Vancouver: The Unknown City

www.arsenalpulp.com

"Walked the back alleys, rattled on locked doors, tickled the city's underbelly, and muddled over manuscripts. ... in the interest of what [they hope] will be both a subversive and seductive account of the unknown city." Not in the least surprising to us here on the Drive, the authors uncovered a great deal about Vancouver by mining the Drive to reveal these previously unknown, now know factoids. Herewith, exerts to tantalize you into visiting the area to know even more:

Landmarks & Destinations
• The false land that bridges False Creek came from the Grandview cut, which then became a short-cut to the flats.

Transportation
• Vancouver's SkyTrain, the two lines for which run from Commercial Drive Station, comprise the longest automated electric train system in the world.
• A near by 'banned bike route' at the Northern foot of Commercial Drive gives you access to the port all the way to New Brighton Park under the Second Narrows Bridge. Just follow Commissioner Street and "feign innocence if you're caught".

Dining - The Breakfast Club
• For a laid back breakfast experience, if you prefer turntables over a jukebox take your breakfast to Clove, 2054 Commercial Drive.
• Apparently started to finance an independent film project, Havana (1212 Commercial Drive) is the Cuban hot spot for patio people-watching.

Dining - Carnivore Heaven
• Inspired by a layover in Memphis, Memphis Blues Barbeque House (1342 Commercial Drive) offers up the classics like barbecue brisket and slabs of ribs.

Dining - Coffee Breaks
• Sit among the Italian sculptures at Calabria Coffee Bar (1745 Commercial Drive) and name the Italian celebrities headshots, including one of the proprietors from Flesh Gordon and the Cosmic Cheerleaders!
• You'd better be rooting for the Italians at this soccer all the time Cafe Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar (1321 Commercial Drive).

Dining - Hero Worship
• Known for its deli, you won't regret ordering a grilled sandwich from La Grotta del Fromaggio (1791 Commercial Drive).

Dining - keep your eyes on these fries
• Served the European way, with mayo - Belgian Fries (1885 Commercial Drive)

Literature & the Arts
• Membership-owned since 1945, People's Coop Bookstore (1391 Commercial Drive) mandate is to promote social justice - lots of local authors.
• Catch stagings of classics and avant garde pieces at these venerable live-theatre venues: Havana (1212 Commercial Drive, havana-art.com) and Vancouver East Cultural Centre (1895 Venables Street, vecc.bc.ca)

Shopping - Window Dressings
• The wacky windows at Urban Empire (1108 Commercial Drive) have covered the gamut and then some with the crowning glory coming at Film Fest time. The owner Patricia Salmond has managed the festival's winning window every year since 1997!

Shopping - flea markets
• Every January you'll find 175 plus tables devoted to memorabilia at the Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive, croationculturalcentrevancouver.com)

Shopping - home and garden deals
• The family-owned Wonderbucks (1803 Commercial Drive, wonderbucks.com ) was opened to protest the so-called dollar stores that rip you off by selling fifty-cent junk for a dollar. A great outlet for home gadgets.
• Representing Indonesia and Bali, Blue Terra Home (1146 Commercial Drive, blueterrahome.com) sells oversized archways and benches.

Shopping - Naughty but Nice
• The womyn behind Womyns'Ware (896 Commercial Drive, womynsware.com) were pioneers of selling dildos to women in a non-threatening environment.

Media & Entertainment - Not Your Average Newsstands
• With the best of the week's print journalism posted in the window, Magpie Magazine Gallery (1319 Commercial Drive) stocks a fine selection of art, fashion, design, and literary publications.

Media & Entertainment - 24 Hour Film Contest
• Faster, dirtier, more underground ... a film competition with inspiration packs and 24 hours to produce. Starts and ends on Commercial Drive. the24hourfilmcontest.com

Media & Entertainment - art house cinemas
• Vaneast Cinema (2290 Commercial Drive) caters to the bohemian folks on the Drive.

Media & Entertainment - lounge lizards
The Tiki Lounge at the Waldorf (1489 East Hastings Street) is one of a remaining few from a 1950's chain. Hosting burlesque and lounge acts the Polynesian-chic room has a lot of history, including old-school censorship that say bikini tops added to the ladies!

Media & Entertainment - off-beat entertainers
• A founding Waldorf performer (the infamous 'cigarette girl'), Cass King's uberlesque style has her in demand cassking.com
• Often booked at the Grandview Auditorium (2205 Commercial Drive), Christine "Tiny" Taylor's famous for her chainsaw-tossing act. Happyland cabatet nights are legend.
• Hostess for the Grow Show (Croatian Cultural Centre 3250 Commercial Drive), Watermelon's tag line: "I'm not here to judge, I'm here to jiggle." melongirl.ca

Media & Entertainment- talk of the town
• Named for the famous beatnik, Bukowski's (1447 Commercial Drive) keeps up the revival of spoken word nights and poetry slams.
• Cafe Deux Soleil (2096 Commercial Drive) hosts last Thursday of the month "Cat Call" all-female open-mic.
• Clove's (2054 Commercial Drive) the modern room for late night Indian-spiced snacks to a down-tempo groove.

Living - odd hobbies & pastimes
• Adult Lego League meets just off the Drive to showcase handiwork, play, and trade. Co-founder Alexandria Carstens acknowledges "It1s nice to know you're not alone in your insanity." akasa.bc.ca/vlc

Living - Deliverance Us From Effort
• Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (1660 East Hastings Street, spud.ca) is the top organic food delivery service in the city.

Living - kids' Vancouver
• Bringing the art of celebration to the community, with roving performers, drum bands, fire performers and finale (publicdreams.org), families with kids flock to Illuminares the last Saturday in July.
• And on the last Saturday in October thousands meet in Grandview Park to honour the dead, wake the living, and face their fears in a mix of street theatre, giant puppets, art installations, music, and pyrotechnics at the Parade of Lost Souls. A scary night of fun!

Living - Alternative Video Stores
• Clerks in lab coats prescribe cinematic panacea for your pain at Celluloid Drugstore (1470 Commercial Drive).

Living - Tattoos & Body Piercing
Electro-Lady Lux (876 Commercial Drive) features all-female tattoo artists.

Living - Bike Repairs
• When your bike is feeling under the weather, take it to Bike Doctor Bicycle Shop (1350 Commercial Drive)

Living - chocolate & sweets
• Dutch treats made from world-famous Belgian chocolate at Dutch Girl Chocolates (1002 Commercial Drive)

Living - patisseries & bakeries
• Real Italian pizza dough to go for $1.50 at Fratellie (1795 Commercial Drive, fratellibakery.com)
• Seven-grain gourmets at Uprising Breads bakery (1697 Venables Street, uprisingbreads.com).

Living - unusual grocery stores
• Head to the freezer for hand-made sacchetti pasta, cured meats deli, and shelves of staples like quality tinned tuna at A. Bosa Foods & Co (562 Victoria Drive).
• Fujiya (912 Clark Drive, seanspot.com) features Japanese supermarket items like butterflied shrimp and black cod marinated in sake. An impressive selection of miso paste and nori.