Vancouver Travel Diary
Where my mom spent her 20s, and I discovered the cutest wine bar.
It’s been seven years since I last visited Vancouver. If you know, you know—it was that one time when I realized the night before our flight that I had mistakenly left my passport in my college dorm room… across the country. A miracle was bestowed upon me, and I made it to Canada after passing through five different airports over the course of 24 hours with a $200 ticket.
This time, I’ve got a brand spanking new passport, which I triple-checked to make sure was in my possession as we drove into LAX.
My grandparents have lived in Vancouver for 35 years. It’s where my mom and her family immigrated to after uprooting their lives in Seoul; where she attended grad school and got an MBA in finance like a boss; where she spent the majority of her twenties. My mom’s younger sister, Lydia, is based there with her own family as well. Aunt Lydia and her husband are both pastors, leading two different churches and residing in a charming dwelling in the woods in Abbotsford. I traveled to Canada almost every year throughout childhood and have fond memories of eating Timbits for breakfast with my grandpa, seeing breathtaking castles in Quebec, and taking the ferry to Vancouver Island (and a vividly not-so-fond memory of spraining my nose in a swimming pool accident).
Today, I’m sharing a list of places in Vancouver that my mom and I were able to squeeze into our short trip in mid-December. It’s my mom’s second home, so I was thrilled to be able to experience it once again alongside her—enjoying her go-to nooks and crannies, imbibing coffee and cheesecake together, and savoring the fresh air and lush greenery that Canada has to offer.
Gastown: A gem of a neighborhood, Gastown is especially gorgeous at night with its twinkling lights and beautiful steam clock. I could spend an entire day here, people-watching in coffee shops, shopping, and walking to Canada Place. Coffee shops I recommend: Revolver, Saunter Coffee, and Café Kitsuné. I think it says a lot that Vancouver was the second city Café Kitsuné chose to open a North American location in on the heels of New York.
Dear Gus Snack Bar: This cute little European wine bar opened in Mt. Pleasant just one month ago, and I stumbled upon their Instagram whilst looking up bars to check out. Their branding, designed in a hue similar to Yves Klein blue, is an adorable ode to the owner’s pet rabbit. The vibes are immaculate—Gus is printed on each wine glass, hand-painted artwork embellishes the walls, HAY rice paper shades warm up the space, and golden hour glow floods in through the windows. My mom and I snacked on their seasoned popcorn and almonds with our sips. I dream of living around the corner from a wine bar like Dear Gus.
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park: A classic attraction that has extra twinkles and sparkles set up during the holiday season. Pro tip! While the most popular time to visit is in the dark of the evening (the Christmas decorations are at their brightest), I think the best time to go is actually when the sun is high in the sky. It’s way less crowded, and the decorations are arguably prettier as they reflect and glisten in the natural light.
Cheesecake, Etc.: My mom and her sisters adore this late-night jazz cafe, open 7 to 1. The cheesecake is melt-in-your-mouth divine! I loved the original cheesecake with their raspberry fruit topping—along with a cup of black coffee, of course. It’s a bit alarming that I can sleep so soundly with caffeine shooting through my veins.
Nemesis Coffee GNW: On that note, I vote Nemesis as my coffee pick in Vancouver. Their GNW shop in particular! To start, the retail space itself is a landmark in and of itself, boasting scarlet-colored, pomegranate-esque architecture designed by Perkins&Will. With chic whole bean box packaging and absolutely delicious espresso, Nemesis is taking this city’s coffee scene to a whole new level.
Cactus Club Cafe: My grandparents were on a mission to bring us to every one of their favorite restaurants (and feed me until I could not bear to take another spoonful). Cactus Club is on their list, a popular casual dining spot with multiple locations sprinkled across Canada. We’ve dined at their English Bay location the most often, directly overlooking the water as we eat. My grandparents always order the Szechuan lettuce wraps! Don’t forget to snap a picture with the A-maze-ing Laughter sculptures across the street.
Fisherman's Terrace Seafood Restaurant: Vancouver is a foodie hub—and legend has it, Richmond is home to the best Chinese food outside of China (specifically, Cantonese cuisine). I also followed my grandparents to their favorite dim sum restaurant in Richmond inside the Aberdeen Centre and tried a number of yummy dishes I had never tasted before, such as bean curd skin rolls with shrimp and pea tips and bitter melon sesame balls with peanut filling.
Sing Sing: Known for their unexpected menu combination of beer, pizza, and pho, this sunny establishment was where my mom and I ended up after a last-minute Google search for a quick bite in Mt. Pleasant. There were soft cubes of butternut squash and crunchy slices of bell pepper in my vegan pho, and I was very into it.
Cultus Lake Provincial Park: About an hour and a half east of downtown, we stopped by Cultus Lake ahead of spending the day at my aunt’s. We were blown away by the majestic view from a small recreational area called the Provincial Park, as clouds were sitting right above the tops of the evergreen trees.
Next time: Kissa Tanto, Fable Diner, Bar Susu, Pallet Coffee Roasters, Aperture Coffee Bar, Blnd Tiger Dumplings, and a trek up to Whistler will be on my itinerary.
loveeee this!!!