VREG Blog

I recently spent a week test driving the Acura MDX Type S car 2025 around Metro Vancouver while trying some dishes at eateries in the area as well as visiting a farmers market. A new Turkish bakery had recently opened in East Vancouver and I went over for a visit to Kaj Pastry (1428 Vernon Drive, Vancouver) where I picked up a box of their baked goodies. The next day I took a drive to New Westminster to visit Bak’d Cookies (285 Nelson’s Court, New Westminster) and here I picked up one of their delicious S’mores cookie. Later in the day, I visited Himalaya Restaurant (6587 Main Street, Vancouver) on Main Street in Punjabi village to get some of their Samosas and Naan to go. There are some great features in the Acura MDX such as Acura’s intuitive and driver-focused True Touchpad Interface (TTI), featuring Acura’s largest-ever center display. At an ultra-wide 12.3-inches, the full-HD display works seamlessly with the Acura-exclusive touchpad with “absolute positioning” and a new, more powerful CPU for improved performance. The TTI in MDX features intuitive controls, including physical Power, Volume and Seek controls positioned within easy reach to the immediate right of the touchpad, along with more accurate swipe zones and handwriting recognition, and other performance enhancements. The next day I visited Sabra Kosher Bakery and Restaurant (3844 Oak Street, Vancouver) it is a long standing kosher restaurant and bakery and here I picked up a challah and some knishes. The next day I headed to Richmond for lunch at one of my favourite Japanese restaurants Saku (4771 Mcclelland Rd #1415, Richmond) for their Chicken Breast Katsu that comes with complimentary unlimited rice, sesame dressing and shredded cabbage. The Coquitlam Farmers Market (1655 Winslow Avenue, Coquitlam) has been operating on Sunday’s for many years and this was my first time that I have visited. My visit gave me a chance to try Bar Down Cookies and I got one of the S’mores to go. The interior makes use of quilted and perforated leather in saturated hues with decorative stitching and, for the Type S, inset nonslip faux suede on the bolsters; those chairs are also heated, ventilated, massaging, & 16-way adjustable. I also love the red/black colour combination. For a late lunch I visited Stega Eatery (1778 Colombia Street, Vancouver) in the Olympic Village neighbourhood where I had the Al Pastor, a tasty sandwich with their house-made ciabatta with chicken, roasted pineapple and the fragrant annatto seeds of the Caribbean and it’s a Lebanese-influenced Mexican dish. While there we also had a Hibiscus water, Carrot cake as well as an Iced oat milk latte. The Type S gets a front brake upgrade in the form of larger 14.3-inch rotors & four-piston Brembo calipers. It also uses Acura’s Electro-Servo Brake (ESB) brake-by-wire, whereas other trims use i-Booster, which is an electrically assisted hydraulic system. I really enjoyed the Acura MDX was a great car to drive in and around Vancouver. By: Richard Wolak Disclosure: Acura Canada provided me with the 2025 Acura MDX for a week to test drive, and photograph.

Specializing in Thai cuisine this Kitsilano eatery is serving flavourful dishes from soups, curries, pad thai and so much more. I experienced several of their dishes during my solo visit. 1st dish: Roti & Curry dip and it is a simple yet tasty appetizer of crispy thin flatbread, served with Thai curry sauce. 2nd dish: Tom Kha Kai is a flavourful coconut milk soup with chicken, red onions, mushrooms, green onions, and Thai herbs. 3rd dish: Pad Thai with Shrimp, this was delicious with stir-fried thin rice noodles with tamarind sauce, tofu, egg, chives, beansprouts, and ground peanuts. 4th dish: Khao Soi Nhua, an authentic Northern Thailand, a rich northern Thai curry served with flat egg noodles, braising beef brisket and topped with pickles, shallots, lime cilantro and crispy noodles. I also had a Thai Iced Tea which is one of my usual go to beverages in Thai restaurants. Thai Ni Yom is located at 2953 West 4th avenue, unit 2 in Vancouver. Follow them on Instagram  @thainiyom.vancouver By: Richard Wolak

It was a quick flight of an hour and 20 minutes from Vancouver to Edmonton on Westjet. Upon arriving I visited Vish, a great spot in the NW neighbourhood that recently closed their dine-in service in favour of being a pickup spot for takeout as well as deliveries. They make delicious, mostly vegetarian multicultural dishes and everything I tried was outstanding. Enjoyed a delicious lunch of their house-made hummus, falafel, kibbeh, greens tahini, peppers, labneh, tahini, babaganoush, pita, and chopped salad. They even have stuffed falafels that tahini or beef inside and it’s all so good. Vish is a multicultural restaurant located at 10326 124 St, in Edmonton; that now offers online ordering for pickup as well delivery through Uber eats, DoorDash and Skip the dishes. Follow them on Instagram @vishcanada  The next stop on my day long restaurant tour was to Thamel Eatery where it has been all about Nepalese dishes since opening and they are now adding a wide selection of Indian dishes to the menu. I had a selection of their chicken filled signature momos – steamed, pan fried, tandoori and deep fried with accompanied by 2 sauces (yellow is mild) and (red is hot). I also tried some of their delicious butter chicken and naan as these were 2 new menu additions. Thamel Eatery is located at 12413 118 Ave NW, Edmonton. Follow them on Instagram @thameleatery  My next stop was to Lochi Afro Nija that specializes in East Nigerian cuisine. I tried some of their unique and tasty dishes that included Nigerian style fried chicken, Jollof rice, Plantains and beans, Fried rice and an African spiced Hibiscus drink to pair with the dishes. The restaurant offers plentiful seating and they also offer takeout as well as for pickup and delivery through Uber eats, DoorDash and Skip the dishes. Lochi Afro Nija is located at 10335 100 Avenue NW in downtown Edmonton. Follow them on instagram @lochiafronija  I sat down for dinner at Maria Northern Mexican Cuisine also in the downtown area and some of their delicious dishes that included a Beef Chimichanga, Taco el Pastor and their Sonoran Tortilla Soup. Maria Northern Mexican Cuisine is located at 10220 103 St NW in downtown Edmonton. The restaurant offers plentiful seating in their beautiful restaurant and they also offer takeout as well as for pickup and delivery.Follow them on Instagram @maria_restaurantca  In the evening met up with my friends Lilah and David who took me to the Old Strathcona neighbourhood for some sweets and more eats. We started off at Doughut Party where we had some yummy donuts including the Caramel Apple Macchiato donut. The fun and bright pink bakery is located at 7906 B 104 St NW. Follow them on Instagram @doughnutparty The next stop was to a New Orleans style diner DaDeO Diner where we had some of their jalapeno biscuits, crab cakes, and a selection of savoury fritters. The long standing restaurant is located at 10548 A 82 Ave NW. Follow them on Instagram @dadeorestaurant  We ended the night at Block 1912 Cafe is a very large and happening coffee house where I had their delicious Honey and Walnut Cake. Block 1912 is located at 10361 82 Ave NW, Follow them on Instagram @block1912  This is only the tip of the iceburg and I look forward to future visits to the sunniest city in Canada. By: Richard Wolak

Bastion Development has submitted a rezoning application for their site at Arbutus & West 10th Avenue for a 20-storey condo tower. The site at 2120-2150 West 10th Avenue is 17,248 SF and located just one block from the Arbutus Station. A previous proposal for the site in 2021 was for a 5-storey condo building with 42 units under existing zoning. The project is the first application under the Broadway Plan seeking 100% condo use. Most sub-areas of the Plan require rental, or a mix of condo and social housing. This particular sub-area, known as Kitsilano Arbutus Broadway Sub area C, allows for 100% condo with a CAC payment. Details of Bastion’s proposal for the site is a 20-storey tower that includes: 86 condo units; 71 two-bedrooms, 12 three-bedrooms & 3 townhouses; 3,900 SF of retail space on the ground floor; a total density of 6.93 FSR; A building height of 217 ft. 144 parking stalls on 4 underground levels. The rezoning will require a CAC payment, yet to be determined. The architect for the project is Arcadis. The full application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2120-2150-w-10th-ave The post A Rare Sighting: A 100% Condo Tower in the Broadway Plan appeared first on Vancouver Market.

A couple of blocks of Seymour Street developed into the ultimate shopping desination (if you were popping out to buy a truck). Federal Motors, and GMC Trucks were on the next block to the south, and International Motor Trucks put their showroom here, on the 1100 block. Built in two phases, International moved here in 1927 when the expanded from their smaller premises at the north end of the same block, on Davie Street. The initial building was the northern (right hand) half, seen in this 1927 Vancouver Public Library image. According to the permit it was developed in 1926 by Mr. J. E. McAllister at a cost of $8,500. Charles James McAllister was born in Wiarton, Bruce County Ontario in 1869. He became a blacksmith, and arrived in Vancouver around 1891, initially working for the CPR. He worked on East Hastings, initially we think for John McAllister, another blacksmith who had The Columbia Carriage Works there. It seems likely they were related, and Charles lodged with John when he first arrived. Charles married Ellen Percival in 1898. She was born in Manitoba but lived in Vancouver from 1887. They had a daughter, Elva, in 1899, and a son, Clarence in 1903. In 1905 they were living on this site at 1145 Seymour in a house that Charles had built a year earlier (just visible on the edge of the 1927 image). In the 1911 census Charles was still a blacksmith. In 1921 E J McAllister got a permit to carry out repairs and raise the house. Charles J McAllister was still shown living here in the street directory, and in 1928 was president of McAllister Spring Co, (based in 1162 Seymour) and still living here, as was his son Clarence, who worked with him. We’re not sure if there really was a J E McAllister who owned the premises, and almost certain there was no E J McAllister (at least, not in any street directories) but Charles J McAllister lived in this location for over 20 years before the garage was built. Whoever developed the garage probably hired Bedford Davidson to design and build it. If not, they copied the other garage designs Mr Davidson was resposible for in the area. The house at 1145 Seymour had rooms to let between 1927 and 1931, which is when we think it must have been replaced by the extended showroom. By 1933 when our main image was taken, the building had been doubled to 100 feet wide. Charles McAllister died in 1956 at the age of 87. His obitiary noted that he owned McAllister Spring Co for 45 years, having set it up when he stopped working for the CPR. International Harvester Co moved into the building at 1135 in 1927, and were listed until 1950. United Upholstery moved into the building in 1951, and were here until 1957. In 1958 a new bowling alley was announced; Norman Loomer was going to spend $15,000 on remodelling the premises and installing the equipment. He already had Seymour Recreations at 1105 Seymour, and when Loomer Lanes opened in August they allowed both 5 and 10 pin bowling in ‘the most modern lanes in Canada’. In 1964 they were the Holly Lanes, but by 1967 Budget Office Furniture had taken the space, and was here to the mid 1970s, but by 1975 Dorwell Office Equipment had taken over, and by the early 1980s it was the Furniture Division of Williams and Mackie. Today it’s part of a twin tower strata project called Brava, designed by Hewitt and Kwasnicky, and developed by Onni and Amacon in the early 2000s, completed in 2005. On this part of the street there are townhouses, but the Vancouver International Film Centre run the theatre to the south that’s part of the complex. Image sources; City of Vancouver Archives CVA 99-4547 and Vancouver Public Library 1420

Marcon has submitted a rezoning application for 2030-2038 Barclay Street in the West End. The site is currently a 4-storey extended stay hotel property called Rosellen Suites. The site was previously approved for a 10-storey, 19-unit condo project under the existing RM-5B zoning. The new proposal is to allow for the development of a 29-storey hotel and long-term stay building and includes: 292 units; 65 short term stay rooms & 227 serviced apartments; 2,800 SF of restaurant space; a total density of 14.7 FSR; and A building height of 329 ft. The architect for the project is Henriquez Partners. The full rezoning application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2030-2038-barclay-st The post 29-Storey Hotel Proposed for West End Site appeared first on Vancouver Market.

Sure, Vancouver’s seawall is the popular place to bike, but that doesn’t mean the suburbs can’t be too — with a few fixes. In the latest episode of the popular About Here video series on urban solutions (180,000 YouTube subscribers and counting), creator Uytae Lee takes a set of two wheels into the land of “cars, cul-de-sacs and Costcos.” “On the surface, it’s easy to think that cycling would just never be possible in neighbourhoods like this,” he says in the opening, “but the evidence actually suggests that might not be true.” The obvious problem is that lots of infrastructure is dedicated to cars and that the landscape is too vast. But Lee challenges us to look again. Wide roads might be built for cars, but they actually make for a roomy cycling experience. Suburbs might be monotonous, but that means everyone’s got schools and shopping close by. And looking at resident surveys from sprawling cities like Surrey, it’s not distance that’s preventing people from hopping on a bike, but worries about safety. In the video, Lee cycles routes in two cities to sample the experience: Surrey in Metro Vancouver and Saanich on Vancouver Island. The inner streets of both are lovely and calm, a kind of Spielbergian setting that would be familiar to the cycling kids of E.T. or Stranger Things. But on the main roads, with cars, buses and trucks? Separation is key to safety. Surrey’s Fraser Highway has only painted lines to protect cyclists. Lee’s commute here proved treacherous, with drivers and a giant 503 bus speeding right into his lane. (In the words of one YouTube commenter: “Uytae out here taking his life in his hands cycling Fraser Highway to deliver premium About Here content.”) In Saanich, on the other hand, cyclists on the main road are protected by a physical barrier. The path even feeds into the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, once a freight railway built during the First World War and now a green and picturesque cycling route that takes you from the suburbs into Victoria. Surrey: Eek! Screencap from the “About Here” video. Saanich: Ooh! Screencap from the “About Here” video. Paying for this infrastructure and finding the political support for it can be difficult, though, says Lee. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is to accept that there’s no such thing as a natural place for cars. A good cycling network can happen even in the suburbs, offering people another option to get around. “Our cities don’t have to look like Amsterdam or Copenhagen to be good for cycling,” says Lee. Check out the video above for About Here’s usual mix of data, snappy solutions, and Lee’s delightfully geeky passion for improving our cities. *** Christopher Cheung is a reporter at The Tyee, where this story originally appeared. The post Cycling in the Suburbs Doesn’t Have to Suck appeared first on Spacing Vancouver.

Fabric Living has submitted a rezoning application for a site at 3295-3333 Commercial Drive in East Vancouver for a new lowrise rental building. The 33,158 SF site is located on Commercial Drive near East 18th Avenue. The proposal is to allow for the development of a 5-storey residential rental building and includes: 115 market rental units; an outdoor pool; a total density of 2.15 FSR; and A building height of 67 ft. This application is being considered under the Secured Rental Policy. The full application can be viewed here: https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/3295-3333-commercial-dr The architect for the project is TKA+D. The post 115 Unit Rental Building Proposed for Commercial Drive Site appeared first on Vancouver Market.