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18 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Sunday, August 27, 2000 TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT This feature will appear weekly in our Sunday edition. Hopedale Shopping Centre 3rd Line & Rebecca PRIME RIB ROAST OR STEAK Chef Style Cut from Cana da A A /A M Grades *4.97 lb. ($10.96 kg) ULoblaws Trafalgar Ridge ULoblaws South Oakville Delmonte KRAFT PEANUT BUTTER 1 kg FRUIT JUICES Case of 9 $2.99e $4 .9 9 (9x250mL) . MORGAN'S fo b ey/«fr Maple Grove Shopping Centre Boneless Oakville Place PORK LOIN CENTRE CUT CHOPS BANANAS From the Tropics Photo by Carol Baldwin *3.77/16 <$8.31/kg) Bronte Village Mall *29* /lb (64t/kg) The 486-acre Ruckle Provincial Park on Salt Spring Island has something of interest to hikers, history buffs and those who simply like to enjoy nature. Salt Spring Island, located between the mainland and the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island, also attracts art lovers, who can immerse themselves in every kind of art by visiting the various studios on the island. fo bey/4» Jbbey/4* n TROPICANA JUICES Selected varieties Upper Middle Rd. & 3rd Line RED OR GREEN SEEDLESS GRAPES Product of USA #1 Grade Island haven of art and agriculture By Carol Baldwin Europe is the Mecca for art lovers - the Louvre, the Sistine Chapel, the Temple of A rtem is...the list is endless. Yet, Canadians are not without their own artistic havens - communities where art is reflected in the culture and lifestyle of the residents. One such place is Salt Spring Island, B.C., where creativity can be found in almost every nook and cranny. And it boasts "the best weather in Canada" as well. For visitors to Vancouver Island, Salt Spring offers a perfect one- or two-day getaway where art and nature meet. The most populated of the 200 Gulf Islands between the mainland and the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island, Salt Spring was named after the 14 brine springs located on the north end of the island. This natural island refuge, which claims it has "almost no bugs," is accessible by ferry, float plane or boat. Listed as one of North America's top 10 art communities, this con clave of creativity is home to over 15 gal leries, 40 studios and numerous annual art fairs, as well as to many well-known artists, including Robert Bateman. Art has even man aged to replace agricultural products as the island's biggest export, despite the continued popularity of Salt Spring lamb. town on the island - or by calling the Studio Tour Group at (250) 537-9865. Blue-andwhite sheep logos on signposts along the roadside also help visitors locate each studio. The map suggests calling ahead before visit ing many of the studios. I would go further than that and strongly advise calling ahead to avoid disappointment as well as a lot of unnecessary driving. Salt Spring is also home to many market places, festivals and fairs throughout the year reflecting the diversity of its culture. For example, July is the month for the Festival of the Arts, a showcase of performing artists, including the local Hysterical Society, at Ganges' 265-seat ArtSpring theatre. Ganges is also home to Market in the Park, which has been a Salt Spring attraction for over 30 years. This outdoor marketplace fea tures artisans, bakers and farmers displaying and selling a wide variety of products in Cen tennial Park every Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., from April to October. (Call 250-537-4448.) While the island hosts a number of tradi tional events each year, the year 2000 marks its first ever Art Lovers Getaway, celebrating its connection to the arts with a number of special events from June 1st to Sept. 30th. browsing and buying, Salt Spring also offers golfing, picnicking, hiking (over a dozen trails), climbing, kayaking, sailing and fish ing. And for those who want to combine his tory and hiking, a picturesque drive to Ruck le Provincial Park at the south end o f the island is worth considering. This 486-hectare park features eight kilo metres of shoreline as well as the original buildings of the oldest family farm in British Columbia. Members of the original farm fam ily (1859) still live on site, and part of the farmland continues to thrive as a working farm. Hiking trails range from shoreline to farm land to forest and are suitable for novices. And for those grandmas among you, there is a bay named after you in Ruckle Park. *2.99 1.89L carton ( f o r t in q s Appleby Mall Heinz 99*/lb ($2.18/kg) J 2 5 $ 5 n o fr is Trafalgar Village Kraft PURE WHITE VINE GAR 4L MIRACLE WHIP 1 L. 99* e oC pfU JO iL Dundas St. E. Fresh, Ontario *2.97, 579 Kerr St. Organic bunches of CHICKEN Fresh, boneless Chicken Breasts CARROTS OR BEETS Product of Ontario Accommodation For those who plan to stay more than one day on Salt Spring Island, camping is available at Ruckle Park, and there are a number of hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts on the island. B&Bs have always appealed to me because they usually come with a homey atmosphere, informative tips and recommenda tions, and a delicious home-cooked breakfast. Anne's Oceanfront Hideaway Bed and Breakfast is one such establishment on Salt Spring Island. As its name implies, this large home is hidden away on 7,000-square-feet of ocean front property and has been rated fourand-a-half stars by Canada Select. Each guest room is as large as any hotel room and boasts an ocean view, a television and VCR, an ensuite with hydro-m assage tub, tow els, bathrobe, hair dryer, shampoo, etc. A large deck across the back o f the house offers a view of the lights of Vancouver Island at night as well as access to a path that leads down to the beach. Morning brings a fresh pot of coffee to your door as well a fourcourse gourmet breakfast that is sure to satis fy even the biggest appetite or most finicky diner. For reservations, call 250-537-0851 or e-mail: annes@ saltspring.com . $3 .9 9 lb. ($8.80 kg) $1 .6 9 bunch food&drug Upper Middle Rd. & 8 t h L in e RABBA "pitc "paaclti Red Haven Free Stone U ltra Marlborough Crt. (at Trafalgar Rd.) PEACHES PRIME RIB ROAST OR STEAK Chef Style Cut from Cana da AA/AAA Grades *4.97 lb. ($10.96 kg) Abbeywood Dr. | 6th Line & 4th Line Agricultural history However, despite the rising popularity of the arts on the island, its agricultural history is not ignored. The Salt Spring Fall Fair at the Farmer's Institute just outside Ganges ushers autumn in each year with thematic costumes and decorations as well as competitions in such categories as farm animals, produce, hob bies and crafts. Adults and kids alike can also enjoy a livestock bam, a poultry display, an exhibit of old farm equipment, a horse show, a pet show, and even a scarecrow competition and a cow-pie contest. Local musicians pro vide free concerts throughout the weekend and, of course, hundreds of vendors sell every thing from cotton candy to com-on-the-cob. W hen you think you've had enough Self-guided studio tours OCTOBERFEST SAUSAGE (16-18 pieces) I BRUNO'S LASAGNA1 I 1 Meat Only Serves Eight a .a u / s i b . *9.99 Expires August 31. 2000 1 Present coupon at Oakville store only. One per coupon. *8.99 Basics Kerr St. BASKET PEACHES Product of Ont. Canada #1 Grade F ra n k s food Town Centre I Frsh Troy, Ontario CAULIFLOWER *2.29 3L Basket 99*a Self-guided studio tours are popular with visiting tourists as they seek out the artistic endeavours that strike their fancy. Island res idents constitute a collective of culture and cultivation from visual and performing artists to organic and live-stock farmers. You can drive the 180-square-kilometre island and see everything from traditional art - paintings, carvings, pottery, stained glass, textiles - to unusual crafts and creative corners - aro matherapy products, basketry, decorative spi der webs and spiders. A comprehensive map is available at the Visitor Info Centre in Ganges - the major