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July 12, 2013

Odd Society Spirits ~ a local craft distiller





New legislation from the provincial government has opened the door to small batch, craft distilleries. These small businesses can now operate without the excessive taxation and red tape of the Liquor Distribution Branch. To make the circumstance even better, these new craft distillers can provide on-site tasting rooms, possibly even offer tours of their operations, and become part of the fabric of neighbourhoods, offering drinks as one might expect on a visit to Scotland or other civilized nations.







Odd Society Spirits is one such craft distiller. It's located at the very end of Commercial Drive and one block east  along Powell Street. Not particularly a pedestrian venue, this is a destination,and so it should be, though at present, the Odd Society is in early days.




The stills, three distinctly different stills, are in, and the tasting bar is being readied, as is just about every thing else. It is all a labour of passion from Gordon Glanz and his partner, Miriam Karp.











Gordon is passionate about what he is doing, and it shows. Several years ago Gordon and Miriam went to Scotland where Gordon earned a Masters degree in distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He then studied under the masters at Springbank in Campbeltown. Gordon termed it a mid-life crisis of sorts, but this is truly serious vision. Gordon loves talking about the stills, the process and the marvel that is in the spirits. There is both excitement and just a wee bit of transcendental panic in his voice as he shares his passion.

















And the vision, his vision: small batches of spirits made entirely from natural ingredients, sourced in British Columbia, fermented and distilled on-site. Coming soon: whisky, vodka and gin. Visit the Odd Society website, sign up for their newsletter and join me, in the tasting room, sometime in August!



July 03, 2013

Touch Wood at VanDusen Garden






One of our favourite backyards is VanDusen Garden. This summer the Garden is celebrating the culture of wood with over twenty sculptures and installations by ten BC artists. The exhibition is called Touch Wood and encourages the actual touching of wood, though there are a number of signs suggesting otherwise.









The installations vary considerably, from bird houses to flying sea creatures.










There are several variations on the theme of community and gatherings of human-like creatures.













Amidst the beauty of the gardens the perception and experience of the art changes with the light and the weather, and with the vegetation itself.












June 30, 2013

Summer Sunsets


We are now, finally, into our second summer of the year. Six months ago we arrived in Buenos Aires, from the Yukon, and entered a wonderful world of heat and humidity. Returning to Vancouver in April brought spring, and after a cool and wet month of June, the heat has arrived on Canada's south-west coast, and the sunsets, are wonderful.