I ♥ VANCOUVER

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games are now underway in Vancouver, so I thought I'd pay tribute to my beautiful hometown by sharing some of my favorite places, activities and things to eat...

GRANVILLE ISLAND PUBLIC MARKET
FOODIE HEAVEN. Pick up a warm honey dip donut from Lee's Donuts. Indulge in some chocolate walnut rugolach from Siegel's Bagels. Build-your-own picnic with charcuterie from artisanal sausage-maker Oyama Sausage. Grab a piece of blueberry white chocolate foccacia at Terra Breads. And lastly, stop in at Edible BC's retail store for locally made gourmet souvenirs to take home (super friendly staff too).




ZIPTREK ECOTOURS
During our last trip to Whistler, I somehow managed to convince Kris to go ziplining with me on Ziptrek's Bear Tour ("It's totally safe, honey!")

But I may have neglected to mention that the longest zipline we'd be doing was 1100 feet long. Or that the last zipline was done hanging upside down! And I might have forgotten to tell him that there was a tiny possibility that you could get stuck while ziplining. Sure enough, poor Kris actually got stuck on the zipline and had to hang suspended 100 feet in the air for several minutes while waiting for rescue! And yes, we got it all on video (Kris getting stuck at 1:10, Phyllis zipping upside down at 3:21):



Mixed in with the adventure is also a educational component - during the 3 hour tour, guides discuss sustainability and minimizing our environmental impact. We also got a exciting sneak peak of the Whistler Sliding Centre (bobsled/skeleton/luge) during the ride up to the old growth forest. If you haven't tried ziplining before, the Ziptrek Bear tour is a great beginner experience. And despite getting stuck, Kris has agreed to do the more exciting (and steeper) Eagle tour with me the next time around!

For a limited time (during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games) zipline for FREE in Robson Square!


NANAIMO BAR
This popular Canadian no-bake dessert hails from Nanaimo, BC (approx 2 hr ferry ride from Vancouver). Basically layers of butter upon butter, what's not to like? I made these for Thanksgiving last year, recipe here.



ALL DRESSED POTATO CHIPS
Why is this flavor only available in Canada? Tangy, savory blend of spices, with a hint of sweetness, my favorite potato chip flavor of all time. I pack as many bags as I can fit in my carry-on whenever I visit Canada!



VANILLA FUDGE CLODHOPPERS
They're not kidding when they say these vanilla fudge graham wafer clusters are 'highly addictive'. Before I found out they carry them at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, I actually thought about ordering a giant case from Canada.



POUTINE
How much do I love poutine? Enough to eat 12 poutines in 12 days last year. And although the cheese curds aren't as squeaky and fresh as what you'd find in Quebec, you can still find some decent versions of poutine in Vancouver. My favorite last year was from Brado Pizza:



QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK
Amazing views, gorgeous 'sunken' Quarry Gardens, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory, and years of family picnics and wonderful memories at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Can you believe it took me over 25 years to finally go inside the Bloedel Conservatory? But it's become one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in town. The conservatory is home to exotic plants and tropical flowers...

and a hundred species of colorful birds...

Worth the $5 admission just to see long-time resident Charlie the cockatoo ham it up for the camera:



Sadly, the Bloedel Conservatory is currently facing closure due to budget cuts. Visit while you still can. You can also help save the conservatory at www.friendsofthebloedel.ca


TROUT LAKE FARMERS MARKET
A weekly farmer's market located at pretty Trout Lake, where you'll find local organic produce (gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, chive flowers, stinging nettle, exotic mushrooms, fresh herbs etc), freshly baked goods, specialty foods, local honey and cheese, fresh seafood, seedlings/bulbs from herb farms and nurseries, local artisans, and a psychadelic purple crepe truck.



We loved the honey almond nougat from local candymaker Kalley Kandy:



JAPADOG
Kurobuta pork terimayo dog!



RICHMOND SUMMER NIGHT MARKET
Late night nibbles at this Asian night market, running from May thru Oct annually. Read more here.



POLENTA FRIES AT CASCADE
A big thanks to our friend Ly for introducing us to Cascade and these fabulous polenta fries - crispy perfection on the outside, creamy deliciousness inside, served with an addictive curry mayo dip.



THOMAS HAAS CHOCOLATES
Best chocolates EVER. Read more about truffles, almond croissants and chocolate sparkle cookies here.



STANLEY PARK
Vancouver’s first and most famous park, bordering downtown Vancouver, a thousand acres of evergreen parkland surrounded by a 5.5 mile circular seawall where you can walk, bike, or rollerblade to your heart’s content.

I was lucky enough to live a block away from this lush urban oasis and would jog the seawall every Saturday morning. In 2006, my heart ached when I heard about the devastating windstorm that knocked down thousands of trees, some of them hundreds of years old. A massive restoration effort (funded by donations) resulted in the planting of 16,000 trees in the damaged areas over the next 2 years. We visit Stanley Park every time we're in town. Don't miss it.



VANCOUVER AQUARIUM
Adorable otters and smiley beluga whales :)




SPOT PRAWNS
Sustainably harvested from BC waters, spot prawns are the sweetest prawns you'll ever eat. We timed our visit last year to coincide with Vancouver's 3rd Annual Spot Prawn Festival, allowing us to indulge in spot prawns over a dozen times!

Freshly caught beauties from fisherman Steve Johansen (Organic Ocean at False Creek Fisherman's Wharf):



GO FISH!
A fish shack located in False Creek Fisherman's Wharf, only steps from Granville Island.

Selection changes daily based on what's fresh. Best fish 'n' chips in town (fish tacones aren't bad either). Expect a huge line-up!



ENGLISH BAY



YUCCA FRIES FROM RINCONCITO SALVADORENA
I came here for pupusas after seeing them featured in Vancouver Magazine's Best Things to Eat & Drink 2008 but ended up falling in love with the yucca fries (served with crispy pork bits):



JERICHO BEACH



SAUSAGE ROLL
When I first moved to New York, I assumed that sausage rolls would be as ubiquitous as they were in Vancouver. Well I was wrong. Now I almost get heart palpitations whenever I spot one.



BANH MI (VIETNAMESE SANDWICHES)
I grew up eating sandwiches from Ba Le, but found a new favorite at Tung Hing during last year's banh mi roundup.



CARMELITAS FROM CHOCOLATE ARTS
My thoughtful friend Liz always gives me a box of Chocolate Arts whenever we see each other. My favorite is the carmelita, soft buttery caramel oozing from a dark chocolate shell:


Hungry for more? Checkout Vancouver Magazine's annual feature, Best Things to Eat & Drink in Vancouver.

I ♥ VANCOUVER