In our annual Hangout Handbook, Exclaim! asks some of our favourite artists what an ideal day in their hometown would entail. Here, Jay Arner outlines the top places to check out in Vancouver.
Master Chef (2481 Hastings St. E)
This restaurant in Hastings-Sunrise lands in the "cheap diner" category. It is the cheapest and diner-iest of them all. Master Chef Tony is a published poet and one-of-a-kind host.
Southlands' Miniature Donkey (Southlands Riding Club, 7025 Macdonald St.)
Southlands is a small equestrian pocket near UBC's endowment lands. Walk around and you'll probably come across a white horse and a miniature donkey in a paddock together. Pat them for me.
Fujiya Japanese Foods (Various locations, www.fujiya.ca)
This is a grocery store with excellent little trays of cheap sushi. I usually get a negitoro roll and something else and drive around a corner and eat the sushi in my car like a goblin man.
Dog Beach (aka Hadden Park)
A beach at the foot of Arbutus Street near the Maritime Museum. It's self-explanatory: swim in the ocean with a bunch of dogs. If that sounds good to you, there you go.
Don't Argue Pizzeria (3240 Main St. Vancouver)
I eat pizza frequently on tour to gain pizza experience and give weight to my pizza opinion (and my body). I think Don't Argue is an excellent restaurant.
No Bars
You know when it's someone's birthday or something and you all meet at a bar to hang out and drink drinks? And then you're like "I just paid $30 to talk to my friends." There's nothing wrong with that but drinking in a park or an apartment is basically the same thing for one-third the cost. Take the money you saved and buy the Monomyth record.
Sunday Service (Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main St.)
The idea of live comedy is frightening when you consider it for the first time. "What if I get razzed?" etc. But Vancouver has an impossibly deep talent pool and comedy here is a safe bet. Sunday Service is an improv show every Sunday at the Fox Theatre. It's often inexplicably weird and always hilarious.
Vancouver indie rocker Jay Arner released his self-titled debut album last year on Mint Records; he's currently working on new material.
Master Chef (2481 Hastings St. E)
This restaurant in Hastings-Sunrise lands in the "cheap diner" category. It is the cheapest and diner-iest of them all. Master Chef Tony is a published poet and one-of-a-kind host.
Southlands' Miniature Donkey (Southlands Riding Club, 7025 Macdonald St.)
Southlands is a small equestrian pocket near UBC's endowment lands. Walk around and you'll probably come across a white horse and a miniature donkey in a paddock together. Pat them for me.
Fujiya Japanese Foods (Various locations, www.fujiya.ca)
This is a grocery store with excellent little trays of cheap sushi. I usually get a negitoro roll and something else and drive around a corner and eat the sushi in my car like a goblin man.
Dog Beach (aka Hadden Park)
A beach at the foot of Arbutus Street near the Maritime Museum. It's self-explanatory: swim in the ocean with a bunch of dogs. If that sounds good to you, there you go.
Don't Argue Pizzeria (3240 Main St. Vancouver)
I eat pizza frequently on tour to gain pizza experience and give weight to my pizza opinion (and my body). I think Don't Argue is an excellent restaurant.
No Bars
You know when it's someone's birthday or something and you all meet at a bar to hang out and drink drinks? And then you're like "I just paid $30 to talk to my friends." There's nothing wrong with that but drinking in a park or an apartment is basically the same thing for one-third the cost. Take the money you saved and buy the Monomyth record.
Sunday Service (Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main St.)
The idea of live comedy is frightening when you consider it for the first time. "What if I get razzed?" etc. But Vancouver has an impossibly deep talent pool and comedy here is a safe bet. Sunday Service is an improv show every Sunday at the Fox Theatre. It's often inexplicably weird and always hilarious.
Vancouver indie rocker Jay Arner released his self-titled debut album last year on Mint Records; he's currently working on new material.