Logan Lake, Ashcroft, and Cache Creek are part of BC’s HeartHurtland. They are three of the towns clamoring for the economic benefits of taking the 15,000 truckloads of garbage Vancouver produces every year. Apparently there are 23 proposals from towns that want to become our next trash heap, which will be the size of 513 football fields. I’m not sure what this says about the fundamentals of our rumoured-to-be-thriving provincial economy.

Subtitled “A Cautionary Tale,” this movie is about what happened when some rich white kids bought the gangsta myth lock, stock, and barrel. Sharon Stone’s fat suit and camp performance aside, the cast is almost uniformly excellent, particularly Justin Timberlake, whose acting skills may land him in the triple threat category.

A few days in a retreat centre should, theoretically at least, recharge the batteries, no? Well, as it turns out, mostly yes.

Rivendell Retreat Center on Bowen Island is an amazing undertaking, beautifully rustic with wainscotting and mission-style furniture, and sited to provide gorgeous forest and ocean vistas from every window. The main kitchen, which is available for group retreats, would be the object of any serious cook’s desire.

Rivendell being a retreat center, however, objects of desire were not on the table, and I was more than happy with my simple third-floor room, complete with single bed, writing table, and basic kitchen down the hall for the preparation of simple meals: fridge, microwave, toaster oven, comfortable banquettes in the nook, and gentle reminders not to tarry or leave dirty dishes in the sink.

That’s the nicest thing about Rivendell. It’s a very gentle and forgiving place. An ideal place to sleep, nap, and doze, which is what I did for at least half of the time I was there. I also spent some of that time time reading, some with various healers, and some walking Rivendell’s new labyrinth, which is based on the labyrinth at Chartes Cathedral.

Bowen Island, of course, is easy and quick to get to, and it has everything one could possibly need for a short stay, including an organic grocery store for stocking up on ingredients for a pilgrim’s simple meals. It also has plenty of trees and mountains. And it also has plenty of cars that, at least in the centre of town where I once ventured to buy some food, seem to continuously dart here and there in the overcharged, restive fashion of city drivers, which, after all, is what many of the residents of Bowen Island are.

Bowen Island also has plenty of houses, including several in the process of being built within earshot of Rivendell. The building of those houses, along with repairs to the municipal water reservoir that is situated immediately beside the retreat house, made for a less than quiet stay. Had it been quieter, I might have stayed longer But I did miss Mr. V. and I decided to come home to the reno noise, which is slowly coming to an end.

Although I didn’t come home with any new insights, I gained some clarity about the noise in my head and lost some of the tension in my body thanks to an exquisitely painful deep tissue massage from Vickie at Twiggleberries Spa, a surprisingly accurate auric reading and cleansing from Gini Grey, and from the hospitality, gentle spiritual direction, and Healing Touch of Margaret McAvity, one of Rivendell’s hosts.

I’ve stepped back onto the mundane trajectory again, but am happy to know I can step back off for a few more days at Rivendell anytime the S/sprit urges.

R.I.C.E. You know the drill when you have a soft tissue injury. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Which is what I’ve been doing with my hands these past few days, along with staying away from the computer. Unfortunately they are still sore. And stiff. The rest of my body doesn’t feel all that much better.

So I’m off to the doc this afternoon, and then on to Rivendell for a personal retreat for several days. Because my mind/soul/spirit seems to need a dose of R.I.C.E, too.

I’ll be back late next week. Be well.

I have been in love with Renée Fleming’s beautiful voice for some years now, and was delighted to be at the Orpheum on Sunday, May 20, for her first appearance with the VSO.

Although Ms. Fleming is considered one of the world’s best lyric sopranos, it is her work outside the classical repetoire that I am most moved by. Even so, if an all aria program with the local symphony was my opportunity to hear her in the flesh, that was fine with me. Ms. Fleming is a diva in every way; she was composed and comely in a beautiful gown set off perfectly with a langurous sea foam green silk shawl.

She made her way beautifully, passionately, and generously through a collection of arie that included Rossini, Strauss, Massenet, and Puccini. The two arie from Puccini, O mio babbino caro and Vissi d’arte, were the most moving and memorable. Her rendition of the latter, along with the rest of her stellar performance merited an enthusiastic standing ovation and many bravas. In turn, her adoring audience was rewarded with three encores, first another aria, followed by a consummate redition of Summertime and a new arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The last was a sweet adieu, but perhaps not the best selection for the singer’s instrument.

It had been sometime since I’d darkened the door of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and I really enjoyed hearing them play. Pieces that did not feature Renée Fleming included the opening number, Rossini’s Semiramide Overture, as well as Mahler’s Blumine, Ballet Music from Gounod’s Faust, and Meditation Trans. Mouton from Massenet’s Thais. An altogether satisfying evening.

Dara Colwell’s May 21 Alternet article “Why Working Less is Better for the Globe” connects workaholism, materialism, insecurity, and environmentalism. It features Conrad Schmidt, founder of Vancouver’s Work Less Party. (Disclaimer: The Work Less Party was my choice in Vancouver’s last mayoralty race.)

First Falwell pops his clogs, then Wolfie gets a spanking. Do we see a double impeachment on the American horizon?

Corn, cassava, tropical oils. Everything’s fair game when it’s time to get Western motors revving, even if it means we starve the poor. Read what Noam Chomsky has to say.

Those who care will know that Mr. V. and I are in the middle of a minor but increaingly complex renovation project. One of the advantages of all the stress is that, along with a nicer house, I get to become the petulant princess I always knew I was meant to be.

Mr. V is not so lucky. He gets to placate and soothe. He often tries chocolate. It is one of those necessary, though not sufficient remedies, but it generally helps.

Which is how I began my distant acquaintance with Vancouver’s mysterious Zazubean chocolate company. It started with their Nakid bar, which was nestled at the bottom of a large bag of placatory treats Mr. V. had brought me from Whole Foods one Saturday afternoon after what had been a particularly trying week.

The Nakid bar was, from my perspective, very close to perfect. Cocoa nibs, finely ground and perfectly proportioned in 72% chocolate. A bit of licorice on the nose, a not overly refined gloss, well proportioned, perhaps a touch too soft on the snap. A citrus topnote that was soon put to the task by darker, earthier flavours, and that marvelous cocoa nib crunch that contrasted with very smooth, nicely milled chocolate.

I loved this Nakid chocolate so much I emailed the Zazubean folks to tell them, and to ask for more information. So far I haven’t heard from them; perhaps they are off on a cocoa buying jaunt.

A couple of weeks later I decided to try another version of Zazubean chocolate, and picked up the oddly aptly named Ego bar from Capers in Kitsilano. The Ego bar is 70% chocolate, topped up with the antioxidants du jour–matcha and goji berries (aka wolf berries). The matcha was undetectable other than making the chocolate a bit powdery, though the goji berries did have a stick-to-your teeth quality that also didn’t add much to the chocolate eating experience. I’m already a regular consumer of matcha, and, when I’m being particularly health conscious, I get my wolfberry fix here.

Still and all, the Ego bar was okay tasting, with a sharper aroma and still softer snap than the Nakid bar. I might try it again some time, but not if I had to choose between it and the Nakid bar, and definitely not as a source of anti-oxidants.

From the mysterioius Zazubean website:

“Zazubean is committed to excellence in our chocolate by using only finest organic fair-trade cocoa beans that are choc-full of things good for you, good for the farmer and good for the earth.”

By the time we finally decided where to eat one recent Friday night, we were pretty hungry. It was nearing 8 pm when we arrived at the door of Rekados, which, despite graphically stylish signage, was oddly tucked away in an unassuming strip mall. The room, done mainly in red and black, was comfortably sleek and modern.

Rekados, which translates to English as “ingredients,” specializes in what it describes as modern Filipino cuisine. Since it was Mr. V’s and my first experience with Filipino food, we wouldn’t know modern from traditional, we agreed that we would start with stuff that didn’t sound too exotic. The pigs ears and beef tendons would have to wait for a later visit.

We started with kamote (sweet potato) fries, which were accompanied by hot banana ketchup and calamansi mayo. Sweet potato fries are never as crisp as their distant Irish relatives, but these had a rich, dense taste. The ketchup was tasty, with well concentrated tomato flavours, though not banana-like and not particularly spicy. The calamansi mayo was as delicious as any lemon aioli, with a lovely citrus note.

We also ordered the Adobo Special, a chicken and pork dish, and Curry Chicken Pina, which also contained coconut, pineapple, and peppers. Both dishes were attractively plated and tasty, though perhaps not the most adventuresome items on the menu. These two dishes, along with the kamote fries and some steamed rice, provided more than enough food for the two of us, despite the advanced state of our hunger that night.

Service was hospitable and warm, though a little slow in the starting and the getting of the cheque. Otherwise, it was attentive and well-paced. Our bill, including a bottle of Stella Artois for Mr. V., came to a very reasonable $36, not including tip. Rekados has a small wine and beer list plus a full bar and cocktail service, along with bubble teas and slush-type drinks.

We will definitely return, though most likely with someone who is more acquainted with Filipino cuisine and can encourage us to eat more adventurously.

Rekados. 4063 Main Street, 604-873-3133.