57 posts tagged “vancouver”

Hey, guess who's taking a break from homework to finally update this - wait, what do they call it again? oh yeah - blog? That would be me. Sorry about the extended absence; my free time tends to get sucked up by chores or trying to get as far away from my computer as I possibly can. (Preferably somewhere outside and oceany.)

Anyway, here's a quick rundown and some of what you missed in the past three months (or at least what I can come up with right now):

• My week-long break from school at the beginning of July was nice, if way too rainy. I didn't do much of note (that was the idea), although Shane and I went in for a couple's pedicure at one of the fancy spas on West Fourth (the yuppie part of town). That was a riot, since it's very much not the norm for either of us.

• When my second term of school started, I made a point of sitting in a new seat. That change has been really good, as it's allowed me to get to know more students and feel less isolated. The program has finally been getting into the web design/development in the past couple of weeks, and I have definitely been enjoying that. (Even JavaScript! Who knew?)

• After spending the first half of the term in the (required) video class for my program, I realized two things. One, I was not going to learn ANYTHING new. Two, I was going to waste WAY too much time on projects for that class. I went out on a limb and asked the program head if I could drop the course, and it turns out I could! Now I am just waiting for my St. Thomas credits to transfer, which hopefully will go through fine.

• For my birthday, Shane and I went out to eat at a new Thai restaurant here called Maenum. Both the food and drinks were amazing, and I can't wait to go back and try more of the delicious curries and cocktails. (Mmm, coconut-flavoured anything.)

• At the end of July, my mom and brother came out here to visit for a long weekend. Shane and I had fun being hosts for the weekend (we don't get to play that role enough!), and we made a point to get out and be active. We biked and hiked around town (the weather was perfect), although probably not enough to burn off all the food we ate over those three days. My family also got to experience a rarity that weekend: a Vancouver thunderstorm! Even better, a Vancouver thunderstorm during the annual Celebration of Light fireworks show. Awesome.

• In related news, Shane and I came home from the final fireworks show of the summer to find six people trapped in our (small) apartment elevator. Our landlord was not around, so we helped keep everybody calm until the elevator repairman could arrive through all the post-fireworks traffic. We managed to crack the door open, pass in ice packs and playing cards, and set-up a fan to blow some air in (did I mention this was happened during a heat wave? it was HOT here). It took about 75 minutes for the guy to get here, but eventually everyone got out.

• My latest obsession is with the bagels from a local bakery here called Siegel's. They are not kidding about having "possibly the best bagels in the world." Seriously, you guys. We've been buying a dozen bagels a week, meaning I have pretty much been eating a bagel a day for the past two months. DELICIOUS.

• Shane bought a new laptop recently, and thus my 2005 desktop PC was finally put to rest. Or at least put into our basement storage until we can figure out a place to donate it.

• Last weekend, we went out to BC's equivalent of a state fair: the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition). You may recall we went with Carrie to this event last year, when we saw the Superdogs show for the first time. (Okay, nobody but Carrie probably remembers that.) Well, we went back to the Superdogs show again this year, and it was even more hilarious. One of the performers this year was a tiny, tiny Yorkie named Pocket Rocket. Every time Pocket Rocket came out on stage (to compete in the obstacle course or just run around), the contrast between her and the other, bigger, built-for-agility dogs made me laugh until I cried. I cannot even tell you how much that sight tickled my funny bone. Good times.

• As some of you may have seen on Facebook, I went in for an appointment with a rheumatologist here last week. My pain has been getting worse lately, and I was hoping to come away with some new treatment ideas for my fibromyalgia. Instead, my new doctor wanted to run a series of diagnostic tests on me, to see if we can better pinpoint the problem. I will know the results of some of the tests by the end of month; it's weird to think that I may have been suffering from something else entirely all these years. (And no worries, so far nothing he's suggested is life-threatening or debilitating, if treated properly.)

That's about it. Now back to my regular homeworking...and counting down the days until my next week-long break (in October, when we will be joining Jon, Shannon, Joe and Carrie in California for a long weekend, yay!).

After a threat of first 90%, then 30% chance of precipitation, race day morning dawned perfectly cool with a mix of clouds and sun.  Not a drop of rain was in sight.  (Thank you, Vancouver!)

Shane and I left the apartment just before 6 a.m. to head to the race start (on the other side of downtown).  We drove over to park in Shane’s work lot, as it’s located right next to the Skytrain, which we planned to take the rest of the way (my monthly transit pass allows me to travel with an extra passenger on Sundays, woo!).  We arrived at the starting line around 6:20, giving us plenty of time to use the Port-a-Potty and stretch.

The half-marathon group lined up as we got closer to 7 a.m. (the official go time for the race).  We jumped in around the middle of the pack, both of us feeling a lot of nerves at that point.  I was anxious about running my first half-marathon; Shane was feeling the pressure of meeting his ambitious time goal (1:45).  But soon we were flowing with the massive, 6,000-strong crowd toward the start.  We wished each other well and set off on our individual journeys to The Black-Eyed Peas “Pump It” blaring over a pair of gigantic speakers.

I felt good from the beginning.  All the time spent tapering (not to mention the pure adrenaline of finally running this long-planned-for event) gave me an extra bounce in my step as we moved into the Gastown portion of the race.  I thought maybe I was running a bit faster than my anticipated 2:15 pace time, but I didn’t know for sure.  (Nor did it really matter; my primary goal was just to finish.)

Around the 10km (or 6-mile) mark, the route followed the seawall leading into Stanley Park and then hopped up on the road that circles the park (Park Drive).  This was when I started to feel nervous again, as the infamous Park Drive hill to Prospect Point was coming up.  Prospect Point is essentially the highest point in Stanley Park, and veterans of this half-marathon will tell you this long, steep climb to the top is intensely challenging (especially being located in the middle of the race).

Thankfully, since Shane and I had done a training run on this hill, I was able to reach the crest without any issues.  It also helped that some amazing spectators were lining the road, yelling encouragement at the top of their lungs (supportive words can do wonders for tired legs).  And the downhill on the other side?  That was almost worth the pain of ascending (almost).

Soon I hit the 10-mile mark and began running along Beach Avenue.  A large crowd had gathered by English Bay Beach to cheer us on, so that was a nice boost.  I definitely struggled as we entered the last 3km (about 2 miles remaining).  My calves were burning like they’ve never burned before, but I knew we were close, so I pushed through the discomfort.  And sure enough, soon the end was in sight.

If you’ve never experienced the finish line of a race, it is simply incredible.  The enthusiasm from the assembled crowd and the pick-up in pace by just about every runner out there is electrifying.  I flew through the end, crossing the finish with my arms held high and cheering as loudly as my tired lungs could handle.  I recently heard this moment described as empowering, and I couldn’t agree more.  I felt like I could take on absolutely anything.

Shane and I met up within minutes of my finish, both with the AWESOME news that we had done better than we’d hoped.  I managed my first 13.1-miler in 2:05:24, ten minutes faster than I expected to be (holy shit); Shane broke his half-marathon PR by nearly six minutes, completing in 1:43:12 (well under his goal).  Hell yeah!

We then made our way back to Shane’s work to shower up - a logistical decision made because we had reservations in the restaurant just above Canada Place at 11:30.  This particular place - Café Pacifica in the fancy Pan Pacific hotel - is known in Vancouver for its extravagant (and yes, expensive) brunch buffet, which we were eager to partake in.

After logging the longest distance I’ve ever run, that food tasted fucking delicious.  There were freshly-squeezed juices, assorted pastries, salads, fruits, sushi, dim sum, stir fry, salmon and sole, bacon and sausage, (every kind of) meat and potatoes, omelettes and eggs Benedict, and the most beautiful dessert spread you can imagine.  We lingered there for a couple of hours, taking our time through four (yes, four) separate buffet trips.  It was a wonderful way to end what was truly a spectacular morning.

And - as you might expect when everything goes so perfectly according to plan - it wasn’t long before we were discussing when we might want to train for another half to do it all over again.

If the rumors are true and Britney Spears paused her concert in Vancouver because of the abundance of POT SMOKE by the stage, that's hilariously appropriate for this town.  And oddly means I have one thing in common with Ms. Spears: intolerance for the overwhelming stink of weed.  Funny.

After about a year of exploring, here are my top three picks for Best Vancouver Teahouses.  Because you’ve all been clamouring for such a thing, I’m sure.  My main reason for selecting these places is that they offer a good selection of loose-leaf teas for a reasonable price.  Since we drink the vast majority of our tea at home, I have little need for teahouses that focus only on serving tea in-store and then overcharge for leaves (which seem to make a lot of the other Best Of lists, much to my chagrin).

1) Steeps Tea Lounge

Steeps tops the list because they’ve got this great, interactive display that is perfect for selecting teas to go.  Tins of leaves are arranged on a circular stand according to type – herbal, rooibos, white, green, oolong, black – with descriptive labels on each lid.  You are encouraged to open the tins to see/smell the contents.  It’s ideal for indecisive folks like me because you can endlessly compare the options.

Steeps is also a lovely place to sit down and have a pot (or, in this case, French press) of tea.  The atmosphere is calm and cozy (complete with fireplace) and the accompanying snacks are delicious (we’re particularly fond of the pumpkin pie and tuna sandwiches).

My only complaint about Steeps is they make you buy the tea in tins.  So the price is according to fluid ounces, meaning you actually get a little less for your money then other places that use the per-grams cost approach.

2) Bayswater Tea Company

Bayswater has only recently jumped on the list, but the more I go there, the more I like it.  They’ve got an excellent website listing their tea varieties, with ingredient descriptions and prices.  It’s best to go in knowing what you want to check out, because the store itself only has a list of tea names to peruse (not so helpful).  However, I will say that the staff has been fairly good about explaining and suggesting teas when we’ve gone in unprepared.

Bayswater is also a pleasant spot to have a pot of tea.  The space is much smaller than Steeps, which means it’s quieter and more intimate but does has fewer chairs.  They also sell lots of gorgeous B.C.-made pottery (teapots, mugs, etc.), which are lovely to look at, along with a small variety of chocolates and cookies.

Like most of the tea stores in Vancouver, Bayswater prices their teas per gram.  They also offer a stamp card, which can earn you a free 50 grams of tea after a set number of purchases.

3) Granville Island Tea Company

Granville Island Tea is located within the Public Market, which makes it an irresistible stop whenever we’re shopping there.  They’ve got a decent selection – not as extensive as Steeps or Bayswater, but enough to keep us coming back.  I’m especially enjoying their inexpensive rooibos selection right now.

Given its busy location, this is not a really relaxing place to sit and sip.  They do have a few stools out for customers, but those spots are often taken.  We generally get our to-go cups and head somewhere else.  Oh well, they've still got the biggest and best selection of food, that's for sure!

Granville Island Tea uses the cost-per-grams chart as well. 

(And for anyone wondering if TeaSource has become a thing of the past for us, fear not.  It remains the cheapest option - even with shipping - particularly for straight green teas, which we love.  I am already planning my shopping list there for April.)

Yesterday marked the halfway point in our training for the Vancouver Half-Marathon.  So far, things have been going smoothly.  We’ve been injury-free (aside from a few minor aches and pains) and have adjusted to the weekly long runs, hill work and speed work relatively well.  In fact, I would say our training has largely been unremarkable – that is, unremarkable except for the fact that we are training IN VANCOUVER.

I’ve mentioned how awesome running here is before, but doing more of it now emphasizes that point.  This city makes it almost easy to be logging 20-mile weeks.  We did hills on one clinic night over by the Vancouver Aquarium, with a stunning view of Lions’ Gate Bridge all aglow.  We did intervals along the Coal Harbour seawall another night, with an amazing backdrop of the North Shore lit up (from the lights up on the mountaintops down to the buildings along the waterfront).  Hell, Shane and I even mapped out long runs that ended at the Granville Island Public Market, so we could partake in some of the best post-running brunches ever.

Does training get better than this?  (With the exception of being able to fly our running friends out here to share in the experience?)  I think not.

(Plus, I was recently able to find an excellent new sports bra to replace my far too outdated ones.  Ladies, if you’re interested, check out the Sugoi Bridget Bra – it’s got tons of support, feels incredibly comfortable on and uses a combination of a racerback design and (adjustable) hook-eye closure so you can get in and out of it easily.  Love it.)

Shane and I were fortunate enough to watch the inauguration of our 44^th President on the big screen yesterday.  The local chapter of Democrats Abroad (which hosted the Election Night we attended) teamed up with Canadians for Obama to reserve the Rio Theatre (at Broadway and Commercial) for the viewing.  So, since Shane had taken the day off, we both left early on Tuesday morning to catch the SkyTrain out there.

We arrived around 8:30 a.m., just about the time the ceremony was starting in D.C.  The theatre was not packed, but fairly full (considering it was a weekday morning), and included a bunch of Canadian reporters with video cameras, digital cameras and notepads.  We grabbed a couple of prime seats near the front and settled in.  

When Vice President-Elect Biden entered the stage, the crowd applauded enthusiastically and a few people whistled.  But once President-Elect Obama arrived, everyone in the theatre rose to their feet, clapping and cheering without reservation.  And this outpouring of excitement (and, I think, relief) continued throughout the ceremony.  We stood respectfully when President Obama took the oath of office; we reacted with positive exclamations to his speech (and his shout-out to the nonbelievers – yay!); we all sang the national anthem together at the end.  It was, as you might imagine, incredibly moving.

I am not ashamed to say I was teary-eyed through most of it.  From the instant CNN announced that Obama had officially become President (which happened at noon, even though he had not yet taken the oath of office), I was overcome with emotion at the awesome history of it.  There was simply so much meaning loaded in that moment – for me as a liberal, yes, but also as an American and as a human being – it filled me to the brim with pride.

So a big thank you to the folks who organized this gathering.  I’m grateful that January 20^th, 2009 will go down in my personal history as a day of sharing hope with a community of like-minded souls, smiling and crying (happily) in the warmth of a small Vancouver movie theatre.

We’ve now been in Vancouver long enough to have given birth to a child (wow), and this is the first month mark in which I actually feel like it’s been that long.  Yep, nine months sounds about right.  And last month for me was one of the best.

Since we decided to immigrate here, I have looked forward to being in Vancouver for the holidays.  I don’t know why exactly, but the idea of seeing Christmas trees and Santa Clauses here always thrilled me; it’s the kind of thing that’s more about residents than tourists, the time of year that would make me feel like a local.  So I was damn excited when the Christmas lights started going up in downtown balconies (and, amusingly, on some construction cranes) in November.  And that was just the beginning.

If you’ve been reading the blog, you know that we had numerous opportunities to experience Christmas events in the city, from parades to tree lightings to extravagant light displays.  I was practically tearing up at the beautiful Festival of Lights – it meant that much to me to be a part of the city's seasonal traditions.  We also did a good chunk of our gift shopping here, first at an annual Canadian craft show at Canada Place, then in Pacific Centre Mall and along Robson Street.  I absolutely loved it (particularly when we were able to find Vancouver- or Canada-centric gifts)!

In addition to the fun, December brought more clarity to my future plans.  I started the application process back in November, and everything finally came together this week: I have been officially offered acceptance at BCIT for a full-time program that begins in April.  I will be attending school for 52 weeks straight, working my way toward a Senior Management Certificate in the field of design/web development.  It will be an intense (and expensive) year, but one I need to want to believe will be worthwhile.

My hope is that, through this program, I will be able to further the technical knowledge (primarily of Adobe products and the interaction of graphics/video/Internet) that I accrued during my university years, making me more marketable in the media/communications field.  Plus, these are software programs I want to learn and will have practical use outside of a job (i.e. for my photos and blog).  So I’m definitely excited about it, although I confess the idea of going to school again does intimidate me after five six (holy fuck) years away!

So, nine months later, this place is starting to feel more and more like home.  And with a new year and new plans ahead of us, I am increasingly optimistic that our life in Canada can only get better from here.  (Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to knock on approximately 1,000 Stanley Park trees to make up for that sudden, uncharacteristic bout of Not Pessimism.)

I can’t believe it’s been nearly nine months and I’ve barely said anything about how totally kick-ass the running is here.  So, let me tell you.  The running here?  It’s totally kick-ass.

In MN, if we wanted to go somewhere scenic or somewhere with trails or somewhere with amenities (water, restrooms), we would have to jump in the car and drive for a good 15-45 minutes.  Here, these options are literally right outside our door.  We’ve mapped out routes that incorporate the seawall (around Stanley Park, along Coal Harbour, beside False Creek), the forest trails (around Lost Lagoon, within Stanley Park) and the city streets.  So we have yet to drive anywhere to run, which is awesome.

The relatively mild weather here has also been a big plus.  We never experienced a summer day that was too hot for running, and so far the cold-weather season has not dropped from the double-digits (Fahrenheit, of course) – a vast improvement from the below-zero temps of the last two Decembers!  Of course, we have been forced to deal with the rain, and we’ve both come home soaked more with precipitation than perspiration.  But the dampness seems a small price to pay for the overall improvements in our running environment.

Perhaps my favourite thing about running in Vancouver, though, is the regular reminder it provides me of how fortunate we are to be here.  Whether it’s the breath-taking views of mountains and ocean, the interactions with lots of friendly runners and dogs, or even just the powerful, fresh smell of pine trees and salt water, I come back from every run – good or bad – with a renewed appreciation for the opportunities we have right at our fingertips toetips these days.