November 18, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Victoria, Shopping
Find more information about Victoria - Shopping
On my lunch break while waiting for my delicious Greek Chicken Salad Wrap, I picked up a cool brochure I wanted to share. Its called Victoria Modern Urban Guides, and it lists a whole bunch of shops that make Victoria unique and funky and a great map of downtown Victoria and Oak Bay where most of the shops are located. I was especially pleased to find a couple of my favourite haunts, The Papery - awesome cards, and Romanoff Home & Interiors - gorgeous home design. There is a a website,
http://modernurbanguides.com. Turns out there is a brochure and a website for Vancouver too! Check it out!
September 14, 2005 | Tips from Us >
Victoria, Shopping
Find more information about Victoria - Shopping
I believe part of being a good and gracious host is knowing your limitations, identifying your strengths and weaknesses. That is why I have deputized my wife as the leader of today’s events: planning, organizing and managing a shopping day in Victoria with five kids in tow. To me it is mind boggling to find stores that will not only be of interest to youth but will also fit within their budget. Since our marriage vows included words about partnership and supporting one another throughout life’s trials and tribulations, I agreed to at least be the driver and refrain from complaining throughout the day.
My wife was in her element to say the least: I’m not sure who was looking forward to this day of the vacation more; her or Kelsey, the 12 year old going on 16.
First stop:
Mayfair Shopping Centre where the end-of-season sales were in full swing. I think she said everything was at least 50% off but then my wife was less than coherent when she called on the cell phone from one end of the mall, gasping for air as she had Kelsey in the change room with a pile of clothes that surely would take a half day to try on.
Okay, so Walter, the 6 year old and I are well matched when it comes to patience – an hour or so of this cosmopolitan stuff and we were ready to go. It didn’t take much convincing to recruit 13 year old Devin and the suave 16 year old Kirk onto our team (I kind of fibbed and told him more girls hung out at the other mall).
Soon we were off to Tillicum Centre, which, as far as shopping centres go, is as good as it gets. Why? While the girls worked toward their Ph.D in consumer spending, we headed off to the SilverCity movie theatre adjacent to the shopping centre. Ah, we found our happy place! It is like a video arcade, a fast-food haven and movie hall all in one. I was a kid again.
As I watched my wife and Kelsey struggle across the parking lot, arms stretched from holding