Why is thread named "not Vancouver bashing" when that's what it is?
Probably for the same reason people say "I'm not a racist, but" before some insanely racist comments, or "No offense, but" before something ridiculously offensive.
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My some of you have thin skin. Does one have to be racist to prefer not to live in the middle of an Asian neighborhood? I woudln't want to move into a white trash neighborhood does that make me racist?
I feel the bums in Vancouver are nowhere near as agressive as say Montreal bums that will follow you down the street and yell at you if you ignore them. However there are too many street people in Vancouver and Victoria as well for that matter.
People will probably think this is a joke but it's not.
It happened sometime after the Olympics.
I used to live downtown and I could not leave my apartment, stand on the street and check my phone, have a cigarette, without bums harassing me for money. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but you can't get away from them if you live downtown its bizaree.
People will probably think this is a joke but it's not.
It happened sometime after the Olympics.
I used to live downtown and I could not leave my apartment, stand on the street and check my phone, have a cigarette, without bums harassing me for money. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but you can't get away from them if you live downtown its bizaree.
I agree that's why I brought it up as Calgarians may not understand how bad it can be in other cities. I stayed downtown Montreal for a couple of weeks and was caught off guard by the agressiveness of the bums. I wouldn't want to have to go through that daily.
I would agree that Vancouver kicks ass over our restaurant scene, comparing Sundance to Vancouver seems odd. Like comparing Chiliwack to Kensington.
The point was more that Vancouver has many areas with great restaurant scenes. Calgary has one or two areas with concentrated things to do. Beyond that, you're lookign at a lengthly commute. Basically, you can live just off 17th or be looking at driving to get anywhere. Calgary has a car culture, where it's very difficult to survive without one.
Vancouver was fine when I was single but now that I have a family it sucks big hairy balls! The weather never use to bother me but lately, past couple of winters the greyness has really started to bring me down. It's not the rain it's the never ending greyness of winter that sucks. You can also dress your kids to play in the cold and snow not so much the rain and mud. Face plant in the snow means laughter and snowballs, face plant in the mud means wet, dirty cranking kid and pissed off dad who now has to clean the car seat when he gets home.
Housing is ridiculous and signs of a big crash are very evident. Over 30% of condos (apartments not townhouses) are vacant in Vancouver and people can't flip what they are in to upgrade. I have about 6 friends now that want to start families but are stuck in small studio or one bedroom apartments that they cannot move or rent for any kind of return. I sold my condo over a year ago to get out before the prices really started to tank and rent a townhouse up on Burnaby mountain.
The point was more that Vancouver has many areas with great restaurant scenes. Calgary has one or two areas with concentrated things to do. Beyond that, you're lookign at a lengthly commute. Basically, you can live just off 17th or be looking at driving to get anywhere. Calgary has a car culture, where it's very difficult to survive without one.
Vancouver restaurants look great compared to Calgary but it's no comparison to Montreal. It's strange but at times I catch myself reminiscing about some of the awesome meals I have eaten there in the past.
Vancouver was fine when I was single but now that I have a family it sucks big hairy balls! The weather never use to bother me but lately, past couple of winters the greyness has really started to bring me down. It's not the rain it's the never ending greyness of winter that sucks. You can also dress your kids to play in the cold and snow not so much the rain and mud. Face plant in the snow means laughter and snowballs, face plant in the mud means wet, dirty cranking kid and pissed off dad who now has to clean the car seat when he gets home.
Housing is ridiculous and signs of a big crash are very evident. Over 30% of condos (apartments not townhouses) are vacant in Vancouver and people can't flip what they are in to upgrade. I have about 6 friends now that want to start families but are stuck in small studio or one bedroom apartments that they cannot move or rent for any kind of return. I sold my condo over a year ago to get out before the prices really started to tank and rent a townhouse up on Burnaby mountain.
That 30% number is nowhere close to accurate. Some estimates put almost 1/4 unoccuppied, but that does not mean they are for rent. There's a large number of people in Vancouver who live part-time somewhere else, and leave their condo vacant. The actual rental vacancies are far far lower.
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Every time I go to Vancouver I come back wishing I live there.
I stay in the North West side of downtown, go for my morning runs in Stanley Park (most rejuvenating thing in the world,), get my morning coffee, shop and walk around the amazing condo buildings (I thought it was odd someone earlier took a shot because they have more condo buildings then offices downtown or something), and get my amazing dinner in gas town or Yale town.
Additionally, my lungs don’t burn like they do in Calgary when I run due to high altitude.
The people are also very nice.
But then I realize:
1. I am a tourist – I am staying in part of the city in a hotel room I could not afford to live in if I lived there. Where I stay in the city is one of the main reasons I would want to live there.
2. My run through Stanley Park is amazing, but I can’t do that every day before work with the hours I work (still very hard to knock Stanley Park, and I grew up pretty much raised by the deer in fish creek). Stanley Park’s largest knock to me would be the popularity and how busy it can get.
3. It was overcast with the sun poking through. I went for a walk and had a quick conversation with a construction flag person, and after I say beautiful day she actually says “any sunny day is a good day” I smiled and left, but she could have not said a worse thing to someone from Calgary – IT WAS OVERCAST. We would be complaining about the crappy day back home.
4. My amazing lunch and dinner – would make me broke in a week if I lived there. Honestly, where in Yale town can you eat without breaking the bank? Lots of great food, but $$$$$$$$$$.
5. My largest pet peeve – Cactus Club. It is a very average Earls who can’t make a ceaser to save their life. After dinner we wanted to get a drink in Yale Town so we went to one because it looked like we could get a seat in the bar. A local friend met us a short while later who could not believe we got table with a booth in the bar at Cactus Club. I still didn't believe how much they love that restaurant there until a Canuck passed by our table. Who knew – it is the place to be seen in Vancouver. Not bad food, just a creepy love they get from the locals. I know this anger is not rational but I just can’t figure this one out!
Pretty much from never living there and only acting as a tourist – I love to visit, I am glad it is part of Canada, but probably would go insane living there (however, life could be much worse).
Vancouver restaurants look great compared to Calgary but it's no comparison to Montreal. It's strange but at times I catch myself reminiscing about some of the awesome meals I have eaten there in the past.
I don't think Vancouver restaurants are the be all and end all, they are atrocious compared to Montreal, NYC, etc...
However, at least in Vancouver you can get to them within walking distance. Vancouver does an exellent job of balancing the city life with nature. There are very few major cities where you can get a solid taste of both worlds.
5. My largest pet peeve – Cactus Club. It is a very average Earls who can’t make a ceaser to save their life. After dinner we wanted to get a drink in Yale Town so we went to one because it looked like we could get a seat in the bar. A local friend met us a short while later who could not believe we got table with a booth in the bar at Cactus Club. I still didn't believe how much they love that restaurant there until a Canuck passed by our table. Who knew – it is the place to be seen in Vancouver. Not bad food, just a creepy love they get from the locals. I know this anger is not rational but I just can’t figure this one out!
Locals don't love Cactus Club.
Cactus was actually started by two former Earls employees. It's basically the exact same restaurant as Earls but the girls wear shorter skirts. The chain was later bought out by the Fuller family, who own Earls...so now it is the same restaurant.
1. The Hockey team.
2. getting anywhere.
3. the lack of sunlight all winter.
Other than that I've always like going there. Love being near the Ocean and love being able to golf 12 months of the year.
I almost think that you have to either earn a ton of money, or have grown up there to actually be able to enjoy it very much though. If you are an average earner with 2.3 kids and a spouse, and work in Vancouver, have fun on your 2 or 3 hours commuting every day. Guess that's not as bad as Toronto though.
Traffic really isn't a problem if you live in the city. Vancouver has good transit and you can bike pretty much anywhere.
Traffic really isn't a problem if you live inner city Calgary either. Either your commute to downtown is very short or chances are you're going counter flow.
Statistics don't support the notion that Vancouver vastly outperforms Calgary in mode share - ie that it's much more transit/bike/walk friendly:
Here's the breakdown for commutes within each CMA from the census (06 - the '11 census is useless thanks to the Conservatives)
I don't think Vancouver restaurants are the be all and end all, they are atrocious compared to Montreal, NYC, etc...
I think on the moderate to higher end, Calgary's restaurant scene is fantastic - especially compared to other cities our size - it's gotten especially better in the past 5-7 years. The problem Calgary has is the lack of abundance in cheap eats. Food of any kind just isn't that cheap in this city compared to most bigger cities.
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I think on the moderate to higher end, Calgary's restaurant scene is fantastic - especially compared to other cities our size - it's gotten especially better in the past 5-7 years. The problem Calgary has is the lack of abundance in cheap eats. Food of any kind just isn't that cheap in this city compared to most bigger cities.
Safeway was selling the big blocks of cheese for 8 bucks this weekend. It was the happiest day of my life, what a deal.
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I'd say the biggest advantage of Vancouver over Calgary (besides natural scenery) is that it's 15-20 years ahead in terms of reurbanizing its core (naturally, because it's a much larger city). Vancouver has done a better job than just about anyone in creating a liveable and vibrant core - largely by creating a critical mass of residential population. They also have done an exceptional job maintaining a very high standard of urban design. Calgary's largely on the same path (partially because lots of Vancouver developers are becoming active in Calgary), lots of good stuff happening, but will naturally take some time to catch up.
The advantage Calgary will have is that it will continue to have a thriving and growing Central Business District, but also add big residential populations, creating a good balance. Vancouver's economy is such that they've virtually only added residential population to its downtown. Starts to feel a bit like a high rise suburb to Burnaby or Richmond.
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Last edited by Bunk; 03-25-2013 at 01:56 PM.
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