Moved To Vancouver

[guitarchick]

So, I moved to Vancouver for a couple of months.

Anything fun to do here? ways to meet people? Music to check out? Places I should avoid for good reason? Good places to eat? Bad places to eat? Any good temp work places?

[Crusader]

Steer clear of most of Surrey at night. Not sure if it's still the car theft capital in the world but there seems to be a lot of violence in that city.

 

For fun: just hang out in downtown or tour our various malls.

[guitarchick]

Haven't checked out the malls yet but might do that on some random day. I went to some hipster restaurant called the foundation on Saturday for nahos with an old friend who moved here a year ago. They were the best damn nahos I have ever had but the hipster theme was kind of stupid.

 

I shall avoid Surrey. Can't see much reason for me to go in that direction anyway.

[Crusader]

Another reason to avoid Surrey:

 

"Propane tanks found on SkyTrain tracks in Surrey, B.C.

Explosives disposal unit sent to assess danger"

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...ne.html?cmp=rss

[guitarchick]

Thats kinda messed up. I was wondering last night, as I was moving over to Richmond, if anything like that had happened, you know, someone trying to sabbotage the skytrain.

[saturnine]

smoke weed and beg for change. that's my impression of what goes on there.

[AnOceanPearl]

One reason to go to Surrey: Sandwich Nazi.

 

Downtown is nice, there's plenty to do. If you want delicious, but kind of expensive food, I recommend Abigail's Part in Kitsilano. Some of the best food I have ever had.

 

If I'm not working and you have no plans, I'd totally be down for hanging out. Tracy can vouch that I'm not totally weird.

[RicardoObviouso]

abigail's party is the best food you've ever had? wow.

[Crusader]

has this turned into food chat? mr ho's wonton house in burnaby is great cheap chinese food.

[Doormat]

North Van is good if you want to look at trees/hike/encounter bears/get significantly more rain than Vancouver.

[Muran]

Shane is not weird, no haha At this point, I've seen his gf more times than I've seen him though XD

 

Abigail's Party is a cute, intimate location, great food. There's also Chewie's nearby, which has some fun southern food. That area has shit tons of great places to eat.

 

Stuff to do:

* Check out Robson Square for ice skating coming up in Dec.

* Stanley Park ghost train

* The Aquarium...

 

... on that note, do all that touristy shit you see tourists doing. Vancouver is a great place to just walk around in. Check out Commercial Drive, 4th Ave, Granville Street, China Town. Adventure on the Canada Line to Richmond and visit Hong Kong :P (Srsly tho, best Bubble Tea place is Pearl Castle.)

[RicardoObviouso]

North Van is good if you want to look at trees/hike/encounter bears/get significantly more rain than Vancouver.

thats a myth. most precipitation reports include snow, and since north vancouver is essentially on a mountain, the numbers are skewed. when it comes to actual rain, abbotsford wins with most days of rain and total cumulative amount. vancouver and north vancouver get nearly same.

 

 

vancouver is just like any other city, the businesses in each area reflect the lifestyle of those living in that area. the west end is heavily independent, more community driven, there are no corporations there, thus no corporate stores/restaurants... gastown is fauxhemian, yaletown is very commercial and righteous, west 4th/kitsilano is trendy, commercial drive is melting pot and main st. is legit hipster. downtown core is a mix of live/work and tourists. the difference is obvious: live/work walk fast and with a purpose, tourists walk slow.

[guitarchick]

Is the aquarium really worth the 20 bucks to see? Just curious because that’s a lot of money!

I’m looking for unique stores to find some Christmas presents at. Places that maybe are unique to vancouver but don’t really contain all of that tacky tourist gifts.

Unfortunately I am allergic to gluten so I can’t really eat out which sucks because I love food! Plus there’s all of these tasty smelling noodle shops around. Mmm sushi too

It would be cool to meet a couple people from the bored before I leave on the 11^th. Back to cold ass snobby Ottawa I go! Can’t wait to move away from there too. Anyone snowboard or ski?

Not much of a city person since I spent most of my life growing up in a small town and wandering the woods. Although it has been quite interesting to experience. Richmond sucks to live in but we had to live wherever we could get temporary residence.

North Shore hiking would be nice to do but I think it would take over an hour to get there by public transportation. I’d love to go snowboarding on grouse mountain.

The skytrain is a motion sickness victim’s nightmare. Plus when you go through those tunnels there’s such a difference in pressure it’s like instantly being in an airplane.

The city was fun but man I cannot wait to get back to the trees soon. Plus it’s weird that you have to be so close to people all of the time. There’s ALWAYS someone around.

[RicardoObviouso]

the aquarium is cool. i'm a little jaded because i've been taking my son there for like 3 years, but they are always adding something. yes it's $20 but you can easily spend 1/2 the day there, or more if you're really interested.

 

if you're going to try snowboarding, go to cypress.

 

there are a ton of gluten free restaurants in addition to a ton of places that offer gluten free options.

[guitarchick]

Have you gone to the biodome in Montreal? I would think it would be kind of like that but maybe a little better.

 

Cypress would be sweet. I noticed that theres a bus there from Vancouver but I think I would end up spending a good 100 bucks. I'm sure it would be worth it but it's gift season so.

 

There are quite a few places that do have gluten free options but I always feel like such a douche asking for them haha. Eventhough I do really have an allergy to it there's this stigma attached to the whole idea that I think was a result of many celebs going on it. Plus most people have no idea what it is or what it is in so theres always the chance of contamination or confusion. But it would be interesting if there was a completely gluten free places. It would just be hard to get people to go there because gluten is in everything tasty.

[RicardoObviouso]

i've been to the biodome in montreal. vancouver aquarium is way better. no matter where you go snowboarding you're going to spend $100. it costs $40 just to get up and down grouse on the gondola and the actual on-snow experience isn't as good. as for the gluten free places/dishes, if it says it's gluten free, how would there be any confusion? sounds like you're making excuses to not go. if you decide to, try sweet cherubim on commercial drive. totally gluten free and tasty.

[Muran]

The Celiac that I used to work with used to eat at Gorilla Food, like, ever day. It's not bad. I second Sweet Cherubim.

 

Also, I fucking love the Aquarium. You can feed penguins now and the Jellyfish exhibit is awesome! So pretty!

[guitarchick]

I went to the Vancouver Aquarium which was pretty awesome. I loved the lump fish and the jellies. Very cool place and a lot better than the montreal biodome.

I moved back to Ottawa but now I am in New England and currently hanging out in an INN in Maine while my partner picks his friend up in Boston on christmas day. Not sure if I should have stayed home for chistmas or not but I guess this is less stressful. Besides this random fear that someone is going to come into this place and murder me.

But ya know, how could you not feel like that being in some weird ass INN in redneck Maine. I guess everyone is too busy getting drunk n shit so you know.

My partner is from Maine. I am currently drinking his 12 year old scotch but maybe not to the point that he would notice that I had done that? PLus I am a light weight.

Merry Holidays!

Edited December 26, 2012 by guitarchick

[AngieEarlie]

I am moving back to Vancouver because it is such a fun city! I never run out of things to do and there is so much beautiful nature to hike accessible by transit!