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…

For the past 21 years, Sophie Dikeakos has been the owner of the eponymous Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe on West 4th. She is a community icon, a super cool lady, and the unofficial undisputed Queen of Kitsilano.

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Scout Q&A

First memory: Hitting my head after falling off a donkey.

The number of fist fights you’ve been in: One.

Three things about your neighbourhood that make you want to live there: I live in Kitsilano…close to work, close to the beach, and close to my friends.

The thing that you eat that is bad for you that you will never stop eating: Doritos, the spicy ones.

Default drink of choice: Campari and soda.

Drink you’ll never have again: Slivovitz.

Sexiest fashion item for the opposite sex: Just the bowtie.

Favourite wine varietal: Red.

The person you can imitate: Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday Mr. President”.

One thing you’d like to change about Vancouver: Move it closer to San Francisco.

Cheap place for dinner: My place.

Book you’re reading: The Bible: a biography by Karen Armstrong.

Last place traveled: Penticton, BC.

Dead film actor you wish was still making pictures: Heath Ledger.

Best sneaker in the world: The pesky racoon that lives in my neighbourhood.

Place in BC that you love escaping to: Our farm in Penticton.

Under what circumstances would you join the army: As a guest chef.

Best bar stool in the city: Chow Restaurant.

Dumbest purchase ever: I bought a fake Prada bag on Canal Street in NYC and the label fell off the next day.

Saddest thing about Vancouver: Too many overcast days.

Most challenging part of owning a business: To be patient.

Talent you wish you possessed: To play the piano.

Musical instrument you long to play: The accordion.

Sport you gave up: Javelin.

Favourite book as a child: The Mickey Mouse Club, with Annette Funicelo.

Vancouverite you admire most: Gordon and Marion Smith.

The game you’re best at: Backgammon.

Best gallery in the city: The VAG.

Canuck you would trade away in a heartbeat: Fin the whale.

The scariest situation you’ve ever been in: When I got a heart attack.

A thing of no value that you will keep until you die: My mom’s Avon lipstick.

Best concert experience ever: The Gypsy Kings at Nat Bailey stadium.

How you waste time at work: Looking out the window.

The thing you wished people cared more about: Other people.

The dish you’re most proud of: My osso bucco – to die for in a white wine sauce.

Town you were born in: Iraklion, Crete.

Old television shows you can tolerate re-runs of: Mash, old reruns of Johnny Carson.

Quality you admire most in yourself: Being an optimist.

Album that first made you love music: My parents Greek folk records.

Default junk food of choice: Eatmore.

The career path you considered but never followed: Stage acting.

The one country that you have no interest in ever visiting: Zimbabwe.

Your top 3 films of all time: Citizen Cane, High Society, A Fish Called Wanda

The first three things you do every morning: Turn on TV. Turn off TV. Get out of bed.

The thing you’re addicted to: Gave them up.

Luckiest moment of your life: When my parents immigrated to Canada.

Cliche that you use too often: “Did anybody miss me?”

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