FORTYFOUR

MAGAZINE Contributors:
ART
photographer Meghan Brommeland, Julia Herron, Katrina Levack, Kevin Phung
writer Katherine Alpen, Danielle Phelan
designer Erin Bjornson, Kevin Phung
MUSIC
photographer Erica McMillen
writer Ashleigh Begg, Jenny Therrien
designer Spencer Crowter, Danielle Phelan, Darwin Seculles
coordinator Jenny Therrien
FASHION
photographer Julia Herron, Hayley Scott
writer Madison Anhorn, Nadia Maki
designer Lan Yan
FEATURE
photographer Meghan Brommeland, Zhamak Fullad, Erica McMillen
writer Laura Thorne
designer Kevin Phung, Darwin Seculles
co-ordinator Laura Thorne
SADIES PAGE
designer Erin Bjornson
coordinator Jenny Therrrien
FOURSQUARE
photographer Zhamek Fullad, Morgan Haines
writer Katherine Alpen, Joy Yoo
designer , Dariel Filwood, Michelle Oh
comic Dariel Filwood, Michelle Oh
EATS
photographer Katrina Levack, Erica McMillen
writer Madison Anhorn, Nadia Maki, Laura Thorne
designer Jin Bae, Teresa Banks
WEB
Duncan Hodson, Kirsten Pedersen, Cindy Xiao
COVER
photographer Meghan Brommeland, Hayley Scott
designer Kevin Phung, Darwin Seculles
FortyFour is a student-run magazine printed quarterly
FortyFour is a FREE publication based in North Vancouver
We have an open call for submissions
If you are under 25 and wish for your work to be considered for our next issue please
contact us via e-mail at: [email protected]
For advertising please contact: [email protected]
Printed Locally At Hemlock Printing
Burnaby, Vancouver
www.hemlock.com
Articles with this icon indicate a video is
available for viewing at fortyfourmagazine.com
32
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
ART
MUSIC
13 Clockworks
Sebastien Granger 3
Behind Sapphire 7
FASHION
T-Shirt Culture 11
34 Fade to black
Feature
Spoken Word 25
FOUR SQUARE
31 Horoscope
EATS
21 The Templeton
24 Reviews
23 Recipe
32 Water
11
33 Do it yourself
25
13
CD Reviews 10
15 Vjeko Sager
20 Sadies Page
MUSIC
3

SEBASTIEN
GRAINGER
AND THE MOUNTAINS
Writer: Ashleigh Begg
Designer: Ashleigh Begg
Photos: Eva Michon
After a hiatus from the music
scene, former Death From Above
1979 singer/drummer
Sebastien Grainger returns
with a soulful new sound in the
debut album of his solo career,
Sebastien Grainger and The
Mountains. The album showcases
the personal evolution of a
musician who has come into his
own, ready to excite and inspire
with his individual perception of
music.
4
44: Describe yourself in 3 words.
Hairy French Canadian?
44: Is there a fctional character that you most
relate with?
I relate a lot to the semi-fctional Charles
Bukowski character, Henry Chinaski. Im not
nearly as debaucherous or @#$!%# up as he
is. The character of Henry Chinaskis kinda like
Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, super
misunderstood, really kind of brutal guy who
disappoints and is mainly perceived as that, but
he has this underlying sensitivity and generosity.
You can draw parallels to those characters
when youre in a rock band. You cant be
open and honest with everyone you meet. Its
impossible to give everyone your full attention,
so sometimes you come across as an a-hole,
when youre just trying to get through the day.
As long as youre good to your friends and
family it shouldnt matter.
44: What do you feel your greatest achievement
of 2008 has been?
I think its fnishing and releasing my record. It
was a long time coming and even though it took
x amount of time I feel its a recording Ive been
wanting to make for years and years and years.
Im glad Ive fnally made it and I can move
forward. Im really proud of it.
44: Do you feel that was your hardest obstacle, just getting that record fnished and out there?
There were a lot of obstacles within the recording and song writing process. Theres a big period of a
recovery, being a guy in a band that was popular and then not. Weird ego stuff, knowing that youre
capable and talented, but if you havent written a song in two years then what are you worth? I just regained
that knowledge of my ability but then there are more obstacles along the way.
5
44: As a songwriter, did that force you to go through a personal evolution?
In a sense, but I do feel that I had to go back and remember how I operated before I was in Death
from Above. I just needed to go through different stages. I had to go backwards and fgure out who
I was before, not just start new, but start from the point where all the knowledge began in that other
band. It was a real amalgamation of who am I really, who was I then and who am I now?
44: Is there a certain emotion you try and evoke with your music?
Theres defnitely a soulfulness that I try to convey. I just want people to feel good, regardless of the
theme or chord change. I want people to be excited about the songs and if theyre not, give the
record to someone who might be excited by it.
44: Do you feel like youre infuenced more by other musicians or by your own emotions?
Every song and idea you have is a collection of everything youve seen or heard. I didnt try to
emulate anything specifc, but it was in a very natural way where it was impulsive how Id write and
record. To pinpoint any infuences, lyrically, Id say my own life or the lives of people around me
that Ive observed musically but who knows where that shit comes from? Writing is a mystery to
even the greatest songwriters. You always feel like youre ripping someone off, you dont know if its
actually your song.
44: So you look to your emotions more than the technical aspects of songwriting?
Its hard to pinpoint where things come from. Sometimes when youre writing a song, you have to
squash your ego because the song is there, it always feels like its there. You just need to uncover
it. Sometimes that means playing less and doing less, even though your ego wants you to play
more. In that regard, you have to put yourself second to the song
44: Do you regret any of those sacrifces youve made to get where you are now?
Theyve all been personal sacrifces. Once I realized this is what I had to do, it made decisions a
lot easier. Growing up with other musicians and people in bands it feels like everyone wants to be
a musician, to me that was a little bit embarrassing to tell Id fnally decided. I saw my friends go to
school, graduate school and have all these accomplishments. Once Id decided I was a musician it
gave me something to tell people what I do and tell myself what I do. It made those sacrifces totally
easy to make. You see your friends grow up and do things and I dont knowI dont long for that
any more. I dont want anything other than this.
6
"When you're writing a song, you have to squash your ego."

As goes for many musicians, Myspace is their
core; the central base of their social networking.
Having well-over 100 million users, it is a place
to be heard especially for young, upcoming
artists. Browsing Myspace one evening, I
lingered on one page: Behind Sapphire, a
local Vancouver band. Distracted by the
aberrant photographs, and questionable band
description, I nearly didnt realize the music
sample playing. I turned up the volume on my
laptop and stopped, closing my eyes briefy,
embracing the velvety voice and refreshing
instruments. Their sound was, for lack of
a better word, magical. Enticing, perhaps.
Glorious. I knew that I must contact them. Not
before long - actually, thats a lie, after quite
long - we were fnally sitting together at Honeys
doughnuts in Deep Cove, munching on warm
pastry and admiring the dcor. Having just
fnished a successful photoshoot on the pier,
and a roll around in the fall leaves, we were
ready to get down to business.
Writer: Jenny Therrien
Designer: Darwin Seculles
SAPPHIRE
Photographer: Erica McMillen
44: What impact does playing music, or music in general, have on your life?
Grant: Its something to look forward to. Something we can use to escape. And it
has mystery to it.
44: K, 3 words to describe yourselves. Go.
Grant: If i would describe myself, i would describe myself as a colour. A combination
of yellow and orange.
44: Really? Whys that?
Grant: It takes alot to bring me down. I guess its just my frame of mind.
44: Haha so.. brown? (wtf?)
Grant: Ya kinda poo. No, uhh im not materialistic, so everything around me doesnt
matter to me. I could have nothing and still feel good about myself and feel really
productive...
Matthew: For me, Id like to think i was... uhh .... *silence*
44: ...
Matthew: As like, a little wild child running through the forest with just like,
shorts on or something like that. Like Tarzan, when he was a kid. I really like
to think of myself as that. Shy. Thats how i feel. So.. Little wild child. NO!
Forest running child... with shorts. And bananas.
44: Moving on, what are your inspirations in terms of lyrics? Or who?
Grant: Well, I pull lots of inspiration from my childhood. I write from just
experiences in general... Like pink clouds... I had a really really really really
near death experience, cause my car almost went off a cliff, and it was
banking on the cliff, and it was about a 400 foot drop. So uhh that was really
rough to get out of.
44: What is the lyric that is in the song?
Matthew: It starts with Saturdays a story...
Grant: Saturdays a story of wild rides, its all on me, tales of rapture come
chasing for life.. And over we dive tonight. Yeah, thats just what that applies
to. The rest is more just when i grew up, and how i had to cope with different
things.. Like everyone shutting down my creativity and what not.
Matthew: One of our songs called My Two Best Friends was like, my life as
a metaphor for a fsh in a tank. Theyre kind of like, cut off from everything.
It was a time in my life where all I had were other Matt and Grant and I was
only friends with them and uhh i was just at that awkward depressed stage
in life, and wanted to write a song to bring me up through that. Basically its
about a fsh trying to get out and back to the ocean and trying to fnd his way
cause hes lonely. At the end of the song, you hear these 2 bloops of water,
or splashes i guess, and that just summarizes two new friends plopping
44: What do you think is more daunting a task: writing lyrics, or fnding a
good melody?
Matthew: For most songs, well write the instrumental part and them apply
lyrics to it later.
Grant: Its like, musical math. You have to refect the emotion of the song
coinciding with the music itself, unless you intend to make it contradictory.
Matthew: But we do like to jump around a lot. We want to take the listener
on a ride... on a little adventure.

8

"we're 19.
We're ripe
fruit, ready
for the
pickin'..."
44: What bands or artists have you felt have infuenced you the most?
Matthew: Well, The Beatles or Walt Disney.
Grant: With Disney, like, Robin Hood.
Matthew: Ya, and like, everyone says The Beatles, but we really went through a phase
where we were obsessed, and noticed alot of their underlying messages and what great
melodies they had, and the music always fts their lyrics.
Grant: Their metaphors defnitely have infuenced our style. And right now, were kind of
obsessed with European music. Like the soundtrack of Amelie or like, Beirut and stuff,
those European moods are like a soundtrack to life.
Matthew: We really like bands like Annuals, or Fleet Foxes cause their songs do take you
on an adventure .
Grant: Anything where you can close your eyes and just get lost.
44: Are there any particular seasons where you feel more inspired?
Grant: Our music defnitely changes with the seasons because you have different moods
in different seasons. Some of our songs have a more beachy feel in summer with more
harmonies, but in winter we can bring out more jazz.
Matthew: Jazz defnitely gives you more breathing room, and it provokes thought when you
listen to it. It doesnt smother you with like, catchy catchy catchy. Its better.
44: What is your favourite season?
Matthew: How could you have a favourite season?
Grant: Spring. Defnately.
Matthew: Theyre all pretty brilliant for their own reasons.
44: Do you guys listen to any mainstream music at all?
Matthew: We like bands, or musicians, when they frst kind of start out because theyre
more honest with what theyre portraying, and theyre more in control. We just dont like
to draw our infuences from mainstream artists because their sound is already regurgitated
from their own infuences.
Grant: We are trying to get to more the root of, say, their infuences. That is where you really
want to be heading.
44: So you want that more raw sound as opposed to a mere interpretation.
Matthew: Exactly.
44: Whats one thing you would want FortyFour readers to know about you?
Grant: Were just regular guys try hards that are doing what they love to do. Chasing
the dream, i guess.
Matthew: Were 19. Were ripe fruit, ready for the pickin ...
44: Okay, one fnal question: If you had one minute to tell the world one thing, what would
it be?
Grant: Theres always one concept i like to share with people. The term eternity or
eternally is used to eliminate time. Theres no beginning or end. And that relates to music,
for me, because you cant get away from it. There is no beginning or end. Its ongoing
forever. Its just always there.
Matthew: K you know The Goofy Movie? Theres this one part and theyre like, sitting in
the car arguing over what station to put on or something. Then the stereo breaks and they
begin to hear these clinking pots and pans, and that becomes the music. I think thats a
good analogy for what Grant is trying to say.
Grant: Sure...
cd reviews
Close your eyes. Turn
off all the lights. Snuggle
under your covers and
put in your headphones.
With the album In A Safe
Place, the title speaks for
itself. The Album Leaf has
grasped new meanings
for serenity, and intrigue.
The sound is unusually
beautiful, and confusing.
Although its from 2004,
listen to it. Over the Pond
and Twentytwofourteen
are defnitely worth it.
How do you possibly
explain Animal Collective?
They ft into the genre of
Avant-garde, meaning
music ahead of its time.
They fuse together so
many different elements
and sounds that if
youve ever wondered
what the world would
sound like on acid, its
a possibility that theres
your answer. Feels is
strictly ear candy. And
mind candy too, I guess.
The Purple Bottle, track
4, may send you on a trip.
Do not mix with drugs.
The frst time I heard
Girl Talk, I was feeling
in a gangster mood. As
forty-two minutes and
5 seconds passed one
word came to mind: wow.
Each individual track had
about 20 different songs
all worked in magnifcently
to create a work of art.
Each track was meshed
with the one following to
form a masterpiece of
classic rock combined
with new age hip hop
and indie. Im not one to
fnd underground rap and
mashups my cup of tea,
but I... loved it. If youre
a wanna-be gangster,
this is your frst step.
And if youre already Gd
up... then pump this
shizat in your car. Its
better than Snoop Dogg.
Well.. thats debatable.
Finally Woken
Jem
in a SaFe PlaCe
The Album Leaf
FeelS
Animal Collective
niGHT RiPPeR
Girl Talk
TWin CineMa
The New Pornographers
Writer: Jenny Therien
Designer: Spencer Crowter
Jems Finally Woken is a
soundtrack to life. I used
to have an OC obsession
(still do...) and thats where
I frst discovered her, along
with quite a few other TV
shows and movies shes
been feautured in. Her
adorable British accent
and electric beats are an
ideal combination, and her
versatility is impressive.
You know when youre
sitting in the car, and
youre trying to decide
which song to put on?
You ask your companion
what mood theyre in,
and they say content/
happy? Thats when
you know to put on Twin
Cinema. First, skip all
the way to #13, Streets
of Fire, and sing a duet.
Trust me, nothing makes
me happier when Im in a
bad mood. The upbeat,
carefree beats and boy/
girl combo of vocals is
perfect driving music.
FASHION
MOBILE
CANVAS
I cant help but feel Im drowning - in
layers of clothing, to be more precise.
Its the time to warm up with hot
chocolate, cast away your trendy,
gauzy scarf in favour of a more
substantial one, and hide your
amazingly fabulous outft with a
bulky parka. In summer, we let it
all out; legs, arms, tattoos nobody
knew we had, and don t-shirts. Not so
much with winter. You never really know whats
underneath someones coat. What are they hiding?
We all know fashion is a form of expression, but some
people dont want to beat around the bush with their clothes;
they want their message out there right now. They want to enter a
room and have everyone know what theyre about.
Enter the message t-shirt. If I recall, the trend was started by Lindsay, or
Paris, or some other celebutante sporting a t-shirt with the phrase Ditch
Him. Oh so classy. But, luckily, it evolved; you no longer had to speak
when you entered a room, your t-shirt did all the talking. Whatever your
message, wardrobes were chatting away. Sure, there are still the Im the
boss or Little Miss Perfect shirts worn by twelve year old girls the world
over, but message t-shirts have become more than that. Why have
these shirts caught on? Two reasons: expression, and the internet.
"If you're making a t-shirt to express yourself,
then it's an art. As simple as that. Expression is
art,"
notes Julia Herron, a 44 Magazine photographer. Julia makes
her own message and graphic t-shirts using iron-on paper and
Adobe Illustrator.
Photographer: Julia Herron, Hayley Scott
Designer: Lan Yan Writer: Madison Anhorn

I make my own t-shirts because, being a person who craves to be original
and unique, I really just got sick of seeing people with the same t-shirts as
me[.]
Were always trying to fnd a way to differentiate ourselves from a
stereotype, and something as simple as a t-shirt can be an answer.
To this day Ive never seen someone wearing the shirts I make myself,
says Julia.
Theres one more factor in the popularity of message and graphic t-shirts:
the internet. With Google image search so readily available, all you have to do is
copy, paste, print, cut, and iron.
The internet also turns artists, such as Vancouvers own Vince Lo, into
businessmen. Lo makes and sells t-shirts via takefight (http://www.takefight.
co.nr/), his company he started in 2005. An Emily Carr student, he paints all
the t-shirts himself. Lo has noticed that t-shirts have become an artform in
themselves.
"Through the years I've seenthat t-shirts are inaway, anew formof canvas.
The only difference is that it's mobile."

So whats takefight about?
takefight has always been centered around some of the basic themes of
life and people. Im really passionate and conscious about giving each shirt a
voice.
Each season, Lo designs a new collection of t-shirts, centering around an
idea, usually something going on in Los own life. The 2008 fall collection,
entitled Beyond Beyond, was based around the idea of going beyond beyond,
however you choose to interpret it. His designs are colourful; this collection
includes shirts proclaiming BEYOND, pop art style ice cream cones, and the
phrase Where art thou sting?
Vince Lo has proved that message and graphic t-shirts do not have to be just
an ironic joke looking for a laugh; theyre statements. Lo chooses to make his
statement about love and positivity.
Ive found myself to be someone whos constantly searching for connections,
and making connections from all areas of my life. And so I make my shirts in
seasons and batches, capturing the theme of my life in that particular season.
Another important part to why I do it is because I like telling stories. They have
depth and weight to them. The shirts, they create dialogue, and questions.
Whether youre t-shirt is telling a joke, showing off Barack Obamas smiling
visage, or asking Where art thou sting?, its telling the world its message, and
in turn, your message. There are so many endless possibilities of what you can
do, just through a simple metre of fabric.
So forget about who are you wearing.
Who are you, and why are you wearing?
"Though art requires time, why
not use time itself to make art?"
Writer: Danielle Phelan Designer: Kevin Phung Photographer: Katrina Levack, Kevin Phung
ARTS
Someone once told me destruction is a form of creation. A
different person argued that that was horribly wrong. Creating
isnt destructing its more like taking the ordinary and making it
beautiful. Anything can be considered a form of art if we look at
it from alternate perspectives; a perfect example is a watch. We
tend to look at our small, portable time-keeping machines as just
that, nothing more. What we dont do is take the time to grasp
their complexity, their interiors carefully crafted with tiny parts
We focus on just the exterior. Most of us throw away things like
watches if they become broken or outdated. But some people think
differently. Some see useless objects as an opportunity to create.
They take the ordinary and make it beautiful.
Kevin Phung is one of those people. The two structures displayed
in these photos are his creations, experiments made by an artist
with enough time and patience to outlet his abstract ideas into a
few discarded materials. It was a watch that eventually became the
foundation for Kevins recycled art.
As a child, his delight with visually intriguing objects led to his
desire to push art further than the standard drawing and sketching.
Although he tried carving wood, wax, and clay, Kevin found them
all plain and unsatisfying. His incentive to start over made him look
for a fresh perspective, and he found that he felt a basic need to
destruct.
Eventually he discovered that most people overlook the basic forms
and everyday things that surround us. First appearances dont
always tell the tale of whats beneath the layers of normal objects.
For Kevin, working with the pieces of discarded watches brought
a sense of truth to the saying, Beauty is on the inside. He spent
hours piecing the little bits of metal together, connecting the fragile
parts to make something more than fragments. The beauty he
found in this process gave the pieces of his project a new purpose
and a new sense of life.
Art is all around us, as clichd as that sounds. Sometimes we just
have to take the time to recognize the complexity (or the simplicity)
of everyday things in order to see their value.
Though art requires time, why not use time itself to make art?
Reusing the broken pieces of the tools we use to tell time, to form
these sculptures, gave them all a second chance to be seen and
appreciated like never before. I can only hope that others may try
this themselves. Kevin Phung
I have been bombarded with the question of, What are you
going to do with the rest of your life? since my frst planning
class in grade eight, and to be perfectly honest, the haze
has never lifted. It strikes me as the most
hopeless question to be asked! Visual artist Vjeko Sager,
however, manages to shed some light on the dilemma for
youth and aged alike. Born in Montenegro, former
Yugoslavia, at an early age he was inspired by artists who
questioned the boundaries of painting, drawing, and
design. Today as a teacher at Emily Carr, he continues to
do the same; constantly questioning the most basic
templates for putting charcoal on paper, and inspiring his
students to do the same independently. To youth and the
experienced alike, this man and his ongoing
experimentation with creativity can help show what it truly
means to have a vocation, and to be dedicated to
something you love for your entire life.
sager
vjeko
Writer: Katherine Alpen Photographer: Meghan Brommeland, Julia Herron Designer: Erin Bjornson
As we entered Vjekos apartment, it became clear that it
was an imaginative area, with very little inhibition or clut-
ter. As we scoped out his place, he offered us drinks and
a piece of fruitcake one of his students made him. It was
delicious, and I was so overwhelmed by his
hospitality that I forgot what my initial purpose in being
there was. Once we had settled down and the mic was
happily sucking up sound, he began to take us through a
portfolio of his more recent work. Some of the pieces tied
back to his birthplace of Yugoslavia and how he planned
to bring an ancient church from there to Vancouver.
Equally inspiring was his recent show that focused on
physionotraces, or how peoples personalities are
somehow refected on to their image (or not). Using
charcoal and paper; he had created a mural that was 100
square feet, encircling an entire room. I recognized it from
his website, and asked him to explain it further to us. Its
a funny word, physionotrace. [It] means physiognomy,
its the machine that was invented before photography ...
This was the frst time that people started printing
multiple images like portraits, and soon after that,
photography was invented... When you look at todays
media, this is what I was interested in, how this idea is
linked in [to] todays world of image overload. We started
this journey with: when we laugh is it real or fake? How
can you guess? Do they pretend or not? If someone
looks like a bear, is he behaving like a bear?
From there, he began to discuss with us his artistic
infuences and what he believed to be most important in
a career in art. When we asked him who his favorite artist
was, he considered it an odd question because he has
about a hundred. In explaining this, Mr. Sager expressed
his admiration for artists that, instead of following the
status quo of art, were more apt to break down walls,
rather than conform right off the bat. Its that they care
very much about the world, but they dont care about
rules They break the established templates, and those
people are lovely, because they bring true progress; they
bring change. How can you change anything if we agree
upon things?
To him, recognition of true artists comes not from the
general public, but more so through time. For instance,
he brought up the artist El Greco, who, although he lived
about 400 years before us, created art that we
understand today. Mr. Sager concluded that, [Artists]
should work not thinking to become recognized and rich
and famous. [But] to contribute to the arts, to make art
rich and famous. Richness is the easy way out.
Sometimes it was hard not to clap at the end of his
sentences; for a writer, the phrases he composed on
the spot were like chocolate almonds. The interview
continued, and as it did, we fowed from his beginning
inspirations, to where he does the majority of his work
today: a studio on Clark street in downtown Vancouver.
He explained how he is in a building shared by about 30
other artists who each have their own space. He went on
to express that the majority of the work of art is not done
in the studio, not even in the gallery, but in living. He sees
something different every time he looks at a piece of art,
and it makes him see and feel new things. That, he
concluded, is the pleasure of art. Its never ending up,
never ending.
16

[
I
t

s
]

t
h
a
t

t
h
e
y

c
a
r
e

v
e
r
y

m
u
c
h

a
b
o
u
t

t
h
e

w
o
r
l
d
,

b
u
t

t
h
e
y

d
o
n

t

c
a
r
e

a
b
o
u
t

r
u
l
e
s
,

a
b
o
u
t

t
h
e

e
s
t
a
b
l
i
s
h
e
d

t
e
m
p
l
a
t
e
s
.

T
h
e
y

b
r
e
a
k

t
h
e

e
s
t
a
b
l
i
s
h
e
d

t
e
m
p
l
a
t
e
s
,

a
n
d

t
h
o
s
e

p
e
o
p
l
e

a
r
e

l
o
v
e
l
y
,

b
e
c
a
u
s
e

t
h
e
y

b
r
i
n
g

t
r
u
e

p
r
o
g
r
e
s
s
;

t
h
e
y

b
r
i
n
g

c
h
a
n
g
e
.

H
o
w

c
a
n

y
o
u

c
h
a
n
g
e

a
n
y
t
h
i
n
g

i
f

w
e

a
g
r
e
e

u
p
o
n

t
h
i
n
g
s
?

17
"I f I were reborn a mi lli on ti mes, I would go
back to the arts agai n."
thousand times. If I were reborn a million
times, I would go back to the arts again. So
then from my perspective, I know what my
story and my life was about, it was resisting
many temptations when I was young, and
you know if you do so, if you succeed then
eventually you become I became what
I became, rewarded in a sense, honestly
rewarded because I experience on a daily
basis the thrill of learning and doing art.
These are the confdent words of a man
soaked up to his imagination in the true
essence of art.
The fnal question I asked Mr. Sager
revolved around a comment he had
previously made concerning young artists
and the temptations they face on the road to
an artists career. To him, the ultimate
challenge for the younger (and older)
generations is to escape reality, to not cave
into the beautiful and easy, as opposed to
the intricacy and complication of a life of art.
Speaking from his perspective, Reality is
tempting, you know, because there are so
many things that we do because of
reality. We follow advice, we get a job, we
will run a life, make a family; well do all kinds
of things because of reality, because of
expectations. And those are all
temptations of life If you ask me the
question like will I repeat my story, will I go
back to the arts, I will say not once, but [a]
19
SADIES
PAGE
I dri ve on her streets,
Cause shes my compani on.
I wal k through her hi l l s,
Cause she knows who I am.
She sees my good deeds and
She ki sses me wi ndy.
I never worry,
...Now that i s a l i e.
Lyrics by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Page dedicated to Sadie Hardman
TEMPLETON
Walking down Granville Street, a little unprepared for the slightly sketchy
atmosphere, our inner children blushed as we passed the adult video
store. Giggling at the risqu titles in the windows, we were surprised
to see our destination sandwiched between two of these, ahem, bou-
tiques. At frst, we lurked outside, admiring the fact that The Templeton
was decked out in full 50s gear as it has been since the beginning of
time well, since the opening in 1934. We smelled the aroma of the
diner-style grease and were inside in seconds.
Hanging our coats on the old-fashioned rack up front, we were
immediately distracted from our menus by the original jukebox next to us.
Flipping through the songs, we were pleased to see old favourites; it was
as though MuchMusic had never existed. A little Bon Jovi and Simple
Minds later, we fnally browsed through the menus.
The vegetarian options were plentiful, making our mouths water for spicy
tofu instead of bacon. For those of you who prefer the multigrain lifestyle,
the Templeton offers baked grapefruit, Asian noodle salad and more. The
portions were fairly large considering the price, and it was enough to sat-
isfy even the hungriest of us. The food was greasy, warm and delicious,
exactly the smell that originally attracted us.
The attraction of the Templeton was the old-school ambiance, with
small things that remind us of the good old days (not that we were ever
part of them!). The aluminum cup flled with that bit of extra milkshake
leftover or the piece of Double Bubble our waitress tossed us in place of
a mint made the little booth feel homey. We rediscovered memories of
the deep fried Mars bars and Jones Soda foats our parents once raved
about, and to top it off, there are projector movies
on Monday nights. With that, were sold.
With convenient hours, the Templeton is great for
lunch and for the post-partiers out there, its the
ideal late breakfast spot. The Templeton is a perfect
blast from the past, like its right out of your fa-
vourite black and white movie.
Designer: Teresa Banks Photographer: Ashleigh Begg, Erica McMillen Writer: Nadia Maki
THE
EATS
QUALITY FOOD. SNAPPY SERVICE
22
1
2) Pour a little oil
onto your pan. Once
it is hot, saut (fry for
you non-sophisticat-
ed types) the onions
until they turn light
brown. Whatever you
do, do not stop stir-
ring it!
3) Pour your egg mix-
ture on top of the on-
ions and scramble. Ok,
if you dont know how
to scramble eggs
1) Whisk your eggs
in a bowl. Add the
chopped tomato,
salt and pepper and
milk.
RECIPE
4) Transfer to your
plate and voila!
Authentic Turkish
Menemen!
Froot-Loops, pancakes and jelly toast can become monotonous.
Take a spin on your typical scrambled eggs, and make authentic
Turkish Menemen. Menemen is traditionally a breakfast food,
but if youre like us, youll eat it for any meal. This is a very basic
recipe, feel free to add chopped green peppers, feta cheese,
olives or even take the less traditional path and add spicy sau-
sage. Warning: STEER CLEAR from cheddar cheeseyoull
thank me later.
Ingredients:
- an onion (chopped)
- 2 eggs
- Dash of milk (you can
never go wrong with 1 tbsp)
- 1 small tomato (chopped)
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
4 2 3
1
Serves you. Or two cats.
TURKISH MENEMEN
Photographer: Katrina Levack
Writer: Nadia Maki Designer: Teresa Banks
23
REVIEWS
24
Stars:
Price: $ Dinner
$$ Dinner + Dessert
Location: 4362 Main St
Stars:
Price: $
Location: 1445 Lonsdale
Cafe Montmartre
Krua Thai
RESTAURANT
Jambo Grill
Entering the tiny Caf Montmartre is like stepping off of Main St. and right into
a Parisien caf. French posters grace the walls of the candle-lit caf, while the
bicycles hanging from the ceiling lend a Cirque-like playfulness to the mood.
The artsy dcor is an added bonus to the excellent food and service offered
at the Montmartre; dinner options feature French classics like baked Brie and
Parisien crpes full of different ingredients like chicken, cheese, or spinach.
The menu is well priced for its authenticity and quality, ranging from $5.95 to
$12.95 per plate.
Its well worth a visit to the Montmartre, even just for a caf au lait or a choco-
late dessert crpe. For the best experience of la belle vie, come after 9:00 pm
to listen to free live music or spoken word.
I stepped off the 229 bus at 15th and Lonsdale, right in front of Krua Thai,
a North Vancouver Thai restaurant. Though Krua Thai can only ft about
thirty or so people, this adds to its likeability. The service blew me away; the
waitress went out of her way to see if my mom could customize her entre.
Though I enjoyed my meal, my favourite part was the salad and the crispy
wontons that come along with each dish. The lunchtime price for each dish is
$7.95, which is all right, but the portions could be bigger. The lunch menu is
small, but Krua Thai has an expanded dinner menu featuring many spicy and
vegetarian options, most with prices around $10. Overall I enjoyed my visit to
Krua Thai, and would recommend it to anyone looking to get out of the sushi
rut.
The ambiance is Bollywood-esque, the service is friendly, the portions are
large and the location was easy to fnd but the food is beyond compare.
The price ranges, you can easily order a main dish and a drink for under
$15. Although the types of food offered are from India, the recipes are taken
from the Indian community in East Africa, giving it a whole new favour. Jam-
bo Grill is well known for their paan, an Indian snack used as an after dinner
mint. With countless curries, rice dishes and delicious yogurt lassi drinks,
Jambo Grill will be your new favourite. We recommend the butter chicken
or anything chicken really.
Stars:
Price: $$
Location: 3219 Kingsway
Writer: Laura Thorne, Madison Anhorn, Nadia Maki Designer: Jin Bae
Spoken
Word
The energy in the room is almost tangible. Although the
caf may be small, its collective feeling of anticipation
builds up until it spills out into the cool evening air of
Commercial Drive. Inside, the clustered tables are full of
artsy-looking people who ft right in with the dcor, waiting
for the night to begin. All eyes are on the tiny stage, which
holds nothing but a microphone.
The frst performer takes to the stage. After a moment of
heavy silence, she steps up to the microphone and begins
to speak. At frst, her voice is calm and her body still as
she recites; but soon the words start to spiral and tumble
out of her mouth as her voice gets louder and louder, then
drops to a quiet murmur before rising again. She fings
thoughts and images at the audience in an almost musical
rhythm, word after word following a beat that reminds me
a little of rap.

My jaw drops.
This is poetry?! For most of us, poetry exists as something
we are forced to study year after year in English class.
When we hear the word, we either think of roses are red,
violets are blue or our dusty Shakespeare handbook that
is mostly used as a doodling space. Impenetrable words,
choppy rhythm, old-fashioned language
If youre like us, and these are the thoughts running
through your head right now, you probably havent heard
about slam poetry.
Slam, or spoken word, is written poetrys urban cousin.
The main difference between the two is that slam is written
to be spoken instead of read. Slam poets base their
writing on imagery just like page poets, but they have the
added dynamic of physical expression and performance.
The style is performed in poetry slams, which have a few
simple rules: each poet has three minutes to perform
their piece, which will then be judged by members of the
audience. The highest-scoring poets move on to the next
rounds.
Our experience continued with poet after poet, each one
amazing us more than the last. Their poems covered
subjects from love, politics, and sex to childhood and
cancer. The writing was so different from the drudgery
of page poetry that we had to keep reminding ourselves
what we were listening to.
"The combination of beautiful
poetry and a really expressive
person makes it become a much more
complete experience. It's not a flat
page speaking to you, it's a person
and it's a relationship."
26
Photographers: Meghan Brommeland & Zhamak Fullad Designer: Darwin Seculles & Kevin Phung
Writer: Laura Thoarne
Even todays slam poets admit that written poetry
doesnt quite inspire them. The three poets that
we interviewed all agreed that spoken word
has a different dynamic than words on a page.
Im honestly bored out of my mind by poetry on
a page, says Relevant. When I read it, it doesnt
speak to me. When I read it out loud, and perform it,
it speaks worlds to me. I dont want to knock written
poetry, but I tend to stray away from reading it.
Sasha, Relevant and Adrick are pretty new to the
spoken word scene, each having started slamming
only a couple of years ago. All three of them decided
to give it a try after being inspired by a poetry slam a
common way to join the spoken word scene. Its an
extremely welcoming community, but defnitely a very
tight-knit community, says Sasha, the 19-year-old
who will represent Vancouver at the 2009 Women of
the World Poetry Slam.
The lack of knowledge about slam poetry comes as a
shock. The art form isnt even mentioned in our high
school creative writing classes or theatre, even though
it offers teenagers a voice and a chance to create art.
Sasha explains that, In high school theres defnitely
this sort of veil of coolness. Youre not supposed to
act too emotional, youre not supposed to be too
sincere. Its very hard to fnd something genuine.
I think the poetry slam could help change that.
Sincerity is exactly what it demands.
Later, we got three of the best young poets out there
to give us some perspective about this new art form.
Relevant, Sasha, and Adrick were happy to talk about
their experiences in the slam poetry scene.
We asked 21-year-old Relevant to describe what
appeals to him about spoken word. He says that what
drew him to start slamming was the need to fnd a
new way to express himself.
You get to stand up on the stage and you get three
minutes to say whatever the hell it is you want to say
People have no choice but to listen. You can talk about
grass or pineapples and waste everyones time, or you
can go up there and really say something.
Poetry itself is an old convention, but its always going to
stay current because its a continual human expression.
[Spoken word] is really modern poetry for me, its incredibly
accessible and as soon as you go to a slam you realize this
is poetry you can sink your teeth into. The language isnt so
abstract, the ideas arent so old that you cant ground
them in your present experience, says Adrick, 21.
"don't censor the way
you think you should act
because of any sort of
convention's... strive for
sincerity."
27
To us, poetry seems to be a very conservative art form the
language and structure used by traditional poets doesnt relate
well to teenagers. We tend to stray from reading and writing
poetry because it doesnt speak out as strongly or bluntly as
other forms of expression, like verbal language or fashion. Slam
poetry is the happy medium, offering the chance to use creative
writing as an outlet but removing any censorship or limitation
on the writing itself. Spoken word artists can write about any
subject, using any type of language; usually, the more hard-
hitting and provocative the poem, the more popular it will be.
Sasha is no stranger to the more controversial side
of slam. Often choosing to write about political or
sexually related subjects, her poems are among the
favourites with the Van Slam crowd. Theres just a
lot of humour in sexual topics, but theres also a lot of
sincerity, she says. I have a lot more fun just being
ridiculously extreme and fnding the total humour in it.
A lot of the audience wants to hear that, and it opens
the boundaries of where youre allowed to go within
the poetry slam. When it comes to youth being able
to speak out about controversial subjects, she says,
I believe that sex and sexuality are taboo topics, and
"you're empowered with the
microphone and you can really
reach out to people, really affect
people, you feel you almost have a
bit of a duty to maybe push some
social ideas."
"it's always going to stay current because it's a continual
human expression... it's incredibly accessible and as soon as you go to
a slam you realize this is poetry you can sink your teeth into."
there are few spaces, especially for youth, to discuss them. The slam
provides a safe space to talk about these subjects, and thats invaluable.
Adrick explains, though, that subtlety is a gift in the world of poetry;
sometimes it proves a better point if you approach a subject from a less
direct perspective. You dont want to be so aggressive that you impose
on people, but poetry isnt a passive relationship. You have to kind of
come at something against the grain, from a bit of an angle.
I like writing stuff that is fundamentally
political, I like performing it more. But
you dont want to alienate people with
your political poem, you want people to
think about these things for themselves.
My favourite kinds of poems to write are
the ones that are political, but not on the
surface, says Sasha.
Performing poetry is an easy way to talk
about taboo subjects in a creative and
entertaining way, which makes slam a valid
venue for deeper subjects. When youre on
stage, explains Adrick, youre empowered
with the microphone and you can really
reach out to people, really affect people.
You feel you almost have a bit of a duty to
maybe push some social ideas.
Slam is all about speaking up and
expressing yourself while creating art
with words. With just a small stage and a
microphone, it gives anyone the chance to
speak out which is something that we, as
youth, are constantly searching for. In the
same way that we make statements about
ourselves and about our perspective through
clothes, actions, and music, this reinvention
of poetry can offer youth a new voice.
Spoken word is open to anyone, with
any amount of experience or none at
all. Beginners are welcome to join the
competition or perform on the open mic.
All it takes to get into it is one visit to a
slam. You just have to go to one, and your
preconceived notions of it being a typical
poorly attended, low-energy poetry reading
would completely change, encourages
Sasha
So if youre looking for an audience to
listen to what you have to say, if you want
to be blown away by some wicked poetry,
or if youre just in need of entertainment
for a night, check out the Van Slam. Like
Adrick says, Poetry that works really well
for me is poetry that shows, not poetry that
tells. So go give spoken word a try, and
let it show you that poetry is more than
words on a page.
Van Slam
Every Monday night, 8pm
Caf Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Drive
www.vancouverpoetryhouse.com
The situation is getting worse. Not the one you have to face at the
moment, but the small one you hid in your wool for a long time. That will
keep growing like a gigantic tumor, but no worries. Youll shed soon.
Writers: Katherine Alpen, Michelle Oh, Dariel Filwood, Zhamak Fulard
Youre a raging bull. Rawr! Watch your temper wherever you go; it might
get you into trouble. Remember, teachers are there to help you. Go see
your counsellor if you really need to. Take up kickboxing or wrestling,
take your anger out in a healthy manner. And remember kid, punching
hard things, well hurts!
This might be news to you, but youre the evil twin. Dont hit old ladies, or
steal their pork soup. It doesnt taste good. Its not worth getting chased
by the granny because it tastes bad. Instead, go vegan and eat some
potato soup. Mmm... potatoes.
Dont worry; youre not going to get cancer! Despite the name, all youre
in for is a case of mild infuenza. Tomorrow is going to be a better day,
so dont get depressed if youve missed a house party. When something
bad happens, something good will follow.
Hunt them down! (Non-violently of course!)
Youre standing on pretty shaky ground at the moment, but a trip away
from everything will help you relieve your stress. Breathe, take a bubble
bath, and rent a movie you love that youll fall asleep watching. Dont be
afraid to realize whats important.
We all know that you love your work and thats great. But slowing
down sometimes is great too. Take a break! Your mind and soul will
be grateful that you did, especially when you fnd that you no longer
need copious amounts of caffeine to keep you alive.
Watch out: make sure you dont sting yourself! Dont get too
defensive; your friends will hate you. Then you will fnd new friends,
and your old friends will get jealous and come running back,
begging you to take them in. Whether you accept or reject, its up
to you.
You have been sort of needy these past few weeks, and your
friends have noticed. Instead of continuing to annoy the hell out of
them, take a couple days off, fnd a nice corner, and stay there.
Dont let the cold weather get you down! Grab some friends and take a
trip to the beach to remind yourself of better days.
Like an endless river, your imagination will keep fowing! But dont
fantasize too much... you pervert. Maybe you should carve nice
naked things like the Statue of David.
You are like a rose. You display your thorns so you wont get hurt,
but you are actually fragile and sensitive on the inside. Sometimes
its not a bad idea to display your beautiful inner fower. Otherwise,
itll wither and die.
Designer: Michelle Oh
HOROSCOPES
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
GEMINI
May 21 - June 21
CANCER
June 22 - July 22
LEO
July 23 - August 22
VIRGO
August 23 - September 22
LIBRA
Septemeber 23 - October 22
SCORPIO
October 23 - November 21
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 - December 21
CAPRICORN
December 22 - January 19
AQUARIUS
January 20 - February 18
PISCES
February 19 - March 20
SQUARE
FOUR
DEW
YOU
KNOW
WATER?
The place on earth with the
highest annual rainfall is
Cherrapunji, India.
There is the exact amount
of water on Earth today, as
when the Earth was formed.
97.5% of all water on Earth is
salt water, leaving only 2.5%
as fresh water.
You could get drunk on
water. This is called water
intoxication
Writer: Katherine Alpen Designer: Michelle Oh
32
FEELING THIRSTY?
#
DO IT YOURSELF:
peek-a-book
STEP 1: Find a hard-cover
book and cover the faps
with plastic wrap. Make a
glue solution of 70% glue,
and 30% water.
STEP 2: Close the book frmly
and brush the edges of the
pages with your glue solution.
Put something heavy on it and
let it dry.
STEP 3: Open the book once
it has dried and draw a border
1 inch away from the edges.
STEP 4: Start cutting on the
border to remove pages.
Take your time on this part.
STEP 5: Once you have cut
deep enough to your liking,
brush on more glue on the
inside of the hollowed out
area.
STEP 6: Brush on one fnal
layer on the edges and the
inside of the pages. Let it dry
and youre done!
1
2
3
4
5 6
Designer: Lan Yan
Story & Art : Michelle Oh & Dariel Filwood
cow
betrayal
37
Story & Art : Michelle Oh, Dariel Filwood
cow
i know youre
cheating
on me, joe!
N-NO, HONEY...
I WOULD
NEVER!
DONT TRY TO DENY
IT!
I HAVE HER PICTURE
RIGHT HERE!
THAT CREAMER?!
SHES NOT EVEN
MY BLEND!
HI,
JOE!
YOURE NOT
EVEN
PURE
COLUMBIAN!
YEAH, WELL
AT
LEAST IM
FREE
TRADE!
ooh
my photo!
betrayal
Hey, Jack.
Wanna
hear a
joke?
No.
Hehe, Silly.
Of course you
do. What do
you call a cow
thats just
given birth?
What?
De-Calf-
inated!!
...