Chef Dino Renaerts Takes Over At Fraîche And Crave Beachside

News From Scout supporters Fraîche and Crave Beachside

West Vancouver, BC | Local top chef Dino Renaerts makes an exciting move to replace chef Wayne Martin at the helm of Fraîche Restaurant and Crave Beachside. The acclaimed hilltop restaurant and seaside eatery, loved by locals and critics alike, are now in the hands of Renaerts – one of the few born, raised, trained and celebrated Vancouver chefs.

“I’m really looking forward to doing something new, somewhere new,” says Renaerts. “The food at Fraîche has been impeccable since Wayne Martin opened its doors in 2007 and it’s going to be fun and challenging to add my own twist to the menu and wine program.” Dino Renaerts comes to West Vancouver from his latest post as Executive Chef for Diva at the Met in the Metropolitan Hotel. A certified sommelier, Renaerts believes that a well-designed pairing of food and wine is much greater than the sum of their parts. Read more

Indie Profile: Five Minutes With MGB Principal Michelle Biggar

Michelle Biggar is an Australian interior designer who has made her home in Vancouver. She is a principal at mcfarlane | green | biggar  ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN INC, better known as MGB. Gathering 11 years of international experience, Michelle has worked professionally in Australia, the UK and in Canada on a vast range of projects from multi-residential interiors to fashion retail, offices, and restaurants. Some of her recently completed Vancouver projects include Giovane café, bakery + deli and Oru restaurant (both in Vancouver’s new Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel), Obakki’s flagship store in Gastown and an office and gallery for Bob Rennie in Chinatown.  She believes in beautiful, timeless solutions born of intelligent design. Her aesthetic is clean, modern, and contemplative. Her calm and clement manner, while indispensable on multi-million dollar projects, comes in handy at home, where she is the proud mother of Max Lucy Biggar, born February 6th, 2009.

Scout Q&A

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: I am lucky to live in Lynn Valley on the beautiful North Shore. The things I love most about it are the proximity to beautiful mountains and endless trails for walking my dog, Sumo (a lab and retriever cross); that the location is a little more removed and quiet yet we are only 20 minutes to downtown and East Van; and the luxury of space – the lots are larger and there is more greenery surrounding properties (growing up in Australia bred a real desire for space).

When you finish a project and stand within it – what do you hope to feel? I hope to be able to come back to the project five years later and feel that the space is still current, thoughtful and beautiful.

What inspires your choice materials for a given project? I like to use a minimal palette of natural materials such as wood and stone, working them in a unique way. This neutral base provides a timeless backdrop for additional layers of accessories such as art and furniture, that can transform the space over time. And you can never have enough simple white walls!

Best place for one-of-a-kind furniture in the city: Metropolitan Home on Hastings is great for second hand classic pieces, and Vancouver Special on Main carries a couple of great lines. In general though, well designed affordable furniture is an area that Vancouver really lacks in.

A Vancouver room or building that you have always wanted to have your way with? My bathroom.

Favourite Vancouver restaurant from a completely aesthetic point of view? The Salt Cellar in the basement of Salt Tasting Room in Blood Alley. It’s one of the few unique dining experiences in town. I love the communal table, the raw concrete walls and the slabs of meat hanging in the glass cooler.

Why is Vancouver a good city for design? Vancouver can be a little conservative when it comes to design (and liquor licenses!) which leaves plenty of room for great design to emerge and for designers to challenge and inspire us.

Is there a local designer or artist that you really admire? I love the rigor and innovation of Molo designers Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen. They use materials in a unique way to create beautiful products.

If you were going to recommend a Vancouver personality for Scout to interview, who would it be? Brent Comber. He is a North Vancouver artist working with cast-off wood to create stunning furniture and sculptural pieces, and he’s a fun guy.

Favourite Vancouver building/landmark? The top of Grouse mountain for its view back down on the city.

Three places you like to take out of town guests: Hernando Island off the Sunshine Coast. My husband’s parents have a cabin there and it’s a small piece of untouched BC paradise; Portobello West market on the last Sunday of every month. Local markets are a must in every city. Some of my favourite exhibititors include Leanne McElroy of Elroy Apparel (she makes great dresses made from sustainable fabrics), Snugglings’ baby toques and leg warmers, and Superfly Lullabies baby blankets; Café Medina for breakfast…yum.

Where do you enjoy shopping in Vancouver? Tell us about some of your favourite local haunts: Lately I love to shop for my baby girl Max so some of my favourite spots include: jack + lola, dandelion kids, modern kid and Zara kids. Vancouver Special (Main Street), Mooncruise (Gastown), Provide (Beatty Street), and Mei (4th Ave) are a few of my favourites for homewares and unique items. Otherwise I love to browse Gastown and Main for the boutique-style fashion and jewelry stores. I also always love the jewelry line Konzuk, which is available at Inform and Giovane Café.

Best Vancouver place to be inspired by emerging artistic talent: As a designer it’s important to look globally rather than locally for inspiration. Go travel.

More Interesting Locals

Random Photo #609: How To Get Down In The Great White North

65 year old Abel demonstrates an Inuit Blanket Toss at West Vancouver’s Spirit Square, February 18th, 2010.

Fraîche To Marry Romance With Superb View This Valentine’s Day

News from Scout supporter Fraîche

West Vancouver, BC | In all the excitement that February will bring to Vancouver this year, don’t forget Valentine’s Day. Take your sweetie for an over-the-top dinner high up in the hills with a meal and a view to take your breath away. Executive Chef Wayne Martin has created a mouthwatering menu to celebrate the night in style. See below for complete menu details. Read more

Painting The West Coast With Sandra Harris

One or twice a week Scout poses 60 questions to a local who has made life in BC that much more interesting. They pick and choose which ones they’d prefer to answer, with a minimum response rate of 20. A Rorschach test, for sure…

Sandra Harris has a passion for painting the untamed landscapes of Canada’s west coast. “A scene that I paint has to put a sense of awe into me first; that moment has to happen where all I see is the landscape in its size, energy, and beauty. The whole idea of my work is to recreate or to relate the experience of seeing and being in the landscape to the viewer.” Harris studied art at Langara College, Emily Carr University and The University of Victoria. She recently graduated from the University of Victoria’s visual arts program with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. She lives and paints in North Vancouver.

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Scout Q&A

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there:
On a mountain, beautiful scenery, 5 minute walk and I’m on a trail hiking in the beautiful scenery.

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: Red licorice.

Default drink: Water.

Sexiest fashion item for the opposite sex: Baggy basketball shorts. No short shorts please.

Book you’re reading: “Sleep Thieves” by Stanley Coren.

Last place traveled: I went to the Queen Charlotte Islands this past summer on a week-long kayaking tour down in the south end of the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve with the Pacific Rim Paddling Company. Despite the lousy weather, the scenery was awe-inspiring. We visited the village of Ninstints with all its decaying totem poles, which was pretty amazing for the imagination. It was mind blowing to see a landscape with no sign of development, no power-lines, no nothing. I actually found it to be somewhat of a relief to know that places like this still existed.

Best sneaker in the world: Well, my favorite basketball shoe is a toss up between the Nike Zoom LeBron 2 II and the Adidas KB8 II. This is strictly based on aesthetics as neither seemed to help me jump higher.

Ice cream flavour: Oreo.

Food your mom makes better than anyone: Cheesecake. I’ve been ruined for life; no other cheesecake can compare.

Talent you wish you possessed: The ability to skateboard and not eat concrete.

Favourite sports team: Los Angeles Lakers, and I seem to take a lot of heat for it.

Best concert experience ever: Hilltop Hoods @ Tonic. Front row, baby.

Dream car: A non-existent charcoal grey seriously fuel-efficient diesel Toyota 4-Runner with a great sound system, so that I can explore the province for future paintings enjoyably with a few friends. I’m not satisfied as to why there aren’t more diesel cars available in North America.

Town you were born in: North Van, as far as I’m told. My memory is non-existent pre-preschool.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: The Cosby Show! I wish sitcom shows today were still filmed in front of a live studio audience so that the jokes actually have to be funny to get a laugh. There is nothing worse then watching a show and needing the tape loop laughter track to come on for you to realize that a joke was just made… a bad joke. Might this be part of the reason why I don’t watch very much TV anymore?

Album that first made you love music: Can’t remember. It could quite possibly have been a Bryan Adams album…? No, wait! It was Dolly Parton’s “White Limozeen”. No joke, when we were little my sisters and I used to crank that and sing along. I remember one time a babysitter told us she knew Dolly and we believed, and she had the three of us eating out of her hand the entire evening. Nowadays, ‘Rock n Roll’ by The Sounds is the song that I am in love with, hands down. Rhymefest is also definitely a recommended download.

The career path you considered but never followed: Professional basketball player. I had the passion for it; I even got voted in my high school yearbook as ‘most likely to play in the WNBA’. The only thing I was lacking was LeBron James’ athleticism. Fingers crossed for my next life.

Three websites you visit every day: Facebook, NBA.com, Voleurz.com.

The thing you’re addicted to: Books on mythology. I’m an avid reader of anything by Joseph Campbell… you know, the mentor George Lucas credits for ‘Star Wars’. Check it out.

Biggest hope: To wake up tomorrow with the powers of Superman.

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THE SCOUT INTERVIEW ARCHIVE

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Q&A With Billy Would Designer Adea Chung

One or twice a week Scout poses 60 questions to a local who has made life in BC that much more interesting. They pick and choose which ones they’d prefer to answer, with a minimum response rate of 20. A Rorschach test, for sure…

Adea Chung is the creator and designer of Billy Would Designs – handcrafting jewellery and accessories from reclaimed and salvaged wood. Growing up in a large and artistic family, she always knew she wanted to create. Before ‘Billy Would’ Adea worked at a heli-ski company, the bank and then pursued massage therapy. She now spends her days covered in sawdust and loves it!

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Scout Q&A

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: I’m lucky to live in beautiful North Vancouver with my hubby and little one surrounded by greenery. Trees, snowboarding, and Mahon park would have to be my top three.

Sexiest fashion item for the opposite sex: Tattoos. Or maybe flip-flops. Is that weird?

One thing you’d like to change about Vancouver: More food gardens and less city flower beds.

Book you’re reading: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

If you could rename yourself: When I was 6 I desperately wanted to be named Crystal, I played a lot of Barbie.

Your ancestry: Dutch-English mama and Korean dad.

Dumbest purchase ever: An over-priced broken bike from the police auction. In fact it’s still sitting outside reminding me of my consumer regret. I got caught up in the bidding frenzy and just wanted to be part of the action. Not so smart.

What are you proud of: Being a mom.

Ice cream flavour: Mango ginger gelato from La Casa at Clark and Venables.

Food your mom makes better than anyone: Everything!

Talent you wish you possessed: Flying.

The trend you wish you never followed, but did: Perm. Soooo bad.

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in: Traveling Guatemala with my hippy parents and getting pulled over by crazy men with guns at check stops. Did I mention I was 8? Or maybe a tie with Naughty Camp 2000 at the Pemberton Rodeo grounds.

Local person you admire most: The poor/homeless. Taking so little (oil, electricity, even food) and producing the least amount of garbage.

Best concert experience ever:Taking my daughter to Feist at Deer Lake Park when she was 5 and watching her sing her heart out to her favorite songs.

Quality you admire most in yourself: Resourcefulness.

The career path you considered but never followed: Mechanic. I always wanted to open a shop for women where they could take there car to and not feel intimidated.

The first three things you do every morning: Walk the dog, make tea and check my email (I guess teeth brushing should be in there too somewhere)

Biggest hope: To be completely self sufficient (without sacrificing too much comfort).

Favourite book as a child: The Narnia books by CS Lewis, particularly The Horse and His Boy.

Escape To Point No Point And Victoria

That would have been a particularly mellow holiday season had it not been for the treachery of the weather. It began, really, with me pulling out of my driveway after the first major cold snap (the night of Dec. 21st). I very quickly discovered that the Westfalia was in no mood for travel. As we pulled up to the first traffic light I pressed my foot all the way to the floor to find that the master brake cylinder had cracked, the brake fluid had drained, and we had the stopping power of butter. Nothing happened. Very gingerly I pulled the beast around and into the mechanic’s garage (two doors from my house).

$850 and three days later, the car was of little use to us anyway. The weather had gotten so bad in the upper redoubts of West Vancouver that getting to Michelle’s parents house on Christmas Eve required us parking at the bottom of 300m high hill and then piling all our luggage and gifts on to an old sleigh and pulling it up through the ice and snow (Grinch-style).

After that, it was all turkey and gravy. Michelle’s mom made a superb Christmas dinner, and after putting our very anxious children to bed we stuffed the stockings, had another drink, and fell asleep ourselves.

Christmas morning was beautiful. All was quiet, with snow deep and crisp and even. Jack and Pip tore through their presents like raptors through a primary school, and following a hearty breakfast of chocolate and coffee we piled our things into the sleigh and tore down the hill to the car to ready for Christmas #2 in Victoria. Because of the snow and the icy roads (and a missed ferry), we didn’t get to my mom’s house until after 5pm. The kids went through their second present opening session by a roaring fire (listening to Neil Young), and then we all sat down for another turkey dinner, complete with paper hats and lots of Stella Artois.

The next few days are sort of a blur. The grandparents took the kids up to Point No Point Resort in Sooke, so Michelle and I were mercifully left to our own devices. We bumped into lots of old friends; breakfasted and lunched at Mo:Le twice; got high on caffeine at Habit several times; enjoyed a truly fantastic dinner of five courses at Fernwood’s excellent Stage; and followed walkabouts with driveabouts and early nights with late mornings. I grew up in Victoria, so it’s always a headful of memories and reminders of paths taken and not.

Point No Point is a post-Christmas family tradition, so we were quite eager to get up there and join everyone. It’s an ethereal, Big Sur kind of spot. The noise of the ocean never fades, and they keep the cabins well supplied with kindling and mossy wood. My iPhone had no reception. There was no wireless. No TV. No radio. There was, however, a hot tub on the deck, lots of wine and beer (My sister’s husband brought a big bottle of Le Fin du Monde) and a long and winding path down to a longhouse on the beach, complete with open fire pit and benches. It really does feel like the end of the continent, and we love it.

On the 29th it was time to get home and back to work. We packed our things and piled into Westy, listening to the King’s College Cambridge Choir sing Agnus Dei on the old stereo as we headed north to catch the ferry home, happy to have had some time to slow down and reflect on both 2008 and 2009.

We hope you had a great holiday, and wish you the best for the new year.

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