Vancouver Magazine May 2024

The only industrial strata opportunity within Fraser Mills.

Offering 16 premium units from 7,970 SF up to 94,750 SF.

Developed by

11

PERSONAL SPACE

YouTuber J.J. McCullough takes us on a global treasure hunt without leaving his downtown loft.

HOT TAKE

It’s a big, wide world of big, wide-legged pants: here are some of our faves.

THE DISRUPTOR

The local comedy legends at Blind Tiger Comedy aren’t just in it for the laughs.

SO FUN CITY

Sommelier Shiva Reddy’s new docuseries brings culture to the table.

ON THE RISE

T-shirt tech reaches new levels at Vancouver-based Adapture.

KNOW-IT-ALL

What’s in a street name? Our city sleuth investigates.

Plan of Attack

Our Ultimate City Guide (page 26) is a jampacked source of awesome restaurants, secret bars, beautiful parks and hot ticket events.

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THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

Twenty-five made-up, hyper-specific people. Twenty-five very real, even-more-hyper-specific itineraries. We came up with a plan for entertaining everyone: think outdoorsy sisters, frugal grandpas, wild former bandmates and all the rest.

43

LOCAL GETAWAYS

From paddleboarding in Squamish to a foodie tour of Banff, this lineup of five amazing road-trippable getaways is perfect for your summer bucket list.

ceo and group publisher Ryan Benn

group vp , publishing and operations

Nina Wagner

editorial

editorial director Anicka Quin

editors - in - chief Stacey McLachlan ( Vancouver ), Nathan Caddell ( BCBusiness )

managing editor Alyssa Hirose

assistant editors Kerri Donaldson, Rushmila Rahman wine and spirits editor Neal McLennan

contributing editors Frances Bula, Melissa Edwards, Amanda Ross

editorial interns Alicia Nolasco, Gates Annai, Megan Zolorycki email mail@vanmag.com

design

creative director Jenny Reed

art directors Stesha Ho ( Vancouver ), Edwin Pabellon ( BCBusiness )

advisory council

Angus An, chef/owner, Maenam restaurant; Victoria Emslie, senior manager corporate relations, Nicola Wealth; Khelsilem, council chairperson, Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw; Gary Pooni, president, Pooni Group; Jen Riley, VP brand and communications, Bosa Properties; Joseph Thompson, co-founder and COO, Kits Eyewear; Greg Zayadi, president, Rennie Group sales representation

vp of sales Anna Lee

senior media specialists Brianne Harper, Mira Hershcovitch, Amy LaJambe, Sheri Stubel sales coordinator Rebecca Scutt email sales@canadawide.com

u . s . sales specialist Hayes Media Sales

tel 602-432-4868 email lesley@hayesmediasales.com

production / administration

group vp , education and administration Jane Griffiths

group director of operations Devin Steinberg director of circulation Tracy McRitchie manager , hr and administration Ava Pashmchi

executive assistant to ceo Hannah Dewar

production manager / digital ad coordinator Kim McLane

production associate Natasha Jayawardana

production support technician Ina Bowerbank

finance

group vp , finance Conroy Ing, CPA, CMA vp of finance Sonia Roxburgh, CPA, CGA accounting Terri Mason, Eileen Gajowski

address Suite 130,

Now with 3 Vancouver locations to cheers—and cheer—at.

The Perfect Day Doesn’t Exi—

I know there are people in the world who don’t care about their birthdays because I’m married to one. Sure, he put on an outrageous pro wrestling show for his 40th but that was the exception to the rule—this year he “forgot about it” and worked until 8 p.m., like a psychopath.

I’m the opposite. I treat my birthday (July 15! Mark those calendars!) as a personal holiday, and an excuse to fill 24 hours with Only The Best Things. Does this result in a rigorous itinerary? Sure. But in this calendar nerd’s opinion, “having a rigorous itinerary” is actually one of life’s biggest joys—so I’m off to a great start before I’m even out the door.

Last year, I cheated a bit and started my perfect day the night before, with a tasting menu at Hanai on the Drive. (It’s now closed due to a fire, but I’m already hoping it’ll be open again for this year’s celebration. The cacio e pepe udon is the only way I want to party.) In the morning—older and wiser—I went for a slow-and-steady seaside jog in the sun. My route led me to brunch at Delara with my mom, daughter and husband; happy and sweaty, I joined them to sip strong coffee and dip sesame flatbread into jammy yolks (and, to be honest, to take turns chasing down a toddler who does not yet appreciate the joys of a leisurely meal). I abandoned the fam for some solo time on a massage table at Soma, and then it was back down to Jericho, where friends were lounging and laughing on a grid of picnic blankets and my husband was hauling a cooler of fresh oysters from the Lobster Man out of the car to make my birthday dreams of shuckin’ by the ocean come true. We swam, we drank, I ate an unfair portion of the oysters that were supposed to be for sharing—the trifecta of joy, really. And then it was time to head home for the grand finale: takeout Tacofino on the couch.

Admittedly, my perfect Vancouver day isn’t everyone’s—exercise and mollusks are acquired tastes—but that’s more than okay. After poring over all of Vancouver’s activities, restaurants, parks, clubs, museums and shopping options with the Vanmag editorial team to compile the 25 distinct itineraries in this issue’s Ultimate City Guide package (page 26), I know there are thousands of other perfect days out there, just waiting to be discovered. We’ve just scratched the surface with our hyperspecific recommendations—for culture-vulture millennial sisters, archeology-nerd grandmas and beyond—but whoever you are, whomever you’re entertaining, we hope it helps you plan your own rigorous (and delight-filled!) itinerary. Unless your ideal Vancouver day involves no schedule at all, of course. Which, now that you mention it: a day hanging at the park or in your local coffee shop with a copy of your favourite magazine (ahem) in hand sounds like its own kind of perfection. Maybe I’ll pencil that in for my next birthday.

STACEY McLACHLAN

editor - in - chief smclachlan @ canadawide . com

Coming Up Next Issue

The Restaurant Awards Vanmag ’s Restaurant Awards are bigger and better than ever this year, with dozens of extra categories and returning faves (Vietnamese is back, baby) and the exciting introduction of your Reader’s Choice winners. Get! Hungry!

Two of the cities most influential chefs—Michel Jacob and Rob Feenie—wax poetic as one passes Le Crocodile’s torch to the other.

On the Web

Eat Like a Chef

Columnist Katie Nanton grills Vancouver’s top chefs for their fave spots to source soup dumplings, strong cocktails, hangover burgers and more great eats.

When Rob Met Michel

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CULTURE

PERSONAL SPACE

The Collector

YouTuber J.J. McCullough has whozits and whatsits galore.

With interior design stories, you often read about homes “designed with entertaining in mind.” The downtown loft of J.J. McCullough is perhaps the opposite. There’s no dining table here, or coffee table. There’s no sofa either. (McCullough relaxes in the tub or on his bed in the loft upstairs.) And if you open the fridge: as empty and clean as the day he moved in.

by Stacey McLachlan photography by Tanya Goehring

Clowning Around

The clown face here is a mascot for Coney Island, sent by a viewer. Below hangs a mask from Japanese Noh theatre—these types of masks represent different archetypes. This one is “the idiot.”

That’s not to say the YouTube content creator is antisocial— the 39-year-old McCullough is gregarious and curious—but his home is his workshop. Though he does his editing in a studio down the street, shared with three other local creators, he’s turned his living room into his film set. The only seating here is the yoga ball he bounces on as he talks to the camera about “countries, cultures and Canada”— an umbrella that covers topics like “The History of American Chip Flavours,” “Weirdest National Anthems” and “How Evangelicals Became Republican.” But whether the content is high-brow or lowbrow (no offence to chips, of course), each is impeccably researched and synthesized into quality edu-tainment.

McCullough started his YouTube channel eight years ago, and has racked up almost a million subscribers in that time. Though in a previous life he was a political pundit, cartoonist and columnist, today he makes his living as the internet’s favourite amateur sociology professor. McCullough’s home—densely decorated with a collection of quirky treasures—reflects his interest in culture and politics. On the walls, you’ll find replicas of vintage naval flags and portraits of reigning political figures (his own political affiliations being irrelevant to the display). His workstation—a plain pine desk with a pegboard backsplash—is a riot of Russian nesting dolls,

That’s Nuts McCullough is collecting U.S. presidential merchandise for a future video. This toothy peanut is a replica of a statue in Plains, Georgia, erected in former president Jimmy Carter’s honour. “It’s quite grotesque and 40 feet tall. I’m told Jimmy Carter didn’t like it very much,” he says.

provincial pennants and Nintendo memorabilia. Off camera, custom shelves are jammed with books and run up to the double-height ceiling (labels like “American Pop Culture” keep his personal library semi-organized). A heavy research book on some of the less-renowned Canadian prime ministers leans against a binder holding the complete Simpsons POG set: McCullough in a nutshell.

A Global Affair

“I try to collect something from every country—that’s one of my goals, to have a trinket or bauble of some significance from every place in the world,” says McCullough. His home contains knickknacks fom South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Sweden and beyond.

Spin Me ’Round

One of the most commentedon objects on McCullough’s desk is the Macintosh Plus record propped by his monitor. “It was one of the albums that kicked off the vaporwave fad,” he says.

Mix Master

There’s the Bear “Nanaimobear” is a custom stuffed toy, inspired by Canadamon, a book of Canada-themed monsters McCullough published in 2022. This little guy is an anthropomorphized portmanteau: part Nanaimo bar, part bear.

The Swedest Thing

“I like to be purposeful with what’s on display, and mix different sizes and colours... have cute, silly things and also things that are more substantial or serious,” says McCullough.

Carving You Up McCullough commissioned this statue of a Thai god from a wood sculptor in Texas. “The guy is originally from Thailand and makes pop-culture carvings, like Rick and Morty. But I asked if he would make something from his culture and he sent me this.”

This looks like a monk, but it’s actually a doll inspired by Alfons Åberg, a popular Swedish kids series. “There was a book and cartoon series and they’re just very chill,” says McCullough. “They’re just about a boy and his single father and they’ll go feed ducks and have a nice supper. It’s very simple but it’s sentimentalized in Sweden.”

Minimalists might blanch at McCullough’s workspace, but this isn’t clutter: each piece is carefully curated and has a story behind it. A wooden puzzle sourced from Taiwan Days, a hamburgerhead figurine (mysteriously dressed like Buzz Lightyear) from a Hong Kong dollar store, a painting sent to him by a viewer in Belgium—all bring him delight. Call it magpie maximalism. “I like having things that are somewhat obscure,” he says. “Not the sort of clichéd postcard type objects, but objects that are of deep cultural significance to the people of that country, but unrecognizable to everyone else.” An elephantshaped watering can commonly found in Japanese homes, say, or a mass-produced yellow Chilean piggybank. He’ll swap things out and “refresh the set” regularly, giving eagle-eyed viewers new quirky objets to ponder. It may not be a home designed for entertaining, but it’s certainly a home that is entertaining—and one that’s full of characters.

“My mother always says that she couldn’t live in my apartment,” McCullough says. “There are too many things staring at you.”

CULTURE // pants party

HOT TAKE

by

Amanda Ross

CIDER HOUSE RULES

For on-thego, there’s Duer’s LuxTwill high-waisted Cider pants, which offer a comfy stretch and an antimicrobial treatment for extended wears between washes. $149, duer.ca

Leg Day

See you never, skinny jeans. Wide-legged pants are breezing down runways and city streets alike.

based Paper Label’s Dove culotte in Blue Danube organic cotton. $148, paper label.ca

BLANK SPACE

It’s a white-out in Dior’s Spring 2024 cotton gabardine flared trousers. $2,900, holtrenfrew.com

PRECIOUS CARGO

Dries Van Noten’s Polkar cargo pants in burgundy overdyed gabardine nylon get the job done in style. $995, baccisvancouver.com

BALENCIAGA

Michael by Michael Kors’s all-over polka dot Georgette trousers strike a vintage note in fully lined georgette crepe. $195, michaelkors.ca

GOOD JEANS

COS’s wide-leg denim trousers borrow from athleisure with an elastic waistband and casual drawstring. $145, cos.com

Ba&sh’s Pilou trousers rock festival-friendly vibes in pale pastel tie-dye with a fitted waist and flowing legs. $380, ba-sh.com

Long admired by Dior, Chanel and Givenchy, Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga was first and foremost a master tailor. The Kering-owned label opened its Vancouver boutique in the Alberni luxury district, where new devotees can find a range of ready-to-wear, bags and footwear. 1095 Alberni St. | balenciaga.com

JESS’ RESTAURANT: A MODERN KOREAN RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE

Jess’ Restaurant is not just a dining destination but a cultural experience, where every meal is a journey through the heritage and innovation of Korean gastronomy.

Paying homage to the rich tapestry of Korean culinary traditions, Jess’ Restaurant celebrates modern Korean cuisine in a way that’s never been done before in Vancouver. It offers an exquisite exploration of tastes in an elegant and sophisticated setting where contemporary finesse meets traditional warmth.

And indeed, Jess combines fresh, traditional Korean flavours with cultural favourites from around the world, but don’t even think about calling it “Asian-fusion”.

“We show how much we care about the ingredients and preserving the traditional and authentic way to cook,” says Head Chef SinYoung Jeong (Shawn). “Korean flavours, ingredients and sauces are flexible and perfect to enrich and mix with any types of cuisine—even Western—but this is a completely different experience from what the city knows as Asian-fusion.”

Crystal lighting, modern art and an upscale ambiance backdrops a courseby-course or shared dining experience that harkens a high-profile French restaurant or elegant bar.

The menu is a delectable collection of globally inspired dishes, upscaled with Korean sauces, flavours and new takes— created using The Korean Way.

“We use Korean based ingredients, sauces and techniques to make everything fresh and in-house,” Shawn says. “Sometimes it takes a whole day to prepare one sauce.”

The restaurant’s best-selling dish, Seabass, is a great example. Most foodies would recognize it as a traditional Spanish dish, but hand-crafted Korean gochujang glaze turns it into something new and invigorated.

There are almost too many must-tries to list. For starters, consider Beef Tartare—a combination of Beef, Pear, Shallot, Chives,

BY JESSICA KIRBY

Pickled Radish, and Tartar Sauce, served with Rice Crackers and Grana Padano, adding a distinctive Korean twist to this classic dish.

For a main course, Coffee Braised ShortRibs are tenderly cooked over eight hours, accompanied by Date, Chestnut Apple Purée, and Seasonal Vegetables, using coffee to enhance the braising process.

For a specialty dish, Sot Bab - Hot Stone Bowl Rice is a distinguished dish, served hot with soybean sauce, tracing back to royal cuisine in ancient Korea.

Complete any experience with Korean Honey Cookie—a traditional Korean dessert, usually enjoyed during ceremonies offering natural sweetness from honey and a distinctive chewy texture.

Although Modern Korean Restaurants are turning heads in prime foodie centres, like New York and Singapore, this is a first for Vancouver. Chef Shawn embarks from Seoul’s vibrant food scene, bringing with him an expansive culinary repertoire and a vision to meld his cross-continental experiences with the city’s fresh, local ingredients.

“Our journey in creating an upscale modern Korean cuisine is a testament to our passion and hard work,” Shawn says. “We aim

to offer an unparalleled dining experience, marrying the authenticity of Korean flavors with the innovation of modern culinary art.”

Discover Jess’ Restaurant at jessrestaurant. ca and reserve your intimate evening for two, family-friendly meal, or private corporate event today.

@jessrestaurants @jessrestaurants

Yes, And

Though Blind Tiger Comedy was founded by improvisers who are used to living in the moment, the comedy school has staying power.

by Sally Michael White

Improvisers may not strike you as the ideal people to start a business, given their famous lack of planning—but you can’t deny their ability to roll with the punches. Ten years ago, the founders of the Blind Tiger Comedy school (then oper-

ating out of the former Little Mountain Gallery) needed some extra space one day to run an early sketch class, and experimentally rebranded a dank storage room as a writers’ den they dubbed the Raccoon Room. “Unfortunately,” recalls BTC creative director Tom Hill, “it should’ve been called the Rat Room. It really was not fit for human occupancy.”

But while the early days were a “chaotic, wild, fun mess,” a decade on, the school—founded by six members of improv groups The Sunday Service and

HipBang—has matured into a well-oiled machine, operating out of seven (hopefully ratfree) spaces around Greater Vancouver, including Green Thumb Studios in the Kensington–Cedar Cottage area, Carousel Studios on Granville Island and the cozy China Cloud Studios in Chinatown. Blind Tiger’s courses cover improv, sketch and stand-up comedy, all taught by a faculty of working comedy professionals. Students learn the foundations of the comedic arts, starting with the basic toolkit of improv: establish

your scene, avoid questions and always agree with your scene partner’s suggestions—and building toward a performance or performances every semester. “We have a curriculum that we stick by but depending on who your instructor is, you’re gonna get a completely different ‘in’ into the world,” says Kevin Vidal, who started teaching with the company after relocating from Toronto with his husband in 2020. “It’s a teaching experience that’s very artist-forward.”

To be clear, just because it’s a company run by comedians,

that doesn’t mean everything is a joke. Blind Tiger’s threepronged mission includes not only a promise of outstanding training to their students and a living wage for teachers and admin, but also the creation of a safe and inclusive place for all—particularly those who may have been traditionally under-represented in the world of comedy.

“We knew early on that we needed to make inclusion a big part of what we were doing,” says Hill. “Blind Tiger was founded by six cis white folks, but we saw the importance of

running specific classes for identity-based groups for over seven years, with courses designated for BIPOC folks only, plus Improv for Autistic Folks, a hugely successful series for trans and non-binary folks and more. “People are just more comfortable to try things when they’re confident they can share themselves,” says Hill.

Toronto. “I don’t think I’d be here if I hadn’t been given the space to learn,” says Haddock. “I did the intro class and it was like, ‘Oh! I can actually be purposefully funny.’ It has opened up pathways and now I get to call myself a comedian on paper.”

a more diverse classroom and a more diverse faculty than we started with.” A key tenet to creating that inclusive environment has been removing barriers to access of entry: the school offers scholarships at every level, from Intro to Improv to high-level Longform classes. “We’re a business but we can absolutely afford to have two spots open in every class,” says Hill. “And the increased representation of these folks in the comedy scene has made Vancouver a better place to do and see comedy.” The school has also been

This sentiment has proven to be true within the faculty every bit as much as it has been for students. In addition to his regular class schedule, Vidal recently introduced an Improv for ADHD workshop to the school’s course offering after receiving his own diagnosis during the pandemic. While most workshops work toward an end goal of performance, Vidal focuses on active listening and play to harness the energy inherent to ADHD, without placing pressure on getting on stage. “There are so many correlations between improv and neurodiversity,” he explains. “It has helped me with anxiety, my impulsiveness, allowing myself to make mistakes... Improv thrives on failure. You’re definitely not going to get an F.”

Over the decade, several alumni have gone on to become working comedians within the BTC faculty and beyond: you’ll spot grads at Second City in Toronto, performing on Just for Laughs, crushing it in the States at Upright Citizens Brigade or working the Fringe Festival circuit. Alum Della Haddock herself is in the midst of the Comedy Story Room Intensive program, a professional training initiative for emerging BIPOC writers run by the Canadian Film Centre in

Not to get too corny, but beyond the performance skills, the magic of Blind Tiger lies in the friends you make along the way. “I met such great people that I’m still friends with today,” says Haddock, who hit the ground running after her first class in 2016, working her way through most of the advanced curriculum before forming her house team, coached by veteran comedian Ryan Beil. “You can walk into a Blind Tiger show by yourself and be fine. It’s been a great place to find collaborators and friends and community.”

Whether you have aspirations of a career in the entertainment world or you simply have the urge to break out of your shell and be creatively silly with other people, Blind Tiger has cultivated one of the best places in Vancouver to explore that impulse. “It’s a constant that everyone is having these hilarious moments of personal joy, personal pride and personal expression,” says Hill. One heartwarming example he points to: seeing BTC level two players backstage at the old Little Mountain Gallery (yes, in front of the infamous Racoon/Rat Room) forming a tunnel of people to celebrate intro students leaving the stage after their first show. “It was just like, ‘How did this much joy get contained in this horrid little hallway?’”

Laugh Riot Blind Tiger has an all-star faculty made up of pro comedians. Clockwise from top left: Devin Mackenzie, Allie Entwistle, Sasha Mark, Toddy, Kevin Vidal, creative director Tom Hill and Syd Campbell. Classes culminate in wild, wonderful shows (below).

THE DEETS

Home Cooking

In Not Your Butter Chicken, Shiva Reddy travels the country in search of a taste of her heritage.

by Stacey McLachlan

When Shiva Reddy’s mother was first diagnosed with early-onset dementia almost a decade ago, Reddy braced herself (as much as one can) for losing her connection with her mom. But what she didn’t realize immediately was that she would see her connection to her South Asian heritage fray, too.

“Over the past five or six years, it got really intense,” says Reddy, a server at Michelin-starred Burdock and Co, a trained sommelier and a CBC Radio food columnist. “I was her 24/7 primary caregiver and I started realizing that she’s my tie to my culture. And we’re constantly losing stories.”

With her new docuseries Not Your Butter Chicken, the Vancouver-born-and-raised Reddy is attempting to tie those memories down. Over four episodes, she travels Western Canada— think Kamloops, Lethbridge and beyond—searching for community and culture, connecting with other South Asians to fill in the gaps that come with being a second-generation Canadian. “It’s an opportunity to have a piece of my mom that I could remember at any given moment in time, but also a way to reconnect and reclaim the roots from my heritage, and it’s so special to be doing this with my community,” she says. Unsurprisingly, food is at the centre of it all, wherever she goes. (“My heart is in my stomach,” Reddy laughs.)

NOT YOUR BUTTER CHICKEN

She shares meals with farmers in Kelowna (“whenever we think of the farm-to-table movement, we never actually think outside of the Eurocentric lens”) and cooks with an Indian film star in Fort McMurray (“what she was missing from home was so relatable: her mom and her mom’s rotis”), but the series also captures tender moments at home with Reddy’s mother—at the stove, of course. “Food is a visceral experience; it connects us to our past. You can be on the street and smell something, and you’re right back in your childhood,” she says.

(SERIES STILLS) RICHARD TRAN AND LON GROSS; (BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS) JOANNA WONG

Culture Crash Course

From Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, Reddy found South Asian Canadians holding strong to their cultural connection.

premieres this May on Telus Optik TV and on YouTube.

CELEBRATE ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH WITH A VISIT TO CANADA’S FIRST CHINESE CANADIAN MUSEUM

Located in Vancouver’s oldest brick building, the Chinese Canadian Museum is a four-storey tribute to culture and a must-see activity for locals and visiting families and explorers.

BY JESSICA KIRBY

Head over to 51 East Pender Street in Vancouver’s Chinatown and you’ll find the historic Wing Sang Building—home of Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Museum. While it may look unassuming from the streets, the inside features three floors of contemporary gallery space shrouded in period brick, a call from the past.

“Families, friends, students, seniors and anyone exploring the city will find a transformative experience at our museum,” says Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum. “This is a new cultural destination in Vancouver, bringing stories and journeys of Chinese Canadians to visitors

from all backgrounds, while engaging with and sharing stories from the community.”

HISTORY ON DISPLAY

Be sure to catch the current exhibitions before they switch over later in 2024 and early 2025. The first floor features “Odysseys and Migration”, a never-before seen look at some of the journeys which Chinese Canadians have taken from the 18th century to the present day. Visi tors can log their personal journeys on an inter active world map and explore unique displays of the Chinese diaspora through migration.

A commissioned mural called “The Jour neys Here” by Marlene Yuen is a bright and

colourful mosaic of Chinese cultural symbolism and storytelling.

On the second floor, “The Paper Trail to the 1923 Exclusion Act ” showcases a community-sourced exhibition marking a century since the Chinese Exclusion Act. Hundreds of certificates of identity (C.I. documents) and personal stories are displayed thoughtfully in the largest-ever public exhibition of these documents.

Step back in time on the third floor to a recreated 1930s living room, and also one of the oldest school rooms in Vancouver. Visitors can immerse themselves in the lives of the Yip Family—the building’s original residents.

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

Observed and celebrated since the 1990s, Asian Heritage Month is the perfect time to reflect on and recognize the many contributions that people of Asian origin have made and continue to make in Canada.

“The museum is a great way to interact with and learn more about the Chinese Canadian experience,” Lee says. “It is an opportunity to support the Chinese Canadian Community as we continue to highlight past and current stories, while amplifying voices for Chinese Canadians.”

Stop by the gift kiosk (slated for expansion into a full gift shop later in 2024), which showcases Chinese Canadian creators and small businesses, and top off a day of cultural exploration with a bite to eat in one of the Chinatown neighbourhood’s incredible eateries featuring a diverse range of cuisine.

Plan your visit by getting tickets and annual passes to the Chinese Canadian Museum at chinesecanadianmuseum.ca or onsite.

COURTESY OF CHINESE CANADIAN MUSEUM

May Days

Get ready for your social calendar to bloom. by

Kerri Donaldson

POINTED PERFORMANCE:

BALLET BC’S FOR EVER

WHEN May 9 to 11

WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre

COST From $25

Get your top buns over to the Queen E for an evening of premieres by Ballet BC artistic director Medhi Walerski, bringing the season to a close with a fusion of artistry and athleticism.

HOWL FEST: JUST FOR LAUGHS PRESENTS MICHELLE WOLF

WHEN May 10

WHERE Vogue Theatre

COST $46

The comedy writer known for her work on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah is here to make you belly laugh.

1

2 ➣

THE SOPRANOS: VANCOUVER OPERA PRESENTS CARMEN

WHEN April 27 to May 5

WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre COST From $150 Georges Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most popular operas for a reason: it’s packed with more passion, betrayal and obsession than Love Island (and 100 percent more singing).

3

HEAVY PEDALS: BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

WHEN May 3

WHERE Vogue Theatre

COST From $40

With their sixth album in tow, the English indie rock quartet of thirtysomething dudes is rolling into town, ensuring that all your exes have an excuse to accidentally hang out.

GO OFF: THE GO! TEAM CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THUNDER, LIGHTNING, STRIKE

WHEN May 12

WHERE The Pearl COST $25

Sure to be a high-energy dance party circa your early 2000s iPod playlist.

WHAT’S UP DOC: DOXA FILM FESTIVAL

WHEN May 2 to 12

WHERE Various theatres

COST From $15

A festival dedicated to the art of documenting our lives on camera—sort of like a longer TikTok without the dance instruction.

RUNNER’S HIGH: BMO VANCOUVER MARATHON

WHEN May 5

WHERE Queen Elizabeth Park

COST From $60

Remember in January when you said you’d run a marathon this year? Just saying.

DEPRESSED MODE: VERBODEN FESTIVAL

WHEN May 9 to 12

WHERE Various venues

COST From $40

Canada’s top darkwave music fest is back for its seventh year with four jam-packed nights featuring 40 artists and DJs ready to make you dance and bum you out.

VANCOUVER MARATHON) CHRISTOPHER MORRIS/RUNVAN; (BALLET BC) MARCUS ERIKSSON

For our full list of fun to-dos around town this month, check out our online So Fun City events calendar at vanmag.com

ICE, ICE BABY: STARS ON ICE

WHEN May 14

WHERE Rogers Arena

COST From $32

It’s some of the world skating greats (think: Elvis Stojko and Patrick Chan) here to flip, spin and double-axel their way into your heart—with guest director and choreographer Kurt Browning.

14

TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT:

THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY

WHEN May 26

WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre COST From $55

Nostalgia? Check. Turtlenecks?

Check. Velvety smooth harmonies? Check.

BIG DRAW:

VANCOUVER COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL

WHEN May 18 to 19

WHERE Roundhouse Community Centre

COST Free!

Nerd out for comics? Get thee to this indie comics festival and spend the weekend learning there’s more to the world of comics than Archie Double Digest

15

CHILD’S PLAY: VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL

CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

WHEN May 27 to June 2

WHERE Granville Island COST From $14

A week-long fest just for the wee ones that includes performances, puppets, pyjama nights and a very special guest from our childhoods, Fred Penner.

FUNNY PAGES: AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS

WHEN May 14

WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre

COST From $55

The Me Talk Pretty One Day bestselling author and storyteller is looking to have some words with you—from his latest dark humour essay collection, HappyGo-Lucky.

LADY LUCK: GUYS AND DOLLS

WHEN May 16 to June 30

WHERE Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage COST From $39

Here’s your chance to catch this Tony-award-winning, must-seeat-least-once-in-your-lifetime musical comedy and sing along to certified Broadway bangers like “Luck Be a Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

13

LATER SK8ER: AVRIL LAVIGNE AT ROGERS ARENA

WHEN May 22

WHERE Rogers Arena

COST Resale tickets from $150 Millennials! This is not a drill! The early 2000s “Sk8er Boi” singer and Canadian pop punk princess is doing a greatest hits tour; grab your thickest eyeliner and baggiest jeans—we ride at dawn!

THE PLAYLIST

Here’s how New Format Studio founder and director Henry Norris keeps himself busy outside of the workshop.

Listening to Materially Speaking

My podcast du jour is Materially Speaking, in which artists and artisans talk about the materials that they use and that inspire them.

Eating Victoria Drive

We moved to Victoria Drive a year ago and I’m still trying out the whole neighbourhood. Highlights include Kozak Eatery and Mill, Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen (be prepared to wait in line) and the sandwich factory that is Banh Mi Saigon.

Hitting the Trails

On Saturdays, if my little man is in tow, we are going to see friends or family—life is full and I can barely keep up with seeing all the people I care about. If it’s a no-kid day, I dust off the mountain bike and hit Fromme or Seymour.

Tee Time

Fit-conscious Adapture’s Vancouver-designed shirts are anything but basic.

by Stacey McLachlan

The most complicated thing you can do is keep things simple. Or so it goes at Vancouver-based Adapture, where founder Shane Long is forever chasing the dream of the basic white tee.

Back in 2012, Long found himself working at the streetwear boutique Haven as he studied product design at Kwantlen; soon, he dropped out to design the in-house brand full-time. Over the next decade, he dealt with high-scale, high-end products, but he began to feel the itch to take a chance and strike out on his own.

“I wanted to design something that was accessible, but still that same level of quality,” Long recalls. In 2021, he started by developing a fabric that would hit that sweet spot—something that was technical enough to wick moisture but soft enough to look and feel like cotton. Adapture was born.

That fabric wasn’t the only way that Long was changing things up for menswear basics. His collection tosses out the notion of one-fit-fitsall, too. “The perfect silhouette just doesn’t exist,” argues Long. Which is why his brand doesn’t just offer sizes, but also different fits. Adapture’s artfully crafted basic tees ($70), colourful long-sleeve shirts ($80) and smart chinos ($185) come in a trio of styles—slim-fit, standard or relaxed. In clean, confident colours (sunflower yellow, forest green) or classic neutrals, these are the shirts fans reach for to adapt (a ha!) their looks. An

EDITOR’S PICK

The relaxed fit ($70) isn’t too relaxed: it’s not overly long or baggy, but looks far more chill than its body-hugging slimfit brother. Adapture founder Shane Long (pictured right) wears the standard.

extra-soft, nice and boxy Relaxed tee for summer (“It’s the Vancouver vibe,” says Long); the not-toobulky, not-too-snug Standard for weekend beers; and the tight-fitting Slim, ideal for layering under your crewneck or a button-up shirt. “Most people wear that one as an undershirt. We’re not all on The Bear,” laughs Long.

Keep

It Simple

Adapture’s lightstretch chinos ($185) come in three fits, too.

KNOWIT-ALL

by Stacey McLachlan

How Do Vancouver Streets Get Their Names?

We can’t think of any better use of our tax dollars, honestly.

illustration by Byron Eggenschwiler

Whether you are currently acquainted with a baby or were once a baby yourself, you likely know how most humans get their names. Parents gaze upon their child’s wet, screaming little face and think, “She reminds me of Great Aunt Eglantine,” or perhaps they find the perfect moniker in a rewatch of their favourite film (King Kong). Maybe they turn to the internet and find a name on babynamesnow.biz/helpiminlabour/ hurry/ohgodtheresthecrown. Really,

anything can spark inspiration for a baby name—a beloved character from literature, a treasured friend, a particularly delicious CrunchWrap Supreme.

But when it comes to naming streets, the process is a little more complicated. The city can’t just slap down some pavement and christen it “Please Seth Rogen Move Back Here We’ll Do Anything You Want Boulevard.” There are checks and balances in place.

The public is actually encouraged to get involved in the naming of cityowned assets, which includes not just public streets but also bridges, plazas, gardens and civic facilities. But you don’t need to wait for a specific avenue to come up for naming, which is great news if you have a cool street name like “Pizza Highway” burning a hole in your pocket: you can propose a name for a future civic asset at any ol’ time through the City of Vancouver website. Unfortunately, “Pizza Highway” will be eliminated from consideration right away because it absolutely does not meet the City of Vancouver’s naming criteria. Names should honour a noteworthy person who is, to put it politely, un-alive. Alternatively, names can commemorate local history or culture, celebrate the diversity of Vancouver or recognize native flora and fauna. Names should not be derogatory or advertise for a business, so don’t even think about suggesting “The Brits Are Not Welcome at Best Buy Playground” for a new swingset.

Once the city archivist has signed off on your suggestion and confirmed that it is neither a hate crime nor a reference to The Matrix, it then winds up in the hands of the Street Naming Committee: a not-so-shadowy cabal composed of folks from groups like Public Space Network or the Vancouver

Historical Society. If they agree that your proposed name could be a good fit for the future, they add it to a names reserve—think of it like that baby name list you keep in your Notes app. (Yeah, I know about that. And, yeah, I’m stealing “Grizzelda.”)

When city staff need a name, the Naming Committee looks at the reserve and recommends something deeply meaningful and appropriate—or some bird or whatever if they’re in a rush to finish the meeting and get to their reservation at Savio.

Public input is also welcome for re-naming civic assets, though your emailed proposal has to be pretty convincing. They’re not just going to change it to “Brian’s Gate Bridge” just because you asked nicely. No, an emailed proposal needs to include a reason for the switcheroo, info on the relevance of the proposed name and documented support from stakeholders, among other docs.

This thoughtful process wasn’t always the way Vancouver streets were named, of course. As with much of our city’s history, streets were labelled through a primitive “dibs” methodology: settlers slapping their names on stuff (or, to be fair, the names of monarchs they had crushes on). But times have changed. And now we have computers. Computers we can use to reach out to our city archivist and beg them to please consider naming their next road—or back lane or alleyway, we’re really not picky!—to “Vancouver Magazine’s Highway of Dreams.”

-Serving

-Packing

ULTIMATE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE GUIDE THE THE CITY

We all might joke about how everyone here is obsessed with umbrella etiquette and craft breweries, but the truth is that no two Vancouver visitors (or Vancouverites themselves, for that matter) are exactly alike... which means creating a one-size-fitsall guide to the city is an impossible task. So instead, we’re taking the opposite tack and getting intimately, excruciatingly specific, with 25 bespoke itineraries designed to particularly please. Whether you’re entertaining your book-nerd cousin in town from Saskatoon or planning a birthday weekend for your Japanophile new girlfriend, we’ve got your game plan covered. by the editors

AN EVENING WITH...

Your outdoorsy, bike-riding ex (whom you’re still secretly in love with) No.1

b4:00 p.m.

GET IN LINE

A bike ride doesn’t provide many opportunities for eye contact, but a casual post-work weekday cycle to Rain or Shine in Kits will yield some ideal one-on-one time (because there’s going to be a queue). Try some thinly veiled conversation about commitment and monogamy (Are you still a one-flavour kind of person? Do you like your bananas split?) while waiting. Order the strangest flavour available (cones from $5, in seasonal options like Miso Dulcey Chocolate) so they know you’re adventurous and spontaneous and would never religiously follow a step-by-step get-yourex-back playbook in a magazine. 102–1926 W 4th Ave., rainorshineice cream.com

4:30 p.m.

RIDE THE GREENWAY

Take the Arbutus Greenway south. On top of beautiful views (right around West 35th is where you’ll find that classic ocean/city/forest/ mountain combo), there’s also the opportunity to show off your excellent bike manners (look how you politely avoided that gaggle of roller-skaters!) and your own butt (make sure you’re leading the way).

6:30 p.m.

CASUAL CLAYMAKING

This part is optional, but if you can weasel it in, you’re set. Suddenly, you’re going to veer west off the Greenway and say you’d rather take the road less travelled (your ex loves Robert Frost, a quirk you’ve decided to find charming instead of pretentious). You’ll end up at Dunbar’s 4Cats Art Studio, where clay wheel classes are offered most weekdays at 6:30. How crazy would it be if you took a class ($44 each) and how random would it be if you shared a wheel ($20 extra)? 4305 Dunbar St., 4catsdunbar.com

8:00 p.m.

PIZZA THEIR HEART

All that romantic ceramic action has your stomach and loins growling (but you can deal with the latter later). Now, you’ll ride on back to the Greenway and get a table at Bufala, where you’ll share a spicy-sweet pepperoni and honey pizza ($25) and lady-and-the-tramp your way through a plate of spaghetti ($26). Cheers with a glass of Covert Farms Bufala Red ($65/bottle) to your next two dates—after all, you have to glaze those bowls seven days from now, and pick them up from the kiln 10 days after that. Same time next week? 5395 West Blvd., bufala.ca

bTHE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

☐ You think grandma’s got old bones? Check out the 75-million-year-old walking Lambeosaurus at the Pacific Museum of Earth (admission by donation). 6339 Stores Rd., pme.ubc.ca

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your green-thumbed grandma who’s auditing an archeology course

☐ Get a coffee and fill up a grandma-friendly breakfast bowl (from $11) with amaro poached apples at The Garden Strathcona, a plant-happy café. 868 E Hastings St., thegardenstrathcona.com

☐ Take a walk through the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden ($6 admission for seniors; $9 for adults) and sign up for one of their workshops on birdwatching, plant illustration or basket weaving (course prices vary). 5151 Oak St., vandusengarden.org

☐ Peruse the shelves at the witchy Banyen Books and Sound. (She’ll love looking at crystals and browsing the nature section, and maybe embarrass you by buying the third edition of The Ethical Slut.) 3608 W 4th Ave., banyen.com

☐ Be wowed by the blooming floral ceiling at Bonjour Vietnam, and order honey garlic chicken wings ($18) and beef rib pho ($26) to enjoy while insta-grandma-ing. 3944 Fraser St., bonjourvietnambistro.com

☐ A flight to Iceland from Vancouver is a couple thousand dollars—get an accessible, senior-friendly (and walletfriendly) immersive highlight reel by visiting Flyover Canada’s “Legendary Iceland” experience ($29). 201–999 Canada Pl., flyovercanada.com

No.2

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

1:00 p.m.

A PURR-FECT AFTERNOON

No.3

A BIRTHDAY WEEKEND WITH...

Your new Japanophile girlfriend, who’s turning 40

SATURDAY b

10:00 a.m.

MOCHI MORNINGS

Things are going great with your new girlfriend, but “buy a flight to Tokyo” feels a little much. Instead, bring Japan to her, starting with a Wa-Bagel breakfast. The bright green mochi matcha bagel ($5) features a symphony of Japanese flavours, thanks to a filling of mochi, red bean paste and chopped walnuts. B09–666 Burrard St., wabagel.com

11:00 a.m.

THE SHOP HOP

You’re carbo-loaded and ready for a Japanese shopping spree. Konbiniya on Robson is as close as it gets to the convenience store experience of Japan, its aisles packed with canned coffee, imported ramen, a world of Pocky flavours and more treats. Down the road you’ll find Muji, the Japanese home-and-fashion retailer that’s maintained a commitment to wellmade minimalist essentials even through its global expansion. 1238 Robson St., konbiniya.com; 1125 Robson St., muji.ca

Grab a sando from Aburi To-Go and stroll over to Japanese-centric Out and About to peruse the racks of slouchy Fuga Fuga dresses and delicate Hirota glassware. Point yourselves next toward the spooky International Village Mall. ABC Store on the ground floor is a riot of cheap-and-cheerful dollar-store treasures from both Korea and Japan; upstairs is Catfe (admission $17), where you can sip a tea and mingle with a kitten like you’re in a Harajuku pet cafe. 1122 Mainland St., aburitogo.com; 321 W Cordova St., outnaboutboutique.com; 1199–88 W Pender St., abcstore.ca; 2035-88 W Pender St., catfe.ca

6:00 p.m.

YES, CHEF

Good thing you didn’t overdo it at lunch, because it’s omakase time. You’re splashing out on the experience at 1 Tetsu Sushi Bar ($220 per person) because you read Vanmag’s big omakase feature back in November and you’ve been dying for a reason to go. It’s dinner and a show if you can snag one of the four seats at the counter here: the chefs move with precision and grace to create delicate, intentional, mind-blowing morsels. 775 Denman St., tetsusushibar.com

sunday

9:00 a.m.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

Wake up! Time for more pretend Japan! Today is less about rampant consumerism and more about the Japanese art of mindfulness. Start with breakfast at Marulilu Cafe, a quirky hole-in-the-wall Japanese café across the street from the Broadway-City Hall Skytrain station. The breakfast plate is the move here: a neat tray of rice, sweet omelette, miso soup, tofu or natto and grilled salmon ($11) is simple and satisfying. 451 W Broadway, marulilu.com

10:00 a.m.

IN BLOOM

Make your way to Nitobe Memorial Garden up at UBC ($5). The serene landscape here is downright transportive, with koi-pond spanning bridges, lush maples and beds of blooming irises. Sneak a smooch by the waterfall, then check in for a meditative tea ceremony ($16) in the tatami-mat-lined tea house. 6804 SW Marine Dr., botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

1:00 p.m.

SLURPING AND SIPPING

Grab some Fukuoka-style pork-both ramen (from $12) at 2 Ramen Danbo on West 4th to line the stomach before your next stop: Granville Island’s Osake tasting room. The craft sake makers serve up plenty of intel alongside flights (three for $8) of offerings like the complex, dry Junmai Nama Genshu. If nerding out about booze production is your thing, take a look through the peek-a-boo windows to Osake’s workshop. If drinking is your thing, well, bottoms up. 1833 W 4th Ave., ramendanbo.com; 1339 Railspur Alley, artisansakemaker.com

6:00 p.m.

OSAKA NIGHTS

Finally: dinner. 3 Rajio certainly isn’t as polished as an omakase bar—but it’s damn fun. The

lively, busy restaurant is decorated with hanging lanterns and walls of plastic cartoon-character masks, and specializes in Osaka-style drinking food. Namely, kushi katsu, breaded and deep-fried skewers (most are $2 or $3 each) of everything from lotus root to “onion pork.” Bring a crew, order with abandon and then try your best to remember who is responsible for eating the fried foie gras. Be sure to tell the staff you’re celebrating a birthday—the signature b-day song is both impossibly loud and impossible to replicate—plus, they break out the sparklers. Karaoke afterward is a must. Throw everyone in a cab and get downtown to a private room at Fantacity ($55 per hour). The music selection isn’t the best, to be frank, but there’s enough Celine Dion on the list to fill at least a couple of hours. 3763 W 10th Ave., rajiopublichouse.com; 1133 Robson St., 604-899-0006

No.4

A DAY WITH...

Your brother who wears a suit everywhere except the gym and likes to infuse his own gin at home

When you walk into the high-intensity Fuse class you’ve booked at House Concepts (free first time classes, or $37 for drop-in, 701–1431 Continental St., houseconcepts.com), just know he’s going to crush you. That’s okay. You’re in a state-of-the-art space with weirdly flattering lighting, your heart is pumping and you’re too busy sweating to get into another awkward fight with him about who Mom loves more. Towel off and refuel at Matchstick Yaletown (1328 Richards St., matchstickyvr.com), where the espresso is strong even if you aren’t. He’s still putting butter in his coffee but do your best to resist hassling him about it—you want him to maybe buy you a cute pair of socks once he’s done getting fitted for a made-to-measure suit (oooh, forest green!) at Blair Shapera (prices vary; 861 Hornby St., blairshapera.com). When Big Spender is done, stroll a few doors down to Long Table Distillery (1451 Hornby St., longtabledistillery.com) for a cocktail class ($65), where you’ll get schooled in a trio of impressive drinks and embarrassingly work up another sweat with the shaker. Now you’re both inspired and a little tipsy. Time to pop into the Modern Bartender (28 E Pender St., themodernbartender.com) to stock up on supplies like habanero bitters ($20) and Luxardo cherries ($25) for what will surely be a lifelong passion for mixology. Ready for some more research? A Chinatown cocktail crawl it is! Start at Keefer Bar (135 Keefer St., thekeeferbar.com) for an Inside Out old fashioned ($28) and end by ordering the “Number 7” at the unassuming Blnd Tger dumpling shop to achieve access to a dark-and-dreamy speakeasy called Laowai (251 E Georgia St., laowai.ca).

12:00 p.m. BABY GOURMANDS

No.5

A RAINY SATURDAY WITH...

Your cousin and his toddlers who can’t have screen time

b8:00 a.m.

MAKE A SPLASH

Putting on Elmo isn’t an option, so load the kids up into the car and head to the bright and modern Hillcrest Aquatic Centre ($7 for two family members, $4 for each additional person). Dodge the tweens controlling the giant spray guns and hop into the lazy river (but hold on tight... it’s surprisingly peppy). 4575 Clancy Loranger Way, vancouver.ca

10:00 a.m.

BIRD’S THE WORD

Across the street is Queen Elizabeth Park, home to the Bloedel Conservatory ($8 for adults; preschoolers free). The lush tropical plants may not intrigue your little guests, but the parrots and 100 other exotic tropical birds that live in this geodesic dome surely will. 4600 Cambie St., vancouver.ca

They only eat noodles and butter. Fine. Jo’s Italian Deli it is for lunch. Counter service makes for an efficient in-and-out dining experience, but the fresh pasta ($7 for a kids’ order) and saucy Italian subs (from $9) on crusty baguettes are made with care. 2505 Alma St., jositalian deli.com

1:00 p.m.

THE GREAT INDOORS

Oh, they’re not napping today?

Great. Petite Forêt Play Café ($9 admission) on West 4th is beloved by Kitsilano parents for its lovely, Montessori-inspired playthings— intricate wooden kitchens and workbenches, puzzles, a birchwood jungle gym—that kids love to ravage. Watch the chaos unfold from your spot at the countertop that surrounds the play area/Thunderdome, cappuccino ($5) in hand. 2668 W 4th Ave., petiteforet.co

3:00 p.m. AROUND THE WORLD

Brace yourself for your second dome of the day: Science World (adults, $35; kids 3 and up, $23). Though the main exhibits might be over their heads, the Wonder Gallery is a toddler’s dream, with a towering indoor treehouse, giant Lite Brite, water-play station and more opportunities for budding physicists to experiment. 1455 Quebec St., scienceworld.ca

5:00 p.m.

FINALLY: HAPPY HOUR

You and your cousin deserve a beer. Hipster sports bar Bells and Whistles is laid-back and always packed with other thirsty parents, so chasing a toddler around the picnic-style tables with a Twin Sails Guava Sour ($8) in hand won’t be an unusual sight. Dinging Skee-Ball machines will buy you an extra 20 minutes of distraction while you attempt to share fish and chips ($25, with crispy fries and minty peas) and have an adult conversation (“So what are taxes?”). 3296 Fraser St., bellsandwhistlesyvr.ca

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

12:00 p.m. ISLAND TIME

A MORNING WITH...

Your crunchy-granola roomie who brings their dog (and reusable cup) everywhere

No.6

A DAY WITH...

Your mom who was a former ski racer and is also a lifelong Parrothead

b10:00 a.m.

TAKE IT TO THE TOP (THEN THE BOTTOM)

We don’t mean this as a taunt, just a fact: your mom is an adrenaline junkie. Good thing there’s the bone-rattling, warp-speed descent by bike from Prospect Point to put a smile on her face. Rent your wheels from any of the bike rental shops clustered on Denman Street and brace yourself for a workout: it’s a brutal climb to the top through Stanley Park, but a beautiful one. Take a moment to enjoy an ice cream cone or the view of the North Shore before hurtling down the thrill-ride of a hill, eating Mom's dust the whole way. prospectpoint.com

Keep the cardio going and take your bikes over to Granville Island, where you’ll share some halloumi and grilled cactus ($21) on the tropical-cool patio at 1 Alimentaria Mexicana—along with maybe a mezcal margarita ($16) or two? It’s five o’clock somewhere, as her hero Jimmy Buffet once said. Then, it’s time to rent a couple of paddleboards ($40 for two hours) from Vancouver Water Adventures and take to the open sea. She’ll be lapping you, of course, but even less-than-elite athletes can enjoy the ocean breeze and chasing the Aquabus. 1596 Johnston St., aliment ariamexicana.com; 1812 Boatlift Ln., vancouverwateradventures.com

4:00 p.m.

HEAT IT UP

True athletes know that recovery is a key part of maintaining great performance (or so we’ve heard). After a day of working those muscles, the infrared sauna ($56 for a private experience) at 2 Hälsa awaits. Proponents of infrared say it increases circulation to bring more oxygen and nutrients to the body, but here’s one thing we know for sure: the cedar room smells incredible. 2028 W 4th Ave., halsa.ca

6:00

p.m.

LET THE MYSTERY BOWL GONG RING

She’s got her second trip to Maui of the year already booked, but a visit to the 3Shameful Tiki Room will help tide her over till then. The perfectly retro-kitschy Polynesian-themed cocktail bar is a great place to access vacation vibes—though all this bamboo and thatching has to be a fire hazard, especially with the flaming Mystery Bowls that are constantly coming out of the kitchen. With a frothy, coconut-y Painkiller ($14) in hand and a live surf-rock band scoring the scene, it’s a little piece of paradise on Main Street. 4362 Main St., shamefultikiroom.com

All dogs are morning people, so you’ll kick the day off with an energy-burning stroll through Trout Lake Park... but not before grabbing a chai latte (with plantbased milk, of course) and a couple of peanut butter date balls ($4 each) at the nearby Commercial St. Cafe (3599 Commercial St., commercialstreet cafe.com). At the north end of the lake is the off-leash dog park—it’s not fenced, but given your roomie’s annoying dog-whisperer-esque connection with their pup, that shouldn’t be a problem. From there, it’s a 10-minute drive to Main Street, where both human and canine refilleries are in order. Top up your roomie’s jars of almond flour and organic tri-colour quinoa at the Soap Dispensary and Kitchen Staples (3718 Main St., thesoapdispensary.com). And fine, they’ll buy that weird natural deodorant that comes in a paste, too... pick your battles. Just across the street, visit Good Boy Collective, where they sell dog food in bulk (3633 Main St., shopgoodboy.com)—keep those jars labelled, for the love of god—as well as adorable rain jackets and pizza box-shaped dog toys. To the north there’s Uncle Abe’s (3032 Main St., narrowgroup.ca), the east-side bar with a dog-friendly cocktail menu. Served on the patio, the $4 cups include allnatural ingredients like coconut milk and blueberries—alcohol-free, obviously, so the dog can drive after you’ve polished off a 5-oz pitcher of Moscow mule ($28). For growling stomachs, there’s Mitra Shawarma (3034 Main St., narrowgroup.ca), the sister restaurant next door serving takeaway donair nachos ($12) and shawarma fries ($10). For growling dogs, you'll have to talk to the bouncer.

No.7

No.8

A WEEKEND WITH...

Your culturevulture millennial sister who won’t stop talking about Ali Wong’s latest special

SATURDAY

11:00 a.m.

PUNCHING UP

Some say a little fight with a visiting sibling is inevitable. We say that starting the weekend off with some heavy bag-hitting at 1 Rumble Boxing is a tried-and-true approach to set the stage for a peaceful hangout—and the first class is free. Bond over jabbing so you can get back to gabbing. 968 Expo Blvd., rumbleboxing.com

1:00 p.m.

sunday b

Front and Company for curated consignment pieces and delightful giftables, Vancouver Special for enviable modernist homewares and Eugene Choo for too-cool unisex statement pieces. 3772 Main St., frontandcompany.com; 3612 Main St., vanspecial.com; 3683 Main St., eugenechoo.com

BRUNCH (TAYLOR’S VERSION)

Go track by track through Taylor Swift’s latest album over avocado bennies ($18) and chocolate bourbon milkshakes ($13) at the cozy and nostalgic Fable Diner. 151 E Broadway, fablediner.com

3:00 p.m.

RULE OF THREES

Boutique hopping is the name of the game on Main Street (where we’re spending most of our Saturday, if you haven’t guessed). Hit up

5:00 p.m.

CHEERS TO YOU

Your sister will be impressed by the expansive cocktail menu at 2 Zarak—order her the Heritage (sake, yogurt soju, mango, lime cordial, chili oil, $17), a drink that’s described as playful and stylish, just like her. Some buttermilk fried chicken ($31) and spicy cabbage dumplings ($19) won’t hurt either. 102 Main St., zarakvancouver.com

7:00 p.m.

LAUGH ATTACK

Finish off the day with a show at Chill X Studio, where comedians

produce fun stand-up shows in an intimate venue—like “Swipe Right,” a comedy show about dating featuring local legend Jane Stanton. 2270 Manitoba St., chillxstudio.ca

ambassador leads you on a 1.2kilometre journey through vibrant oral histories—be on the lookout for wildlife, too. 715 Stanley Park Dr., talaysay.com

4:00 p.m.

FRESH HARVEST

Pop over to the Granville Island Market to browse the local produce and artisan wares. Grab a snack if you’re hungry (there are canelés, hot dogs and cheeses galore) and enjoy it outside if you dare... the seagulls are always watching. 1689 Johnston St., granvilleisland.com

12:00 p.m.

TOAST MASTERS

After some much-needed lounge time (and catching up on whatever trashy reality show you’re both binge-watching), head downtown for brunch at 3 Bacchus. The restaurant’s namesake breakfast (eggs, apple and rosemary chicken sausage, bacon, $28) plus brioche French toast with mascarpone chantilly ($23) is the best savoury/ sweet combo. 845 Hornby St., wedgewoodhotel.com

2:00 p.m.

STORY TIME

Post-brunch, take a guided walk through Stanley Park with 4 Talaysay Tours. In the Spoken Treasures tour ($70), an Indigenous cultural

6:00 p.m.

TACO TIME

Next, you’re headed east to Tacofino Ocho for pre-show eats. Discuss how much you regret your hard-shell Old El Paso phase while chowing down on pork carnitas, grilled lemongrass chicken and asadero cheese tacos ($8 each). 8 E 5th Ave., tacofino.com

8:00 p.m.

TAKE HER TO CHURCH

Despite its religious-sounding name, the Sunday Service (tickets $21) at the Fox Cabaret is a comedy show that any traditionalist would probably find a little too sex-positive and swear-y (hell yeah). Cry-laugh to end off a well-planned weekend. 2321 Main St., thesundayservice.ca

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

No.9

A DAY WITH...

Your former bandmates, who have grown up into cool adults with awkwardly disparate incomes

b10:00 a.m.

THE GANG GOES TO THE GALLERY

Pack your art-loving buds onto the Seabus for a voyage to the 1 Polygon Gallery at the Shipyards in North Van. Admission is by donation, though your higher-income friends will find plenty to splash out on at the well-curated gift shop. The focus here is on contemporary photographers and new media— the perfect fodder for art-punk

debates over lunch across the square at 2 JamJar Canteen, where big spenders can splurge on share platters of mezze (think roasted eggplant dip and minty lebneh) and thriftier friends can tuck into a hearty, flavourful bowl of mujadara stew for under $10. 101 Carrie Cates Ct., North Vancouver, thepolygon.ca; 122-125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, jamjarcanteen.ca

2:00 p.m.

RECORD EMPIRE

Back over to Gastown, go for an afternoon of record-store hopping,

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your Double Income No Kids couplefriends from culinary school who are eternally in the honeymoon phase

☐ Remind them how they fell in love with a cooking class at The Dirty Apron ($190). While prepping lemon-sherry caramelized parsnips in the Vibrantly Vegan class, they’ll finally make plans to open their own restaurant. 540 Beatty St., dirtyapron.com

starting with Vinyl Records and its huge selection of hip hop and soul albums. Beat Street Records on Hastings is nearby—it’s been here forever, and even had a surprise visit from Ed Sheeran last year. Your buds can shop till they drop, or browse the day away: everyone wins. From there, make your way to Chinatown’s Dandelion Records, a cozy treasure trove of a shop specializing in esoteric psychedelic discs; down the street, Noize to Go Records is a haven for collectors. 44 Water St., vinylrecords.ca; 439 W Hastings St., beatstreet.ca; 180–288 E Georgia St., dandelionrecords.ca; 243 Union St., facebook.com/ noizetogo

☐ See if they can figure out how chef Mike Robbins delivers his incredibly detailed, thoughtfully executed, ridiculously filling tasting menu at AnnaLena for just $144. (There’s a reason he swept the 34th annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.) 1809 W 1st Ave., annalena.ca

5:00 p.m. YOU CAN’T LIVE ON MUSIC ALONE

The Chickadee Room might offer the best happy hour in town: your first $10 cocktail comes with two huge pieces of crispy fried chicken from Juke next door. If the gang’s still hungry, hop to Pizza Coming Soon for dinner proper—the hipster izakaya offers a wide range of dishes to please diverse palates and wallets, from gomae with sunflower seed gremolata ($6) to seafood butter yaki udon ($24). 182 Keefer St., thechickadeeroom.com; 179 E Pender St., pizzacomingsoon.com

9:00 p.m.

BRING THE EARPLUGS

End the night by reliving your live-music glory days at either China Cloud Studios or 3 Fortune Sound Club. One is a scrappy hidden venue on top of a T-shirt shop with low-slung sofas and an upclose-and-personal wooden stage, the other, a grimy-in-a-cool-way venue that sparkles under the disco ball; both feature up-and-coming musical talent on the reg. 524 Main St., @chinacloudstudios; 147 E Pender St., fortunesoundclub.com

☐ Count celebrities in the Gerard Lounge at happy hour. Sutton Place Hotel is a go-to for Hollywood visitors, but whether Bradley Cooper is there or not, they won’t be mad about negronis in the woods-and-leather back room of Boulevard restaurant. 845 Burrard St., suttonplace.com

No.10

A DAY WITH...

Your marathonrunning, architectureloving sister who is single and ready to mingle b

7:00 a.m.

WORK IT OUT

Kickstart your day with boutique studio fitness at 1 Altea Active ($50 for a guest day pass). Experience ballet barre, boxing, or get adventurous with antigravity fitness classes like aerial yoga. Imagine you and your sister, hanging like athletic bats in your fitness hammock swings: looks like you’ve got the setting for next year's family Christmas card all figured out. Afterward, unwind in the Altea spa meditation lounge or steam cabins, where you can open your pores and up to your sister about all the clothes you’ve “borrowed” over the years. 425 W 6 Ave., alteaactive.com

10:00 a.m.

SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS

Still haven’t tired out your active sister? Book a climbing session at the Hive Heights climbing wall ($30 for a day pass). Show your support as she conquers new heights, channelling her inner Miley Cyrus because—as Miley famously said—“it’s the climb.” 670 Industrial Ave., hiveclimbing.com

12:00 p.m.

TOWERS OF POWER

This nerd wants to work out her

brain, too, as it turns out. (Does she ever just sit down?!) Send her on a 2 self-guided architectural tour while you take a dang nap—the City of Vancouver has a map outlining several points of historical interest, including the Permanent Building and the Marine Building. Downtown, vancouver.ca

6:00 p.m.

DINE LIKE QUEENS

9:00 p.m.

Finally, after all that exercising, you’ve worked up an appetite. Take your sister to warmly lit, wallpaper-adorned 3 Bao Bei in Chinatown, the Michelin-recognized modern Chinese stalwart serving one of the city’s best-value tasting menus. For $65 each, you’ll experience a parade of the restaurant’s greatest hits: share hanger steak with smoked chili and charred pineapple or crispy tofu alongside secrets from your shared childhood. 163 Keefer St., bao-bei.ca

SIP BY THE SEA

For post-meal drinks, head to 4 Batch on Plaza at the Plaza of Nations. Enjoy live music, waterfront views and starry nights—the perfect setting for potential romantic mixing and mingling. With cozy firepits and a selection of canned wines, beers and themed cocktails, it’s the ideal spot to soak in the Vancouver skyline and maybe even meet some fellow singles. 770 Pacific Blvd., batchvancouver.com

AN AFTERNOON WITH...

Your cane-wielding grandpa who will be absolutely furious if you pay more than $10 for a sandwich

All right, so La Grotta Del Formaggio’s (1791 Commercial Dr., lagrottadelfor maggio.com) paninis just cross the $10 line at $10.99 for a meatball sub, but load him up with meatballs, melting mozzarella and a fresh Portuguese bun and he won’t be mad. Slide in a side of arancini to snack on later, and hop in the car to take in the view at Queen Elizabeth Park (4600 Cambie St., vancouver.ca). Wow him with trivia like the fact you’re at the highest point in the city proper while also being at its geographic centre. You could take in the parrots at the nearby Bloedel Conservatory, but that might blow the budget. Instead, drive back down to the West End and park at the Aquatic Centre (1050 Beach Ave., vancouver.ca). Take a few laps in the ’70s-vintage building if that’s grandpa’s jam (admission is $8), but you’re here for the best ocean-going deal in the city: a $4 ride on the False Creek Ferries (Sunset Beach, granvilleislandferries.bc.ca) over to Granville Island. Head into the Public Market, grab a mile-high slice of lemon meringue from À La Mode Pie Café (1689 Johnston St., alamodepie.com), because grandpa, and grab a seat on the back patio to watch seagulls the size of children attempt to coax tourists out of their French fries. Before you head back to your ferry at the end of the day, surprise gramps with a duo of puffcreams from the power chef-run Popina Canteen (1691 Johnston St., popinacanteen.com)—Malteser for him, with crushed malted milk balls; Violet B for you, with freeze-dried blueberries and cornflakes—and hang out on the dog beach below the Aquatic Centre to count the corgis and take in the bay view.

No.11

No.12

No.13

A WEEKEND WITH...

11:00 a.m.

BACKSTAGE PASS

1 The Orpheum is the glam-est of our civic theatres—and handily wins prettiest in North America (category is: opulence!). It’s the go-to venue for the VSO (and the Canada’s Drag Race tour, natch), but even if nephew isn’t a classical music fan, the behind-the-scenes tours are worth it to catch a glimpse of this jaw-droppingly gorgeous venue. For $10, he’ll get the dish on that time Frank Sinatra was almost kicked out (and maybe spy a death drop or two on stage). 601 Smithe St., vancouvercivictheatres.com

1:15 p.m.

DANCE LIKE EVERYONE’S WATCHING

Get him ready to lip sync for his life with a drop-in class at Harbour Dance Centre. The studio offers over 100 classes a week—and it’s been on the Granville strip since 1989!—with its beginners Keep It Sexy class ($19) made for the catwalk: strut and shake it to pop music in this heels-optional class (glitter is also optional... but why wouldn’t you?). 301–927 Granville St., harbourdance.com

4:00 p.m.

GET YOUR GLOW ON

lunch (lobster cobb, please), he’ll get his soakless pedi while reclining in a zero-gravity chair. 801 W Georgia St., rosewoodhotels.com

Your sober, Drag Race-quoting Gen Z skinfluencer nephew SATURDAY b sunday

Keeping that skinfluencer status strong is work, baby, so some serious spa time is in order this weekend. Go for the splurge: the Sense Revival (from $505) at the 2 Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s Sense Spa combines their most popular treatments, including a full-body massage that transitions into a double-cleansing facial (and back again, as the enzymatic face mask does its work). After a spa

you deserve a lie-in, so roll into 4Maxine’s (an ode-to-Paris of a bistro) at the respectable hour of 11 a.m. Is there a more beautiful thing than a giant Dutch baby ($23)—the light-as-air pancake-like brunch dish, no shade on babies from Holland— topped with a fried egg, shaved ham and mornay sauce? On a Sunday morning, it’s perfection on a plate. 1325 Burrard St., maxinescafebar.com

1:00 p.m.

NAILED IT

You’ve got options. Yes, the obvious choice is to do a counter-clockwise loop of Stanley Park on a rental bike (English Bay Bike Rentals is just down the street). But would either of you be mad if you went for a manicure instead? Sophie’s Nails and Waxing on Davie Street is precision-oriented, so a gel mani ($38) is guaranteed to look great on his next TikTok. 1688 Davie St., 604-428-0991

3:00 p.m.

MOCKTAIL MAGIC

9:00 p.m.

WHAT A DRAG

Founders Paige Frewer and Ryn Broz created 3 The Birdhouse out of the ashes of Eastside Studios, when the latter was lost to development and disrepair. The intersectional queer venue hosts everything from country hoedowns and drag brunches to karaoke and dance parties, with many events focusing on drag and gender performance. Grab tickets (from $11) to whatever’s on tonight—fingers crossed it’s hosted by pre-eminent drag performer Continental Breakfast, our Vanmag cover star back in September and a 2023 Power 50 lister. 44 W 4th Ave., @eastsidestudios

In the summer, Cactus Club English Bay’s patio is the spot to show off his SPF 50 alabaster glow (and take in the tourists bringing hacky sack back on the sand). Pregame for a night out over a deep mocktail menu (go for the No-groni, $11, perfectly balanced with Seedlip Garden, Martini Vibrante non-alcoholic red vermouth and Giffard bitters) with a side of the plant-based Zen roll (yuzu tamari, avocado, mango, $17). Sunset gaze and take bets on which cuddling-on-an-English-Baylog couples are destined to chantay or sashay away. 1760 Beach Ave., cactusclubcafe.com

7:00 p.m.

LIVING LEGENDS

11:00 a.m.

POWER BRUNCH

After a late night at The Birdhouse,

Respect your herstory: Jaylene Tyme’s Legends Cabaret at the Junction is one of the longestrunning all-ages drag shows in Vancouver (tickets $14). Jaylene herself has a beloved following—her Cher is as legendary as the title of her show—and she brings in both rising stars and fellow stalwarts in the local drag scene. 1138 Davie St., junctionpub.com

No.14

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your friend who summers in Greece and lives in linen and is so elegant that it’s never annoying when she talks about her “fragrance journey”

☐ Get reacquainted with your body in a core workout class at the Turf fitness studio ($32 for an intro 2-class pack) and grab a blueberry glow smoothie ($13) on your way out. 101–2041 W 4th Ave., ourturf.com

☐ Fawn over minimalist carafes, soothing essential oils and inspirational coffee table books at hyper-stylish homewares store Old Faithful Shop. 320 W Cordova St., oldfaithfulshop.com

☐ Pop by a farmers’ market for fresh tomatoes, kale and peonies (the Trout Lake market opened for the season on April 1, and the rest have launch dates throughout May and June). eatlocal.org

☐ Get your glisten on in the sauna at Circle Wellness Spa, a “self-guided thermal experience” that will have you sweating and shivering in a mindful, meditative trance. 1297 Johnston St., circlewellnessspas.com

☐ Create your own signature scent in a soy wax candle-making workshop ($95) at Homecoming Candles. 1871 Powell St., homecomingcandles.com

☐ Splurge for a luxurious linen robe ($98) from Vancouver-based Wilet’s Strathcona showroom. 858 E Hastings St., shopwilet.com

☐ Share steamed mussels with crème fraîche, chorizo and grilled sourdough ($23) at dreamy, design-forward Botanist. 1038 Canada Pl., botanistrestaurant.com

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

No.15

A NIGHT OUT WITH...

Your too-cool DJ friend who moved away five years ago and this is your last chance to convince her Vancouver is cool too so she’ll move back (oh god, don't blow it)

7:00 p.m.

HOT DOG, WE HAVE A WEINER

2 3

10:00 p.m. DANCING IN THE STREETS

Pre-game with drinks and snacks at 1 Mount Pleasant Vintage and Provisions. This quirky spot offers a blend of ’90s hip hop and Grandma’s basement vibes, perfect for reminiscing over BBQ picnic staples like hot dogs and tater tots served alongside oldschool lunch pails carrying your dog sauces (ketchup, mustard, relish). With Tupac’s “California Love” setting the mood on one of their two cool outdoor patios, you’ll be reluctant to leave (fingers crossed your friend agrees!). 67 W 6th Ave., mtpleasant.bar

9:00 p.m.

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS

Venture to the Art Deco dreamscape of the 2 Hollywood Theatre for a night of dancing and live music. Your friend will feel like they’ve stepped into a scene from L.A., and if they’re too lost in the ambiance to know where they are, even better. 3123 W Broadway, hollywoodtheatre.ca

Granville Street may have a reputation (they close the dang street on Saturdays after all), but there’s a new mid-sized live music venue in town, The Pearl, offering cool acts and a vibrant atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to mingle with the city’s eclectic crowd and experience Vancouver’s nightlife scene. 881 Granville St., thepearl vancouver.com

12:00 a.m.

AFTER-HOURS COCKTAIL

For a surprise twist, take your friend to 3 Key Party on Main, a hidden speakeasy disguised as a 1970s accounting firm. Inside, sultry artwork adorns the walls and candlelight sets the mood for tantalizing libations. Indulge in the Lovelace cocktail ($13) and a cheese fondue ($24) while you make your case for why your friend should stay. With its late-night hours, Key Party is the ideal spot to end the night and seal the deal on your persuasive argument. 2305 Main St., narrow group.ca

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

3D printing, woodworking, robotics and coding, all while avoiding any discussions about feelings. Who needs personal connection when you can master laser cutting instead? 1601 Venables St., vanhack.ca

No.16

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your board game designer brother who hasn’t initiated a conversation with you in six years

b☐ Instead of prying into your brother’s mysterious inner world, why not immerse yourselves in a virtual realm at Evolve on Broadway (right by the Broadway-City Hall station). For $45 per person, enjoy an hour of gameplay with over 50 different games and experiences—ranging from escaping an Arizona zombie apocalypse to chaotic kitchen scenarios à la Overcooked. It’s the perfect escape from real emotions. 411 W Broadway, evolvevr.ca

☐ Skip the emotional puzzles and try your hand at themed escape rooms at Exit Vancouver, located just down from Evolve. With themes like “Avalanche” and “Jurassic Park Rangers” ($35), you’ll be too busy strategizing your escape to worry about deep conversations. 309 W Broadway, e-exit.ca

☐ Impress your brother by showing off your nerdy side at Vancouver Hack Space ($75 for a one-month membership). Dive into projects like

☐ Treat your sibling to pizza and tabletop adventures at Ludica without delving into the complexities of your brother’s love life. Enjoy competitive (or cooperative, if you want to make your mother proud) card games and board games for free with the purchase of a pizza (from $18). Share a Hansa pie (mozzarella, chicken, bacon, balsamic caramelized onions, smoked gouda, $21) and relish the company of your brother while mouths are too full to talk. 189 Keefer Pl., ludica.ca

☐ Join forces with your brother for some trivia fun at IQ2000 Trivia at Hero’s Welcome. Every Tuesday, test your knowledge and teamwork at this former Legion turned hipster hangout. Bond over choosing a team name and answering questions that don’t touch on your shared history or traumas. If it’s not Tuesday, fear not—trivia nights happen regularly at multiple venues throughout the city. 3917 Main St., iq2000trivia.com, heros-welcome.com

☐ Indulge in some nerdy brews with your bro at the trendy new Pet Psychic—a front for Arcana Spirit Lounge. Sip on tarot-themed concoctions like The Fool ($18), a Filipino-inspired mojito with pandan syrup. Or take a chance with the Wheel of Fortune ($20), where a spin decides your drink fate. The menu’s inspired by French cafés and vintage speakeasies (two very different things coming together— much like you and your brother). 238 Abbott St., arcanabar.com

AN AFTERNOON WITH...

Your aunt who stopped in on her way to Aspen, draped in Chanel as always

Meet her at 1 Miraj Hammam (1495 W 6th Ave., mirajhammam.com) on South Granville for post-flight refresh—after all, nothing beats jet lag quite like a scrub down with black Moroccan soap ($135) while relaxing atop a slab of Jerusalem gold marble (and she’ll love the Sultana Lounge, piled with lush velvet cushions). Then it’s downtown to Alberni Street (dtvan.ca), where

the luxury shopping awaits—a great chance to drop some strong hints about that Burberry trench you’ve had your eye on. Hit Tiffany, Hermès, Gucci and the rest before a late, leisurely lunch at the 2 Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge and Raw Bar (1038 Canada Pl., lobbyloungerawbar.com). The open, light-filled space regularly features live music alongside hob-nobbing opportunities (wait, is that Michael Bublé?!). Oh, and impeccable fare like a torched wagyu beef salad ($34) and kabayaki-glazed sablefish ($32). One more cocktail for the road—martinis with a blue-cheesestuffed olive, of course ($25)—and then you’re sliding into your seats for a mind-bending 3 Ballet BC show at the grand Queen Elizabeth Theatre (from $19, 630 Hamilton St., balletbc .com). This is truly diverse modern dance, with nary a pointe shoe in sight. Debate whether or not the show was better than the time she took you to The Nutcracker when you were 12 over risotto alla carbonara ($38), crispy-tender Fraser Valley duck ($52) and a bottle of barolo at Cioppino’s (1133 Hamilton St., cioppinosyaletown.com).

No.17

A WEEKEND WITH...

Your preteen nephew who wants to feel cool but still sleeps with a stuffed dinosaur b

10:00 a.m.

A WHALE OF A TIME

Head to UBC Campus and the 1 Beaty Biodiversity Museum (adults, $14; kids, $10), where a staggering collection of preserved specimens—over two million!—awaits to either delight or gross out your nephew. The crown jewel of the space, of course, is the massive blue whale skeleton that hangs in the museum’s glass atrium—an awe-inspiring sight at any age. 212 Main Mall, UBC, beatymuseum.ubc.ca

1:00 p.m.

POOL PARTY

Grab some smokies and crispy sweet potato fries at the 2 Kits Beach concession before splashing around in Kits Pool (admission for two is $8), the city’s only saltwater public swimming pool... and certainly the one with the best view, thanks to its oceanfront location. Lounge in the shallow end while he ping-pongs between the two slides. 2305 Cornwall Ave., vancouver.ca

Dropping in at Rolla Skate Club (adults, $25; kids 15 and under, $20; No.18

5:00 p.m.

GET FUNKY

Slip through the throngs of college kids to get a table at the always bumpin’ Eatery. Even the most sullen and stoic of tweens will find conversational inspiration in the outrageous decor—papier-mâché sculptures of Astroboy and octopi hang from the ceiling, lit by Christmas lights. The avant-garde sushi rolls are nothing you’d find on an omakase menu, but you can’t deny it’s an experience to receive a roll stuffed with eel, avocado and tempura banana ($11). 3431 W Broadway, theeatery.ca

7:00 p.m.

ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM

Whether your boy is a sports fan or not: take him out to the ball game. The minor-league Vancouver Canadians (from $20) know how to put on a show, even when they’re

not up to bat. Sushi mascot races, dancing base-sweepers and (of course) the chicken dance will keep him distracted in between requests to please, please, please buy a novelty foam glove. 4601 Ontario St., milb.com 8:00 a.m.

STACKS ON STACKS

In the morning, it’s time for a stack of cinnamon-bun pancakes ($21) he can barely see over at the Canadiana-cute 3 Jam Cafe—the sweet creamcheese icing and maple butter will have him bouncing off the walls (but isn’t that what a weekend away from mom and dad is for?). Go first thing to avoid the stupid-long lines. 2153 W 4th Ave., jamcafes.com

3:00 p.m.

SKATER BOI REDUX

$7 for skate rental) is the perfect way to shake off the afternoon sugar crash. Strap on some skates and cruise the polished concrete rink alongside seasoned pros and newbies of all ages and abilities. 2901 E Hastings St., rollaskateclub.com

6:00 p.m.

TACO TIME (NOT THAT ONE)

Grab dinner at the colourful 4 Chancho on the Drive. The housemade tortillas are good enough to eat plain, but the plates piled with pork belly and cups of beans and pickled cabbage (from $18) let you build your own perfect taco—it’s always fun when dinner is an activity too, right? Dare him to eat a spoonful of hot sauce. 2096 Commercial Dr., chancho.ca

8:00 p.m.

THE RING’S THE THING

Boom Pro Wrestling ($35 a ticket) puts on a rowdy monthly show at the Commercial Drive Legion— with body slams and dramatic chokeholds aplenty—but things never go too far beyond a PG rating. (The team uses The Goonies as its North Star for what’s appropriate.) The outrageous costumes and characters and cartoonish violence are tailor-made to spark a kid’s imagination. Bring some posterboard so they can make their own sign to taunt evil lifeguard Brady Malibu. 2205 Commercial Dr., boomprowrestling.com

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

No.19

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your overly caffeinated Prairie bookworm cousin who has never seen the ocean b

☐ For the perfect rom-com feels, bring your cousin to Massy Books in Chinatown. She might just have a movie moment by touching hands with her future love interest while reaching for Pride and Prejudice. Get lost in the collection of books and paperbacks at this Indigenous-owned book nerd haven. Bonus: Check out Massy Gallery nearby for another ideal meet-cute spot. 229 E Georgia St., massybooks.com

☐ Spend an afternoon whimsically staring into the tanks at the 1 Vancouver Aquarium (general admission starts at $40). Share a playlist of ethereal, cinematic songs as you get hypnotized by the jellyfish. Introduce your landlocked cousin to the exciting world of marine life and the adorableness of sea otters, a.k.a. ocean puppies. 845 Avison Way, vanaqua.org

☐ Fuel up in Gastown with the perfect pour-over from 2 Revolver Coffee. Full of hip coffee snobs, digital nomads and downtown pros in the know, this artisanal coffee spot has more than one espresso variety for your latte fix. But why limit yourself? Grab a tasting flight ($8), featuring two espressos served straight and with milk; then it’s time to snag a spot on the streetside patio for some prime people-watching. 325 Cambie St., revolvercoffee.ca

☐ Elevate your coffee experience by taking your to-go cup to the nearby Library Square rooftop garden for some breathtaking views of the city skyline as you try not to imagine dropping your phone. 350 W Georgia St., vpl.ca

☐ Treat your Alberta Plains Jane to a quaint lunch at the charming 3 Finch’s Tea House, known for its antique vibes and heritage building chic. There are plenty of gourmet salads, hearty soups and French-style baguette sandwiches, but make sure to grab a blue brie and pear sandy ($15) to complement all that espresso you just enjoyed (and to help soak up any excess caffeine). 353 W Pender St., finchteahouse.com

☐ Take a stroll to 4 Canada Place and watch the cruise ships and float planes take off as you remember how many things actually live in the ocean from your time at the aquarium (you swear you saw a whale fin emerge!). 999 Canada Pl., canadaplace.ca

☐ Catch the epic sunset at Jericho Beach. Locals know to grab a seat The Galley at Jericho Sailing Centre’s primo patio for views of the sea, the skyline and the mountains—so yeah, it’s a flex. Sip on a Moody Ales Blood Orange Hefeweizen ($9), the beachiest beer on a menu with some impressive craft brewery options. Or, if you’re not feeling thirsty, skip the patio and just plop down on a log in the sand and watch the sky do its thing while nearby beach bums try to finish their SpikeBall game before it gets too dark. 1300 Discovery St., thegalley.ca

A DAY WITH...

Your gluten-free BFF who loves vintage clothes and starts every anecdote with “One time, at Coachella...”

Over a fresh-baked gluten-free danish of the day ($6) at Gluten Free Epicurean (633 E 15th Ave., freeepicurean.ca make your plan of attack. Hit up F as in Frank (2425 Main St., fasin frankvin tage.com), Mintage Mall (245 E Broadway, mintagevintage.com and Rewind Resale (2331 Main St., shoprewindresale.com) for distressed denim, cute ugly shirts and other one-of-a-kind finds. If you’re craving a touch of designer luxury, Turnabout on Main (2929 Main St., turnabout.com) is your next stop. Here, you’ll discover a mix of high-end consignment and designer labels, perfect for elevating your festival style game. Who knows? You might just catch the eye of the lead singer on stage with your newfound fashion flair. After a day of shop hopping, hit Smitty’s Oyster House (3124 Main St., smittysoysterhouse mainstreet.com) for raw oysters (MP) or, if your bestie is the free spirit she claims she is, spice things up with a zesty oyster margarita ($10). Catch a show at the Fox Cabaret afterward (2321 Main St., foxcabaret.com)—the former adult theatre is now a hub for live music but still has a perfect grungy-gritty vibe.

No.20

(FINCH'S TEA HOUSE) CLINTON HUSSEY

comic books. Hand-drawn and digital comics from Indigenous artists Jordanna George, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Gord Hill, Whess Harman and Cole Pauls are on display here—and the expertly curated gift shop is a good place for books, prints and art-splashed homewares. 639 Hornby Street, billreidgallery.ca

A DAY WITH...

Your parents, who have the steam clock on their to-do list and are disappointed to learn the revolving restaurant is overbooked b

10:00 a.m.

CHEWS AND VIEWS

Let’s build up to the great steam clock reveal with a bit of natural beauty first. Pick up some coffees and a couple of smoked tomato breakfast sandwiches ($10) from Railtown Cafe and amble on down to the seawall, where you can take in the majestic ocean, watch the seaplanes land and gossip about your weird aunt. 429 Granville St., railtowncafe.ca

11:00 a.m.

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Next, head over to the 1 Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (adults, $13; free for Indigenous Peoples), where the XIÁM exhibit (on until May 19) will satisfy both your mom’s taste for beautiful art and your dad’s obsession with

5:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

GOOD EGGS

It’s brunch o’clock, so a reservation at 2 Café Medina is required (seriously—make a reso for this busy downtown spot). Dad will get the frittata ($20), bursting with roasted carrots, caramelized onions and goat cheese; mom will opt for the spicy Moroccan lamb meatballs and poached eggs that make up Les Boulettes ($22). You’ll get a couple of liège waffles and be annoyed when your folks start picking off your plate.

780 Richards St., medinacafe.com

3:00 p.m.

SEEING GREEN

A lowkey sport should work off that post-brunch slump. Par-tee Putt offers 18 themed mini-golf holes, otherwise known as 18 opportunities to prove to your dad that you’re over your competitive phase. Book online or walk in (admission starts at $25 per person) for some nostalgic family fun and no shouting or crying whatsoever, you promise. If tensions do run high, a Lazy Hazy cocktail (gin, elderflower, grapefruit and Stanley Park Hazy IPA, $16) should cool you down. 670 Smithe St., parteeputt.com

MORE IN STORE

The time has come: yes, of course you’ll take their picture in front of the iconic (though fake... we all know that, right?) Gastown steam clock. And, yes, you can totally Photoshop out that couple getting engaged in the background. As long as you can also stop at the Make Vancouver shop right across the street, where you can restore your faith in humanity a bit via sassy tote bags, locally designed streetwear and custom embroidery. (Matching family hats, anyone?) 170 Water St., makegastown.com

6:00 p.m.

DONE LIKE DINNER

If the revolving restaurant had your parents’ heads spinning, just wait until they try 3 L’Abattoir. The Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Award-winning restaurant serves up French-ish West Coast cuisine— think beetroot carpaccio ($24) and sablefish with Dungeness crab and vadouvan ($49). Or, spring for chef Lee Cooper’s tasting menu ($160 per person) for seasonal faves with a side of your parents’ undying admiration. 217 Carrall St., labattoir.ca

No.22

A DAY OUT WITH...

Your college drinking buddies who get more nostalgic with every pint

Hon’s Wonton House seems a good place to start your nostalgia tour— while the Chinatown location that opened in the ’70s and fed many a hungover college kid is now closed, the Olympic Village location (25 E 2nd Ave., honswontonhouse.com) still tastes like the good ol’ days. (And the BBQ pork buns are still a killer deal—$9 for three.) After brunch, head west: the Museum of Vancouver (adults, $20; 1100 Chestnut St., museumofvancouver.ca) is a treasure box of collective memories, from neon signs to protest posters. Even things that happened before your heyday infuse visitors with a sense of civic pride. Grab a case of Granville Island lager from the liquor store—remember when it was the only craft beer game in town?—and wobble down the steps to Wreck Beach (visit.ubc.ca), where you’ll enjoy a boozy, beachy day complaining about whether your knees will survive the trip back up. Keep happy hour going in Gastown at the Lamplighter (92 Water St., freehouse.co), Vancouver’s oldest pub—though the brick-lined space now features DJs and very 2024 dishes like cumin-roasted salmon and quinoa ($23). But you’re here to drink! Put that quinoa down! Because the last stop of the night is an R5 ride down Hastings (formerly the 95 B-line... ah, memories!) to Pepino’s (631 Commercial Dr., pepinos.ca). In the old Nick’s Spaghetti House, the retro-cool resto is an homage to the red-sauce glory days. Soak up the beer with a deep-dish double-pepperoni “Big Pauly” pizza ($32).

No.21

THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE

☐ Explore the 1 Vancouver Art Gallery’s latest exhibits, like Of and About Posters ($29, general admission). If you’re lucky enough to visit on the first Friday of the month, you’re in for a treat—it’s free from 4 to 8 p.m. 750 Hornby St., vanartgallery.bc.ca

A CHECKLIST FOR...

Your vegan cousin who’s finishing up her urban planning masters—and is totally broke No.23

☐ Pull up to Queen Elizabeth Park for some disc golf. It’s the perfect opportunity for a low-cost catch-up sesh with your fave cuz. Challenge each other on the 13-hole course with suspended chain targets while soaking in the natural beauty (and maybe dodging some ducks) at this hilly urban haven. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the park, city and the mountains lining the North Shore. And the best part? It won’t cost you a dime. Ontario St. and E 33rd Ave., vancitydiscgolf.ca

☐ Swing by Edible Flours for some vegan treats. Indulge in jam

thumbprint cookies ($3) or a blueberry and raspberry tartlette ($4), with lots of gluten-free options available, too. And don’t forget to grab a couple of small oat milk lattes for the road ($4 each). 2280 W Broadway, edibleflours.ca

☐ Saunter over to Kitsilano Beach for some budget-friendly relaxation by the ocean. Whether you’re soaking up the sun, cooling off with a dip or watching the local bird population plot their food heists, it’s the ideal spot for an affordable beach day. Cornwall Ave. and Yew St., vancouver.ca

☐ Snag a Mobi bike from one of the city’s many docking stations and cruise toward 2 Stanley Park (Mobi bikes are priced at $0.25/ minute; e-bikes at $0.35/minute, or opt for a 24-hour pass for $19.) If you’re feeling adventurous, check out the Stanley Park Pitch and Putt (18 holes, $17/person) or take a dip in the nearby Second Beach heated outdoor pool ($7). Just be prepared for it to be bustling with kids if school’s out. mobibikes.ca; Stanley Park Dr., vancouver.ca

☐ Share a mezze sampler ($20/person) at Kitsilano’s 3 Nuba as your cousin tries to explain her thesis to you again. And on Mondays or Tuesdays, snag 40 percent off bottles of wine to ease those financial woes (and any other woes... it’s wine, after all). 3116 W Broadway, nuba.ca

(STANLEY PARK BIKE PATH)

MICAH MCKERLICH; (STANLEY PARK)

KYLE THACKER

Those crows that fly east at dusk are going to Burnaby. More than 6,000 of them roost near Still Creek Drive nightly. If you go to visit... bring an umbrella.

The Gastown cobblestones were installed in the ’70s. Yeah, it’s Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood but the old-timey lampposts and the steam clock are a marketing initiative (or, a passive prank?).

Stanley Park is bigger than Central Park. Stanley Park is 1,001 acres while New York’s most famous attraction is just 841. We know size doesn’t matter, but... give us this. Please.

THINGS TO TELL PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO VANCOUVER BEFORE

No.24

A DAY WITH...

Your relatives from India who took 4,000 photos in Tofino but are feeling a little homesick

bThey’re loving the West Coast wilderness, so give ’em another dose at sprawling Pacific Spirit Park (16th Ave. and Imperial St., vancouvertrails .com), where trails crisscross under towering firs and the fresh, earthy air will keep anyone from feeling too depressed. A taste of home, though, isn’t too far away—it’s just a car ride over to 1 Dosa Corner (6181 Fraser St., dosacorner.ca), Vanmag’s 2023 Best Indian award-winner, where crispy, chewy and fermented oversized crepes (from $12) wrap around

flavourful fillings and feed the soul. After lunch, pop up to 2 Punjabi Market (Main St. and 48th Ave., punjabimarket.ca), a three-block district dense in community-serving South-Asian shops, supermarkets and fashion outlets. Take a walk on a self-guided mural tour of the eight murals from South Asian artists that were added to the ’hood during the 2021 Mural Fest—Sandeep Johal’s colourful A Love Letter to Mithai makes an ideal photo-op backdrop. Nearby, scope out legendary architect Arthur Erickson’s unique 3 Sikh Temple (8000 Ross St.). Currently home to the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver, it blends West Coast modernism— boxy angles and glass galore!—with Sikh tradition. Experience another east-meets-west moment over dinner at Vij’s (3106 Cambie St., vijs .ca), where co-owners Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala put old-school techniques to work on fresh, sustainable B.C. ingredients to create both irresistible fenugreek-cream lamb popsicles ($32) and one of the most lauded Indian restaurants in town. It’ll be good fuel for tomorrow’s whale watching expedition—time to get back to some Pacific-style adventure.

A

☐ Raise a glass with yer dear ol’ paw at the Irish Heather Shebeen. It’s an Irish whiskey bar in Chinatown with a killer corned beef sandwich—what’s not to love? Slàinte! 248 E Georgia St., irishheather.com

☐ Leave the man alone. He’s a secret softie. Of course he loves a bath. Send him for a soak at the indulgent Chi the Spa at Shangri-La, where a Lola Apothecary Rose Milk bath is at the heart of the Queen of Hearts treatment ($440).

1128 W Georgia St., shangri-la.com

☐ Let him discover his new favourite chanteuse from a seat at one of the candlelit cabaret tables at Guilt and Company ($6 cover charge per musical set); it remains one of the most intimate places to see live music in the city. 1 Alexander St., guiltandcompany.com

☐ Play a round underground. You could take him to the driving range... but downtown’s “urban golf club” One Under has pizza. And a game where you can smash the windows of an abandoned apartment building with your golf ball. Looks like the simulated golf experience ($55 per hour) wins this round. 476 Granville St., oneunder.ca

LETTER TO MITHAI

☐ Stick him behind the wheel of the Lamborghini Huracán EVO Spyder you rented from Scenic Rush ($895 for three hours) for a whip up the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Sorry if this is the first time you’ve ever seen him cry. Starting location varies, scenicrush.com

☐ Spin your wheels at the Deeley Exhibition, Canada’s largest private motorcycle collection, curated by the family who ran Granville Street’s “Fred Deeley, The Cycle Man” shop back in 1914. 1875 Boundary Rd., deeleyexhibition.ca

No.25

TOTALLY TOFINO

Where to eat, stay and spa in this idyllic island town.

BY AMANDA ROSS

EAT

▶ Transplanted Nova

Scotian Ronnie Lee got his Tofino start cooking at weekend BBQ pop-ups in his friend’s backyard. But word of—and smells from— the east coaster’s smoker prowess soon spread and, before long, a restaurant was in the works. Lil’ Ronnie’s Beachside BBQ now delivers revelatory beef brisket daily thanks in part to 18 hours of smoking, but also its provenance from Beretta Farms, an

ethical ranch raising animals without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

1101 Pacific Rim Hwy., Tofino

▶ Family-run Jeju’s menu isn’t vast, which means that each of its Korean dishes is

thoughtful and perfected. The tiny restaurant recently added charcoal bossam, a char-grilled pork belly served with arugula, ssamjang and pickled radish. Take note: the K.F.C. lettuce wraps with sweet spicy gochujang and pistachio often sell out.

101–120 Fourth St., Tofino

▶ Stop by the new location of Adriana’s Sandwich Shop for classic sandwiches with a twist (Broccoli Bob with broccolini, pickled carrots,

Adriana’s Sandwich Shop

arugula and sriracha; prosciutto parmigiana with arugula and lemon pesto) and pizza (salami and honey; kale with mozzarella and lemon).

4–131 First St., Tofino

DESTINATION CANADA/BRIAN CAISSIE

Jeju

▶ Shelter Restaurant, a Tofino mainstay for over 20 years, recently moved to new digs in the former 1909 Kitchen but brought their local faves with them. The classic Meares Island chowder features local catch (as does the Surf

STAY

▶ Accommodation at Mackenzie Beach Resort includes beachfront cabins, reimagined Airstream trailers and their newest addition: 240-square-foot modern suites built by Vancouver Island’s Aux Box. These stunning prefab units pack elevated punch with a private deck, firepit, indoor and outdoor showers, kitchenette (with local Rhino coffee) and ensuite (with Canadian-made Oneka toiletries refilled locally by Ucluelet’s The Den). 1101 Pacific Rim Hwy., Tofino

▶ Ranked one of the world’s best stretches of sand, Chesterman Beach’s three kilometres of spectacular sun and surf are just a quick three-minute walk from a gem on Airbnb. Designed by Vancouver-based Scott and Scott Architects (Formula Fig; Leisure Centre), the three-bedroom Chesterman Cabin feels modern but not spare and cold, with birch plywood walls and radiant-heat concrete floors. Nestled in the trees sits a hot tub a stone’s throw from the sleek glass sliding doors.

1358 Chesterman Beach Rd., Tofino

▶ If you build it, they will come. The Wickaninnish Inn, which needs no introduction as Tofino’s grande dame, was first the vision of Dr. Howard McDiarmid, who moved to the area in 1955 to

bowl with locally caught wild salmon); the salted sourdough with salted butter is baked in-house. This summer they’ve got the Seaside Smash cocktail (gin, Chambord, lemon and rosemary) on tap. 634 Campbell St., Tofino

head up the local hospital. His children, Charles and Bruce, brought that vision to life by clearing the land by hand so that, in 1996, a proper beachfront hotel could finally welcome well-heeled international visitors to the area. In The Pointe restaurant, dine while listening to the soundtrack of crashing waves live-piped through speakers.

500 Osprey Ln., Tofino

▶ Skip the set-up at Surf Grove campground with their new rigid-roofed A-frame tent rentals. With sturdy shelter overhead, storm watch safe and dry from a queen bed that fits snugly under the pint-sized peak. Each campsite includes a fire pit with chairs, onsite laundry and picnic table as well as room for one pitched tent. 1451 Pacific Rim Hwy., Tofino

▶ Opened in the summer of 2023, the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s Tsawaak RV Resort and Campground—adjacent to the Indigenous-owned Tin Wis Resort Lodge—offers 34 RV sites and 13 longhouse cabins just steps from Tin Wis (MacKenzie) Beach. The visitor centre features a gallery for local Tla-o-qui-aht artists to showcase their work while a retail shop stocks essentials— like marshmallows, of course.

1119 Pacific Rim Hwy., Tofino

SPA

▶ Just 15 minutes from Tofino’s harbour by boat sits the new Moon Jelly Bathhouse where seaweed bathing promises to lower stress, increase circulation, relieve skin conditions and calm the nervous system. Rich in antioxidants and minerals including zinc, potassium, magnesium and iodine, the new spa’s seaweed is sustainably harvested from the Naas Foods kelp farm near Tofino. For six hours, soak, plunge, bask, sweat, swim and rinse on your own private floating sanctuary with lounge, day beds and sky hammock hung over open water in the northernmost bay of Lemmens Inlet. Shi’s Marina, Tofino

▶ In partnership with the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, the Tofino Resort and Marina’s remote floating sauna dock sits in total solitude (it’s a 35-minute boat ride from town). Once here, immerse yourself in the healing powers of a wood-fired cedar sauna, paddle boarding and plunging in the pristine waters of a quiet bay a world away. 634 Campbell St., Tofino

(THE WICKANINNISH INN) SIMONE MONDINO; (MOON JELLY BATHHOUSE) JAE LAZAR; (TOFINO RESORT AND MARINA) @WZYLOUISEY LOUISE TUCK

Moon Jelly Bathhouse

Tofino Resort and Marina

The Wickaninnish Inn Shelter Restaurant

Mackenzie Beach Resort

Stand-up paddling is a beautiful way to see Squamish from sea level.

DIFFERENT STROKES

You don’t need to take a lesson to paddleboard in Squamish... but you should.

BY ALYSSA HIROSE

Iknow how to not fall off a paddleboard.

That said, I’m used to participating in this wobbly watersport in only the most ideal conditions: on calm lakes in the hottest days of summer, and once in Maui, where taking a tumble into the ocean hardly matters. But the stakes feel a lot higher on an overcast day in Squamish at 7:45 in the morning.

My friend Mariah and I are suiting up on the west

shore of the Mamquam Blind Channel for an “Intro to Stroke” class with Norm Hann Expeditions. Our instructor, Tina Currie, exchanges friendly greetings with the earlier-risers who pass by us on their way out of (out of!) the water. Many of them look twice our age and also twice as fit. Buckling into my crayon-red life vest and lugging my board to the water’s edge, I decide to fake it till I make it. After all, there’s

not much wind, the water looks buttery smooth and I kind of know how to do this.

Currie suggests we start on our knees, but all four of her pupils (Mariah and I plus a couple from out of town who apparently think an 8 a.m. paddleboard is a romantic vacay) move quickly to standing. We paddle south along

Paddling is for summer only, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

Paddle BC is an excellent resource for year-round activities (think canoeing, kayaking, rafting and more). They offer a list of training courses all over the province— that’s how we found Norm Hann Expeditions in Squamish. You don’t have to get wet, you just have to get with it. paddlebc.ca

the channel, Currie stopping every once in a while to point out an interesting bird or historical landmark or fundamental error I’m making while paddling (politely, of course). It turns out that you’re not supposed to jam your paddle as deep into the water as possible, but, instead, hinge and rotate

ABOVE BOARD

at the waist and keep your arms in a relatively stagnant position... kind of like how a Barbie might paddleboard. My (wrong) technique had me zig-zagging across the channel, needing to switch sides almost every stroke. Now, I’m on a much straighter track, slicing through the blue-green water and hardly

even thinking about how embarrassing it would be to fall in.

Not only does Currie’s instruction make me faster, it also makes me more energy-efficient: in the past I’ve found paddleboarding exhausting, but this method is downright meditative. The glorious marbled cliffs and

SQUAMISH CHECKLIST

Out of the water, here’s a list of things to do on (and above) dry land.

EAT

▶ Pre-paddle, there’s coffee and doughnuts at Fox and Oak, the cozy café that you’re basically guaranteed to see a corgi at. Check out their rotating “community” and “experiential” doughnuts—the former donates a portion of proceeds to charity, the latter pushes baked good boundaries. 1386 Main St., Squamish

▶ Just north in Brackendale, the Watershed Grill has a charming riverside patio and is a prime eagle-viewing spot (it’s just across the water from Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park, the part-time home of around 1,300 bald eagles— bring along your binoculars). Grab a salmon burger with wasabi mayo or split some baked brie with red onion jam with your adventure pal. 41101 Government Rd., Brackendale

lush forest landscape helps, too. We practice turning on a dime, paddling circles around a dock and facing the occasional boat wake head-on.

Prior to this, I didn’t think I needed a paddleboarding lesson—like with ice skating or Spikeball, I thought this was just one

of those standard seasonal PNW activities I’d approach with some spirit, little skill and zero grace. But there’s something deeply satisfying about skimming over the water while gazing up at those serene Squamish views. I understand now why the paddle-happy retirees were so eager to get up and go.

FYI, Sea to Sky Air pilots are friendly but firm when answering no, you can’t have a turn at the wheel.

▶ Designophiles, take note: Taka Ramen and Sushi is dreamy minimalist space created by local Squamish designer Josianne Bérubé. On the menu is (you guessed it) ramen and sushi, plus sashimi salad, donburi and more. 38065 Cleveland Ave., Squamish

SHOP

▶ To escape from your escape, there’s Gather Bookshop, a store packed with stories for

readers of all ages. If it’s in stock, check out Held by the Land by ethnobotanist and Squamish Nation member Leigh Joseph—it’s all about the healing powers of Indigenous plants. 38041 2nd Ave., Squamish

▶ The Squamish Farmers’ Market is on every Saturday, April to September, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find fresh flowers, local veggies and live music here. 37996 Cleveland Ave., Squamish

▶ You won’t find a prettier modern boutique than Grateful Gift Shop. Vintage clothing, all-natural skincare, handmade jewellery and candles line the carefully curated shelves in this lightfilled space. 38027 2nd Ave., Squamish

FLY

▶ Take sea to sky literally by booking a scenic flight after paddleboarding—trust me, the water is even more gorgeous from the air. Sea to Sky Air offers tours starting at $135. There’s no bad seat on these little planes, but the co-pilot spot is definitely the coolest. seatoskyair.ca

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Fox and Oak

Squamish Farmers’ Market

Taka Ramen and Sushi

COWICHAN VALLEY

A DUNCAN SATURDAY

FIRST BITE

Brunch on 3rd takes in-house to a new level: the restaurant is inside a home in a charming neighbourhood. For the savoury connoisseur, the West Coast mushroom benedict is a go-to pick for the tomato jam alone. Have a sweet tooth? The banana bread French toast is the perfect dessert-for-breakfast, with cream cheese icing and maple syrup for dipping. Traditionalists can’t go wrong with a classic fluffy pancake.

148 3 St., Duncan

MARKET RATE

What’s better than Saturday morning brunch? Saturday

VALLEY ROAD TRIP

Planning a getaway to Vancouver Island?

Take it from a local: you don’t want to skip the hidden gems nestled in the Cowichan Valley.

BY MEGAN ZOLORYCKI

COWICHAN BAY CALLING

SEA THE SIGHTS

Cowichan Bay is a seaside community that specializes in quiet charm and barking sea lions, and the docks along Cowichan Bay Road are a favourite spot for the dogs of the water. Eavesdrop on their conversations while taking in the beach views, then meander through town (check out Wild Coast Perfumery for vegan eau de parfum). 1721 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay

WALL FLOWERS

Chemainus is known for its murals—grab a coffee from the nearby Willow St. Café and enjoy the public art, from vintage oxen vignettes to a 2022 work by Coast Salish artist Maynard Johnny Jr. If you’re looking for one-ofa-kind vintage clothing, the six-decade-old Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary Thrift Shop is top-tier. 9749 Willow St., Chemainus

morning brunch and exploring a farmers’ market. Just down the road is the Duncan Farmers’ Market, which runs year-round every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market shows off the Cowichan Valley’s local bounty with close to 100 vendors. This is the spot to grab some farm-fresh eggs or hunt down a unique pair of earrings. 200 Craig St., Duncan

SIPPIN’ TEA

A sizzling day calls for a cup of iced jasmine green tea with white peony and rose petals. Westholme Tea Company offers a guided tea tour and workshop to get to know some curated organic tea from around the world. We recommend getting a reso. 8350 Richards Tr., Duncan

GOOD WHEATIN’

Foodies on the hunt for local ingredients will find organic B.C. red fife fettucine and ciabatta pizza dough at True Grain, a 20-year-old bakery that now has locations in Courtenay and Summerland (but started in good ol’ Cowichan Bay). Once you’ve found your pantry staples, pick up a chocolate salted pecan spelt brownie for the road. 1735 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay

CHARMING CHEMAINUS

GIVE A HOOT

Gilmore Girls fans, get ready to enter Chemainus, the Island version of Stars Hollow. The Owl’s Nest Bakery Bistro is old-timey charm to the max (the barista knows most of the customers by name). Check it out for brunch—the Holy Cowichan bowl is piled high with potato hash, braised beef brisket and poached eggs. 9752 Willow St., Chemainus

TREKKING AND TASTING

You can’t visit the Cowichan Valley without seeking out some great grapes and great views.

STONEY HILL PARK

If it’s exercise you’re after, take the highway straight to Stoney Hill Regional Park in Maple Bay. It’s a bit of an uphill battle, but we promise the end point is worth it. Sweat your way around the three-kilometre trail loop and take in the view of Salt Spring Island at the apex. cvrd.ca/1917/ stoney-hill-regional-park

UNSWORTH VINEYARDS

This Mill Bay institution offers a variety of superior wine, and the attached restaurant has an excellent menu. Enjoy a glass (or a bottle) of a pinot noir and a grilled chicken sandwich with apple butter, brie and bacon. unsworthvineyards.com

Westholme Tea Company

True Grain Bakery

Brunch on 3rd

BANFF

WHEN IN BANFF

BY AMANDA ROSS

It was 1883 and CNR rail workers were busy laying track through the Rocky Mountains when they stumbled on a series of natural hot springs. Then, as now, developers quickly angled and investors queued behind them, so the government stepped in to protect the rare find—and our first National Park was born.

Soon the world was beating a path to Banff’s majestic front door and a resulting mountain cuisine bubbled up—one part local, one part European. Today, from Lupo’s handmade pasta with raclette and fresh truffle to this summer’s blend-your-own-gin experience on the Banff Cocktail Trail, that adventurous spirit remains. Here are a host of new and newish eateries offering fuel for that next mountain experience—be it peak or patio.

1 The postcard-amazing Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise’s new restaurant, Louiza, serves Mediterranean-style share plates inspired by Canadian Rocky Mountain flora. In collaboration with Canmore’s Wild Life Distillery, the hotel recently launched two premium spirits, Fairview Winter Gin (juniper, grapefruit, saskatoonberries) and Untamed Signature Whisky (Alberta rye aged in white American oak, with notes of muscovado sugar, black pepper and “forest floor”). 111 Lake Louise Dr., Lake Louise

Inside the historic Mount Royal Hotel (it opened three years after Alberta became a province), Brazen pays homage to the intrepid

2

explorers who first checked in when it opened on a prime spot on Banff Avenue. Duck croquettes, fried artichokes with smoked tofu mousse and smoked striploin with cherry juniper jus are modern takes on rustic mountain cuisine.

138 Banff Ave., Banff

3

Chef Justin Leboe earned his chops at Calgary’s acclaimed Pigeonhole and Model Milk before joining powerhouse Banff Hospitality Collective’s newest 180-seat gem, Bluebird Wood-fired Steakhouse. Located in the former iconic Melissa’s Missteak (don’t worry, that institution just moved down Banff Avenue), the reimagined chalet-meets-’70s lounge in the nearly 100-year-old building features a newly built

15-metre fireplace with stonework in a facsimile of the town’s main bridge. Prime rib looms large with shareable sides (gluten-free Yorkshire pudding; fried Manchego cheese with cantaloupe and macadamia nuts) while a half-price fondue happy hour and tropical-friendly cocktails on the newly opened patio make for perfect après.

214 Lynx St., Banff

For decades, the Inns of Banff was the first lodging to greet visitors to town, but it’s been revamped as the new Hotel Canoe and Suites with an onsite café, Sudden Sally, that offers breakfast (Canoe rolled

4

oats with dates), lunch and dinner (sweet potato and date salad; buttermilk panko onion rings with a smash burger; house pickles). 2000–600 Banff Ave., Banff

5

In a sea of priceelastic upscale eateries, Hankki’s Korean street food clocks in as one of the most affordable meals within sight of the Great Divide. The popular Calgary transplant’s KBBQ bowl with sweet and savoury marinated grilled pork costs just $11, while the Hankki Original, a battered beef and chicken sausage hotdog on a stick, sits at a pioneer-priced $6.

206 Buffalo St., Banff

FESTIVAL FEELS

One of Canada’s earliest iconic railway hotels, the Fairmont Banff Springs feels thoroughly modern with its Banffchella pool party vibe. This year’s new theme—Parisian garden party—sees pool and patio kitted out with natural florals and lawn games. fairmont.com

Bluebird Wood-fired Steakhouse

Brazen

BLUE VIEWS The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (left) is home to Louiza, a new restaurant that brings a taste of the Mediterranean to the mountains.

Phantom Creek Estate - "Created without compromise" to stand beside the finest estates in the world. We are destined to set a new standard for wine making in Canada. To gain privileged access to new releases before they are made available to the public, join our exclusive wine club.

Join our exclusive membership program though our website - www.phantomcreekestates.com

SOUTHERN OK SISTERHOOD

From Oliver to Osoyoos, women in wine are crushing approachability.

BY BARB SLIGL

“It gives me goosebumps,” says winemaker Val Tait when describing the subtleties of terroir in the South Okanagan. She’s worked at vineyards worldwide, but thinks Gold Hill Winery’s 25-acre estate vineyard on the Golden Mile Slopes—just across from the sandy, sun-baked hills of Black Sage Bench—is one of the best in Canada. And, as a woman winemaker, she wants to capture the distinct personality of its cabernet franc grapes. “It sounds like a cliché, but it’s a reflection of where the grapes are grown,” Tait says of the more restrained and pure varietal expression characteristic of local wines made by women.

There’s a strong sisterhood in Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country, a 33-kilometre stretch from the landmark of nʕaylintn/McIntyre Bluff to the U.S. border. Women make up about 20 percent of the lead winemakers across the Okanagan (compared to 10 percent elsewhere in B.C. and 14 in California). Tait’s been immersed in the nuance

and complexity of growing grapes in the Valley for two decades—and loves that her go-to grape, cabernet franc, has an idiosyncratic and more approachable character (less of the pungent green notes and more of the dry and herbal qualities) when grown in South Okanagan soil.

“Approachable” is a term often repeated by women winemakers here. Catherine Coulombe, co-owner and winemaker at vinAmité Cellars in Oliver, uses it to describe her wines, along with words like feminine and gentle. “I like smooth wines; I want to be able to drink it tonight,” she says. And, she adds, she wants her tasting room to have the vibe of “hanging out in your friend’s kitchen.” Coulombe also touts other women winemakers, like Gina Fernandes Harfman of Nostalgia Wines—just across the Okanagan River—

TACO TIME Take a break from the wine with a spicy margarita and tacos—¡claro está!—on Main Street in Oliver. TacoRiendo started out of owner Jany Lopez’s van, when the Mazatlán expat sold Mexican groceries to migrant workers who wanted authentic habanero sauce and traditional tortillas. Soak up the lively atmosphere and stock up at the attached and now brickand-mortar grocery shop. 6038 Main St., Oliver

from whom she gets vinAmité’s viognier grapes.

On the southeastern shores of Osoyoos Lake, you can often find Danielle Dhaliwal on a lawnmower tending the grassy site in front of Lakeside Cellars’ tasting room. The co-owner and manager of the winery grew up on an Oliver farm and is now married to another farmer, who is also the viticulturist and winemaker at Lakeside. Dhaliwal wants to make the wine scene more enticing— and, yes, approachable—to women, and so cultivates a convivial spirit at Lakeside, from food trucks and to-go cans of bubbly to soapmaking workshops and live music. Noting a group of 30 yogis who are practicing on the lawn for the winery’s “Rise and Wine” summer yoga series, Dhaliwal acknowledges the community vibe. “We almost look like a cult,” she says with a laugh.

GRAPE GALS

Danielle Dhaliwal Lakeside Cellars

WINE OF CHOICE ORANGE MUSCAT

“It’s the best summer wine.” (Danielle’s husband, Ricky, planted orange muscat at Lakeside because it’s her fave.)

Val Tait

Gold Hill Winery

WINE OF CHOICE CABERNET FRANC

“I think it’s going to become the signature grape in British Columbia.” (A clone of the grape variety is also Tait’s social media handle: @cabfranc214.)

Catherine Coulombe

vinAmité Cellars

WINE OF CHOICE CHARDONNAY

“This is my favourite wine. We’re well known for this chardonnay because it’s on the lighter, softer side.”

(And the yeast is sourced from Burgundy.)

GRAB AND GO Throughout the summer, food trucks converge in spots like Gyro Beach in Osoyoos—and also at wineries along both benches. Get classic comfort food from Bo Betty’s, including homemade burgers like the mushroomladen Mamacita and deep-fried pickles. The ’50s-themed fare is locally sourced and served by a crew of women, sometimes even dressed as the Pink Ladies. facebook.com/p/bo-bettys

DEEP ROOTED

Val Tait (top) gets a bite of the bounty at Gold Hill Winery; the vineyard at Lakeside Cellars (left) hosts soapmaking and yoga, too).

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Use your noodle—or, simply head over to Magari by Oca and get your pasta from the pros. Read on for a Magari review, a riesling rundown and a guest-pleasing Thai recipe. (Oh, and the sexiest leeks in town.)

Comfort Food

We're still daydreaming about the fresh handmade pasta at Magari by Oca. For our full review, turn the page.

A Hopeful Reopening

The much-beloved Oca Pastificio is now Magari by Oca, and the reimagined restaurant continues to shape perfect pasta on the Drive.

by Neal McLennan

The Vancouver restaurant industry exists on a high wire of thin margins and frequent closures, and as a consequence requires its denizens to develop a pretty thick skin in order to keep riding their fraught merry-go-round of a profession. But even this battle-hardened group was gutted by the news last year of the sudden passing of chef Greg Dilabio. Dilabio and business partner Antoine Dumont had opened Oca Pastificio on a sliver of a storefront on Commercial Drive in late 2019. It was the kind of mixture of unpretentious vibe and superlative cooking that elicited mad respect from their peers and unconditional love from their patrons. I count myself as one of the smitten—our review in March 2020 was, as far as I know, the first to be published singing their praises and from then to that horrible day last summer, I never had a meal there I didn’t absolutely love (so much for objectivity).

So I felt a mix a joy and trepidation when I heard last fall that Dumont and the rest of the Oca family were planning on reopening the restaurant as Magari by Oca. As is typical with Dumont, the event was low key: no PR, no news releases, just a simple change of the Instagram handle from Oca Pastificio to Magari by Oca and a short announcement. The parameters would be mostly unchanged:

same room, open four nights a week, no reservations. But the ultimate factor—the food—remained a question mark. One of the ironies of Oca was that Dilabio, by all accounts shy and self-effacing, was front and centre, making the evening’s fare by hand. It was a situation born of necessity

Award Buzz Magari is up for three 2024 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant

Awards: Best Casual Italian, Best Pasta and Best Commercial Drive Restaurant.

given the size of the room, but it quickly became Oca’s calling card. It tasted like the freshest pasta in town, and the proof was a mere 15 feet away from you.

Walking through the threshold of the new restaurant feels completely natural— which simultaneously feels completely

unnatural, an Inception-esque alternate reality where things stay permanently unchanged. The decor is the same, the crew is mostly the same, there’s the same chalkboard menu listing what’s on offer. But where Dilabio would normally be standing is chef Gus Dixon, a veteran from the Oca kitchen, and beside him is Robbie Barbeau as sous (he started apprenticing under Dilabio when he was just 19). It’s a cold Thursday, but the full room is buzzing with an eclectic mix: one woman is wearing an off-the-shoulder, Pininfarina-red ball gown, a bloom in a

sea of Blundstones and Arc’teryx. The ages skew younger than on my past few visits, with Dumont later confiding that a lot of the diners had no history with Oca at all—they’re just coming to some new place called Magari that they’d heard good things about.

I figure the fairest path would be simply to order what I had on my last go-around—the pasta tasting menu, a carbfest of the highest order. The opening salvo is a simple but ample charcuterie platter, and even this now de rigueur starter has touches that bring a smile.

First and foremost, they use the criminally underloved speck over ubiquitous prosciutto, a small but telling swap-out that tells me I’m among my peeps. Ditto the salad course—forceful fillets of sardines atop some crisp greens and carciofi alla romana. Neither dish is fussy, and Danny Meyer would lose his mind over the casual plating, but both have a vein of authenticity that causes one to say things like “carciofi” when you mean “artichokes.”

And then, the rotolo with squash and smoked caciocavallo cheese and sage butter: as close to a signature dish as Oca ever produced, famously on the cover of our Restaurant Awards issue three years ago. It’s essentially made to order by chef Dixon and it elicits that same hot damn feeling as it did the first time I tasted it. It’s structured and rich, with endless depth, and while so much of the fare at Magari lands in the realm of traditional Italian comfort, this dish is a star in any context.

The dishes that follow each have their own charm. On one end, there’s a stripped-down gnocchi with a light tomato aglione sauce from Barbeau that’s so minimal it would make Donald Judd blush; on the other an orecchiette with lamb ragu from chef Tom Durant (he’s the orecchiette master) that leans hard into the meat’s gaminess alongside the classic Puglian pasta. It’s all so in-a-zone that the only comparable would be that one meal you had in Tuscany while on vacation nine years ago that you won’t shut up about.

The one potential pitfall—that Magari will become the food equivalent of an Oca tribute band—seems to be missing the point. After dinner I look up what the word magari means: maybe. I like to think it’s in the forward-looking sense of the word—as in maybe this kitchen of real friends who aren’t interested in flash-and-dash, friends who came together to find a place where they can cook the type of food that makes them proud with its purity and focus, could be a place that brings joy. And Magari, its tragedies notwithstanding, seems to be the happiest restaurant in town.

Pasta Perfect Owner and general manager Antoine Dumont (left) and head chef Gus Dixon lead the team at Magari by Oca, where guests are more than willing to wait in line to enjoy the easygoing (yet exquisite) menu.

TASTE // new and hot

BEST THING I ATE

by Alyssa Hirose

Bar Gobo’s leeks are part of the $69 three-course prix fixe menu (try the cannelloni with ling cod mousse and brown sugar parsnip cake, too).

Confit Reverie

At a wine bar like the Michelin-recommended, Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Award finalist Bar Gobo, one might expect the favourite ingredient to be something flashy, pricey or rare. But chef de cuisine Jiwon Seo’s ingredient of choice is the humble leek. “It’s savoury, sweet and gentle in texture,” she says, “and I want to emphasize the best parts.” Seo’s leek confit does just that—cooked in smoky bacon fat and dressed with more bacon and crunchy breadcrumbs, it’s a simple veggie side that has the cozy, comforting qualities of a bowl of pasta. Paired expertly with a glass of Martin and Anna Arndorfer Reisling from Austria (sommelier Peter Van de Reep is a matchmaker extraordinaire), this cheeky confit somehow leans in to both restraint and indulgence: a delicious twirl of a dish. 237 Union St. | bargobo.com

REMARKS OPENING

1

A fresh sheet uncovering the city’s newest restaurants.

Go for Croque

West Vancouver’s new French restaurant, Mèreon , is worth braving the bridge for: the croque monsieur, croque madame and croque forestièr put standard sandwiches to shame. The brunch spot also serves duck confit cassoulet and a burger made with teriyaki prime rib, gruyère and bacon. mereon.ca

Opened January 2024 | 1479 Clyde Ave., West

Vancouver

Morning Glory

Single-boned chicken wings, BBQ pork rice and ginger-sauced beef vermicelli are all on the menu at Ho Yuen Cafe , a half-centuryold Hong Kong breakfast/lunch restaurant that has officially landed in Vancouver. Pineapple buns, here we come. hoyuencafe.ca

Opened February 2024 | 113-1750 W 75th Ave.

Veggie Tales

The restaurateurs behind Kissa Tanto and Bao Bei walk into a bar... and that bar is Meo, the newest concept from the much-awarded team. Meo’s drinks menu is meant to defy traditional expectations of fruits and vegetables. What the heck does that mean? We’ll have to sip and see. meochinatown.com

Opened March 2024 | 265 E Pender St.

A REMINDER OF SIMPLER DAYS...

WHEN ALL YOU NEEDED FOR A GOOD TIME WAS A TRUCK AND SOME COLD BEERS.

THE WINE LIST

by Neal McLennan

Ready for Riesling

Does B.C. have a signature grape variety? There are as many opinions on that as there are people tending the vines, but here’s a metric that I like: what wine do industry people pour for international winemakers to show the potential of our terroir?

It’s riesling. Other varietals aren’t even close. The Germanic grape that so many consumers still associate with the sickly sweet dreck of their youth (Black Tower, anyone?) turns out to be perfect for our short growing season and high diurnal shift (that’s the difference between the high and low temperature on a given growing day). The result is a riesling that’s a near-perfect complement to the food we eat here— serious high natural acidity meets a hint of sweetness and spice, pairing perfectly with Thai, Japanese and West Coast cuisine. You name a dish and I’ll find you a local riesling: the Taylor Swift to your dinner’s Travis Kelce. And unlike tickets to see either half of that couple, it’s relatively cheap.

The Riesling Project 2022, $65 (at Maenam)

This is a cheat, because choosing chef Angus An and sommelier Kurtis Kolt’s collab with Orofino and Tantalus allows me to name two gold-standard wineries, two goldstandard people and two goldstandard growing regions (Kelowna and Cawston). I’ll lean in further and note that the 2023 partnership— joining forces with natty stars Pamplemousse Jus and Scout Vineyard—drops later this spring.

Synchromesh Storm Haven 2022, $32

Winemaker Alan Dickinson is one of the masters of B.C. riesling, and this very low-alcohol (8.2%) bottle shows his confidence in making an off-dry style (there’s quite a bit of residual sugar here). He’s right to be confident—the wine still has effortless balance thanks to a focused acidity.

Martin’s Lane Simes Vineyard 2022, $55

I gushed about Shane Munn’s pinot a few issues back, and please know I’m loathe to repeat myself, but the Martin’s Lane team is using the same cost-is-no-object approach with this both pricey and undervalued wine that is crafted for a long—like, decade-plus— slumber in your cellar to emerge as a global paragon. Electric on the palate, insanely good.

VINES ONLINE

Alder Yarrow has been writing his wine blog for two decades, and while I dig his insights, it’s his weekly aggregating of the best wine news that I can’t live without. Sign-up is free on the site: it’s the surest path to geekdom I know. vinograghy.com

grape GOODS

SECRET RECIPE

by Chef Angus An of Maenam

Salad daze

Celebrate the return of summer flavours with this fresh green papaya salad (a.k.a. som tam) from Chef Angus An, the culinary genius behind Maenam, Longtail Kitchen, Fat Mao Noodles, Popina Canteen and Sen Pad Thai. It’s a breeze to whip up (or, rather, to mortar and pestle up?), but don’t underestimate its simplicity—this salad packs a serious punch. Here’s to the salad days.

SERVES 1 (OR 2 TO 3 AS AN APPETIZER)

2 to 3 red Thai bird’s eye chilies

1 to 2 garlic cloves

Pinch of coarse sea salt

2 tbsp palm sugar

2 tbsp dried prawns

1 tbsp roasted peanuts, skinned

1 tbsp tamarind water

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Fish sauce, to taste

1 cup shredded green papaya

⅛ cup sliced long beans, cut into 1-inch lengths

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp shredded carrot

METHOD

1. Using a mortar and pestle (ideally wooden), pound the chilies and garlic together into a fine paste, using a pinch of salt as an abrasive. Add the palm sugar, dried prawns and roasted peanuts and pound everything together until it becomes a coarse paste. Add the tamarind water, lime juice and fish sauce to complete the dressing and stir with the pestle until fully incorporated.

2. Add the green papaya, long beans, cherry tomatoes and carrot and pound lightly to bruise and soften them so they can absorb the dressing. Toss to combine with the paste. Alternatively, if your mortar and pestle isn’t large enough to handle all the ingredients, you can use a pestle with a large mixing bowl for the vegetables. The finished salad should taste sour, salty, lightly sweet and hot.

Source under-ripe papayas at H-Mart.

DARREN CHEUNG

Ready to go from sea to sky.

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