June 15, 2011 is the 90th Anniversary of the repeal of prohibition in BC and the establishment of government control of the sale of liquor within the province. The BC prohibition commenced on October 1, 1917. It was soon judged a failure, resulting in law-abiding citizens becoming criminals for simply wanting to have a drink with their dinner. Following a referendum, prohibition was repealed on June 15, 1921. On the same date, a “government control” system was implemented for the sale of liquor within the province.

It is the 90th anniversary and the government monopoly Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) still controls and sells all liquor within BC at the wholesale level and still sells a vast amount through its government retail stores which have extremely high operating costs. The LDB is a $3 billion per year business in B.C. It generates about $900 million per year for the government but costs about $300 million per year to operate.

The following are some of the legacies of prohibition which make BC look ridiculous when compared to the rest of the world:

• Today, all liquor sold within BC must be registered and listed with the government. All imports of liquor must be approved by and processed through the government wholesaler. Yet, we don’t do this for cigarettes or guns.
• Today in BC, and unlike most of the rest of the world, it is still illegal to consume alcohol in a public place such as a park. BC citizens cannot legally enjoy a glass of wine while enjoying a picnic.
• It is still illegal to carry liquor across provincial borders (a criminal offence with possible imprisonment). In Europe, you can ship alcohol between countries without a problem. While Canadians cannot legally return from a vacation in another province with any alcohol, they can bring back 2 bottles per person after a trip to another country.
• We have excessively high taxes on liquor which result in prices being about double what they should be.           For example, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, a Washington state wine, is commonly available for $6 south of the border. It is $15.99 in BC because the standard LDB markup on wine is 123% plus 12% HST on top of that for a grand total of 135% tax.
• Wine is good for you when used in moderation as intended. No amount of soda pop is good for you but that is taxed at only 12%.
• We have arcane regulation of restaurants and private retailers such that these independent businesses are not permitted to do things which are otherwise commonplace. For example, they cannot store liquor off-site. They cannot transfer liquor between locations of the same restaurant or retail chain (even if the LDB is out of stock). They must buy nearly all their liquor from the government, usually from a single designated government store. If they order anything other than mainstream products, they are forced to order in full case lots via a slow and inefficient delivery system. As a result, restaurants frequently run out of products or encounter storage and financial issues due to the requirement to order in such large quantities.
• Restaurants and bars are denied wholesale prices entirely. Private retailers are given wholesale prices which are fixed artificially high by their chief competitor (the government stores). As a result, there is virtually no competition in the retail liquor business and consumers are denied the sales and good deals that are common in other countries.* It is illegal for a private person to sell a bottle of liquor to another private person. Auctions are also illegal (unless done for charity).
• Citizens cannot take their own wine into a restaurant and have the restaurant charge them a corkage fee (even if the wine was purchased from a government store). This is illegal – it’s considered to be “illicit liquor”.

Happy Anniversary LDB, but don’t expect the rest of British Columbia to be joining you to celebrate the 90th birthday of the establishment of government control over the sale of liquor within the province.

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For more information about wine and liquor laws in BC and Canada, visit www.winelaw.ca.

Mark Hicken, BA JD
Vintage Law Group
T: 604 868 1375
E: mark@winelaw.ca
W: www.winelaw.ca

Julia Watt
Gala Events & Marketing
T: 604-790-4484
E: julia@galaevents.ca
W: www.galaevents.ca

“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ursula K. LeGuin

The journey was undeniably an experience to remember. From the Revel Room, to the Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, unto Relish GastroPub, then the Vancouver Club and Terminal City Club, net was One Hundred Days, and finally the Terracotta Modern Chinese restaurant. The journey was a blend of aroma and flavors that will captivate the taste buds of any slider-loving connoisseur.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 6 – Finale – an encounter with the Emperor

Image cutline: Terracotta’s offering is not only Modern Chinese but Chinese re-invented with superb care and ingredients

The smoke has cleared from the Halloween festivities at 100 days; Rangelina have landed in a parallel dimension that is adorned with terracotta warriors standing tall and looks similar to a Ming Dynasty garrison. Their contact in this dimension is the great emperor himself, Trevor Lee, and he brings terrific news.

Raj: Terracotta Modern Chinese Restaurant on Alexander Street in Gastown is a Chinese food restaurant that uses modern ingredients and flare.

Angelina: They also have Asian-inspired cocktails like the ‘Rising Phoenix’, ‘Chun-Li’ and ‘Big Trouble in Little Gastown,’ to name a few.

R: Remember those Pork Bun Sliders at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen we’ve been trying to save?

A: I can only guess that this is their homeworld. There’s thousands upon thousands of Pork Buns here, waiting to go into action – pork belly, braised and marinated in house, a house-picked cucumber in the mix and served on a plain white steamed Mantou bun.

R: But wait, it gets better – the Pork Buns have a big brother – the Beef Shortrib Slider made with braised beef done in house, green onions and served on a Mantou bun which has first been steamed and then fried.

A: It’s got a golden-brown colour and could blend in with any slider but tastes like a piece of heaven.

R: It’s their top seller. With the strength of Terracotta’s Emperor, the popularity of both the Braised Beef Sliders and the Pork Bun Sliders, we’d fathom to say that these sliders are here to say.

Editor: You’ll have to go to Terracotta to find out about the secret ritual relating to these sliders. As for the sliders we’ve been trying to save at Goldfish? Raj and Angelina were successful. The public has appealed to the powers that be and the Pork Bun Sliders are there to stay. Stay tuned next week for a new quest.

Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead

This is a case of East meeting West right in the heart of Chinatown. The marriage of modern Western cocktails with traditional Chinese medicinal herbs has resulted to a summer cocktail that soothes both the mind and body. With its apothecary-styled drinks, the Keefer Bar has, without a doubt, developed a unique flair of creating cocktails that are not only chic but beneficial to one’s health as well.

You can download the this week’s  format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE,) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 5 – Keefer Bar Serves Up Eastern Medicine

Image Cutline: Dani Tatarin will cure what ails you with her TCM inspired cocktails.

Raj: A drink to improve your health!

Fury: Raj, didn’t we already cover that a couple weeks ago?

Raj: When you’re in the heart of Chinatown, the concept of Western medicine, molecular mixology or, like many other things from this part of the world, are foreign.

Fury: Speaking of foreign, it’s always entertaining to sit on The Keefer Bar’s glass-fenced patio during Chinatown’s Summer Night Market.

Raj: Ahh… Watching shoppers gather around stalls selling random things from underwear to black-market DVDs from the safety of the boutique hotel’s bar.

Fury: What isn’t random are Dani Tatarin’s well-articulated concoctions.  Every ingredient in The Keefer’s Asian herbal-infused cocktails are calculated for flavour and health benefits. All too familiar ground given what we learned on our recent visit to The Refinery except Dani comes from the Traditional Chinese school of medicine.

Raj: Thorough research, shopping for cocktail ingredients at neighbourhood Chinese herbal shops to infuse into the bitters and spirits, I think she’s on to something.  The house-made magnolia bark tincture in the Dragonfly sends your body’s “chi” downwards to calm your nerves.  Then dragonfruit-infused gin, pearl sake and ginger galangal syrup are shaken into a balanced and soothing drink that’s ideal for the heat on a hot summer day.

Raj: Imagine, guests arriving at the bar, bartenders take their pulse and prescribe the ultimate healing summer cocktail for their ailments…

Fury: That’s no fun! It’s about Dani’s in-depth knowledge of spirits, a little bit of Eastern knowledge and an end product with well-developed flavour profile.  I especially love the combination of Gosling black rum with the ginger galangal syrup in the Peach Sling.  This twist on the Dark and Stormy reminds me of sipping a spiked peach iced tea at a barbeque party.  The peppery bite from the fragrant roots has a surprisingly refreshing and cooling effect.

Editor: Woody Harrelson was recently seen onsite double-fisting the Dragonfly. It didn’t last long, though – the first round calmed him right down.

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Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead. Melody Fury is the founder of Vancouver Food Tour.  Follow this YVR lifestyle ambassador on twitter @GourmetFury.

“Charm is a product of the unexpected.” – Jose Marti

For Wil P Taylor, the product is a cocktail that may have had a hand in sending Fulgencio Batista from the garrison to the seat of power in Cuba during the “Revolt of the Sergeants.” The Hotel Nacional Special is not your common, everyday, rum-based cocktail since it brings a certain sophistication that evokes memories of the old glory days of this island nation in the Caribbean.

You can download the this week’s edition in PDF format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE,) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 4 – Cocktail Revolution at the Di6mond, Gastown

Image Cutline: Ron Oliver tells a story to each classic cocktail he shakes up.

It’s1933.Cuba is undergoing another revolution and the Hotel Nacional in Havana is under heavy artillery fire. The expats, huddled around Wil P Taylor’s bar, ask the barkeep to invent a new drink – something special – after all, this might be their last.

Fury: Going out in style like it’s my last night on earth is how I usually roll.  So after hopping through a few Gastown cocktail joints, the Hotel Nacional Special at The Di6mond stopped me in my tracks.

Raj: You mean those three Hotel Nacional Specials stopped you in your tracks.  Great choice of venue though.  Located at the epicentre of Gastown’s summertime hoopla, the second storey room somewhat removes you from the roaming crackheads below.  Yet, the large bay windows let summer in all its glory.

Fury: As a rum-aficionado, Wil P Taylor fired back under pressure and concocted this sophisticated summery drink with a jigger of rum, dry apricot brandy, some fresh pineapple juice for sweetness and a touch of lime.  This blend goes down so smoothly – can you blame me for slinging back three in a row?

Raj: Plenty of credit has to go to barman Ron Oliver, who I first met at a seedy undisclosed Gastown location during Hopscotch a few years ago.  He’s so knowledgeable that when I need info about Scotch, he’s my go-to guy.  But now he’s shifted his efforts and has become equally successful behind the bar.  In Wil P Taylor style, he didn’t miss a beat.

Fury: They didn’t even see us coming.  We totally blindsided them exactly like that artillery fire in 1933.

Raj: And somehow, Ron just nailed it.  If anything is a perfect summer cocktail, it’s the Hotel Nacional Special, a daiquiri tasting like a dry fruit punch with pineapple and apricot flavours, it’s sooo smooth going down.

Fury: If it takes a surprise or an uprising to push bartenders to make fabulous, timeless drinks, I say viva la revolution!

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Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead. Melody Fury is the founder of Vancouver Food Tour.  Follow this YVR lifestyle ambassador on twitter @GourmetFury.

Revel Room opened their doors in Gastown recently – a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. What’s not to love about the 1:30AM kitchen last call, the 2:00AM distribution of cookies which signals to patrons that it’s time to leave. Much sweeter than the Vancouver club scene where, when it’s time to leave, you may find yourself landing outside on your ass.

revel (rev′əl)

intransitive verb -·eled or -·elled, -·el·ing or -·el·ling

1. to make merry; be noisily festive
2. to take much pleasure; delight (in) to revel in one’s freedom

noun

1. boisterous festivity; merrymaking; revelry
2. an occasion of merrymaking or boisterous festivity; celebration

The skinny on Revel Room:

238 Abbott Street,
Vancouver, BC V6B 2K8 (MAP) – a few steps towards Cordova from Jules

Phone: 604-687-4088
Email: info@revelroom.ca
Web: www.revelroom.ca

Blog: revelroom.wordpress.com

Hours of operation: 5:30PM – 2:00AM Monday thru Saturday

With valet parking, a great selection of cocktails, friendly staff and nibbles into the night, you can’t go wrong – the two levels and the decor aren’t too shabby as well.

Next time you’re in – check out the Irish Coffee, or some of Beau Muncer’s U’Luvka creations.

Cheers!

What’s to say about July’s issue of INFAMOUS? It just oozes sex… from cover to cover.

Wicked events coverage, a look at the hot new Trattoria Italian Kitchen, cool industry notes, a red hot fashion shoot and more, it’s worth the pickup.

This month, Social Shot is back to two pages and features lots of great photos – BUZZ ’08 at MCL Motor Cars, the BRAVE Art opening, MUNNY, Trattoria Italian Kitchen and more. Get it fast before they’re all gone and see you at the party.

INFAMOUS – LIFESTYLE, ENTERTAINMENT, NIGHTLIFE, FASHION. With an exclusive preview of the $5 million ULounge which will open this fall in South Surrey, the fifth iteration of Komakino which opened under the Back Gallery Project on Cordova near Abbott and the best nights out in town, it’s no wonder why this issue didn’t last on the stands.

My column in the May issue brought the best of what happened in April – a new cocktail list at OPUS Bar, the Vancouver Fashion Week Gala, Tanya Slingsby’s Atelier opening, the Lamplighter’s grand opening under the management of DHM and more.

As for a favourite? I’d say the all media preview at OPUS – upon setting foot in OPUS Bar, guests were greeted with a Pecorino cheese and fig paste lolipop – something concocted by the brave and daring minds at OPUS Catering. It was exquisite and set the tone for the evening. I got to rub shoulders with Rockin’ Ronnie Shewchuk, the barbeque king, and Brad Stanton, arguably one of the best bartenders in the city.

The April issue of INFAMOUS takes some of what was phenomenal in March, 2008 and put it together with exclusive editorial, a BC fashion feature, the Whistler Ski Fest, the introduction of Tequila Kitchen in Yaletown and more.

My column, Social Shot, always seen as the first thing you read in INFAMOUS (yea, pretty sweet gig,) covered a number of openings – new Gastown landmarks, Isabella Egan’s Gallery, John Fluevog’s Flagship Store in the old location of Richard Kidd, and a big day for Chef David Hawksworth who, after leaving his post at West, announced the opening of his new restaurant which will occur in 2009 at the Hotel Georgia.

Saving the best for last, one of the most amazing experiences of the month had to be in meeting megachef Daniel Boulud. A super nice guy, Boulud, who’s partnered up with David and Manjy Sidoo from Lumiere, made an appearance on March 13th to announce the opening of DB Bistro Moderne. Vancouver’s top chefs, Pino Posteraro, Vij, Tojo and others came out to show their support – it was truly amazing. In the words of the folks at UrbanDiner, with respect to Rob Feenie, ‘Lumiere and Feenies owners David and Manjy Sidoo have traded in their Mercedes for a Rolls [Royce].’

At the event, we also got a sneak peak at the floorplan for the remodel of Feenie’s and Lumiere which will take place somewhere after June 2008. Until then, they’ve got the $40 tasting bites on in the bar/lounge as well as regular menu service in the dining room. You can find out more about that in my other blog post, HERE.

Back to INFAMOUS, if you see it, pick it up. They can’t keep ‘em on the shelves no matter how many they print – heck, even I can’t get a copy without staking myself out at the delivery locations during distribution night.

www.infamousmagazine.net

So.Cial at Le Magasin opened up this week, grand opening party on the 4th of April:

Just a reminder, for those of you who have not yet RSVP’d to the Grand Opening of So.Cial this Wednesday evening, it is imperative we have your name on the guest list.

Please RSVP, if you have not already done so, to (…) or call 604-669-4488 with your name.  For those of you who rsvp’d by return e-mail directly to Cate, your name has been added to the guest list and you do not need to call back.

Presentation of a business card upon arrival would be sincerely appreciated.

Please join owner/restaurant director, Maureen Fleming,
owner/executive chef, Sean Cousins

and

partners Kirk McLean and Bob McCammon

As we celebrate our grand opening

Wednesday, April 4th 2007 – 7:00 pm – late

A Social Affair
Please RSVP to 604-669-4488

We regret that due to security and planning requirements, only those who have rsvp’d and are on the guest list will be admitted

Le Magasin Building
332 Water Street
Gastown, Vancouver, BC

Valet Parking

SO.CIAL at Le Magasin

Dining Room, Chefs table and Lounge
Custom Butcher Shop and Deli, Oyster & Seafood Bar and Patio

Cate Simpson
Simpson Public Relations
Culinary & Hospitality Public Relations
Marketing, Promotions & Special Events
Book Tours and Press Trips
Vancouver, British Columbia
simpsoncpr@telus.net  604-730-9626/ 604-681-8333

Here’s the factsheet:

OFFICIAL FACT SHEET FOR SO.CIAL AT LE MAGASIN

Opening: Late March

Restaurant name: SO.CIAL at Le Magasin

Team:
Owner/Restaurant Director, Maureen Fleming
Owner/Executive Chef, Sean Cousins
Active Partner, Kirk McLean
Silent Partner, Bob McCammon

Location: Le Magasin Building
200-332 Water Street, Gastown, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B6
Telephone 604-669-4488
info@socialatlemagasin.com (not in use until opening day, see below for current contact info)
www.socialatlemagasin.com (under construction)

Mission: The fine art of cuisine, great drinks and people, all interacting in a vibrant, comfortable setting.

Hours: Open 11 am – 12 midnight: serving lunch, dinner and cocktails. Open 10:30 am for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Closes at 10 pm on Sundays.

SO.CIAL at Le Magasin – Oyster and Seafood Bar
Downstairs Oyster and Seafood Bar, table service and bar seats, as well as patio.
Section faces the street front. Thirty seats.
Street front patio with keyhole view of the water and mountains. European feel via cobblestones and wrought iron railings. Full menu.
Open weather permitting May – October. Thirty seats.

SO.CIAL at Le Magasin – Custom Butcher Shop and Deli
On-premise smoker, single animal production butchering, chowders and sandwiches and coffee bar. Picnic table plus window bar look onto Cordova Street. Twelve to fifteen seats.

SO.CIAL at Le Magasin – Dining room and Lounge Contemporary Canadian Cuisine.
Vintage feel from crystal and wood furnishings. One hundred and ten seats.
Chefs Table – a horseshoe-shaped banquet facing the kitchen. Six seats

Background: Located at 332 Water Street in Gastown, Vancouver’s most historic neighbourhood, SO.CIAL at Le Magasin is housed in a 1911 heritage building with a 1899 footprint. (Seismic upgrade in 1988)

Design: Renovations, started in December of 2006, revealed beautiful bones in the underlying structure of the building as well as resurrecting a stunning pressed tin ceiling, giant fir support beams and mosaic marble and concrete floors, creating a canvas for interior design by Maureen Fleming using antique white, black and silver with crystal and glass features back dropped by age smoothed unfinished wood. Oversized front windows looking onto the street-scape can be both opened and removed for European style dining.

The factsheet neglected to mention Kirk McLean and Bob McCammon’s decorated hockey careers.

Check out the Urban Mixer site for photos from the grand opening HERE.

A quick update from the illustrious Nina:

The space formerly known as Capri 19 located at 332 Water Street will be known as So.Cial at Le Magasin, features an Oyster Bar and Restaurant and opens up in late March. City food has the scoop HERE.

The space formerly known as the attrocity at 52 Powell Street, Curious, will be known as Cobre which means copper in Spanish. Nuevo Latino cuisine. Waiterblog and Waiterforum have the scoop.

RareOne at 1355 Hornby Street rebrands to RareTwo on April 18th. They should be celebrating an anniversary soon. Tim Keller’s other restaurant, Metro, located at 200 Burrard Street is 14 weeks away from completion.