Coffee shop review - Our Town Cafe (Kingsway and Broadway)

Well, while we are on the topic of coffee shops, I have to say that one of the cutest (and most relaxing ones) I’ve ever been at is Our Town Café. Located at the corner of Kingsway and Broadway, Our Town Café is the epitome of relaxation. I wouldn’t recommend you to come to OTC if you really like to have an ebullient atmosphere.

OTC is the ideal coffee shop to come and read a book, relax, take the day easy. The food is nice (they’ve got some organic items there too) and the coffee is good too (although I wouldn’t actually say it’s Artigiano’s coffee). The most important element: the relaxing atmosphere you get here. Best place to have a nice coffee or tea and read a book. Even when it’s raining.

Blogging from Flickr

the clock mt pleasant
From the Flickr photostream of Raul P-V (Rolex)

Given the number of entries I've posted on this blog (nearing 600!), you'd think I'm more of a geek than I admit to be. Well, not really. My good friends are usually the ones I run to, asking for advice on "how should I sync my iPod with my computer?" or even the super lame "I can't get my GMail to talk to my Flickr".

Anyhow, I have managed to link my Flickr to my Blogger pages and now I can blog a photograph directly from my Flickr photostream. Nomade Moderne suggested in a recent comment that I should find a way to add the Creative Commons license to my site and to my Flickr account so that people can use my photographs and content and link back to it. I think that his idea is pretty smart and I have started doing that, now that I have a bit more time. I am not 100% sure I have the right license on my Flickr account, but I think that the right one is here in my blog.

I have also increased the number of photographs on my blog posts, not only to make them look pretty (although they are nowhere near as pretty as some of my fellow bloggers!), but also to start transitioning from Blogger Padawan to Blogger Jedi. And yes, I know... that transition may require WordPress! :)

Liveblogging Vancouver Blogger Meetup

9:56 pm - Well, Mom wasn't available on Skype and I feel as though I let down my neighbour DMcN as I didn't pick up a jug of cider but we'll leave that to the weekend. I was too busy with the liveblogging! Exhausted and starving, I had to pat myself in the back for having prepared dinner and lunch for the next three days. Quick defrosting in a microwave and now I'm enjoying a nice curry chicken with basmati rice while I polish my liveblog.

9:06 pm - This would be the end of my liveblogging as I have to run and chat with my Mom on Skype, but I hope you guys enjoy the liveblog. It was fun. Rebecca, if you're reading this, you can tell me what you think ;) [Man, am I ever hungry...]

Damn - I almost forgot - had a chance to chat with Jan (the great Dane) who happens to be friends with Tanya (aka NetChick). So... in the chat, Richard is mentioning that he is going to do the introduction to blogging seminar at Northern Voice, YET he is not blogging that much! That is so funny :)

Here's the pic with Richard, Jan and Na'im.

8:56 pm - Even though he's about to leave, it was nice to chat with John Biehler. John, Al, Monica and I were discussing about what my blog is about, and Al made an important observation when I ranted about the young woman who refused my kindness this morning - he said "you should've just asked - do you need a hug?".
I normally would be just that bold, but for some reason, I didn't feel up to it. But his point is well taken. In the picture you can appreciate John, Al and Monica.

I also had a chance to chat with Carola from The Jem Gallery and Bev Davies. Bev is a photographer and you should totally check her Flickr stream. And Carola is appearing on The Georgia Straight tomorrow, so we'll have to read it!

8:40 pm - Jonathon and Na'im have left (well, Jonathon is on his way out) but I already made new good blogger friends. Had a very nice (but short) chat with Morten (who has 6 blogs?!)... but it's really hard to liveblog, pay attention, socialize and then upload photos. Hope everyone is having fun though!

8:27 pm - Unbelievably, I bumped into Jonathon Narvey. You'll wonder - why unbelievable? Well, because when you start reading someones blog, it becomes a fun phenomenon when you meet the person. And he is so nice to talk to... we have some very similar interests, and of course, we will continue having opposing opinions sometimes, but definitely, we respect each other very much. That's always fun. And in this photo, you can see Jonathon and Shane (yes, Shane from the contest to reclaim top Vancouver blogger spot). It will be fun to see what happens with the contest :)

8:06 pm - Just had a very pleasant chat with Ronald where he asked me why I am on Blogspot. Truth is, first platform I knew. So, now I need to move over to WordPress. But I feel a bit as though I'm breaking up with a partner... it's hard to let go! But his site is on WP and he says it is awesome so I have to try it. Angela and Morten also were trying to sway me on the WP bandwagon... and they're right! They are SO right! This liveblog would be SO much easier if I were on the WP platform. *sigh* Lesson learned :)

I have to admit that I was very amused with the Pink and Yellow website (since Angela says she's yellow and Morten is pink - for someone like me, who is an immigrant himself, this type of characterization is fun to make - in my case, I guess I'd be hmmm... red [because of the chillies?] ... dunno, maybe stretching the analogy). In the picture, Angela, Morten, Ronald and ... I forgot his name, rats... I'll ask him :)

7:52 pm - Na'im kindly collected the names and blogs of the "side tables". We're pretty much clustered in two groups (this coffee shop is awesome, but it doesn't have enough seating for us right now I think). I have been to the Our Town Cafe before only once, but EVERY time I walk by, I see at least two or three people reading a book LEISURELY. I am not kidding. You can tell that they are enjoying their reading and it's pleasant. The last time I read a book at my leisure was, what... 2001? *sigh*

Ok, so in the picture above you see Karen, Na'im, Al, David ... I am a bit embarrassed to have had to ask them to write their names and all, given that I have photographic memory, but I think I'm a little bit too excited about being here. Al and I should totally talk, since he is the creator of the Bokashi method, a simple, indoor, hassle-free composting method. And quite obviously I am a student of the environment, so...

* Feel free to submit comments on the liveblog!


7:45pm I begin taking pictures and introducing myself. Maybe a little bit intrusive on my part as I interrupted a couple of conversations. But it's always nice to actually put a face to the person. I am actually missing Rebecca Bollwitt (aka Miss604) a lot, since I spoke with her on GChat earlier and she mentioned she was super busy before she heads to the island with Keira-Anne. And since she's not here, I guess it's up to me to live-blog. I hope I can live up to her high standards, because she IS the top Vancouver liveblogger!!! On the picture you find Isabella and Katy.

7:30 pm Na'im from VancouverVibe.ca just came to kindly introduce himself. Very pleasant conversation, we were commenting about the fact that I hate linking my own stuff on VancouverVibe.ca, but if you feel some of my writing is worth it, then by all means, please feel free to link it there. As for me, I'll link the stuff I read and I find exciting. Also very exciting to see that Karen Fung is here (the organizer from TransitCamp).

7:15pm - I arrive wet but in one piece at the Vancouver Blogger Meetup. Quickly I get introduced to Isabella Mori and Richard from JustAGwailo (who overheard my blog's name and just mentioned that he 'hears' the voice of the blogger once he meets them). Very fun to be here.

Note - VancouverVibe.ca already has a blog!

I have my digital camera so I'll try to post some as soon as I can. We are at the Our Town Cafe at the corner of Kingsway and Broadway.

The historical development of Mount Pleasant in Vancouver (teaser)

I promised Rebecca (aka Miss604) that I would write a whole post on the history of Mount Pleasant (the neighbourhood where I live now), but just wanted to give you all dear readers a mini-teaser. I am a bit frustrated because I can't find the photographs I took from the intersection of Main Street and 12th Avenue, but I'll take a few pictures and upload them to complement said guest post on Rebecca's blog.

But for now, let me just tell you that I'm a big fan of industry. Yes, I admit it. Having factories is a necessary element of societal development, and despite the current apparent trend towards a "post-Fordist" society, where industry will decline, we still need industrial plants. And Mount Pleasant used to be an industrial area.

One of the elements that makes Mount Pleasant very interesting and peculiar is that there are still some signs of evident industrial activity. For example, if you have ever been to The Whip (on 6th Avenue and Main), right across from it you can find what used to be a brewery.

I am fascinated by this trend of transforming industrial land to residential zoned areas (this is something I actually analyze in my day job). It was also funny to find out that there used to be two slaughter houses and a tannery (not surprisingly, since these industrial activities are part of the same commodity chain). From the Vancouver Archives, I dug out some information and apparently this tannery was to be built around 1890.

The City of Vancouver's website provides some interesting tidbits on the history of Mount Pleasant: [City of Vancouver]

The proximity to the business district of Vancouver and the availability of a quality water supply (Brewery Creek) made the area an ideal place for early industry and settlement. Early expectations were that Mount Pleasant would develop as Vancouver's fashionable "uptown." The area high above False Creek was named "Mount Pleasant" in 1888, after the Irish birthplace of the wife of H.V. Edmonds. Edmonds, clerk of the municipal council in New Westminster, was the original owner of much of Mount Pleasant.

By 1904, Mount Pleasant was home to a tannery, two slaughter houses, four breweries, and a train station. Industrial expansion brought residential development. By 1912, Mount Pleasant had a thriving residential population and community facilities such as an elementary school (the Kingsgate Mail site), a firehall, a first run theatre, and Vancouver's first skyscraper (the Lee Building). Mount Pleasant was also a terminus for the streetcar network.

I really hope that development plans for this area will try to preserve the peculiar flavor of this industrial/residential neighbourhood. Have you ever walked on 17th Avenue almost corner of Ontario Street? You will find a wax factory (not sure if it still operating, I would seriously doubt it).

My dream house? The house at the corner of 18th Avenue and Columbia Street. It has a little detached place that I am guessing used to be a corner store. I am sure I shared this story with many of my friends: I would have loved to buy that house, and start a little coffee shop or a dance studio in the space where the corner store used to be.

There are lots of haunts that I could talk about and that I am sure you'd love to visit in your next stop by Mount Pleasant. However, that'll have to wait until I finish writing the guest blog post for Rebecca. Until then, stay tuned!

Upcoming event - Vancouver Blogger Meetup January 2008

I have been trying to attend one of the Vancouver Blogger Meetups and haven't had a chance to do it (been out of town, triple-booked, etc.) At any rate, I just checked the link (it says the event is full, but I don't care - I am still going to show up). Here are the details, as shown on the Vancouver Blogger Meetup website.

When: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Where: Our Town Cafe, 245 E. Broadway, Vancouver , BC V5T 1W4

I hope to see a few of the bloggers whom I have chatted with on email there.

Snow in Vancouver can make you happy... or not

Some of my Vancouverite friends are so excited about how beautiful the city looks with all this snow. I admit it, it looks pretty. But if I tell you what happened to me last night, you'll understand why I am so angry at the weather. I was working late, but I knew that unless I took the last 99 B-Line, I'd be stuck at my office, so I ran out the door (in the snow, without an umbrella and without a toque) and headed to the bus stop.

As I was making my way to the bus stop, the 99 B-Line started its engine and quickly left. I was literally 4 seconds away from the bus, and the bus driver still didn't wait for me. I screamed "WAIT, WAIT, WAIT" at the top of my lungs and he still wouldn't do it. I'm not that surprised, but I got really angry.

So I figured "oh well, I'll just stay overnight at the office" and what is my surprise when I realize that I don't have my electronic key to the building. So now I am all wet, my hair is white from all the snow, I'm freezing and have to wait for the stupid bus.

It took me a good hour and 20 minutes to get home (a commute that on a good day is 30 minutes). By the time I got home, I was furious. But surprisingly, I was still in good enough of a mood to do some work until 4.30am. I work really well at night. But this morning I saw the heavy snow and I decided I was going to work at home.

I may (potentially) get out and snap a few pictures, just for the beauty. But I am SO happy that a friend e-mailed me the piece of work I had to process today. So very very very happy! I did not want to go to the office today.

Restaurant review - Seto Cafe (Commercial Drive)

I write this review as I am listening again and again to the song "Who Knows" by Natasha Bedingfield (by the way, I just found out that the song is not included in the soundtrack, which totally sucks - this song would be the sole reason why I'd buy the soundtrack). Anyhow, this afternoon (just before meeting J for dinner and a movie), I had brunch with L, M and A after our volleyball game at a nice little cafe that has one of the cheapest brunches in town ($3.50 for breakfast is hard to beat).

Cafe Seto (on Commercial Drive) is located pretty close to JJ Beans and near 6th and Commercial (if I'm not mistaken). It only takes cash and debit, so that's a bit of a problem for those like me, who totally love plastic (e.g. credit cards). But the price is almost unbeatable. And the food is REALLY good.

It was very nice to spend some time with L and M (two of my best volleyball players) outside our customary environment (e.g. a volleyball court). I have to say that I am pretty damn proud. My volleyball team this term is super solid, and we get along famously. As S put it very truthfully, "we are freakishly laid-back".

Back to the review. I had their All Day Breakfast (actually I ordered the ADB but they gave me the 2-2-2, 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 pancakes). Awesome, very filling. I think that the only issue I am having with brunch at the moment is that I do need coffee with my toast and a soft drink (e.g. Pepsi) with my eggs. Call me weird, but I can't really fathom a brunch without those two drinks. Anyhow, I highly recommend Cafe Seto. Cheap brunch - almost unbeatable!

My faith in the world has been restored.

Or at least, partially (if my neighbours were a lot more considerate about not letting their kid run in their house, I'd say it has been almost totally restored). Anyhow. Today I went for brunch with BS to the Nice Café. It's a nice neat little restaurant on 8th Avenue and (almost) Main.

We had (as we usually do) a great time. At some point, as it happens when I'm enthralled with the conversation with my friends, I must have pulled (inadvertently) my house keys off of my pocket. Since it was so cold, I didn't have my gloves nor toque, the sensibility of my fingers was minimal. Therefore, the keys fell off without me noticing.

When I got home, my keys were nowhere to be found, and of course, I panicked. I re-traced my steps, hoping that someone would have found my keys and left them at one of the places I had just been to. Well, lo- and behold, my keys were sitting in a small wedge on the corner of Broadway and Main.

I have to say that, while I am extremely grateful, am not so surprised. I have always had a good feeling about the neighbourhood, so finding my keys only came to reinforce that positive energy I get from here. Clearly, there are reasons to be grateful to The-Powers-That-Be, and I am indeed very very thankful. Hence why my faith in the world has been restored.

Coffe place review - Bean Around the World (Main and Broadway)

Theoretically, this location will eventually become Bean Around the World. Right now, it is a coffee shop right beside where Monsoon used to be and in the location formerly known as the home of SoMa. The coffee is good, not too harsh on my tummy, and the barista is pretty nice.

I actually couldn't use the wireless, although they do have it, but my wireless card didn't seem to be talking with their router. The place is well illuminated, and quite spacious. It looks as though a few people have taken it up as their centre of operations. I still see many more people at Waves, or at Lugz. But as somebody said, there's always space for everyone.

If I had woken up at a decent hour, I probably would have come here to work and spent the whole day looking at the beautiful mountains (this location has a gorgeous view of the snowed mountains). The night lighting is quite good, and if you need to stay late, you could very well stay here until 10pm. But that's the drawback. This coffee shop only opens until 10pm (and I think only until 8pm on weekends).

I would still come back to work here. There's more than enough space to work, and enough hotties that walk by to provide good eye candy. It's a good place to do people watching too.

Coffee shop review - The End Cafe (Commercial Drive)

There is a gazillion reasons why you should mosey over to Commercial Drive. It's a vibrant and diverse community that has managed to create a mosaic of exciting and fun events. If you want to be up-to-date on the comings and goings on The Drive, I'd recommend the blog "Commercial Drive - Live!".

I'm writing this post as I sit at The End Cafe (corner of N Grandview Hwy and Commercial Drive, pretty much at 6th Avenue and Commercial). I have met friends of mine here on our way to dinner or a movie. However, this is the very first time I actually have spent any time at The End Cafe.

I have heard rave reviews of the place, particularly jazz nights on Sundays (7-9 pm). Admittedly, that kind of clashes with my evenings with J, but I am sure I can convince him to come and listen to jazz (he wasn't very keen on acid jazz when we went to the Fairview pub, but hey it's all about having an open mind, don't you think?)

The coffee is pretty good, and I have to say that the layout is very conducive to doing everything: from doing work on your laptop (there are two side bars with plenty of jacks to connect to the electrical energy, and free wireless internet) to having a relaxed evening reading a book and having a coffee (comfy couches) to doing school homework (plenty of tables with enough seating to entertain a small army of school brats) to having a drink (they're licensed to serve alcohol until 11.45pm).

I read on the Girlports website that there is an informal queer women group every second Wednesday at the End Cafe.

Another habitual haunt for the lesbian set, the End Café is especially helpful for travelers with their free wifi access. They’ve got a nice loungey feel and serve coffee, soups, fresh organic sandwiches, burgers, breakfast and desserts. Every other Wednesday there’s an informal lesbian meet’n’greet you may want to keep your eyes open for.[Girlports website]

I can't praise enough the management of End Cafe for being this queer-positive. Of course, this is one of the most diverse and culturally-aware neighbourhoods in Vancouver!

Eatery review - Uncle Fatih's Pizza (Commercial and Broadway)

Since I got back to Vancouver, I've been working at the office and doing lots of errands. Thus, by the time I head back home, I'm totally exhausted. As it often happens to me when I take the 99 B-Line home, I ended up sleeping and missing my stop. So I had to go back from Commercial and Broadway (good thing the 99 B-Line wasn't one of those 'Boundary' ones or else I would've been royally in trouble).

On my way back, a nagging feeling and a slight headache started to bug me. Having just shopped at Safeway, I figured that it was nothing, but by the time I crossed the street west over to Commercial and Broadway, the lion inside me woke up and started to demand food. Being the case that pizza is the only thing with cheese that I allow myself to consume (just because I can't even taste the cheese with all those toppings), I stopped at Uncle Fatih's Pizza.

Since I started hanging out on Commercial Drive, I had promised myself that one day, I'd make a quick stop at Uncle Fatih's. The line-up is always long and there's all sorts of people (from men in suits to young guys in rags) consuming pizza. Determined not to let this opportunity pass, I stopped and ordered a full dinner (2 slices and a pop for a whooping $ 3.50, even cheaper than a latte at Starbucks).

Admittedly, my definition of cheap eats is substantially different to that of Andrew Morrison from Urban Diner (I just read his weekly West Ender column on cheap eats, and he suggested that he could do dinner for $20 or so - my definition of cheap eats is dinner for less than 7 bucks). This is most definitely a place for cheap, affordable, tasty and satisfying pizza. I'll be back, for sure!

And apparently other reviewers agree with me :)

Restaurant review - Toshi's (Main Street)

We had heard lots, and lots, and lots of people raving about the sushi that Toshi's offers. The line-up outside the little establishment (30 seats, 6 waitresses) on 16th Avenue between Quebec and Main Streets can extend at times to the end of the block. We had driven by, a good 60 times (and I am not kidding) and we had never been able to make it there on time to avoid the line-ups.

Thus, we wanted to celebrate M's birthday there and therefore I ended up standing outside since 4:30pm. M and I had agreed she'd show up at 5:30pm (bad idea since I could have gotten us a table at 5:00pm sharp, since the line was short). By the way, thank you to the guy who loaned me his cell phone to call M's office (another reason why I need a new cell phone!).

Anyhow, we got to seat at around 5:45 pm and ordered edamame, go mae, a few rolls and some tofu. And I am going to say that I found the sushi not as good as Kaide's, and certainly not as good as Kishu Mountain. So I'm quite disappointed. For all the hype (and having to stand out in the cold for a good half hour), neither M nor I were impressed.

Would I go back to Toshi's? No. Definitely not. Maybe they were having an off day, but with two great choices for sushi where I don't need to stand out in the cold. It was good to know first-hand about Toshi's though. The guy who loaned me his cell phone was raving about Toshi's (and funny how it goes, we had already bumped into each other before, but I doubt he remembers) and I was quite underwhelmed. No more Toshi's for me, please.

Getting sweet SWAG from Ark Clothing (Main Street)

Also known as "the Stuff We All Get", swag is sort of a made-up word that I hadn't heard until I started reading blogs. The Urban Dictionary defines swag as:

Promotional merchandise for a band, record label, or other entity in the music business, usually distributed at concerts. May include t-shirts, stickers, promo CDs, posters, etc. Often free, but not necessarily.[Urban Dictionary]

I picked up some swag from The Ark Store, on Main Street and the corner of 10th Avenue. I love this store. They have some ridiculously amazing things. I saw a beautiful set of two necklaces that have pieces of a puzzle (two pieces that fit perfectly and have the words ME and YOU) engraved in brass. These necklaces almost made me melt.

My friend L purchased a set of awesome tights, and in general I'd say the store is awesome. You should check it out.

Upcoming event - 2 Degrees of Fire and Desire: A Theatrical Inquiry into Climate Change

As a former actor (I say former since I haven't really done much acting in Canada in the past few years), I am always looking forward to events that showcase local theatrical talent. This is one of those opportunities, and it combines many of my personal interests.

Are you worried about climate change? Do you want to learn more and educate yourself about the challenges Canada and British Columbia are facing? What better way to learn than through non-orthodox methods? Going to see a play seems like a very non-orthodox way to learn about the climate change debate.

2o of Fear and Desire: A Theatrical Inquiry into Climate Change is being put on by Headlines Theatre, hosted by Rhizome Cafe and hopefully will be well attended. It will take place on November 8th, 9th and 10th at 7 pm. Admission is by donation.

From Headlines Theatre's website we can read a description of the performance:

The play will tell a story in which characters are struggling with the complex issues emerging from climate change. [Headlines Theatre]

I am always amazed by great, innovative and non-orthodox ideas. I will be going to the play and probably will write a review, but you should seriously consider attending. The more I read about the kind of work that Headlines Theatre is doing, the more impressed I am. This is clearly well thought out and intends to have an impact on people's lives.

One of the things I found more exciting about this project is that they have done a variety of other work, including examining the issue of crystal meth addiction, immigration, racism, bullying, etc. Had I known a few years ago about Headlines Theatre, I probably would have gotten involved myself. Not that it's too late though!

UPDATE - I just remembered that I have volleyball on Thursday November 8th, so the only day I can attend is November 9th, so with no further ado, if you want to join me, you'll have to show up on the 9th... :)

Upcoming event - Homelessness Action Week 2007

The connections between urban sprawl, sustainability, extreme poverty, homelessness and unaffordability of housing are undeniable. The residential housing market in Vancouver has grwon stronger in the past few years. However, it is also undeniable that social housing is a need in the Metro Vancouver area. The Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness has designated October 15th to 21st, 2007 as Homelessness Action Week.

While there are many being organized around Metro Vancouver, you can check the Vancouver events here. There are two specific ones to which I would like to call your attention (from their website):

Friday October 19: Sandwich and Blanket Handout to Street Homeless
When: 4–6 p.m.
Where: Broadway Youth Resource Centre, 691 E. Broadway

Saturday, October 20: Under One Umbrella
A community service fair for people who are homeless, street-involved, or living in poverty in Grandview Woodlands and surrounding areas. In addition to services, there will be food and entertainment. For more information, please contact the Grandview Woodlands Drug and Alcohol Coalition at:
T: 604.215.3907
When: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Aboriginal Friendship Centre, 1607 E. Hastings St, Vancouver

I strongly believe that sustainability and social responsibility starts at home. Thus, I would like to invite you dear readers to partake in one or more of these events. Because everybody has a right to a life with dignity and a home.

The Main Street (South Main - Mount Pleasant) night scene

So K and I were having drinks (belated birthday celebration) at The Cascade Room and we were discussing how some people who live west of Main Street are somewhat reluctant to come to the East Side of Vancouver, despite how 'up and coming' the area may be. I agree that this might be the case at night, sometimes, but it all depends on what you are looking for. So I thought I'd do a summary of the places where I think people can spend some time when out on the town. In no particular order, here are my suggestions for things to do at night...

The Cascade Room - I have reviewed this restaurant before, and I am still as impressed as I was on the first day. The service this time was excellent as I expected, the drinks were right on and we had the chance to chat with Wendy (one of the co-owners) for a bit. The Cascade Room is a place to hang out, have dinner, drinks, spend time, you know... no pressure. The food menu is comforting, it's not something that has to be sophisticated. The decor is excellent, and the music level is just right. Main and 10th Avenue.

The Main - I have only tried The Main at brunch and on a week night for beers. The place is awesome and I've been told they have live music, so I would strongly recommend it. Main and 27th-ish.

The Reef - I've been to The Reef for dinner and drinks (though not sure if I've written a restaurant review yet). The food is Jamaican-Caribbean-oriented and the drinks are to-die-for. Main and King Edward-ish.

Public Lounge & Eatery - This is a small place, but with a nice patio - I've been to Public for a drink with Nomade Moderne, though we didn't stay for long. Came back for another drink on my own. Pleasant atmosphere, though I am always tempted to go back for (strangely enough) dessert. Main and 17th-ish. [I approve of their website - Public Lounge - I am not sure the 'Eatery' should be included in the name, but since I'm not the owner, I have no say]

The Whip Restaurant Gallery - Oh yeah. The Whip has a generous patio, awesome decor (local artists) and great drinks. The food menu is a bit upscale, as my review indicates. Hipster hangout. Main and 6th Avenue (on 6th, actually). [As with Public, I'd be happier if it was only named 'The Whip' - since I'm not the owner nor management, I have no say]

Rhizome - You might be surprised since they have a brunch menu that has items that are beyond your wildest dreams, but Rhizome also hosts events in the evening. This relaxed, chill hangout place has created a wonderful and welcoming atmosphere for queer and queer-friendly folks in East Vancouver. Often have Queer Board Games and speed-dating parties. Broadway and Scotia-ish [almost kitty-corner from Kingsgate Mall]. My review only includes brunch.

The Anza Club - For sure, anyone who prides him/herself in knowing the Mount Pleasant area should know that the Anza Club is one heck of a place to go partying. Lounge and Main areas, and they host another queer-friendly event (Bent) on (I think) the third Thursday of the month. I might be wrong with the dates. Excellent website with a bit of history.

SoMa - We all cried foul when SoMa closed (the Flickr PhotoStream of Caterina shows you what it looked like inside before moving from Main St. near Broadway to 8th Avenue near Main St.) -- well, I discovered that they are now licensed, open late at night, and the place is comfy and has a nice atmosphere. I'll have to check it out.

NOTE - I didn't include coffee shops (obviously one type of place where people can hang out) because I wanted to highlight those places that may serve liquor, SoMa being the only exception I know (a coffee shop or former coffee shop that now serves - if I am not mistaken - alcohol).
And apparently I wasn't mistaken.

Restaurant review - Swiss Chalet (Boundary and Lougheed Highway)

In more than a decade living in Canada, I had never set foot on Swiss Chalet. It was always funny to hear the commercials and see the postings for new employees (the branch on Broadway and almost Balaclava is fairly new). But I never actually thought of eating there. So when J suggested that we try it out (given that it's sort of a family place) I thought "heck, why not?". So off we went. I have to say that the portions are generous, the food is fairly good (you can't go wrong with rotisserie chicken, baked potato and garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette) and inexpensive. The dry ribs with honey garlic were very tasty too :) Honestly, I will go back to Swiss Chalet, even if it sounds corny!

Restaurant review - Addis Cafe

This will probably be my last blog post of the weekend as I have a gazillion things to do (unless I get bored with work in which case I might blog again). But I can't leave this one out of print (or online publication) because I had been wanting to go for Ethiopian food at Addis Cafe on Commercial Drive for a long while.

My good friend NW and I hadn't seen each other in a few years (unbelievable considering that we live in the same city and very close neighbourhoods -- but bear in mind I had been away from Vancouver for a couple of years too). N and I share very similar views, and in some ways, there's a lot of work that we do that is similar.

Anyhow, we agreed to meet here for lunch. Ethiopian food is very social and I've become sort of the "guy to ask about where to eat Ethiopian in Vancouver" with my friends and colleagues, so I am pretty confident that I know almost every place that serves this type of food.

The staff were super sweet (I am not sure if they're the owners, but definitely had the feeling that they were). The great advantage: they take credit cards, debit or cash. N was kind enough to treat me to lunch which I really appreciated, but more than that, it was the opportunity to catch up that made the occasion special.

We ordered a vegetarian combo with chicken (5 veggie items and the chicken in the middle). I absolutely loved it. I found the veggie portions a little smaller than I have tried at, for example, Red Sea Cafe and Fassil on Broadway and Fraser but the flavour was great. I couldn't finish eating simply because I was so full.

The great thing about NW and I is that we're able to synthesize what has happened in our lives in a few minutes. We both have MBA training and thus know the value of transmitting our ideas across within a very short time frame. It pretty much took an hour and a half to catch up on the last few years and we both promised we'd get together much more often now.

I also should credit NW with a few lessons (I am not sure she knows I learned all this from here but here they are...

• How to itemize my work into discrete units (she's great at it).
• The value of good writing (she's an excellent writer).
• The value of good people skills (she's fantastic to network with!)

It was a great experience, so the good food was just a nice added touch. "Icing on the cake" as they would say.

Coffee shop review - Bean Around the World Coffees

I am a big supporter of local business, and to be frank, I always had a soft sport for Bean Around the World. One great thing about this particular location on Main and 20th is that it's really close to me and other colleagues, and I thus I can hold work meetings or just relax with a coffee.

Bean Around the World has wireless internet, and a large patio. I would say best place to do work around the Main area, but there are other coffee shops that are so cute. JJ Bean, The Grind, Cuppa Joe and Waves. And the coffee is really good!

Furthermore, BATW has a card similar to Starbuck's with which you can pay your drinks. I quickly proceeded to buy one as I never carry cash with me. So, all around, fun to go to this BATW, I recommend this coffee shop!

Upcoming event - Alex Alegria, celebrate Mexican Independence Day

So I did find some scoop. Apparently, Alex Alegria (creator of an all-girls Mariachi band) and his group are giving a performance at La Casa del Artista in Mount Pleasant. You can check the Upcoming webpage for details. You can find La Casa del Artista at 150 East 3rd. Avenue (3rd. between Main and Quebec, if my geography doesn't fail me). I am sure it will be fun.