Westender Best of the City Dining

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

We Vancouver (the Westender) recently published the results of their annual “Best of the City: Dining” survey. For those looking for top-notch recommendations about where to get brunch, enjoy Mexican cuisine, grocery shop, or where to dine in Kitsilano it’s a great one-stop resource. Here are just a few of this year’s results:

Dine Out Vancouver Khatsahlano Festival Preview (Dining)

Westender Best of the City Dining

Neighbourhoods

Best Dining in Coal Harbour
1. Cardero’s, 1583 Coal Harbour Quay

Best Dining on Commercial Drive
1. Havana, 1212 Commercial Drive

Best Dining Downtown
1. Hawksworth, 801 West Georgia St

Best Dining in Gastown
1. L’Abattoir, 217 Carrall St

Best Dining in Kitsilano
1. Fable, 1944 West 4th Ave

Best Dining on Main Street
1. The Reef (tie), 4172 Main St
1. East is East (tie), 4433 Main St

Best Dining in the West End
1. Espana, 1118 Denman St

Best Dining in Yaletown
1. Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar, 1095 Hamilton St

Best Dining on Granville Island
1. Sand Bar, 1535 Johnston St

Brunch

1. Café Medina, 556 Beatty St

Service

1. Hawksworth (tie), 801 West Georgia St
1. West (tie), 2881 Granville St

Romantic

1. Teahouse in Stanley Park, 7501 Stanley Park Drive

Bakery

1. Beaucoup Bakery, 2150 Fir St

Burgers

1. Vera’s Burger Shack, Various locations

BBQ

1. Memphis Blues, Various locations

Fish and Chips

1. Go Fish, 1505 West 1st Ave

View the full list online and follow @WeVancouver on Twitter for more new and information.

Photos of Vancouver in the 80s

Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

For my archive photo collections I would normally reach way back into the 1880s, around the time when the City of Vancouver was established, however that’s not the case this week. Thanks to a suggestion from Keira-Anne, the ‘Archive Photos: Vancouver in the 80s’ I’m focusing on will be the 1980s, taking a glimpse at the ever-changing skyline over the last few decades:


Granville Bridge. Archives# CVA 780-106.

 


Cambie Bridge under construction. Photograph attributed to Al Ingram. Archives# CVA 800-2482.


Archives# CVA 772-686 & CVA 772-1393.


Archives# CVA 772-687 & CVA 772-741.


Robson at Hamilton. Archives# CVA 779-E12.06.


300 Dunsmuir. Archives# CVA 779-E11.33 & Georgia at Granville. Archives# CVA 779-E02.18.


Hamilton at Davie in Yaletown. Archives #CVA 779-E13.04.


Western view of Terminal Ave, before the SkyTrain line. Photograph attributed to Al Ingram. Archives# CVA 800-3011.


Main Street SkyTrain station under construction. Photograph attributed to Al Ingram. Archives# CVA 800-3097.


View of downtown during Expo86. Creator: Ernie H. Reksten. Archives# 2010-006.403.


View of downtown during Expo86. Creator: Ernie H. Reksten. Archives# 2010-006.395.

Expo86. Archives # AM1551-S1-: 2010-006.409

Related: 15 Nostalgic Photos of Expo 86

Vancouver Alumni Experience with Pastime Sports

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Pastime Sports, with locations in Langley and Surrey, is hosting a fundraising pub night at Central City Brewing on November 23rd with local hockey legend Dave Babych — a fantastic special guest to host during the month of Movember.

pastimesports-november2013

What: Vancouver Alumni Experience with Pastime Sports hosted in memory of William Cutt
Where: Central City Brewing (13450 102 Ave at Central City, Surrey)
When: Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 7:00pm

Tickets are $25 and they include a burger, a beer, an autograph, watching the Canucks take on Chicago on Central City’s big screens. There will be door prizes, a live band, and more. Outside, the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival will be in full swing as well.

All proceeds from this event will be donated to the BC Cancer Foundation. Tickets are available online now or in-store at Pastime Sports in Central City (near the food court) and in Langley at 20378 Fraser Highway.

Vancouver is the Most Congested City in North America

Comments 8 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Vancouver has been ranked the most congested city in North America for the second quarter of 2013 by TomTom’s Traffic Index which compares travel times during non-congested hours with travel times in peak hours. This leap in the charts puts Vancouver (36%) on top of Los Angeles (35%) for the first time.

When The Lights Go Down In The City [Explored]
Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr

In Vancouver this means that the average journey time is 36% longer when than when traffic is flowing freely.

Most Congested City in North America

1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Los Angeles, USA
3. San Francisco, USA
4. Honolulu, USA
5. Seattle, USA
6. San Jose, USA
7. Toronto, Canada
8. Washington, USA
9. New York, USA
10. Montreal, Canada

Last month, News 1130 did a commuter challenge where three people started out from a point in Vancouver – by car, bus, and bike – and tried to reach a common end point during the morning rush. The cyclist arrived first followed by the vehicle and then the transit rider. However this brought up another issue, is cycling a realistic commuting option from the suburbs? News 1130 spoke with Dianne Murray of North Vancouver, who told them her 70-minute cycling trip from Upper Lonsdale to Oak Street and 37th Avenue in Vancouver can be a challenge, but it’s worth the sacrifice.

Is this Abbey road?
Photo credit: Eyesplash on Flickr

TomTom estimates that eight work days (64 hours) are lost worldwide to traffic congestion. Canadian cities have a maximum average loss of 11.6 work days (93 hours) based on Vancouver.

A few additional Vancouver facts and figures from the TomTom’s Traffic Index [source: Press Release].

  • Delay per year for a commuter with a 30 minute commute: 93 hours (or 11.6 working days)
  • Delay per hour driven in peak period: 41 minutes
  • Monday continues to be the best traffic days with lowest congestion figures
  • Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings are the worst peak periods of the week
  • June 20, 2013 was the most congested day in Q2 for Vancouver

Have you found that your commute has become longer in the last few months? If so, will you be making any changes?

Remembrance Day Ceremonies Around Vancouver

Comments 9 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Click here for 2014 ceremonies

Remembrance Day is coming up and around the region there will be special events to commemorate and remember those who represented our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice. Veterans Affairs Canada has provided an interactive map of events across the country and I have researched a few ceremonies, concerts, and special events around the region this year as well:

Remembrance Day
Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr

Remembrance Day Ceremonies Around Vancouver

Cauldron Lighting in Downtown Vancouver

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 8:00am
Where: Jack Poole Plaza, Vancouver Convention Centre
Details: As it has for the past three years, the Generation to Generation ceremony will begin the day with the lighting of the cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza. As the cauldron comes to life, a senior veteran will handover Canada’s flag to a member of the next generation of veterans, acknowledging the continuing service and loyalty of Canadians from generation to generation.

Victory Square Remembrance Day Ceremony and Parade

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:00am
Where: Cenotaph at Victory Square (Hastings and Cambie in Vancouver)
Details: The program begins with a performance by the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande starting at 10:00am. Led by the Vancouver Flag Party, the parade of veterans, military marching units and bands will arrive at Victory Square before the ceremony begins at 10:30am. At 11:00am the Last Post will be sounded. There will be Two Minutes of Silence, during which a 21-gun salute by the 15th Field Artillery Regiment will be heard from Portside Park. Rouse and Lament will follow. The RCAF will conduct a fly-past moments later, weather permitting. The enduring In Flanders Fields will then be sung by the Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande and wreaths will be placed at the Cenotaph.

Aboriginal Veterans will hold a ceremony at the Victory Square Cenotaph on November 8th, National Aboriginal Veterans Day. A march will get underway at the Carnegie Centre at 10:15am and proceed to Victory Square. The official ceremony begins at 10:45am.

South Memorial Park Vancouver

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:30am
Where: Memorial Park Cenotaph (41st Ave and Windsor St)

Japanese Canadian War Memorial in Stanley Park

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:40am
Where: Japanese Canadian Cenotaph in Stanley Park

Grandview Park

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:45am
Where: Grandview Park (1657 Charles St at Commercial Drive)

Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 11:00am
Where: The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (3811 Point Grey Road)
Details: The ceremony can be viewed by the public from Hastings Mill Park.

CRAB Park at Portisde in Vancouver

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:30am
Where: CRAB Park (149 E Waterfront Rd)

Chinatown Memorial in Vancouver

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 12:30pm
Where: Chinatown Memorial Square (Keefer at Columbia)

Poppy Run – Stanley Park

When: Sunday, November 10, 2013 at 8:00am
Where: Starting out from Lumberman’s Arch
Details: Poppy Run, the Remembrance Sunday running/walking/music performance event will take place at Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park, Vancouver on November 10 from 8 AM to 12 pm. Run/walk to give for those who gave, for today’s peace and freedom, for a better tomorrow. Participants can register online for an 8K forest hill race, 4K walk or music performances. Both run and walk lead you into the deep forest in Stanley Park.

UBC Remembers

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:45am
Where: UBC War Memorial Gym
Details: Additional information is available online.

North Vancouver Parade

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:30am
Where: Victoria Park Cenotaph (100 block of East Keith Road and Lonsdale)
Details: The parade route is as follows: 9:20am, the Pipe Band march off from the Armories at 15th & Forbes Avenue. It then proceeds East up to 15th – across Lonsdale Avenue – Southbound to St. George and up to the RCMP Detachment. At 9:55am, the contingents of the Pipe Band, RCMP and Fire Department will precede South on St. Georges down to the assembly point at the corner of East Keith Road and St. George. With the completion of the ceremonies at approximately 11:30am.

Chor Leoni – Memory Eternal

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 7:30pm
Where: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church (1022 Nelson at Burrard)
Details: Remembrances and memories: they inform us, teach us, and unite us in times of joy and sorrow. Memory Eternal explores these themes in a diverse and expansive program that includes works by Dominick Argento, Johannes Brahms, Arvo Pärt, Billy Joel, Iron and Wine as well as Haitian folk songs and Indian Ragas. The concert will include readings and end with Rupert Lang’s beloved Kontakion. Tickets are available online in advance. This event will also take place at The ACT Maple Ridge (11944 Haney Pl) on Sunday, November 10, 2013 and on Monday, November 11, 2013 at West Vancouver United Church (2062 Esquimalt Ave) at 2:00pm.

Wreath Laying Ceremony in Delta

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:30am
Where: North Delta Social Heart Plaza (11415 84 Ave)
Details: Kennedy House Seniors Society invites you and your family to attend a Remembrance Day Ceremony at the North Delta Social Heart Plaza. Light refreshments to follow at the North Delta Recreation Centre.

Parade and Ceremony in Ladner

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:15am
Where: Royal Canadian Legion Delta Branch 61 (4896 Delta St)
Details: The parade will commence at 10:15 am from the Legion at 4896 Delta Street and travel to the Cenotaph at Ladner Memorial Park for a 10:45 am ceremony. Following the ceremony, veterans and adults are invited to attend the Legion. Parking is available both near the Legion and Ladner Memorial Park. Ladner Memorial Park is located at 5010 47th Avenue.

Remembrance Day
Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr

Remembrance Day Ceremonies New Westminster

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:00am
Where: The Royal Westminster Regiment, Armouries (live) and at Queens Avenue United Church (live broadcast)
Details: Participants are requested to assemble at either location by 9:30am. The doors to the Armouries will be closed at 9:45am. Both sites are wheelchair and stroller friendly and both sites accept those people wishing to attend with their sight assistant dogs. The memorial address will be delivered by Brigadier-General R.R.E. MacKenzie, CD. Following the ceremonies in the Armouries, there will be a parade to the Cenotaph at the front of City Hall where the two minutes of silence will be observed at 11:00am. This will be followed by the wreath laying ceremony and the march past on Royal Avenue.

Surrey Remembers at the Surrey Museum

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 9:30am
Where: Surrey Museum (17710 – 56A Ave)
Details: Admission is by donation. Bring your family to take part in the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cloverdale Cenotaph next door to the Surrey Museum and the Surrey Archives. After the ceremony, join us in the Museum to warm up and enjoy activities.

Remembrance Day Parade in Mission

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:00am
Where: Parade marches to Clarke Theatre (33700 Prentis Ave)
Details: The parade begins at Old Windebank School on Stave Lake St at 10:15am and marches off to Clarke Theatre for 10:40am. There will be a Service of Remembrance at 11:00am with Last Post, silence, reveille. Following the service, wreath laying ceremony will take place at the Legion, 32627 Logan Avenue, Mission Social gathering for Legion members, guests and the public in the lounge after the ceremonies.

Richmond Remembrance Day

When: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 10:00am
Where: City Hall (6911 No 3 Rd)
Details: The parade begins at 10:20am and the service ends at approximately 12:00pm. At 7:00am on November 11th, a Sunrise Ceremony will see members of Richmond’s Army Cadet Corps mount a vigil on the Cenotaph. A program of activities will be distributed at the event and will include a stirring performance of “In Flanders Fields” by the RC Palmer Secondary School Choir, and buglers and pipers playing Last Post, Lament and Reveille. At 11:00am, there will be two minutes of silence in memory of Canada’s fallen service personnel. A wreath-laying ceremony will follow the two-minute silence.