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Tag: Arsenal Pulp

5 Things Vancouver: Erick Villagomez

by Dan
Architecture + Travel + Vancouver / February 25, 2010

Erick Villagomez is a former Torontonian who moved out west after he mistakenly froze his tongue to a metal pole one grim wintery day.

He is a self-declared urban cartographer and bibliophile who runs an environmental design practice, teaches architecture at UBC, and is a co-founder and writer for re:place magazine in his spare time.

 

What is the single best thing about living in Vancouver?
Flowers blooming in February while rest of the country is outfitted in parkas and toques.

What’s the one place everyone should visit?
If we have visitors coming in for the day we usually hit three places that each give a different sense of what the city has to offer: Commercial Drive (activist, gritty, left-wing, etc.), Granville Island (the industrial-wasteland-turned-touristy-artist-haven) and Lighthouse Park in North Vancouver (the not-too-hard-trekking park with beautiful views of the ocean and city). Did I mention each of these is about 20 minutes apart?

Where do you look for books in Vancouver?
Hmmmm….too many places. But being a book junkie, I frequent used bookstores searching for hidden gems—Bibliophile (used book in best condition found anywhere the city—Commercial Drive), Pulp Fiction (great selection of all around titles new and old - Main Street), and Macleod’s Books (a Neverending Story-type books store with piles of books that house hidden gems—Downtown, Pender St.).

What’s your favourite book about Vancouver?
Most recently read: Vancouver Special by Charles Charles Demers. Cartographic: Vancouver A Visual History by Bruce Macdonald. Tour: Vancouver Discovery Walks by John Atkin. Classic: The Greater Vancouver Book edited by Chuck Davis.

What’s your favourite restaurant for a romantic dinner?
I’m not sure that I’d put it in the “romantic” category, but Bin 942 is one of my favorite places to eat. Small, funky, sweet tunes and great food….you can’t ask for more. Not to mention you can visit Oscar Art Books next door while you are waiting to be seated.

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5 Things Vancouver: Craig Riggs

by Dan
Travel + Vancouver / February 23, 2010

Craig arrived in Vancouver in 1998 to go to graduate school and stayed on for an extra 12 years. He lives in Ottawa now but counts Vancouver, and BC more broadly, as one of his homes.

He is a partner in the consulting firm Turner-Riggs Workspace and is seriously thinking about getting cable TV in time for the Olympics.

 

 

 

What is the single best thing about living in Vancouver?
The air. Beautiful, fresh air full of water and woods. Before I even lived in Vancouver, I used to clear Customs there all the time on my way back from trips overseas. I remember going outside the airport between flights and just breathing it in.

What’s the one place everyone should visit?
Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. You clamber down the trail from the parking lot and out on to this amazing shore of rocks and small cliffs. The rocks are for picnics and wine and naps and the cliffs are for jumping off for the between-nap swimming.

Where do you look for books in Vancouver?
Mostly Kidsbooks these days. Kidsbooks is easily one of the best bookstores in Vancouver—in fact, it might even be the best children’s bookstore in Canada.

What’s your favourite book about Vancouver?
LD: Mayor Louis Taylor and the Rise of Vancouver by Dan Francis. Louis Taylor is the longest-serving mayor in Vancouver’s history and his story reveals some of the essential characteristics of the city: an endearing wackiness and the promise of reinvention. Dan is a friend and is one of our most original and most accomplished writers of Canadian history.

Where’s the best place for coffee?
Joe’s Cappuccino on Commercial Drive. The coffee is great and it comes capped with towering clouds of foam. But you only partly go there for the coffee. On sunny days the regulars sit on rickety chairs along the mural-marked wall outside to sip coffee and watch the world go by. On rainy days, you can hang out inside—also on rickety chairs—and watch soccer games on the satellite TV. Mostly, you people watch.

Thanks Craig!

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5 Things Vancouver: Selina Rajani

by Dan
Travel + Vancouver / February 18, 2010

Selina Rajani—the artist formerly known as Raincoast Books Senior Publicist—is 10-year veteran of the book business, now expanding her horizons as Communications Manager for Vancouver Opera.

What neighbourhood do you live in?
Yaletown. Home of many small dogs. (But that's okay, because they fit well in the small apartments).

What is the single best thing about living in Vancouver?
So much sushi, so little snow. I guess that's two things. But they're both the best.

What’s the one place everyone should visit?
A Terminal City Rollergirls rollerderby bout!

Who is your favourite Vancouver author?
Ivan E. Coyote

Where’s the best place for coffee?
Agro in Yaletown, with the Wicked on Hornby a close second.

What’s the most common misconception visitors have about Vancouver?
That it rains all the time, of course. And that everyone here snowboards. I tried to snowboard once. I tore two muscles that day. I will never snowboard again.

Bonus:
Why should people live in Vancouver and not just visit?
Maybe if more people come, we'll get more arts funding!

Thanks Selina!

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5 Things Vancouver: Bob Kronbauer

by Dan
Travel + Vancouver / February 12, 2010

Bob Kronbauer is one of Vancouver's biggest fans. He's the founding editor of VancouverIsAwesome.com, a 2 year old blog turned incorporated not-for-profit organization dedicated to the study, promotion and preservation of Vancouver arts and culture.

Bob is also a published fine art photographer (his first book, Beach Glass, was published by Holy Water in 2004 [ISBN 0-9548238-0-X]) and regular portrait photographer for local magazines such as NUVO, Montecristo and Color.

As a jack of a few trades Bob also works on curatorial projects and art direction. He wears a lot of hats but above all considers himself a modern day storyteller.

Who is your favourite Vancouver author? 
Wayson Choy.

What’s your favourite book about Vancouver?
I feel like I should be saying The Jade Peony because of my answer to the question above but right now it's actually Charles Demers' Vancouver Special.

Where’s your favourite spot to eat on a budget?
The buffet at The All India and Sweets Restaurant at 49th and Main Street. I remember it being $6.99 in the 90's and every couple of years it rises a bit with inflation but it's still a smokin' deal at around ten bucks.

What’s your favourite free thing to do in Vancouver?
Fishing at Buntzen Lake, although I rarely catch anything there.

What’s the most common misconception visitors have about Vancouver?
The most common misconception I've seen pop up over the years is that many visitors think that everyone here smokes pot and wants to drink beer with them when they wake up in the morning.

Thanks Bob! Awesome!

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5 Things Vancouver: Janice Beley

by Dan
Travel + Vancouver / February 12, 2010

Janice Beley has involved with books, theatre, dance, and the arts for over 20 years. For the past 5 years she has been the Marketing Director at Arsenal Pulp Press.

A graduate of the Capilano College Arts Management Program, she is also the General Manager for Raven Spirit Dance a contemporary First  Nations dance company.

How long have you lived in Vancouver?
23 ½ years!

Where’s your favourite spot to eat on a budget?
Mac Falafel on West 10th. It’s just around the corner from me and the chicken shawarma platter rocks.

What is the best thing to do with kids in Vancouver?
Granville Island Kids Market. We love playing the games in the arcade so we can win tickets to collect prizes.

Where’s the best place for coffee?
Simply French Café on West 10th. Great coffee and delicious pastries! Plus, they have a special kids menu and seating.

What’s your favourite free thing to do in Vancouver?
Walking in UBC’s Pacific Spirit Park.

Thanks Janice!

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