# Saltspring Island VIP's



## jrtech (Sep 24, 2002)

Just finished watching Wierd Homes by Arthur Black and was wondering if he is "anybodies" neighbor by chance.


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

Will MacNutt take the bait?  

Oh wait I'm here. I'm a little confused and intrigued. Whose weird homes were reviewed? And does Arthur Black live on Salt Spring? Despite what people say about the sleepy little island, everyone doesn't know everyone else. Or maybe I'm just too far out of the loop. . .


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Yes, Mr. Black is one of the many celebrity types who live here on Salt Spring Island. He actually writes a column for our local newspaper, the "Driftwood". I see him around town occaissionally. He is listed in the phone book as a "537" prefix which makes him a "townie". I live in the rural southern part of SSI (653 prefix) which makes me a "gumbooter". His brother Jim works at the local liquor store, and is also a writer.

Perhaps PosterBoy or Cynical Critic can tell you a bit more about where he lives. I believe they may have grown up a bit closer to his end of the Rock.

BTW-LOTS of interesting houses on this island. Hank Schubart is a long time resident here and he was one of Frank Lloyd Wright's brightest students. He has designed many of the unique dwellings around here.My house is a Schubart creation.


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## jrtech (Sep 24, 2002)

Sounds like an interesting place, I bought a book some time ago about bicycle tours on the Gulf Islands but got no further than reading it. I take it that most of the roads are narrow, windy, and steep from reading the book.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Yes, the island is a series of mountains sticking out of the water, so the roads can be steep and they are not terribly straight.
They are only slightly narrower than most rural roads, and that is largely the result of a decision made by a previous Island's Trust Council. They wanted to preserve the rural nature of the island. Doesn't leave much room for the hordes of bicyclists who decend on SSI each summer, though.

Overall, it is a very pleasant place for a nice drive and a dandy spot to tour by motorcycle. There is a movement afoot to have dedicated bicycle paths built all over the island. This would be much better than the current situation. Many of our steepest hills end in a sharp, blind curve and for some starnge reason whole groups of tourists on two wheelers like to gather just around these curves for a rest after the long slog uphill. They frequently take up quite a lot of the road surface while resting in these hidden areas.

There have been several near-tradgedies....needless to say.

One of our local trucking companies expressed their unease with this situation by running over an old bike about five times and then strapping the twisted mess to the grille of their largest dump truck. 

Made quite a statement as the truck rumbled around the island amid all the bicycles.


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## jrtech (Sep 24, 2002)

Ah yes the book did mention the frustrations of the Locals towards cyclists, which by the sounds of it is quite justified...........


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

We sometimes refer to them affectionately as "road lice".


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

The irony is that Salt Spring is promoted as a cycling island. I mean we do have the beautiful sidearm that stretches maybe 40 feet beside the BC Hydro building. I've heard that numerous cyclists who get off the Fulford ferry turn back once seeing Lee's hill. Wimps! 

As for unique homes, I always liked the rammed earth homes by Mike (can't spell his last name but it starts with a K., I think). In fact, Randy Bachman lives in one of these homes by St. Mary's Lake. I've also heard that Robin Williams _may_ have a property somewhere on the island. Good ole rumours.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

The company that does the Rammed Earth construction is called "Terra Firma Builders" and is owned and operated by a guy named Meror Krayenhoff. He's a cool guy, and well off too, especially after building Randy bachmans house which ended up costing somewhere in the region of 700-1000$ per square foot. of course when you have LEDs imbedded in the walls that are motion activated and follow you as you walk through the halls you expect costs to be high. 

There is also an Adobe (straw bails and mud-brick) house in the south end which is very cool, and I think the owner still gives tours during the summer.

I don't know where Arthur Black lives, but he does live on SSI. As MacNutt mentioned he writes for the Driftwood (and previous to that The Barnacle before the Driftwood bought it out).

Patrick Stewart and Stewart Margolin both won acreage on SSI and live there for varying amounts of time each year, Mr. Margolin full time as I understand. Barbara Streisand vactions there, as does Tom Sellick, and Robin Williams is rumoured to have land on the rock, and while that is unconfirmed he has been seen in Ganges a number of times over the year so he does visit at least. Al Pacino too.

Margot Kidder also spent some time living on SSI when she was in rehab a few years back.

Phil Collins ex-wife lives in the same neighbourhood as my parents/grandparents and when it snows if the road (quite a steep one) goes unplowed for too long she hires someone to cut a swath up one side of the road to her house so she can drive her fricking landrover down in comfort. The rest of the road gets paved by the municipality.

As to the cyclists, all the drivers need to slow down anyway but that is not an excuse for cyclists to be in the middle of the fricking road. I can't count the nnumber of near misses that happen all the time because people (mostly islanders actually, because after all they know the roads better right?) are driving too fast and the cyclists ride in thie middle of the road instead of on the shoulder (where in a lot of cases there is ample room, its just not paved and has more potholes).

But anyway, yeah, there are lots of cool reasons to visit the rock.

Oh, and MacNutt, my number starts with 653, but I am a middleman, not a gumbooter or a townie. 

--PB


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## jrtech (Sep 24, 2002)

Thanks for the update PB, sounds like quite the rock with quite the inhabitants. what with the gumbooters, middlemen, townies, road lice, and such. I ride just on the edge or on the marked shoulder wherever possible and shake my head at those others you spoke of. It does not take make many to spoil it for the rest of us though unfortunately.


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## Brenda (May 31, 2002)

Holy snappers guys. I like bits and bobs as much as anyone but some privacy must prevail! I have never believed the Patrick Stewart thing but Robin Williams yes. And yes Margot Kidder was here a few years back. She was basically chased off island by press attention fuelled by loose lips. That couldn't have helped but didn't deter her - I believe she has done some very thoughtful work since.

By the way PosterBoy thanks for your offer of help on the laptop. I am thinking hard again about needs versus all the trick stuff I might want but won't use. One thing I do know and that is if I had a laptop I could be in my bed doing my email! And if I was engaged in this Saltspring tomfoolery so be it. I might get more sleep - face in computer instead of book.

Cheers everyone.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Wow...Brenda was up late last night. Somebody get her a laptop...quick!
 

Patrick Stewart is here, off and on. I've spoken to him. Robin Williams as well. The very first day I moved to Salt Spring, I was sitting out on the deck at the Vesuvius Pub and I remarked to a new island acquaintance that "there are supposed to be a lot of movie stars on the Rock". He said, rather casually, "yep, that's James Garner sitting right behind you". I turned around, and sure enough.  

A "middleman" eh PB? So what, do you wear a gumboot on one foot and a Gucci loafer on the other?  

BTW-odd as this may seem to some of you out there, most of the Salt Spring Islanders here at ehMac have never met each other face to face. I know Brenda, and PosterBoy and Cynical Critic know each other (from school, I think)...but that's the extent of it. It's rather a large Island, with lots of little nooks and crannies. Probably why the celebrities like it so much as a hideaway.


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

Clearly my memory of Meror's name was shot last night. Thanks for the reminder PB! 

I don't have any of my own celebrity stories; however, my mom has been to Randy Bachman's house with a school group and my dad met Mr. Margolin at the dump long ago.  

My other most exciting celebrity story is one of my best friends who used to work at the Wax Museum in Victoria met Sir Ian McKellen. I wish I'd been there. *sigh*

As for actually knowing people on SSI, I'm good friends with PB but I'm not sure if I know Brenda... presently, I'm not sure what her secret identity is.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by macnutt:
*
A "middleman" eh PB? So what, do you wear a gumboot on one foot and a Gucci loafer on the other?  
*<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope, Hiking boots.  

And actually, I don't think I have ever met Brenda, but I might be wrong. CC I went to High School with and there is another user here who I have been wondering if I know or not, Pras I think the username is.

--PB


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

There are so many Macs here on SSI that I am a little surprised we don't have an even bigger Salt Spring contingent.

There is another Salt Spring connection that just occurred to me. A while back, I got a private message from citizen Blak (sp?) and he said his sister lives on SSI. She is married to Scott Hylands, the actor.

There may very well be more...I suspect that many read, but do not post...or do not post very often.

Hiking boots eh, Posterboy? Methinks you are more 653 than 537 at heart.


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

Ah ha! You've just reminded me of something MacNutt. I've met Scott Hylands. In fact, I've been to his house.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Well, you got me beat CC...I've never even seen him on TV!


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

I've only seen him once on TV and it was an Outer Limits episode. I wasn't exactly star struck.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

The Outer Limits is on TV? I thought it was at the end of Isabella Point!









Man...I gotta get out more often.


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

No you just need to watch more B television series. Oh that is a redundant statement. B television series. . .









Where's the Twilight Zone then? I'd guess it's in the 653s.  

"The Internet's on computers now. Hmmm..." - Homer


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

macnutt wrote:
*Hiking boots eh, Posterboy? Methinks you are more 653 than 537 at heart*

Like I say, I can't be lumped into either group. Call me 538.

Also, Bruce Greenwood I have met a few times, his parents live full time on the Island and he spends a good deal of time there when he is not working in movies. Not mega famous, but still noted. You can see him in a number of movies lately, but if you want that Canadian touch, watch Atom Egoyans "Exotica" in which Bruce starred, as well as Atom Egoyans "The Sweet Hereafter" in which he co-starred.

Or if you prefer hollywood, he played JFK in a kevin costner movie about the Cuban Missle Crisis last year (seven days I think it was called), recently co-starred in the madonna flop "Swept Away".

Update: It was called "13 Days". i was going to link his IMDb page, but it wont allow a parenthesis in the tag.

You are upgrading soon, right ehMax?

--PB


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

Bruce Greenword also co-stars in Egoyan's new movie: Ararat. It's about the Armenian genocide. I highly recommend it.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Twilight Zone in 653 country??  

Wait...lemme check....Oh NO!! It's on the back shelf of my fridge!! My oath!







 

Hang on....that's just some old sushi that I forgot about. Keeeeerrriiiist...that stuff must be four months old! Where's the biohazard suit!??


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## Cynical Critic (Sep 2, 2002)

MacNutt don't let Saddam get hold of your rancid sushi. It's clearly a biochemical weapon.


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## Brenda (May 31, 2002)

Scott Hylands is doing a Shakespeare thing "Lend Me Your Ear" this coming week end at Artspring. Saw Connie Caldor last week and Lorne Elliot tomorrow. Pretty terrific MacNutt's fridge notwithstanding.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Not to worry CC... Saddam won't get ahold of my rancid sushi. The black helicopters arrived late last night along with a full complement of HazMat troops, and the CDC (Center for Disease Control), and they removed the whole fridge. Lot's of guys standing around in off the rack suits, talking into earpieces as well. Probably CIA or NSA. I heard them talking about "a potential new energy source of untold porportions".

My fridge!! .....Talk about cold fusion!









Well...it certainly _looked_ like some sort of science project back there in the depths. Wierd stuff happens behind the mayonnaise jars. I've always suspected it.

Trouble is...I'm now down to only ONE fridge!! No place to store all of the high-test Scottish beer!  

Woe is me.


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## lotus (Jun 29, 2002)

How about Mr Gates (Bill's father), I heard he had a place on S.S. Does anyone know Grant Shilling, I think he publishes a paper there, he had a small part in the documentary bp.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Don't know about Gates Sr. being here (but it is certainly concieveable)...I do know a guy who was building a Japanese Dojo on a small island right near SSI. He told me about a major connection to Gates. The island used to be owned by the Boeing family, but is now owned by Paul Allan, one of the cofounders of MicroSoft. The Dojo was for Mrs Allen. Their kids have a major league paved go-kart track that goes all around the perimiter of the island, complete with banked curves.   

BTW- I have no confirmation of the following...but he was really serious when he told me this: He has been all through the main house many times, and he told me that the only computers he ever saw were Apple!

Wouldn't that be a _hoot_?!?


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by macnutt:
*Don't know about Gates Sr.*<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just as a brief point of clarification, he wouldn't be Gates Senior, he'd be William Gates II, as Billy-boy is William Gates III.

Kind of like a geeks horror franchise (if Bill 2 was a geek and not a lawyer).

--PB


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## jrtech (Sep 24, 2002)

First name could be Pearly


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Actually PB...I think he would, at least technically, be Gates Sr. and Bill the second. Especially if his son was more famous than himself.

That's how they do it in the British Isles....and Gates is a UK name, after all.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

Yeah, but in an ad they appeared in together in a magazine and were billed as (pun intended) Bill 2 and Bill 3, The Death of Productivity.

--PB


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