Yuri "incurable urbanist" A.'s Profile

A great bar for beer geeks.  40+ taps (including a great local selection), several of which rotate on a regular basis so there is always a mix of your favourite stand-by's and new styles to try.  They have created a warm atmosphere and have embraced technology in a big way.  Their live beer menu allows you to check out what's on tap online, so you can check out the new brews or make sure that they aren't tapped out of your preferred ale before heading out.

This is what every used bookstore should aspire to:

My 5 points that earned them 5 stars:

- a great selection of both discounted new and used books in an easy to navigate layout.  Bonus points for witty section titles.

- a great selection of classics and local niche books, including the requisite selection of pulp-fiction that give the store it's name.

- a bright and airy feel than manages to maintain the cloistered comfort that bibliophile expect.

- friendly informative staff that will help you find just the book you are looking for, even if you didn't know it yourself.

- a selection of zines and records to satisfy the the complimentary needs "unconventional and bright" customers. After all--despite out best efforts--we can't live on books alone!

Their cinnamon buns are good, especially if you like the extra gooey kind,  but they only cover up some of Grounds for Coffees other flaws.  

Despite their name (Perhaps it's should be called Buns 'R Us?), their coffee is average and a bit over priced, even for Vancouver.  

The shop makes it clear that they really are focused on their take out business. The counter is located front and center making it awkward to get to the seating area with your order. Further examples of their take-out bias include: the keyed bathrooms, uncomfortable seating, self-serve coffee, and reliance on plastic cutlery.

If you're in the mood to pick up an extra gooey cinnamon bun to go, check it out.  But if you want to enjoy a coffee and conversation with a friend, Vancouver offers plenty of other coffee shops that are far more inviting.

Solly's serves some of the best bagels west of Montreal.  

Their small storefront reminds me of a NYC bakery.  The small street front patio is a great place to watch the vibrant street life of West Broadway.  

All in all, this is a local gem and my favorite place to stop for a morning snack.  I enjoy their bagels and schmeers so much I have yet to try their delicious looking cinnamon buns and mouth watering rugelach, not to mention the soups and latkes,  Stay tuned for a follow-up

MacFalafel is a decent no frills place to grab a quick, cheap and healthy bite. It's a good place to stop on the way to or from UBC or Jericho Beach.

The restaurant is family owned, which is a nice option in a chain dominated niche.  It serves classical Mediterranean fare in generous portions; including their namesake falafels. The restaurant's interior ain't trendy or even all that comfortable, but it's clean. Take-out seems to be the preferred option for most. Food is affordable and fresh.

Heads up that it's cash only.

Dolce Amore is my new sweet love.

A few years ago, I spent a few weeks quite literally eating my way through some of Italy's best gelato.  Returning to Vancouver, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dolce Amore is as good, if not better than it's Italian cousins.

Dolce Amore serves traditional Italian style gelato and sorbets. Thus, it's a bit dresser and richer that ice cream and doesn't have the same mouthfeel as the creamier ice cream.  It is also served at a warmer temperature, making it better suited to a cup than a cone.

Their selection is impeccably handcrafted by the Grippo family in small batched their impeccable gelato in small batches.  By doing so, their selection remains limited to the classics and fresh, in season ingredients.  While they have fun flavors like cookie dough and bubble gum, their classics, such as pistachio, tiramisu, nocciola and dolce amore and where they really shine

I'm reserving a star, as I have yet to try Bella Gelateria, which I've heard may be even better!

I love the vibe at this Benny's location. Laid back and cozy.  Friendly staff, good music and decent value makes this a great place to read (or even write) the next great Canadian novel.  Affordable, local beer is a added bonus!

While it has quite an impressive menu, I've only had the bagels to date.  Alas, these leave a little to be desired.  The lean more toward to 'bread circle' end of the spectrum rather that the chewy Montreal style that represent the epitome of bagels IMHO (Thankfully Solly's is only a few blocks away).  Their coffee, from Bean around the World is decent, but no refills is a bit of a bummer.  WiFi is free but slow/spotty making it a challenge to do any serious surfing.

Despite these drawbacks, Benny's has become a Kits institution and there are few better places to hunker down with a book or a friend on one of Vancouver's many rainy days.

Coffee, beer, pizza, reliable WiFi, open 24 hours, Canucks playoff games--and a truly independent coffee shop--makes Calhoun a neighborhood gem.

I must admit that it isn't the best coffee of tastiest food along West Broadway, but there is something great about settling down in a locally owned, one-of-a-kind coffee shop to get some work down, catch up with friends, do some people watching or catch the Canucks on their way to the Stanley Cup.  Besides, there aren't too many place in town that will let you sit down, spread out and get some work down with a local beer in hand.  I also like the fact that it's spacious and doesn't try to hard to be ultra hip or hippie.

Sure it would be nice if they would up their coffee quality and get some locally/freshly baked food, but there are other places for that nearby.  Besides, if they had that, I may never leave!

White Spot is a BC institution.   It was where my father used to take me for special occasions. Pirate packs were the best!  So, upon arrived back in BC after a long hiatus, I decided to take a stroll down memory lane.

The old saying, "you can't go back again" is true.  While White Spot may be a good family restaurant and a decent place for group brunch or lunch, any nostalgia I once had is gone.  The LegendaryBurger with 'Triple O' sauce is average at best, the fries were run of the mill, and while the coleslaw was pretty good, it wasn't enough to make the meal memorable.  Service was prompt and courteous.

Eat here for the memories, eat here for your kids, eat here with a group, eat here if you want to feel full, but don't eat here if you are looking for a remarkable burger.

My wife and I we the lucky recipients of a Holt Renfrew 'Shop and Stay' package, which including a night's stay in one of their executive suites.  I'll let my wife review that 'shop' portion of the package and stick to the 'stay' part.

The St. Regis is everything a boutique hotel should be.  The hotel is a perfect mix of a historic building and modern amenities. It has been beautifully appointed with close attention to nearly every detail. We loved the comfy king size bed enjoyed the soaker tub. The staff were friendly and attentive.  Located in the heart of downtown, the location of the hotel is great for tourists and business travelers alike.  The free use of the business center, including printers was a nice addition. We loved the complimentary long distance calls and were impressed by the complimentary full breakfast (including table service and omelets!).

The only room for improvement would be to improve the (admittedly free) wifi quality and perhaps consider a doorman to greet guests and help unload and direct cars, and/or even a valet parking service.