“Sometimes I feel somewhat complicit in the fact that this industry really preys on people’s insecurities,” says Kathyrn Sawers, skin therapist and owner of boutique spa Collective Skincare. Outside, the Yaletown stretch of Pacific Boulevard is choked with traffic, but we’re tucked into a sage green treatment room as serene as Sawers’ calm, even manner. “There’s a lot of things that are being made for the sake of being made, because there’s money in it.” We’re talking about her skincare line Eventide, a take-home option for clients—or anyone who wants natural, small-batch products developed b ..read more

“Remember,” I warn my husband, “nothing above a whisper, or they’ll kick us out.” We’ve been wading through the delirious Tokyo crowds for an hour, and now, at last, we shuffle up to the rough wooden door of Bar Martha—a “listening bar.” Inside, by tawny lamplight, a subdued host runs through the rules. We may sit at the bar and listen to the records. We may nod to the bartender when we’re ready for another manhattan or negroni, but we may not chat, we may not pull out our phones, we may not do anything that could distract from the enjoyment of the music. And such music. From a 6,000-album tr ..read more

“I am Duncan MacLeod, born four hundred years ago in the Highlands of Scotland. I am Immortal and I am not alone. For centuries we’ve waited for the time of the Gathering, when the stroke of a sword and a fall of a head will release the power of the Quickening. In the end, there can be only one.” Highlander is one of the most enduring and popular franchises of all time, an ambitious blend of fantasy, history, romance, swordplay, mythology, and special effects, all set to a soundtrack by Queen. While the original 1986 film spawned a pair of lukewarm sequels, it was Highlander: The Series, an i ..read more

TJ Chen pours yogurt from a bulk bag into small to-go cups, carefully checking that each contains the same amount. Behind him, a trio of flat-screen TVs mounted high above the work area silently air different sports, while pop music plays quietly in the background. At the far end of the long counter, another employee takes orders for coffee and snacks. When a customer asks Chen where the nearest washroom is, he looks to his manager for help. She steps in and answers. Afterward, she tells Chen he must be prepared to answer general questions about the airport, then she sends him off with clear ..read more

Van Cleef & Arpels Five new pieces add some springtime sparkle to Van Cleef & Arpels’ Frivole floral collection. The centrepiece is a ring that combines three white-gold flowers encrusted with diamonds and five mirror-polished rose-gold flowers, each with a central stone. Other eye-catching creations in this jewellery bouquet include a two-flower Between the Finger ring in rose gold and an asymmetrical seven-flower bracelet in white gold, which glitters with almost 300 diamonds. Branca Branca’s new Conic lounge chair delivers a cheerful pop of colour in a cushy and whimsical package ..read more

“There’s a story missing,” says Lauren Moberly. Despite clues scattered across the 11,000 square kilometres of Jasper National Park’s forests, lakes, and mountains, Moberly, a member of the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation and the Mountain Métis, says many visitors overlook them. Some of the story lies in the park’s more than 700 archaeological sites, while other parts are hidden in plain sight: an abandoned homestead, scattered graves, and the trail that became Highway 40 to Grande Cache. The highway is particularly poignant. “All the Indigenous people were evicted when the park was formed,” Moberl ..read more

In her new book The Side Gardener: Recipes & Notes from My Garden, cookbook author and founder of Butter Baked Goods Rosie Daykin describes how she turned an abandoned strip of land beside her home into a working garden, producing vegetables, fruit, flowers, and even eggs for her kitchen. The book is also her fourth cookbook, filled with recipes for veggie-forward dishes such as zucchini ricotta tart, rhubarb panna cotta, vegetable cannelloni, and a beet, blackberry, and buckwheat salad that she shares with us in this excerpt.  I don’t so much “grow” blackberries as “gather” them. Ju ..read more

One day, Lisa Karandat called her friend Alexa Monahan to talk about shampoo bars. “I know they’re better for the planet. They’re plastic-free. But I just don’t really like them.’” Monahan, too, had tried to achieve great hair with less waste but was similarly underwhelmed. “Okay, here we go,” Monohan said. “This is our idea.” It was an unconventional start. Months earlier, the pair had decided to go into business together, with the caveat that whatever they did be sustainable. Shampoo bars were a chance to reinvent the wheel—if the wheel had first been a triangle. Taking an existing idea and ..read more

At 944,735 square kilometres, British Columbia is almost the area of four Great Britains. B.C. may be an explorer’s paradise, but to properly get to grips with the backcountry, you need a machine fit for purpose. From England, by way of France and Germany, the Ineos Grenadier makes tracks where lesser machines fear to tread. Ineos is a name you may already be familiar with if you’ve watched a Formula 1 race or two. The company is a main sponsor of the Mercedes-AMG F1 team, its logo spread across the rear wing of the car. Ineos is one of the largest chemical companies in the world, and it ..read more

Lohn Candles Have scent, will travel via Toronto-based Lohn’s limited-edition Resort Trio Sun, Surf and Sand candle trio. Last year, this vacation-in-a-jar set immediately sold out, prompting the company to relaunch the sun-soaked scents for 2024. Made with sustainable soy and coconut wax in a food-grade, reusable glass vessel, each clean-burning fragrance whisks you away on notes of orange, verbena, sea salt and driftwood⁠⁠—no plane ticket required. Souvenir matchsticks included. Dolce & Gabbana K & Q Eau de Parfum Infused with top notes of Sicilian lemon and orange, Dolce & Gabb ..read more