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Canada’s Next Great Neighbourhoods1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Itinerary | Home
Harris Green, Victoria Forget Victoria’s old tag as the land of “the newly wed and nearly dead.” Make that “the fitness-led and gourmet-fed,” thanks to eclectic eateries and indie shops. By Shelora Sheldan 9:00 Residents are armed with either yoga mats or laptops. Perfecting asanas at Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria gives them infinite patience to wait out the lineup for breakfast downstairs at the Blue Fox Cafe. The aroma of baking and the sounds of espresso machines work morning magic for those travelling by foot, bicycle or Smart car on their way to town – just two blocks away. 10:00 Fort Street offers an eclectic blend of retail and restaurants, from art supply, home decor and organic cotton clothing stores to charcuteries and, of course, its longstanding row of antiques shops. One block over on Yates, the high-end men’s and women’s clothing store British Importers moved from the decidedly touristy Government Street to keep Harris Green condo residents dressed dapper, while the Market on Yates feeds the ’hood. 12:00 Lunch hour offers an ethnic wonderland of cuisines, but the insider choice is Zambri’s. Enjoy hearty meatball sandwiches and regional fare in a clubhouse atmosphere. 15:00 The Wi-Fi set plugs in at La Dolce Vita Café; others savour the brownies at Sally Bun while ingesting the latest art exhibit. 17:00 Residents bring in the night with cocktails. Moxie’s is youthful, but most prefer the candlelit confines of Cafe Brio. Best bet: chestnut agnolotti with mascarpone and pears. “We relocated my Italian mother-in-law here a year ago. She loves it because the buzz is so European. It’s three blocks to her church, one block to the grocery store and two blocks from our business.” – Greg Hays, co-owner of Cafe Brio
Soma (South Main), Vancouver Straddling the dividing line between Vancouver’s east and west sides, a new generation of urban pioneers are bringing their independent imprint to the neighbourhood. By Amanda Ross 9:00 At JJ Bean, West Coast Modernism and some of the city’s best coffee meet head-on, thanks to a reno by Vancouver architectural darlings Hotson Bakker. 11:00 Shops are starting to stir in the largest concentration of fierce independents from 16th to 25th avenues. Newly opened Hum Clothing offers up fashion-forward staples like local Sienna Ray’s leather hip purses for $275. 12:30 Former Four Seasons executive chef Wayne Martin braces for the swelling lunch crowd in his tiny restaurant, Crave. Think reinvented comfort food like Shorty Poutine: truffle Parmesan fries, short rib jus and foie gras mayo, best served on the patio out back. 15:15 You might just catch Virginia Madsen getting a haircut at Powderkeg, where proprietor Mel Pero parlays his former film business stint into an industrial-meets-Hollywood glam salon. 16:30 Quintessential locals hang at the Regional Assembly of Text, stocking up on iron-on patchwork letters and making their own $2 button pins. 19:00 The condo crowd checks in at Habit Lounge for the sweet carrot and brie cheese perogies. Local renters opt instead for dinner at the Ukrainian Orthodox Centre, where heaping plates of baba-approved perogies are served on the first Friday of every month. 21:00 Main Street hipsters mingle with aging veterans at the jam-packed ANAVETS legion hall on Wednesday karaoke nights. Sign up by 8 p.m. if you want the chance to sing by midnight. “You don’t have to really ever leave this neighbourhood. You can still go to Eugene Choo’s and buy a pair of $300 shoes if you’re looking for that – or have 99-cent pizza instead.” – Rebecca Dolen, founder and co-president of the Regional Assembly of Text |
