STYLE

Lucy Lau

The leaves have fallen and the mercury is steadily dropping, which means it’s time to pack up the windbreakers and dust off the coats and parkas. And in Vancouver, one of the outerwear and outdoor-equipment capitals of North America, the options are endless—including, unsurprisingly, those in the vegan and cruelty-free department. So if you’re on the hunt for winterwear but can’t reconcile investing in something that uses animal byproducts like down and leather, read on— and prepare to get a little toasty. SLEEPY HOLLOW According to Arc’teryx, every single person (!) at the company’s North Vancouver HQ owns an Atom LT hoodie ($300). Given the fact that the outdoor-gear giant manufactures no fewer than 75 technical-jacket designs, that’s gotta count for something, right? Available for both men and women—the latter version has a slightly slimmer cut—the insulated, super-lightweight piece is water-resistant and easily compressible, and helps regulate body temperature thanks to its breathable, quick-dry insulation. Plus, it promises to offer all the snug comfort of a sleeping bag, which is extra appreciated during a time of year when all we want to do is stay in bed. Find it at Arc’teryx (various locations). SWEET SWEDE Better known as the creator of those colourful square backpacks you’ve seen on everyone from your fair-weather-cyclist neighbour

from previous page was a task that proved both fun and stressful for the cocktail fanatic, who, for the record, has no formal mixology training. However, this doesn’t make her libations any less tasty. “These are not necessarily bartenders’ drinks,” Croll tells the Straight by phone. “They’re home takes on cocktails.”

This humble approach to cocktail-making means many of Free the Tipple’s concoctions are beginner-friendly—not to mention a joy to mix, shake, and sip. Croll did her homework before creating each recipe, delving into her subjects’ work, backgrounds, and personalities to ensure that the beverages reflected them in some way. The Serena Williams is an updated Pimm’s Cup—the official drink of Wimbledon—made from strawberries, mint, and ginger beer, for instance, while the Naomi

Klein uses a kombucha base and small-batch ingredients to honour the activist’s anticapitalist views. “That’s a good one if you just want something to sip on,” Croll says of the Naomi.

Those with experience around a cocktail shaker can look to the Zaha Hadid, an interpretation of the Ramos Gin Fizz that requires at least 60 seconds of vigorous upper-body movement because, in Croll’s words, “a woman whose buildings were impossible to build deserves a cocktail that is challenging to make.” And then there’s the Flo-jo, a layered libation that’s served red, blue, and white— colours that Florence Delorez Griffith-joyner, the decorated American athlete and fastest woman of all time, had painted on her fingernails when she sprinted her way to three

gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics. “The Flo-jo was crazy,” notes Croll. “That one was actually really difficult [to make] because it’s a lot about presentation.”

The list of women featured in Free the Tipple is as broad and diverse as the drinks themselves. In fact, tantalizing recipes aside, the book offers a compact, digestible way to acquaint (or reacquaint) oneself with some relatively lesser-known badass women from around the globe. Among these names are French writer Anaïs Nin; Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova; and Tanya Tagaq, the Inuk throat singer and Order of Canada recipient who won the Polaris Music Prize in 2014. All 60 women in the tome are people that Croll respects and admires greatly. “I was looking at this as very much like when someone asks you what your dream dinner party is and who you would invite to that,” she explains. “It wasn’t about, like, ‘Oh, I have to include all the most famous pop stars.’ So there are some people—many people—who are left out, as you’ll see. But it was more about striking that balance.”

As for what kind of cocktail would embody Croll? “A spicy chocolate mezcal margarita,” the author shares after some deep introspection. “I’d infuse the mezcal with chili and replace the triple sec with crème de cacao. The smoky, earthy flavour of the mezcal ties into the musty smell of books.…the chocolate notes hint that I am a known chocolate fiend, and the spice is there because I have an attitude.” We’ll drink to that.