Hedy Fry meets Rich ~ a photo op

Two years ago today the federal Liberals of Vancouver South were holding their annual summer barbecue. They were thrilled with their new leader as so seemed the country with Justin Trudeau riding high in the polls.

My brother-in-law Rich found out about the afternoon event which happened to be taking place in a park not far from where both of us lived. Neither of us were Liberals but the thought that maybe the crown prince might appear was an incentive, and the hot dogs even more so. In order to get a hot dog however, one had to supply an email address. Rich had the presence of mind to invent an email, whereas I, being slightly less devious, gave my work email.

The guest speaker for the event was the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre, Dr Hedy Fry. The Honourable Hedy Fry was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and she has been re-elected six times, and I've never been able to understand why.

I first met Hedy Fry at a multicultural dinner event in the 1990s. At the time she was in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Multiculturalism. She arrived in a chauffeur driven limo and made a grand entrance with much pomp and circumstance. She was terribly late and made no apologies. Her speech reminded us, several times, of the wonderful things she was doing in Ottawa for all of us out in the hinterland.




In 2001 Fry ventured into fantasy land with her bizarre accusation that racist cross burnings were taking place on front lawns in the city of Prince George. Ultimately, Fry had to apologise in the House, and to the good people of Prince George.

She's been out of Cabinet during all these years of Conservative government and the limo is nowhere to be seen. Hedy Fry is one of the most arrogant people I have ever met and certainly the most egocentric politician I've ever come across. She will be defeated in October by the excellent candidate: Constance Barnes.

Which brings us back to that wonderful summer day in 2013. The hot dogs weren't Kosher, the pop wasn't cold and Hedy Fry was droning on about something, most likely herself. Finally she finished her grand speech and started to mingle with the commoners.


When Fry came round to where we were sitting, Rich leapt up, shook her hand and asked to have a photo taken of the two them. This was my cue to take several pictures, though I wondered, why of all people, Rich would want his picture taken with Hedy Fry. She was delighted of course; the ego must be fed whenever possible. Rich had something else in mind.










The Honourable Hedy Fry was not amused.












At the time of this adventure, Rich was living past his doctor-predicted best-by date. He was living with an incurable cancer, relatively healthy, in good spirits and when not having hot dogs with me, Rich was travelling the world with his partner of almost thirty years, my sister Susan.

Rich was my dearest friend and confidant, and sometime co-conspirator. We shared a love of laughter, often at our own expense, a passion for world news and politics, and an appreciation for a nice Okanagan red. Rich was dedicated to his family and friends. He cared about the bigger picture and questioned the why of things. Rich was my brother-in-law, but I always thought of him as my brother.

Rich's cancer came back with a fury after he and Susan returned from a trip to India in the autumn of 2014. He passed away in January of this year. As the current election campaign heats up, I miss my brother even more. He would have loved it.

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.

Number 12 at Lakeside Gardens on Salt Spring Island

We recently escaped the heat of the city for the cool of St Mary Lake on Salt Spring Island. My loyal reader will know I refer to the magical place that is Lakeside Gardens Resort. It's more a lifestyle choice rather than a resort, though when the stars align (and a full moon too), as they do with every visit, it truly is heaven.

The ferry lingered as it stopped at three other Gulf Islands en route to Long Harbour. The stress of the city, and its mid-thirties temperatures, melted away with every off-loading at Galiano, Main and Pender Islands. By the time we arrived at Lakeside Gardens it was dark. Cool and dark and peaceful; only the nearby frogs sang to announce our arrival.

We stayed in cabana number 12, and it seemed, oddly, to be slightly larger than our regular cabana number 7. While the difference in size between the two cabins can be debated, there isn't any doubt that number 7 is slightly more private and more exposed to the blazing inferno that is the early summer sun. 

As it turned out, the trees around number 12 provided shade throughout the entire afternoon. Sun is certainly available, yet the trees allowed one to sit outside and read all day long. Or to watch the changing view of the lake, which is something I never tire of doing; the lake constantly changes through the day.

We watched eagles fishing, robins bobbing and ducks parading into our space.

                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               We listened to the songs of hundreds of shore birds and the buzzing of thousands of dragon flies. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 St Mary Lake on Salt Spring Island. Lakeside Gardens Resort. A special place.                                                  

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.

Westward Ho! at the University Golf Club in Vancouver

It was a smoky summer evening in Metro Vancouver last Sunday. Hot, just passing the thirty degree mark, and forest fires on Vancouver Island, and north of the Lower Mainland, covered the city with a dusty haze and a camp fire smell. It's rare to see this kind of pollution in Vancouver; we usually send our smog into the valley and keep our skies, and the air, clean and fresh. Not so on this night.






We are off to Point Grey, UBC and the University Golf Club, and more specifically to their dining establishment called Westward Ho! Public House and Grill. Long and dumb name. On the positive, its patio overlooks the gazebo garden and, through the smoke, the 10th tee.










The University Golf Club has been around since 1929. It's a traditional course with long, narrow fairways and towering old growth trees. The club house offers the feel of a private club, and it's popular for weddings, gatherings and meetings throughout the year.

We're here because we've heard good things about the quality of  the Westward Ho! Public House. By appearance, it's a typical golf course sort of pub. The menu is casual, with some nice touches, and maybe because of the club's banquet rooms, there are some indulgences too. There's a daily, or more accurately, a weekly fresh sheet and there's the potential to have expectations exceeded; in season halibut or salmon for example.

We had a wonderful shrimp croissant, which was tasty and nicely presented. The fries were crispy and the Caesar salad was better than expected. Available Sunday nights is the prime rib roast dinner, with the usual accompaniments. It proved to be an excellent value and delicious.














The burgers that went by to a table of German tourists, in town for the World Cup, looked fantastic.















Dessert items, not unlike many pubs, included apple pie with ice cream, which was a nice way to end the evening and the ice cream was better than the average. Oddly, no espresso coffees are available here, only the standard drip. In a city obsessed with coffee, it seems odd to find a place like this without an espresso machine. Maybe golfers don't like espresso drinks?

The wine list was adequate  and prices were not unreasonable, though the selection could stand the addition of a few more BC wines.



All in all a wonderful experience. Good food, great views and an excellent value. This is one of those places that seems to be off the radar, perhaps because of its remoteness in relation to the rest of the city. It deserves better.

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.