February 14, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Richmond, Wineries & Vineyards
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While in Richmond to see the O Zone and BC Street, I visited the Inniskillin ice wine booth for a 3 flight tasting ($10). Mmmmm.
To go with the ice wine theme, there were enormous ice scupltures and ice bowls (shown in the picture).
The ice wine I liked best happened to be the one of the three that was from BC. The Okanagan Riesling was the sweetest... and I have a sweet tooth :)
February 14, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Richmond, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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I checked out BC Street in Richmond, and loved the Tofino tent. They've
completely transformed a white outdoor tent into a rainforest. The
first thing I noticed when I walked in was the smell. Cedar scent hung
in the air, and made me feel like I was in a forest on the coast.
Awesome.
My favorite part of the Tofino tent was a green
screen photo booth. You stand on the mark, they snap your pic, and then
the background will transform to show you surfing a massive wave or
holding an enormous salmon (I went with the fish). I wish I could have
seen the pic right away, but they'll be emailing it to me soon.
There's
also the chance to chat with a local Aboriginal carver, as well as
plenty of artwork. Very laid-back vide -- a must visit.
February 11, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Shopping
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I’ve firmly attached myself to the Olympic gear bandwagon. It started with a pair of red mittens, and I’ve since added a hoodie, a maple leaf toque, a t-shirt, and face paint. Whew.
Here’s where to gear yourself up for the Games:
Clothes: Plenty of shops are selling Canada-themed items. The Olympic Superstore at The Bay is well-stocked with official Olympic gear. Some stores have options for other countries; try Roots and lululemon. Customize your own tee at Bang-On or Cherry Bomb.
Flags: Head to the Flag Shop!
Face Paint: Face paint shows the team – and anyone you accidently rub up against – that you’re a true fan. Dressew and Party Bazaar are my favorite places in town to pick up good quality face paint – Dressew was almost sold out, so move quickly!
Olympic Superstore at The Bay: Granville & Georgia; Roots: various locations; lululemon: various locations, Bang-on (961 Robson St or 1062 Davie St); Cherry Bomb (841 Granville St); Flag Shop (1615 Powell St); Dressew (337 W Hastings St); Party Bazaar (215 W 2nd Ave).
February 08, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Sightseeing Tours
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Yes, it rains here. Not as much as some people would have you believe (we’re not the number one rainiest city in North America), but enough to formulate a game plan for embracing the elements. Hiding inside when it rains is a waste of a perfectly good day in Vancouver.
First thing, be prepared. The Umbrella Shop will have you literally covered. This local company has been making umbrellas in Vancouver since 1935! I finally shelled out for a decent umbrella here, because they’re well made and there’s an incredible selection of colours and patterns. Forget basic black! (Although they have that, too.)
For your feet, head to Gumdrops, which I’m sure does its best business in puddle season. They have lots of practical yet cute soggy weather footwear.
Once you’re geared up, you can tackle pretty much any activity. But, if you’re unprepared (or just like staying very dry), here are some of my favorite Vancouver specific rainy day activities:
Vancouver Aquarium: Some like the belugas, but I like “sea” creatures – sea otters, sea stars, and especially the room of sea jellies (like my leggy buddy in the photo above).
Museum of Vancouver: Awesome exhibits lately! Bikes, taxidermy, crafts – what’s next?
Yoga: I love being in a cozy studio when it’s raining.
Stanley Park: The canopy of giant trees does a surprisingly good job of keeping the trails dry(ish). There are less people in the forest when it rains; watch for woodpeckers, owls and Douglas squirrels.
Public Market on Granville Island: Mangosteens, espresso, butternut squash ravioli, birch syrup... the list goes on. Yum.
The Umbrella Shop: Granville Island, 526 Pender St, and 1106 W Broadway; Gumdrops: 2029 West 4th Ave
February 07, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Shopping
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Like most Vancouverites, I’m a big fan of exploring the local mountains. I’m also a fan of staying warm, dry, well-fed and not-lost. So, before I gallivant into the forest, I head to the stretch of outdoor supply stores clustered around the intersection of Broadway and Manitoba Street.
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) tops my list, as it has everything from bird identification books and dehydrated food to bicycle lights and wool socks. In addition to the oodles of stuff they have for sale, they also have rental gear, such as snowshoes, kayaks and ice axes.
If MEC doesn’t have what I’m looking for, I venture into one of many other outdoor shops in the area. This is often the case when I’m shopping for a specific item (such as hiking boots or bike gloves) or are looking for popular rentals (such as snowshoes on a powder day). Tip: 3 Vets, just a few blocks from MEC (at Yukon St. and 6th Ave), is jam-packed with inexpensive outdoor goods.
If you're an outdoor gear geek, you could spend many hours and dollars in this part of town. Don't say I didn't warn you. :)
February 07, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Dining
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How does a city get a “new” neighbourhood? I’m not too sure, but it appears to have happened in Vancouver with the creation of the Crosstown neighbourhood.
Is this a marketing gimmick? Maybe. But Crosstown is certainly developing its own personality and is worth a visit. Here’s where to find it and three of my Crosstown highlights:
Where is Crosstown?South of Gastown, East of Chinatown; bounded by Expo Blvd, Pender, Main and Cambie.
HighlightsT&T Supermarket: A fantastic Asian supermarket with walls of baked goods, fresh seafood, produce, and imported goodies (they have an entire aisle of Pocky). I love the egg tarts and the frozen shrimp har gow (shrimp dumplings) from Hon's.
Medina Café: Pros: Best Belgian waffles in town; best waffle toppings in town (raspberry caramel and fig orange marmalade are my picks, as seen above); and the silkiest, milkiest lattes with yummy flavours (try the raspberry caramel).
Cons: Everyone else knows this too, which means the early-bird gets the table on weekends. Aim to be there at 9am, when they open, and you're golden. Or be the really-lazy-bird and show up 2pm and it may have cleared out by then.
Chambar: Your search for the tastiest mussels in the city ends here. The mussels at this Belgian restaurant are whoppers; I like mine in their white wine butter broth, which is extra tasty when generously applied to pommes frites. A good selection of beer, as well, including lambics, tripels (my fav), and trappiste.
T&t Supermarket at 179 Keefer; Medina Cafe at 556 Beatty St; Chambar at 562 Beatty St
February 05, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Attractions
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There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Robson Square. First, it got a makeover, then it re-opened its ice rink, and now it’s bringing in figure skating royalty. Katarina Witt (’88 Olympic gold medalist) and Elizabeth Manley (’88 Olympic silver medalist) will be at Robson Square on Sunday, Feb 7 at 11:30 am… and it’s expected to be an emotional on-ice reunion.
Robson Square is part of BC Pavilion; over the past few weeks, I’ve watched the site transform from streets and sidewalks to a hub of activity. People are skating (for free!) at the outdoor ice rink (skate rentals are $3), and there’s now a zipline that runs OVER Robson Street (which will be free and open during the Games – I am willing to wait in line for this!). Huge screens have also been installed for art exhibits and Games broadcasting. I’m looking forward to seeing Robson Square and BC Pavilion filled to the brim with people from around the world during the Games.
(My bud Jonathan Sparks snapped the image above of people enjoying the ice rink earlier this week. Thanks Jon!)
February 01, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Art Galleries & Artists
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Art’s popping up all over the place in Vancouver lately. Here are a few of my favorites:
A-Maze-ing Laughter: There are always people imitating these giant bronze sculptures’ poses while snapping pics. It’s so popular that the grass couldn’t handle the crowds and was recently replaced with bark mulch. A mystery fan even made Santa hats for the sculptures at Christmas.
Location: Corner of Davie and Denman, near English Bay
Monument for East Vancouver: It has people talking – isn’t that what art’s all about? A recognizable cross-shaped East Van symbol has been upgraded to giant public art status. Most impressive at night, when it’s lit up and tough to miss.
Location: At Clark and 6th Avenue
We, 2008: Nice in daytime, but incredible when darkness falls. That’s when it’s illuminated to create a glowing man made out of all the letters of the alphabet. It’s huge, too – step inside for a unique perspective (like my friend Jonathan Sparks did for the photo above).
Location: At Beach and Thurlow, near the Vancouver Aquatic Centre
Artificial Rock #143: Not everyone is a fan (I’ve heard it described as “God’s filling”), but I like it. It’s shiny, lumpy and outer-space-y, and contrasts with the straight lines of the downtown buildings.
Location: Corner of Granville and Georgia, near the Vancouver City Centre Canada Line station
Woodward’s W: Is this considered public art? It’s definitely a Vancouver icon – the neon Woodward’s W lit up the sky from 1944 to 1993, and now it’s back (with energy efficient bulbs).
Location: Woodward’s building, look up from Woodward's plaza near Abbott and Cordova
February 01, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Spas & Wellness
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Yoga pairs nicely with Vancouver’s laid-back West Coast vibe, and this city has fully embraced the idea of stretching, breathing and oooohhhmming in a room of like-minded people.
Studios are popping up everywhere, and all types of yoga are available. You name it, Vancouver’s yoga scene has it (yes, even nude yoga). Where to start? Here are some suggestions:
YYOGA: The downtown Flow studio is huge, has a ton of classes, and feels like a spa thanks to organic hair products, peppermint soap and an infrared sauna. That being said, there’s also something special about the small, cozy room at their Yaletown studio. Big wooden rafters and candles make it my favourite space for an evening yin class.
Yoga for the People: A friend of mine loves this Gastown studio. What makes it unique? It’s all donation-based to make yoga accessible to everyone – pay what you can. Incredible! It’s a small and intimate space that offers a variety of styles. Wade’s vinyasa and Elle’s yin classes are my bud’s recommendations.
Semperviva Sea Studio: This relaxed studio reminds me of doing yoga in someone’s living room (maybe it’s the carpet?) – albeit a living room with a waterfront view. It’s on the second floor in a refurbished industrial building, and two walls of windows overlook False Creek, houseboats, and gently swaying boat masts. Stress, begone.
Lululemon: In Vancouver, it may seem as though the road to inner peace is paved with lululemon clothing. Lululemon was founded in Vancouver, so they have a huge local following. They also offer free in-store yoga classes – great for any out-of-town yogi, as they provide the mats.
Free Yoga: During the Winter Games, YYOGA and lululemon are offering free yoga at any of YYOGA’s studios (6 locations, including Vancouver and Whistler) – an awesome way to stretch your cheering muscles!
Sometimes, though, the urge to zen-out can happen any time, any place. That’s me above striking an impromptu pose on a sunny summer day at Third Beach – no studio required. (Photo by Vanessa Griffiths).
February 01, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Ferry
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I worked on Granville Island for a few years, and one of the best things about it (besides the food) was commuting on the little ferries that bob along False Creek.
After a long day in the office, I’d walk down to the docks and watch the ferry’s lights get closer before hopping in. The evening rides were always my favorite: quietly gliding across the water in the dark was an instant de-stressor.
Daytime rides, though busier, gave me the chance to watch kayakers, cormorants and harbour seals (it’s neat to look a seal in the eye from water level). These ferries are by far the coolest form of transit in the city, and they make an awesome harbour “mini-cruise” rain or shine. Plus, they're pretty darn cute.
Both False Creek Ferries (the blue boats) and Aquabus (the rainbow boats) offer the same relaxing ride. The differences between them are: only False Creek Ferries will travel to Maritime Museum/Space Museum/Museum of Vancouver, and only Aquabus can handle bicycles – they even have a special Cyquabus for that purpose.