In our annual Hangout Handbook, Exclaim! asks some of our favourite artists what an ideal day in their hometown would entail. Here, the Pack A.D.'s Maya Miller outlines the perfect way to spend 24 hours in Vancouver.
Welcome to a day in Vancouver, where life is a dream made of hemp and craft beers, and for the sake of this guide, you have the metabolism of a hummingbird. As my bandmate's dad likes to say, every beer is like a pork chop in a glass. So, here's to the pork chops of your dreams.
9 a.m. Breakfast
The Red Wagon (2296 E Hastings St.)
There is always a line-up and it is always worth it. This place has even been on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives so if you want pulled pork on your pancakes then, yes, this is for you. Also, the house coffee is local and four-cup-able.
10 a.m. Tennis
McSpadden Park (2125 Victoria Drive)
Free courts, cute outfits and the urge to temper tantrum — tennis is where it's at. Inexplicably I've twice had to ask people to not play soccer in the courts.
12:30 p.m. Coffee
JJ Bean (East Van 2206 Commercial Dr)
Get an Americano and use the bathroom to change out of your tennis clothes... or stay in them, you look great.
1 p.m. to 2 p.m
Magic Stronghold (3665 Kingsway)
At Stronghold you will find every game imaginable to play and become obsessed with. If you're into Magic: The Gathering then go online the night before, order new cards, then go to the store and buy them and then play them right there, possibly against someone much younger and much more into schwarma than you.
3 p.m.
Record Stores (all over Vancouver)
Specifying an independent record store will get me blacklisted, so just check them all out and buy music, because can't we all just get along?
4 p.m.
Bike ride
The Seawall (22 km all around Vancouver's West End) Start at the base of the Burrard St. Bridge or start at Science World or even Stanley Park. Do the whole thing or only part but either way bike towards...
5 p.m.
The Sandbar (Granville Island 1535 Johnston Street)
From 3 to 6 p.m. in the lounge, they have the best deal ever: a generous bowl of steamed mussels with fries and bread and a pint of a Granville Island beer of your choosing for $12 bucks... and by using the word generous, I just became a food writer.
9 p.m.
Gyoza King (1508 Robson St.)
Gyoza King specializes in Japanese tapas, not a roll on the menu. Just go. Well, go get in line. Share big bottles of Asahi and dishes with your friends. Order their trademark gyoza (the best you'll ever have) and kinoko foil, ebi mayo, saba miso...okay I'll stop.
11 p.m.
The Cobalt (917 Main St.)
If you like a good hang out bar/venue that also has things like a wall of pinball machines that are sometimes free to play and have peeps remember you and a vast selection of spirits and crafty beers and theme nights, then this is the place for you. If you don't, then... okay, fair enough.
The Shameful Tiki Room (4362 Main St.)
If you don't want to remember your evening then this is the sweetest place to accomplish that. Bring a DD and a thirst for all alcohol that involves sugar. Mai Tai's, Zombies, Pain Killers and of course their famous Mystery Bowl which is in a... mystery bowl and comes with as many straws as you have friends.
Maya Miller plays drums in Vancouver duo the Pack A.D. They releases their fifth album, Do Not Engage, earlier this year on Nettwerk Records.
Welcome to a day in Vancouver, where life is a dream made of hemp and craft beers, and for the sake of this guide, you have the metabolism of a hummingbird. As my bandmate's dad likes to say, every beer is like a pork chop in a glass. So, here's to the pork chops of your dreams.
9 a.m. Breakfast
The Red Wagon (2296 E Hastings St.)
There is always a line-up and it is always worth it. This place has even been on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives so if you want pulled pork on your pancakes then, yes, this is for you. Also, the house coffee is local and four-cup-able.
10 a.m. Tennis
McSpadden Park (2125 Victoria Drive)
Free courts, cute outfits and the urge to temper tantrum — tennis is where it's at. Inexplicably I've twice had to ask people to not play soccer in the courts.
12:30 p.m. Coffee
JJ Bean (East Van 2206 Commercial Dr)
Get an Americano and use the bathroom to change out of your tennis clothes... or stay in them, you look great.
1 p.m. to 2 p.m
Magic Stronghold (3665 Kingsway)
At Stronghold you will find every game imaginable to play and become obsessed with. If you're into Magic: The Gathering then go online the night before, order new cards, then go to the store and buy them and then play them right there, possibly against someone much younger and much more into schwarma than you.
3 p.m.
Record Stores (all over Vancouver)
Specifying an independent record store will get me blacklisted, so just check them all out and buy music, because can't we all just get along?
4 p.m.
Bike ride
The Seawall (22 km all around Vancouver's West End) Start at the base of the Burrard St. Bridge or start at Science World or even Stanley Park. Do the whole thing or only part but either way bike towards...
5 p.m.
The Sandbar (Granville Island 1535 Johnston Street)
From 3 to 6 p.m. in the lounge, they have the best deal ever: a generous bowl of steamed mussels with fries and bread and a pint of a Granville Island beer of your choosing for $12 bucks... and by using the word generous, I just became a food writer.
9 p.m.
Gyoza King (1508 Robson St.)
Gyoza King specializes in Japanese tapas, not a roll on the menu. Just go. Well, go get in line. Share big bottles of Asahi and dishes with your friends. Order their trademark gyoza (the best you'll ever have) and kinoko foil, ebi mayo, saba miso...okay I'll stop.
11 p.m.
The Cobalt (917 Main St.)
If you like a good hang out bar/venue that also has things like a wall of pinball machines that are sometimes free to play and have peeps remember you and a vast selection of spirits and crafty beers and theme nights, then this is the place for you. If you don't, then... okay, fair enough.
The Shameful Tiki Room (4362 Main St.)
If you don't want to remember your evening then this is the sweetest place to accomplish that. Bring a DD and a thirst for all alcohol that involves sugar. Mai Tai's, Zombies, Pain Killers and of course their famous Mystery Bowl which is in a... mystery bowl and comes with as many straws as you have friends.
Maya Miller plays drums in Vancouver duo the Pack A.D. They releases their fifth album, Do Not Engage, earlier this year on Nettwerk Records.
