Vancouver - A Stroll down Commercial Drive

Described as a culturally rich and authentic neighbourhood, Commercial Drive, also known as "the Drive" is indeed a colourful area, even at 10 o'clock in the morning.  I strolled up and down the street, including the 8 block section identified as "Little Italy" with its own flags and matching sidewalks.  Right beside the Little Italy sign is the Babylon Café, and of course a whole list of other ethnic restaurants lined both sides of the street.  I can imagine this being a great area for dining and unique shopping, with remnants of the original Italian community still around, including a specialty Italian cheese shop, Italian bakery, and restaurant. I've focused on food in the following photos but there are a lot more waiting to be explored another day.

Still a gathering place 

Italian Bakery (delicious scones among other things), Italian cheese shop and an authentic Italian café lined up

Il Mercato - a shopping centre in the core of Little Italy, unfortunately soon to be redeveloped

Italian Restaurant

To top it off, even what looks like a vintage Alfa Romeo to add to the ambiance!

Cuban Restaurant - the Havana

Impressive - even corner café serves Wild salmon soup

Colourful mural outside Vietnamese street food restaurant

What I love about Vancouver - view of mountains everywhere!  This one was taken from Grandview Park on Commercial Drive

Stunning art and architecture

You sensed this the moment you stepped into the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia -  both stunning art and architecture.  While Bill Reid's creation sculpture, "The Raven and the First Men", is the monumental centrepiece, the wow factor started right at the entrance to the museum.

"The Raven and the First Men" by Bill Reid (laminated yellow cedar)

This awesome carved panel with masks of the sun and the moon welcomed you at the entrance.  And you just knew that it would be good.

Very close to the carved panel is this remarkable Haida cedar bentwood chest (circa 1870)

You turned to move forward but stood still, gawking at this stunning Great Hall...

There was no other choice, you had to see this...

Grand and towering...and yet, when you turned into the Bill Reid rotunda, you found yourself staring at this most exquisite carving - the raven box.  Your jaw dropped further...

and on and on it went

This, believe it or not, is a "house dish" - for feasts.  I think I remember seeing something like this in New Zealand, in the land of the Maoris.

Before you leave, you had to go back to the Great Hall one more time - just to sit there and gape.

Then take yourself outside to the log house

Turn back to look at the outside of the museum and you'd notice the resemblance...

almost a mirror image - the modern museum and the log house.

How clever of Arthur Erickson!  Wow! 

Art deco in Vancouver

I was in Vancouver a few weeks ago and was surprised to discover an art deco treasure in the city.  This is the Marine Building, apparently considered one of the great art deco buildings in the world.  Completed in 1930 right after the Wall Street crash that triggered the Great Depression, many of the offices were left empty.  In 1933, the $2.3 million building was sold for only $900,000.  But it remains a classic example of art deco in the city.

The lobby, surprisingly small for a building this size, is considered a masterpiece.  You can see for yourself below the stunning entrance to it, the floor, the ceiling, the solid brass elevator doors...

Stained glass above the lobby

Solid brass elevator doors

The corridor to the side entrance

In-laid floor with the zodiac

The mailbox!

The elevator walls inlaid with 12 kinds of hardwood 

You can see the intricate cornice of the lobby from the second floor

Looking towards the entrance to the lobby - note the clock with sea animals for  hours

The Marine Building on the outside