Living in Vancouver this summer...

[pheeonah]

Hi everyone! :smile:
Some friends and I are visiting Vancouver this summer from Ireland and we might be living in East Vancouver. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what its like, is that a good area for gigs, restaurants, night life etc. Also if there are any nice areas to live within East Vancouver we'd love to hear about them!
Cheers

 

[Kreskin]

Hi everyone! :smile:
Some friends and I are visiting Vancouver this summer from Ireland and we might be living in East Vancouver. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what its like, is that a good area for gigs, restaurants, night life etc. Also if there are any nice areas to live within East Vancouver we'd love to hear about them!
Cheers

The farther away from the downtown East Side the better. Try and stay away from Hastings St. If you have a car you will be about 15-20 minutes from Downtown Vancouver and the West End. That's where the nightlife is.

 

[pheeonah]

Thanks for the reply :smile: do you know what Venables St is like by any chance?

 

[Kreskin]

Thanks for the reply :smile: do you know what Venables St is like by any chance?

That's about 5 or 6 blocks from Hastings. A bit of a rougher area, although you will quick access to downtown Vancouver.

 

[Pangloss]

Aside from Kreskin's alarmism, there is much to enjoy in East Vancouver.

At Victoria and Venables is the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, otherwise known as the "Cultch" - a wonderful former church now being used as a performance space. Great plays and music there.

On Prior Street, Mario's Gelati - real Italian ices and some of the best ice cream you'll ever have.

For an actual working class barroom, full of longshoremen, communists, pensioners and SFU students - the Waldorf Hotel.

Walk Commercial Drive from north to south for awesome coffee bars, bistros, cheese stores, hippie restaurants, book stores etc.

Really, just get a bicycle and wander. There is so much diversity, so much energy, so much life everywhere - even in Kreskin's dreaded Downtown Eastside. Don't give in to prejudice and fear or you'll lose so much of what Strathcona and Chinatown and the waterfront have to offer.

Pangloss

postscript - if you do have a bike and you don't ride the Seymour Valley Road, well it would just be a crime. Look the ride up on the Greater Vancouver Regional District's website.
-p

 

[Toro]

Vancouver is great.

Stay away from East Hastings.

 

[Pangloss]

Vancouver is indeed great - and there is much to recommend on East Hastings. Penny's on E. Hastings between Victoria and Nanimo is my favourite very fast Chinese diner.

Pangloss

 

[Kreskin]

Vancouver is indeed great - and there is much to recommend on East Hastings. Penny's on E. Hastings between Victoria and Nanimo is my favourite very fast Chinese diner.

Pangloss

Just stay away from the crack addicts, if possible.

 

[Pangloss]

My goodness Kreskin, do you ever go out? Is the world that scary to you?

Remember, you have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Pangloss

 

[pheeonah]

Thanks for the replies everyone :smile: Pangloss thats great Ill definetly try some of those places out thanks and if I do get scared Ill just never go back ;-)

 

[Kreskin]

My goodness Kreskin, do you ever go out? Is the world that scary to you?

Remember, you have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Pangloss

Pangloss, the downtown eastside is a crack infested rats hole: and that's putting a good face on it. What would a person see at Main and Hastings other than drug addicts and street beggars who haven't bathed since the Glen Clark era? A person doesn't travel from Ireland to see heroin-gyrating hookers or people living out of shopping carts. I'm not trying to scare them, just steer them away from the worst Vancouver has to offer.

Venables would be a good hub. By vehicle you're only minutes from the heart of Vancouver's business district where you'll find some fabulous shopping food and entertainment via like streets like Robson. From there they're walking distance to the West End with breach-side bistros and great entertainment. You're also quite close to GM and BC Place, the major sports and entertainment facilities of Vancouver.

You'll have a great time. Just don't spend much time on Hastings St.

 

[Pangloss]

Seriously, Kreskin, I pity you and the fear you walk with. How much joy, how much life you cut yourself off from just because of the shadows you jump from.

C'mon man, gird yer loins and try to be a little less scared.

Pangloss

 

[Kreskin]

Seriously, Kreskin, I pity you and the fear you walk with. How much joy, how much life you cut yourself off from just because of the shadows you jump from.

C'mon man, gird yer loins and try to be a little less scared.

Pangloss

LOL, when was the last time you had a drink at the Balmoral?

 

[Kreskin]

Here' what another visitor wrote (see link). She was there on a good day:


http://www.virtualtourist.com/trave...Dangers-Vancouver-Downtown_Eastside-BR-1.html

Before I visited Vancouver I read several tips on Vancouver on the Virtual Tourist web site and when I got to Vancouver the lady at the Concierge Desk at the Holiday Inn downtown repeated that it was not wise to visit East Hastings Street. This is important because it is in between Gastown and Chinatown two very good places in Vancouver. I ignored all advice and done a tour of East Hastings Street. At 10 am in the morning it was very busy with a lot of homeless people, you can see the line up in this picture of people returning cans and bottles for money. It was a very uncomfortable feeling the entire time on East Hastings but the best was yet to come. To get to Gastown from Chinatown our conceirge helper at the hotel recommended a specific street to use as a crossing. I don't remember the name of it and I don't think it matters. On that street we came upon about 15 people all balling and arguaing about something. Then all of a sudden a blond homeless drug bruised lady jumped from the crowd as her shirt was being ripped off. This is no joke, she then gave some the finger as she ran down an alley. Needless to say I quickly crossed the street trying not to be noticed and scrambled over to Gastown. But for me 15 minutes was plenty of East Hastings Street and now I can join the ranks of people that can't recommend this area of Vancouver unless you are really into some preverse activities. Have fun. Please rate my tips and leave your comments I enjoy them all. But be careful getting from Chinatown to Gastown. I still don't think you are to much at risk, just be careful and behave. At night I am sure it is that much worst, for me witnessing an incident probably made it a little worst.

 

[#juan]

I have to go along with Kreskin. I had reason to be on East Hastings a couple months back and believe me, I wouldn't have gone near the place if I didn't have to. One of the worst things is the aggressive panhandlers who don't want to take no for an answer. Some of these jerks will stay in your face for half a block.

 

[Twila]

Poverty ridden scum areas are now all the rage for tourists, haven't you heard?
http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/issues/2007/march/presence.php?page=3

I wouldn't recommend just anybody going through that area of Vancouver. It's an eye opener. It is in fact educational. You will get a first hand look at addiction and the addicted's last years.

I would recommend the Richmond night market if you want to see some amazing things.....Interesting food, items for sale, and a diverse crowd of people.
http://www.richmondnightmarket.com/home.html

 

[Toro]

If you're looking for a hit of rock or a $10 ho, East Hastings is a fabulous place.

 

[Vicious]

deleted

 

[Vicious]

I lived in Vancouver for the year 1993-2005. The downtown east side is a hole. The nastiest stretch of East Hastings is from Cambie to Main. The strangest thing is that on Water street (two streets north of east Hastings at the Cambie end) is a tourist area - Gastown, restaurants and clubs. Pender is Chinatown (One street south) which is fun. So you have a total cesspool sandwiched between to touristy areas. Pigeon Park at East Hastings and Carrall should only be viewed by car. Carnegie Hall at Hastings and Main is a place to avoid as well as. Funny, a police station is just across Main street.

I love Vancouver. If you can afford it, I would recommend Fairview instead. There are lots of 3 story apartment blocks not sure what rent would be these days.

 

[Pangloss]

Wow, just wow.

I have lived, worked, reported and shopped in the area for, well, a very long time and I have nowhere near the jaded, prejudiced view of the area you folks have.

Using different adjectives, a tourist could write just as damning a report on Kerrisdale.

But your classist, jaded minds could never imagine that.

Pangloss