VC08 - Vancouver Shopping — Cityphile

A Primer on the trends — in food, fashion, art, and design — that are sweeping Vancouver.

Sticks to Stones — ART The pine beetle’s march across B.C. has been devastating to the softwood industry. (Have you seen what the little critters have done to our forests? Evergreens are now swaths of gold, bronze, and brown.) But artists like Judson Beaumont are finding creative ways to work with the afflicted timber, which is structurally sound but stained indigo along the grain. From this wood, Beaumont fashions his river rocks, which are smoothly finished in a rock tumbler, and retail for $12 at the Wood Co-op, 1592 Johnston St., Granville Island, Vancouver, 604-408-2553. Photo by Kyoko Fierro

Message in a Bottle — SCENE Cocktails came of age in ’07, but 2008 belongs solidly to sophisticated wine bars like the new YEW restaurant at the Four Seasons (791 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, 604-689-9333), which offers 200 wines by the glass, and its slick cousins SALT TASTING ROOM (Blood Alley, Vancouver, 604-633-1912) and UVA (900 Seymour St., Vancouver, 604-683-4251), both of which serve fine cheeses and meats with their deep selections of wines. Photo by Lucas Finlay

Briefly Noted — FASHION Perhaps no piece embodies Vancouver’s style bywords — “organic” and “modern” — better than jewellery designer COLLEEN BARAN’s Like Wearing a Love Letter rings. Made of milky polycarbonate, the rings are crafted in layers, with handwritten notes like “I love you” embedded within. Available at Dream, 311 W. Cordova St., Vancouver, 604-683-7326. Photo by Kyoko Fierro

Pillow Talk — SHOPPING Looking for the perfect accessories to accent your 500-square-foot condo? Enter PROVIDE (529 Beatty St., Vancouver, 604-632-0095) where Robert Quinnell curates an exquisite collection of exclusive lines, from funky felted placemats to handembroidered pillows from Judy Ross textiles, all of with stylish, small-space living in mind. Photo by Jenny Reed

Glow in the Dark — DESIGN It started with the softwall, the awardwinning folding paper wall used as a room divider that became indispensable for loft living (and is part of the MoMA’s permanent collection.) Now the creative minds at MOLO have expanded the line to include these sculptural, man-of-war-like softlights. 1470 Venables St., Vancouver, 604-696-2501.

Say OM — SCENE It’s a yoga town. Vancouver has drop-in classes all over the city, but SEMPERVIVA’s gorgeous Granville Island studio (200–1333 Johnston St., Vancouver, 604-739-1958) is one of the best. And forget hemp and granola — from Lululemon’s damn-your-butt-looks- great yoga pants to SURFACE COLLECTIVE’s “Sound of Silence” wall decals (230–21 Water St., Vancouver, 604-568-4739) it’s clear yoga has gone from hippie to haute.

Made in Timber Land — DESIGN BRENT COMBER practically invented eco-furniture design in Vancouver. Comber makes stunning stools, tables, and benches out of both salvaged wood and dismissed “trash” trees like young alder. Find his work (like the iconic saddle bench) and that of other local designers at the ODI Gallery, 883 Hamilton St., Vancouver, 604-683-6220.

Urban Outfitted — FASHION Loved us so much you bought the T-shirt? Next time, pick up a NINGNONG tee, capturing iconic Vancouver locales (Stanley Park, the Lions) in graphic fashion. Available at Favorites, 219-123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver, 604-904-8840. Photo by Kyoko Fierro

Hoppity Hipsters — KIDS Year of the Child was officially 1979, but in Vancouver it’s now. Cool kids’ stores (think Ugly Dolls, not Winnie-the-Pooh) are popping up all over the city, from the contemporary-chic MODERNKID (45 Water St., Vancouver, 604-662-3181) to the quirky-cool DANDELION KIDS (1206 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, 604-676-1862). Snag one of SONJA AHLER’s Fierce Bunnies, now at the Vancouver Art Gallery shop (750 Hornby St., Vancouver, 604-662-4706) and Enfantterribleshop.com. Made with angora, and a dash of attitude, they’re a little naughty, but mostly nice.

Dream Beans — DRINK You’re on the West Coast, so take coffee seriously. Yes, there’s a Starbucks and a half at every intersection, but connoisseurs turn to indie shops like 49TH PARALLEL (2152 W. Fourth Ave., Vancouver, 604-420-4901) and CAFÉ MEDINA (556 Beatty St., Vancouver, 604-339-9395). If you happen to pick up a Belgian waffle with lavender/ milk chocolate topping while you’re at the latter, so much the better for you. Also recommended: Turks Coffee Lounge (1276 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, 604-255-5805) and Prado (1938 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, 604-255-5537) Photo by Graham Winterbottom

Devine Inspiration — SCENE The Cascade is the latest touchdown for Vancouver über-bartender NICK DEVINE. Get there early — the place is packed by 8 p.m.— and sidle up to the bar for one of the signature Cascade cocktails: two ounces of bourbon shaken with fresh-pressed apple and lime juices, vanilla bean, bitters, and egg whites, served with a shaving of roasted hazelnut, $9. 2616 Main St., Vancouver, 604-709-8650. Photo by Lucas Finlay

Little Scamps — FOOD At its 2008 Restaurant Awards gala, Vancouver magazine declared SPOT PRAWNS — those sweet, locally harvested crustaceans dotting restaurant menus — to be the ingredient of the year. Find out what all the buzz is about during the season’s run from May to July: head to Fisherman’s Wharf at Granville Island daily from 2 to 6 p.m. to purchase straight off the boat. Photo by Adrianna Williams/Zefa/Corbis

Fast & Furious — FOOD Here’s the strategy for ordering at any of the IZAKAYAS — Japanese pubs — around the city. First, order off the fresh sheet, but don’t leave without trying the saba, seared right at the table, and the ebi chili mayo. Order a cold Asahi beer, then sit back and enjoy the show. There are many izakayas to choose from, but two of the best are Kingyo (871 Denman St., Vancouver, 604-608-1677) and Guu (838 Thurlow St., Vancouver, 604-685-8817).