Gastown – The Daily EO

The Daily EO: June 21st, 2013

In Gastown tonight there was a music festival that shut down Water Street. 150 independent musical acts in about 15 different pavilions. This was a dream come true for Emile – a large group of people, late evening light and music. His camera and he were anxious to get going.

It ran from 5-10, and I arrived home at 6 frazzled due to ridiculous traffic. And I didn’t want to go out, I wanted to rant about something that upset me earlier in the day.

He listened, wisely took my side and waited patiently while I spewed forth.

June 21st, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: A Husband that will listen to me even when he’d rather be doing something else. Anything else.

The Daily EO: March 16th, 2013

We celebrated my mom’s birthday today. She was born on St. Patrick’s Day several years ago, but Saturday night seemed like the night to go for a lovely and restful dinner. We tried out a new place by our place – Lily Mae’s – which billed themselves as French Comfort Food.

Paris to me was not comfortable – as much as I loved it there, it was much more chicness that I could only aspire to. French to me means fussy, detailed, precise and exclusive. So, I didn’t know what totally to expect from this new restaurant. The French I encountered in Paris were only so welcoming to me – a tourist with very little French skills.

But the restaurant we visited was straight forward, charming, friendly and precise in service, rules and food perpetration. A perfect combination comfort and French.

March 16th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: Add a little bit of North American comfort to the French ways and you get a boeuf bourguignon to write home about (or at least to blog about).

I’m going back to get the bacon apple caramel cake.

The Daily EO: September 20th, 2012

It was a pretty crappy ad as ads go. No pictures, no great use of punctuation, poor description. Normally, sending up red flags about reliability and credibility, I wouldn’t have responded to it. I was high from my urban experience at Salt, and feeling risky, and that I needed to look deeper to find a place.

So as we sat and chatted around the kitchen table, I send a quick e-mail. I didn’t even tell Emile. I got a response quickly – in about half an hour I got a no salutation, no capital, no paragraph, ramble of an email. I almost wrote it off as someone I wouldn’t trust to rent from.

But I googled the cell phone and email address and found that it was a real estate agent. Okay. Hmm. I answered, and I got another quick reply. With 3 or 4 exchanges we made an appointment to view the apartment the next day.

We walked the area and noted all the shops within the building – pub, grocery store, drug store, bank. And the area – great restaurants, shops, boutiques. Walking distance to Emile’s work.

The sky was pink from the evening sun and people bustled around returning from work.

The agent arrived and we made our way up to the 41st floor to one of the penthouse suites. We opened the door and found ourselves in what could only be described as our new apartment. The view stretching across the living area and two bedrooms.

September 20th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Finding our spot in Gastown.

41st Floor, North View across the water, 2 bedroom, 2 full bath, ~930 square feet, immediate occupency.

The Daily EO: September 19th, 2012

I needed to head into the “city” to look at a loft for rent and to finally get my hair cut. Thank god – I do have back-of-head dysmorphia. I am always convinced I have grown a horribly hairy neck and that I look a mess from the back. So, after nearly 2 months of not cutting my hair, I was excited to get my hair cut in shiny Yaletown.

The hairdresser came recommended to me by my aunt. The stylist kept a running commentary from the minute I sat down until she shook my hand goodbye. Everything from apartment hunting, Vegas, cute guys, Forever 21, and partying. I think I like my hair, but whoa!

Anyways, afterwards Emile and I checked out the loft and found it was too expensive for what we were getting. At least what we thought. I am sure someone will pay it. Not us though.

When you are new to town, you have to count on the opinions of others to find your places. Hence my aunt stylist recommendation. But soon you need to move onto the anonymous. I hit Yelp! for a recommendation for “cheap dinner” and the people gave me three choices nearby: Save-on-Meats, Salt and Shizen Ya. We decided to skip sushi for tonight and find Salt. It sounded interesting.

Salt Tasting Room is located in Gastown the historic heart of Vancouver. It’s darker, it’s grittier and it represents more of the city. The restaurant we were looking for is located on Blood Alley – which really sounds intriguing doesn’t it?

And an alley it is. Complete with dumpsters and those you need to dig in them. And yes, there was a gentleman there who was digging.

We were early for supper and so the place was pretty empty. Essentially Salt is a charcurterie restaurant – no kitchen – they only serve sausage, cheese, condiments, some desserts, wine and beer. We choose the “BC Plate” to eat some delicious local delights and paired it with a flight of wine. The servers were friendly and knowledgable. The food was good.

We sipped, we nibbled.

I felt so urbane, so sophisticated sitting in an alley, eating honeycomb and chevre, and sausage with quince paste and guiness mustard. It was the chic downtown vibe I wanted – the desire that has been fighting against the more logical and practical rentals in the suburbs.

September 19th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: You know, I could live here.