Blame it on vocalist Jackie Robinson and the brilliant dancers and choreography of Decidedly Jazzwork’s recent performance, Magnetic Consequences, at the Royal Theatre, but we’re feeling especially artistic at the moment. Alright, not true; we’re feeling our typically bush-league artistic selves. All the more reason to sign up for one of the University of Victoria Fine Arts program’s upcoming summer courses.In particular, we’re hoping to find the time to sign up for one of instructor Pheobe Rumsey’s classes, “Seminar in Musical Theatre” or “The Power of Movement.” An accomplished dancer, choreographer and instructor, Rumsey currently teaches at the Victoria Dance Connection and for Kaleidoscope Theatre (where we had the good fortune of first meeting her).

You can find more information on Rumsey’s classes and others being offered at UVic this summer here.

With apologies to those who have been stopping by looking for updates – and especial apologies to the visitors who left comments that were left unmoderated (now resolved) – di(V.I.)ne is now back in the saddle after a change in who’s holding the reins. Local freelance writer and photographer Rumon Carter, a regular contributor to Victoria- and Vancouver-based EAT Magazine will be taking over the roles of administrator and primary contributor. (Please note: there is no connection other than via shared contributors between di(V.I.)ne and EAT Mag.) In the next few days he’ll (yes, I’m writing in the third person) be responding to those lapsed comments, posting new content to the site and generally getting things back up and running.

Thank you for checking in, for your feedback and for supporting food, arts and culture on Vancouver Island.

Submitted by Ben

We won’t hide it: the di(V.I.)ne men love Dale and Patrick from downtown Victoria’s Outlooks for Men. And rightly so: it’s largely thanks to them and their wares that we look so darn good.

We were suitably pleased then to read the Victoria Times Colonist’s Sarah Petrescu give them and their store such a glowing recent review.

Though the article centers around the theme of the distinction between male and female fashion shoppers, a point came out that should be underscored here: Dale and Patrick make you feel at ease and in control of your choices while subtly helping to make those choices better. Really, what more could you hope for?

Great labels, you say? Well, they’re there, personal favourites including Swiss Army, Horst and, for their fitted cut for the “fitted” man, Zegna.

Cap it all off: if you want to be the epitome of eco-cool, you can pick up one of the same Jorg & Olif bikes (pictured) that Dale rides to work. Chain guard included to protect your trousers. (Though, we need to point out that we’ve heard from friends in Vancouver that these bikes are best suited for the flat lands of their Dutch heritage – they don’t climb so goed.)

Where to after Mo:Lé? Next door, of course, to habit coffee & culture to cap the perfect breakfast with the perfect boonah. Once again, the boys and their beans didn’t disappoint.

While sipping in the window ledge I noticed a suggestion on the “habit wants you to know about” board to check out Pig, in the old Hernandez location, for “the best brisket or pulled pork sandwich for 5-bucks in town.”

Not the first time this new animal has been suggested – a visit is in (short) order.

I don’t want to get into the habit of posting expletives on this page, so I’m going to have to censor what was going through my head while I chewed my first bite of Mo:Lé earlier this morning. In a G-rating, it translated to “Wow, this is really good.”

And yes, I know – FIRST bite?!? No, I haven’t been living in a hole, but, well, forget it, there’s no excuse, especially now that I know what I’ve been missing.

You know that feeling when you sit down behind a menu and realize you could eat everything listed before you? Not only that you could eat it all, but that you really, really want to? Today. Right now. At this sitting.

Better sense and a maintained waistline prevailed; I stuck to Mo’s Biscuit (cream cheese scrambled eggs, bacon, roasted pepper and havarti served open-face on a biscuit; accompanied by a side of pesto roasted potatoes that are now in the running for best in the city (I said maintained waistline, right?); $10). Earl grey tea to cut through the triglycerides and I was out the door, sated, for under 15 bucks.

Oh yeah, I’ll be back. Soon.

Mo:Lé Restaurant
Open for breakfast (’til mid-afternoon), lunch and (recently) dinner.
554 Pandora Street

Submitted by Ursula B.

Isn’t it one of the cruel truths of life that often what tastes fantastic isn’t good for you? Luckily, for every rule there is an exception – so to have their lunch and feel downright virtuous too, di(V.I.)ne contributors head to Daidoco, a downtown Japanese lunch-spot.

However, before visions of California rolls start dancing through your head, let me set you straight: Daidoco is not one of Victoria’s ubiquitous sushi joints. Daidoco is in fact a deli–serving up local organic salads, hot stir fries, an ever-changing selection of small plates (saizo in Japanese) and some of the freshest fish in town.  Walking into this small restaurant you have a choice of about eight hot/cooked mains: tuna (heavenly tataki style), salmon or tofu don, grilled rock fish and teriaki chicken. You can add miso or head over to the seasonally evolving selection of salads to get your greens. For me, yesterday held a baby bok-choy, potato, and edamame salad dressed in ground sesame/miso. Yum.

Two last, but not insignificant, (high) points: the staff are unfailingly polite, attentive and gracious – they make picking up lunch feel like you’re doing them a favour. And, for the budget conscious, even if you order three or four dishes you’d be hard pressed to ring up a bill of more than $10.

Daidoco is only open for lunch and is located in the Nootka Court, off Courtney Street (find the Bug Zoo, then head INTO the building – not to worry, the bugs keep to themselves).

Wine’s not your thing? Don’t worry, you’ll still be taken care of out here on the left coast.

For those who prefer green tea over gamay noir, get a jump start on the Wine Fest-ers and check out this weekend’s Victoria TEA Festival, happening all day Sunday at the Victoria Holiday Inn.

So when’s the Victoria Coffee Festival…?

Victoria Tea Festival

Sunday March 11, 2007
The Holiday Inn
3020 Blanshard St.
Victoria, B.C.

Tickets: $45 (includes GST)

Yes, it’s still a week away, but given we’ve already started to salivate in anticipation we figured it was time to send out a reminder regarding next week’s Victoria Festival of Wine.

Highlights? Where to start?

Frankly, we’re drawn most strongly to three events:

1. because an event put on by the same winery late last summer, hosted by the Lake O’Hara Lodge, was such a hit, the Cafe Brio / Golden Mile Cellars wine dinner (March 15th; $100; call 383.0009 to reserve);
2. because we adore Peter Zambri, the Zambri’s Grappa Tasting & Pairing (March 15th; $50; 360.1171 for reservations); and
3. well, because of the V.I. in di(V.I.)ne, the Defining the Vine session On Vancouver Island (Noon, March 14; $30; Victoria Conference Centre)

We’re also looking forward to the international public tasting on the Wednesday night, but honestly that’s as much for the people watching as for the wine tasting. Ok, perhaps a little more for the wine ($50; Victoria Conference Centre; tickets: 995.2665).

See you there.

The Atlantic brine ne’er leaves your blood, even if you move all the way across the colony, so it’s a cultural imperative for me to herald the coming of sons of Newfoundland, Shanneyganock. The lads will be playing Victoria’s Irish Times Pub this Thursday to Saturday, March 8-10, 2007. No cover. Come early. I’ll be the one up front, singing the loudest.

Yes, we’re some of those people. The people whose eyes show white at the thought of crossing the feared “Blue Bridge” into Esquimalt (unless we’re bee-lining to the Rosemeade Dining Room at the English Inn, of course); those who rarely venture into Fernwood unless clutching tickets to some Belfry production or other; folks who equate the “tweed curtain” encircling Oak Bay with the welcome warmth of a favourite blanket.

So it was with some trepidation that we followed a friend’s suggestion to stop by the Cornerstone Cafe smack dab in the middle of Victoria’s hub for all things hemp and granola. Must have been the promise of Discovery Coffee that convinced us (click the link for a rather entertaining “stomp” video).

We’re glad we went, though we got the feeling Leigh’s red suede Italian boots may have been less welcome than the rest of us.

The beans, of course, were great, but the shots were also well pulled (by two separate baristi). Baked goods were from the always tasty Patisserie Daniel. The Cafe also does soups and sandwiches, but it was too early to sample those. Next time.

Perhaps the best thing about the Cornerstone (apart from the brilliantly expansive people watching windows) is the fact it’s a not-for-profit venture of the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group.  Monies generated at the cafe are funneled directly back into community projects.  How’s that for Fair Trade?

In parting, we realized the Cornerstone is located right next door to the coming soon Stages Wine Bar. Which is worth a remark about the Fernwood community’s changing face: Brekkie at the Cornerstone, tapas and drinks at Stages and then on to the Belfry to catch a show … all very hip – do we need to get on the bandwagon and invest in some fleece-as-fashion-item?

Nah.