CONTEST – Tell us about your neighbourhood!
filed in Featured on Jan.15, 2010
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. CHARLIE IS PICKING THE WINNER. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED AND GOOD LUCK.
Got a funny story about growing up in Ladner? Feel like sharing your people watching experiences from The Drive? Do you have a moving Arbutus-related anecdote? We want to know what makes your favourite neighbourhood in Vancouver so special! Leave a comment in this post and tell us all about YOUR Vancouver.
On February 1st, we’ll give away a signed copy of Vancouver Special with an original print from Emmanuel Buenviaje, whose stunning photography can be seen in the book, to one lucky participant. Good luck!
Thanks to the following local blogs in helping us promote the contest. Vancouverisawesome.com, beyondrobson.ca and re:placemagazine.com.
Another small note: We will approve all comments so there will be a slight delay from the time you submit and until it is posted on the site. Thanks, Arsenal.
January 15th, 2010 on 3:57 pm
I love Trout Lake in the Summer. There is nothing like sitting on a bench and just people (and dog!) watching on a sunny afternoon. The Trout Lake Farmer’s Market is great for fresh produce as well!
January 15th, 2010 on 4:50 pm
I remember back in the day when we had the Front St antique stores (in New West). Taking Saturday walks with my mom to see if we could find rare gems are my most favorite memories. Although the shops are long gone those wonderful thoughts still linger in the back of my mind.
January 17th, 2010 on 1:19 pm
I live in, and love, Mount Pleasant. All up Main, there are fantastic restaurants and great stores… but that’s not really why I love it. This area (despite its steady gentrification) is a true community. I remember my mom first visiting me here from Ontario. We went out for a walk, and I think I ended up saying hello to, and chatting with, 7 or 8 people. Just in an hour or so. My mom was stunned — she hadn’t had that experience of being part of a real neighbourhood for decades, and yet here I was, living at a bustling, urban intersection and yet seeming to know everybody. And it’s true — you get to know the people who work in the shops around here, the local artists… it’s pretty special.
January 18th, 2010 on 9:43 am
[...] what makes your favourite neighbourhood in Vancouver so special! Just leave a comment in their website here and tell them all about YOUR Vancouver. On February 1st, they’ll be give away a signed copy of [...]
January 18th, 2010 on 3:46 pm
I am a gay eighteen year old living in the sleepy hollow of Kerrisdale. There are many signature characteristics of my neighbourhood, whether it’s the fact you could hear a pin drop during dinner time due to how quiet it is, you will see people of all ages and economic class, if you really tried to make an entire day’s worth of activity… you could.
A bunch of Jews (Which I am, I have the right to mention
), Asians, elderly folk, and that’s about it! I can’t go through my village without bumping into someone I know from school, or a friend of my grandmother’s, as Kerrisdale is a transportation HUB, connecting the different neighbourhoods in Vancouver together. The only hot spot is Orange Corner, open til midnight, AND SERVING ALCOHOL AFTER 8! SCORE!
The amount of food in Kerrisdale is enough to feed 10 times its population, as it’s at least 75% of it’s businesses… and for good reason. I can always rely on Orange Corner for a crepe far superior to Cafe Crepe, or grab ASA sushi’s Roll Combo C, run around Point Grey’s beautiful track any time of the day, skate at the arena next door, Golden Ocean for Sunday Dim Sum, and stay fashionable at the old yet prominent HILLS.
There’s a lot of history to this neighbourhood and it will always be my home.
January 18th, 2010 on 3:50 pm
I was born and raised in Kensington, literally right next to the park. I remember as a kid tobogganing down the hill, watching the the summer fireworks, just chillin and enjoying the view, and more recently, running thru the fields sprinklers drunk at 1 am. It’s awesome living atop a hill.
January 18th, 2010 on 3:59 pm
I went for a walk on Saturday though Stathcona for the first time since I volunteered there in 2005/2006. I was, once again, struck by the beauty and sense of community.
We were originally trying to find a place supposedly called the Union Street Bakery, purported for it’s cheap and delicious bread. After wandering through Chinatown, past the Jimmy Hendrix shrine, and through Strathcona, we had no luck. We walked right past the Ray-Cam housing complex and an adorable Ukrainian church from the neighbourhood’s past. We eventually hit the gelato place on Venables, and decided to turn back.
On the way back, we stumbled upon something called the Union Food Market, and decided to take a peek inside. We discovered that this was the place we were looking for the whole time, and immediately began the task of deciding which bread to buy. While we were deciding, we heard the man at the cashier greeting each of his customers by name. When we asked him about the yellow corn bread, he willingly gave us a sample, saying he “needed a loaf for home anyways”. He then proceeded to ask us if we had recently moved into the neighbourhood and chat while we made our purchase. I haven’t been to such a unique and friendly market in a very long time, and the bread was absolutely delicious.
On our way out we encountered a man playing a steel drunk right outside the market, to the delight of the patrons enjoying a cup of coffee on the surrounding chairs and tables. We then walked past a beautiful heritage apartment building with a couple dressed as if they were extras in a 20s film. At around 3pm. We could only wonder where they were going.
Finally, we walked past a garage sale where they were giving away free records. When questioned, the couple dealt humorously with my boyfriend’s quips, and happily released a few records into his care.
We were both blown away with our simple walk through Strathcona, and are itching to go back and explore more!
January 19th, 2010 on 12:23 am
I remember first discovering Gastown. Having grown up in the shadows cast by the white towers of Yaletown, it was definitely an eye-opener. The architecture, the history, the brick streets and (electric) steam clock. I remember just sitting and gaping at the people walking by – cruise ship tourists looking up and around, locals looking down at the ground, international students with knee high socks and shoulder bags, business men, hipsters, junkies, skateboarders, men in blazers a size too large paired with pants a size too small: every person you could imagine – or couldn’t. Considering its age, Gastown seemed like a neighborhood that was sure of itself, but the people moving through it kept the character constantly changing. It represented a place of endless discovery. I live here now, endlessly discovering.
January 19th, 2010 on 9:01 am
My neighbours make my neighbourhood (hastings-sunrise). The Italian grapevine provides me with actual grapes, gossip (current and historical), tomato seedlings, gardening advice (who knew tomatoes don’t like being watered from above?), tool loan and instruction, construction advice, and 24 hour surveilance of our property.
One time my neighbour Dino, accosted someone who was going to salvage our downspout that had fallen off (and not been fixed by me). I watched him chase the guy off. He ended the argument by telling the guy that my house was his house and that it was his downspout.
Another time Dino actually tracked a guy who he thought was trying to break into his garage up to 7th and Victoria (about 10 blocks). Dino is in his late seventies.
I also have a neighbour who keeps his trees trimmed to stumps with leaves so that he can wrap his extension cords around them. He shoots crows with a pellet gun when he thinks no one’s watching.
Dino is though.
January 19th, 2010 on 4:53 pm
I live in Fairview Slopes, and there are a lot of things that I love about it: Charleson Park (aka Frolicking Dog Park,) Choklit Park (aka How the Hell is This a Park? Park,) close proximity to bookstores, convenience stores, liquor stores and coffee shops, the relative peace and quiet of living on the bike path on West 10th, watching the firemen show off for little kids at the firehall on 10th and Hemlock, but I’m not gonna lie to you, okay?
What I really love about it is Opera Man.
I’ve been trying to catch his eye for years, but if you’ve ever crossed paths with him, you know: he can’t make eye contact with you. More importantly, he WON’T. He’ll walk right past you, bellowing opera at the top of his lungs, and he won’t even look you askance.
One time we were both walking in the same direction, on the same side of the street, and when we met up at the crossing light, he fell silent, and I realized: despite appearances, he’s actually kind of self-conscious. He didn’t so much as BREATHE loudly till the walk signal flashed, and then, o sole mio! or whatever… like nothing had changed.
Since I moved to 10th (from 11th) I live right on his route, so it’s not uncommon anymore for me to be sitting around, eating dinner or whatnot when I hear the faint strains of his joyous singing approaching my vicinity. I wait, tensed, anticipatory, as he grows louder, and louder, and when he passes, I pretend that he’s singing just for me. (Well, me and my cat, I always tell her, but really just for me.)
I read in “Vancouver Magazine” a few years back that somebody threw water on him once. I don’t get that. One time I said “hello” to him and he nodded at me (without making eye contact, OF COURSE) and it was like I’d seen the non-eye-contact-making face of God.
January 19th, 2010 on 9:43 pm
I love the West end in downtown Vancouver, where I live. I can walk everywhere; I start my day admiring the mountains and the Pacific Ocean which I can see from my breakfast table. It gives me this feeling of an endless horizon and of space.
It’s a multi-cultural neighbourhood with my neighbours being from all over Asia, Europe, etc; I hear so many languages: French, Croatian, Korean, Farsi, German, even Viennese. I can walk to Capers or Choices for organic food. In summer there’s the Farmers’ Market in Nelson Park. I love going to the Joe Fortes branch of the library where I see seniors catching up with their newspapers and Moms going in with their children to the kid zone. There’s Davie Village close by where I can get food from all over the world: Sushi, East Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, etc; My favourite coffee shop on Denman is run by a friendly couple who make the best Cappuccino and the best burek (a kind of baked pastry filled with cheese, spinach or vegetables).
I can reach Lost Lagoon on foot anytime of the year and say hello to the ducks and swans and racoons living there. My domestic pet is the skunk who lives in my block whom I admire from afar, afraid he might feel threatened if I get too close and spray me. My building manager’s dog tried to get romantically involved with the skunk and got sprayed. They couldn’t get rid of the smell for months and were even considering bathing the dog in tomato juice. Someone had told them that it was the only way they could get rid of the smell.
The West end is a safe neighbourhood. I’m now looking forward to the cherry trees that will soon blossom and make it even more colourful.
January 21st, 2010 on 12:57 pm
[...] your favourite neighbourhood/anecdote/person in Vancouver. The winner receives a signed copy of Vancouver Special, which is a bit of a paean to the city, I gather, meant for the people who don’t think [...]
January 22nd, 2010 on 1:40 pm
I’ve been visiting your blog for a little while now and wanted to comment on how much I enjoy your work.
I hope you keep posting on this subject.
January 25th, 2010 on 6:43 am
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January 25th, 2010 on 1:38 pm
Moving from California to Burnaby was interesting – during the first week of living in a rat-infested 1 bedroom apartment that cost $800/month I remember someone got shot as a ripe 2am in the morning. Over the years I have upgraded to still live in Burnaby but this time on top of a mountain with the craziest view of the whole world. Although I don’t hear of anyone getting shot in my building anymore, I have also now upgraded to be volunteering with long-time offenders in almost every neighbourhood in Metro Vancouver. Just spreading the love!
P.S: I have also photographed the LIFE out of Metro Vancouver so this book would be an amazing inspiration and treasure to me.
January 25th, 2010 on 3:30 pm
One day my fella and I went for a walk by the water in our ‘hood (the West End). We ended up at English Bay round about sunset and we grabbed a bench at the top of the grassy bit to watch the scenery. We looked at the next bench over to see a dude with a full size harp start playing. So we watched the sun set over the ocean to lovely live harp music. When we got up to go we saw another dude with a 1980s ghettoblaster on his shoulder walk by, cranking some tunes of a different sort. On his other shoulder? A pet rat.
This is why I love Vancouver.
January 25th, 2010 on 4:01 pm
Nothing is more Vancouver to me than the pne. Such a big landmark and year after year. It’s things like this that make Vancouver so special.
January 25th, 2010 on 4:02 pm
I love Vancouver for the many seasons we have and the cultural diversity. I have vacationed all over the place and nothing is quite like home.
January 25th, 2010 on 4:04 pm
While Christmas Shopping in the Business District on Downtown, my girlfriend and I were attracted to a tumultuous racket on one of the steep sidewalks and saw much to our amusement a couple of homeless people drag racing on homemade carts. People laughed at them, specially when hearing their warning: Watch out! Going down, no brakes no brakes! Wooooo!
January 25th, 2010 on 10:35 pm
I grew up and currently live in Surrey, but going to school at UBC means that I’m in Vancouver more than I am at home. I love Vancouver for its independent cafes, mom n’ pop restaurants, natural settings, and more. One particular memory of this beautiful city comes from the past summer when a friend and I cycled from Surrey to Vancouver along the BC Parkway. This was my first time riding the parkway and it was a completely unique way of experiencing the city, as our path took us through different neighbourhoods, through Trout Lake Park, along False Creek, then ending at Stanley Park. My friend introduced me to Mr Pickwick’s in the West End for some tasty fish n’ chips, then we hit up the Book Warehouse for some cheap reads. After that we cycled the sea wall and decided to take a break and rest on the rocks while it was low tide. I took a nap on a rock while he read under the sun until the tide threatened to surround us; by then the sun had begun to set so we Skytrained back home. It was the perfect way to end the summer
January 26th, 2010 on 3:13 pm
Several years ago, but when the Marble Arch was no longer a strip club, I was in town from Whistler for a night and met a friend in there. It was my first night out on the town in Vancouver, first bar I walked into here, and the first girl I saw on the way in ran up to me, bit my cheek, and ran out the door. Some dude following her stopped and said to me “why don’t you just fuck her next time!” and then followed her out. There are no sleazy/awesome bars like that in Whistler or Victoria; it made quite an impression.
January 26th, 2010 on 5:10 pm
Well, I haven’t lived in Vancouver all that long – about 2 1/2 years now. Before that I roamed from Saint John, NB to Whistler BC with stops in Halifax, and Toronto so I know a thing or two about cities big and small. Vancouver is unusual in that it feels like a much smaller city than it is. I think a lot of that has to do with all of the wonderfully vibrant neighbourhoods. When I first moved here I lived in Mount Pleasant and experienced the overwhelming sense of East Side pride. Now I life on the West Side which is quieter, and maybe a little less exciting… but does involve less midnight shopping cart racing waking me from my sleep. It would be hard to pick a favourite though.
January 29th, 2010 on 1:21 pm
A raccoon, a prostitute and I met at the intersection of Hastings and Jackson two years ago. I was in my beat-up green VW Golf, and the raccoon and the prostitute were on the corner, lit up by the lights above.
It must have been 3:00am – the streets were empty and quiet except for us.
I’d just moved into a place near Nanaimo and Dundas and I was sober and tired and on my way home from somewhere or another – definitely not in the market for a lady of ill-repute, or a raccoon (of any repute).
When I stopped at the red light, the three of us just stared at one another for some time: first me and the prostitute locked eyes, then the raccoon and the prostitute, and finally the raccoon and I.
The traffic light must have gone green, but I didn’t notice: we were all frozen in this little triangle.
I think the three of us shared a moment.
All I could think after that was, “Oh shit, a raccoon and a prostitute. Why are we all staring at each other? Did we just share a moment? What the fuck is going on here?” From the look on the woman’s face I could tell that she felt the same way.
I’m not sure what the raccoon thought but he made a move and that was that.