Westender – December 17, 2015

NEWS // ISSUES • STYLE // DESIGN • EAT // DRINK • MUSIC // ARTS • FILM // TV • HEALTH // SEX

EVERYTHING VANCOUVERDECEMBER 17-23 // 2015

@WestenderVanWestender.com

• ‘MIXED NUTS’ CRACKS HOLIDAY CLASSIC •

• CONTACT TOUCHES DOWN AT BC PLACE •

• ACTOR MIKE DOPUD’S SCI-FI LIFE •

5-PAGEGIFTGUIDE!

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2 W December 17 - December 23, 2015 Westender.com

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Westender.com December 17 - December 23, 2015 W 3

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News4Vancouver Shakedown5Style File6TheGrowler7Nosh8HolidayHub9By theBottle9AGoodChickToKnow10What’s On12Music14Arts15Reel People16Real Estate17WholeNourishment20Horoscopes21SexwithMishWay21COVER: THINKSTOCKPHOTO

You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack by Tom Gauld

THEMONEY ISTHERE,LETSUSE ITWISELY

The repeated claim that

Ottawa’s fiscal cupboard is

bare is fatuous.

Whenever a financial crisis

erupts, it is clear that a sov-

ereign country’s central bank

can create money as needed.

For example, to address the

freeze in the credit markets

that occurred in 2008, our

federal government imme-

diately set up a $200 billion

Extraordinary Financing

Framework to bail out strug-

gling banks and corporations.

The myth that the federal

government can run out of

money in normal times is

propagated by financial elites

ALLRANTSARETHEOPINIONOFTHE INDIVIDUALANDDONOTREFLECTTHEOPINIONSOFTHEWESTENDER.THEEDITORRESERVESTHERIGHTTOEDITFORCLARITYANDBREVITY, SOPLEASEKEEP ITSHORTAND (BITTER)SWEET.

RANT//RAVE email: [email protected]

who fear that too much gov-

ernment spending on social

welfare will cause inflation

and erode their financial

wealth, and by business and

corporate leaders satisfied

with slack in the economy

to prevent unions from de-

manding higher wages.

In truth, Canada’s cup-

board is well stocked with

both good ideas and unused

real resources that can be

mobilized.The govern-

ment should make Canada

a leader in public renew-

able energy schemes, better

public transport systems,

and various green initiatives

that would combat climate

change and create a highly

skilled workforce with many

permanent jobs.

–Larry Kazdan

HARDLUCKCANUCKSThis is a rave for theVan-

couver Canucks.Thank you

for your terrible play of late!

As a result, tickets are actually

(somewhat) affordable again,

and I won’t have to take a

second mortgage out on my

condo to see my Edmonton

Oilers on Boxing Day!

–Go Oil!

NEWS // ISSUES

YOUR CITY@WESTENDERVAN

NEWS // ISSUES

YOUR CITYWESTENDER.COM

A man breaks into a neigh-bour’s car. A family up thestreet gets its bikes stolen.Someone is assaulted outsidea convenience store aroundthe corner. As a resident ofthat neighbourhood, youmay not be aware of the minicrime wave that has rolledinto your community.

The Vancouver PoliceDepartment wants to fillthat information gap withthe introduction of an onlinecrime mapping tool thatgives residents up-to-datedata on the types of crimesoccurring in their neighbour-

hoods and across the city.Called Geodash -- geo-

graphic data and analysisstatistical hub – the system

allows the public to usea smartphone, tablet ordesktop computer to zoomin on a neighbourhood on a

coloured city map and trackcrime trends. For example,a user could search theftsfrom automobiles in theWestEnd for the past two weeksand see on a map where thecrimes occurred.

Although theVPD providescrime maps and statistics onits website, the information isdated by a month or two.TheGeodash system is refreshedevery 24 hours and providesgraphs.

“It’s intended to enhancecommunity awarenessand provide an open andtransparent look at criminalactivity inVancouver,” saidPolice Chief Adam Palmer inlaunching the systemTuesday

at the Cambie Street policeprecinct. “We realized thatthe information we wereproviding to the public was alittle bit behind the times.”

The chief said the systemis designed to protect theprivacy of victims, notingno personal or identifiableinformation will be includedin the data. Also, he said, anyassaults against a person,including robberies or sexualassaults, will only be shownon the map at the nearestintersection. For burglariesand other property offences,specific addresses will notbe revealed. Palmer said hehoped the timely data willinspire residents to join orform Blockwatch groups andparticipate in other crimeprevention programs.

Special constable RyanProx, who is theVPD’sanalytics coordinator, showed

reporters how simple the sys-tem was to use and projecteda map on a television screenof crime trends in Grand-view-Woodland.

“You can see at a verycursory level that there’ssome rise in theft from autosaround Lakewood [Street],aroundThird Street andaround Parker,” he said,pointing to coloured iconson the screen. “As a citizenof that neighbourhood, thatwould be something I wouldwant to pay particular at-tention to, maybe take extraprecaution in locking up myitems when my car’s parked.”

A more detailed version ofGeodash has been used bypolice officers for more thana year, with Palmer saying “itprovides good situational aware-ness for proactive policing.”

–Courtesy ofVancouverCourier

VPD launches crime-mapping tool for publicMIKE HOWELL@howellings

New mortgage rule

won’t cool high-end

Vancouver market

A measure designed to coolVancouver andToronto’sheated housing markets won’thave any effect on the “highend” of theVancouver market— which now includes mod-est detached family homes— even as the United StatesFederal Reserve’s expectedinterest rate hike will likelymakeVancouver real estateeven more attractive to inves-tor buyers.

On Dec. 11, FinanceMinister Bill Morneauannounced that the mini-mum down payment for a$500,000 home will remainat five per cent but an ad-ditional 10 per cent downpayment will apply to any-thing beyond that. Propertiesvalued more than $1 millionalready require a minimumdown payment of 20 per centwhile lenders are required toobtain mortgage insurancewhen the down payment isless than 20 per cent.

“It won’t cool a hot marketbut it will keep it from boil-ing over,” said Chris Catliff,CEO of BlueShore FinancialCredit Union.

Currently, Catliff said, theVancouver market is effective-ly divided into two markets:the high-end market, whichhe said is fuelled by foreignbuyers, and the “normal”market. Home prices in thehigh-end market, mostlymade up of single familyhomes in certain MetroVan-couver neighbourhoods, sawa 25.9 per cent price increasethis year.

Catliff believes the newpolicy will slow down thenon-high-end market. Hepredicted heated activity in

January as homebuyers rushto make purchases before thenew rules come into effect inFebruary. He noted that thepolicy is targeted to the pricyVancouver andToronto mar-kets: in most other markets inCanada, first-time homebuy-ers would be purchasing farbelow the $500,000 thresh-old.

Meanwhile, an expectedinterest rate increase fromthe US Federal Reserve thisWednesday will put down-ward pressure on Canada’sdollar.That will have theeffect of making Canadianreal estate more attractiveto American and Chinesebuyers, saidThomas Dav-idoff, professor of economicsat the University of BritishColumbia’s Sauder School ofBusiness.

“This will probably makethe yuan more expensive rela-tive to the loonie, which willmake it cheaper for Chineseinvestors, who are an impor-tant block here,” Davidoffsaid.

“If they’re thinking aboutbuying real estate in the US,the yuan weakens relative tothe dollar in the US… so ifyour choice is Dallas orVan-couver I suspectVancouverbecomes more attractive.”

First-time homebuyers arefinancingVancouver’s incred-ibly expensive homes byrelying on equity-rich parentsand delaying home purchasesuntil later in life, Catliff said.Incomes have also been ris-ing in the region: in 2013,Vancouver’s median familyincome rose to $73,390 from$71,140, but still trackedbelow the national average of$76,550.

–Courtesy of Business inVancouver

JEN ST. DENIS@jenstden

The VPD has launched a new crime-mapping tool that can beaccessed by the public to learn about up-to-date crime trendsin their neighbourhood and across the city.


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When it comes to holidaytraditions in Vancouver, oneof the best and brightest haslong been the Trinity StreetLight Festival and compe-tition in East Vancouver.Stretching six blocks acrossthe Hastings-Sunrise enclaveof Burrardview, the oftendazzling, Clark Griswold-esque light displays strungup by neighbours has been aglowing holiday fixture since2000.

What many people whoenjoy the lights don’t realizeis that the annual event wasoriginally triggered by oneof the darkest chapters inthe neighbourhood’s history.In November 1999, MarthaElliott and Nora Davis, twoelderly, single women livingseparately on Wall Street(two blocks away from Trin-ity) were brutally murderedin their homes just two weeksapart from one another.It cast a dark pall over theneighbourhood as residentsfortified their homes out offear of a killer on the loose.The murderer was eventuallycaught and sentenced to 17years in prison.

Cate Jones, a longtimeresident ofTrinity Street,wanted to find a way to makeher neighbourhood feel safeagain, to bring residents outof their homes rather than re-treating inwards. A year later,at Christmas 2000, Jonesrallied her block to challengethe next block over to a lightscompetition. Soon the otherfour blocks ofTrinity Streetjoined in. Just as Jones hadhoped, neighbours indeed didemerge from their homes tomeet each other amidst theglow cheery light displays. Aneighbourhood was reclaimedand a tradition was born.

Jones didn’t stop there. Sheapproached the local St. JamesHospice in nearby Burrard-view Park to be the beneficiaryof an official competition, with

ballots available so neighboursand visitors could vote onfavourite light displays at thecost of $2 each. For years thefestival was a sparkling accom-plishment, a shining examplefor the entire city, raising fundsfor the hospice, as well asHarbourview Daycare and Ki-wassa Neighbourhood House.

Ironically, theTrinity LightsFestival has become a victimof its own success. 2015marks the first year since2000 that there is no officialcompetition, no ballot boxes,and no signage marking theevent. Christmas lights arestill up onTrinity, but not asmany as in previous years.

“The competition isn’thappening because thereisn’t anyone organizing it”,says Jones. “We found thatin recent years, donationshave slipped significantly.Theamount of money raised fromthe competition didn’t justifythe huge amount of volunteertime it takes to organize it.”

The main cause for this,states Jones without hesita-tion, is cars.

“The initial goal of thelights was to bring people outof their homes to walk thestreet, to have strangers talk-ing to each other, to listen tothe kids’ excitement at seeingthe lights,” says Jones. “Whenthe street is clogged with traf-fic that doesn’t happen, andit’s only gotten worse eachyear despite our efforts toencourage people to walk theroute. Some nights have beenpretty horrendous with lotsof honking and yelling, evenhit-and-runs.”

Jones says she has mixedfeelings about the lack of anofficial competition this year.She’d like to see it return toits original roots as a localcommunity event, and hopesthat someone will step for-ward to bring the competi-tion back in the future.

In the meantime, severalhouses are still glittering, so ifyou do come down toTrinitythis year, park your car on aside street and walk the route,and remember the reason whythe lights ofTrinity Street haveshone brightly for 15 years. W

NEWS // ISSUES

YOUR CITY@WESTENDERVAN

Grant LawrenceVancouverShakedown@GrantLawrence

Tragedy inspires

neighbourhood to

come together

Dig in to your walletsVancou-ver, your taxes are going up…again. After a heated politicaldebate that pitted the rulingVisionVancouver againstthe NPA, council voted 7-4Tuesday to raise taxes by 2.3per cent next year to help bal-ance a $1.2 billion operatingbudget.

The tax hike is in addition

to increases in utility fees,including 4.2 per cent forwater service and 9.9 per centfor sewer. Solid waste costsremain the same.

For a single-family houseassessed at $1.1 million, theincreases translate to an esti-mated tax bill of $2,011 andanother $1,198 in utility fees– solid waste ($261), sewer($345) and water ($592) – fora total of $3,209.

That’s a spike of about

$100 over this year’s bill. For abusiness property assessed at$589,000, the total bill comesto $5,397, an increase ofabout $150.

It took council more thantwo hours to reach a deci-sion on the increases, largelybecause of an unsuccessful at-tempt by NPA Coun. GeorgeAffleck to defer the vote untilcity staff could find $7 millionin savings to reduce the prop-erty tax hike to 1.3 per cent.

That savings, Affleck said,would keep the tax increasecloser to the rate of inflation.

“It’s the right thing to dofor the taxpayers ofVan-couver,” said Affleck, whosuggested cuts could be madeto the planning and commu-nications departments and theoffices of the mayor and citymanager.

In shooting down Af-fleck’s request, Mayor GregorRobertson defended the work

Property taxes going up... again of city staff for balancing abudget that leavesVancouveri-tes with one of the lowest taxrates in the region and funds awide array of services.

“This is a callous and reck-less approach to budgeting –throwing a massive cut to thecity and the people who serveour citizens, at the buzzer,”said the mayor, noting Affleckrequested staff find $7 millionin savings before the end ofthe month.

Green Party Coun. AdrianeCarr noted a city survey ofresidents found that 53 per

cent of respondents agreedwith a 2.3 per cent tax hike inreturn for city services.

“There is too much fearmongering in the publicaround tax increases,” Carrsaid. “My belief is that peoplewant good services.We havedone previous surveys whichhave shown, in fact, publicsupport for a greater [tax]increase than we even put intothe budget because they linkit with the services that theyget.” W

–Courtesy ofVancouverCourier

MIKE HOWELL@howellings

DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER1401 HORNBY ST.

604.662.3303OPEN 10AM-6PM

CLOSING FOREVER

After over 30 years in the same location,we are closing our downtown vancouver doors.

EVERYTHING MUST GO!Silent bids are welcome for all fixtures, furniture, retail display

merchandisers, counters, barn wood, light fixtures, racking and more.W

e’re selling to the bare walls.

STYLE // DESIGN

FASHIONWESTENDER.COM

When you’re flicking throughthat Instagram feed, and youspot Amber Rose burstingat the breasts and hips fromher “waist trainer,” it’s prettyclear she’s getting paid topush the product.

The dark side of the Insta-famous and the problem-freebeautiful life that gets cel-ebrated in well-lit images ofridiculously attractive youngwomen came to light earlierthis year when Australianmodel Essena O’Neill quitsocial media, saying the drivefor “likes” and the post-for-pay lifestyle left her feelingempty and like a fraud.

But O’Neill’s assertions(some cynics even questionher motives for going publicwith her concerns but thencontinuing to have an onlinepresence) seem to have donelittle to quash this new – andsometimes murky – form ofadvertising. Companies cansimply move onto the nextstunner with 100K-plus fol-lowers to show off their wares.And there are plenty of them,some even raking in seven-fig-ure salaries.The biggest of the

fashion bunch is blogger Chi-ara Ferragni, ofThe BlondeSalad, who has a whopping5.1 million Instagram follow-ers and rakes in an estimated$8 million a year with hervarious business ventures –offshoots of her social-mediaand online success.

What most of them have incommon is youth, style, beau-ty, brains, and an unrelentingability to put themselves outthere.

The process of getting paidto post can involve an arrayof deals – some a single postwith a mention, others in-clude blog posts, others entailthe Instagrammer/bloggerworking as a “brand ambas-sador,” and on and on.Theprices are also varied – locally,one source told me it cancost anywhere from $300 fora single post, to $5,000 for awhole campaign; those num-bers can jump substantially inthe US.There are a numberof locals making moneyonline – through blogging andInstagramming – but none ofthe ones I reached out to wereeager to talk about the trade.

“As your following [grows],you get paid. As your num-bers grow so does your abilityto make money,” explainsJoshua Langston, editor inchief forThe Social Life,a website covering fashionnews, runway reviews, andstyle events. But Langstonstresses the importance ofestablishing an audienceorganically to build authenticengagement, as opposed tothe disingenuous practice ofbuying followers.

A 2014 story from thewebsite Racked.com, pointedout well-known bloggers withhefty audiences, like JessicaQuirk ofWhat IWore, Kim-berly Pesch of Eat SleepWear,and Aimee Song of Song ofStyle have been called out onsites and forums for buyingsocial media followers. In thesame article author ChavieLieber writes: “Originalitydoesn’t get bloggers noticedanymore – numbers do.”

It’s a departure from theway magazines – the one-time arbiters of style – didbusiness.

Vancouver fashion industry

veteran, stylist, and mediapersonality Crystal Carsonhas had a front-row seat towatch the media revolutiongo down.

“When I first began mycareer it was not about me atall. It was about the work; itwas about the readers,” sherecalls. “I find it so interest-ing to compare the depth ofskill and knowledge at largermagazines to a picture of ablogger wearing a hat or ashirt or drinking coffee.”

Carson isn’t a social medianaysayer, but says it’s impor-tant to maintain authenticity.

“I’m not opposed at all, Ithink it’s great that people arehaving the ability to expressthemselves, share what theylove,” she says.

WhileVancouver fashionand lifestyle public relationspro Malania Dela Cruz seesthe benefit for companies tocollaborate with Instagram-mers on a campaign, thereneeds to be a long-term goalin mind to ensure it’s suc-cessful.

“There are some benefitsthere – for our clients, thebrands,” she says. “Our ap-proach is to work with influ-encers who have a reputationof authenticity and integrity,but we do like to work withthem because it is a powerfultool.”

But she doesn’t rule out thebenefit of good, old-fashionedprint media either.

“Print, for me, is so excit-ing,” Dela Cruz says.

But one fact is as clear as afreshly posted Instagram pic:traditional media is no longerthe only gatekeeper whenit comes to creating a buzzabout the latest must-havestyles. W

Vancouver fashion insider Joshua Langston weighs in on‘Insta-celebs’ getting paid to post. Contributed photo

‘Insta-famous’ getting paid to postNiki HopeStyleFile@NikiMHope


1320 Davie St. (@ Jervis) • 604-687-6285M-F 9:30-6 • Sa 9:30-5:30 • Su 12-5

benjaminmoore.ca

YourWest End Benjamin MoorePaint and Hardware Store

Guilford Green HC-116Colour of theYear 2015

OUR CITY YOUR VOICE

ROUNDHOUSERADIO.COM

NEW

After the holiday season, recycle

your live, cut Christmas tree.

Remove all the decorations and

tinsel from the tree and use one of

the following options:

Lions Club Chipping Events:Saturday, January 9 and Sunday,

January 10 from 10am to 4pm at

these locations:

• Kerrisdale Community Ice Rink

parking lot 5670 East Boulevard

north of 41st Avenue

• Kitsilano Beach parking lot

Cornwall Avenue and

Arbutus Street

• Sunset Beach upper parking

lot Beach Avenue and

Broughton Street

• Rona Home & Garden

Grandview Store

2727 East 12th Avenue

– overflow parking lot

north of Grandview

Highway, south of

12th Avenue

Donations of cash and non-perishable

food items will be accepted and

distributed to local charities.

Residential Collection:Christmas trees will be collected the

weekend of January 16-17. Set out your

tree before 7 am on January 16 for

collection. Trees should be set out on

their own and laid on their sides. Do

not place your tree inside your Green

Bin or bag or bundle it.

Drop-Off Depots:You may drop off your tree at no

charge until January 31 at the

Vancouver South Transfer Station,

377 Kent Avenue North, or

Vancouver Landfill,

5400 72nd Street, Delta.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Phone: 3-1-1 TTY 7-1-1

vancouver.ca/christmastree

Recycle Your Christmas Tree


Having just returned fromSan Francisco last week andfaced with the task of con-densing my experience intoa clean 600 words, I was in-stead faced with a blankWorddocument and a blinking cur-sor.This was not an easy task.How does someone adequate-ly distill 30-plus years of craftbeer development after just afour-day visit?

You can’t, not really. SoI started writing about myfavourite spot, Magnolia Pub& Brewery, and wrote thesewords: “Magnolia Brewery isan artisanal paradise.” A ter-rible sentence. Shameful.Thecursor blinked, taunting me.

Then I received a text froma friend. No word of a lie,it read: “Magnolia files forbankruptcy.”Talk about coin-cidence. I looked it up – sureenough, poor Magnolia Brew-ing Co. – umbrella companyof the brewpub and Smoke-stack, a barbecue restaurantin the Dogpatch neighbour-hood – filed for Chapter 11bankruptcy. Owner DaveMcLean told BusinessTimes

that the company had “moredebt than it can manage withits current cash flow.”

Which is a shame becauseMagnolia was by far the mostimpressive brewpub I’d evervisited, and not just in SanFrancisco. Located at thecentre of Haight-Ashbury – areal treat for a beer-lovin’ ‘60smythologizer like myself – theplace reeked of history, ofmash and of marijuana waftngin from off the street.Thepulled pork sandwich alonewas worth the pilgrimage, butall the beer I tried found thesweet-spot of being artisanaland drinkable, and lacking allpretension. It’s awesome.

But the place is small.Thebrewpub had a seven-barrelsystem in its basement.TheDogpatch location had quin-tupled the company’s beer pro-duction, but when compared toother Bay Area craft brewer-ies, it’s still puny. It’s chiefadvantage – location – is alsoone of it’s greatest weaknesses:Astronomical rent and real es-tate prices make it difficult forsmall breweries, with their highoverhead and low margins, toget ahead. (This is one of themain reasons there’s a relativelylow number of microbrewerieswithin SF city limits.)

Which, it seems, was the

problem. California now has600 craft breweries, generat-ing about $16.5 billion annu-ally. Northern California ishome to several of the biggest(Sierra Nevada; Lagunitas),most popular (Anchor) andunquestionably best (RussianRiver) craft brands on theplanet. How can a rinky-dinkoperation, as good as it is,possibly compete?

In a story by SFGate,TomMcCormick, president of theCalifornia Craft Brewers As-sociation president said, “Weare seeing the beginning of a

new era in craft beer in whichit will be getting much morecompetitive.”

In order to stay on top of thecompetition, McCormick saysthat NorCal breweries have tomake huge leaps in invest-ment. Some breweries can’tafford the investment, whichmay have been the problem forMagnolia, along with severalothers that have closed in Cali-fornia in recent years.

Unlike in BC, there’s noth-ing precious about “craft”beer. It’s just beer. It’s a busi-ness. It’s extremely popular,

but I didn’t get the sense itwas trendy. In San Francisco atleast, it’s certainly not a defin-ing element of its personalitylike it is in Portland (or evenSeattle).This is a city wheretrends come and go as quicklyas Internet memes.You knowwhat’s trendy in San Franciscoright now?Toast.

Which means that, as aviable and extremely lucra-tive business, competition isthe tightest it’s ever been – anindication of what’s to comein the US (and Canada, toa lesser extent) in the next

few years. Craft brands willexpand. Macro brands willgobble up (or at least partnerwith) the most profitable. Andalong the way, some excellentbrands will fold.

And believe it – there’s ex-cellent beer. People talk aboutRussian River’s Pliny theElder with the sort reverencetypically reserved for greatmystics. But what I foundmost interesting about thebeer culture in San Franciscois that there isn’t really a beerculture in San Francisco.What we call “beer bars” inVancouver are just “bars”there.Twenty-five taps is thenorm. Craft isn’t even reallyreferred to as craft at theseplaces – it’s just “domestic.”These domestic beers comefrom all over theWest Coast(but never Canada).

There’s very little sense ofcommunity or brotherly lovelike we’re used to in BC be-cause, well, why would therebe? It’s business.

Fortunately, Magnolia willstay in business as the ownersfigure out what’s next. Buttheir plight is a cautionarytale for other regions in NorthAmerica thinking the stagger-ing boom of craft breweriescan continue unabated.

But at least the beer’s great. W

Stephen SmysnuikTheGrowler@TheGrowlerBC

EAT // DRINK

DINING OUT@WESTENDERVAN

Northern California’s beer battleground a lesson for us all

San Francisco’s Magnolia Pub & Brewery. Photo contributed

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Is there anything morewelcome than an edible gift?Only cookbooks come close.So, in the spirit of satisfyingboth the souls and palatesof all the gastronomically-obsessed individuals in yourlife, here are some edible– and edifying gifts – for allyou last-minute shoppers.

EAT' ;L9 !A?! JK)! ABB A>9IK

turkey? Sustainable seafoodis all the rage, and theseproducts from Fresh IdeasStart Here (F.I.S.H.)are awesome and locally-sourced and made stockingstuffers. “Shmoked” jerky,made from wild salmoncaught at Johnstone Strait,$6.60/100g. Maple or peppersalmon candy, made fromwhite spring salmon caughtnear Bella Coola. $4.85/100g,EatFish.ca

' 5 BJKKB2 FLJ@!? J! ABFA?!in style.This “melting”chocolate snowman fromChez Christophe will con-jure up all those childhoodmemories of Frosty – notto mention give some verygrown-up satisfaction to thetaste buds. $24.95 for oneboxed sculpture. Christope-Chocolat.com

' 099GJ2! A=7 @JBG A#2usually reserved for Santa,>IK KLAK)! =9 #2A!9= K9 B2Kthem go to waste after thekids fall asleep. Especially

when the cookies are fromBeaucoup Bakery andinclude two each of theirpeanut butter sandwichcookies, browned butter andkinako shortbread, toastedbuckwheat chocolate chipcookies, and salted rosemarychocolate cookies. Did I@2=KJ9= KL2 BJK#2 9$ 5HAB9=)!organic milk that comesFJKL< -9# *+6/ JK)! A "#2AKhost or self-gift. One-dayadvance order required.BeaucoupBakery.com

'39I :9IB7 @AG2 ?9I#own, but why bother whenKL2#2)! !9@2KLJ=" KLJ! &#2KK?<La Petite Souris on Gibsonsmakes lovely chocolates, barsand treats, including theseabsolutely beautiful “BarkNouveau” in flavours like tof-fee and marshmallow, peanutbutter crunch with rice crisps,habanero and cinnamon,dark chocolate peppermint,and toasted oats with dried:L2##J2!. 5=7/ KL2? 72BJH2#in two business days. $16 perbox, LaPetiteSouris.ca

DRINK' D9BJ7A? !2A!9= @2A=!

:9:GKAJB !2A!9=/ A=7 KL2#2)!nothing wrong with a classicKir Royale.To make sureyours (or that made by who-ever invited you over) standsout from the crowd, use OddSociety Spirits’ Crème deCassis. Produced in partner-ship with the legendary chefD2#HE 4A#KJ= (CL2 -#2=:LTable), this lovely lightly-sweet liqueur is made withBC blackcurrants and a lotof love. $22 at the distillery,OddSocietySpirits.com

' 19 L9@2 :9:GKAJB >A#is complete without somehigh-quality bitters.This giftpack from Bittered Sling isa collaboration with cocktailfestival Tales of the Cocktail,and features the Gastown,Palermo, Condesa andFrench Quarter bitters, inhonour of the last four loca-tions of the festival. $49.95for four 25mL bottles, Bittered-Sling.com

READ! The Butcher,The

Baker,TheWine andCheese Maker: By the Seaby Jennifer Schell. In this!2%I2B 27JKJ9= K9 BA!K ?2A#)!Okanagan-based cookbook,author Jennifer Schell bringstogether the farmers, artisans,fishers, foragers and chefs(and a few winemakers) whomake the Lower Mainlandand Coastal BC the amazingedible haven that it is. Reci-pes, stories and a little folk-lore, this is an entertainingand delicious read. $29.95,TouchwoodEditions.com

' ATaste of Haida Gwaii:Food Gathering andFeasting at the Edge of theWorld by Susan Mus-grave.;LAK LA&&2=! FL2=an award-winning poet andwriter takes over a small B&B9= KL2 DAJ7A ,FAJJ J!BA=7!< 5beautiful collision of food andlife, told with sharp wit andwarm humour. In between!K9#J2! 9$ FLAK JK)! BJG2 K9live in this remote paradiseare recipes like spruce tipmayonnaise, musselsTrudeauand rose spit halibut. $34.95,Whitecap.ca W

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EAT // DRINK

DINING OUTWESTENDER.COM

Edible – and edifying – gifts

for the foodie in your life

Clockwise from top left: Odd Society Spirits’ Crème de Cassis. Fresh Ideas Start Here (F.I.S.H.)maple salmon candy. “Melting” chocolate snowman from Chez Christophe. Bittered Sling giftpack. “Bark Nouveau” from La Petite Souris. Photos submitted


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Fine, abundant bubbles define the CuvéeJean-Louis Brut; its bubbles are smallerthan any of our other sparkling wines.Bright and fruity on the nose, this wineexudes aromas typical of Chenin Blanc–apples, apricots and a hint of honey.The palate holds an explosion of finebubbles followed by a smooth, fruityfinish.

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MICHAELA MORRIS@MichaelaWine

I’m going to let you in on a

secret. Most of the oenophiles

I knowaren’t really intowine

gadgets. The overwhelming

consensus is that all they really

want is a goodbottle ofwine,

decent glasses and a corkscrew.

Inmore or less that order.

So I say forget the trinkets

likewine charms andbottle

stoppers. In lieu of (or in addi-

tion to) a bottle ofwine, there

are a fewwine themedgifts that

I can standbehind. All of the

followingwould all bewelcome

undermyChristmas tree.

DropStop Pour Spout, $4.95plus tax (for a package oftwo), private wine stores.This small, flexible and reus-

able disk is surely one ofmy

favourite inventions. Just roll

it up andpop it in the neck of

the bottle. It allows you to pour

without annoying drips on the

table or an unsightly trickle on

the label. Sound like cheating?

I’ve swallowedmypride and

use drop stops religiously. The

perfect stocking stuffer.

Hungry For Wine: Seeing theWorld Through the Lens of aWine Glass by Cathy Huyghe,$28.62 through Amazon.I have a weakness for

wine books. But they have to

deliver on either an intellec-

tual or emotional level and

be well-written. Forbes.com

wine columnist Cathy Huyghe

satisfies all of these cravings

with her first book, HungryFor Wine. This collection of12 short chapters can be

devoured in one single sitting;

however, I preferred to savour

it slowly. Each chapter offers

plenty of food for thought as

Huyghe focuses on one spe-

cific wine then swirls it around

to reveal the greater social,

cultural, economical, political

or personal context. Perfect

for wine aficionados of all ilk.

You may not be able to order

the paper version in time

for the 25th but the Kindle

version can be surreptitiously

downloaded immediately for

just $6.59.

Union des Grands Crus deBordeaux tasting, tickets$95 (includes tax) availableat BC Liquor Stores.Treat your wine connais-

seur to a classy night out. The

Union des Grands Cru (UGC)

is a collective of Bordeaux

châteaux including many

of the region’s top names.

On Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016,

more than 40 château owners

belonging to the UGC will

make their way to Vancouver

to show off the 2013 vintage.

This is a rare opportunity to

try the likes of Smith Haut

Lafitte, Léoville-Poyferré,

Pichon-Baron, Canon La

Gaffelière and many more be-

fore the wines arrive for sale

in October 2016. Pre-orders

will also be offered exclusive-

ly to attendees. The tasting

takes place from 6:30-9pm at

the Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Coravin wine system,$385 plus tax atTheWineSyndicate.caI’m always skeptical about

the latestwine contraptions

so I didn’t jumpon the Coravin

bandwagonuntil I experienced

it firsthand. This device allows

you to accesswine fromabottle

without actually opening it. A

thin needle penetrates the cork

drawing off the desired amount

and replacing it with argon,

an inert gas that preserves the

remainingwine.Why on earth

would youwant to do that?

Well those serious collectors

in your lifemay bewaiting for

the right time to open a bottle.

Coravin allows them to check

in on awine’s evolution. It also

enables them to enjoy just one

glass ofwine at a timewithout

the rest oxidizing. TheWine

Syndicate promises delivery

within just three days. You still

have time. W

Last-minutegifts forwine lovers

Above: the DropStop Pour Spout.Right: the Coravin wine system.

for more information and to votefor your favourite tree, please visit

www.bcchf.ca/fot

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JENNIFER SCOTT@Jennifer_AGCTK

As the creative director for

Vancouver’smost sought after

décor boutique anddesign firm

– TheCross – Stephanie Vogler

clearly has a penchant for all

things stylish. The approachably

chic aesthetic uponwhich the

brand has been built transitions

beautifully into Stephanie’s per-

sonal space and aswe tour her

family home, she shareswith

us the insider scoop on creating

a stylish, designer-approved

décor for the holidays.

What is it? A 1200-sq.-ft.southwest-facing condo

in Yaletown overlooking

Granville Street Bridge; two

bedroom, two bath with den.

Occupant (brief bio): I’m the

creative director for The Cross

Décor and Design, my hus-

band is the assistant treasurer

at SFU and our kids are seven

and nine years old.

Major selling feature: Thefantastic layout and the prime

location.

First thing I changed:Weadded proper built-in closets.

It makes all the difference in

the world and allowed for a

ton of extra storage (aka, more

clothes shopping!).

Feature I brag about: Thelight. Even on the darkest

Vancouver day, our condo is

flooded with light.

That one conversation piece:Outside: the view of the

bridge is very architectural

and the flow of traffic is actu-

ally quite soothing. Inside: the

kids’ bunk beds. We splurged

and got the nicest beds from

Restoration Hardware. Worth

every penny.

The décor: It’s constantlychanging. I love a beachy,

relaxed vibe, but I’m also very

influenced by European décor.

I stick to a neutral palette,

which allows me to add in

a colour depending on the

season or mymood.

The story behind the art/antiques/collectibles: As abuyer, I’m always on the hunt

to source things that others

will love. With art, I’m able to

find things that I can enjoy

and treasure all to myself.

Therefore, my art collection is

quite large. I have work wfrom

many local artist friends. I

cherish those pieces the most.

My vintage collection is mostly

made up of Limoges dishes.

I love delicate, pretty dishes

paired with rustic table linens.

Linens are another obses-

sion...

Downsides:We really needanother bedroom. Although

currently our kids love shar-

ing a room, but the writing is

on the wall... we needmore

space.

Neighbourhood haunts: Somany! We have lived here for

nine years and this truly is

our community. As a family,

we love going for pizza at

Bella Gelateria and to Homer

St. Cafe for brunch... Banana

Nutella French toast! When

John and I get a date night,

we love Rodney’s or Minami.

When I’m at work I often grab

a juice from Krokodile Pear or

a salad from Living Produce

Aisle or hold lunch meetings

at The Flying Pig. Girls night

splurge? Blue Water Café.

Howwould you describeyour holiday décor style?My holiday style is a mash

up of childhood nostalgia,

German tradition, and the

newest trends in décor. I insist

on having a real tree and our

decorating revolves around

our enormous collection of

ornaments. I bring home at

least a dozen or more of my

favourites from each season

at The Cross, so after 12 years

in business you can imagine

the abundance! Currently

I am loving our woodland

themed, felted and whimsical

ornaments that the kids love.

I’m also loving the copper

and rose gold trend in décor,

and I’ve worked in into my

Christmas decorating as well.

It blends in really nicely with

gold and silver and gives the

room a lovely, soft glow.

What tips can you share forintegrating holiday décorinto your usual designaesthetic? I usually clearall my usual surfaces before

adding in my décor. Put your

everyday things away, then

put your holiday décor out.

It’s a process but it allows for

a fresh and clean display. If

you are a modern minimal-

ist, I love the idea of a pile of

twinkle lights on the floor, or

simply draped over a mirror.

If you’re more of a maximal-

ist, keep the colour palette

simple; I prefer one feature

colour with lots of metallics

and natural elements. Be true

to what you love. Decorating

is a personal process and the

holidays are no exception to

thi s rule.

What item are youmostexcited about (décor-wise)for your holiday style? I’mfairly particular about our tree

and always want the biggest

one possible. This year it’s

taken over the living room and

I’m pretty happy about it. My

favourite part about trimming

the tree is the garlands. I’m

obsessed with garlands. The

other thing I get excited about

is my collection of vintage

tableware. I love pulling out

all my old favourites and I re-

ally enjoy setting the table for

Christmas dinner. W

+ %),53!112,1'*"$.!#

MyDigs:HolidayStylewithStephanieVoglerofTheCrossDécor&Design

04"'1 -'.!&4( 6)!/!1$



Style editor KelseyKlassenmakes her toppicks for Christmas

KELSEY KLASSEN@KelseyKlassen

Looking to spoil your loved

ones this Christmas? Here are

my picks for beauty products

that would win any wishlist.

Mix and match or put them

all together for one lavish

beauty bouquet.

Mario Badescu facial spraywith aloe, herbs and rosewater. $16, available atBeautyMark.Created by legendary sk-

incare brand Mario Badescu,

this is the one beauty

product (besides toothpaste)

that I actually share with my

husband. He and I both reach

for the rose water spray

religiously when our skin is

feeling tight. It’s refreshing,

hydrating, and beautifully

fragrant, while working over

and under makeup (or even

on hair), making it a versatile

and unisex addition to any

Christmas gift.

Leaves of Trees deodorant.$15, available at Beauty-Mark.My beauty routine leans

heavily towards organic and

natural products, and last

year I spent three months

trying to find an effective

alternative to antiperspirant.

It got so bad that I had to

send memos to my col-

leagues assuring them that

I was well aware of the “is-

sue”. I ultimately triumphed,

though, finding a brand that

worked for me. Which is why

I was leery to try an entirely

new product – one you mas-

sage on with your finger-

tips, no less! But Leaves of

Trees’ luxurious mousse-like

deodorant (made of sodium

bicarbonate and kaolin clay)

with its rapid absorption and

long-lasting efficacy won me

over right away. It works, and

looks and smells good doing

it. No wonder the Toronto-

based beauty line started

flying off shelves the minute

it arrived in Vancouver.

NYX V’amped up! lip topcoat. $8.99, available atLondon Drugs.It’s impossible to keep

up with every beauty trend,

especially when it involves

buying virtually all-new

makeup each time. Save your

Secret Santa the expense this

season with NYX’s fun, vampy

make-it-black stick – a lip-

stick top-coat, packed with

shea butter and vitamin E,

that turns any lip colour into

an on-trend shade of black.

The best part is the original,

base lip colour peeks through

just enough to keep things

interesting and suited to

every skin tone.

NeoStrata Glycolic Renewalsmoothing cream. $39,available at London Drugs.We all know someone

who struggles to keep up a

beauty regimen. So many

products, so little time! I’m

one of them: the guilty girl

who sometimes can’t be

bothered to moisturize or

exfoliate on any given night.

Enter the NeoStrata Acne

Clear collection, which made

its debut at the #LDBeauty

media event this past fall.

The standout for me was its

Glycolic Renewal Cream –

velvety moisturizer that does

double duty as an exfoliator,

revealing radiant skin under-

neath and working to control

breakouts. Gentle enough to

use daily, it’s now a must in

these dry winter months.

LUSH Sea Spray hair mist.$13.95, available at LUSH.Treat your favourite beach

babe to a spritz of summer

with the vegan LUSH Sea

Spray. With pleasant notes

of orange flower, grapefruit

and neroli, this all-natural

sea salt/sea water/seaweed

stocking stuffer holds hair in

place while adding shine and

body or ocean-kissed waves.

It has been my best friend on

holidays to humid locations

this year.

Fable Naturals vegan lipbalm. $6 each or $18 forthree, available at FableNaturals online and variousstores across Vancouver.Plastics and packaging

are another area I try to be

conscious in, which is why

I was thrilled to discover

Fable Naturals. Handmade

in Vancouver, these vegan lip

balms come in compostable

recycled-cardboard squeeze

tubes, with lip-saving

ingredients like olive oil,

coconut oil and cocoa butter.

My favourite flavour is fresh

mint, but the line also comes

in lemon coconut and vanilla

orange.

Aesop Geranium Leaf bodyscrub. $47, available atAesop.For the person who craves

a fresh start: the natural

exfoliants of pumice and

bamboo stem in this plant-

based Australian skin care

line combine to slough away

dead skin cells in the utmost

satisfying fashion while bo-

tanical oils keep everything

cool. This is the holy grail of

earth-friendly skin scrubs in

a convenient, display-worthy

metal tube.

Ilia Beauty silken shadowsticks. $37, available atKiss & Makeup.Locally grown success sto-

ry Ilia Beauty has branched

out from its universally

lauded organic lipsticks into

illuminators, moisturizers,

and eye shadows. Its new

no-fuss shadow sticks colour

on to create divine metallic

shimmer in shades of gold,

amber, burgundy and grey.

Made with a blend of healing

argan, sesame and rose oils

and soothing butters, the

crease-free formula stays

locked in place while mois-

turizing around the eye.

Saje Runners Rewardessential oil kit. $23.95,available at Saje NaturalWellness.Tension headaches,

migraines, muscle pain

– we all experience at least

one of these from time

to time. Geared towards

runners, Saje’s emergency

aromatherapy pack is a

thoughtful, travel-sized

relief delivery system for any

active person, boasting two

vials of roll-on pain relief

in one handy zip-up pouch.

Between the potent Pepper-

mint Halo and Pain Release

formulas, this gift has every

ache covered. W

A beauty gift guide (from personal experience)

THIS DECEMBERCOASTAL CHURCH PRESENTS

Th/17 Sa/19Fr/18MUSIC

PUGS & CROWS Juno Award-winning experimental jazz outfit

celebrate the release of EveryoneKnows Everyone, Part 2, featur-ing guest guitarist Tony Wilson

with special guests Inhabitants,

and Lee Hutzulak. 8pm at The

Western Front. Tickets $15 at

Front.bc.ca

THE NAUGHTY &NICE SHOW An

evening of livemusic from Spec-

tregates, Eric Campbell & the Dirt,

and Pink Licorice hosted by the

fierce and fabulous Tiffany Ann

Co. 9:30pm at Biltmore Cabaret.

Tickets $8 at TicketFly.com

THEATRE/DANCE

GOHBALLET’S THENUTCRACKERExperience Clara’s dreamcome

to life as she embarks on amagi-

cal journey through the Landof

Snow to the Kingdomof Sweets

in this traditional rendition of the

classicalmasterpiece, performed

to the livemusic of the Vancouver

OperaOrchestra. 7:30pmat The

Centre in Vancouver. Tickets at

GohNutcracker.com

EBENEEZER – A CHRISTMASGHOST STORY The holiday clas-sic get a dark and twisted rewrite

with an entertaining newmusi-

cal score in a vividly re-imagined

story celebrating the grim and

macabre aspects of the original.

8pm at Jericho Arts Centre.

Tickets at TicketsTonight.Ticket-

Force.com. Runs until Jan. 2.

ART

STREETSCAPES BY CAROL MC-QUAID Vancouver artist shows aseries of recent cityscapes and

townscapes in relief printmaking

and watercolour, a series fo-

cussed on our built environment

and howwe inhabit it. Opening

reception at 6pm at Vancouver

East Cultural Centre. Runs until

Jan. 25.

Su/20 Mo/21

ARTS // CULTURE

WHAT’S ONWESTENDER.COM

MUSIC

KEITHMASVITheannual foodbankfundrager returns for its sixth year

celebrating the legendaryStones

guitarist onhis 72ndbirthday, featur-

ingRickHope&His Evil Doers, the

Jolts, theViciousCyclesMC, Elliot C

Way&TheWildNorth, theRental-

men, theBallantynes, LaChinga, the

DahleBrothers, and theTranzmitors.

8pmatRickshawTheatre. Tickets

$15atRedCat, Zulu,Highlife,Nep-

toon, andTicketWeb.ca

AGYPSY JAZZCHRISTMAS VanDjango presents a festive Christmas

mix of nostalgic favourites, jazz

standards, pop tunes, and sing-

a-longs all delivered in swinging

gypsy-jazz stylewith a fewholiday

surprises. 8pmat St. James Com-

munity Hall. Tickets $20 at Red

Cat, Rufus’ Guitars, PrussinMusic,

Highlife andRogueFolk.bc.ca

A DYLAN THOMAS CHRISTMASVancouver Chamber Choir’s per-

formance of A Child’s Christmas

in Wales features the narrartion

of Russell Roberts and a special

appearance from the Vancouver

Youth Choir. 8pm at Shaughnessy

Heights United Church. Tickets

$27.50+ at Ticketmaster.ca

CHRISTMASWITH CHOR LEONIThe Vancouvermen’s chorus

captures the joy and beauty of the

festive seasonwith carols and sing-

a-longs with a dash of doo-wop

and barbershop in their quintes-

sential glorious sound. 4:30pm

at St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church.

Tickets $30+ at TicketsTonight.

TicketForce.com. All ages show.

COMEDY

KEVINBANNER A rising talent inCanadian comedy, having per-

formedwith Doug Stanhope, and

NormMacDonald, Banner has ap-

peared at Northwest Comedy Fest,

with self-professed “dark” sense

of humour tackling tough topics

with personable storytelling. 8pm

&10:30pmat ComedyMix. Tickets

$18 at TheComedyMix.com

MUSIC

A CHRISTMAS REPRISE 2015 Atreasured yuletide-season tradi-

tion returns as the Cantata Sing-

ers celebrate the holidays with a

matinee performance featuring a

repertoire that includes Poulenc,

de Victoria, Tallis, Mendelssohn,

and Franz Biebl. 2pm at Holy

Rosary Cathedral. Tickets $30 at

VancouverCantataSingers.com

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS:FIND THE TRUE MEANING Van-couver Chamber Choir presents

this lively concert performance

of the classic, complete with live

actors, a jazz duo, and a special

appearance from the Vancouver

Youth Choir. 8pm at Shaughnessy

Heights United Church. Tickets

$27.50+ at Ticketmaster.ca

BOTTOM SHELF BOURBON TRIOThe urban folk-infused bluegrass

band hits the stage with special

guests the Soots, and Buffalo

Jones. 9:30pm at Pat’s Pub. Tick-

ets $10 at the door only.

JPNSGRLS Vancouver garage-popband play songs from their latest

LP Circulation, with special gueststhe Written Years, and Hawking.

8pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets

$10 at Red Cat, and TicketFly.com

NICK LOWE’S QUALITY HOLIDAYREVUE British singer-songwriterarrives to spread some holiday

cheer featuring some new Christ-

mas Classics from Quality Street,both solo and with Los Straitjack-

ets. 9pm at Vogue Theatre. Tickets

$35 at Red Cat, Zulu, Highlife and

TicketWeb.ca. All ages show.

SOFT SERVE Vancouver rockerscelebrate the release of their self-

titled album in an early show with

special guests painted fruit. 8pm

at The Cobalt. Tickets $5 at the

door only.

PISTOLFISH Hard rock with funk,reggae, and ska influences from

the rock outfit out of Port Moody

as they celebrate the release of

their EP with special guest Mellt.

8pm at Studio Records. Tickets

$12 at the door.

MUSIC

BLACK BREATH Hardcore influ-enced death, black, and thrash

metal band out of Bellingham

play tunes from Slaves BeyondDeath, with special guests Burn-ing Ghats, Waingro, and Hopeleus.

8pm at The Astoria. Tickets $14 at

TicketFly.com

ROCK TILL YOU DROP! Uncle Sid,Chilled Clarity, Strip, and Mike

Machado put on a rockin’ show to

raise food for the Vancouver Food

Bank. 8pm at Rickshaw Theatre.

Tickets $10 with a nonperishable

food item or $15 without at the

door only.

BLUES FOR CHRISTMASVancouver’s blues community

comes together in its 30th year

to celebrate the holiday season

and raise funds for musicians in

need featuring Jim Byrnes, David

Gogo, Gary Comeau & the Voodoo

Allstars, Billy Dixon’s Soul Train

Express, andmanymore. 7:30pm

at Commodore Ballroom. Tickets

$25+ at Ticketmaster.ca

THE SINGING HEART Amagical,heartfelt, powerful performance

of holiday favourites including

original works as well as choral

numbers from Daniel Elder and

Jonathan Rathbone. 7:30pm at

Ryerson United Church. Tickets

$25 at PhoenixChoir.ca

THEATRE/DANCE

LOVE MUSICALLY Off Key Improvpresents this heart-warming,

musical tribute to the holiday

movie Love Actually exploring theequally romantic, comedic, and

musical moments of love, inspired

by stories of the audience. 2pm &

8pm at Studio 1398 on Granville

Island. Tickets $18 at LoveMusi-

cally.BrownPaperTickets.com.

Final performance.

MUSIC

A VERY PURPLE CHRISTMAS!Join Chin Injeti and a host of oth-

ers (the Lifetimes, Tonye Aganaba,

Dawn Pemberton, Buckman Coe,

Kyprios) for live performances

echoing the timelessness of

Prince, partying like it’s 1999 in

support of refugee initiatives.

9:30pm at Guilt & Co. Admission

by suggested donation of $20.

THEATRE/DANCE

GOHBALLET’S THE NUTCRACKERExperience Clara’s dream come to

life as she embarks on a magical

journey through the Land of Snow

to the Kingdom of Sweets in this

traditional rendition of the classi-

cal masterpiece, performed to the

live music of the Vancouver Opera

Orchestra. 7:30pm at The Centre

in Vancouver. Tickets at GohNut-

cracker.com. Runs until Dec. 22.

CHEAP&FUN

CHRISTMAS AT CANADA PLACECapture the spirit of the season

and stroll along the waterfront to

experience the nostalgic tradition

of the Woodward’s windows,

Christmas tree displays, crafts, a

holiday movie tent and the 15 ft.

snow globe you can take a snap-

shot inside. Visit CanadaPlace.ca

for details.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS VanDusenBotanical Garden lights up the

night with their annual holiday

festival where thousands of

twinkling lights decorate the

gardens turning it into a magical

winter wonderland, fun for the

whole family with holiday treats

and photos with Santa. 4:30pm

at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Tickets at VanDusenGarden.org.

Runs until Dec. 31.

WINTER SOLSTICE LANTERNFESTIVAL The 22nd annualholiday celebration transforms

the Classical Chinese Garden into

a magical place with hundreds

of hand-made lanterns, live

music, shadow puppets and hot

aromatic tea – a perfect spot for

the family or for a fun date night.

6pm at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical

Chinese Garden. Tickets $8+ at

EventBrite.ca

COMEDY

TOMMY CAMPBELL Stand-upcomic, and actor with appear-

ances on The Hour, Canada AMand digital sketch creator whose

shorts have been featured on

Funny Or Diewith an opening setfrom Greg Kettner and Katie West-

man. 7pm & 9:30pm at Yuk Yuk’s.

Tickets $20 at YukYuks.com

THEATRE/DANCE

MIXED NUTS Tradition with atwist! Families and kids of all ages

can enjoy this modern and engag-

ing retelling of Tchaikovsky’s “The

Nutcracker” combining ballet,

hip-hop, ballroom and classic

grand pas-de-deux. 2pm & 7pm at

Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at

ArtsUmbrella.com

THE DAISY THEATRE Return-ing after two sold-out runs, this

production is different, daring,

and ridiculous as puppeteer

provocateur Ronnie Burkett and

his resident company of 40 mari-

onettes ensure no two shows are

ever the same. 8pm at Vancouver

East Cultural Centre. Tickets at

Tickets.TheCultch.com. Runs until

Dec. 20.

CHRISTMAS QUEEN 2 – YOU BET-TER WATCH OUT The ChristmasQueen saga continues as the

larger-than-life, blue-haired lady

drops in on ol’ Santa at the North

Pole to create a little chaos before

the big day. 7:30pm at the Improv

Centre on Granville Island. Tickets

at VTSL.com. Runs until Dec. 20.

Chromeo, Oct. 25

Keithmas VI,Dec. 18

Nick Lowe,Dec. 19

JimByrnes,Dec. 20


Contact us for more info:

604.742.8677 ! [email protected]

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Jazz Fest turns 30• LOCAL LABELS MASTER MENSWEAR •

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ARTS // CULTURE

WHAT’S ON

MUSIC

VOC SWEET SOUL GOSPELCHRISTMAS Checo Tohomasoand the dynamic VOC SSGCmix

together the sounds of soul, reg-

gae, Hawaiian, Calypso, jazz, and

R&B for an animated evening of

toe-tapping, sing-a-long, danc-

ing holiday fun. 7:30pm at St.

Andrew’s Wesley United Church.

Tickets $20 at the door only.

PITY SEX Indie rockers out ofAnn Arbor, Michigan hit the stage

in support of their upcoming

releaseWhite Hot Moon, withspecial guests Colleen Green and

Eskimeaux. 8pm at The Cobalt.

Tickets $13 at Red Cat, Zulu, and

TicketWeb.ca

FUNK THE HALLS FT. THE FUNKHUNTERS Vancouver based elec-tronic duo, aka Nick Middleton

and Duncan Smith, bring their

signature bass heavy sound and

stunning custom-curated visuals

to the stage for the first of two

shows with Moontricks, and

Exmag. 8pm at Commodore Ball-

room. Tickets $32.50 at LiveNa-

tion.com and Ticketmaster.ca

COMEDY

HO! HO! HO! The Fictionalspresent the Christmas Comedy

Show, a holiday-themed soireé

featuring local improv troupes.

8pm at Café Deux Soleils. Tickets

$7 at TheFictionals.com

THEATRE/DANCE

CHELSEA HOTEL: THE SONGSOF LEONARD COHEN A specialholiday run of the smash hit

musical – a powerful and inspi-

rational production of the songs

of the Canadian icon from six

performers playing 17 different

instruments. 7pm at Firehall

Arts Centre. Tickets at Firehal-

lArtsCentre.ca. Runs until Jan. 9.

EBENEEZER – A CHRISTMASGHOST STORY The holiday clas-sic get a dark and twisted rewrite

with an entertaining newmusi-

cal score in a vividly re-imagined

story celebrating the grim and

macabre aspects of the original.

8pm at Jericho Arts Centre. Tick-

ets at TicketsTonight.TicketForce.

com. Runs until Jan. 2.

THEATRE/DANCE

NOTHING BUT TREBLE: A VAUDE-VILLE AFFAIR Join Little Miss Riskas she hosts the ultimate holiday

extravaganza, with live jazz from

Rossi Gang and vaudeville per-

formances from Burgundy Brixx,

Vixen Von Flex, and Frankie Faux.

9pm at Fox Cabaret. Tickets $15 at

EventBrite.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: ON THEAIR A tale as old as time breathesnew life as the beloved holiday

story is transformed into a live

1940s radio show in this stage

production from Peter Church.

8pm at Pacific Theatre. Tickets at

PacificTheatre.org or at 604-731-

5518. Runs until Jan. 2.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: AN EASTVAN PANTO This year’s editionof the weird and wonderful

panto is the story of the infamous

brother-sister duo, complete with

a gingerbread house, and a cute

little cannibal witch. 2pm & 7pm

at York Theatre. Tickets at Tickets.

TheCultch.com. Runs until Jan. 3.

CHEAP&FUN

ENCHANTED NIGHTS Bringyour imagination to explore the

whimsical wonders of a miniature

world of artisan fairies and sprite

villages donned with magical

lights and set to holiday music

and live entertainment amongst

the dome’s tropical plants and

exotic birds. 4pm at Bloedel

Conservatory. Tickets $8.50+ at

TicketsTonight.TicketForce.com.

Runs until Jan. 3.

THEATRE/DANCE

A CHRISTMAS STORY The classicholiday favourite gets a musi-

cal spin on the tale familiar to

anyone who has ever been a kid.

For nine-year-old Ralphie, only

an Official Red Ryder BB gun

will do under the tree, and this

Canadian premiere is a holiday

gift for the whole family. 1:30pm

at Stanley Industrial Alliance

Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com.

Runs until Dec. 27.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFEThe acclaimed holiday produc-

tion is back, with the story of

George Bailey and the townsfolk

in Bedford Falls, who with the

help of guardian angel Clarence

Odbody, are reminded that

faith, hope, love, and family are

what make life truly wonderful.

1:30pm at Granville Island Stage.

Tickets at ArtsClub.com. Runs

until Dec. 26.

PETER AND THE STARCATCHERThe story of the celebrated

character traces his journey from

lonely orphan to beloved boy

hero, on an adventure taking

him aboard the decks of the

Neverland ship. 1:30pm at Gold-

corp Stage at the BMO Theatre

Centre. Tickets at ArtsClub.com.

Runs until Jan. 10.

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACHBack by popular demand,

the family-friendly musical

invites you to watch as James

is shipped off to live with his

wretched aunts, and all seems

lost until he discovers a magical

peach inhabited by fantastical

creatures. 2pm at Waterfront

Theatre. Tickets at Tickets.

CarouselTheatre.ca. Runs until

Jan. 3.

It’s AWonderfulLife at theArts Club,runs untilDec. 26

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ARTS // CULTURE

MUSICWESTENDER.COM

REVIEWS //

PARQUETCOURTSMonastic Living (RoughTrade)

After 2014’s Content Nau-sea, it was clear ParquetCourts (or Parkay Quarts,if you will) had set a de-cidedly different path forthemselves. Leaving behindthe indie post-punk theband became known for onLight Up Gold and Sun-

bathing Animal, the bandgot weird in the best waypossible. With it’s free jazz,lo-fi jangles, and compel-

ling spoken word diatribesrailing against the anxietyand alienation of moderntechnology, Content Nauseaserved as an artistic turningpoint for the band.

In so doing, it posed theinevitable question, whatwould Parquet Courts donext? Where would thispath take them?

The answer, it seems, isnowhere worth going.

On their latest album,Monastic Living, Parquet

Courts have inexplicablydecided to give a big middlefinger to their fans andanyone foolish enough topay for this record.The al-bum consists of roughly 30minutes of repetitive, sloppyinstrumental noodling.There is no song structure,only obnoxious, poorlyconstructed, self-indulgentnoise-scapes, interspersedwith directionless distortionand other nonsense.

The album’s high point

(and I use the term lightly)is the opener “No, no, no”,the only “song” on thealbum with any vocals. Itserves as an introduction tothe album, with lead singerAndrew Savage yelping, “Idon’t want to be a poet / Idon’t want to be shared withyour friends,” after whichhe promptly takes a vow ofsilence for the next 30 min-utes. If only the rest of theband had done the same.

Despite what the press

release might suggest, thisalbum does not representsome sort of high-mindedartistic statement. This isn’texperimentation: this is ahalf an hour of drunkenjam space masturbationthat should have never seenthe light of day.

This album is irredeem-able, unlistenable bullshit.You’ve been warned.

–Robert Mangelsdorf

Rating: !!!!!

Love Actually

gets musical

improv surpriseKELSEY KLASSEN@kelseyklassen

Since 2012, Contact WinterMusic Festival has establisheditself as Vancouver’s largestannual celebration of block-buster dance music, roundingup some of the electronicworld’s biggest stars for alate-December extravaganzaat BC Place. According toAlvaro Prol, co-founder oflocal promotion companyBlueprint Events, he and hisfellow organizers conceivedthe festival as a way to takeadvantage of the technical ca-pabilities of the stadium afterits refurbishment in 2011.

“The venue’s such a specialspace,” Prol tells Westenderduring a phone conversation.“Whenever you do a festi-val, you want a space that’sbeautiful, so most festivalsare outside.This particularbuilding has such a uniquecharacteristic with all theLED capabilities and beingable to animate the buildingfrom the outside inside.”

BC Place, he says, has anotherworldly sci-fi aesthetic.He explains, “The name Con-tact came from space, and theconcept of being in a space-ship when you’re there andhaving an immersive feeling.”

High-energy dance musicproved to be the perfect wayfor the folks at Blueprint andtheir co-organizers at LiveNation to channel the futuris-tic atmosphere they werelooking for. Although Prolhesitates to align Contactwith the American EDMcraze of the last few years,he promises that the two-dayevent is designed to pleasethe masses.

“Contact has always beenabout not going over people’sheads,” he says. “It’s aboutgood vibe music. Good en-ergy. Solid acts that are goingto go out there and [give theaudience] a good time.We’renot trying to do stuff that’soverly critically acclaimed.It’s not really what we wantthere.We want it to be a funparty from the minute youwalk in until the end.”

To this end, English trancetrio Above & Beyond andSteve Angello (of SwedishHouse Mafia) will head-line the first night on Dec.26, while Dutch house starHardwell and French rapper-producer DJ Snake are onthe bill for Dec. 27. In total,there are 18 acts across overthe two evenings, some ofwhom will perform at theside FVDED Stage on theconcourse.

Contact always takesplace during the dead zonebetween Christmas and NewYear’s Eve, and Prol says thatthese dates were chosen asoptimal party days. “Do-ing events for as long aswe have, I’ve always foundreally good success in thatperiod,” he observes. “Peopleare out of school and there’sa good vibe.The toughstuff ’s behind them, they’vehad a great time with theirfamilies, they’ve got new giftsand sweaters and whateverChristmas gifts they got andthey’re ready to go out andhave some fun.”

Although the festival isdesigned as a way for Van-couverites to celebrate andunwind, the same cannot besaid for the organizers. Prolspends 11 months of each

year planning Contact, andhe describes it as “a humon-gous amount of work formany, many people.” ComeFebruary, he’s going to turnhis focus to the 2016 edition.He laughs wearily whendescribing the behind-the-scenes efforts that go intoContact, and he admits thatbooking artists is the mostchallenging part. On top ofthat, he places a special em-phasis on safety, ensuring thatthe event is always overstaffedwith medical support workersand security.

Thankfully, all of this hardwork seems to paying off:tickets are selling well, andProl believes that the eventwill continue to thrive foryears to come. “We’re goingto continue to grow this thingto be bigger and more badassevery year,” he enthuses.“It will become, hopefully,something that will continueto drive a lot of traffic intothe city. People will come forContact and maybe they’llski or snowboard, and enjoyother offerings within Van-couver.” W

English electronic trio Above and Beyond headline this year’s Contact Winter Music Festival at BC Place. Contributed photo

Contact brings sci-fi dance

music to the massesALEX HUDSON@chippedhip

Alvaro Prol

Off Key Improv, one ofVan-couver’s only musical improvtroupes, tackles a Christmasclassic this season with thepremiere of Love Musically –a “heart-warming musicaltribute” to the star-studded2003 movie Love Actually.

Inspired by audiencestories instead of HughGrant’s sexually harassiveangst – the show will explorethe loves and relationships ofthe people who show up eachnight. Meanwhile, buildingoff the popularity of popculture-themed shows likeHunger Games:The Musicaland StarWars Burlesque – LoveMusically will feel like a moremodern version of a familiarholiday favourite.

“As a producer, I knew ifwe were going to a Christmasshow it would have to besomething audiences couldconnect with, and I realizedLove Actually hasn’t reallybeen done,” says producerJennifer Pielak. “I love howthe plotlines interweave in themovie.We’re not going to beimpersonating the charac-ters,” she continues. “We’regoing to talk to the audienceevery night, get inspiration offthe people that are there, andthen have those stories playout in the show.”

They will also be tossingaside the movie’s outdatedideas of love.

“The movie’s prettyhetero-normative and kindof misogynistic,” says Pielak,pointedly, “so I’m challeng-ing my cast to not be thatway.To be more present-dayand have the show be moreof a reflection of what’s go-

ing on in Vancouver.”Since it’s inception in

2012, Off Key Improv hasbeen charting a course inVancouver to bring musicalimprov to the mainstream.Their debut show, Off Key:An Improvised Musical, usedmusical theatre tropes tocreate a one-act musical eachnight based on an audience-provided title.

It’s a skill Pielak, a trainedsinger, picked up while study-ing musical improv at SecondCity in Chicago.

“That changed my life,”says Pielak. “I got so inspiredand was like, ‘I have to bringthis toVancouver.’”

From there, she and musi-cal director Peter Abandoformed a group, whichdebuted its unique shticklast year at rEvolver festival,followed by the NewYorkMusical Improv Festival andtheVancouver InternationalImprov Festival. Love Musi-cally, however, will be theirfirst major show since then.

“A lot of people love towatch this movie at Christmastime and, when I first watchedit – a long time ago – I justremember the feeling it leftme with: one of, warm fuzzies,love and the honesty of whatcan happen at Christmastime,” she explains. “Becauseit’s Christmas and so joyfuland happy, people do bravethings and say what theymean to say. But it can also bequite sad and melancholy.”

The show description thus-ly warns to expect wintery-ishtunes, mulled wine and agood laugh or cry. W

! Love Musically runs fromDec.16-20 at Studio 1398(1398 Cartwright).Tickets are$18;OffKeyImprov.com.

Cast members from Love Musically. Contributed photo



ARTS // CULTURE

DANCE/COMEDY@WESTENDERVAN

‘Mixed Nuts’reinvents timelessChristmas classic

For the past three decades,Arts Umbrella has been aleaping-off point for BC’syoung professional dancers –a place for aspiring dancersto learn and grow into futurecareers. Lately, though, thenot-for-profit, contemporaryballet school has been reach-ing dizzying new heights,attracting the world’s leadingchoreographers to comeand work with the students,while producing recruitsready for the hottest globaldance companies.

Nederlands Dans Theater(NDT), Les Ballets Jazzde Montréal and BatshevaDance Company have allcome calling for graduates inthe past few years. Mean-while, on the performanceroster this year so far is workby Ballet BC resident cho-reographer Cayetano Soto,ex-Batsheva dancer SharonEyal, Canadian choreog-rapher Aszure Barton, thelegendary Marie Chouinard,

up-and-coming Israeli cho-reographer Tom Weinberger,and an extraordinary BalletBC collaboration that willsee 12 dancers from

Arts Umbrella’sgraduate programin a new MedhiWalerski piece inMarch.

“That is thebackbone of theprogram,” sayslongstandingartistic directorArtemis ‘Arty’Gordon of the high-profile guests.

“I think from theday that we started,our mandate was alwaysabout education andresearch.To really identifyand dig deep for what makesa dance artist valuable andrelevant today.Who arethe choreographers?What are they doing?How does ballettechnique needto be developedin order to re-ally elevatethe artform,

as opposed to mimic whathappened hundreds of yearsago?”

And, if the idea is torethink tradition, Arts Um-

brella surely outdoes itselfeach Christmas.

Taking the iconic suite ofThe Nutcracker, each yearthe students crack it wideopen, reworking some ofthe ballet’s most iconicscenes with the help ofCanada’s young-gun

choreographers.They call it

Mixed Nuts:Tradition with aTwist.

“MixedNuts is notthe con-

temporary work that we do,but it is definitely ‘us’,” saysGordon with a laugh.

“We’ve taken The Nut-cracker and tried to make itrelevant to what we’re doinghere, using local chore-ographers and taking thetraditional idea and asking,‘How would you contempo-rize it?’”

This year, Mixed Nuts fea-tures choreography by KiddPivot dancer Cindy Salgado,ex-NDT dancer Lesley Tel-ford, Arts Umbrella instruc-tors Lynn Sheppard andLina Fitzner, and RachaelPrince, Gilbert Small and

Livona Ellis ofBallet BC.

“I use a lot ofthe Ballet BC danc-

ers, to try out choreog-raphy,” explains Gordon.

“That’s part of what we do– develop choreographers forBallet BC.”

In fact, some of Arts Um-brella’s recent success can bedirectly tied to their relation-ship with Ballet BC, and theresurgence of the reper-tory company under artisticdirector Emily Molnar as aforce in the North Americandance scene.

Acting in a quasi farmteam capacity, Arts Umbrella

sends rising talents up, andBallet BC sends choreogra-phers down to develop theirvoices as artists.

What that means forMixed Nuts is, before theopening party scene can set-tle into its traditional waltz,the dancers break out into adisco-ready hustle instead.The famous fight betweenthe soldiers and mice, full ofdashing and danger and bigjumps? It’s now set to hiphop music with swords andserious street-style moves.And they say you can alwaysjudge a Nutcracker by its“Snow” scene, but criticshave probably never seen itdone en pointe, full tutu, as ahockey brawl.

Traditionalists shouldn’tdismay, however. Amidst allthe holiday hoopla, Gordonassures that they never touchthe final grand pas – leav-ing the most anticipatedmoment of the Tchaikovsky-scored masterpiece fullyclassical and in its originalform. W

! Arts Umbrella DanceCompany’s Mixed Nuts:Tradition with aTwist is attheVancouver Playhouse Dec.18-19.Tickets start at $15;ArtsUmbrella.com.

Arts Umbrella breaks Nutcracker wide open

KELSEY KLASSEN@kelseyklassen

A dancer fromMixed Nuts – Arts Umbrella’sannual spin on The Nutcracker. Contributedphoto

Tickets go on sale this Fridayfor the inaugural JFL North-West comedy festival, takingplace from Feb. 18-27 atvenues acrossVancouver.

The product of a partner-ship betweenVancouver’stwo-season-old NorthWestComedy Fest and Montrealcomedy institution Just ForLaughs, the new festival willpresent a mix of stand-up,sketch and improv.

Headliners include DailyShow hostTrevor Noah, stand-up legendWanda Skykes,actor and author Lewis Black,YouTube sensation MirandaSings, Canadian funnymanJeremy Hotz, NewYork-basedcomedianTodd Barry, Indianfilm starVir Das and more.

In addition, the festivalwill also highlight up-and-coming local talent withthe Best of theWest series,featuring Instagraham, Hip.Bang!, 10 Speed,The HeroShow, Sidekicks, PhantomSignal, AliciaTobin’s ComeDrawWith Me, Kings HeadComedy,The Ryan and AmyShow, Kyle Bottom’s Com-edy Bucket, Jokes Please! andTeenage Dirtbag. W

! Tix at JFLNorthWest.com

JustForLaughs

headswest

STAFF WRITER@westendervan

Vancouver Men’s Chorus Sings For Gay Syrian RefugeesNow in our 35th season, it was a hugely exciting and humbling experience for the 90+ VMC chorus members to

perform an outreach fundraising Making Spirits Bright show on December 9th. Our audience was comprised of local

community groups, and the funds raised were in support of Rainbow Refugees, a wonderful Vancouver society who

are sponsoring a gay Syrian couple currently in hiding in Turkey. The fundraising efforts contributed sufficient funds

that their refugee application could now begin. For more information about contributing to Rainbow Refugees, please

visit their website: www.rainbowrefugee.ca.

Thank YouA huge “thank you” to you, our fabulous audience. 2015 has been an absolutely stellar VMC year and it’s thanks to our

many individual and corporate supporters that 2016 is set for more of the same! In 2015, we performed our mainstage

shows “MEN” and “Making Spirits Bright”, our ever popular Singing Can Be a Drag was a huge success in both New

Westminster and Vancouver, we were the guests of Chor Leoni for the inaugural VanMan Summit at the Chan Centre, and

we were accompanied by a huge contingent of Scotiabank employees on the colourful and wonderful Vancouver Pride march.

What a blast! Check out our 2016 event line up on our website, and be sure to sign-up for emailed updates.

VMC Releases New CD – Making Spirits Bright: Live!Available on the VMC website,at Scotiabank @ 1500 Marine Drive (Marine & MacGowan), North Vancouver,

and at Scotiabank @ 591 Cardero Street, Vancouver. Live recordings from our recent sell-out Making Spirits

Bright shows. A great stocking stuffer for Mom!

are sponsoring a gay Syrian couple currently in hiding in Turkey. The fundraising efforts contributed sufficient funds

that their refugee application could now begin. For more information about contributing to Rainbow Refugees, pleasethat their refugee application could now begin. For more information about contributing to Rainbow Refugees, please

A huge “thank you” to you, our fabulous audience. 2015 has been an absolutely stellar VMC year and it’s thanks to our

many individual and corporate supporters that 2016 is set for more of the same! In 2015, we performed our mainstage

shows “MEN” and “Making Spirits Bright”, our ever popular Singing Can Be a Drag was a huge success in both Newshows “MEN” and “Making Spirits Bright”, our ever popular Singing Can Be a Drag was a huge success in both New

Westminster and Vancouver, we were the guests of Chor Leoni for the inaugural VanMan Summit at the Chan Centre, andWestminster and Vancouver, we were the guests of Chor Leoni for the inaugural VanMan Summit at the Chan Centre, and

we were accompanied by a huge contingent of Scotiabank employees on the colourful and wonderful Vancouver Pride march.we were accompanied by a huge contingent of Scotiabank employees on the colourful and wonderful Vancouver Pride march.

VMC Releases New CD – Making Spirits Bright: Live!VMC Releases New CD – Making Spirits Bright: Live!Available on the VMC website,at Scotiabank @ 1500 Marine Drive (Marine & MacGowan), North Vancouver,

www.vancouvermenschorus.ca

The Vancouver Men’s Chorus Gets Busy!

ARTS // CULTURE

FILM & TVWESTENDER.COM

Mike Dopud is a familiarface in the world of sciencefiction film and television,but if his life were a movie,Netflix would probablycategorize it as Action-Ad-

venture Sci-fi Dramedy.The veteranVancouver

actor is a former CFLer andstunt artist (there’s the Ac-tion) who travels around theworld portraying an array ofcharacters, many within thescience fiction sphere (there’sthe Adventure and Sci-fi).

And the Dramedy?Well,that’s the rhythm of life, andDopud’s life – as he recentlydescribed it over coffee in a

South Granville café – hasunfolded to a steady, some-times syncopated, beat.

Dopud is currentlyshooting a role in Tomboy,ARevenger’sTale with Sigour-neyWeaver and MichelleRodriguez (he can’t disclosetoo much about the role,but reveals that he plays anurse who works closely withWeaver’s doctor character).

He can also be seen in TheChristmasTruce – a holidaymovie-of-the-week aboutthose few days in the FirstWorldWar when the conflicton theWestern Front took abrief but welcome hiatus.

In 2016, Dopud will gracethe big screen in a very differ-ent kind of film: Virtual Revo-lution, a noir take on virtualreality in which Dopud starsas an agent on the hunt forcyber-terrorists. It’s a sweetmoment in an evolving careerthat began in a darkenedtheatre, when a pre-pubescentDopud took in a screening ofthe original Mad Max.

“The post-apocalypticworld [of Mad Max] was dirtyand grungy and crazy, and itresonated for me for whateverreason,” says Dopud. “I wasconvinced I was going to be inthe movies. I wanted to be apart of this.”

But he was growing up inMontreal’sWest Island, where“nobody was an actor, andso I always steered clear ofacting, just because I didn’tknow anything about it.”

Dopud loved sports, andhe was good at quite a fewof them, so even thoughhe spent his Friday nightswatching films like Rockyand Escape from NewYork,he made athletics his toppriority.

He played football forSouthern Illinois University,and was drafted by the Sas-katchewan Roughriders.

“That was a dream cometrue,” says Dopud. “I madeit – and then I got hurt.”

Next there was hockey,and another injury, and thena move west to make a go ofit in the corporate world.

Increasingly, though,Dopud met people in theentertainment industry whothought he could succeed infilm andTV, both as a stuntartist and as an actor. Finally,he listened.

“I literally went next dayto the union offices, and said,‘Hi, I want to be an actor,what do I need to do, do Ineed an agent, do I needheadshots?’” Dopud laughs.“They all laughed at me,literally.”

But Dopud persevered. Hegrins widely when he recallsone of his first times on set.

“OnThe X-Files, theyasked me to pick up DavidDuchovny, and say, ‘1, 2, 3,’”says Dopud.

He picked up Duchovny,counted to three, and movedhim as directed – and in that

moment, he rediscovered afamiliar feeling.

“That rush of ‘Action!’and ‘Rolling!’ and nerves andadrenaline, it was the closestthing to sports that I couldsense,” says Dopud, who nowdivides his time between LAandVancouver. “I found mycalling.”

Although he maintainsclose ties with the stuntworld, today, he’s exclusivelyan actor. His credit list readslike a recent history of theVancouver sci-fi scene: Con-tinuum; Battlestar Galactica;all three of the Stargate series(as well as recurring roles onnon sci-fi fare like Arctic Air,Strange Empire, and CedarCove).

Dopud attributes theabundance of sci-fi roles inhis filmography toVancou-ver’s longtime status as asci-fi capitol, and says that heapproaches every role fromthe same place.

“I believe that acting isbased on honesty, and tellinga story,” says Dopud. “If thatmeans that I’m telling a storyon a ship and I’m runningfrom aliens, or in front of abeautiful woman, or in frontof a guy I’m about to rob abank with, I’m still, at theend of the day, a character,and I’ve got to be honest.

“The sci-fi fans have beengreat to me,” he adds. “Theyfollow my career. I’ve beenlucky.They seem to like mywork, which is really cool.”

It’s how he ended up star-ring inVirtual Revolution: thedirector was a fan of Dopud’swork in Stargate, and invitedhim to be a part of his featurefilm directorial debut.

Dopud describes VirtualRevolution as a mix of BladeRunner and Highlander.

“There’s sword fighting,and most of the sword fight-ing is in the virtual world,and the other dark and grittystuff is in the present,” saysDopud. “I just love thatconcept.”

InVirtual Revolution –which shot in Paris earlierthis year – Dopud is Nash,a shadow agent “hired bycorporations and the govern-ment to track down terroriststhat are either in the realworld or the virtual worldthat are trying to affect thevirtual reality in those worlds,either to destroy them ormanipulate them.”

Dopud is happy with hislife in sci-fi (he’s heading toToronto to shoot a four-epi-sode arc on Dark Matter), buthe’s always eager to exploredifferent genres.

“I’ve played a lot of darkcharacters, or evil characters,and a lot of people see you asthat, and it’s hard to changeperceptions,” says Dopud.“I’d love to try romanticcomedy, or do a sitcom.” W

',*+ )*$(#!&"#,$.-+ %$+-mieres on Showcase on Dec. 17.

The sci-fi life of Mike Dopud

Veteran actor Mike Dopud relishes his latest role in VirtualRevolution. Contributed photo

SabrinaFurmingerReelPeople@Sabrinarmf


ARTISTS OF ALBERTA BALLET. PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOIVICHUK.

GOLD SEASON SPONSOR HOTEL SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSORS SUPPORT FOR BALLET BC HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY

The NutcrackerBallet BC presents Alberta Ballet

Choreography

Edmund Stripe

Music

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Music Performed by

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Set & Costume Design

Zack Brown

Lighting Design

Pierre Lavoie

Dec 29 30 7:30pmDec 30 31 2:00pm

Queen Elizabeth Theatreballetbc.com | ticketmaster.ca


REAL ESTATE //@WESTENDERVAN

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LIFESTYLES //

REAL ESTATEWESTENDER.COM

The housing market in Brit-ish Columbia has strength-ened throughout 2015, andwhile the final numbersfor the year are not yet in,

the Canadian Real EstateAssociation has revised itsforecast upward for theprovince.

Prices in BC will haveincreased 11.5 per cent bythe end of the year comparedwith last year, according to

the CREA.This is up threepercentage points fromSeptember’s forecast of 8.5per cent.The average pricewill reach $633,800, and theprovince will continue to bethe only one in Canada toexceed the national average

increase of 8.4 per cent, withthe average price reaching$442,600 across the country.

“The upward revisionreflects average price gains inBritish Columbia and Ontar-io together with a projectedincrease in their proportionof national sales,” the CREAsaid in a press release.

In 2016, BC will see afurther 2.1 per cent increaseto $646,900; this will be thesecond-highest growth ratein the country, after Ontario(2.9 per cent).

Sales activity in BC willhave increased 21.4 per cent

over 2015, with an expected102,000 units changinghands.This is expected toslow somewhat in 2016; thenumber of units sold is fore-cast to decrease three per centto 98,900 units. Meanwhile,the number of units soldacross Canada will dip 1.1 percent to 498,600, “as activityin BC and Ontario moderatesand housing market condi-tions soften in Alberta.”

“Recently announcedchanges to mortgage regula-tions that take effect earlynext year risk, cooling hous-ing markets beyond Greater

Vancouver and the GTA,their intended targets,” theCREA said.

In response to themortgage changes an-nounced Dec. 11 , BlueshoreFinancial Credit UnionCEO Chris Catliff said theincreased minimum down-payment for homes over$500,000 will have an effecton the “non-high-end” realestate market, but the luxurymarket, driven by foreignbuyers, is less likely to see animpact. W

–Courtesy of Business inVancouver

BC home prices grew more than 11% in 2015EMMS CRAWFORD HAMPEL@bizinvancouver


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LIFESTYLES //

HEALTHWESTENDER.COM

The holiday season is hereand this is the time of yearreserved for stretchy pants,drinking wine and stuffing ourfaces with food. I don’t evenlook at my jeans this time ofyear: if it’s not going to ex-

pand with my waist or have adrawstring then you can forgetabout it, because it’s seriouslyall about the food.

Now I know what you arethinking, “Gasp! But aren’tyou a nutritionist?”

I sure am folks. I am alsoa Libra on the cusp of Virgoor something, depending towhom I talk to.The point is,the 80/20 rule is in full effectfor me this time of year.Thisrule implies that if you are

eating a healthy, whole foodsbalanced diet most of thetime, then 20 per cent of thetime, go ahead, throw on thesweatpants and strap on thefeedbag.

Basically, December is my20 for the whole year. Nowthis doesn’t mean I throwmy whole foods rulebook outthe window, it just meansit’s smothered in more gravythan I would usually have(with an extra side of gravy ifI’m really feeling like gettingcrazy). Lots of social andfamily gatherings this holidayseason means lots of food,and tons of sugary treats.Thislifestyle is usually followedby a NewYear’s resolution ofeating healthier and exercis-ing more, just like last year,and the one before that.

You can balance out thisprocess by offering someside dishes that are bit morehealth conscious withoutsacrificing flavour and helpyour transition to yourinevitable healthy NewYear’sresolution smoother.

Bring common side dishesto the forefront for healthieror even veggie alternative, orfind creative ways to boostup some common side dishesand impress your dinnerguest’s taste buds and feedtheir health.

ROASTEDBRUSSELSSPROUTS

This can be a big hit, allyou have to do is roast themin the oven with some bal-samic vinegar, sea salt andpepper. I personally like toadd grapes and walnuts andhave recently tried some withParmesan cheese. It’s seri-

ously a cornucopia of flavourhitting your taste buds. Andof course, because you aregoing to anyways, add bacon.

CORNBREADSTUFFING

Instead of the traditionalsourdough or crusty bread,bring the South into yourhome by using crumbledcornbread. Add your favoritespices for added flavoursand make your stuffing likea boss.

SWEET POTATOCASSEROLE

Ditch the traditional ad-dition of marshmallows andmilk for coconut milk andadd vanilla bean for a twist.No one will be able to resist,

and your vegan friends willpraise you.

BROCCOLIPump up your side of

broccoli by roasting themwith olive oil, cashews, applecider vinegar and salt andpepper, and, if you feel likegetting crazy, add a drizzle ofbalsamic reduction.

ROASTEDVEGGIESSo simple but you can

really wow your family andfriends by throwing somenutrient-packed veggies inthe mix. Just choose your fa-vorite veggies, dress them upwith your favorite herbs andspices, drizzle with olive oil,maybe add some nuts andseeds to the mix and voila!Instant gratification! W

Sumptuous side dishes for the holidaysPatty Javier GomezWholeNourishment@WholeNourishBC

Brussels sprouts can be a real crowd pleaser, especially if you roast themwith bacon.Thinkstock photo

YAMANDTURNIPMASH

Ingredients: F *%5 >9 C)D5: F-"D;=0/D 2/8A0<5: " ?*>.;5 >9 ?8/53;= 6)8*0?: #8;53 23CD; 4)5D/?3 >8 )*022*; )5 C>/E>/*= *0+;1: B 25< =80;= 5)6;: F 2%5< >9 %/22;8 4=>A'2 <)A0?$2305 05 ) 3;)*23C 9)271: !0D)*)C)A 5)*2 )A= ?8)?+;=<;<<;8 2> 2)52;

Directions: &;;* C)D )A= 2/8A0< )A= %>0*/A20* 5>@ 4/A20* C>/ ?)A ;)50*C520?+ ) 9>8+ 238>/63 021(: ,)53 2>6;23;8 E023 5<0?;5$3;8%5$ 6)8*0? )A= %/22;8$ 5208 0A5)*2 )A= <;<<;8 )A= 5;8.;(

RECIPE //


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You are what makes youdrunk and horny. I thinkSue Johanson said that.

CHAMPAGNEYou are aggressively

fighting two inner forces:to blurt out everything youknow about astrology and topick out the massive wedgieyour T-bar thong is rippingthrough your ass cheeks.Either way, one glass of thatbubbly elixir and both yourmouth and right hand aregoing to go wild with urgen-cy. Resist with the strengthof a thousand Dan Savagestelling you NOT to text thatdick face back. Sip slowlyand make sure every burppeppers out of you like adelicate snowflake emoji.Youlook good because you putthe time in before this date,so it would be a waste of lip-gloss and glitter to get stupiddrunk and 86 yourself fromthe bar.Your aura is forever,always flamingo pink.

GIN AND TONIC(IN A TALL GLASS)

You love the lazy hang-over more than the drinkingitself and your whole endgame is to make sure youhave obliterated yourselfenough to merit an entireNetflix marathon the morn-ing after. Plus, you are aslug who would rather sitstill and hold in the liquidrather than have to get upand grab another drink. Thetall glass is a metaphor foryour whole life.You are thekind of person who triesto juggle six grocery bagsfrom the car to the frontdoor even though the loadrequires two trips.You arean over achiever when itcomes to the things thatdon’t matter.You’ve seenevery episode of Chopped atleast three times. Comfortis in the habitual.You owntwo packs of week day un-derwear and use it as yourcalendar. Over-thinking isfor Nazis.

MAKERS MARK NEATWhen you were a kid,

you aspired to be a cowboy.Then, you saw Smokey andthe Bandit and realized lifewas all about going fast onmachines, not ponies.Yourcar out front is as bright asthe sun and when your datesees the ride you have inyour back pocket, you willhave this in the bag.Youdrink slow and calm, like abathtub with a tiny leak try-ing to fill up.You never gettoo drunk on purpose. After

all, no one drove Smokeyhome but Smokey. SallyField was never into sloppydrunks.

THE CHEAPESTBOTTLED BEER

Fickle yet cheap, youtrust no one (especially notthat dopey bartender whoprobably never bothers toclean the draft beer lines).Your apartment is cold,calculated and clean as awhistle, but only when youare expecting company.Otherwise, you are likeany other cheap bastard,leaving half-empty bowlsof 90-cent ramen on yourdesk for days at a time.You charm your date withconstant conversation anda charming ridiculousnessthat only a teenaged PamelaDes Barres would appreci-ate.Your friends call youGeorge Costanza behindyour back, but you knowyou are frugal and you don’tcare. Isn’t saving moneya valuable life skill? Fiscalshowboats are the fools of2015.

A CLASSICMANHATTAN

You are so deeply influ-enced by powerful people,you decided you likedManhattans after the pret-tiest girl you ever knew toldyou they were the drink dejour of Brooklyn babes.Youmiss your ex, because shelistened to Lana Del Reyand without her, blasting

it alone in your apartmentfeels as sad as a cat in awheelchair.You love a goodcigar and wear your hearton your denim sleeve.

A LOCAL CRAFT BEERIt doesn’t matter that

the book you were read-ing in the corner of the bargot knocked over by somedrunk chick on her way tothe bathroom.Your propfinally did its job; now youhave an excuse to show herall the wonders of Cain’sBook. But right now, you areon a date and even thoughyou aren’t lurking alonein a dim corner, you stillcan’t break the old habit ofhaving to pretend you are asalt-of-the-earth, I-dream-of-Portland, kind of oldsoul. Shag carpet is sexy.You like a ‘70s bush.Youmemorize every porn sceneyou watch and compareevery human being with titsto Sophia Loren.

A BELLINIGet out of here, Junior.

Just because your aunt snuckyou that sugary cocktailONCE at Earls, doesn’tmean you are a woman.Don’t you have PE class at8am tomorrow morning? W

LIFESTYLES //

SEX@WESTENDERVAN

The Neanderthals were a different human species

that coexisted with our ancestors, homo sapiens,

for at least 5,000 years. But they eventually died out

while our people thrived. Why? One reason, says sci-

ence writer Marcus Chown, is that we alone invented

sewing needles. Our newborn babies had well-made

clothes to keep themwarm and healthy through

frigid winters. Neanderthal infants, covered with ill-

fitting animal skins, had a lower survival rate. Chown

suggests that although this provided us with a mere

one per cent survival advantage, that turned out to

be significant. I think you’re ready to find and use a

small yet ultimately crucial edge like that over your

competitors, Aries.

Artist Robert Barry created “30 Pieces,” an installation

that consisted of pieces of paper onwhich he had

typed the following statement: “Something which is

very near in place and time, but not yet known tome.”

According tomy reading of the astrological omens,

this theme captures the spirit of the phase you’re now

entering. But I think it will evolve in the comingweeks.

First it’ll be, “Something which is very near in place

and time, and is becoming known tome.” Bymid-

January it could turn into, “Something which is very

near and dear, and has become known tome.”

“There is in every one of us, even those who seem to

bemostmoderate, a type of desire that is uncanny,

wild, and lawless.” Greek philosopher Plato wrote that

in his book The Republic, and I’m bringing it to your

attention just in time for your Season of Awakening

and Deepening Desire. The coming days will be a time

when you can, if you choose, more fully tune in to the

uncanny, wild, and lawless aspects of your primal

yearnings. But wait aminute! I’m not suggesting you

should immediately take action to gratify them. For

now, just feel them and observe them. Find out what

they have to teach you. Wait until the new year before

you consider the possibility of expressing them.

Congratulations! You have broken all your previous

records for doing boring tasks that are good for you.

In behalf of the other eleven signs, I thank you for

your heroic, if unexciting, campaign of self-improve-

ment. You have not only purified your emotional

resources and cleared out some breathing room for

yourself, but you have also made it easier for people

to help you and feel close to you. Your duty has not

yet been completed, however. There are a fewmore

details to take care of before the gods of healthy

tediumwill be finished with you. But start looking for

signs of your big chance to make a break for freedom.

They’ll arrive soon.

The English word “fluke” means “lucky stroke.” It

was originally used in the game of billiards when a

player made a good shot that he or she wasn’t even

trying to accomplish. Later its definition expanded to

include any fortuitous event that happens by chance

rather than because of skill: good fortune generated

accidentally. I suspect that you are about to be the

beneficiary of what may seem to be a series of flukes,

Leo. In at least one case, though, your lucky break

will have been earned by the steady work you’ve

done without any fanfare.

You may not have to use a literal crowbar in the

coming weeks, but this rough tool will serve you

well as a metaphor. Wherever you go, imagine that

you’ve got one with you. Why? It’s time to jimmy

open glued-shut portals, to pry loose mental blocks,

to coax unyielding influences, to nudge intransigent

people free of their fixations. Anything that is stuck or

jammed needs to get unstuck or unjammed through

the power of your willful intervention.

The comingweekswill be a favorable time for you to

consort with hidden depths and unknown riches. In ev-

eryway you can imagine, I urge you to go deeper down

and further in. Cultivate amore conscious connection

with the core resources you sometimes take for grant-

ed. This is one timewhen delving into the darkness

can lead you to pleasure and treasure. As you explore,

keep inmind this advice fromauthor T. Harv Eker: “In

every forest, on every farm, in every orchard on earth,

what’s under the ground createswhat’s above the

ground. That’s why placing your attention on the fruits

you have already grown is futile. You can’t change the

fruits that are already hanging on the tree. But you can

change tomorrow’s fruits. To do so, youwill have to dig

below the ground and strengthen the roots.”

In the comingweeks, the pursuit of pleasure could

drain your creative powers, diminish your collaborative

possibilities, andwear you out. But it’s also possible

that the pursuit of pleasurewill enhance your creative

powers, synergize your alliances, and lead you to new

opportunities. Whichwaywill you go? It all depends on

the kinds of pleasures you pursue. The dumb, numb-

ing,mediocre typewill shrink your soul. The smart,

intriguing, invigorating variety will expand yourmind.

Got all that? Say “hell, no” to trivializing decadence so

you can say, “Wow, yes” to uplifting bliss.

Garnets are considered less valuable than diamonds.

But out in the wild, there’s an intimate connection

between these two gemstones. Wherever you find

garnets near the surface of the earth, you can be

reasonably sure that diamonds are buried deeper

down in the same location. Let’s use this relationship

as ametaphor for your life, Sagittarius. I suspect you

have recently chanced upon ametaphorical version

of garnets, or will do so soon. Maybe you shouldmake

plans to search for the bigger treasure towards which

they point the way.

Ready for the Cool Anger Contest? You can earnmaxi-

mumpoints by expressing your dissatisfaction in ways

that generate themost constructive transformations.

Bonus points will be awarded for your ability to tact-

fully articulate complicated feelings, as well as for your

emotionally intelligent analyses that inspire people to

respond empathetically rather than defensively. What

are the prizes? First prize is a breakthrough in your

relationship with an ally who could be crucial to your

expansion in 2016. Second prize is a liberation from

one of your limiting beliefs.

A fourth-centurymonknamedMartinwas apioneer

winemaker in France.He founded theMarmoutier Abbey

andplanted vineyards on the surrounding land. Accord-

ing to legend,Martin’s donkeyhada crucial role in lifting

viticulture out of its primitive state.Midway through

onegrowing season, thebeast escaped its tether and

nibbledona lot of the grapevines. All themonks freaked

out, fearing that the cropwaswrecked. But ultimately

the grapes grewbetter than theyhad inprevious years,

and thewine theyproducedwas fabulous. Thuswas

born thepractice of pruning,whichbecamede rigueur

for all grape-growers.What’s your equivalent ofMartin’s

donkey, Aquarius? I bet it’ll exert its influence very soon.

“Thedeepesturge inhumannature is thedesire tobe

important,” saideducatorJohnDewey. If that’s true,

Pisces, youareonthevergeofhavingyourdeepesturge

fulfilledmorethan ithas ina longtime.Theastrological

alignmentssuggest thatyouare reachingthepeakofyour

valuetootherpeople.You’reunusually likely tobeseen

andappreciatedandacknowledgedforwhoyoureallyare.

If youhavebeenunderestimatingyourworth, Idoubtyou

willbeable tocontinuedoingso.Here’syourhomework:

Takearealistic inventoryof thewaysyour lifehashada

positive impactonthe livesofpeopleyouhaveknown.

Free Will AstrologyByRobBrezsny

Dec. 17:Milla Jovovich (40)Dec. 18:Sia (40)Dec. 19: EdithPiaf(100)Dec. 20: JonahHill (32)Dec. 21: Kiefer Sutherland (49)Dec. 22: VanessaParadis (43)Dec. 23: Eddie Vedder (51)

What your go-to date

drink says about you

EMAILMISH

Send Mish your own sex

questions and queries to

[email protected]

SexwithMishWay@MyszkaWay

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ABE MOVING&Delivery &Rubbish Removal $30/HR perPerson• 24/7. 604-999-6020

PLUMBING

Certified Plumber &Gas Fitter

* Reno’s & Repairs 24 hrs/day

* Furnaces * Boilers * Hot

Water Heating * Reasonable

Rates * HotWater Tanks

604-591-2499

RENOS & HOMEIMPROVEMENT

FERREIRA

HOME IMPROVEMENTSAll interior and Exterior

Renovations and Additons

Renovation ContractorLicensed and InsuredFree Estimates

“Satisfaction Guaranteed”NORM 604-841-1855

CONCRETE FORMING,

framing & siding crewsavailable. 604-218-3064

ROOFING

GL Roofing, & Repairs. Newroof, clean gutters $80. 604-240-5362. [email protected]

.,- !)) ("#'$*%!/+&

-'*.(& !.%)(#*$ "'$$'&/+$' 0&'' 1%$.,+$'&#!'"##'$##%

RUBBISHREMOVAL

DISPOSAL BINS starting at$219 plus dump fees. CallDisposal King 604-306-8599

RUBBISH REMOVAL

Reasonable rates - Free est.

Pat 604-224-2112 anytime

AUTOMISCELLANEOUS

JEEP OWNERS.Holiday SaleStarts Now!! Parts, Accesso-ries for JEEPS from 1942 to2016. Huge Discounts. EasyGift Shopping, Buy Canadian.www.gemini-sales.comPhone 604-294-4214.

MOTORCYCLES

1980 SUZUKI GN400

superb cond, Only 4,000 miles!Nimble, responsive,one sweetride Kick start only! $3150.604-220-4122

AUTOMOTIVE

SPORTS& IMPORTS

‘12 Mazda5 Six-Pass $11,850.‘11 M-Benz GLK 4Matic SALE!‘00 Mustang V6 Convert. $6450.Auto Depot 604-727-3111

* 2003 Sunfire Pontiac a/t $2450* 1995 Escort SE Hatch $1850* 1989 Volvo 240 DL 4cy $1850Auto Depot 604-727-3111

2003 VW Golf autoHatch $54502002 Volvo S60 Sport 4dr $48802002 VW Jetta 1.8T GLS $4880

Auto Depot 604-727-3111

SPORTS UTILITIES& 4X4S

SCRAP CARREMOVAL

/56 1!3",,631!3", !"3 */3-!4 360.+"2*+$' (#! +%% ")'&*%)$

%#)(&'#($'### (&"% $)%!'*)

PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Engine additive4. Soluble ribonucleicacid

8. Subdue10. One long, three short11. Morally bad12. With collapsibleshelter

13. Central church parts15. Summer shoes16. Intestinal17. Transgressors18. Meeting expectations

21. Clutch22. Autonomic nervoussystem

23. What you can repeatimmediately afterperceiving it

24. Favorite summersandwich

25. An accountantmkb`gukl rq `hk a`s`k

26. Cologne27. Norma Jean Baker34. Galaxies

35. Bluish greens36. Detected37. Having 3 dimensions38. Made level39. The destroyer(Hindu)

40. Uncovered41. Ooze slowly42. Aerie43. Point midwaybetween S and SE

1. Having beautifulnatural views2. Fanafuti is the capital3. Shrub used for hedges4. Polishing tools5. Slow down6. Christmas carols7. & & &9. Sound of sheepor goat

eno _ fcdi tsip cj`kdtapering

12. Atomic #7314. Schilling (abbr.)15. Female sibling17. Long sandwich19. In a way,

necessitated20. Mayan people of

SW Guatemala23. Cleaned up24. Prohibit25. Upright cupboard26. Cyclone center

27. Metric linear units28. Young male29. Securities market30. City across from

Dusseldorf31. Animal disease32. Mount of __ east of

Jerusalem33. Get free34. Variable stars36. One point N of NE

HANDYPERSONSPORTS& IMPORTS

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HOME SERVICES

HOMEHOMESERVICESSERVICES

Find theFind theprofessionalsprofessionalsyou need toyou need tocreate thecreate theperfectperfect

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to advertise callto advertise call604-630-3300604-630-3300

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Need a Painter?Find one in the

Home Services section.

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www.choicesmarkets.com /ChoicesMarkets @ChoicesMarkets

DELIGROCERY

xxx xxx • product of xxx

WELLNESS

GLUTEN FREE

100% BC Owned and Operated

2/4.98

Danone Oikos Greek Yogurt

assorted varieties

500g or 4 pack • product of Canada

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IT’S CHRISTMASPrices Effective December 17 to December 24, 2015.

7.98 1.37kg/3lb bag 2.48lb/5.47kg

Organic Broccoli fromAgrofresco, Mexico

Organic CaliforniaSatsuma MandarinOranges fromJohansen Ranch

PRODUCE

2.99lb/6.59kg

Johnston Whole HamsFresh JD Farms Grade A Turkeys

3.49lb/7.69kg

MEAT

Petite Entertaining Tourtiere,Chicken Pot Pies, Quiche,Samosa, Phyllos or Sausage Rolls

4.99 1/2 dozen

8.99 1 dozen

Fruit Cake370g

8.99

MinceVegetarianTarts

2.99 package of 2

6.49 package of 6

BAKERY

Choices’ Star of theSeason Program

November 15th – December 24th

Your donation of only $2 supports the growth of healthy communities. Now in its 14th

year, Choices’ Star of the Season Program enriches the lives of families all across Metro

Vancouver and the Okanagan. Kindly donated by Calabar Printers, Choices’ Holiday Stars

may be purchased until December 24th for a donation of $2.00.

For more details on each neighbourhood house, please visit our website,www.choicesmarkets.com.

AvalonSunset Candles

Increadiwear Socks,Braces and Apparel

Avalon Shampoo, Conditioner,Avalon CoQ10 Face Care orVitamin-C Face Care

Innovite Probiotics

25% offregular retail price

Assorted Varieties and Sizes


Assorted Varieties and Sizes


11.99 3” pillar

17.99 5” pillar

25.99 8” pillar

Assorted Varieties

and Sizes

Want Want Hot-Kid Gluten Free Rice Crisps

assorted varieties 100g • product of China

Blue Diamond Nut Thins

assorted varieties

120g

product of USA

36%SAVE

2.992/6.98

Kettle Brand Popped Popcorn

36%SAVE

assorted varieties

142g

product of USA

Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate Bars

assorted varieties

100g

product of EU

32%SAVE

2/5.98

Island Farms Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt

39%

SAVEUP TO

assorted varieties 1.65L • product of Canada

4.49 - 5.49

35%SAVE

Old Dutch Potato Chips andRestaurante Tortilla Chipsassorted varieties

39%

SAVEUP TO

2/5.50 potato

2/5.98 tortilla

255 - 384g

product of Canada

Grown Right OrganicCranberry Sauce

2 varieties

348ml

product of USA

38%SAVE

Turtle IslandTofurky Roast737g • product of USA

41%SAVE

3.99 500g

2/6.98 4 pack

20%

SAVEUP TO

Dairyland Sour Cream

assorted varieties

500ml • product of Canada

2.19

24%

SAVEUP TO

2/4.98

3/6.00

9.99

Documents

Westender – December 17, 2015