My Neighbourhood: Pemberton Valley

Designer and artist Martha Sturdy shares her favourite Pemberton haunts.

When she needs a break from designing the gorgeous resin platters and sculptures that have become ubiquitous signifiers of good taste, Martha Sturdy doesn’t head too far afield. Her getaway from her False Creek studio lies just up the Sea-to-Sky Highway, in the Pemberton Valley. The Sturdy ranch is a home base for lazy weekends spent horseback riding and exploring nature, with everything the designer needs well within reach. Here, Sturdy shares a few of her Pemberton go-tos.

1. One-Stop Shop

Pemberton General Store is a bit of a Pemberton institution, founded in 1956. You can get everything here—like my favourite Sorel winter boots.

2. Easy as Pie

Blackbird Bakery is run by the lovely Raven Burns, and her meat pies are the absolute best. It’s my go-to dinner on the nights when I don’t feel like cooking.

3. Horse Whisperer

Pemberton Valley Equestrian Centre is a beautiful outdoor facility in town. Shirley Hill’s students often win at the Thunderbird Stadium competitions in Vancouver. I swear by her!

4. Bountiful Blooms

The proprietors of Pemberton Valley Nurseries, Shelley and Allan Fraser, are very knowledgeable and will help you find the perfect plant for your landscape and zone. I buy rose bushes, red petunias and tomatoes every year. Allan even helped me landscape the pond on my own ranch.

5. Bun Master

I love to go to Mile One Eating House with my husband, David. They have the best buns, which they make in-house, and the chicken burger is  amazing, too.

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