In celebration of my husbands 30th birthday I took him to Vancouver, B.C. As we unload off the train from the airport we are immediately engulfed by towering buildings. I instantly am reminded of New York City. We check into our hotel, which is perfectly centralized to Gastown, Granville Street, and Robson Street. Robson Street is the first neighborhood we really get ourselves lost in. The street is lined with designer brands and other fantastic stores. Zara and American Apparel to name a few. We have lunch on the patio of a restaurant named Cactus Club Cafe. We indulge in halibut tacos, delicious, while people watching the afternoon away. After we clean up for the night we head off to Granville Street, known for it's nightlife. They aren't joking. Seeing as it's Saint Patricks Day and we are in Canada we didn't expect much. Boy were we wrong. The street is lined with fantastic pubs with lines building up around the blocks. The locals are covered from head to toe in green. We drink Guinness, that is like chocolate milk gliding down our throats and savor the amazing flavors from our chicken pot pies. Again we sit on the patio and just laugh away at the people walking by.
The second day in Vancouver brings out the tourist with in us. We hop aboard the tour trolley and are loaded with fun facts about the city. Our tour guide points out every main building that played a huge roll in the Olympics, famous hotels where previous presidents have stayed, and every historical building that has helped build Vancouver's character. Our first stop is Stanely Park. I completely under estimated this adventure. We stroll along the coast taking in the skyline and the beautiful fir trees. We embark upon towering totem polls and light houses. Not realizing how gigantic this park is we hop back on the trolley to get a tour of the rest of the green. Our next stop is Granville Island. You could get lost in their farmers market. Isles of fresh meat, poultry, fish, produce, and pastries. This market is permanent and inside (something I did not expect). We decided to purchase a sweet to really experience the "taste" of Granville Island. I have a fresh lemon bar, my husband has a gluten free double chocolate almond cookie. Both are delicious and to die for. We decide to grab lunch on the Island at a place called The Keg. The food is fantastic. Everything is so fresh and full of flavor. As we hop on the trolley to get back to our hotel we decide to jump off at the Gastown District. Which we soon discover is the original town of Vancouver. Founded in the 1800's and named after a man called Gassy Jack (known for his flamboyant personality). This district is amazing. With it's old original structures, gas lamps, and cobblestone streets you get a feeling of Europe. The streets are lined with ubiquitous pubs, boutique clothing stores, and cafes. For dinner we decide to go for a little Mexican. Vallarta Grill. There is a reason there was only two Mexican restaurants we could find in a 5 mile radius....not good. To make up for the bad play we head over to Blenz Coffee. Enjoying chai tea and a freshly made rice crispy treat. Blenz coffee is an amazing chic coffee joint open 24hrs a day. Definitely the late night popular hang out.
Over come by the chains and craziness of downtown Vancouver we opt to head over to South Main (SoMa). A little more our jibe. As we take the number three bus we pass through some of the most dangerous parts of the city. Reminding us of the Tenderloin District in San Francisco. We also pass through Chinatown. The 3rd largest in North America after New York and San Francisco. We get dropped off at Broadway and Main. As we start our trek we instantly are greeted by a vintage store. The first of many to come. The first thing to recognize is the cleanliness of these vintage thread shops. Chalk full of amazing finds. My favorite winds up being a store called "Front and Company". This clothing retail store is a mixture of new & consignment, plus quirky home decor, and accessories. It reminds me of an Urban Outfitters....but way better. Another store we discover in this artist village is "The Regional Assembly of Text." This store is jam packed full of unique stamps, cards, vintage typewriters, books, and other ephemera. There was no leaving empty handed. We decide after the hike and shopping to grab some grub. We find a restaurant called Habit. I instantly fall in love with the outside decor and can hardly wait to be exposed to the inside. We immediately are greeted by a deer head mounted on the wall with retro decor in every corner. I'm in love. They serve brunch till 2:30 so we feel brunch is the way to go. The vibe in this place is retro cool and my husband and I feel more than at home. We decide we will come back the next day for dinner.
Sunday morning we wake up bright and early heading out to the Capilano Bridge. On the North side of Vancouver we cross over to the more suburb part of the city. The bridge is gorgeous and well worth seeing at least once. After being there for a couple hours we head back and walk towards Granville Street were they are holding a Saint Patricks Day Parade. The streets are lined with bands, street performers, and authentic Irish food. We decide to eat at a pub called Donnally's. Munching on fresh garlic fries and kicking back a beer or two we people watch the afternoon away...again. We head over to Habit for dinner. The retro cool restaurant in the SoMa District. We have an amazing server who shares our love of art, food, and a love for physical photography (a.k.a Polaroid pictures). We chow down on trout sandwiches and apple cobbler. Then kick it back with some Wiser's Canadian Whiskey. It is the perfect ending to a fantastic trip. The Canadian people treated us well and shared with us their culture. I look forward to our return in the future and hope to venture out to places like Victoria, Whistler, and Vancouver Island. Thanks Canada, it has been swell.
