Wendy

My girlfriend are heading up from seattle to see the Chagall exhibit in 2 weeks. We are in our mid 30's and LOVE to check out new restaurants and bars for yummy cocktails. Also want to do a bit of designer shopping at Canadian dollar prices. Will be pricelining a hotel in the downtown area. Most likely will cab around town. Suggestions? Rants? Raves?

Thanks!

GaryA

The best high end shopping is on Robson Street west of Burrard followed by Oakridge Shopping Centre on 41st & Cambie with South Granville (between Broadway & Sixteenth)& Kerrisdale on 41st between West Boulevard & Balsam also having some classy shops. If it's just mid range you're looking for try the Pacific Centre Mall downtown or Metrotown Megamall in Burnaby. Being from Seattle you know that there is a good chance that the weather may be cool and wet and therefore less than condusive to outdoor window shopping in which case you should go to the malls I mentioned.

You should review the restaurants mentioned on this board and in the Vancouver section which are pretty representative of what's really good here. Definately sample the Asian restaurants which are of better or equal quality of the very best in North America, (and some say Asia as well).

keb0503

is this the same chagall exhibit that was in san fransisco? i was there a month too late to see it and don't think its coming to seattle. what museum is it at? could totally combine this with the cirque du soleil IMAX i wanted to see in vancouver. why is seattle being bypased!?

Wendy

Hi Keb,

I'm sure it is the same exhibit. You can check out the details here:

http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/exhibitions_chagall.cfm

it's at the Vancouver Art Gallery

Wendy

We just got our room at the Hyatt thru priceline for $50 usd per night! very cool.

Still hoping for a few stellar restaurant picks. Noteable chefs, seen and be seen, etc

keb0503

my friend and i stumled into Cin Cin, an italian place on robson. we knew nothing about it, were just hungry while shopping. it was very tasty and once home found out it was a well known place. there was an article in bon appetite or something. granted this was a few years ago and i haven't eaten there since. but worth checking into. i always make time to eat in chinatown and the indian district.
oh! check out www.worldsbestbars.com they might be helpful.

Wendy

Fantastic website keb! thank you. I jotted down lots of potential places.

My then boyfriend and I also stumbled upon Cin Cin a few years back and loved it. Will keep in mind!

Heyblondie

Hi Wendy. I'm in the same age range as you and your friend and live in Vancouver, so I think I can help a bit.

For shopping, you can't go wrong with the many shops along Robson Street. The Pacific Centre mall downtown has some more shops, although most are the same as the ones along Robson. You might enjoy 4th Avenue between Burrard and Vine for shopping for clothes and home stuff.

I'd recommend wandering around Yaletown as well - it has some really interesting, trendy boutiques and some great places to eat.

I believe Gary A suggested Oakridge Centre and Kerrisdale for shopping, but I wouldn't bother with them - the stores in Oakridge you can find downtown along Robson as well, and Kerrisdale isn't really that "hip" (more soccer mom stuff and it's quite expensive).

I don't know what your dining budget is like, but there are a lot of great restaurants downtown. I like Lucy Mae Brown for cocktails at the bar downstairs (they also have a restaurant upstairs). There are a few bars along Granville Street which you might like - Crush (which has a dance floor), Ginger 62 and the Granville Room.

As for "noteable chefs", there's Lumiere (which is on Broadway), a restaurant owned by Rob Feenie who has his own series on the Food Network and several cookbooks. A might pricey though!

I think you'd also like checking out Granville Island - there's the Sandbar, Bridges, and a few other places which might interest you.

Have fun!