I was recently invited to take part in an all-day Lexus Master Class, where I would get to experience the 2018 Lexus RX Series firsthand, while visiting local craftspeople that exemplify the values that drive Lexus.
![Cha Le Tea cafe + shop]()
Imaginative Technology
Lexus seeks technology that reaches beyond the comfort of the conventional and the safety of the familiar. Intuitive and purposeful are merely starting points. – Lexus
Our day started at Cha Le Tea cafe + shop, a teahouse in Yaletown that combines sophisticated and traditionally handcrafted teas with cutting-edge brewing techniques. They use an Alphadominche tea machine, which controls every aspect of the brewing process from heating the water to the right temperature using steam, and agitation and filtration to produce the perfect cup of tea. Sue Wang is the owner who had a vision to create and promote great tasting, healthy, modern style tea. We tried several varieties of their teas, the most memorable being a refreshing floral Jasmine tea sweetened with organic cane sugar.
Takumi Craftsmanship
Takumi is an ancient Japanese concept that holds the essence of absolute mastery of an art or craft. The Takumi craftspeople at Lexus have a dedication to excellence and passion for constant improvement that inspires how they approach everything they do. – Lexus
We got into our Lexus RX L and drove to Granville Island to experience Takumi Craftsmanship on a local level and see it in action. At A Bread Affair, BC’s first certified organic bakery, we heard from owner Tanya Belanger, who actually spent 12 years working in IT before opening the bakery, largely because she couldn’t find a good loaf of bread in the city. Learning from a fourth generation artisan baker who trained the US Olympic Baking Team, she perfected her techniques and mastered bread making. Our next stop was at Jonah and Andrew Benton’s shop, better known as Benton Brothers Cheese, located inside the Granville Island Public Market. They’ve learned from and worked with the best in the Canadian cheese industry, and focus on small production, artisanal, high-quality, and handmade cheeses. Of course, you can’t visit a cheese shop without visiting a meat shop, and so we stopped by Armando’s Finest Quality Meats. The award-winning and family-operated premium butcher shop has been in business since 1983, and they pride themselves on their quality and consistency, two qualities exemplified by Takumi craftspeople at Lexus.
Our last stop before lunch was at The Liberty Distillery, Vancouver’s first distillery to produce unique, hand-crafted, premium spirits made from 100% BC organic grain and high-quality BC ingredients. Co-owner Lisa Simpson went through an arduous educational journey to learn all about brewing and distilling, which is a fascinating mix of both art and science.
Exhilarating Performance
The real measure of exhilarating performance runs much deeper than a list of impressive performance statistics. It’s about the feeling of anticipation or the rush of adrenaline that you experience when you are embarking upon something exciting. – Lexus
We headed for lunch at Edible Canada before embarking on our drive to Pitt Meadows. Taking Highway 1, which was quite clear of traffic at that point of the day, I activated Sport Mode on our RX350 L and let the 295-hp V-6 engine loose on the open road. The 8-speed automatic transmission and responsive handling made for a smooth but exhilarating 45-minute cruise. We arrived at Pitt Meadows Airport and pulled into SKY Helicopters’ hangar. Helicopter rides definitely rank high on the list of exhilarating experiences, and SKY provides the means to experience the amazing sights of Vancouver and beyond, offering a one-of-a-kind, memorable experience that will take your breath away.
Our helicopter pilot took us up to Widgeon Lake, located near Coquitlam, where we landed on a remote beach 3,000 feet above sea level to take in the stunning view of pristine waters and snow-peaked mountains. The helicopter then departed and dropped us off in Vancouver, where we would head to our dinner stop.
Brave Design
Above all else, Brave Design is about the courage to stand out with confidence. That has always meant doing things differently. Conformity isn’t an option. – Lexus
What better way to cap off an action-packed day than with a delicious dinner set in a beautiful house in the Point Grey neighbourhood? To make things even better, dinner was prepared by Top Chef Canada finalist Chef Mark Singson. Having watched the most recent season of Top Chef Canada (which I believe Mark should have won), I was beyond thrilled to get the opportunity to try his unique and innovative style of cooking. His courage to test limits and experiment with unexpected flavours make him a true representative of Brave Design. He wowed us with every course that he brought out that evening. Below are the two standout dishes that he served us.
Amuse – oyster served with creme fraiche, caviar, dill oil, and pickled shallots. One of the best raw oysters that I’ve ever had. If I could order a dozen of these, I totally would.
Market tomatoes and strawberries, liquid nitrogen chilled gazpacho, herb oil, almonds, and soft tofu. This was a unique spin on a Caprese salad, with the tofu simulating mozzarella, and the gazpacho actually tasting like a completely liquified Heirloom tomato. The herb oil gave it a nice and smooth finish at the end. Presentation and taste were A++.
Lexus is one automotive company that really stands behind their pillar values, and that’s something worth praising. Spending the day with them, we really saw imaginative technology, Takumi craftsmanship, exhilarating performance, and brave design come to life not only in Lexus RX Series, but also in the things that we experienced throughout the day. Thanks for the wonderful experience, Lexus Canada!
Disclaimer: The experiences and post was sponsored and paid for by Lexus Canada, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
