Where’s your favourite Victoria haunt?

For the boutique experience, most Victorians head down to Johnson street, the proclaimed “shopping district“ of Victo-ria. The savvy shoppers though, head straight to La Vie Home and Living on Oak Bay Avenue. With its clear European in-fluence, the shop sells everything needed for “soft, romantic living,” from premium cotton bedding, to French glassware, to painted vintage furni-ture, and fun clothing. It’s all affordable too. “The store is a reflection of my own design es-thetic, an almost zen-like, light and airy feel. I draw inspiration from vintage and feminine influences,” says shop owner Veerle Davies. The shop began as a home décor shop, featur-ing mostly white painted vintage furniture, and a bit of clothing, but has since evolved to about half clothing. Davies’ new paint line “La Vie Furniture Paint” has also promoted change within the shop, with blues, greens, and yellows joinming the colour pallet of the furniture. “My furniture paint is designed to be easy to work with and give it that special “country” patina, as if it has been on the piece for

"I draw inspiration from vintage and feminine influences."

VictoriaVagabond

Issue 1 April 2012

This Issue...

How to Not be a Tourist... 2

Bites & Booze... 3

"The Breakwater by Ogden Point"- Jeremy Ambers

"The Mint for its drinks food music and ambience"- Marielle Moodley

"The Bent Mast"- Nick Joy

"I love the dog park along Dallas road"-Jessica Clark

4

the last 50 or 80 years. The colours are inspired by Gaustavi-an design, which is Swedish and French country influence, and it is a pallet of the softest blues, greens, buttery yellows, and warm white and creams. The paint has been very well

received and I’m very proud of the line,” say Davies. The shop is constantly evolving, and with its vin-

tage inspiration, ala Sarah Richardson, no doubt it will continue to do so. The shop has a youth-fulness that has not yet been seen in Oak Bay, and with darling clothing and all kinds of fun decorating ideas, it’s clear the shop appeals to both the young, and the young-at-heart.

“The coming year will see more bedroom suites, armoires and desks in those buttery yellows and

fresh blues. New colours are being introduced for our paint line soon, and I will be bringing in a great new line of

French soaps. New clothing lines are always making an appear-ance and with our quick turn over, it looks like a new shop every couple weeks in here,” comments Veerle Davies with a shrug and a laugh.

An Eye On: La Vie Home & Living

La VieHome and Living

is open 10-5 Monday to Saturday.Visit www.laviehomeandliving.com or

call 250-590-7619 for more information.

Design NoteVanessa Davies drew her inspiration for Victoria Vagabond’s design from the grun-ge look of the 90’s that seems to be making a comeback recently with the influx of the new “hipster” look. With Victoria being a large home to that and its very on west coast look, she found the look a very fitting one for the truly unique city. Travellers to the city can find some great things to do within these pages just based off what locals like. Locals too, can keep an eye on up and coming businesses as well as the latest and greatest spots to frequent here in town.

Fitting In With the Locals...

All writing, photography, and

production by Vanessa Davies of the Applied

Communication Program. For More information on Vanessa and her work, visit http://

acpserv1.camosun.bc.ca/publishing/vanessa_

davies/

Every summer, Victoria is run amok with copious amounts of tourists, most of which are of the American national-ity. Working in a coffeeshop downtown, or anywhere even a little bit touristy is most commonly referred to as ‘pain-ful’ when it comes to dealing with these tourists. Victorians don’t push stereo-types or anything, and while there are many lovely visitors to town, try to avoid becoming a stereotype. For starters, no matter what national-ity a person hails from, Canadian cur-rency is what Canadians use. Believe it or not, Victoria is in Canada. To avoid tourist status, always pay with Cana-dian currency, and expect change to be the same. Don’t give American money, make a remark about the exchange rate, and then complain about getting Cana-dian change. This is the equivalent to a person writing “TOURIST” in bright red on his or her forehead. Next, one must avoid fanny packs like the plague. Not only will the cringe worthy accessory label a person as tour-

"“Hipster"

“"Baller”"

"Skater"

"Business Savvy"

"Scene/Emo"

You are a traveller. A lost soul, nomad, student-on-a-budget, inquiring mind, adventurer, wanna-be gypsy, or whatever it is you want to call it. Lets face it, any true young voyageur is on a budget. Usually a pretty small one if your youth, backpack, and hostel stay is any indication. Maybe, you’ve even forgone the hostel in lieu of making local friends and crashing on their couch (best option ever.) Regardless, you’re looking to save money for when that inevitable once in a lifetime but wholly unexpected opportunity comes up. Of course, any self respecting young individual is going to want to go out a few times and not risk hitting up the wrong spot for when you do spend some of that hard earned dough. What a desperate THIRSTY traveller needs, are some tips for Victoria hotspots. Pubs are cozy, comfy, and fun, especially with a few friends. Most pubs in Victoria are on the slightly pricey side, but make sure you check out what the nightly specials are because you can get some great five dollar beers and other drink specials even at the typically pricey Bard & Banker or Irish Times. Of-ten, the best option is to hit up a smaller pub that isn’t right downtown, for example Christies Carriage House by the Royal Jubilee Hospital or Maude Hunters up by the University (check both these out on Wednesday nights when they feature cheap wings nights.) Otherwise, you can check out some restaurant or lounge type spots that may be lacking in the coziness of a pub, but you can get some yummy munchies and a lot of drink specials. Browns Social House on Douglas is a regular for my crowd, with its four dollar beers, five dollar cocktails and 16 bottles of wine. Nothing says cheap good night like those prices, I say.Now, if you plan on going dancing, there’s a few ways to get around the cost that can be. For starters, everybody drinks ahead of time, so feel free to pick up a pack of beer at the liquor store to get things started earlier in the evening with friends. Or, the option of grabbing a bite to eat and having dinner with drinks is always smart. Think Browns, or McRae’s by Hillside (cheap drinks and food), or Pig. Bin 4 burger lounge has deliciously messy burgers, which are half off every night with the purchase of a drink, so that’s another one definitely worth checking out. So drinks and dinner are done, now the fun begins. Thursday nights are great in Victoria as Sugar and Boutique have no cover for ladies and lots of cheap drinks. Social has free cover until 11 on Fridays for students, but its usually pretty quiet until near midnight. Saturday is the night to go out in Victo-ria, but cover is ten bucks everywhere and lines are unavoid-able. Mondays can be fun with F*ck Tuesdays at Touch Lounge and 90’s night at Lucky Bar, both with only a five dollar cover. Everywhere has coat check, although it tends to be anywhere

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from two to four dollars, so if you can get away with it, leave the jacket at home. If planned well, going out can be fun, affordable, and busy. Just make sure there’s enough moolah left over to get home, and you’re golden.

ist immediately, said person will also be la-belled with the term loser. No one wants to be a loser. Same goes for backpacks, in that a person shouldn’t wear one around if he or she wants to fit in with the locals, like a local. Use a purse or a messenger bag, they both carry quite a bit, and won’t have a person standing out like a bumbling fool with a bag as big as he is. As far as attitude goes, don’t be afraid to follow the “everyone is nice in Canada” stereotype. For the most part, Canadians are nice and laid back, and even if some come across aren’t, being nice and laid back never killed anyone. Unless it was from just one too many beers before surf-ing or snowboarding for the day.Fake it til you make it is the best advice when it comes to fitting in like a local. Take account of what people are wear-ing, how they’re talking, where they’re go-ing and what they’re doing (but not in a creepy way), and follow suit. With good observation skills and a laid back attitude, anyone can fit right in and be chilling with the coolest crowds in Victoria in no time.

How NOT to be A Tourist

2 3

Bites & Booze

"West Coast"