The Twelve Days of Christmas, Part 4
The Tenth Day of Christmas
Spend the day on Granville Island. The weekends are particularly festive, with workshops on making Gingerbread tree ornaments and house lanterns, and various choral performances in the afternoon. Buy fresh produce and gourmet food from the Granville Island Public Market, and tour the many artisans and craft stores for some unique gifts. The Kids Market is sure to thrill any child, and features a supervised play area if you need to do some secret shopping. Activities and Santa appearances will also keep the children pleasantly distracted. More adult attractions include the Granville Island Brewery: tours and tastings are available at noon, 2pm and 4pm daily. Eateries abound so the only problem in finding breakfast, lunch, or dinner is deciding where to go; the best way to make this decision is to make note of the various locations as you wander round so you’ll know where to go when you get hungry. To top off the day, the Arts Club Theatre is playing live stage performances of It’s a Wonderful Life at 8pm each night, and the associated Backstage Lounge makes the perfect stop for a nightcap.
The Eleventh Day of Christmas
Enjoy an evening winter walk along the seawall and watch the carol ships sail by. These decorated ships parade past various destinations around the Lower Mainland, but are guaranteed to pass by Canada Place and the Lions Gate Bridge each night, either shortly after 7pm or just after 9pm, depending on the direction. Complete schedules for sailings and shore side events can be accessed at www.carolships.org, and bookings can be made if you wish to gain a spot on one of the ships.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Celebrate the solstice at the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival on Monday, December 21st. Make lanterns at home or at the lantern workshop at Strathcona Community Centre from 4:30-6:30pm. If you’re stuck a tea light in a brown paper lunch bag makes a beautiful light, but you don’t need to have a lantern to enjoy the enchanting procession. Check out the Labyrinth of Light at Yaletown’s Roundhouse Community Centre, or the fire sculpture and performance on Granville Island. Festivities also take place in Chinatown and on the East Side, most begin at 6:00pm. The music and lights at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Park are spellbinding, and the East Side features concerts, storytellers, and lanterns for sale. Join Vancouver’s Secret Lantern Society in celebrating the rebirth of light on the shortest day of the year. Happy holidays!
The Great Outdoors: Dining Al Fresco Whatever the Weather
The generally mild weather in Vancouver means patios abound, many of them open year-round. During the summer, Vancouverites relish dining outdoors, and milk it to the point where breakfast turns into lunch, then dinner (and usually drinks). But as we bid our tank tops and sandals adieu, we do not necessarily have to say goodbye to patio dining. People usually choose to dine outside for three reasons (the weather, the view, or to people watch) and Cardero’s Restaurant in Coal Harbour and its sister restaurant, The Sandbar on Granville Island, promise to deliver on them all.
In the summer, Cardero’s patio is unrivalled. Situated on stilts in the Coal Harbour Marina (literally on the water) the deck boasts an incredible view of the North Shore mountains. Diners can sit in the sunshine and watch the activity on the boats or marina docks, and check out passersby on the seawall. A covered roof and ample amount of heat lamps means open air dining can be enjoyed year-round, but on really chilly days The Sandbar is a safer bet.
Although roof-top patios offer great views, the weather usually dictates how often these views can be enjoyed. The roof of The Sandbar, however, has an even cosier feel than some indoor rooms. Covered from the
rain and sheltered from the wind, the outdoor bar, fireplaces, comfortable leather lounge chairs and heated floor invite relaxation. More than once I’ve begun a lazy Sunday with a Shrimp and Crab Benedict and Bloody Caesar on that patio and ended up staying for dinner (which usually includes the Warm Beet Salad). From this convenient vantage point guests can observe the bustle below on Granville Island or look out over False Creek towards the Burrard Bridge and English Bay.
The view from indoors at The Sandbar does not disappoint either, and the open kitchen, sushi bar, and lively dance floor offer no shortage of entertainment. Likewise, the massive windows in Cardero’s recall the bow of a ship, and live music in the pub creates an inviting atmosphere. The cuisine at both places is distinctly west coast: ranging from casual salmon burgers to Asian Fusion to whole lobsters, the emphasis is on fresh, simple ingredients that highlight locally harvested seafood and produce.
Because of the prime tourist locations of these restaurants, dining at either allows tourists to take advantage of the Vancouver scenery, and reminds locals just how beautiful their city can be. Vancouver has plenty of patios all over the city, though, and like Cardero’s and The Sandbar many are associated with fabulous food, indoors or out. Stylish urban areas such as Commercial Drive and Yaletown offer several choice people watching spots. As these deserve more than a brief mention, look forward to upcoming instalments that will explore some of Vancouver’s most popular places to drink, dine and socialize, as well as some lesser know gems.
Cruising the Seawall
Well, the leaves have begun to change and every day is a little bit chillier, but Vancouverites are determined to soak up the last of the summer sun. We have been blessed with Indian Summer here on the west coast, and no one is taking it for granted. Those who live here don’t wish to waste time indoors, knowing these are the final few weeks before the rain comes, and visitors marvel at the breathtaking fall colours set against a backdrop of blue ocean, mountain and sky. One of the best ways to take advantage of a beautiful day and see the city at the same time is to jump on a bike and tour the seawall.
The seawall is 22 km long, and while portions of it date back to before the First World War, it is still expanding. At present it runs from Canada Place, through Coal Harbour, around Stanley Park (passing the Lions G
ate Bridge, Prospect Point, Third and Second Beaches),across English Bay, past the West End and Yaletown, around the Telus World of Science, along False Creek, through Granville Island, and ends up at Kits Beach. Bike and inline skate rental stores are scattered throughout the city, usually with easy access to the seawall. Reckless has locations on Granville Island and in Yaletown, and there are three different stores on the corner of Denman and Georgia, just steps from Stanley Park.
Denman and Georgia is in fact a great place to start, following the one-way seawall route around the park to English Bay. The Burrard Bridge offers an easy shortcut over to Kitsilano if the Yaletown route seems too long. English Bay sunsets are legendary but seen from the bridge can be even more spectacular. For the more adventurous, Kayak rentals are also available at both English Bay and Granville Island, offering a unique perspective of the city from out on the water. Those who fancy a more leisurely expedition can stop at any number of places along the seawall: a picnic in the park, frisbee on the beach, or an afternoon on Granville Island touring the market, artisan shops, breweries and eateries.
Just of the seawall there are numerous restaurants and cafes, from sushi to hot dogs, fine dining to pubs. Some of note are: Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park, overlooking the Pacific ocean and the North Shore mountains; Shima Sushi in English Bay, a hole-in-the-wall but well-priced, fresh and tasty; Provence in 
Yaletown, fine French cuisine at the marina; C under the Granville Street Bridge, boasting fresh seafood and an incredible wine list; Bridges on Granville Island, a fun, relaxed atmosphere where colds beers and nachos abound; Taco Shack just off the Burrard Bridge, offering authentic, affordable Mexican food; Watermark on Kits Beach, which is a great place to watch the sunset (as is The Boathouse in English Bay); and two of my personal favourites, Cardero’s and The Sandbar, to be featured in an upcoming instalment.
I have merely touched upon the many offerings along the way. Indeed, the best way to spend the day on the seawall is to plan it as you go along, as there is no shortage of places to stop. Cruiser bikes are popular and fun to ride, but walking, running, or rollerblading along the seawall can be just as enjoyable. It’s a great way for visitors to get a feel for the city, and if you call Vancouver home, there is always something new to see or somewhere else to stop.