Vancouver Neighbourhoods: Kitsilano

Kitsilano, also known as "Kits," is a beautiful neighbourhood in Vancouver that boasts sandy beaches, plenty of shopping of an array of international eateries. This coveted area, just 10 minutes from Downtown Vancouver, is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of Downtown and chill out for a day.

Kitsilano is bordered by two amazing beaches: Kitsilano Beach and Jericho Beach. Kitsilano Beach is a great place to go for a walk or run in the autumn. The views of the Vancouver cityscape from this beach are simply breathtaking. In the summer, this beach is often packed with sun-lovers and beach volleyball players. There's also a restaurant on the beach, the Boathouse, which also affords beautiful views from its patio. 

The Boathouse on Kits Beach

There are plenty of other restaurants in the Kits area that are worth checking out. Some of my favourites include Hapa Izakaya, an innovative Japanese tapas-style restaurant, Las Margaritas, an awesome Mexican restaurant, and Trattoria Italian Kitchen, a superb Italian restaurant with great pasta deals.

If you love shopping, definitely take a stroll along West 4th Avenue. Ski and snowboard lovers will find plenty of shops to indulge in, like Westbeach, Pacific Boarder and The Boardroom. Yoga lovers and those who just love to sweat should check out the flagship Lululemon store for some trendy and practical workout clothing. Indie music lovers should head to Zulu Records to trawl through the collection of vinyl records.

Whether you're a local or visitor in Vancouver, Kitsilano is definitely a neighbourhood you should take some time to get lost in. The urban yet relaxed vibe of Kits is what keeps me coming back to this hip Vancouver neighbourhood.

If you love Kits too, what's your favourite part of this Vancouver neighbourhood?

Vancouver Art: The Free Print Show

A friend has invited me to a unique Vancouver art show that's happening on Nov. 24. The Free Print Show is a one-night art show where every print in the gallery is free to the visitors of the show. Amazing, right?

This non-profit event brings together over 25 Vancouver artists who have created prints specifically for this event. There will be over 500 prints to give away on various subjects.

The Free Print Show is free to attend, but it will also be accepting donations for the Portland Hotel Society. The Portland Hotel Society is "dedicated to providing sustainable housing for the 'hard-to-house' population," including those living on the Downtown Eastside. Last year, the Free Print Show raised $653.24 for the Portland Hotel Society.

So, if you love art and would like to support a great cause, come out to the Free Print Show.

The Free Print Show is happening on Nov. 24, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at the Little Mountain Gallery, 195 East 26th Ave. The print giveaway will be happening at 10 p.m. sharp, so make sure to get there early.

For more information, or to RSVP, visit the Free Print Show event page.

Vancouver Restaurants: Cactus Club Cafe

On the weekend, I went for lunch with a couple of friends at the Cactus Club Cafe on Broadway & Granville. I wasn't in a rush to blog about this lunch because the food and service were less than desirable.

Cactus Club is a chain restaurant with 15 locations across Greater Vancouver. Its menu is diverse, with signature dishes from chef Rob Feenie, casual eats like burgers and much more.

A friend and I arrived at the Cactus Club on Broadway and Granville around lunchtime Sunday. We were greeted by a smiling hostess who asked if we'd like to be seated in the lounge or dining area. We chose the dining area and informed the hostess that another friend would be joining us. She took my name down so she could direct my other friend when she arrived. Good service from the hostess.

After being seated at our table, our waitress arrived shortly after. She told us the drink specials and took our drink orders. We ordered waters. After what seemed like a long while, the waitress dropped off our waters but didn't ask if we wanted to order. Yes, we had a friend coming still, but we were planning to order for her.

Cajun Chicken Sandwich

Our waitress was hardly to be seen and we were waiting forever to order. My friend finally had to ask the hostess to get our waitress. When the waitress finally arrived, she apologized, saying, "Oh sorry, I didn't know you wanted to order yet." She could have at least checked with us first.

Normally I really enjoy Cactus Club's food, but this time, I wasn't impressed with my order. I ordered the Cajun Chicken Sandwich with half fries and half salad (yes, you can do this for an extra charge of 75 cents). This was my first time ordering this sandwich, so I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I expected something a bit spicy. The sandwich was more like a chicken burger. I couldn't taste the Cajun spices and the sandwich was overpowered by the mayo-drenched lettuce and soggy tomato. The fries and salad were on par, but I just wasn't impressed with the sandwich.

Calamari

One of my friends ordered the calamari, which I thought was quite good. However, my friend noted that it was too salty in some areas. My other friend ordered her Cactus Club favourite: Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl. It's her go-to meal at Cactus Club, so it must be good.

Throughout our meal, our waitress was hardly seen. We were better served by other people (managers, maybe?) in the restaurant. Perhaps our waitress was new or too busy, but she didn't deliver the quality service I expected.

Overall, my Cactus Club Cafe experience was mediocre. Although I like Cactus Club, I'm not sure if I will be returning to the Broadway and Granville location.

A Walk Through The Park: Central Park Vancouver

Today Vancouver's been blessed with great autumn weather, after suffering torrential downpours over the weekend. This prompted me to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

I decided to take a walk through my local park, Central Park. While Central Park in Vancouver doesn't nearly compare to Central Park in New York, this park is still an amazing place to enjoy a walk on a crisp autumn's day. 

Central Park was originally a military reserve for the defense of New Westminster. In 1891, the area was established as a public park, and now, the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby have agreed to maintain the park.

Central Park has plenty to please its visitors. The focal point of the park is the large duck pond where you'll see many mallards. There are benches around the pond where you can simply sit and admire the scenery on a day like today. There are also great trails for walking, running or cycling. In the summer, there's an outdoor swimming pool. On Wednesdays, you can pitch horseshoes at the horseshoe park. 

Here's my trip through Central Park in Vancouver.

The Duck Pond in Central Park

Ducks in Central Park

Got My Autumn Boots On

Hollywood North: Movies Filmed In Vancouver

Vancouver has been aptly dubbed Hollywood North because of the huge film industry in the city. Because it's cheaper to film here than the real Hollywood, U.S.-based filmmakers have been flocking to this city to shoot their movies. As the third largest movie production city in North America, Vancouver offers its residents and visitors the chance to spot celebrities and film sets. In Vancouver, I've personally spotted Jason Alexander, John Cusack and Tom Green, and I never keep my eye out for celebs.

While there are plenty of movies filmed in Vancouver, hardly any of them are actually set in Vancouver. But, it's still nice to recognize a piece of home in a blockbuster hit. If you want to see a bit of Vancouver in Hollywood, check out my list of Top 5 movies filmed in Vancouver.

1. 50/50

50/50, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogan, is filmed in Vancouver but set in Seattle. The opening scene of the movie is the dead giveaway that the movie was filmed in Vancouver, as Joseph Gordon-Levitt is running along the Seawall (which they obviously don't have in Seattle). Aside from this minor detail, 50/50 is a heartwarming story about love and friendships during the difficulties of cancer. I highly recommend it.

2. This Means War

This Means War, starring Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine, is a chick flick with a bit of action. There are plenty of recognizable Vancouver locations in the movie, including the Vancouver Public Library, the Blarney Stone, Barcelona nightclub and the old Virgin Megastore on Robson St. All these Vancouver elements made me think of home and not the movie's actual setting of L.A.

3. Antitrust

Antitrust, a 2001 thriller starring Ryan Phillippe, is about a computer geek who is hired and duped by a Bill Gates lookalike known as Gary Winston. This movie was mainly filmed at the two main university campuses in Vancouver: the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. Though it's an older movie, it's still worth watching, despite the huge advances in technology that have been made since 2001.

4. Twilight

The Twilight Saga was filmed in Vancouver, and I'm sure the students of David Thompson Secondary School were swooning over the sight of Edward and Jacob. Whether or not you're a fan of Twilight, there's no denying that this movie saga has brought tons of revenue to the film industry in British Columbia.

5. Everything's Gone Green

You probably haven't heard of this one, because it's more of a local movie. Written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland, Everything's Gone Green is a movie that is actually filmed and set in Vancouver. This movie touches on some elements and issues of Vancouver, like the B.C. Lottery Corporation and marijuana grow-ops. It's a good Canadian movie that's worth checking out.

Vancouver Restaurants: Las Margaritas

Las Margaritas' Facebook page has inspired me to tell you what an awesome Mexican restaurant in Vancouver this is. Currently, Las Margaritas is having a little contest on its Facebook page, where you can win a $50 gift certificate. Who wouldn't want to win that?

I can't remember the first time I first discovered Las Margaritas. It was many, many years ago. Nevertheless, the warm ambience, perfect margaritas and delicious food really impressed me and I've been going back ever since.

Las Margaritas makes some of the best margaritas I've ever tasted. Made from natural fruit juices and quality tequila, its margaritas are a perfectly refreshing drink on a hot summer's day (or a cold autumn evening). There are so many flavours to choose from too -- like lime, pineapple, strawberry and coconut, just to name a few. Don't worry if you don't drink though, you can order a virgin margarita that is just as tasty.

I haven't been to Mexico, but if food in Mexico is like the food at Las Margaritas, I'd be extremely happy. Las Margaritas starts its guests off with complimentary homemade nacho chips and salsa, which are absolutely delicious. Its menu is extensive, with appetizers like ceviche, jalapeno poppers and taquitos. There are even more main entrees to choose from and the variety is astounding. One of my personal tried-and-tested favourites is the Enchilada de Sonora, a huge plate featuring a flour tortilla filled with roasted beef or chicken, three cheeses, and chiles, topped with a generous dollop of guacamole and swizzles of sour cream. All this comes with amarilla sauce, a huge helping of refried beans and Mexican rice. Absolutely delicious.


It doesn't stop there. There's dessert too. Did someone say churros?

Las Margaritas is hands down my favourite Mexican restaurant in Vancouver. Go check it out at 1999 West 4th Ave.

Movember in Vancouver

It's officially November, a month of more rain, shorter days and moustaches. Dubbed Movember, November is the month to grow a wicked moustache and support the campaign for prostate cancer and men's health awareness.

Movember was started by a group of Australians in 1999, when they came up with the idea of growing moustaches for charity in the month of November. Since then, this moustache-growing phenomenon has spread across the globe, and the Movember Foundation has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for men's health.

You too can support Movember in Vancouver by growing a moustache, donating to the Movember Foundation or participating in Movember events across the city.

On November 28, Canadian charity group Movember and Sons will be hosting the Official Movember Gala Parté at the Commodore Ballroom. Bring your moustache (real or fake) and dress in your moustache-matching attire for a chance to win some fabulous prizes and support a great cause.

If you can't make it to the gala, treat yourself to a milkshake at a Denny's restaurants in Vancouver. Denny's will donate 50 cents from each milkshake sale in November to the Prostate Cancer Foundation BC.

To register and participate in Movember, or for more information about the Movember Gala Parté, visit the Movember and Sons website.