Baseball in Hockey Land? The Vancouver Canadians

August 22, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Photo: The Province

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

Vancouver is rightly known as a hockey town, and from October through April (and well beyond that on good years) the Canucks are the hottest ticket in town. During the summer, however, other sports take the spotlight. There’s football with the B.C. Lions, soccer with the Whitecaps and – believe it or not – professional baseball.

Although the squad doesn’t get a lot of attention from local press, the Vancouver Canadians is the city’s very own minor league baseball team. The Canadians are a farm club for the Oakland Athletics and play in the little known Pacific Northwest League from June to September. In the past, the Canadians were a prime source of Major League talent, with Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and other big superstars spending time with the club.

In 2000, however, the team moved from the AAA to A division and now features mainly untested rookies still a long way from playing in the big leagues. But that doesn’t mean that a trip to the Canadian’s ballpark isn’t a thrilling experience. The team plays at Nat Bailey Stadium, a 5,100-seat field built in 1951 and located in the suburban neighborhood of Mt. Pleasant.

Surrounded by quaint residential streets and equipped with bleachers and wooden fences, Nat Bailey feels like an old-time ballpark. Plus, with general admission seats in the grandstand starting at $12.50, tickets are among the cheapest in town.

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With baseball, Remy Scalza, Vancouver, Vancouver Canadians

Cheap Brewery Tours in Vancouver

August 19, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment


Photo: Remy Scalza


Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

From its modest beginnings, Vancouver’s microbrew scene has exploded in recent years, with dozens of craft brewers now operating in and around the city. For fans of Vancouver beers, there’s nothing more exhilarating than a brewery tour – getting an up close look at how our local brews are lovingly crafted and – ideally – trying a few afterward.

The only problem is that brewery tours are few and far between in Vancouver. Information on tours is hard to find and often sketchy. With that in mind, I’m issuing a call to to local beer fanatics out there: Do you know of any microbrewery tours being offered in Vancouver? If so, please share the wealth by leaving a comment below.

I’ll start things off by spreading the word about the one tour that I’ve been on myself, the Granville Island Brewing tour. Now purists will protest that GIB is no longer a microbrewery and is, in fact, owned by industrial beer giant Molson. True enough. However, GIB’s special seasonal beers are still made in small, hand-crafted batches at the Granville Island facility where the tour is offered.

Click here to read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca.

Filed Under Food & Wine, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With brewery tours, Granville Island Brewery, Vancouver

Communal Dining Catches on in Vancouver

August 3, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca. 

Photo Credit: Salt Tasting Room on Flickr

Vancouver is at the cutting edge of a lot of culinary movements: the 100-mile diet, nose-to-tail dining, sustainable seafood and innovative fusion, to name a few. One trend that doesn’t get a lot of attention, however, is the phenomenon known as communal dining.

Think of communal dinners as summer camp meets the grown up world of fine dining. The traditional restaurant experience involves sitting at a table with friends and family. Each table is essentially an island unto itself and interaction is kept to a minimum.

Communal dining turns that formula on its head. Groups of strangers sit side by side, often at long, shared tables. In many cases, a single dish is served to everyone, enhancing the communal experience.

I got a glimpse of Vancouver’s communal dining scene at The Irish Heather, a relatively new pub in Gastown. [Read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca]

Filed Under Food & Wine, Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With communal dining, Irish Heather, Vancouver

Vancouver’s Aberdeen Centre: North America’s Biggest Asian Mall

July 28, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

I know that malls aren’t for everyone. But the Aberdeen Centre in Richmond merits special mention. Richmond, which is only 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver on the new Canada Line, boasts one of the largest Chinese populations in North America. And the Aberdeen Centre, according to some accounts, is the biggest Asian mall outside of Asia (a confusing but impressive distinction).

In last week’s Georgia Straight, food critic Stephen Wong wrote an article about the incredible Chinese food on offer at the Aberdeen Centre food court. The appeal of Aberdeen, however, goes way beyond food. In no particular order, here are five reasons to check out Aberdeen Centre (just a block from the Aberdeen stop on the Canada Line). [Read more...]

Filed Under Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With Aberdeen Centre, Asian, mall, Vancouver

Canada’s Contribution to World Cuisine: Poutine

July 25, 2010 By Remy Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: This post was originally written for InsideVancouver.ca.

Vancouver is earning a growing reputation as one of the world’s top culinary cities, with authentic international cuisine, daring fusion and restaurants that bring together fresh West Coast ingredients in innovative new ways. Often left off the list of the city’s culinary accolades, however, is its fantastic poutine.

For those unfamiliar with the dish, poutine traditionally consists of French fries topped with cheese curds and then covered with gravy. It’s good old-fashioned, down-home comfort food – not healthy in any sense but decadently delicious.

Now, I know that poutine originated in Quebec. In fact, the word poutine – according to some French fry scholars – traces to a French word meaning “hodgepodge.” But I’ve had some top-notch poutine over the years in Vancouver: thick fries, rich gravy, fresh cheese curds — the real deal. I’d like to hear what you think about Vancouver’s poutine scene? Do you have a favorite poutine joint? Maybe a cheap dive that’s open late, making a perfect end for a night of carousing? Or a restaurant that looks all prim and proper but actually serves up a mean plate of fries? Please help me out on my quest to find the city’s best poutine by leaving a comment below.

To get the ball rolling, I’ll make the case for an unlikely suspect: The Backstage Lounge on Granville Island. Now, the Backstage Lounge is probably best known as a bar and late-night music venue, not as a restaurant. Inside, the atmosphere is dark and welcoming, with that classic pub smell of spilled beer and nachos. The main bar area offers a great selection of craft beers on tap, and outside there’s a fantastic patio that overlooks the waters of False Creek and the Granville Street bridge.

Photo: Remy Scalza

The menu actually has a pretty diverse selection of burgers and pizza, but I’m here for the poutine. [Read the full post on InsideVancouver.ca]

Filed Under Food & Wine, Inside Vancouver Posts, Vancouver, blog entry Tagged With Canada, cuisine, Poutine, Vancouver
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