First thing’s first: Friday afternoon calls for a cocktail fix at Joey’s Wine Room located at the Bentall One. It’s always a go-to spot for young professionals looking to both unwind and squeeze in a little pre-weekend networking and people-watching. Mix and mingle with some of the city’s movers and shakers as you sit back and relax in their covered and heated patio sipping one of more than 20 wines available by the glass. We love the street-side perch afforded from their plush couches, lively ambiance and attentive staff.
Next, continue the festivities by making your way over to The Colony Bar in Kitsilano for a bit more fun. This spot is set to officially open for the weekend, so it makes a perfect landing pad for YPs looking to shake things up. They’ve got plenty on the menu (and in-house) to help do just that with a stacked beer and cocktail list, great music and funky atmosphere we think you’ll dig.
If you are so (oddly) musically-inclined and feeling a little, shall we say ‘plucky,’ then you might want to try to score a few of the remaining tickets to this year’s Vancouver Ukulele Festival opening concert on Friday night (Saturday is already sold out). We know, it’s way out of left field, but it’ll definitely give you some unique bragging rights come Monday morning water cooler chat… and you’ll get to cross it off your bucket list to boot!
If you’re in the mood for spring (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) be sure to make your way down to the BC Home + Garden Show on Saturday for some indoor and outdoor inspiration. With 425 vendors on hand to answer your exterior decor questions, demos, Q&A sessions with pros like Bryan Baeumler, Sarah Daniels, a chili cook-off and Beer and Bites Lounge, it’s bound to fill up more than a good portion of your day. To sweeten the deal, we’ve got an exclusive promotional code to offer Notable readers that will save you $4 on entry all weekend; click here to access and enter the keyword BLOG when prompted.
Once you’ve gotten your spring-fix at BC Place, be sure to grab a water taxi and make your way over to Granville Island to check out this year’s Winterruption Festival. This celebration of winter comes complete with live music, French-themed wine and food tastings, a brewery tour (Granville Island) and plenty more to keep you satisfied. Stroll around the island’s artisan marketplace, check out local craft vendors and grab tickets to the special two-day Street Eats & Beats event (featuring food trucks, a live DJ, booze and more for $35).
Post festival, we suggest you make your way over to check out the newly-opened Long Table Distillery, which has just set up shop. Owned by a lovely local couple, it is one of Vancouver’s first authentic micro-distilleries to open in town and host free tastings until 6pm on Saturday. Try it out for yourself; they’ve just released their first batch of hand-crafted gin and vodka – a tasty place to wind up after a full day out and about… and yes, you can buy a stash to take home too!
Start things off Sunday by grabbing a leisurely brunch at Two Chef’s And A Table or go greasy spoon and head over to The Red Wagon on Hastings for some grub to get you going. You’ll need the fuel if you’re looking to head up one of the local mountains for some fresh air and exercise. Why not rent a pair of snowshoes at Cypress, grab some cross-country skis and make a morning/afternoon of hitting the trails?
Post workout, be sure to head out to Port Moody and pay a visit to their Winter Farmers Market that’s in full swing for another few Sundays ahead. They’ve got dozens of local vendors on site, freshly-baked goods and other treats worth stocking up on.
Make your way home, post-market adventures and (we suggest) dry out your liver because next week will be full of wine-filled reasons to x-nay the couch and prep your palate as the 35th Annual Vancouver International Wine Festival is set to start.
Top photo courtesy JOEY’s