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Helen Siwak – Issue #42 – Publisher’s Message

For seven years, Folio.YVR has celebrated the West Coast through its destinations, its objects, and its most coveted experiences. Our Summer issue turns that celebration toward the people themselves, and I will admit it plainly: putting these pages together brought me real joy. Curating the photo collages from each event, watching a room come back to life frame by frame, reminded me why we do this work at all. This is our CELEBRATE issue, and it belongs to the people who keep this lifestyle worth living.

Connection runs through every page. Luigi Ronchi of VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation guides transformational gifts with a listening ear rather than an agenda, while Aleem Kassam appears twice in these pages, first as co-host of QMUNITY’s inaugural Girls’ Night Out with Sid Koshul, then as longtime creative partner to Phyllis Lui, whose twentieth wedding anniversary with Shelby Lui closes a remarkable chapter and opens a new one. Liting Chan of Paradise Events brought two distinct celebrations to life this issue: Young Elite Vancouver’s golf tournament, which brought the Amalfi Coast to the city, and Gavin and Wendy’s wedding at the Vancouver Club, a celebration built on a decade of history and a single, precise date.

Discovery took us in two directions this issue, first in an afternoon at the new Rolex boutique at Oakridge Park alongside my friend Tim, where we tried on novelties over Champagne and canapes. Nadine Paulo of The Solo Travel Collection led us through a journey of Costa Rica, from the volcanic trails of Rincón de la Vieja to the rainforest calm of Arenal.

Glenfiddich brought us along trackside for the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal, from an intimate dinner at Bar George to a rooftop party overlooking the city, with National Scotch Day giving us every excuse to keep the celebration going.

Julian Thom brought a fresh visual language to our cover and throughout as our featured artist, Conductor Ken Hsieh closed a remarkable season with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, and Art’G closed its Western Canadian expedition with a collection inspired by our own cherry blossom season. Ferrari made its case for responsibility over spectacle with the launch of the highly scrutinized Luce.

Every name in this issue belongs to someone who chose, deliberately, to build something here, together, with others.

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury and luxury lifestyle niches. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read business magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and is an EIC for Hire. Connect with her here: [email protected].