Friday, get the weekend off to a solid start by checking out one of our notable new favourite cocktail spots, The Emerald, at 555 Gore Street. It’s vibe is old-school Vegas lounge meets modern day supper club. With plenty of seating, it’s a great option for festive gatherings with friends (ask for The Board Room for a bit of VIP treatment and you’ll score your own crystal decanter, fireplace and plenty of Mad Men-esque ambiance).
Have a hankering for a bit of British comfort food? Be sure to check out the recently opened Hastings hot spot The Brighton for a bite and a brew. Their menu features plenty of favourites to warm you up on a chilly night (order up their bangers and mash coupled with a craft brew pint for starters). They’re located 2471 East Hastings Street.
Speaking of brew, be sure to pop into Platform 7 coffee over the weekend for a piping hot cup of java and (if you’re lucky) catch a live musical act – they’ve got quite the line up for December. We love the Victorian ambiance they’ve managed to cultivate; you really feel transported to an old school British station, hence the name. Serving light pastries, lunch items and Stumptown Coffee, here’s reason to stick around until the last drop.
If you’re looking for a bit of sartorial seasonal humour, nab tickets for The Santaland Diaries at Revue Stage or go the nostalgic route and score a set of tickets to the acclaimed performance of Mary Poppins at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage on Granville Street (both presented by the Arts Club).
If you’re in the mood for some serious market-hopping this weekend, you’re definitely in luck. Kick off the shopping by heading over to the Creekside Community Centre to check out holiday finds courtesy of Portobello West before moving over to Chinatown for the 10th anniversary of BLIM and their indoor craft market. Find plenty of indie artisan offerings, accessories, apparel, crafts, jewellery and more as you take in live music courtesy of a tight DJ lineup.
If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, hop on the Seabus and head over to North Vancouver to check out the Lonsdale’s annual Christmas Festival kick-off (Saturday, starting at 4:30pm). Shipbuilder’s Square will be completely transformed for the holidays and this event is packed with festive entertainment of all kinds, including fire jugglers, stilt walkers, Juno Award-winning musicians, a festive choir and more to get you in the spirit. Celebrating Christmas steps from the ocean doesn’t get any more West Coast.
If you’ve got time come Sunday, be sure to swing by the newest purveyor of fine, spirited goods: Odd Society Spirits. They’ve recently opened up a sweet little distillery and have been busy making a fine selection of goods worth taste testing and taking home. On weekends, the added bonus is that they offer scheduled tours worth checking out if you’re in the East Van Old Port neighbourhood and looking for a great way to wind things down before another work week kicks off.
Top photo courtesy The Emerald
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