South Granville

This neighbourhood, elle est très chic. Boutique fashion and furniture shopping (don’t miss local icon Martha Sturdy’s storefront, 3039 Granville St., 604-737-0037) and sophisticated art galleries set a tony tone for this district. Connecting the upper-crust Shaughnessy residential neighbourhood to the Granville Street bridge leading into downtown, South Granville is where the new money intersects with the old.

The venerable Stanley Theatre and kitschy neighbourhood diner The Normandy stand alongside fashionista hotspots like Cattiva (2665 Granville St., 604-608-1141) and modern home décor mecca Caban (2912 Granville St., 604-742-1522).

EAT:

Mother-in-law’s pork curry for lunch at Rangoli (1488 W. 11th Ave., 604-736-5711); dinner is next door at Vij’s (1480 W. 11th Ave., 604-736-6664). Try the wine-marinated lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry. Both restaurants are owned by Vikram Vij, a Vancouverite as famous for his hospitality as he is for the award-winning Indian fusion cuisine that emerges from his kitchens.

DRINK:

Whatever cocktail concoction bartender David Wolowidnyk is pouring at West, Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant of the Year for 2005 (2881 Granville St., 604-738-8938).

BROWSE:

The hottest imports from New York and L.A. (designs by Robert Rodriguez and 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent) at Misch (2960 Granville St., 604-731-1017).