Market Madness

Something I remember loving about Vancouver is the independent Chinese grocery stores. They rock. They are packed with everything you could ever wish for, and they are *cheap*. I've been trying out the ones nearby, and today I found The One.

It's only a 5 minute bikeride from our house, and it's chock full of gorgeous local produce. It's also got a great selection of tofu products, including 4 flavors of veggie ground round (tofu made to taste like ground meat, for sauces). Add to that a fantastic italian foods selection, including fresh gnocchi for $2, and about 20 different kinds of olive oil. Nevermind the wall of tea (some of which is $1.50 for 20 tea bags). Or the bread from the local organic bakery for $2.39 a loaf. Udon noodles. Salsa. Barbecue ducks hanging in the window. A hot lunch bar with tasty Chinese food. What more could a girl ask for? Durhamites, it's like the farmer's market meets Grand Asia market meets Whole Foods. With an Italian market thrown in for good measure.

That whole section of Hastings Street is full of great little shops. Right next to the grocers is an Italian specialty shop (also inexpensive), a Chinese bakery, a Japanese antique furniture store, a European bakery, and a Mexican restaurant. I am in heaven. I haven't found the local Pho shop yet, but I'm sure there are plenty.

The bike ride home from the shop was typically nice, too. I've stopped counting the number of times that drivers have stopped for me, of their own free will, with a smile, so I could cross 4 lanes of traffic.

I may have stopped counting, but I still say "holy crap" in my head every time it happens.

Of course, there are some things about our neighbourhood, and Vancouver as a whole, that are less than perfect. Bike theft is rampant. Here is my bike parked next to someone's ill-fated U-lock:




There's a garbage strike on, and the city is stinky. We keep finding used condoms in our front yard (echhhh). There are a lot of thin, twitchy people in our neighbourhood. Car insurance costs more than twice what it costs in the states. But it's hard to notice things like that when you're mesmerized by a view like this:



And this is just the view from the port near our house - industrial meets beautiful. There are plenty of beaches (not so near our house) where you can have a view of the inlet and the mountains, unadulterated by industry.