Ocean Island Victoria Guide

Lavish is a Boutique Style Salon with modern decor infused with old world charm whose menu consists of hairstyling, cut, color, highlighting, bridal, prom and a full range of esthetics. They use John Masters Organics and Kevin Murphy Hair Care products.

People keep saying it’s one of the best universities in Canada, and it’s not too expensive either. With a decent campus, a nice students society, an obsession with feminism, organic food and sustainable everything, the vague counterculturalism of coffee-shop philosophers and mystic appeal of homeless vagabond professors, this place has defined Victoria youth forever. Some [...]

Willing Workers On Organic Farms lets you help out on organic farms in exchange for food and board. It is legal in Canada so you don’t need a working visa to participate. You do however need to be a member of WWOOF but luckily you can buy a WWOOF book right at our front desk. [...]

Though both locations are a bit out of town, they’re an essential source of healthfood and organic products. Cook St. Village location (smaller of the two): 343 Cook Street 250-381-5450 Douglas St. location (bigger selection): 2950 Douglas Street 250-384-3388

We love Thrifty Foods! It’s big but not too big and brightly lit but not so much that your eyes burn and the aisles are wide but not too… oh nevermind. It’s got a bulk section, an organic selection, you can pick up a pamphlet advertising all their deals and their deli salads rock. The [...]

Wellburn’s is a grocery store straight out of your parents’ memories, with the fluorescent lighting and the retro floor and the old-school check-out. It has everything you need to cook yourself a decent meal, but their selection of organic/non-sugar/ grain-fed/local type stuff is limited. Open Monday-Friday 8:30am-10pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am-10pm

Everyone loves the Market. It’s open ’till 11. Everyone knows someone who works there. It’s small but it has everything. It’s well-lit and somewhat upscale. You’ll run into Ocean Islander staff. Things to get: their starving student salad, cheap tofu, hemp hearts, kettle corn, great bread, organic Denman island chocolate bars, ancient-style Greek soaps. Don’t [...]