Last week, Jo and I managed to spend a few days in one of my all-time favourite cities, Vancouver.
I have been fortunate to travel quite a bit internationally. Vancouver is in the top three on my list. A former Citizen writer often referred to it as "the city of latte-sipping layabouts."
I totally disagree, although 49th Parallel on West Fourth Avenue in Kitsilano does make a mighty fine latte.
We always drive so that our pup, Holli, can go with us. When we get there, around supper time, we always head for Commercial Drive to BierCraft Tap and Tapas.
They serve the best mussels. We have been going there for many years since it was originally called Stella's. It was worth the nine-hour drive just for that.
After checking in to our gorgeous suite at the Coast Plaza with a perfect view of English Bay and Denman Street on one side and the north east of downtown on the other, we were reminded that this is a bittersweet trip. This was our last stay at what has become our favourite Vancouver hotel.
The hotel has been sold and will cease operations in November to be transformed into an apartment building. It is often that we run into someone from Prince George when we are there. It is just a perfect location with excellent service. Jo loves the pizza next door at Olympia.
A drive to Vancouver usually includes shopping. The Gourmet Warehouse on East Hastings Street and Clark Drive is an unbelievable specialty shop stocked with food items, housewares, gadgets and tools for professional and amateur cooks.
Spices, salts, hot sauces from around the world - you name it, they have it. I generally take orders for several folks in P.G. when I go. Chef Caren McSherry, often seen on Global News, is the owner of this amazing emporium.
Bellaggio Caf on Hornby Street is located across from the Vancouver Art Gallery. Sitting outside there and having a delightful breakfast while people watching is the perfect way to start a day. It only cost us $8 to park at a parking meter right in front. No three-hour free parking in Vancouver. Yet the downtown is filled with people.
After breakfast, there are many nice walks to take.
The Monet exhibit is now on at the art gallery. People were lined up to get in.
Having Chapters replaced with Sport Chek was very strange. Both Jo and I used to spend a lot of time in that wonderful space overlooking Robson Square.
If you walk to West Georgia Street and Bute Street there is a wonderful Chihuly installation in an apartment lobby. If you are not familiar with this artist's glasswork, please have a look. He is outstanding.
We drove to Spanish Banks and Locarno Beaches where one can see the unique juxtaposition of sandy beaches with life guards on duty, ocean-going ships anchored in English Bay, sailboats, North Shore mountains with housing on the lower slopes, as well as the high-rises of downtown Vancouver in the distance. That is iconic Vancouver.
We continued to the lush UBC campus where new students were registering and taking tours.
After a perfect day, we stopped on Denman Street at Buckstop BBQ to eat real Carolina BBQ.
We then ended our evening with a stop at True Confections. Their desserts are decadent!
Truthfully, what's not to love about Vancouver? With mountains and ocean, and beautiful parks it has such gorgeous scenery. The city is kept very clean. Bikes play a major transportation role - not quite Amsterdam, but it is well on the way. Outstanding restaurants for all tastes and pocketbooks. It was a perfect few days.
On the way home, we stopped at the Yellow Umbrella in 150 Mile House, a place that we passed many times promising to stop one day. This is a positively delightful tea house and gift shop run by a lovely lady, Melissa.
When we told her that we are from P.G. she lit up and told us how, due to the wildfires she had to evacuate to Prince George. Her sister lives in P.G., so they had an unplanned family reunion. Melissa had wonderful things to say about this city and a sense of pride swept over Jo and me.
Dorothy had it right, there's no place like home.
