Skagit Valley Tulip Festival   After returning from 2 weeks holiday in Hawaii I was surprised to discover how monotone our city can be this time of year. So if you need a pick-me-up in the form of a punch of colour - there's a little valley just south of here that you should really stick your chin out for. It's in Washington State and it's the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Now, don't get me wrong. I am a proud Canadian and love all things this side of the border. However, as a motorcycle enth ... Full Article...

The Vancouver Convention Center     Even if you had doubts that the “greenest Olympic games” were merely marketing buzz words, you have to be impressed that the implementation of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Center (VCECE) expansion has surpassed the extremely ambitious sustainable initiatives that were first proposed. As of April 2009, the world’s first LEED Platinum certified convention center also boasts the largest non-industrial green roof in North America. D ... Full Article...

Vancouver Street Eats - Vendor Friends

The City of Vancouver encourages Street Vending as a means to bring together community, and to enhance liveliness to City Streets. By way of sidewalk kiosks, or mobile units, Street Vending can bring people together, and create another outlet for the public to have the convenience of street level products. Vendors must make an application to the city to get a permit to sell their food to the public. This really helps to keep the quality level of the food way up. So you literally have a built in guarantee of tastiness.

Mayor Gregor Robertson compared the variety of choices to the selection in street-food hubs such as Portland and New York City.

“I think Vancouver has looked longingly and hungrily at the success of Portland, New York City and other cities in the world…that have incredible street food,” he said. “From Bangkok to New York City, Vancouver is now joining those ranks and putting our best on the streets so everyone can sample from that.”

The city started this as a pilot project last year - and it was a huge success. The winners have to have waste-management plans. Their food-handling practices will be subject to Vancouver Coastal Health inspection. Out of over 100 applicants, 19 vendors have won their permits.

While the first round of vendors were picked on a lottery system, this year’s street carts were chosen through a staff screening process and evaluations by a local panel, including chefs, food bloggers and nutritionists.

Vendors were selected on a point system, based on criteria including foodsafe certification, use of organic, local or fair trade foods, nutritional content and cart readiness. The picks were also based on a public survey, which ranked Mexican, organic/healthy, Indian and Japanese as the most popular food choices.

 

 

 

But you can only trust your own tastebuds and the proof is in the eating. What a fun downtown adventure to set out on any nice day this summer.

 

There`s even a new i-phone app called Eat Street that shows you where and when you can find your favorite spot.

Here's a current list of all the new 2011 Street Vendors with description and location:

• Cartel Street Food (Korean fusion - beef, pork and tofu Korean tacos), West side of 500 Dunsmuir Street.
• Chawalla ( India - Indian teas, sweet and savory parantha (stuffed Indian flatbread), East side of 800 Howe Street.
• Didi's Greek (Greek - meat and vegetarian souvlaki, tzatsiki and pita spanakopita, Greek salad), south side of 1700 Robson Street
• Feastro the Rolling Bistro (Mixed menu -- seafood taco, prawns, fish and chips, oysters, pork taco, seafood chowder, salad, prawn bisque, yam/sweet potato fries), Thurlow at W. Cordova Street.
• Finest at Sea (Seafood - fish sandwiches, fish tacos, coleslaw, vegetable kebab), Southeast corner of Robson Street and Hornby Street.
• Gourmet Syndicate (Asian fusion - pork sliders, soba noodle soup, banh mi, rice balls, duck salad, trimmed chicken karaage, whole fruits), East side of 900 Burrard Street.
• Kiss Kiss Banh Banh (Vietnamese - sub sandwiches, salads and coffee), Northwest corner of Howe and Robson streets.
• Mangali ( Mediterranean - shish kebab, lafah, couscous, chickpea, beet, carrot and radish salads), North side of 900 W. Georgia Street.
• Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck ( American - grilled sandwiches, soups and chili), 600 Hornby Street.
• Off the Wagon (Mexican - tacos), 600 Howe Street.
• Osa Tako Hero (Japanese - Takoyaki), South side of 800 W. Pender Street.
• Roaming Dragon 2 (Comfort foods - sandwiches, matzo balls, shepherd's pie, soups, chili, fruit), East side of 800 Burrard Street.
• Soho Road Naan Kebab (Indian fusion - chicken tandoori burgers, beef kebabs, masala fries and chai tea), West side of 900 Howe Street.
• Tacofino Cantina Inc. (Mexican - tacos burritos, quesadillas, tortilla soup, fruit and vegetable skewers and assorted juices), 1800 Morton Street.
• Cart name TBA ( Greek - meat and vegetarian souvlaki), North side of 800 Dunsmuir Street.
• The Hut (Vegetarian - wrap veggie burgers, quesadillas, sweet potato fries and wraps), South side of 1200 Pacific Blvd.
• The Juice Truck (Juice - fresh fruit and vegetable juice and smoothies), 200 Abbott Street.
• The Re-Up BBQ (BBQ - beef brisket sandwich, black bean and corn chili, southern sweet tea, seasonal fruit soda), South side of 800 Robson Street.
• It`s All About Grill (Asian bbq - meat, fruit, vegetables), West side of 100 Burrard Street.



The food vendor program will continue to expand over the coming years. City council voted in January to increase the number of carts by 60 additional sites over the next four years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get hungry, get out and get fed - on the street!

 

 

 

What was the best part of your week?
 



Vancouver Summer Festivals     Is there a better place to be in the summer than Vancouver? Judging by the number of tourists who flock here every year and the multitude of Vancouverites who enjoy it with them, I would venture to say- probably not. The list of Summer Festivals in and around Vancouver alone, is worth the trip from anywhere. And this city is likely best known for it's International Jazz Festival. Already a major player on the world music stage, Vancouver enjoys the prestige of b ... Full Article...

Vancouver and the Stanley Cup     While we Vancouverites are cheering on our beloved Canucks, you may not be aware that Vancouver has won the Stanley Cup before. Okay, maybe not the Canucks, but The Vancouver Millionaires won the Stanley cup in 1915 against the Ottawa Senators at the now long gone Denman Arena. In 1911, the first artificial ice surface in Canada, and the largest ice rink in the world, was built in the West End at the corner of Denman and Georgia. In the 1914-15 hockey seaso ... Full Article...

The Museum of Vancouver                     "The new type of museum has a real attitude. It is where the myth of the museum as neutral space is blown to pieces. It is where museums and politics meet and embrace." — David Fleming, Director National Museums Liverpool Established in 1894, the Vancouver Museum site has moved to several locations over 70 years, until, in 1967 it received centenary funding to construct a permanent location. The distinctive dome atop the Museum is similar i ... Full Article...

Earth Day is April 22nd! Spend some time visiting Stanley Park

-The Jewel of Vancouver

Earth Day is April 22nd!

Earth Week is April 16 - 25!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE WONDERS OF VANCOUVER

"A city that has been carved out of the forest should maintain somewhere within its boundaries evidence of what it once was, and so long as Stanley Park remains unspoiled that testimony to the giant trees that occupied the site of Vancouver in former days will remain."

The News Herald, October 30th, 1939

 

 

1936 postcard of the fountain in the Lost Lagoon

 

Stanley Park - The Jewel of Vancouver

* On September 27, 1888, the park , named for Lord Stanley, then the Governor General of Canada, was officially opened, establishing the city's first official "Green Space".

* The peninsula was originally designated as a military reserve in the early 1860's. It was considered a strategic point in case the Americans might attempt an invasion and launch an attack on New Westminster, then the colonial capitol, via Burrard Inlet.
* The area was logged by six different companies between the 1860's and 1880's, but the original military designation saved the land from development.
* In 1886, as its first order of business, Vancouver's City Council voted to petition the Dominion Government to lease the reserve for use as a park.

* This statue of Lord Stanley was a commenmoration of his speech that opened the park. Engraved on the tablet below him is a quote from that speech:,"To the use and enjoyment of people of all colours, creeds and customs, for all time. I name thee Stanley Park."

 

 

 

 

 

* Just off the seawall, beside the Brockton Oval are the Totem Poles. Each of the 8 Totem Poles of Stanley Park tell a story all thier own. A Totem is the First Nations Coat of Arms. They are unique to the Northwest tribes and are carved out of Red Cedar.

 

 

 

* At 4 square kilometres, Stanley Park is more than 10% larger than New York City's famous Central Park.
* Stanley Park is encircled by 8.8 km of seawall, and includes 200 km of hiking trails and roads. the seawall is a very popular place for lots of activity like walking, jogging, cycling or rollerblading - but watch out for those lane designations!

 

 

* The Vancouver Aquarium was established in the park in 1956 and has become the largest in Canada.
* Hundreds of migratory birds call the park their home. Canada geese, swans, ducks and a rare urban blue heron nesting area, called a heronry. The Great Blue Herons of Stanley Park is a fascinating short film about the heronry.
* Other large populations of critters are racoons, squirrels, skunks, bats and coyotes. The Stanley Park Ecology Society is a fun website that has details of all kinds of activities to get involved in at Stanley Park, and parks all over the Greater Vancouver area.

Hope you've enjoyed this posting. If you have any questions, any little known facts or interesting Vancouver Stories or pictures, please feel free to contact me at:

gerry.gramek@century21.ca

For all your Vancouver Real Estate needs, call me,

Gerry Gramek, direct at: 604-551-2747

www.gerrygramekrealestate.com

www.gerrygramek.com

 

Posted by Gerry Gramek on April 14, 2010
Tags: BC Earth Day Earth Week Vancouver Vancouver Area Stories