LiViNG - Georgia Straight

| FALL 2008 | | GEORGIA STRAIGHT LIVING | 

2


4

CONTENTS >> 

06> RAISING THE BAR 

To drink like Humphrey Bogart, look to these glass acts 

10 >> TRASH TURNS TO TREASURE 

Tyler Vreeling repurposes everything from old skis to scrap metal 

13 >> FURNITURE BY DESIGN 

Four solo woodworkers are showing how it’s done on the East Side 

15 >> EXTREME MAKE-OVER STORY 

A local townhouse gets a reno that’s as sustainable as it is wildly artistic 

24 >> GOING BACK TO THE FUTURE 

Build a retro fantasy kitchen around ‘50s-style appliances 

26 >> A FOOT IN THE DOOR? 

Does the buyer’s market give new hope to the single house hunter? 

30 >> THE ART OF COMPOSTING 

Insiders share tricks on how apartment dwellers can get worms working 

33 >> BIRDS OF A FEATHER 

A Bambi’s forest full of critters dances across Track and Field’s soft furnishings 

22 

DUTCH 

OVENS 

29 

TURNING 

JAPANESE 

ON THE COVER> COFFEE TABLE AND ENTERTAINMENT UNIT IN WALNUT AND ORANGE GLASS, AND MIRRORED 

STORAGE UNITS, CHRISTIAN WOO DESIGN + BUILD AND FRUITION DESIGN PHOTO> TREVOR BRADY 

GEORGIA STRAIGHT 

LiViNG 

MAGAZINE 

34 

HOME 

BODY 

VOLUME 4 

NUMBER 15 

EDITOR Janet Smith 

ART DIRECTOR Gemma Burgess 

CREATIVE DIRECTION Mark Pilon / Janet McDonald 

NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Tony Barnes 604-730-7030 

WESTERN CANADIAN ADVERTISING Patrick Ruel 604-730-7027 

NATIONAL ADVERTISING (TORONTO) DPS Media Inc. 416-413-9291 

PUBLISHER Dan McLeod 

Georgia Straight Living is published four times a year by the Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp. 

Entire contents copyright 2008 Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


5 

1701 WEST BROADWAY, VANCOUVER, B.C. V6J 1Y3 

PHONE: 604-730-7000 FAX: 604-730-7010 E-MAIL: INFO@STRAIGHT.COM

FRONT OF HOUSE>> 

ARCHITECTURAL ACCENTS 

Well-known local architect Peter Cardew is bringing 

the sleek, studied contemporary lines of his 

buildings to a new furniture collection at 18 Karat 

Home Store (3039 Granville Street). Pieces include 

almost monastically minimalist benches, 

stools, and tables made from slatted oak (see 

left); rectangular marble coffee and side tables 

that come in white, black, and two shades of 

grey (below); and striking, multitextured sofas 

that blend leather and felted wool, rectangles 

and cylindrical cushions. Prices range from about 

$480 for a wood stool to about $2,300 for a sofa. 

KID-FRIENDLY 

White Rock–based Fu-Shun Baby already 

has some celebrity fans: Gwyneth Paltrow 

was spotted with one of the line’s chic 

diaper bags. Now the company’s designer, 

Carli Morrison, is venturing into nursery décor. 

Funky deco zoo animals emblazon a set 

of four, eight-by-eight-inch natural-canvas 

frames ($89). The wall art comes in two mod 

printed patterns. There’s also a three-canvas 

version bearing A, B, and C ($89). Look for 

them at Crocodile (2156 West 4th Avenue), 

Langley’s Frogs Hollow (20159 88th Avenue), 

South Surrey’s Baby Cheeks (14012 32nd 

Avenue), and www.fu-shundesigns.com. 


6 

ISN’T THAT SPECIAL? 

Contemporary-design-minded Vancouverites have 

a new place to go for inspiration, and it’s located in 

the heart of the city’s hippest ‘hood. Opened in April 

by UBC architecture and art-history grad Anne Pearson, 

Vancouver Special (3612 Main Street) caters to the 

aesthetically obsessed with books, furniture, art, and 

accessories from Scandinavia, Japan, and the United 

States. We’re drooling over the sweet gadgets made 

by Boston-based Tivoli Audio and the Jetlag wall clock 

from Italy’s Nava Design (shown above; $130). Look for 

local goods, too, including Gailan Ngan’s ceramics. 

GLOBAL GRAPES 

Nobody can say that readers of 1001 Wines You 

Must Taste Before You Die (Universe, $39.95) aren’t 

ambitious. Those who find pleasure in not just 

drinking but chasing down the world’s finest vino 

now have a guide. With contributions by global 

wine scribes edited by U.K. wine writer Neil Beckett, 

the tome reviews a globe’s worth of bottles. 

Only two Canadian tipples make the cut—both 

B.C. icewines, from Inniskillin and Mission Hill. Not 

a drinker? Chomp on 1001 Foods You Must Taste 

Before You Die (Universe, $39.95) instead.

Hike, Bike and Raft in Patagonia. Take a walking 

tour in Bordeaux. Ride an Elephant in Thailand. 

Choose your own way to get around. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEE THE NEW 18KARAT COLLECTION OF FURNITURE DESIGNED BY 

PETER CARDEW ARCHITECTS 3039 GRANVILLE STREET AT 14TH 

VANCOUVER, BC WWW.EIGHTEENKARAT.COM 604.742.1880 

A Health Clinic Designed with You in Mind 

Bring this 

ad with you 

and receive a 

FREE 

laser or skin 

consultation. 

www.integrativespa.ca 

At Integrative Healing Arts we are dedicated to the science of 

understanding and seeking therapies that will allow our patients 

to “look and feel their best” through every phase of their life. 

4 Naturopathic Physicians 

Medical Physician 

Chiropractor 

Traditional Chinese Medicine 

Rolfi ng & Massage Therapy 

Natural Dispensary 

Lab & I.V. Therapies 

Age Management & Life Enhancement 

Thermography Breast and Body Exams 

Effective Weight Loss Program 

Medical Spa with Full Laser Services 

Enjoy our beautiful facility with a supportive and understanding 

team. Phone and book a consultation with one of our health care 

professionals. Visit our website www.integrative.ca for more 

information or phone (604) 738-1012 to book your appointment. 

Integrative Healing Arts 

Suite #730-1285 W. Broadway 

Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3X8 

www.integrative.ca 


7

24th ANNIVERSARY SALE! 

20-40% off! 

LARGE SELECTION 

OF IN STORE SPECIALS 

AND QUALITY 

DISCONTINUED ITEMS! 

extension dining table 

299. 

www.moblerfurniture.com 

NOW IS THE TIME FOR BIG SAVINGS! 

 


8 

VISIT OUR IN-STORE 

CLEARANCE 

CENTRE 

Store hours: Mon. - Friday 10 AM till 9 PM, 

Sat. & Sun. 10 AM till 6 PM 

599. 

 

 

 

 

3351 SWEDEN WAY, RICHMOND TEL: 604 270-3535

Affordable 

Luxury 

DESIGN>> 

DESIGNER TYLER 

VREELING EXPLAINS 

HIS UPCYLING IDEAS 

AT THE VANCOUVER 

HOME + INTERIOR 

DESIGN SHOW. 

TRASH TURNS TO TREASURE 

BY JOHN LUCAS 


10 

Find That “Wow” Factor 

“You will not find better 

consignment stores in London, 

New York, or Paris… 

we promise! 

the Carriage House 

High Quality Home Furniture & Accessories 

505 Railway Street, 

Vancouver, BC V6A 1A7 

phone & fax 604-215-0187 

www.carriagehouse@telus.net 

www.carriagehouse505.com 

Tyler Vreeling is a relative newcomer to the 

design world—he graduated from the University 

of Alberta’s industrial-design program just 

last year—but he already has change on his 

agenda. “There seems to be this disconnect with not 

only public perception but designers’ perception of 

what design is,” he says on the line from his Edmonton 

office. “And we seem to get caught up in just making 

things look pretty. Even in an industrial-design sense; 

even though we’re designing something that has a 

function, we seem to want to just dress it up and make 

it look good, and that is considered ‘design’. I have a 

huge, huge problem with that.” 

Vreeling, who founded Fat Crow Design upon graduation 

and made a major splash last summer with his 

White Moose line of Canadiana-themed furniture and 

home accessories, figures he has a responsibility to 

use his talents to make people’s lives better. Toward 

that end, he intends Fat Crow’s future projects to focus 

on universal design (“making everything accessible to 

everybody,” is how he explains it), and the creation of 

products for people with specific disabilities. 

In the meantime, Vreeling has become one of the 

country’s most visible advocates of “upcycling”, a 

vocation he took up this spring, when the Edmonton 

Home and Garden Show asked for his help with 

a project called Re-Use. “They wanted me to create 

some objects out of garbage to promote reuse,” he 

says simply. The idea was to encourage the public to 

repurpose old furniture and scrap materials by turning 

them into something new rather than sending them to 

the landfill. “We’re promoting several different things 

through this, although reuse is probably the most 

prominent—repurposing something that was meant 

to do a specific job or fill a function, and making it do 

something new using as little energy and waste as 

possible.” Hence upcycling as opposed to recycling; 

the latter requires the reprocessing of materials, often 

through chemical treatment, and is therefore not always 

as “green” as we would like to believe. 

For the Re-Use project, Fat Crow came up with a 

number of one-of-a-kind objects. These include a coat 

rack constructed from skis, with a car’s brake rotor as 

a base; stylish hanging lamps formed from scraps of

SCRAPS OF SHEET 

METAL FIND MOD 

NEW FORM IN 

THESE DRADER 

LAMPS ($350 FOR 

THE SET). 

sheet metal; and a room-dividing 

screen made from old closet doors 

held together with hinges. 

Vreeling credits his background as 

an Alberta farm boy with giving him 

an ingrained affinity for upcycling. 

“I think farmers really get this and 

have embraced it in their lives,” he 

insists. “Growing up, we would use 

old cans in the shop, or old jugs to 

use as shelving compartments for 

different screws and nails and things. 

We would always have a bunch of 

scrap metal beside the shop. We 

were quite far north, so it was hard to 

get parts, but if a piece of equipment 

broke down, we could just chop up 

some metal and weld it together and 

create our own new part.” 

It’s a way of living that our big-city 

culture could learn something from, 

and Vreeling notes that designsavvy 

urbanites are just as prone to 

the throwaway mentality as everyone 

else—if not more so. “With the 

modern/minimalist aesthetic that 

most people seem to embrace in 

magazines and in our visual culture 

through publications like Dwell, 

they think that having a room full 

of scrap stuff is somehow ungodly, 

that it doesn’t serve a purpose in 

their life, or that they’re above that,” 

he says. “They’ll just buy something 

new. Well, granted, they may have 

the money to do so, but is it worth 

doing that, in raping the environment 

more?” 

Vreeling will offer more compelling 

food for thought when he 

discusses Re-Use at the Vancouver 

Home + Interior Design Show, 

which runs October 16 to 19 at B.C. 

Place. See www.bchomeandgardenshow.com 

for details. - 

FAT CROW DESIGN’S 

CACTUS COAT RACK 

($500) PUTS OLD 

SKIS TO NEW USE. 


11


12

FURNITURE BY DESIGN 

FROM THEIR EAST SIDE STUDIOS, FOUR NEW TALENTS ARE PUTTING FRESH 

SPINS ON WOOD. LOOK FOR THEM NEXT MONTH ON THE CULTURE CRAWL 

BY JANET SMITH / TREVOR BRADY PHOTO 

KURT DEXEL >> 

DEXEL MODERN CRAFTED FURNITURE 

WWW.DEXELMODERN.COM 

Kurt Dexel comes to furniture design from 

the world of engineering, or, as he puts it, 

“Woodworking was a hobby—a hobby 

gone bad, or good, I guess.” Just over 

two years ago he turned to his passion full-time, 

launching a line of bold one-of-a-kind and custom 

pieces that celebrate refi ned form as much as the 

beauty of wood. Dexel’s biggest infl uences are 

midcentury and Danish modern, with a little spaceage 

thrown in: “Somebody said to me the other 

day that I must have liked The Jetsons.…With my 

work, you get this really natural material with this 

modern look.” Dexel’s engineering background 

seems to play out most in his process: he executes 

sketch after sketch, prototype after prototype, until 

he gets the design right. Signature pieces include 

the Boomerang chair and ottoman (shown here), 

a marvel of sharp lines and angles, crafted from 

black walnut, eastern maple, and leather (about 

$3,800); and the Parallam table, two tiers of salvaged 

Parallam construction wood that seem to 

fl oat over a smaller oak support underneath (about 

$1,500). Dexel’s work also sells at Granville Island’s 

Wood Co-op (1592 Johnston Street). 


13

CHRISTIAN WOO >> 

CHRISTIAN WOO DESIGN + BUILD 

WWW.CHRISTIANWOO.COM 

Woodworker Christian Woo likes to 

keep his designs minimalist, but with 

his materials, it’s a different story. 

He celebrates the grains of woods 

like ash, walnut, and European birch, and recently, 

he played coloured glass off dark wood in a funky 

black-and-orange stereo cabinet he designed for 

a client. “I like the detail to be pared back to simple 

lines and how the piece fi ts in an overall environment,” 

says Woo. “If a piece doesn’t stand out, 

that’s a good thing.” Woo’s gift for integrating his 

sleek cabinetry, tables, bureaus, and benches into 

an interior may stem from an earlier stint in landscape 

architecture and the fact that he shares his 

current studio space with an architect. For his threeyear-old 

line of mostly custom work, he also draws 

on an apprenticeship in European cabinetmaking 

and the inspiration of Japanese and Scandinavian 

designs. Prices range from about $2,000 for a coffee 

table to about $4,500 for a large dining table—all 

handmade. “The stuff I build is the stuff I love,” he 

says of both his premade and custom work. “If 

somebody wants a Shaker-style kitchen, well, I’ll 

gladly refer them to someone else.” 


14

SANDRA CORBETT >> 

WWW3.TELUS.NET/SANCORDESIGNS 

Cabinetmaker Sandra Corbett’s pieces 

are all about style on the outside but 

practicality on the inside. The designer’s 

signature zebrano-veneer Cellarette 

end table (shown here) opens up to reveal six 

handy slots for wine bottles; a drop-down door 

even becomes a holder for two wineglasses. “I 

really try to put storage in the piece,” says Corbett, 

who’s worked in the fi eld for a decade but broke 

out on her own two years ago. “I hope they’ll be 

art pieces, but also very functional—not to sit in a 

corner that nobody touches.” Corbett’s practical 

approach often extends to her materials, as well: 

the dark, charismatic zebrano was all scrap that a 

shopmate was going to chuck; another end table 

was crafted out of an old, white-oak pew no longer 

wanted by a Marpole church. “I don’t waste a lot 

of wood because I have a real hard time throwing 

stuff out,” admits Corbett. The designer concentrates 

on wall units, shelving, cabinets, and even 

closet organizers, but her streamlined freestanding 

pieces (with prices that can run from $500 to $1,500) 

encompass everything from attractive storage 

boxes to fl ip-open card tables. 


15

BEN BURNETT >> 

ZILLION DESIGN 

WWW.ZILLIONDESIGN.COM 

Ben Burnett’s background in sculpture infl u- 

ences much more than the form his wood 

furnishings take. Sure, his bold Monolith 

lamp, an avant-garde pillar of wood cut 

through with a slice of fl uorescent light, is as much 

a striking work of art as a functional piece. But the 

fact that it’s made from reclaimed fi r and aluminum 

speaks to his years as a visual artist, too: “I had no 

money and I was always scrounging materials. So it 

was more economic,” he explains. Salvaged wood 

also fi nds its way into his other expressive pieces, 

whether it’s the fi r on a Pendant Turbine lamp or the 

reclaimed ebony that mixes with African mahogany 

and Brazilian cherry on his streamlined, multifunctional 

Slide table (shown here). Still, for Burnett 

(whose prices range from as low as $50 for wallmounted 

coat racks to $6,000 for a high-impact dining 

table), it’s his sculptural spin on tables, cabinets, 

lamps, and shelving that makes his work unique 

and so unexpected. He’s inspired by the modernist 

style, a few years spent in Japan, and the fact that 

he shares his studio space with veteran woodworker 

Peter Pierobon. “But in my work, function usually 

follows form,” he says. - 


16

Thank You Vancouver 

for voting us the 

Best Antique/Reproduction 

furniture store 

Classic Chinese Interiors 

for Modern Living 

PEKING LOUNGE 83 E. PENDER ST. 

VANCOUVER 604.844.1559 

WWW.PEKINGLOUNGE.COM 

 

 

2 bedroom homes priced from $390,600 

Every once in a while life offers an opportunity that surpasses all 

expectations. Motif is a spacious urban retreat centrally located 

in Burnaby’s vibrant Brentwood community. Interiors are a sleek, 

sophisticated blend of wood, glass and stainless steel, and stunning 

views set the mood night and day. Imagine the convenience of having 

shops, restaurants, and a private fitness spa an elevator ride away 

– and being just 15 minutes from downtown by Skytrain. A home 

at Motif will shape the quality of your future. Seize the moment. 

Your Defining Moment 

SALES OFFICE 

1801 Rosser Avenue, Burnaby BC 

Open noon to 5PM daily 

(closed Fridays) 

604.298.8800 

www.motifatciti.com 


17


1 

INspiration… 

World Class Furnishings, 

Down to Earth Prices 

Celebrating their sixth anniversary this year, INspiration continues to be the premier and fastest growing home and office furniture 

showroom in Vancouver. With the addition of Bo Concept Urban Design two years ago and the newly revamped Natuzzi Gallery showcasing 

an extensive collection of sleek, contemporary Italian seating and accessories, INspiration has reestablished it’s 

ongoing commitment to aesthetically beautiful modern furniture at a great value, all in one convenient location. 

INspiration is also confident that their in-house designers and sales staff can help you achieve a stunning home with an 

everyday low-price guarantee that assures you the utmost value for your money. Come visit us soon and see for yourself.

RENOVATIONS>> 

EXTREME 

MAKE-OVER 

STORY 

AN ARTIST, A LIGHTING 

DESIGNER, AND A FURNITURE 

MAKER TRANSFORM A TOWNHOUSE 

BY PATTY JONES 

NEOPOLITAN BAMBOO CABINETS 

SET OFF ULTRAMODERN 

APPLIANCES, A WHITE CORIAN 

COUNTER, AND EXPANSES OF 

BAMBOO FLOORING THE 

COLOUR OF DARK COFFEE. 


20 

Last winter, before retreating to its current 

corner in the dining room of artist Marianna 

Gartner and lighting designer Gabor Csakany’s 

newly renovated condominium, the 

antique aluminum prosthetic leg with the wooden 

foot was busy being a prop. 

Gartner was using it for a painting, inspired 

by a 1934 work by French artist Alfred Courmes, 

that soon sold in Berlin. But the prosthetic, 

scooped from a Vancouver antique shop, hasn’t 

got a leg to stand on among all the other curios 

in Gartner and Csakany’s Fairview Slopes 

townhouse. Pistol-packing Hungarian wooden 

rabbit? Check. Spanish gargoyle? Check. “A lot 

of things are from our travels,” Gartner says in 

an interview at their home. 

These things reside in an airy 1,440-squarefoot, 

three-storey abode that is one bathroom 

short of completing its 11-month-long transformation. 

There is a sunlit atrium with an 18-foot 

ceiling, a kitchen where stripy Neopolitan bamboo 

cabinetry flanks ultramodern appliances, 

and expanses of bamboo flooring the colour of 

dark coffee. But this is now. There was a “then”. 

“I called it a wormhole,” says Gartner, describing 

the 1983-built townhouse when they first 

stepped inside last fall. “It was very dated, very 

dingy. It had dirty wall-to-wall carpeting; dingy 

paint; dated, dingy kitchen and bathrooms.” 

“I liked the architectural details, but otherwise 

I wouldn’t buy it,” Csakany says. “I knew Gabor 

could fix anything,” says Gartner. 

They soon had keys to “anything” and were 

ripping out its carpets and gutting its kitchen of 

pesky datedness. 

They went four months kitchenless. Renovating 

can make grown people weep, but if anyone 

cried, they’re not saying. “You hear horror stories,” 

says Gartner. “We’re not angels, but we get along 

really well renovating.” 

Csakany and their aged Saab made trips to 

environmentally friendly GreenWorks Building 

Supply. “He’s proud of the lugging that old 

Saab can do,” Gartner says. The Saab lugged 

coffee-coloured and Neopolitan bamboo. It 

lugged PaperStone countertop. It lugged a 

lean, brushed-metal fridge and a deep, chic 

Quebec-made bathtub. Csakany and Gartner 

lugged things up and down staircases. 

“We were a team,” Gartner says, “but Gabor 

does most of it.” “Most of it” meant laying bamboo 

flooring almost entirely himself, including on 

wraparound stairs. It meant setting Italian-ceramic 

tile around a fireplace, in an entranceway, and in 

a bathroom. He installed radiant heating under 

floors. He put in a German stovetop, designing 

and installing the hood and backsplash. He added 

aluminum ledges and wood-chip beams that share 

a warm, zebra sensibility with the kitchen cabinetry. 

“There has to be a kind of flow,” says Csakany. 

Csakany is a man who lights up a place. “We 

hoped there would be enough light. We knew 

there would be if we did this,” Gartner says. 

“This” was removing a floor from the glassblocked 

atrium’s top level. Light flooded into 

what they envisioned would be the artist’s studio 

below. Now, she is working, painting surreal, often 

macabre twists on Victorian-style portraiture. 

Gartner shows mainly at Berlin’s Galerie Michael 

Haas and Galerie Haas & Fuchs. (The couple just 

spent six months away while she painted in Berlin, 

putting a halt to renovations.) In November, 

she’ll show solo at New York’s Max Lang Gallery. 

“I’m doing a few extra paintings, little heads on 

wood panels,” she says. 

Gartner chipped out tile and transformed 

walls from hospital greens, burgundies, and 

“bad” yellows to pale greys and off-whites. In 

the kitchen, Csakany installed monopoints and 

German-made halogens. He reconfigured an 

aluminum dining-room chandelier into something 

they now aptly call “the bird’s nest”. 

He is a man to whom people give lights 

that won’t work. In the living room upstairs, he 

strung 1910-style light bulbs he calls “pigtails” 

along a thin cable. Blue LED lights Csakany installed 

down the staircase make it feel like an 

ultracool airport runway. 

“I put in my two cents,” Gartner says. At least one 

of those cents went into the kitchen. They couldn’t

decide on the countertops. And there 

were other questions. At GreenWorks, 

they’d heard about Utility Furniture’s 

Derek Morton, a Vancouver designer 

and installer of furniture and, notably, 

kitchens. “We looked at a table he’d 

made and we hired him,” Gartner says. 

“You know how it goes with renos. 

They were conflicting,” Morton says, 

laughing, on the line from Brunswick 

Beach. He is working on his “biggest 

job yet”: bathrooms, a home office, 

and millwork on a beachfront house 

for West Coast–modern design firm 

BattersbyHowat. “It’s a lot nicer than 

my windowless shop.” 

His shop is at artisan-central 1000 

Parker Street. From making furniture on 

his balcony “for fun”, he now designs and 

installs full-time for everyone from private 

clients to the Diane Farris Gallery to 

Café Medina. His style, he says, is “urbancontemporary 

natural. I love the city, but I 

also love nature. I try to combine that into 

something usable but interesting.” He 

also likes interesting clients. 

“Gabor and Marianna are great, 

very artistic and creative,” says Morton. 

“You’ve seen his lighting and her paintings—they 

have unique art everywhere. 

What makes the house is their incredible 

style.” What Gartner didn’t think was her 

style was the white Corian countertop 

Morton suggested for the kitchen. 

But she reconsidered. “Our ideas met 

and Derek got Marianna’s approval,” 

Csakany says, smiling. Morton designed 

and built stunning, deep-drawered 

Neopolitan bamboo cabinets, topping 

them with striking white Corian countertops. 

“Derek was right,” Gartner says, 

adding, “It looks cool, contemporary. It 

really lifts up the whole kitchen.” 

Morton got the bathroom-cabinetry 

gig too. Csakany hand-plastered clay 

walls. Waiting were a dual-flush toilet, 

modern above-counter sinks, and Csakany’s 

rare, art deco hood ornament from 

an old Australian Holden car—a reclining 

naked lady who will prop up toilet-paper 

rolls. Morton framed the massive existing 

mirror in bamboo. Ready for the countertop 

was the black PaperStone, made of 

ground, recycled-paper pellets, resined 

and compressed. “I’d always wanted 

to work with it,” says Morton. “And it’s 

green,” he says, not meaning the colour. 

Gartner’s and Csakany’s tastes and 

creations are everywhere in the townhouse. 

A cool, black church pew enjoys 

a rebirth as dining-room seating. “It was 

10 feet long. I cut it down to seven,” says 

Csakany. A 1950s airplane lamp sits in a 

corner, a witty ceramic urn by Canadian 

artist Kirsten Abrahamson in the stairwell. 

Everywhere, too, are Gartner’s arresting 

paintings. On the dining-room 

wall is her Diablo Baby, plump and 

jolly. It has devil and skeleton tattoos. 

Horns curl from its forehead. Gartner 

jokes that she is always promising paintings 

to Csakany, “and then I end up putting 

them in the show”. “It’s not fair,” 

Csakany says, laughing. “It’s totally not 

fair.” But clearly, they like their collaboration 

very much. - 

School of Fashion Design 

“Learn by doing” 

“From concept to presentation, 

clothing in Couture to Ready-to-wear” 

Register Now for 

The January 2009 

Diploma Program 

Limited seating available 

100-247 Abbott Street 

Vancouver BC 

Ph: 604-687-3352 

Fax: 604-687-3356 

www.helenlefeaux.com 

info@helenlefeaux.com 

SHOWROOM Comtemporary Rugs 

Hand Made 

NEW FALL COLLECTION IS IN 

East India Carpets 

Persian & Contemporary Classics since 1948 

WAREHOUSE 

60 th Anniversary Sale 

Everything in the warehouse 

location 60% OFF 

1606 West 2nd Ave. Vancouver | 604.736.5681 

Mon - Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5 (closed Thanksgiving day) 

Free Parking | www.eastindiacarpets.com 


21

HOMEWARES>> 

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE 

DUTCH OVENS GET STEWS AND KITCHEN DECOR COOKING 

BY CAROLYN ALI 

As we hunker down for months of drizzle, it’s time 

to turn on the oven—and keep it on. On a cold, 

damp day, a bubbling stew simmering slowly 

in the oven defines the hearth of the house. 

And there’s something especially primal about preparing 

and serving food in a timeless, earthy vessel. 

For centuries, people worldwide have cooked food 

slowly in heavy pots with tight-fitting lids. In local stores, 

such pots are often labelled Dutch or French ovens. 

They’re usually made of cast iron or ceramic. 

Restaurateur Laurent Devin of Kitsilano’s Bistrot Bistro 

explains that enamelled cast-iron cookware is perfect for 

braising. “It’s a staple in every French family—you have 

COLOURFUL POTS LIKE 

LE CREUSET’S ARE STAPLES 

IN FRENCH HOUSEHOLDS. 

one piece minimum,” he says. “My grandmother used 

to use it, my parents got rid of it, and my generation is 

going back to it.” 

That’s because the cast iron retains heat, allowing 

slow, moist, even cooking. “It’s very durable,” he says, 

adding that although good-quality pieces are expensive, 

they last a lifetime. He has experimented with 

cheaper varieties but says the enamel gets chipped 

and the cast iron isn’t as thick, concluding that “the 

price you pay is what you get”. 

Whichever cooking vessel you choose, bring it to the 

table with pride. Part of the pleasure is enjoying the burst 

of colour these pieces inject into a dreary day. - 

WHAT’S HOT IN POTS 

Le Creuset 6.4-litre oval 

$349 at Cookworks 

(1548 West Broadway; 

377 Howe Street) 

Le Creuset remains the 

classic—and most expensive—of 

the enamelled 

cast-iron genre. Made in France, the company’s 

pieces come in a rainbow of colours, from flame to 

kiwi to cobalt blue. They’re stovetop-safe, so you 

can brown and braise in the same pot. 

IKEA Senior 3.0-litre casserole 

$39.99 at IKEA (3200 

Sweden Way, Richmond; 

1000 Lougheed Highway, 

Coquitlam) You can’t beat 

the price of IKEA’s Senior 

line of enamelled cast-iron 

cookware. This brilliant-blue casserole is oven-safe 

and good for all cooktops, including induction. 

Emile Henry 3.2-litre braiser 

$149.98 at Ming Wo 

(various locations) 

Emile Henry’s ceramic 

FLAME line is designed 

for slow cooking in the 

oven or on most stovetops. Pieces, in black or red, 

range from mini stewpots to Asian-style clay pots. 

FINAL SELL-OUT 

PRICING 

Legacy, an architectural jewel located next to the Holdom SkyTrain station in 

the desirable and central Brentwood neighbourhood, offers everything you’ve 

been waiting for. The incredible, blow-out prices on the impressive selection of 

floorplans still available makes Legacy an opportunity you can’t afford to miss. 

Visit Legacy’s two display suites today and see how easy living large can be. 


22 

Prices subject to change without notice 

AMENITIES 

BUILDING 

LOUGHEED 

SKYTRAIN STN. 

LEGACY SITE 

SOUTH 

TOWER 

NORTH 

TOWER 

SALES 

CENTRE 

HOLDOM 

GORING


23

RENOVATIONS>> 

A FOCAL POINT 

FOR A RETRO 

KITCHEN, 

NORTHSTAR 

APPLIANCES 

WOULD MAKE 

JUNE CLEAVER 

GO MINT GREEN 

WITH ENVY. 

GOING 

BACK 

TO THE 

FUTURE 

THE CLASSIC 1950S 

KITCHEN NEVER SEEMS 

TO GO OUT OF STYLE 

BY MIKE USINGER 


24 

B 

ecause classic looks never go out of style, 

Elmira Stove Works knew it had a hit with its 

Northstar retro appliances as soon as the 

first refrigerator rolled off the assembly 

line. But launching the collection—which today features 

fridges, stoves, and range hoods in colours 

inspired by the era that gave us ’57 Chevys, Leave 

It to Beaver, and the birth of rock ’n’ roll—took a 

leap of faith. Basically, the Ontario-based company 

hoped that if you build it, they will come. 

“We’ve always believed that there’s limited value 

in doing market research on something like this, because 

consumers have no idea they want it until they 

actually see it,” says Tony Dowling, business development 

manager for Elmira Stove Works. “If you went 

out and said ‘Would you buy a retro refrigerator?’ 

most people would say ‘What for?’ The nature of our 

product is that it was designed to look spectacular. 

When people see it, it becomes a have-to-have.” 

Offered in nine Elvis-period colours, including 

buttercup yellow, robin’s-egg blue, mint green, 

and flamingo pink, Northstar’s appliances are, as 

advertised, indeed spectacular. Add space-age 

chrome detailing and you’ve got something every 

bit as covetable as a restored Chevy TriFive. Their 

instant must-have appeal is somehow fitting, considering 

they seem like artifacts from a time when 

Americans were being convinced that they needed 

to consume like they’d never consumed before. And

clearly that message got rammed home, which explains 

why ’50s-style reproductions are big business today, and 

why vintage Arborite tables and other accessories from 

the era command premium prices at antique stores. 

According to Rob Gray, who won a Genie for his 

set design for 2006’s critically acclaimed (and cleverly 

subversive) ’50s zombie comedy Fido, it was in post– 

Second World War America that advertising truly became 

the powerful tool it remains today. 

“Advertising was really a propaganda tool used 

after the war to convince people that everything was 

okay,” he says. “ ‘We’re the good guys, we won the battle 

and came out on top, there’s a chicken in every pot, 

and everyone drives a nice car.’ So you had colour advertising 

for really beautiful cars and ranges that were 

so beautiful that you drool.” 

While it might have been the job of the man to 

bring home the bacon for the wife and 2.2 kids, it was 

the job of appliance manufacturers to get women excited 

about being in the kitchen. 

“It was the woman’s domain—they got to rule that 

roost,” Gray notes. “So the use of colours that were really 

interesting started to appear—soft blues and pinks 

and turquoises, whereas before that everything was 

much more reliant upon primary colours. 

“I think the aesthetic of all that was to mask the horrors 

of a lot of things that had happened,” he continues. 

“People love to surround themselves with things of 

beauty, with things that make them feel good. I mean, 

you can never imagine going in and painting your kitchen 

black. Even if you’re a goth rocker, that sucks, man.” 

As much as the colours of the day were a key concern 

for Elmira Stove Works, Dowling is careful to point out 

that Northstar appliances—introduced in 2002—weren’t 

conceived as new-millennium carbon copies of classic 

Viking ranges or Frigidaire refrigerators. 

“We often say it’s more reminiscent than reproduction,” 

he says. “It’s almost like the PT Cruiser. There 

was never a vehicle like that back in the ’50s, but everybody 

thinks there should have been.” 

So let’s say that you’ve decided to spring for a selfcleaning 

Northstar 1955 range (around $4,200) in robin’segg 

blue, which also gets you features (sealed burners, 

dual halogen oven lights) that your great-grandparents 

never even dreamed of. You accessorize that with a 

Northstar 1950 fridge (around $4,000; line available locally 

via R.E. MacDonald Stoves & Stones Ltd. at 3711 

248th Street in Aldergrove, 604-856-1551), which comes 

loaded with glass shelving, adjustable door bins, and 

sliding freezer baskets. Having got a head start on your 

’50s dream kitchen, it only seems sensible to make sure 

everything’s as perfect as Father Knows Best with a 

Northstar 1953 microwave (around $749), 1957 chromehandled 

dishwasher panel (around $399), and 1959 

range hood (around $1,100), all available in the same 

nine retro colours as the fridges and stoves. 

From there, turning your kitchen into something that 

June Cleaver would trade her pearl necklace and high 

heels for is easier than it might seem. On the vintage front, 

Attic Treasures (944 Commercial Drive) wasn’t named 

best antique store in the Georgia Straight’s recent Best 

of Vancouver issue for nothing. Current ’50s finds there 

include a butter-yellow Arborite table with two grey 

chrome chairs ($499) and a grey Arborite number ($445, 

including four chairs). Of course, going that route might 

require you to rethink the colour of your appliances. 

For those who long ago accepted that no kitchen 

make-over is ever cheap, there’s also the option of going 

the custom-built cabinets. Nostalgia & Co. (www. 

nostalgiaco.com) in Cambridge, Ontario, specializes in 

retro ’50s décor, from diner booths ($995 to $2,595) to 

made-to-order chrome dinette sets to whatever kind 

of kitchen cabinets your Arthur Fonzarelli–fixated mind 

might be able to dream up. 

“We specialize in decorating restaurants and nightclubs,” 

says Tim Sykes, a representative at Nostalgia & 

Co., which ships across Canada. “We’re just doing a local 

burger place right now where all the interior is in retro 

’50s diner style. So we can pretty much do anything that 

you can dream up.” 

For those who prefer a more do-it-yourself approach, 

set designer Gray suggests that dreaming up the perfect 

’50s kitchen isn’t as daunting a task as it might seem. 

“I did it,” he says with a laugh. “There are repros of 

pretty much everything. The original stuff is harder to 

find, but there’s a lot of quality stuff on eBay.” 

As for getting that perfect Fido feel, it’s possible if 

you put in the time. 

“You start with design books—I’ve probably got 

about 40 of them from the 1950s,” Gray says. “A lot of my 

research came from advertising from the ’50s.” 

Once he’d done his research, it was a simple matter of 

assembling the pieces. 

“That’s when you put the tiles and the colour palettes 

together to build your aesthetic.” 

Gray notes that—as Fido emphasized—behind closed 

doors people 50 years ago were as secretly messed up 

as they are today. But that doesn’t change the fact that the 

era had a look that today stands up as classic. 

“Perhaps we forget the stuff that was ugly, but there 

was a certain amount of style that was associated with 

a car or an appliance,” he says. “I’d have no problem 

driving a Porsche Boxster, but would I pay $140,000? 

No—that’s silly. But if I had a 1957 Caddy? With those 

big lights on the back, you’ll feel like a million bucks. 

That shows up way better than a 2008 BMW.” - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available at these fine stores: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


25

REAL ESTATE>> 

A FOOT 

IN THE 

DOOR? 

BUYER’S MARKET BECKONS 

SINGLE HOUSE HUNTERS 


26 

WITH REAL-ESTATE 

PRICES TURNING 

DOWN, SINGLES 

MIGHT BE ABLE 

TO HOLD ON TO 

THEIR DREAMS. 

TYLER STALMAN 

PHOTO. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY SARAH ROWLAND 

We take the groceries in by ourselves. We 

cover mat leaves. We spend Valentine’s 

Day with our mothers. We are the working-class 

single people of Vancouver 

and we usually get the short end of the stick in all areas 

of life, including real estate. 

But there’s some good news for those solo fliers who 

don’t have trust funds, prosperous grow-ops, or fat ICBC 

settlements: we are no longer condemned to a life of 

renting. Buying Vancouver real estate just got a little bit 

easier. In fact, Lower Mainland prices have come down 

approximately 10 percent in the last year. But as realtor 

Orville Sam (orvillesam.com) points out, some sellers 

are still in denial. 

“All sellers believe their home is the best home on the 

planet, so sometimes it’s really tough to get them to bring 

their numbers down,” says Sam, who recently had to terminate 

two listings because the clients simply wouldn’t 

budge. “Usually, though, after a couple of weeks of seeing 

what’s taking place in the market…and showing them 

the actual statistics relating to their area, then they get a 

pretty good idea that prices are starting to change.” 

First-time buyers shouldn’t get too excited quite yet. 

Their square-footage options haven’t changed much 

since last year. For example, if you could only afford 

a $300,000 one-bedroom in Mount Pleasant last year, 

it’s not as if you can go out and score a two-bedroom 

in Kits now. 

It would take at least a 25-percent decrease in housing 

prices for you to take that same $300,000 and get a twobedroom 

in Van proper. But many experts are predicting 

that reduction will happen within the next 18 months. In the 

meantime, if you want something more spacious for the 

same price, get to know the SkyTrain schedule, because 

you’re moving to Whalley. 

“I think Surrey is going to be a really great market—as 

&

long as you don’t mind the 

commute,” says Sam, who 

works for Sutton Group – 

West Coast Realty. “The 

numbers are great—you 

can get a brand-spankingnew 

home in a nice neighbourhood 

for $200,000.” 

Many $400,000 pads are 

also staying on the market 

longer and eventually dropping 

10 percent. Interestingly, 

though, we’re not seeing 

a whole lot of movement in 

$500,000 listings. 

There are other challenges 

for single-income 

newbies. The industry 

maximum of a 40-year 

amortization period has 

also dropped. If you buy 

right now, you’re probably 

looking at a 35-year mortgage, 

but most experts expect 

that to go as low as 30 

in the near future. And having 

to dole out more cash 

per month in a shorter period 

means it’s going to be 

tougher for a single person 

to obtain a mortgage. Under 

those circumstances, 

lenders would prefer two 

peeps on the title. But overall, 

the consensus seems to 

be it’s a great time to get 

into the market. 

“I think everybody got a 

really nice ride,” say Sam 

of sellers and realtors who 

made a killing with the skyrocketing 

prices of yesteryear. 

“But the numbers are 

going back to where I think 

they typically should have 

been in the fi rst place.” 

And as for waiting for 

marriage before taking 

on a mortgage, Sam feels 

that’s just not the best fi nancial 

decision to be making. 

“That used to be an 

order of things,” says 

Sam before adding: “But 

not anymore.” - 

Vancouver’s most beautiful 

decorative pillows! 

196 West 3rd Ave., 

Vancouver, BC | 604.879.8488 

www.pillowdecor.com 

ENVIRONMENTALLY 

FRIENDLY CHOICES! 

 

NATUR CORK FLOORING 

The natural flooring solution! 100% natural cork is stabilized by a solid 

HDF core assuring that the product will lay flat and stay flat for it’s 

entire life. Cork is actually the bark of a Cork Oak Tree and is a fully 

renewable resource. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting at only... 

 

 

 

 

Made from 90% recycled wood fibres! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B 

 

 

Decorating Doesn’t Stop 

at the Door 

At Windsor, we are your local door store! Excellent selection of distinctive door 

styles in a variety of wood specie including vertical grain fir, clear and knotty pine as 

well as our moulded panel series. See us for interior, exterior, bifold and french doors. 

RYour children’s 

future matters 

vote 

October 14 

encourages you to do the smart thing 

Learn more at 

EARLY WEEK SPECIALS 

For your first visit to our spa 

and to our VIP members 

MENTION 

THIS AD 

DELUXE FACIAL 

Reg. $70 VIP $49 NOW $ 39 20 

Offered Monday-Wednesday in 

October with select estheticians. 

For booked appointments only. 

Limited Time Offer. 

1888 W. 1st Ave. 

604.736.0030 

www.lindasurbanspa.com 

M-T 9-7 W-F 9-8 ST 9-6 SN 10-6 

Fir Carrara Clear Pine Cheyenne 3 Panel Shaker Rio Pine 

V.G. Fir 

Complete door shop services including prehanging, machining your new door to 

match your existing door hardware, installing decorative glass. We’d be happy to 

assist with installations. 

 

 

Mon - Fri: 7:00am - 5:30pm 

Saturday 8:30am - 5:00pm 

www.windsorplywood.com 

 


27


28 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TELUS AUTHORIZED 

DEALERS 

 

Abbotsford/Chilliwack 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burnaby 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coquitlam 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delta 

 

Langley/Cloverdale 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows 

 

 

 

Mission 

 

 

North Vancouver 

 

 

 

 

 

Pemberton 

 

Port Moody 

 

Richmond 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Squamish 

 

 

Surrey/White Rock 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Vancouver 

 

Whistler 

 

 

Castlegar 

 

Kamloops 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelowna/Westbank 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Penticton 

 

 

 

Salmon Arm 

 

 

Vernon

PJ 

CRAFTY CANINE Kawaii means cuteness in Japanese. And 

the best kawaii in the adorable-hip Abbott Street J-pop shop 

Occupied (221 Abbott Street) is Hakoinu, or “Box Dog”. Hakoinu is 

mysterious: Occupied owner Jenelle Pratt thinks the story of the 

charming cardboard doggie and its quest to find the boy who left it 

behind originated in the 1960s. The pup, and its likeness on products 

galore, is near impossible to find outside Japan. But Pratt has 

scored goodies: postcards ($3); an irresistible wooden Hakoinu on 

a swing ($42); a beguiling DVD set ($38). The 30-minute stop-motion 

video tells the tender, funny tale of the dog “traveling to find the 

boy”; plus, you get everything to construct your own Hakoinu. > PJ 

GUYS AND DOLLS Anime meets tradition in the adorably funky 

figurines at EQ3 Furniture (2301 Granville Street and 1039 Hamilton 

Street; $9.99 and up). Our favourites are the blue-eyed Ninja, the fanfluttering 

geisha, and the sumo bunny. They’re a cool compliment to 

the curvy, acid-yellow vases and neon-dotted rugs amid the store’s 

ode to all things Japanese this fall. Cherry-blossom-bedecked bed 

sheets and water-crane-emblazoned pillows will also have you 

hankering for Harajuku. > Janet Smith 

Do you Have Difficulty Sleeping? 

Restore optimum sleeping patterns 

Reach your peak performance zone 

Maximize your potential 

Enhance your abilities 

Build mental stamina, strength and flexibility 

Experience heightened cognitive proficiency 

Train your brain directly using Neurofeedback* 

*Brain EEG Biofeedback 

604-839-0729 

www.TotalMindTraining.ca 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


29

SUSTAINABILITY>> 

FARHAT KHAN USES 

A WORM BIN TO 

MAKE COMPOST SHE 

TRADES FOR PRODUCE. 

MICHAEL LEVENSTON 

PHOTO. OPPOSITE 

PAGE: JASON MAEHL 

PHOTO. 

ART OF COMPOSTING 

YOU DON’T NEED A BACK YARD TO TURN FOOD 

SCRAPS INTO FERTILE SOIL 

BY CARLITO PABLO 

Friendship can grow from just 

about every imaginable place 

and situation. For Farhat Khan, 

one blossomed out of the compost 

she creates in an indoor bin. 

A few years ago, while Khan was volunteering 

for City Farmer, a Kitsilano-based 

group that teaches urban farming to Vancouver 

residents, a woman approached 

her and asked if she knew anyone who 

could give her some compost. The woman 

had a plot at a nearby community garden 

but didn’t have a composter. 

“So I said I could do that, and that’s 

how I met her,” Khan says. 

Since then, she’s been giving the woman 

compost she makes, and in return, the 

community gardener shares her produce. 

“We have a really nice exchange,” Khan 

says. “It’s wonderful, and I made a wonderful 

friend that way.” 

For more than three years now, Khan, 

who manages a call centre for a venturecapital 

company, has been teaching people 

how to turn raw food scraps into fertile 

soil right in their homes. Like many people, 

she doesn’t have a back yard. She used to 

live in an apartment and recently moved 

into a condo. In these small spaces, she 

has grown plants like geraniums and roses 

using the compost she makes. 

For composting, she uses the worm 

bin that Vancouver residents can get 

from City Farmer (2150 Maple Street) 

for $25. Measuring 85 centimetres at the 

base and 85 centimetres high, the bin 

comes with a one-hour course on composting, 

an instructional book, and 500 

wriggler worms. 

Khan’s raw fruit and vegetable 

scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and 

tea bags all go into this bin. But won’t 

this stuff give out a rotten smell and 

foul up a smaller apartment or condo? 

Not so, says City Farmer executive 

director Michael Levenston. When composting 

is done properly, Levenston 

explains, “it should be a nice smell, the 

same smell you get in the forest.” 

So far this year, City Farmer has taught 

500 Vancouverites how to compost 

food scraps that otherwise would have 

ended up in the garbage and ultimately 

the landfill. 

The group teaches residents how to 

manage their indoor bins, particularly 

AUC ION 


30 

UPCOMING AUCTION EVERYONE WELCOME 

COQUITLAM HARDWOOD, LAMINATE & 

FLOATING FLOOR AUCTION 

DATE/TIME: Saturday October 18th 2008, 1:00pm 

ADDRESS: 1500 Lougheed Hwy, Coquitlam, BC 

PREVIEW: Friday October 17th, 2008 noon to 6pm & Saturday October 18th 9am to 1pm 

HUGE QUANTITY OF VERY HIGH END HARDWOOD, 

LAMINATE & ENGINEERED FLOORING! 

ABLE AUCTIONS HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SELL WITH *NO MINIMUM PRICE* 

REGARDLESS OF COST OR LOSS. DON’T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE INVENTORY OF 

BEAUTIFUL FLOORING! IT ALL HAS TO GO - ONE DAY ONLY!! 

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!! 

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR A MORE DETAILED CATALOG... 

ONCE THE AUCTIONEER SETS THE PRICE - YOU STATE HOW MANY SQUARE FEET YOU 

NEED, IT’S UP TO YOU!!!! YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT OUR WIDE SELECTION INCLUDING: 

· JAPANESE CHERRY SOLID HARDWOOD · BRAZILIAN & BLACK WALNUT SOLID EXOTIC HARDWOOD 

· HONEY, RED OR COLONIAL OAK HARDWOODS · OAK, MAPLE OR BAMBOO ENGINEERED FLOATING HARDWOOD 

FLOORING * GREAT OVER CONCRETE * · OVER 10,000 FEET OF 13.5, 12.3 & 8.3MM VERY HIGH END LAMINATE 

FLOORING IN A VARIETY OF STYLES AND COLORS 

Please call:(604) 325-2253 or 1-888-599-2253 

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT 

WWW.ABLEAUCTIONS.CA OR CALL 604-594-2253 

DETAILS SUBJECT TO ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS

how to deal with fruit flies. 

Here’s how it’s done. In a 

container, combine half 

a cup of fruit juice, two 

drops of vinegar, and two 

drops of liquid dish soap. 

Place the container on top 

of the compost bedding 

inside the bin. According 

to Levenston, the solution 

traps and kills the fruit flies 

that are attracted to it, but 

he recommends that bins 

be placed on balconies 

if possible. 

A step-by-step guide 

to using a worm bin is on 

the City Farmer Web site 

(www.cityfarmer.org). The 

30-year-old organization 

also maintains a composting 

hot line (604-736-2250). 

People using indoor bins 

can collect their compost 

every three to four months. 

After separating the wriggler 

worms from the new 

soil, they can start all over 

again. Those who don’t 

have plants of their own can 

donate the compost to the 

landscaping of their apartment 

building or to nearby 

community gardens. They 

might even meet some 

new friends. - 

TURNING A NEW LEAF 

Leaves—and plenty of them—are a back-yard 

compost maker’s most valuable resource, according 

to local urban-farming advocate Michael 

Levenston. Leaves are the primary ingredient in 

back-yard composting, the executive director of 

City Farmer explains. 

“All year long, you want to compost some of 

your fruit and vegetable scraps…and in order to 

compost that waste properly, each time you put 

that waste into your bin, you want to put handfuls 

of leaves on top of your waste,” Levenston says. 

That’s why fall is an important season for gardeners 

like him. “So we tell people now, rake, 

collect, put in plastic bags—as many bags as you 

feel you’re going to need, six to 12—store them, 

and use those all during the year,” he says. “They’ll 

need it for the winter, spring, and summer.” 

Leaves serve as the first layer in back-yard composting 

bins that Vancouver residents can purchase 

for $25 from the city’s waste transfer station (377 West 

Kent Avenue North). City Farmer provides a guide 

on how to do back-yard composting on its Web site 

(www.cityfarmer.org). 

modernorganic 

– IMPORTED FROM JAPAN – 

New Members of the Asahi 

Family of Premium Beers 

Available at these private liquor stores and other locations! 

VANCOUVER 

 

 

 

 

RICHMOND 

 

 

SOUTH BURNABY 

 

DISTRIBUTED BY 

 

 

2 Litre also available at 

most B.C. Liquor Stores 


31 

kozaidesigns.com 604 677 8166

eMax cosmetic laser + RF system 

Immediate Results! 

Treats Acne 

Non-surgical Skin Tightening 

Introductory pricing from 

Call for Details 

Hair Removal 

$ 

68 

8008 Granville Street @ 64th 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Info Session 

 

Saturday October 18, 2008 

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

 

(Focus on Grad School applications) 

 

Upcoming Open Houses 

 

Saturday 

 

October 

 

25, 2008 

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Registration Required 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Far-Infrared? 

Inexpensive to operate - pennies for 30 minutes 

Promotes soft & healthy skin providing radiant glow 

Aids in the removal of toxins via the sweat mechanism 

Aides in cellulite reduction & weight loss 

Why Solarus? 

High Quality Craftsmanship like that of fi ne furniture 

No tools required - 25 minute setup 

Lifetime Factory Warranty on heater elements 

20 years manufacturing for a global market 

“Your essential home health tool” 

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY AT OUR SHOWROOM LOCATIONS 

1-800-651-7968 

www.SOLARUSsauna.com 

Michael Jogia 

urban homes...urban lifestyles 

604.341.8969 

www.michaeljogia.com 

each office independently owned and operated 

Remax Select Properties 250 - 4255 Arbutus St Vancouver 604.737.8865 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE NO-PAIN, NO-SHOT, PERFECT SMILE 

LUMINEERS Porcelain Veneers 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ron A. Melnyk, DMD 

Champlain Square, 7120 Kerr St. 

604.433.9565 

info@coastaldental.ca 

Persian Arts and Crafts 

Gemstones for Healing? 

If you know your healing stones and have been searching for the 

perfect quality, color and size. Persian Arts and Crafts has been 

dealing in gemstones for over 50 years. We offer a vast selection 

and can help you create your custom setting. 

Visa required for viewing of larger stones. 

Please call Mr. Vishva Soni at 

604-681-4639 

650 West Georgia 

inside Vancouver Centre Mall 

FREE 15 minute 

consultation 

with this ad 

(expires Oct. 31) 

• Nutrition • Herbal Medicine • Acupuncture • Counseling 

For the treatment and prevention of acute and chronic illnesses 

Dr. Tonia Mitchell, Naturopathic Physician 

4480 Main St. 604-879-WELL(9355) 

www.naturallywellhealth.com 


32 

www.JackyEssombe.com 

With Live Drumming 

and African 

Guest Teachers 

Saturday, Nov. 29 th 

ONE DAY WORKSHOP!!! 

Ritual Dance 

Traditional Songs 

& Dances from Africa 

Drum Circle 

Storytelling 

604.408.8582 

ENJOY YOUR VIEW 

Eliminate direct sunlight and 

clunky blinds with these custom 

manufactured Roller Shades. 

 

 

 

SPECTRUM 

COVERINGS 

604 837 8788 

SPECIAL 

& pure smile 

LASER TEETH WHITENING 

 

 

ONLY $199

HOMEBODY>> 

HOME IS WHERE 

THE HARP IS 

MUSICIAN HEIDI KRUTZEN HITS 

NOTES OF CASUAL SIMPLICITY 

BY JESSICA WERB / WILLIAM TING PHOTO 

Principal harpist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra 

and the CBC Radio Orchestra, Heidi 

Krutzen is also a member of Trio Verlaine, the 

Krutzen/McGhee Duo, and the Turning Point 

Ensemble. This month she’s joining the Vancouver Symphony 

Orchestra on its Asia-Pacific tour. We caught up 

with her and her harps in her Kitsilano apartment, which 

doubles as her teaching studio and private oasis. 

Where do you practise? 

I have two bedrooms, and the harps get the smaller 

one. I kind of use that as a little mini studio. 

Do your neighbours ever comment on your playing? 

I’ve been really fortunate. One of the reasons I picked 

this building is that it’s concrete.…I’ve only ever had 

one comment and that was from one of my neighbours, 

and she said, “I wish you played more often.” 

How would you describe your home style? 

Most of my furniture is European and it’s casual but 

elegant, comfortable, simple. I like simplicity a lot. 

Where do you entertain? 

My place has got a really open layout and the kitchen 

and the living room are all one space. If I’m cooking, 

I have a little bar area and people tend to hang out 

right there. If not, we’re usually in the living room. 

What’s your favourite place to cocoon? 

My living room. It’s got circular windows. I love the light 

that comes through here. It’s always different in the different 

seasons but also during different times of day. 

What’s your most treasured possession? 

My grandmother grew up in Africa, and I have two of her 

wood carvings from there, which I love. She grew up in 

Abyssinia, which is Ethiopia, and Tanzania, and later in 

her life lived in Senegal and French Somalia as well. Two 

of her pieces have been given to me, and I love those. 

But I should probably say my harps, too, right? 


34 

What’s on your walls? 

I’ve got some African baskets and I have some African 

batiks, and I have a painting by one of my aunts that 

I love. I also have a painting by my friend Janine and 

a couple of Monets from when I lived in Paris—just 

prints! 

Who are your favourite artists? 

I’m a huge fan of Charles Forsberg and of course Tiko 

Kerr, and my friend Janine Johnston. 

What’s always in your fridge? 

Cheese and wine. I’m a cheese-aholic. Les Amis du 

Fromage is much too close to where I live. 

Flowers or potted plants? 

I love fl owers. I don’t have them all that often but I 

have some on my decks that I plant and I get cut fl owers 

when I can. -

Live Oct. 19 

Richards on Richards 

Live Dec. 30 & 31 

Vogue Theatre 

 

 

 

Style...Comfort...Space... 

Since 1985 Majestic has been helping you sleep well and save space at affordable prices. 

Twenty three years later and our product line has grown to include solid hardwood bedroom 

suites, memory foam futons, organic natural latex mattresses and more! 

sit & sleep 

since 1985 

CORTES LIFT BED 

$999 Queen 

GREEN SLEEP MATTRESS 

Starting at just 

$599 Queen 

NIGHTSTANDS 

Starting at $179 

DRESSERS 

Starting at $399 

CONDO-MINI 

$259 Single 

MENTION THIS AD & RECEIVE 10% OFF ANY REGULARLY PRICED ITEM. 


3 

SURREY FACTORY OUTLET 13562 77th Ave. 604.590.2228 WWW.MAJESTICFUTON.COM VANCOUVER 1828 west 4th Ave 604.731.8226


36

LiViNG - Georgia Straight

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?