipping. The gin is another surprise. Rich with juniper, citrus and floral flavours, it rivals and surpasses any of the gins I’ve sampled — and that’s quite a few. Bottles of vodka and gin are added to our bag. Finally, we savour the Barrel of Sunshine Liqueur, which comes with a story. “My daughter didn’t like the taste of the whisky,” says Patrick, “so we told her to go and create something she did like.” The resulting liqueur has been the distillery’s bestseller (although this past summer sales were surpassed by the gin). And basking in its heavenly blend of sweet, citrus, honey warmth, we understand why. We purchase a bottle of Sunshine as well. As we drive away from Shelter Point, I’m pretty pleased with the entire experience, not to mention the bag full of bottles cheerfully clinking in the backseat. But most of all, I’m really happy that whisky and I have put aside our differences and rekindled our relationship.

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FALL 2019 53

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Noble BC Mission: 32873 London Ave. Unit 1, Mission BC V2V 6M7 • 604-820-8733 • www.noblebc.ca 54 FALL 2019 Open Saturdays from 8 AM – 1 PM (Except for long weekends)

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