By Taylor Lecky Photos: Noriko Nasu-Tidball Special Thanks to VISUAL SPACE (film location)  Kobayashi Issa once wrote, “there is no stranger under the cherry tree.” Before my interview with Linda I knew I appreciated the sentiment behind the saying but I didn’t fully understand it. In honesty, when I was first asked to write an article on the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, I had no idea what to expect. Apologetically, I stereotypically made an assumption that an individual of Japanese descent would walk in the Visual Space Dunbar gallery that rainy Vancouver Tuesday afternoon. However, I was extremely naive. Linda Poole, with all her golden haired glory, glided into the room as an elegant cherry blossom-like individual herself. Wearing a fuchsia pink skirt with matching leather shoes, a cherry blossom pendant and bracelet, you could not deny that she exuded passion for Vancouver’s sweetheart of tree’s.   “Is pink your favourite colour?” I asked while wearing my daily uniform of head-to-toe black. “No, I enjoy many colours. However, CBC did once interview me on T.V in which they started the session by filming these exact pink shoes. I don’t wear them much anymore,” Linda laughs. “But I do think pink looks good on everyone.” Linda’s demeanor is energetic and passionate while at the same time extremely calming.   Having lived abroad with the Canadian Foreign Service with her husband, a Canadian Ambassador, Linda says at the beginning she asked herself, ‘what does an ambassador really do? Let alone what does an ambassadors wife do?   “It was a fantastic experience and a privilege. I didn’t want to leave. Everyday I would see the Canadian flag flying above our official residence and I would just choke me up. You’re so far from home but your...

By Emily Cheung Photos: Noriko Nasu-Tidball Special Thanks to KIKORI (film location) When wood work artist Russ Gray moved to Vancouver with his wife 18 years ago, he developed a fondness for Vancouver’s unique climate, referring to the rain as “liquid sunshine.” It is this sanguine disposition which has been the vehicle behind his unconventional career path to date. Having grown up in Ontario, it was Russ’ high school art teacher who became the inspiration behind his passion for art. He was motivated by perspective drawing and the eclectic persona of his teacher. Meanwhile, his interest in Japanese culture stemmed from practicing martial arts, specifically Judo and Kendo, ever since he was a young boy. After high school, Russ spent some time in the military. He sang with the Canadian Armed forces as a lead singer. Russ recalls the days when he sang rock and swing, and often travelled across different countries including Germany, Israel, and bases across Canada. Afterwards, Russ travelled to Japan and it was there that he cultivated his skills in Japanese wood work. He began his training in Japan in the 1980s and deepened his woodworking expertise through experimentation and applying Japanese concepts into his own work. Russ adds, “Mistakes are part of the growing process.” Russ specializes in screens, lamps, paper shoji (paper sliding doors), panels, and other custom interior goods. Reflecting upon the paths he has taken in life, Russ muses, “Where you go determines where you will end up”. He believes that reinvention is achieved through circumstances. As for the origins of Kikori, a Japanese antiques and furnishings shop run by Russ, it started when his current business partner, Carol Yamamoto, came looking in his furniture workshop in Langley. The two later found out Carol’s husband, Robert...

By Lauren MacFarland Photos: Noriko Nasu-Tidball Special Thanks to Terry Sasaki Gallery (film location) Bursting with light and colour, Terry Sasaki’s gallery and clothing store are a unique blend of different cultures and versatile creativity, art of different mediums all telling the story of the man behind these beautiful works. For more than twenty years, Terry has been travelling the world, bringing his experiences to his work, and fusing the styles of East and West, the perfect mix for the Vancouver art scene, where so many different cultures collide. Relocating in the Lower Mainland presented new challenges and inspirations, allowing Terry to avail himself of new techniques and textures, always learning and evolving as an artist, constantly creating art that has inspired people the world over. Paintings are the main focus of Terry’s gallery in the Pan Pacific Hotel in Downtown Vancouver, his art instantly eye-catching and evoking his Japanese background, mixed with Western influence. “I get my energy from a lot of different places,” he explains, “and when my energy is good, then my art reflects that. If I ever feel tired of a painting, I move on, I try new things, because the most important thing about my art is that it reflects who I am and makes me happy.” In addition to his own pieces, the gallery also holds work from other local artists, as Terry recognizes the importance of giving back to the art community and giving other artists a chance to have their work seen. Interpersonal relationships hold a great amount of importance to him, and he counts friends from all over the world, including other many other diversely skilled artists. “When you take from different cultures, you have to give back to it as well,” he explains, and...

By Katherine Allen & Laura Kosciecha Photo Courtesy of Katherine Allen & Laura Kosciecha     Building Caring Communities (BCC) is an Asset Based Community Development initiative that strives to foster meaningful connections in community. We do this by discovering the gifts and interests of individuals or groups of people (associations). The role of the Community Connector is to remain curious all the while searching for welcoming people and places. By spending time in neighborhoods, we are able to build a map of the assets there – the gifts and interests of neighbors, local businesses, best cafes, friendly faces, and welcoming places. Community Connectors often meet people who are in search of something; whether it be a friend, a helping hand, a space, or a mentor. Our role is to help thread a web of connections in an already-abundant community. Much of what we seek is already there, but perhaps we just didn’t know it yet, or had to adjust our lens to see it. We do this because we believe the more connected a community, the more vibrant, safe, and welcoming it is – for all members of the community. Following are some stories that capture the essence of our work.   The Little Garden That Could   Goodlad community garden, one of the original Can You Dig It community gardens, is nestled behind a friendly residence in Burnaby and has12 garden plots, a greenhouse, compost piles, hazelnut trees, grapevines, and picnic tables. Over the years, despite much effort to engage neighbors and gardeners, the garden had yet to flourish, and the vision of a thriving community space had yet to be realized.   This past spring, BCC collaborated with Can You Dig It to make this original vision a reality. After many conversations...

By Dave Wheaton Photos Noriko Nasu-Tidball Peter Lambert arrived at Keiko’s house dressed in his outdoor gear, sporting long blonde hair and big yellow backpack. After making introductions and settling into the living room Peter reached into his yellow backpack and pulled out a strange green vegetable, covered in dull spikes, looking like the kind of thing that might electrocute you if you got too close.  “I have no idea what it is, so if you guys know anything that’d be good”, he says. Peter had gotten the fruit one day while picking apples around the Point Grey area. The lady who had given it to him spoke no English. It might seem like an odd thing to hold on to, this unidentifiable vegetable, but for Peter this strange food is a chance to learn. Why bother with Wikipedia when you have the chance to actually hold a foreign object, and find out for yourself how it works? It’s this attitude of “learning by doing” that makes Peter such an inspiring person. “It’s a fun thing” he says, “You get to meet some good people and make some connections. You see them on the street and get to say hi”. Peter shows how incredibly powerful it is that two people who can’t communicate through language can gather around a piece of fruit and share an instant connection.                   Other odd mysteries from Peter’s yellow backpack included the bark of a cedar tree, two varieties of amaranth seeds, a piece of shaped and smoothed wood, and some children’s toys. For everything in the bag Peter had a similar story of learning and connection.                   Peter pulled out a couple of the children’s toys, a small puzzle and a plastic alien attached to a parachute. “We...

By Dave Wheaton   You may have noticed an increase of community gardens in Vancouver over the past couple of years, and with the positive impacts they seem to have on the community, it’s no surprise. Gardens can turn a vacant space into a sanctuary, provide a great place to get together with friends, and make connections between neighbours. And let’s not forget the obvious – local gardens grow some of the tastiest produce available. There’s nothing better than digging in to a plate of fresh food, and you can’t get any fresher than community gardens. So it shouldn’t shock you that over the last five years, Can You Dig It project co-ordinator Cinthia Page has personally been involved in three dozen projects all over the local mainland that create community gardens in urban places, transforming vacant spaces into thriving community sites.   The Kitsilano community garden, located next to the community center, is built into a small tightly wound space that borders the community center. At first, it might seem like an unusual place for a garden. It’s much smaller than you’d expect and isn’t shaped like the gardens we’re used to seeing. But this is exactly the type of place that Cinthia hopes to find when starting a new project. “We are using pieces of land we wouldn’t have thought of using before”, she explains “But if we’re going to make this work we have to be more creative with how we use space”. The Kitsilano community garden is well worth a visit. If you go, you’ll see garden plots that have been elevated and shaped to get the most possible surface out of the small piece of land. It’s this exact sort of creativity that allows these urban plots to flourish...

“It’s wonderful to see what happens when people bring great ideas to life. It truly is inspiring.” ~ Editor-in-Chief It’s only been a little over a month since the garden was born and the work parties are already well underway. Kitsilano Community Centre, along with its community partners, Urban Systems Foundation, Can You Dig It and Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) and many community volunteers, has been using a collaborative approach to transform its literally vacant exterior spaces into an amazing organic vegetable garden that adds beauty, value, and a distinctive identity to its neighbourhood. Under the leadership of Robert Haines, the board president, Gabriel Pliska, the Garden Committee Chair and board member, Oren Burnspark, Garden Coordinator, Ben Mulhall from Urban Systems Foundation, and Cinthia Page, Can You Dig It Project Coordinator among others, the garden is a unique collaboration of artists, local adults and youth and kids, and garden lovers. It is such a valuable asset for neighborhood development by developing and nurturing public space which promotes sustainability, food security, community education and public health, and coming together. I have “attended” the last 2 work parties and here are some photos we took. People’s smiles are so glamorous and the garden is so lush and green, which is the best kind of advertising!!! Congratulations to Kitsilano Community Centre Collaborative Garden! For those who are interested in volunteering and/or learning more about the collaborative garden, please contact Kitsilano Community Centre and follow us on FB.            ...

By Dave Wheaton Photos: Noriko Nasu-Tidball These days, it’s not hard to feel like the world has become a touch impersonal. Online shopping is becoming more popular, most of us buy our groceries in big department stores, and, often times, we don’t really know where our food is coming from. The Bakeshop at 4021 MacDonald street is a family owned and operated store that brings some personality back into our lives. It’s not every day that you find a bakery like this, where the people who sell you your baked goods are the same people who make them. Family togetherness is one of the defining features of The Bakeshop. Mike and Meg are as close as a brother and sister can be, and together they own and operate the store with their mother, Donna Nelson. Although it’s only been a year, there’s a rhythm to The Bakeshop that could only be possible though the kind of family relationships that are brought to the kitchen. As we talk in the kitchen of The Bakeshop the three of them take turns explaining what it is that makes The Bakeshop such a unique place. For them, going into business as a family felt like the natural thing to do. They tell the story like this: Mike: Right out of high-school Megan enrolled in the baking and pastry arts program. And so she had a wedding cake business for around ten years. It got to the point where she either needed to expand or quit Meg: I also needed a location to work out of. We were working with a caterer over in New Westminster and it was just so far from all the wedding venues in the city Mike: A month before we bought the bakery Megan...

By Dave Wheaton Photos: Noriko Naru-Tidball   In Oru Restaurant one Tuesday afternoon we met with superstar architect Gregory Henriquez, managing partner of Henriquez Partners Architects.  As one of Vancouver’s most influential community figures, Gregory has received wide recognition for designing Woodward’s redevelopment in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside. Today, Gregory and his architectural firm are working on several projects to promote community, social justice, and sustainability across Vancouver. As if that wasn’t enough, Gregory’s buildings are designed to have a distinct style and are some of the most recognizable pieces of Vancouver. As expected, Gregory keeps busy.   “We’re doing all sorts of things – everything from Oakridge, which is very large, to little projects like the York Theater on commercial drive, where we’ve brought an old theater back to life. We’re turning a prison into social housing over on Main Street, and creating the first immigrant services building in North America which is going to integrate temporary housing with non-profits to help immigrants from other countries, which is exciting. We’re doing our first project in the Middle-East. We’re doing a myriad of different re-zonings around town – most of which are for complex mixed-use. We’re redoing a church into rental and social housing. It’s an amazing project. So we’re pretty busy.”   But despite these staggering contributions to Vancouver, Henriquez Partners Architects is a relatively small team. They employ only 51 people while most competing firms are multi-nationals that employ thousands. Gregory’s architectural style is famous for incorporating an ethical component to the buildings he and his team design.  “Each project is about finding the soft spot and the thing that is required in order for a community or an issue or an idea to be brought to light”, Gregory explains, his inspiration...

By Katja De Bock Photos: Noriko Nasu-Tidball  When Tony Bulic is out on patrol canvassing Kerrisdale’s streets for suspicious activity, more often than not someone will come out and thank him for his work. That’s no surprise, really, as Bulic has been a well-known face in the community even before he took on the job of Executive Director of Kerrisdale Oakridge Marpole Community Policing Centre (KOM CPC).   Bulic, 40, was born and raised in Vancouver as the son of Croatian immigrants. As his father was a builder, the family moved around a few times, before settling in Kerrisdale, where Bulic visited Kerrisdale Elementary. He continued his education at Vancouver College and took a leadership course at BCIT.   Bulic says he has strong roots in Kerrisdale and was pleased to grow up in such a family-friendly environment with all the great amenities and parks.   “I don’t think there was a block in Kerrisdale that didn’t have 10, 15 kids when I was growing up,” he says. “It was a very positive, energizing place. We didn’t need fitness centres to get in shape, we just went outside and the kids were there.”   As a citizen of both Canada and Croatia, Bulic had to attend one year of military service in his ancestral country and left in 1998. It was after the Balkan war and just before the Kosovo crisis.   “It was a real honour to serve,” says Bulic, who speaks Croation fluently and stayed away from Vancouver for 1.5 years. “Croatia is a beautiful, peaceful country, part of NATO and the European Union. They are always looking to assist other countries on peace missions.” It’s this pride of the successful transition from war to peace and prosperity in Croatia that inspired...

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TINGA Tupper Integrated Neighbourhood Greenway Association (TINGA), the Greenway’s official non-profit organization, is always looking for more volunteers so consider getting involved! To learn more about the Tupper Greenway story, contact greenstreets@vancouver.ca or call 604-873-7204. http://tuppergreenway.com/our-story/tinga/       Green Streets Green Streets gardens are planted on traffic circles and corner bulges. The City pays for the initial planting. As a volunteer gardener, you will work with the City and your community to help the gardens grow during the year. You can simply weed and water, or choose to add your own personal touch by adding your favourite plants, providing more colour and interest through the changing seasons. Sign-up: http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/green-streets-volunteer-application-form.aspx     Frisch Farms Are you interested in learning about gardening, agriculture, urban farming, vegetables, healthy eating, nutrition, Vancouver’s neighbourhoods and nature? Apply as an intern with Frisch Farms! http://frischfarmsvancouver.wordpress.com/2014-internships/       DIGA Can you help the Disabled Independent Gardeners Association? DIGA is a community-based not-for-profit organization that relies on support from individuals and organizations in all sectors.  Our volunteer program matches able-bodied gardeners with our members, to make gardening more accessible and achievable. http://www.disabilityfoundation.org/diga/volunteer_program.htm    Many more GREEN volunteering opportunities Here is a list of Vancouver-area organizations who rely on volunteer help from community members to make the city a better place for all of us to live. http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/green-volunteer-opportunities.aspx...

 By Haley Cameron Photos by Rosanna Goncalves   When Debbra Mikaelsen, Editor-in-Chief of Edible Vancouver, was nominated for Best Local Advocate in B.C.’s first annual We Love Local awards last summer, she immediately requested the nomination credit the magazine instead. It’s this exact sort of humility that stands out when I sit down with her and husband/Publisher, Philip Solman, to learn more about the publication they’ve raised as their child over the past six years.   In the end Edible Vancouver was credited – and as winner of the category no less. Phil explains that their mission is ultimately to connect people who eat with people who produce and distribute food locally. While admittedly proud of the Best Local Advocate title, the approachable couple behind Edible Vancouver’s success avoids most public recognition. “We’re just not that interesting,” quips Debbra, as her partner explains that they’ve always wanted the brand to stand on its own. “We tend to shy away from the spotlight. We decided early on that there wouldn’t be any faces in the magazine,” he explains, and flipping through the beautiful Almost Spring 2014 issue I realize Debbra’s Editor’s Note is void of the expected headshot. “It’s not the Phil and Debbra show,” she says. But the pair agreed to share their own story in hopes of expanding knowledge of their product; one which has already achieved incredible growth since its 2007 naissance.   When the couple decided years ago that they wanted to work together, neither one was aware of the Edible Communities association that publishes numerous North American titles under the same ‘shop local, eat organic’ premise. Phil had been working with a non-profit society, We Are What We Do, when he was first exposed to the franchise. Through his non-profit...

      By Katja De Bock Photos by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   On July 16, 1945, an unprecedented explosion shattered the desert at the Trinity site, near Alamogordo New Mexico. Two months after the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Allies’ (USA, Great Britain and Canada) secret nuclear weapon development group, code-named the Manhattan Project, detonated a test nuclear weapon, nicknamed The Gadget. The detonation would go into history as the birth of the atomic age. Only weeks later, the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki would mean the end of the Second World War, but also the death of hundreds of thousands of Japanese citizens and the destruction of two cities.     Olivia Fermi, a Vancouver-based counselor, coach and consultant, is intimately connected to The Manhattan Project: Her grandfather, Nobel prize laureate Enrico Fermi, was a physicist working with Robert Oppenheimer. He worked at the heart of the top-secret effort to build the first atomic bombs.   On March 3, 2014, Olivia Fermi will speak in Denver, Colorado at the American Physical Society, an organization of physicists worldwide. She was invited to speak specifically about the point of view of women related to the Manhattan Project. (Go to her Talk in Denver, CO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtuNtscCB5Y)   She decided to talk about two remarkable women whose connection to the Manhattan Project inspired them to respond and become community visionaries and leaders. They are Fermi’s grandmother Laura Fermi, wife of Enrico, and Los Alamos community leader Marian Naranjo.   For Kerrisdale Playbook, Olivia Fermi offers a sneak preview into her presentation.   Laura Fermi (1907-1977) – pioneering social and environmental leader   As a young girl, Olivia Fermi (who was born as Alice Olivia Weiner and later legally changed to her mother’s maiden name) grew up in a...

OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD GARDEN PARTY held at the Kerrisdale Community Garden Angus Drive & West 60th Ave. Reported by Alison Verghese (KCCS Board Member) On Saturday August 24, the Kerrisdale Community Garden hosted their first  Neighbourhood Garden Party, courtesy of a grant from the Vancouver Foundation’s Neighbourhood Small Grants. Let’s recount the splendors of summer and share a moment with Kerrisdale neighbours, residents and local businesses in one of Vancouver’s most successful community gardens. Part 1: Kerrisdale Community Gardeners proudly show off the “fruits of their labour”. Video is missing. Part II: Let’s continue to enjoy the hidden treasures at the Kerrisdale Community Garden in their “fields of gold”… Video is missing. This event was brought to you by the members of the Kerridale Community Garden and supported by the Kerrisdale Community Centre (KCC) and Kerrisdale Community Centre Society...

Life in Asheville, North Carolina For over 15 years, Joanne Chan worked as a professional photographer in New York City. Her clients included The New York Times, Random House Publishings, JCrew and Harry Winston Inc. She has photographed CEO of Louis Vuitton, the mayor of NY Rudy Guiliani, film director John Waters. Her work has also been published in numerous countries. Then after the birth of her child Lulu, she decided to switch her life 180.She moved to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Along with her happy go lucky attitude, she is determined to live outside the box and live off the land a little more than she did in NY.Only in the short time of 2 years in North Carolina, Joanne has acquired the skills of butchering a road kill rabbit, dress a chicken, play the violin, learn to identify edible wild plants and even turn chicken feathers into hair accessories. Joanne knows that her change in life direction is not for everyone.  She is grateful that she has the mental support from her family to make the drastic transition. Joanne recently visited Vancouver and loved the Vancouver’s mellow yet enthusiastic vibe about the people she met. Who knows Vancouver might be her regular destination for her family!   ~~~~~~~~~~~ Hair fascinator made from collected feathers and prom dress One of a kind handmade doll Handbags made of repurposed fabric In front of local super market, selling arts and crafts. Paintings of her daughter inspired by nature in Asheville Black ear mushroom and mountain mint, collected in the forest. To see her photography, please visit: Jchanphoto.com To support Joanne through her arts and...

In freshly creased grey dress pants and a baby blue polo, Jason Robinson is dressed for business. If it’s true that, as Jason says, he’s in “terrible shape” then I would have liked to see him in good shape. At 43, he’s being modest. Even so, his business attire does little to hide a slightly older version of a former trained firefighter, coast guard volunteer and all around athlete. His clean-shaven face remains remarkably youthful; his black hair is neatly styled, his smile frequent, genuine. We’re doing a written story, but Jason looks ready for TV.

Written by Hazel Choy – Resident Gardener   Relax under a shady sumac tree on our handmade bench – 5 June 13 Lady Bug @work in a patch of wild strawberries – 5 June 13 Roberta talking to locals admiring the summer flowers – 5 June 13 Water Garden expert Roberta Skye enjoying her creation – 5 June 13 Who knows what was originally on the site where the Kerrisdale Community Garden now sits, but some speculate it could have been a creek bed. A diverse and dedicated group of community members came together in 2011, under the leadership of Kerrisdale resident, Monica Tang, to transform the site at Angus Drive and West 60th Avenue into what is now the Kerrisdale Community Garden.We gathered at our first work party in March 2011, a mixture of children, young adults, adults and seniors, to dig up weeds, move rocks and build raised garden beds.  Wheelbarrows full of soil provided by the city were dumped into plots and debris was sifted out. With pure excitement and joy, children dug up and collected worms. By the end of a long day, we had built the foundation for what would become our community garden. Through sheer determination and hard work, by the end of our first season, we had constructed the plots, fence, pathways and a shed to house our tools.One challenge in our first year was the poor soil conditions, so to amend the soil, we planted buckwheat and other nitrogen fixing plants.  Over the past 3 years, we have had a passionate group who designed the communal spaces to include a harmonious arrangement of plants, a water garden, fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, squash and flowers.  We had previously used black city composters, with little success due...

By Raffi Wineburg Dr. V Setty Pendakur takes his first sip of tea, momentarily mulls its taste, and then launches into discussion without prompt from a question. We had met a block from his Yaletown home on the silver-tabled patio of Sciue Italian Bakery. I arrived early to scope him out. But somehow he materialized from nowhere, introducing himself with a firm hand-shake. Dr. Pendakur, Professor Emeritus at UBC, is a highly distinguished academic, urban planner, and international planning consultant. His numerous online biographies—without much for personal detail—tell the story of a busy man. He’s advised governments (Canada, China and Singapore to name a few), been a visiting professor at over 20 institutions across the world, and cycled through service on all the important sounding nouns for distinguished groups of people (boards, councils, commissions, foundations, associations…) He’s bald on top with patches of wispy-white curly hair that stick out from the sides. Born in India, his accent remains thick, sometimes audibly rolling his r’s for a half-second at a time. The accent only adds to his already forceful style of speech. A former politician (Vancouver City Council), it shows in conversation—not in the negative knee-jerk manner we react to ‘politician’ but by virtue of his unfaltering eloquence. Whole paragraphs come out a time as if he had prepared each word before-hand. He’s a politician without the nonsense, answering questions directly, honestly. At times, Dr. Pendakur makes a bold statement, or asks a question which I hope is rhetorical, reclines in his chair from his forward angled position to take a quick rest—perhaps waiting for my response that never comes—then leans back towards me, finishing his thoughts with a renewed purpose. By the end of our interview he was interviewing me, and most of my...

In the merry month of May…… Photo: Noriko Nasu-Tidball @ Frisch Farms @ Frisch Farms @ Frisch Farms @ Cypress Community Garden @ Cypress Community Garden @ Cypress Community Garden @ Cypress Community Garden @ Cypress Community Garden @ Cypress Community...