Downtown Vancouver Patio Guide

Comments 16 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Photo credit: audihertz on Flickr

This weekend we were dying for some patio times and really couldn’t think of anywhere to go. We didn’t want the usual place so I Googled to see what I could come up with. I found had success at VancouverPlus and the Georgia Straight’s Patio Guide [Straight.com]. We ended up at Tanpopo, which I learned has a surprisingly big rooftop overlooking Denman Street.

The Straight’s Patio Guide is a little outdated (from 2005 and 2006) so I’ve decided to list it up here, including Google Maps to make things that much easier.

Just click on the neighbourhood (I’ve only included a few, sorry) and you’ll be magically transported to a list of establishments with patio drinking/dining. Feel free to comment, or add any more names to the list.

Downtown

BREAD GARDEN – Street-level patio. 889 W. Pender
[Google Map][Website]

CANADIAN MAPLE GOURMET DELIGHTS – Street-level patio. 769 Hornby
[Google Map][Website]

CASSIS BISTRO – Patio. 420 W. Pender
[Google Map][Website]

CACTUS CLUB CAFE – Small street-level patio. 1136 Robson
[Google Map][Website]

CINCIN – Above street-level balcony. 1154 Robson
[Google Map][Website]

DIVA AT THE MET – Street-level patio. 645 Howe
[Google Map][Website]

DON FRANCESCO RISTORANTE – 40-seat solarium. 860 Burrard
[Google Map][Website]
EARLS – Heated patio above street/balcony level. 1185 Robson
[Google Map][Website]
GALLERY CAFE – Patio seats up to 250 people. 750 Hornby
[Google Map][Website]
GOTHAM – Hidden patio/courtyard. 615 Seymour
[Google Map][Website]
IL GIARDINO – Open-air inner courtyard. 1382 Hornby
[Google Map][Website]
JOE FORTES – Rooftop garden patio. 777 Thurlow
[Google Map][Website]
KINGSTON TAPHOUSE & GRILLE – Hidden rooftop deck. 755 Richards
[Google Map][Website]
LE CROCODILE – Street-level patio. 909 Burrard
[Google Map][Website]
LUPO BAR CAFFE – Street-level patio. 1016 W. Georgia
[Google Map]
MONA’S LEBANESE CUISINE – Courtyard patio. 1328 Hornby
[Google Map][Website]
REX ROTISSERIE & GRILL – Patio with waterfall. 1055 Dunsmuir
[Google Map][Website]
ROSIE’S ON ROBSON – 60-seat sidewalk patio. 298 Robson
[Google Map][Website]
SAVORY COAST – Rooftop deck 1133 Robson
[Google Map][Website]
TSUNAMI SUSHI – Rooftop deck 238-1025 Robson
[Google Map]

West End

BOATHOUSE – Large rooftop deck, English Bay views. 1795 Beach
[Google Map][Website]
BRAVO BISTRO – Seawall-level patio. 500 Denman
[Map][Website]
BREAD GARDEN – Small street-level patio. 812 Bute
[Google Map][Website]
CARDERO’S – Coal Harbour patio, park and mountain views. 1583 Coal Harbour Quay
[Google Map][Website]
DENMAN STREET FREEHOUSE – Small patio. 1780 Davie
[Google Map][Website]
FIDDLEHEAD JOE’S – Seawall-level patio 1012 Beach
[Google Map][Website]
FISH HOUSE IN STANLEY PARK – Decks with views of park and beach. 8901 Stanley Park Dr.
[Google Map][Website]
FOGG AND SUDS – Above street-level patio, covered. 202-1323 Robson
[Google Map][Website]
FOUNTAINHEAD PUB – Street-level 20-seat patio. 1025 Davie
[Google Map][Website]
HAMBURGER MARY’S DINER – Street-level patio. 1202 Davie
[Google Map][Website]
LIFT BAR & GRILL – Patio with park and mountain views. 333 Menchion Mews
[Google Map][Website]
MARIA’S TAVERNA – Sidewalk patio. 1037 Denman
[Google Map]
MILESTONES – Non-smoking patio. 1210 Denman
[Google Map][Website]
OLYMPIA – Street-level patio. 998 Denman
[Google Map][Website]
PACIFIC CRAB CO. – Balcony with English Bay views. 1184 Denman
[Google Map][Website]
PROSPECT POINT CAFE – Large 250-seat deck with Lions Gate Bridge view. Stanley Park
[Google Map][Website]
ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL – Outdoor dining in private yard. 1523 Davie
[Google Map][Website]
SEAWALL BISTRO – Seawall-level patio with park and mountain views. Westin Bayshore Hotel, 1601 Bayshore
[Google Map]
SEQUOIA GRILL – Patio in the heart of Stanley Park. Ferguson Point, Stanley Park
[Google Map][Website]
SPOTTED PRAWN BISTRO – Patio dining. 1055 W. Hastings
[Google Map]
SYLVIA’S – Patio with English Bay views. Sylvia Hotel, 1154 Gilford
[Google Map][Website]
TANPOPO – Rooftop patio. 1122 Denman
[Google Map]
TC LIONS PUB – Street-level patio. 837 W Hastings
[Google Map][Website]
TRUE CONFECTIONS – Street-level dessert dining. 866 Denman
[Google Map][Website]
WHITE SPOT – Non-smoking patio. 1616 W Georgia
[Google Map][Website]
ZIN RESTAURANT & BAR – Street-level patio, 1277 Robson
[Google Map][Website]

Gastown

ALIBI ROOM – Street-level patio. 157 Alexander St.
[Google Map][Website]

CHILL WINSTON – Large street-level patio. 3 Alexander
[Google Map][Website]

DEIGHTON’S WELL – Sidewalk Patio. 131 Water St.
[Google Map][Website]

INCENDIO – Street-level patio. 103 Columbia
[Google Map][Website]

IRISH HEATHER BISTRO – 45-seat glass solarium. (Shares tables in Blood Alley with sibling Shebeen Whiskey House). 217 Carrall
[Google Map][Website]

JULES BISTRO – Street-level patio. 332 Water
[Google Map][Website]

SIX ACRES – Street-level patio. 203 Carrall
[Google Map][Website]

SO.CIAL – Street-level patio. 332 Water
[Google Map][Website]

WATER ST. CAFE – Street-level patio. 300 Water

Changing Vancouver Radio

Comments 7 by Rebecca Bollwitt

June 5th Update: The wiki has been updated, as of 7:00 this morning here’s what 95.3 on your dial will get you:

CKZZ-FM (identified on air as 95 Crave) is a Canadian radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. It broadcasts at 95.3 megahertz on the FM band with an effective radiated power of 71300 watts from a transmitter on Mount Seymour, and its studios are located in Richmond. The station was owned by Standard Radio. It went off the air at midnight, June 3, 2007. It has been replaced with “Crave,” a rhythmic AC station – “music to move you.” [wiki]

So far I’ve heard C&C Music factory (which was the first group played on the original station when it came to life on Vancouver airwaves) and now Pointer Sisters – Jump (for my love). For now it’s just music while they gather their troops over the next few weeks, which seems like a novel idea… Vancouver radio actually playing music.

Stations in this city are constantly changing – whether it be personalities, call signs or format. I grew up with LG73 and the Morning Zoo and soon grew into a Fox listener for those teenage-angst years. There was a while there when we had two “new rock” stations in Vancouver with the brief introductions of xFM 104.9. Later on, LG73 became MOJO sports radio and for the last year now it has been purely traffic updates [Metblogs] . 96.9 used to be Kiss FM, which my mother was a fan of, and now it’s Jack. All of these changes I’m mentioning are basically within the last 10 years and now the latest station on the chopping block is Z95.3

z953.jpgWe wanted you to know that the time has come for a change. As of Sunday at midnight, Z95-3 is no longer.

We can’t thank you enough for your support of Z over the years. We really appreciate it.

On Tuesday you will hear a new radio station on line (here), and on your radio at 95-3 FM. We hope you really like it. We think you will. [Z95.com]

Now I wasn’t a Z listener per se but they’ve been around since at least my elementary school days so there’s a bit of sentimentality there [wiki]. Although they were known for their bumper sticker contests and for playing the pop artist of the day at least 4 times per hour, they certainly were not the worst that Vancouver radio had to offer. John and I don’t listen to much commercial radio except a morning program here or there while getting ready for work. I’m just hoping it doesn’t turn into a) streaming Christmas music 2) another traffic station. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

June 4th Update: From Buzz Bishop’s MySpace

“Now, you may or may not have heard about the staff changes at the station over last week. Nat Hunter, Drew Savage, Kelly Grant and Remo were all let go.” “…I wish I could tell you more, you just gotta listen tomorrow morning at 7.”

Schnitzelbank Friday

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Update: Early this morning while walking around Stanley Park we came across some HUGE fish in Lost Lagoon that were jumping around. We posted a video on YouTube, which is just a camera phone capture but thought it was pretty neat anyway.

Heading to bed last night I had this song in my head. The weekend is almost here, and it makes me giggle.

Hospital Music on The Fox

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Matt wrote a post the other night about an appearance on 99.3 the Fox’s Rock Report today at 6:00pm [CFOX]. As the launch date of Hospital Music nears his schedule gets pretty full but he’s keeping fans and the reader community of his website pretty well updated.

We will be streaming ‘Born Losers’ on the website starting at 7:00pm PST. You be able to listen to ‘Born Losers’ here on the site, on the MySpace Hospital Facilities page, and on the Virb page. [MatthewGood.org]


Photo credit: Dan Lilly on Flickr

I was running late coming home from work so I called John to make sure he could start recording. I arrived on time and we listened to the entire interview [Audio]

Todd and Danger from the Rock Report chit chatted with Matt before he picked up his guitar and played “Metal Airplanes” followed by “I’m a Window”. The hosts kept forgetting the name of the album (and not paying attention), which was pretty rude and is slightly annoying. They cut Matt off because Puddle of Mudd arrived in the building. I’m sorry but that’s ridiculous.

It seemed that the way that the interview unfolded took a bit of wind out of what Matt had prepared, having heard him perform a few songs he was thinking of doing for the show yesterday. Yet in listening to his acoustic version of Metal Airplanes, I thought what I’ve always though about Matthew: The man perseveres and cuts through bullshit like the sharpest of steak knives. Considering Matt offered one of the highest compliments I’ve heard on air from a musician about a station (that being that he considers CFOX the station that sparked his career, playing Alabama Motel Room), both interviewers seemed to me to be bleeding themselves through questions altogether weak and irrelevant, revealing both an apparent lack of interest and knowledge of what Matt was up to, compared to the way they spoke to Wes Skantlin from Puddle of Mudd. [Dale on MatthewGood.org]

After the two acoustic performances they launched in and spun Hospital Music’s first single: Born Losers. The music is amazing and worth far greater appreciation (or at least respect) than received in the Fox studio.

The Mighty Nipple

Comments 14 by Rebecca Bollwitt

I must admit, I love not using a mouse – the trackpad is where it’s at – but going from desktop computer isn’t always accommodating to such needs. That was until I discovered the Mighty Mouse and its wonderful nipple.

In 2001 I got a hand-me-down HP Omnibook laptop that was my best friend over the next 3 years. I’m unsure if I ever plugged a mouse in except at the office when I used the docking station that took up 3/4 of my desk. It had a mini scroll-ball (aka “nipple”) right in the middle of the keyboard. This little red dot was supposed to be hyper-sensitive and do your scrolling based on the slightest movements of your fingertip. Unfortunately, the HP nipple always annoyed me. It was always too fast, too slow, non-responsive or sticky. It wasn’t until I unwrapped my Mighty Mouse at work a few weeks ago that I realized the wonders of the “Nipple 2.0” or “iNipple” and the joys it would bring.

05302007(001)

I come home to my computer, slide my index finger over the scroll button located snuggly between left and right click, and it doesn’t budge. “Oh yeah, pfft stupid Dell mouse”. I’m addicted to the sideways scroll, especially with two fingers on the trackpad, oh man I love the Macbook trackpad. But the Mighty Mouse nipple is the next best thing. Tiny, very sensitive and responding gently to my every touch (hm why does it make me feel uncomfortable to state that?) I’d be very happy to never again see another Logitech.