by Trish Williams
Gatecon 2002 was a real
blast for me, Trish (AKA ‘Foxy Brown’) and my best Aussie bud, Michelle and her
sister Ti_Ane. We had an awesome time
tooling around Vancouver before the convention and as such, found some great
places to hang out, eat, get pampered, and most of all, parking! If you’re planning to go to Gatecon in 2003,
it is worth it to take a cab, a bus or rent a car so you can explore what’s
beyond Richmond: Vancouver! Rather than
send you out with just a map they give you at the hotel, we’ve put together a
list of great spots we found and, more importantly, how and where to park with
minimal pulling of hair and utterance of swear words. So, get some loonies and toonies for bus fare or parking meters, hire
a car or a cab and go out and explore!
Granted you can’t swing a
dead cat around Vancouver without hitting a Starbucks, to get the best
atmosphere of Vancouver try breakfast at a local spot. Our two favorites are Café Zen in Kitsilano
and the Elbow Room in downtown Vancouver.
Café Zen, located at 1631
Yew St., is just a few blocks up from the picturesque Kitsilano Beach. The place is small so don’t be surprised if
you have to wait for a table. You might
luck out like Michelle and I did when we got a table immediately because the
guy in front of us had friend who were running late. Once inside, the place is cozy, the menu is varied and
interesting, and the orange juice is fresh.
Breakfast starts at around $4.50CDN for the basic pancakes or crepes and
goes up from there. Be warned: fresh OJ
is around $3.25 CDN and it does not come in a carton. Also note this place seems to be a popular hangout with the MAW
(Model, Actor/Actress, Whatever) crowd.
(604) 731-4018.
Café Zen
Parking Tip: Don’t even bother
trying to park near the restaurant.
Parking is just a concept only for residents. Just motor on down to the pay lot at the beach, buy a parking
slip and walk the 2 blocks to Café Zen.
Do NOT forget to put the slip on the dashboard or you WILL get a
ticket. The meter maids/dudes in
Vancouver are more rabid than those in LA but they definitely are nicer!
The Elbow Room, located at
560 Davie St., has to be the most entertaining place to have breakfast. It’s a place reputed to have gently abusive wait
staff and one of David Duchovny’s favorite eateries when he was filming the
X-Files in Van City. How abusive you
ask? We just got some gentle jesting
from our waiter, who joked with me by remarking that I must be an actress in
town shooting my latest movie (as if).
Two ladies who just yakked for ten minutes with their menus on the table
resulted in their waiter coming over and saying, “Are you going to yack all
morning or order something from the menu?”
The highlights of the menu are the ‘Big Ass Pancake and the ‘You’ve
Gotta Be F’ing Kidding Me’ burger (due to it’s high price). When Michelle got her pancake it was
literally hanging off the place and I said, “That’s a big ass pancake!” If you don’t finish your meal, which none of
us did, then you are gently reprimanded and informed you’ll be making a
contribution to A Loving Spoonful, a charity this restaurant supports. Donations go towards food donations for
people living with AIDS. In the US it
is better known as the Elizabeth Taylor Foundation. Another highlight of this
place for an X-Files fan like myself is that several episodes were shot at this
location. (604) 685-3628
The Elbow
Room Parking Tip: This is downtown;
meaning parking is hell so you’re going to have to circle awhile to find a
parking meter. Be sure to have plenty
of loonies (1$ coins) and toonies ($2 coins) to feed the meter with. Don’t even THINK about parking on any side
streets labeled ‘Permit Parking Only’.
If you absolutely,
positively must find a Starbucks for breakfast, just use The Force and drive
around downtown Vancouver. You’ll hit
one before you can say, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”.
There are nice of little
spots around Vancouver to have lunch at but two of them top our list for our
own selfish reasons. They are Joe Forte’s
Seafood & Chop House in downtown Vancouver and Station 3 in Yaletown.
Joe Forte’s Seafood &
Chop House, located in downtown Vancouver at 777 Thurlow Street, right on the
intersection of Robson St, has to be one of the coolest places for lunch. The inside of the restaurant looks like
something straight out of New York City.
If you’re fortunate enough to get to have lunch ‘al fresco’ on the
terrace like we did, you’re in for quite a treat! In addition to having your own ‘bar’ just for the terrace, there
is also a table with a big wood-burning fire in the middle. The seafood is great and chock full of
locally caught and flown in sort. Visit
them on the web at: http://www.joefortes.ca,
or call them for reservations at (604) 669-1940. When you’re full from lunch at Joe Forte’s, you can walk it off
by cruising up Robson Street and seeing if you’re lucky enough to run into any
actors in town. Starbucks alert: There
are not one but two Starbucks on the diagonal corners of Robson and
Thurlow streets.
Joe Forte’s
Parking Tip: The intersection of Robson and Thurlow Street is
quite busy, so if they valet parking sign is out in front of the restaurant
take advantage of it. If there’s no
valet, try to park on Robson at one of the parking meters. If you can’t find one, then cruise up Robson
to the Blue Horizons Hotel and park in their pay garage.
Station 3 in Yaletown,
located in what used to be warehouses on Mainland St where it intersects with
Nelson, is where Michelle and I were fortunate enough to have dinner with JR
Bourne and the other auction winners of lunch with him to benefit CF (cystic
fibrosis). It’s a cool little spot in
this trendy neighborhood, complete with techno music that makes for and
interesting atmosphere. If it’s a nice
day outside, have lunch on the patio and people watch. An added plus is that not only is there a
Starbucks located on the same block, but another shop just a few doors down
with discounted designer clothing.
Station 3 Parking
Tip: Parking in Yaletown is the pits.
Rather than drive down Mainland just cruise around to one of the side
streets and find an empty parking meter to park next to. Keep track of your time though. I had to excuse myself from JR’s lunch to go
feed the meter. Michelle and I had
already gotten out of one parking ticket to be stuck with another so the last
thing we needed was yet another parking ticket. Turns out JR had to park at a meter a block
or two away like Michelle and I did so I didn’t feel so bad.
There are three standout
places for dinner in Vancouver. They
are, in ‘must do’ order, Bishop’s, Gotham Steakhouse and Joe Forte’s Seafood
& Chop House.
Bishop’s, located at 2183
West Fourth Avenue, is one restaurant you must go to even if it means
you have to borrow, beg, or save for weeks to dine here. The restaurant is small and intimate, the
menu fresh and exciting. In addition,
the restaurant’s famed owner, John Bishop, comes out to personally greet each
table. He doesn’t just drop by and say
hello but takes the time to find out where you’re from, how you heard about his
restaurant, and offers some dining suggestions. When he suggested to us a chanterelle mushroom appetizer, we all
begged off because we weren’t too keen on mushrooms. Imagine our surprise after placing our order when two waiters
come out with bowls of something we didn’t order and it turns out to be those
same exact chanterelle mushrooms Mr. Bishop spoke of. He poured some truffle oil onto each of our servings and watched
for our reaction, as we tasted it. One
taste and we all looked at each other and exclaimed, “Damn, this is GOOD!” Mr. Bishop came back out to show us the
exact mushrooms used and was delighted to find out we kept raving about
the ‘complimentary’ appetizer he’d
given us. Bishop’s is a pretty popular
restaurant with limited seating because, as Mr. Bishop puts it, he wants you to
feel like you’re dining in his home. If
you want to dine here, I suggest calling (604) 738-2025 to make reservations no
less than 3 weeks before the date you wish to dine. Trust me, they won’t think you’re crazy. Visit their website at: http://www.bishopsonline.com
Bishop’s
Parking Tip: We managed to find a parking spot next to a meter
right outside the restaurant. If you
can grab one of these spots, do so as it is much cheaper than valet
parking. If you can’t find a spot, just
bite the bullet and valet park your car.
The best steaks in Vancouver
can be found at the Gotham Steakhouse, located at 615 Seymour Street. From the
posh interior to waitstaff that are quite easy on the eyes, the Gotham
Steakhouse has the ‘best’ steak in Vancouver.
Entrees are on the pricey side (think Bishop’s) but are well worth
it. When we went, we had the great
fortune of having not only a gorgeous waiter, but also one who was literally a
‘dead ringer’ for David Duchovny.
Normally I don’t go for blondes but I definitely would have made an
exception in his case! A review of the
Gotham Steakhouse can be found at http://www.guestlife.com/vancouver/dine/gotham.html. Call (604) 605-8282 for reservations.
Gotham
Steakhouse Parking Tip: Use valet parking.
Much easier than circling the block looking for a free parking
meter. Just roll you car up to the
valet parking sign and let the guy in the jacket do the rest.
You’re probably wondering
why I’ve got Joe Forte’s Seafood & Chop House listed again. Besides being a great lunch spot, Joe Fortes
also had some slammin’ seafood. In the
evenings, try to get seated near the windows on the first level so you can
engage in some ‘people watching’. Some
‘interesting’ things can be spotted as people make their way to/from Robson Street
by way of Thurlow. Definitely provides
lots of ammo for conversation. A review
of Joe Forte’s Seafood and Chophouse can be found at http://www.guestlife.com/vancouver/dine/fortes.html.
Joe Forte’s
Parking Tip: See the same tips listed under ‘Lunch’. If you’re feeling adventurous, and want to
experience the vibes of downtown Vancouver, park at the Blue Horizon hotel and
walk down Burrard St. to Thurlow St.
I’ll be you dollars to doughnuts you’ll see a lot of interesting
characters on the way.
Looking for some late-night
munchies but you don’t want to waste ‘con cash’ on room service? Then give Boston Pizza a call or just drop
by. Open until 2am, they’re located at
8100 Ackroyd Road in Richmond, within easy walking distance of the
convention hotel. Just go out to
Westminster Highway, make a left onto Number 3 road, then make a right on
Ackroyd Road. You can’t miss the big
neon pizza emblem. Call them at
(604)-273-6151 for general questions or 604-999-9999 for delivery. For the menu, visit their website at: http://www.bostonpizza.com.
Boston Pizza
Parking Tip: Just park in the big ‘ol
free parking lot they’ve got. However,
if you’re making a pizza run while the convention is going on, DO NOT move your
car from the hotel parking lot. Just
huff on over or better yet, have them deliver your order to the hotel.
The Absolute Spa @ The
Century Hotel in downtown Vancouver has to be THE PLACE for being pampered
before those hectic Gatecon activities get into full swing. Offering everything from manicures and
pedicures to full day spa experiences, nothing beats this place for making you
feel like a Goa’uld. The appointments
are posh without the tacky decorating sense those false gods are known
for. I highly recommend the Vichy Shower
and the Scrub, Tub and Rub treatments.
If you don’t want something that involved, you can’t go wrong with the
manicures and pedicures. I recommend
the chocolate delight manicure and pedicure.
Mmmmmm, all the joys of chocolate with none of the calories! For spa reservations, you can contact the
spa at: (604) 684-2772 or toll free at (877) 684-2772 (ask for The Spa), or
e-mail them at [email protected].
Visit them online to see a list of their services at: http://www.absolutespa.com. For those of you departing from US departure
gates at Vancouver International Airport, the Absolute Spa also has a location
there. Great way to squeeze in a
massage before squeezing into those small airplane seats.
Absolute Spa @
The Century Parking Tip:
Complimentary parking in the Century Hotel’s parking garage is included
in the price of your service. Just
bring your parking ticket to the reservation desk so it can be validated.
Stanley Park is a great
place to visit whether it be rain or shine.
This park is also frequented for shoots of Stargate SG-1. Take a leisurely walk (or rollerblade)
around the Stanley Park seawall and take in the salt air as you get gorgeous
views of North Vancouver, Grouse Mountain, Canada Place and those yellow sulfur
pits used in the episode ‘Cold Lazarus’.
Be sure to check out the Nine O’Clock Gun, which goes off at 9:00pm each
night on the dot! If you’re around the
gun and you see those red lights start flashing, you have ten seconds to duck
and cover! To feel like you just
stepped through the stargate and landed on P3X-Whatever, walk off into one of
the wooded areas of Stanley Park. Just
make sure to bring along your M9 and P-90.
For more information, check out their website at: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks&gardens/stanley1.htm.
Stanley Park
Parking Tip: There are lots of places to park around here. Just
be sure that when you purchase a parking ticket that the meter takes your
money! We made the mistake of assuming
since the ticket machine wouldn’t take our money it was broken and we could
park in the lot without a problem, right?
WRONG! When we got back to our
car there was a lovely parking ticket on it.
Fortunately a meter dude was checking the machine when we got back to
our car, so we went over and explained the problem. He asked us to try the machine again and of course this
time it worked. Augggh! The meter dude was nice enough to let us pay
him for the time we used and cancelled out our ticket. We love this guy!
If you’re looking for the
best shopping with respect to trendy shops, unique items and prime
opportunities to possibly spot your favorite Stargate SG-1 actor, Robson Street
in downtown Vancouver is the place to be.
Be warned that this is the ‘high rent’ district so prices are on the
high side. For American visitors, you must
visit the Sears in this area. In the US
we only go to Sears for power tools and appliances but in Vancouver, Sears is
as posh as Macy’s! Be sure to drop by
the Lindt chocolate department to load up on gourmet truffles and other Lindt
chocolate goodies not readily available in the States. Also close by in Robson Square is the Old
Bailiff restaurant which houses the bar filmed in ‘Secrets’ and the courtyard
filmed in ‘Foothold’, as well as the Vancouver Art Museum whose steps were
filmed as Washington DC in ‘Secrets’.
For more information and tips about shopping on Robson Street, visit:
http://www.bcpassport.com/shopping/robson.html
Robson Street
Parking Tip: The best parking
structure is under the Sears. If you
don’t see this one there are plenty of other pay parking structures around the
area.
No disrespect to the guys,
but there are certain places a fangirl needs to know about. London Drugs is the place for
one-stop shopping for all the things a fangirl needs. Everything from pantyhose to nail polish to film to plastic
sleeve holders for autographed pictures, London Drugs offers all of this and
more at reasonable prices. They are
located all over Vancouver but the most prominent ones are the location near
Sears in Downtown Vancouver and the location right around the corner of the
hotel. Just go out to Westminster Highway
and turn left. Cross over Minoru and
walk down another block and you’ll see the London Drugs plaza complete with
‘parkade’. Visit the London Drugs
website at:: http://www.londondrugs.com
If you’re high-maintenance
like I am, and are looking for the high-end makeup with impeccable customer
service, MAC on Robson St. is a must to go to.
If you can’t make it to Downtown Vancouver, there is a MAC counter in
one of the better department stores in the Richmond Mall. Visit MAC online at: http://www.maccosmetics.com.
London Drugs
Parking Tip: If you’re downtown,
park in one of the pay structures. If
you’re in Richmond, just park in the free parking garage.
Of course the first thing
you have to do is rent a car. You can
rent a vehicle at the Vancouver International Airport from the various rental
car agency desks in the terminal, or rent from Enterprise Rent A Car in the
convention hotel or Avis Rent A Car next to the Hilton on Minoru Blvd. I personally prefer Avis since their rates
were cheaper than Enterprise, and I could rent a Ford Explorer SUV at a much
cheaper rate than with Enterprise. Though Vancouverites don't carry umbrellas I
highly suggest bringing one of your own.
If that is too bulky, just bring a rain parka because the skies in
Vancouver can start spitting rain at the drop of a hat. That brings me to another thing about your
rental vehicle. Make sure the
windshield wipers work.
My fellow Americans,
remember that all speed limits are posted in kph, not mph. Don't get excited like I did and see a speed
limit posted as 90 and think it's 90 miles per hour. Also, gasoline is sold in liters instead of gallons. A gallon is roughly equivalent to about 3.5
liters and with that conversion it works out to nearly $4.00 CDN a gallon. If you've ever complained about gas prices
in the US, after filling up in Canada you will never do so again. Also be aware of the 'flashing' green lights. I have no idea what these mean and each
Vancouverite I asked had a different explanation. Basically, if a green light is flashing, just go. And the 'No Turn On Red' signs are not
written in English but are conveyed in pictures. If you see a sign with a turn signal that's red and has a right
turn arrow with a slash across it that means 'No Turn On Red'. For added fun, look for any signs near power
plants. In the US we're used to seeing
'Danger! High Voltage!' However in Vancouver, there are signs with a
guy on the front stretched out with his eyes rolled back into his head
presumably screaming to his death as he's fried by a high voltage electrical
wire.
Above all just enjoy
experiencing all Vancouver has to offer.
Remember, Vancouver just isn't the city over the bridge from
Richmond. It's a place to go to have
your own adventures so make the most of it!
-- Trish Williams ([email protected])