Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art 639 Hornby St., 604-682-3455
Pendulum Gallery 885 W. Georgia St., 604-250-9682
Vancouver Art Gallery 750 Hornby St., 604-662-4719
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver 900 W. Georgia St., 604-684-3131
ROUTE SUMMARY
| 1. | Start at the northwest corner of W. Hastings and Burrard Sts. | |
| 2. | Head south on the right side of Burrard. | |
| 3. | Cross W. Hastings and W. Pender Sts.on Burrard. | |
| 4. | Cross over to the left side of Burrard at Dunsmuir St. | |
| 5. | Continue south on Burrard to the W. Georgia St. intersection. | |
| 6. | Turn left onto W. Georgia. | |
| 7. | Turn left along Hornby St. for half a block. | |
| 8. | Return north along Hornby to the W. Georgia intersection. | |
| 9. | Cross east over Hornby on W. Georgia. | |
| 10. | Continue east on W. Georgia. | |
| 11. | Cross south over W. Georgia at Howe St. | |
| 12. | Head west along W. Georgia to Hornby. | |
| 13. | Cross west over Hornby on W. Georgia. | |
| 14. | Head south half a block on the right side of Hornby. | |
| 15. | Enter the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. | |
| 16. | Exit the hotel via the main entrance and turn left. | |
| 17. | Continue west on W. Georgia to the intersection with Burrard. |
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, reflected in downtown office block
2 BURRARD STREET: A TALE OF TWO TOWERS
BOUNDARIES: W. Georgia St., Thurlow St., Burrard St., Helmcken St.
DISTANCE: ½ mile/¾ kilometre
DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING: There’s a parkade in the 1300 block of Alberni St., a short walk from the Shangri-La Hotel. Alberni also has metered street parking for several blocks.
PUBLIC TRANSIT: The Burrard SkyTrain station is a five-minute walk south of the Shangri-La. Buses 22 and 44 stop on nearby Burrard St. and bus 5 stops a couple of blocks away on Robson St.
Burrard is one of those busy downtown thoroughfares that locals pass along frequently without really noticing. Even the street’s name barely elicits a response, unless you happen to know your early British naval history. For those who may have forgotten or who actually have a life: the street is named after Sir Harry Burrard, whose moniker was originally appended to the nearby inlet by his friend Captain George Vancouver. Luckily, the naming took place before his marriage, or we might be walking Burrard-Neale St. today. If he could miraculously arrive on the street aboard a time-traveling SkyTrain, probably he’d smack his forehead in incredulity, before tucking into a nori-covered hotdog from the city’s best Japanese dog stand and catching a movie at the giant multiplex across the street. With Burrard-Neale in mind, look at this familiar street with an outsider’s curiosity.
| • | Begin at the southwest corner of W. Georgia and Thurlow Sts, craning your neck as skyward as humanly possible. Completed in early 2009, the 61-story Shangri-La is Vancouver’s tallest tower and dominates the surrounding shops and office buildings. The 659-foot/201-metre glass box comprises a luxury hotel (the first North American branch of the Asia Pacific Shangri-La chain) topped with swanky condos on the upper floors, where the priciest “penthouse estate” had an initial listing at $15 million. To get an idea of your new neighbors, swing by the nearby high-end stores: there’s a Burberry shop on the building’s ground level, a pricey Urban Fare supermarket next door and, spreading east along Alberni St., a string of platinum card hangouts including Tiffany and Hermés. |
| • | Cross over Alberni and head south on the right side of Thurlow St. Within a minute or so, you’ll come to Joe Fortes Seafood & Chophouse, one of Vancouver’s most popular dine-outs. The oyster bar and rooftop patio are especially celebrated. Budget noshers should drop by at lunch for the $10 Blue Plate Special (the heaping Cobb salad is recommended). The restaurant is named after a legendary Jamaican immigrant who arrived in the city in 1885, later becoming Vancouver’s first unofficial lifeguard. Dedicated to his adopted community, this well-loved character taught generations of local children to swim. |
| • | Cross clamorous Robson St. and continue south on Thurlow. At the next intersection, turn left along Smithe St. and follow its curve past the fire hall on your right. A little farther along is Le Crocodile, the city’s finest French restaurant. Behind its unassuming half-curtained windows, this immaculate eatery has been satisfying loyal, in-the-know locals for two decades. Consider coming back for dinner to tuck into one of the classic dishes: filet de boeuf grillé is recommended. The headwaiter here, complete with an almost clichéd heavy French accent and a white napkin permanently draped over his bent arm, adds to the Parisian ambiance. |
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If you’re salivating, continue east along Smithe and you’ll soon roll up at the best hotdog stand in town. For a city justly famous for its dining scene, Vancouver’s street food options are woeful, but it’s worth saving your budget-level appetite for Japa Dog. The Japanese-flavored menu here includes the Misomayo, a turkey smokie with miso sauce; the Terimayo, served with shreds of nori and teriyaki sauce; and the Oroshu, a bratwurst with daiko, green onions, and soy sauce. Consider trying all three, just like TV chef Anthony Bourdain did when he filmed a segment
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