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Vancouver-Age |OT| 125 Years

F

Firestorm

Member
tfMEw.jpg


I've found the Toronto thread to be quite helpful, so I thought why not start one for the number one city in the world? And what better day for it than its 125th anniversary? I call on Vancouver-GAF to help make this OP a useful resource to anybody who wants to visit or move to Beautiful British Columbia =)

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Public transportation is handled in Vancouver by Translink. Transit is actually pretty amazing in the Metro Vancouver area. We may complain about how late buses are sometimes and how little they run in some of the outer areas, but it's a pretty great system relatively speaking. The SkyTrain is the lifeline of the system and you will grow to love it if you use transit on a regular basis.

Both Google Maps and Bing Maps provide transit directions for Vancouver and you should use those over TransLink's site because TransLink is confusing.

Skytrain
The SkyTrain map can be found here. There are three lines in service. The Expo Line goes from Waterfront station in downtown Vancouver through the south part of Burnaby, New Westminister, and ends in Surrey. The Millenium Line follows the same path but splits off in New Westminister and loops through the north part of Burnaby instead of Surrey. The recent Canada Line takes riders from Waterfront to the city of Richmond which is where the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located.​

Bus
How bad the buses are depends on where you live. Checking Google Maps / Bing Maps is your best bet on figuring out which to take. Night Buses go until 3AM and cover a good portion of the city!​

Seabus
The Seabus provides ferry service between Waterfront Station (Vancouver) and Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) every 15 / 30 minutes depending on the time of day.​

Everything in this thread was outdated so I got rid of it all aside from transit. Special Thanks to my cousin for letting me use her beautiful picture of the False Creek area for the banner up top.
 
A

AlexMogil

Member
I so wish I lived there. I visit once a year.

People who live there: as much as you may complain about day to day stuff, in my eyes you are living in Eden.
 
L

Leeness

Member
Not enough Vancouver love in this thread yet~ Need more replies.

I'm not living directly in the city, but close enough (White Rock).

I actually really like North Vancouver, especially Esplanade, Lonsdale, quay area. I was going to school in the area and the school was in a beautiful area on the mountain, I could go up to Grouse and I was close enough to the quay that I was just a seabus away from downtown. You can also add Grouse Mountain (and the Capilano Suspension Bridge) to Mountain!

I'd like to live in the actual downtown someday, even just for a bit, especially in the Yaletown area. It's all really nice there.

Also, Stanley Park! Add that to Park immediately~

Happy birthday, Vancouver. :)
 
F

Firestorm

Member
Yep, will add those obvious ones like English Bay, Stanley Park, Grouse, etc. soon. Although if anyone has a write-up it's appreciated =) I'm actually in Ontario at the moment so it's late and I'm going to be heading to bed :(
 
N

NetMapel

Guilty White Male Mods Gave Me This Tag
Leeness said:
Not enough Vancouver love in this thread yet~ Need more replies.

I'm not living directly in the city, but close enough (White Rock).

I actually really like North Vancouver, especially Esplanade, Lonsdale, quay area. I was going to school in the area and the school was in a beautiful area on the mountain, I could go up to Grouse and I was close enough to the quay that I was just a seabus away from downtown. You can also add Grouse Mountain (and the Capilano Suspension Bridge) to Mountain!

I'd like to live in the actual downtown someday, even just for a bit, especially in the Yaletown area. It's all really nice there.

Also, Stanley Park! Add that to Park immediately~

Happy birthday, Vancouver. :)
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Whoa a fellow White Rocker ? Seriously ? Hahaha wow

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Go 351 !!!

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B

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Sushi-wise... I love the giant, experimental sushi of Sushi California (by Lougheed Town Centre station) or Sushi Garden (near Metrotown and another by Gilmore stn.) I have a suspicion they're owned by the same people... they're both all-Korean girl staff, they both renovated recently, and they both have similar sushi...

And as far as Korean food itself.. an interesting one is Pojang Macha at 595 E Broadway.. the whole restaurant is made to look like the street vendors you'd find in Korea, where you go inside a tent to eat (I hear they're dying/gone in Korea itself :( ). There's a blog entry here where you can see the interesting decor of the place (orange tarp!).

Oh and ya gotta shout out the Amderstam Cafe downtown... part of Marc Emery's (The Prince of Pot) empire. Have a bite to eat, sip your drink, and smoke all the weed you want... :p
 
B

Big-E

Member
Even though I am currently away from my city, I would like to contribute as well. A relatively recent place that is great for lunch and is near the Cambie is Meat and Bread. Meat and Bread is just a sandwich place that doesn't have a lot of selection but it is not needed. The porchetta is fucking amazing and delicious. These aren't the biggest sandwiches in the world so you will need to buy 2 if you are really hungry but one deals with me just fine. This also isn't a place to linger to long as the seating situation is not meant for long talks or lunch meetings but this is irrelevant as the sandwiches are amazing. They also sell their own mustard and condiments on the side. Website here http://meatandbread.ca/
 
T

Tabris

Member
A couple other quick areas:

Gastown area of Downtown Vancouver (I work near here! Awesome area to work)

Gastown%20Steam%20Clock.jpg


Vancouver Art Gallery

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Robson Square

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Stanley Park (Best city park in the world, even beating out Central Park)

p120627-Vancouver-Bridge_at_beginning_of_Stanley_Park.jpg
 
B

Big-E

Member
Another restaurant recommendation is Les Faux Bourgeois which is off of Fraser and Kingsway. This isn't the area where you would expect a quaint little French Bistro but it is. Food here is great and the prices are reasonable with good serving sizes. Menu contains traditional French cuisine as well as specials every day. Only negative I have with this place is that there are large amount of hipsters usually but the same could be said for lots of restaurants including my earlier recommendation of Meat and Bread. Website here http://www.lesfauxbourgeois.com/
 
B

Big-E

Member
Dastardly Jerks said:
No love for Granville Island?

Good improv shows, microbrewery, a kickass toy store (for the manchild in all of us) and awesome markets.
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Mad love for the Market. Bridges bar has a decent happy hour if you are there in the afternoon. Oyama in the market is one of the best stores in the city for pate and french charcuterie. Stock Market is a decent place for soups as well within the market. Also the French bakery in the market is good too, called La Baguette et L'echalote.
 
B

Big-E

Member
maruchan said:
you should but bc.. i keep on thinking of vancouver washington
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Only people from Vancouver Washington make this mistake. If we made a Portland thread I don't think people in Portland Maine are going to be bitching.
 
W

Warm Machine

Member
Great OT and OP.

My downtown selection of places to go...

High End Restaurants
Chambar - Great Belgian food and excellent beer selection
Yew - Westcoast cuisine in the Four Seasons Hotel
Don Francesco - Italian with great wild game menu
Il Giardino - Italian with an incredible wine selection.
Brix - Got married here. Eat the duck!

For less expensive but still very tasty....
La Bodega - A Spanish Tapas institution, get rocked on the Sangria
Salsa and Agave - Probably Vancouver's best traditional Mexican

Japanese Food
Shuraku - Good chef and very imaginative rolls.

Coffee
Cafe Artigiano - Blenz and Starbucks should be ashamed by the mastery on display.

Favorite Pub
The Lennox - Casual atmosphere good beer selection with the best Leffe anywhere on the planet including Belgium for some fucked up reason.

Summer Afternoon Place to Be...
Earls Patio in Yaletown knocking back honey lager, hot wings, and shrimp tacos.

Nice Hidden Lunch Spot
Sciue - Flatbread pizza whatever size you want and amazing coffee as well. There is one right downtown and another in Yaletown.
 
M

maruchan

Member
both are in the northwest, and vancouver and Vancouver are only 300 miles apart.. its washington represent.. everyone knows that vancouver is just a seattle north, like portland is a seattle south...
 
T

Tabris

Member
Summer Afternoon Place to Be...
Earls Patio in Yaletown knocking back honey lager, hot wings, and shrimp tacos.
Click to expand...

I would like to raise this one up a notch. The Keg in Yaletown's rooftop patio is awesome.

DSC_4219.jpg
 
B

Big-E

Member
More restaurant talk. The Glowbal group is quite popular but I think the best one of their group is the least popular and that is Tratoria on West 4th. Similar to Italian Kitchen but I always enjoy my time at Tratoria opposed to Italian Kitchen. Great Italian food at ok but not great prices. Glowbal's other restaurants I feel are a bit overrated, especially Society.
 
B

Big-E

Member
maruchan said:
both are in the northwest, and vancouver and Vancouver are only 300 miles apart.. its washington represent.. everyone knows that vancouver is just a seattle north, like portland is a seattle south...
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And no one knows that Vancouver Washington exists outside of people in the Northwest. Even in Seattle you say you are from Vancouver they don't think about the Portland suburb they think about Canada as Vancouver is growing as an important international city every year.
 
T

Tabris

Member
maruchan said:
both are in the northwest, and vancouver and Vancouver are only 300 miles apart.. its washington represent.. everyone knows that vancouver is just a seattle north, like portland is a seattle south...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_most_livable_cities

Where is Seattle? Does anyone care about Seattle anymore?
 
W

Warm Machine

Member
Tabris said:
I would like to raise this one up a notch. The Keg in Yaletown's rooftop patio is awesome.
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Everytime I've tried to go there the place is so busy and we can't get in. :( One day I will!

For anyone old school Vancouver I miss Carlos n Buds. That used to be the go-to patio to get boozed on a hot day.
 
T

Tabris

Member
Warm Machine said:
Everytime I've tried to go there the place is so busy and we can't get in. :( One day I will!
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1) Get there at 4-5pm.
2) They get you a pager, so go there when you want to drink a bit and just drink at the bar until a spot opens on the patio.
 
C

C-Jo

Member
Big-E said:
Glowbal's other restaurants I feel are a bit overrated, especially Society.
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Society is super overrated, although the milkshakes are pretty good.

My picks for restaurants are Zakkushi on Denman and Octopus' Garden on Cornwall.
 
B

Barrow Roll

Member
Vancouver-age eh? Time to pimp my shit on GAF.

You guys should come visit me at the comic shop I work at, Metropolis Comics and Toys. Right across the street from Metrotown.

If you see a 20 year old half-asian dude with black hair working then come in challenge me to Smash Bros. I dare you. Or check out some comics, toys, stuff or just chill. It's a pretty laid back place.

A friend of mine is also putting together a small little video game themed art show at the shop. The opening night is this Saturday, but the art will be up on display for about 2 weeks after that.

If you want more info then check out the 8-Bits of Destiny Facebook page.

And Anton's is totally overrated. But I'm probably just spoiled by my mums delicious home made pasta.
 
M

Momar

aka Ryder
I was thinking of driving up to Vancouver (from Seattle) for the weekend, maybe stay in a hostel for a night and explore the town a bit. Any suggestions? How's the weather looking, should I wait a little longer before exploring?
 
S

SpectreFire

Member
maruchan said:
both are in the northwest, and vancouver and Vancouver are only 300 miles apart.. its washington represent.. everyone knows that vancouver is just a seattle north, like portland is a seattle south...
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Right. Forget that Vancouver is Canada's biggest access to Asia, maintains one of the largest ports in North America, is one of the most livable and beautiful cities in the world, hosted the most successful Winter Olympics Games campaign in the event's history, and it's many MANY more numerous claims to fame. It's still only a shittier version of Seattle and more people recognize Vancouver Washington than Vancouver BC.
 
T

Tabris

Member
Oh, you don't go to Metrotown unless you're a 13 year old girl. (edit the OP with that info for uninformed)
 
B

Big-E

Member
Tabris said:
Oh, you don't go to Metrotown unless you're a 13 year old girl. (edit the OP with that info for uninformed)
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Truth. I fucking hate that place more than anything in the world. I hate when friends want to do things near there. Fucking hole.
 
D

Dastardly Jerks

Banned
The people there are pretty much the worst kind that exist outside of Surrey. Terrible selection of generic shops. Overpriced cinemas that suck in space compared to any of the Scotiabank venues...

I think we're all in agreement here.
 
D

Desperado

Member
A friend of mine visited Vancouver and I was amazed at the pictures she took of the city. I couldn't get over how beautiful it was. The excellent architecture combined with the surrounding natural landscape is just breathtaking. I didn't know a modern city could look so elegant.
 
W

Warm Machine

Member
Big-E said:
Truth. I fucking hate that place more than anything in the world. I hate when friends want to do things near there. Fucking hole.
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I don't like going there only because it is crazy busy all the damn time. During Christmas they should just rename the place Burnaby Zoo.
 
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