VANCOUVER for Beginners

i forgot that my sister, unlike me, has been back at least a few times since an afternoon at expo '86

oh man there are a lot of good places to eat on denman, davie, robson, etc though
and chinatown
(i think sophies is over-rated but it's still fine)

ok i need to buy my plane ticket (painful $ amt)

vancouver priorities of natural beauty and eating fooodz OTM basically

I stayed on Nelson Street, bang in the middle of downtown. I love Vancouver :(

Except for that one portion of east Pender or Hastings just east of Chinatown, there's no "wrong" place to stay in downtown Vancouver. Each location has its advantages and very minor setbacks. You can easily bus to any adjacent neighborhood to downtown from it. Plenty of buses (4, 7, 17(?), and others) head to UBC via Kitsilano.

If you can get to Georgia St., there's a bus -- the 19 I think -- that takes you straight up to the main entry loop of Stanley park. From there, you can spend a good few hours walking around the park, and there's plenty to see there and plenty of places to relax in. There's a free hop-on/hop-in trolley service that circles the park during day hours (although I've found the drivers to be hard to take, but keeping in mind that most of their tourism comes from non-English speaking folks, so they talk in that "I. AM. SPEAKING. ENGLISH. CLEARLY. FOR. YOU. TOURISTS. EH? LOL" way.) A good chunk of the park might still be sealed off due to the late 2006 windstorms though, but nothing that would trump the experience for a relative newbie.

Kitsilano is nice, but it's more of a nice neighborhood to get a great meal in, not really a great neighborhood to see interesting architecture. There is a great museum on the UBC campus though. And if gabb is into teh nudeness, Wreck Beach is right behind that museum.

Commercial Drive is similar to Kitsilano and more interesting now, in my opinion. That's the area many of the former Kits artists moved to when Kits started outpricing everybody who wasn't a wealthy family. You also get a better view of the local mountains there if it's a nice day. Commercial drive is just 10-15 minutes east by Skytrain from the Granville St. station. Far better options for cafes, more variety in food options, especially in Italian. Cafe Callabria(sp?) is my favorite cafe in Vancouver, even if it's overpriced.

Rrrobyn! There's a very strong possibility I might be in Vancouver circa Xmas. I'm seeing my family in Victoria most likely then, and by proxy, heading to Vancouver before or after would make a lot of sense. If there's a motion for a small VanFAP, I'm down for it.

Yeah, from what you say gabbnet, I second the opinion that you should find a place near Stanley Park in the West End, preferably near Denman Street. Granville Island's okay for a 2 hour visit but it's touristy as hell and there's better/more restaurants elsewhere. There's about 10,000 restaurants within walking distance of Stanley Park, so you don't need to go to Sophies (the one thing I think I actually know about in this town is breakfast).

Stanley Park's pretty much open for business these days, despite all the storm damage. I walk round the seawall every weekend - it just involves a little bit of fence climbing. All the trees have been removed now so it's much less dangerous.

Also, something the tourist information folks won't tell you - there are TWO suspension bridges. One of them (Capilano) costs about $20 and is part of a "Pioneer Experience/First Nations" type tourist village. The other (Lynn Canyon) is simply part of a beautiful forest trail and therefore free. They are pretty similar otherwise.

I was gonna mention Lynn Canyon as alternative to Cap Susp Bridge. I love Lynn Canyon.
What everyone else said about the West End.
Don't be afraid to see East Hastings between Gastown and Chinatown. I work down there and will defend the right of its residents to a piece of your tourist dollars. Only they'll just up and ask for it. Just be careful crossing the street.

thanks for all the info, all. I guess I do want to stay downtown. But I really do want to eat on the West Side, at least dinner-wise.

Yeah, East Hastings is overcriticized, but there is that one zone east of Chinatown (not what Dr. Superman is talking about) which, at night, looks like a living screenshot of Carmaggedon.

Blood Alley?

If Blood Alley is where the Brickyard is (or was), then no, I'm talking a few blocks further east on E Hastings, right about where any Gastown-ish nightlife stops.

..that said, it only lasts a few blocks, then reverses in creepiness once Hastings continues east and melds toward the main Vancouver basin.

I think you're talking about the 100/200/300 block of East Hastings. Downtown is South-West of there, Chinatown is South. Walking along the sidewalk can be a little like the upper levels of Mario Bros, with folks weaving back and forth and bizarre obstacles here and there. Harmless unless you fail to avoid them though. Currently the scene of a renaissance with regard to local bands. There are at least three newish live venues in that little area with all the hip young local acts.

that's good to hear!

i wld be down for pre-christmas vanfap but will prob only be there for a day or two to visit friends and their childrenn + my dad b/c will mostly be visiting my mom & bros in t0fin0 ohno for me rite yaaay!

I've never been to Tofino! I'm hoping to escape there next summer for a week or so.

You don't need a car in Vancouver. I spent 3 weeks staying with relatives on West 28th (about 15mins by bus from Kitsilano) and it was easy enough to get to most of the places by public transport. Anywhere south of downtown is pretty good for public transport anyway.

There isn't much point in staying near downtown or granville island, except they are probably handy for the shops. In fact, most of the interesting places are so spread apart anyway, you probably need public transport.

If you like natural beauty type places, I highly recommend Pacific Spirit Regional Park. It's just before UBC, and part of it is a forest, right next to the city!

I miss the 90 minute free transfers :(

If there's a motion for a small VanFAP, I'm down for it.

i'll be in the san juans around that time and would love to jump up and across to fap

let's try this with more specifics. Assume I want to spend 2 nights in Vancouver and that it is a priority for me to eat dinner at two places below False Creek (Tojo's and Vij's). Tell me why I shouldn't stay on Granville Island instead of near Stanley Park. Note that I generally don't eat before 8, at least on the East Coast.

you should stay near or at UBC/Jericho Beach/Kits area and eat at Aphrodite Cafe on 4th at least once. you must have a piece of pie.

don't even bother crossing the bridge to the downtown core. everything you need is in Kits. take Broadway over to Main and head south a bit. more goodness awaits you there.

Convenience.

If cost isn't a consideration, stay in lower downtown near Granville Island. So that, just in case, you need to rush back to the airport or what have you, you don't miss you chance on the not-so-frequent little twirling ferryboats.

However, if you're very sure you know the ferry schedule between Granville Island and Crescent Cir(?) or whatever that little street is with the pimped out penthouses at the bottom of Richards St., then just stay on Granville Island.

Note that I generally don't eat before 8
Good thing, since you might not get a table to Vij's before 10 or 11.

wouldn't it be inconvenient to try to get back from those places to Denman/Davie-ish after 11? how easy would it be to catch a cab?

what's Fairview Slopes like?

You can call for a cab in Vancouver, just like in Seattle and Portland. Different number obviously, but ask any bartender or waiter/waitress.

Worse comes to worse, the walk back on the Granville bridge isn't impossible from north Kits/south end of False Creek, and neither would the Cambie bridge walk. And then Davie St. would just be another 3 blocks xtra. No hills either. (FOR PHIL!) A slight climb going west on Davie but that's it.

who's got a great apt. for under $1000/mth coming open in early fall?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:03 (3 years ago)

will keep an eye out. seems to be lots of 1 br apts available right now.

vancouver apt-hunting tip: don't use craigslist unless you enjoy cattle calls. Try the classifieds in the newspapers, because then you eliminate as competition all the people too cheap to invest $1 in their housing search.

^^^ OTM 4 any city in the world tbh

not necessarily!

i should read this thread. my friend recently moved to vancouver so now i have an excuse to travel there once i'm making some money!!

flipside is that yr more likely to find apts run by vast property management conglomerates in the newspaper leaning toward the more expensive side of rentals. Use both.
Also, walk around neighbourhoods you want to live and look for "For rent" signs. That's how we found our current sweet-ass only-slighty-too-expensive pad.

i just like craigslist for the sheer volume. but, yeah, feel you on that. i'm going to look at a place at 15 and blenheim this week, for $950. when i say i want to live in point grey or kits, everyone i know in vancouver says i'm crazy and i should move to richmond.

i kinda resent the no out-of-towners vibe in vancouver apartment ads-- sometimes it's not so much a vibe as someone specifically stating, "no out-of-towners." i don't really want to give people an employment reference or get a credit check or sign a one year lease, either. fuckin vancouver.

those are not things you have to do normally???

how do they figure out how to approve people for apartments?

i am exposing myself as backwards and provincial. where i come from, we shake hands, sign a hastily prepared contract.

the crucial problem is that i don't have any credit and or a real job!

in my experience, most of the places that ask for CRAZY info never get back to you. Or maybe that's just because I refused to give out my SIN to any old property-owning creep. Dream big, there are good, reasonable places in every neighbourhood, but it can take a lot of legwork to find and secure them. But also, be open.
There's no reason to live in Richmond (tho now there's a train).
Have seen lots of FOR RENT signs on buildings between Oak and Granville between Broadway and 16th, which is sorta my hood, which I love. Close to Kits & Granville Island, easy access to downtown, UBC, lotsa nice heritage-y buildings.

thanks for the information and everything. (dr. superman, just read ur canlit piece in pd).

i've found lots of places! just gotta go see them. i've rented apartments in cities bigger than lil vancouver, and honestly never experienced a credit check as part of an apartment rental. still think that's some kinda bullshit.

it ran this ish? aw geez, I shoulda made a better effort to find a copy before I left on Thursday.

Credit checks are total bullshit. With vacancy rates what they traditionally are in this town, though, I guess they can get away with it.

yeah, our landlords be some ass-gougin' motherfuckers. but kits is awesome to live in, forget the east van snobbery. (point grey otoh is pretty boring, but hey close to wreck)

Vancouver-proper is small enough geographically that as long as you have a bike, you're fine.

got a 1 bdrm suite @ trimble / west 1st ave, $1000 util includ, month-to-month rent, am going to be broke but watch sunset from locarno beach everynight.

getting around vancouver by bike sounds very annoying!

NB: It's very easy and common to combine bike & transit, ie, Sometimes I "ride" my bike to the Sunshine Coast (ride, bus, bus, ferry, bus, ride; rince, repeat)

places i like in vancouver so far (food)：

王哥牛肉面 -- on cambie, around 41st, across from the mall (j2 shoes has a good sale on, got some pf flyers for $14), seats like 10 people, best beef noodles in the world, choose between 红烧 hongshao or 麻辣 mala and thin or wide noodles. not greasy at all and just spicy enough and the beef is in big chunks and falling apart but not too falling apart and it's got pickled mustard greens inside so it's just a bit sour. fucking good. they got some other little dishes, too... like, a little thing of 蒜泥白肉 suanni bairou for like 2 bucks.

barefoot kitchen -- 1725 davie street, yoshoku... my friend took me here. it's like, "japanese-style western food" but that doesn't really fully explain it. it's like the food the kid in earthbound would eat, if that explains it.

和平饭店 -- #110-532 west broadway went there just for 凉皮儿 COLD SKIN NOODLES gross, cause i think it's the only place you can get them in vancouver (wrong?). it's got good central chinese style noodles dishes.

hey vancouver,
i am so excited to come to your city, but i've got here and it is a monstrosity. i hastily arranged some accommodation and i guess i picked wrong; if anyone can tell me areas or even better places to stay, i'd be real appreciative and would no doubt re-write my snap judgement of your city. i'm roaming and broke so hostels/options that aren't in this downtown mess much appreciated x.

Are you downtown-downtown or Downtown Eastside-downtown? I don't know shit around hostels, sorry.

i am ... downtown like, granville-homer-nelson streets. it's like this cordoned off bullpen of neon bullrings and drinking holes. i'm going to go roam around and find like a park and something nice to see for a while but i'm still generally terrified. i'll work it out. any expertise about things to do appreciated anyhow; i dug your lists upthread (or on whichever thread they were on).

don't worry vancouver, everything's cool, it turns out your city was beautiful all along

was actually around homer/nelson this morning, with work. looked for you, but I don't know what you look like. So I figured I probably saw you.

go stay at Jericho Beach at the Hostel there. it's a great place to be, nice walking trails, close to UBC and the 4th Ave. shopping area. The weather should be nice this week so go walk the beaches.

yeah that bit of granville is no fun at all but it's easy to get away! take the SkyTrain in either direction, go to the West End or Kits or UBC or Commercial drive or Main Street or anywhere else.

re:　apartments again. why is everyone horrified when i say i'm moving to richmond? is the canada line ----->>> 99 bline commute to ubc that horrifying? my neighbor was even like, "one day, that thing [canada line] is going to break down, mark my words, i would hate to be stuck over there. i even hate going there," etc.

cons: commute will change from 10 minutes to ~45 minutes, won't be able to see ocean, walk to jericho beach, play in tidal pools.

pros: i kinda hate the whole vibe of 4th avenue, fair trade thai handicraft stores and new age bookshops and ubc fratboys and everyone has a porsche, and it's a fucking terrible, terrible place that sums up everything that sucks about vancouver. when i escape from that weird fourth ave/broadway corridor and get downtown or go to richmond, or even burnaby, i love the city. i mean, fucking love richmond, cheap food and good food (best food in canada is in richmond [and burnaby]), lots of pretty girls, good grocery stores (t&t and yaohan and lots of smaller places), good chinese bookstores (三联 in the aberdeen mall which has lots of hk shit, bought an hk published version of feidu on the weekend, and the one under superstore [the only entrance is from the superstore parking garage and it smells like car exhaust but], you can get pick up caijing magazine there or buy softcore porn), i know tons of people that live in richmond and i don't know anybody that lives on fucking dunbar street, CRUCIAL:　MY RENT WILL BE $400 CHEAPER, MY RENT WILL BE $400 CHEAPER, MY RENT WILL BE $400 CHEAPER. right across from parker place mall, right beside a canada line stop.

dude who cares if they're horrified, that's their problem. you seem to be pretty stoked on the idea of being in Richmond, it's affordable, and you know people there. give it a try and if it turns out it's as awful as everyone else seems to think it is, you can use all the $$ you've saved to move back to some other place that's more Vancouver-based.

they can't let any lines break down until after the Olympics, anyway. right?