FREEOCT. 11-17, 2012

READ MORE ONLINE ATWEVancouver.com

GASTOWN VIBEDani Tatarin and The Keefer get in our Gastown food

and drink tour because a) they’re just on the border and b) she’s just so darn good 6 & 7

ALSO: Jillian Harris 5 • Rennie Collection 8 • Timeline Boutique 11 • Writers Fest 16 • Hot Tickets 17, 18, 20 • Hallowe’en 21

Doug Shanks photo

discover GASTOWN

What makes Gastown so hot?By Marcus Kaulback

There are the obvious things that draw locals and tourists alike to Gastown: the cobbled streets, the classic heritage buildings, that delightful little statue of Gassy Jack. But there is more to this place than

just the architecture. As with any good neighbourhood (and as cliché as it sounds to say it), it’s the people who make it what it is.

About six years ago, the people who now define Gastown started moving in. A generation of young chefs, restau-rateurs, and bartenders, schooled in various parts of the city and the world, came to the unpolished neighbourhood looking to open their own places. Rent was cheap and the buildings were beautiful, and so, unsurprisingly, it was an obvious area in which to try their hands.

Nigel Springthorpe has been at Alibi Room for 14 years, and has seen Gastown change beyond recognition in that time. He agrees that the begin-ning of the change came about because of the op-portunities, both spatially and economically, that Gastown afforded. “It seems to me that when this whole Gastown explosion thing really started to happen a few years ago, these young en-

trepreneurs saw the opportunity to take advantage of some intrinsic architectural beauty within the commercial spaces available, and it became the location of choice for young industry professionals to set up shop and go it alone.”

And for the most part, they’ve succeeded. The immense majority of restaurants and cafés in Gastown today are owned and operated by those same young entrepreneurs who came here looking for the chance to open and run a place of their own. What this means is that these places em-body the individuality, the passion, and the all-out commit-ment to quality that the owners have. With so much on the line, so much invested, both financially and personally, they

truly are dedicated to ensuring that whoever walks through their doors has a positive and fulfilling experience; it’s a concern that translates into great personal service.

And this is what is really at the root of Gastown’s suc-cess. Whether it’s Frankie Harrington at Meat & Bread, Paul Grunberg at L’Abattoir, Neil Ingram at Boneta, or Josh Pape at The Diamond and now Wildebeest, just to name a few, what you get from Gastown is, as Springthorpe puts it, “genuine service that comes from a place of integrity and honesty.”

Andrew Morrison, editor of Scout Magazine, WE Van-couver restaurant critic and Gastown devotee, sees it that way, too. What makes the neighbourhood so special in terms of its eating and drinking establishments is the people who run them. This generation of young “foodies” and “drinkies” brings to it a casual, friendly, and passion-ate professionalism, which, according to Morrison, sets Gastown apart.

The issue now is with the fallout of all its success; the neighbourhood has become such a coveted area for com-mercial real estate that the cheap rent can’t last forever.

Morrison wonders whether the originals will be able to stick around when their leases come up in a few years. It’s a legitimate concern, one also voiced by Springthorpe. “Hope-

fully rental rates don’t get pushed out of the range of other young, creative industry folks also who want to make their dream of going it alone happen down here.”

Gastown is real and honest and dirty and beautiful, but it is nothing if not genuine, and the restaurants, bars, and cafés that have made it the city’s premier dining destination have done so simply by embodying that authenticity.

L’AbAttoir217 Carrall St.604-568-1701

Its “About” page describes chef Lee Cooper and GM Paul Grunberg as “dedicated to highlighting the finer points of eating and drinking in L’Abattoir’s informed yet informal setting.” Add to that head barman Shaun Layton’s devotion to a mix of the classic and the unique, and you’re pretty much set. Layton has helmed the bar here since it opened two years ago, and his service style pervades the restaurant’s overall vibe, and even that of Gastown itself: laid back but committed to professionalism. The pride he has for his work is also very clear, as it manifests itself in the high-quality fresh ingredients, and the wide range of very unique spirits and liqueurs, that, when mixed together, produce some of the best cocktails in the city.

JuLeS biStro216 Abbott St.604-669-0033To properly pull it off in Gastown these days, to be respected and appreciated as an honest bar in this discerning neigh-bourhood, a few things have to come together: the room has to feel right, the ingredients used have to be of the

highest quality, and the bartender has to know what they’re doing. Luckily for Jules, all three reside there. Be-yond the weekly cock-tail list from proven bartender Robert Holl-Allen (known around Gastown simply as H) Jules offers a very thoughtful wine list, one that seems to cover all the right notes at all the right price points, with enough variety to satisfy most everyone.

the DiAmonD6 Powell St., 2nd floorIt’s a lovely space with a lovely view overlook-ing Maple Tree Square that lends itself very well to quaffing some lovely cocktails… good thing then that head barman Ron Oliver skillfully provides the latter. The bar at The Diamond is a perfect example of the whole being exactly equal to the sum of its parts, and that’s a good thing because its parts are so fine: friendly service from professional staff, combined with first-rate ingredients, and keen attention to detail and tradition. There’s little wonder then why The Diamond is where Gastown’s best bar-tenders happily send their own discerning customers to for one last cocktail.

DRINKS

6 October 11 – 17, 2012 WEVancouver.com

Lunch Time Lunch Time

• $8-$10 Hearty Lunch Specials• FREE Chips with 2 Deadly Salsas• FREE Refi lls for Soft Drinks• Sweet Menu

101 West Cordova604.646.2444www.lacasita.ca

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for information on Specials, Parties and Contests.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and

M E X I C A N R E S T A U R A N T

Lunch Time Lunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time LunchLunch Time LunchLunch Time Lunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time Lunch Time TimeLunch Time

@@

Five Professional Female ArtistsHealth Board ApprovedFriendly AtmosphereBoutique Style Studio

info@liquidambertattoo.com

View portfolios in shop or onlinewww.liquidambertattoo.com

62 Powell StreetGastown

(604) 738 3667

but you can still...

Woodwards Food Floor by Nesters Market

“Proudly serving the community of Gastown”

333 Abbott Street •604-688-7550

M-F 8am-9pm • Saturdays 9am-9pm • Sundays 9am-8pmWoodwards Food Floor by Nesters Market

“Proudly serving the community of Gastown”Get FRESH at Nesters

FallʻsHere

discover GASTOWNCalabash bistro428 Carrall st.604-568-5882As might be expected from a Caribbean lounge, Calabash’s bar is dedicated exclusively to the region’s most pervasive spirit: rum. Boasting over 70 varieties from across the Carib-bean – the largest selection anywhere in Vancouver – the bar at Calabash is unique. Complementing this “diverse and fantastic spirit” are fresh ingredients and house-made syrups, which, when mixed by head barman Jason Browne, will show you just how versatile and delicious rum can be.

the Keefer bar135 Keefer st.604-688-1961We’ve expanded our limits here from Gastown into China-town, just so that we could include The Keefer Bar. For those unfamiliar with its particular allures, sit back and read on, and you’ll soon understand why we couldn’t leave it out. The Keefer serves up what they call apothecary-style drinks, designed to soothe ailments and balance the drinker’s mood. Traditional Chinese medicines, sourced from right in the neighbourhood, figure largely in the house-made tinc-tures, bitters, syrups, and teas, and give the pre-prohibition-influenced cocktails flavours and health benefits not seen at other bars. And they taste gorgeous.

the sardine Can26 Powell st.604-568-1350Don’t let the name fool you… Just kidding; it’s tiny in here. The size of the space, though, is an excellent, albeit opposi-tional, complement to the huge flavours of the dishes here. Serving exclusively Spanish-inspired food, The Sardine Can succeeds in recreating the intimacy of countless tapas joints in the old country. Menu standouts include the lamb cheeks with raisins, capers and pine nuts, the mushrooms in a sher-ry-cream sauce, and basically anything they else they have

ever whipped up… ever. The long and the short of it is that flights form YVR to Spain are going to be mighty empty in the future; there’s just no need to make the trip now that we’ve got the real thing right here in Gastown.

Wildebeest120 W. hastings st.604-687-6880The philosophy of Gastown’s newest addition is a warm and simple one: contemporary country cooking using locally sourced food to be shared and enjoyed together. The idea is to experience many small- to medium-sized dishes — all ex-pertly designed and created by head chef David Gunawan, formerly of West — with the rest of your table, and to col-lectively experience how good they are. To ensure a quality product, Gunawan works directly with local protein produc-ers and has even devel-oped his own menus for the animals: chickens are fed vanilla yogurt, and pigs an organic mash, while cows are given flowers, grasses, and even a splash of wine from time to time. The “gastronomically daring” results speak for themselves.

salt tasting room45 blood alley604-633-1912Salt is simple: the menu consists of only 10 meats, 10 cheeses, and 10 condiments, and it is up to you, with a help-ful and knowledgeable nudge from the staff, to create the tasting plate

of your choice. The selections on the menu are changing all the time, but always reflect what’s fresh, what’s seasonally available, and, most of all, what’s good. Come in for a full meal, or just whet the appetite with a small sampling — at Salt, the choice is yours.

Judas goat taberna27 blood alley604-681-5090Using what he learned from opening Salt, proprietor Sean Heather (The Irish Heather, Bitter, Penn Bakeshop) designed Judas Goat as a place to complement the rest of Gastown’s establishments rather than to compete with them. The idea behind the Blood Alley tapas room is that you can nip in for a quick bite, enjoy the excellent pintxos, and walk, off on your evening to experience multiple places around the neighbourhood. But nobody’s making you leave… and with a menu so good you might be convinced to stick around.

Clough Club212 abbott st.604-558-1581It’s a superior cocktail den in community chock-a-block with the things, but Clough Club doesn’t deserve to be pigeonholed; the small plates it serves up are equally worth a try. Whereas most other tapas places in Gas-town draw their inspiration from Iberia, France, or Italy, Donnelly’s Clough Club has looked elsewhere, to South America, for influence. This much is obvious in the crispy plantains and the quinoa fritters, two reasons why Clough Club, even with its exceptional cocktail program, ap-pears here for its small plates.

niCli antiCa Pizzeria62 e. Cordova st.604-669-6985At a time of night when most kitchens in Gastown are lights out, you can wander into Nicli and be treated to what Scout Magazine’s Andrew Morrison called “the best pizza [he’d] ever had in Vancouver.” A big part of their decision to stay open late was the realization that the cooks and servers from Gastown’s restaurants needed a place to grab a quick bite after work, and Nicli now rightfully takes pride in “feed-ing the staff that feed the people.” But of course you don’t have to be industry to enjoy its authentic Neapolitan pies; everyone is welcome at Gastown’s best pizza place.Pourhouse162 Water st.604-568-7022

Consistency is the key to Pourhouse’s late-night success. Any night of the week you can glide through its doors and be welcomed into the warmth of its saloon-style bar, from where excellently crafted cocktails and a variety of superior craft beers are served. The mood is always inviting — with its lights turned low and its long bar invoking a sense of comfort and calm — and the food is a perfect accessory, with their Scotch egg and Pourhouse burger standing out among the rest of the equally tempting late-night menu.

boneta12 Water st.604-684-1844Moving to its new location at 12 Water St. hasn’t slowed down this Gastown bigwig. If anything, the new Boneta is even more popular with the late-night crowd than it ever was on Cordova. The atmosphere, the remarkable cocktails, and of course the cast, including the ever-hospitable host Neil Ingram, all contribute to foster a sense of connectedness and belonging in the room. And while there, try the beef carpaccio, served with quail egg, or the proper poutine, acknowledged to be the best in the west.

six aCres203 Carrall st.604-488-0110For history buffs, Six Acres is housed in Vancouver’s oldest brick building, and is so named because of the size of the city’s original settlement that was born right outside of its window. Gastown. Six Acres prides itself on continuing the tradition of people coming together over food and drink, and happily serves up both until 1am Monday to Saturday. Their menu is comfortable and tasty, from the creamy mac and cheese to the steak and arugula salad, and the beer list truly inspiring. If it’s late-night in Gastown, all you have to do is look for the Gassy Jack statue, and Six Acres will do the rest.

alibi room157 alexander st.604-623-3383From 10pm on weeknights and 11pm weekends, Alibi Room switches over to its late-night menu, a listing of the simple to the decadent (not to say that something can’t be both), all of which co-owner Nigel Springthorpe is immensely proud of. From the house-marinated olives, to the mush-room and organic hazelnut pâté, to the bison cheese steak, you’ve got choices… good ones. And of course, as always with the Alibi, the beers are more than worth the walk. And if you’re up for the walk, that means you’re aiming to get there; if you’re aiming to get there, you’ve probably been before, and that means you already know they don’t sell shooters or push cheap hard liquor, just formidable beer and good, well-thought-out grub.

SMALL PLATES

’TIL LATE

WEVancouver.com October 11 – 17, 2012 7

The SouTh eaST aSian BiSTro

Yaletown 1128 Pacific Blvd • 604.688.8565

Feel good about what you eat!

Singapore Laksa Mee Goreng

Gastown 360 Cambie St • 604.248.5070order online @ freshbowl.ca

Full Highland Dress $220 rental $1800 buy

A Symmetrical Hem Kimono Dress $79Blue Jaquared Cotton Pin Up $250

Dress by Happy Yellow Dress $150Tote by Eliza Lau $15

Moroccan Leather Pouf Handcrafted in Morocco.

Used for Seating, as a footstool, storage or in a Child’s playroom.Many colors available.

NOW ON sale $185

(Reg. $220)

Stop Staring black dress $168Black Shoes $85

Necklace $38

Stop Staring black dress with pink piping $148

Pink Shoes $78

h O u s e O f M c l a R e N K i l t s w i t h a t t i t u d e

Suite 125-131 Water Streetwww.houseofmclaren.com

R i c Y u e N N & e g O c l O s e t 314 W Cordova

www.ricyuenn.netwww.egocloset.com

O K B O O t c O R R a l 205 Carrall S.t at Water St.

604-684-2668www.OKBootCorral.com

g e N t i l l e a l O u e t t e 277 Carrall St.604-688-6819

www.gentille-alouette.com

l ’ at e l i e R h O M e452 W. Cordova604-684-9933

www.latelierhome.com

d R e a M 311 W Cordova604 683 7326

www.dreamvancouver.com

N e W W O R l d d e s i g N s

306 W Cordova604-687-3443

www.newworlddesign.ca

S T Y L EG A S T O W N

12” Ranger Aged BarkAvailable in

Brown and BlackMen and Women

$199.99 (Regular $239.99) 9”, Mercedez Grasso Black

Available in Brown and BlackMen and Women

$179.99 (Regular $209.99)

Classic long waxed droverAvailable in black and brown$239.99 (Regular $279.99)

Classic short waxed droverAvailable in black and brown$229.99 (Regular $259.99)

Classic outback oil skin safari hatAvailable in black and brown

$49.99 (Regular $69.99)

Justine Brooks “Maple Key” (in bronze) $110Alice in Wonderland “The Penny Lane Shift” $192

Erin Templeton Leather Bag (in Black) $259

O K B O O t c O R R a l 205 Carrall S.t at Water St.

604-684-2668www.OKBootCorral.com

WEVancouver.com October 11 – 17, 2012 9

ShopTalkBy Kelsey Klassen

Finding vintage beauty in Gastown

If heaven were a walk-in closet, it might look something like Timeline Boutique. Cordova’s newest conseignment store (in one of Gastown’s oldest buildings) knows what’s old is gold, and Amanda Cairns and Azura Cook — ur-

ban miners of the most fashionable kind — have created the perfect resting place for those pre-loved designer items that are ready to be bagged (and are possibly still tagged). While the idea of having Jimmy Choos lying around that you just can’t find a use for seems a bit unfathomable, the girls have seen a staggering amount of designer consignment flowing in, and out. And then there is the couturière upstairs. Oh, lordy!

What drew you to open in Gastown? We love the energy of Gas-town and the history. Koret Lofts is a heritage building that used to be a clothing manufacturer. We have the original 100-plus-year-old wood floors — when we saw the space we knew it was perfect! And we have many stylish neighbours who appreciate fashion and have incredible closets.

What is it like for a business owner in that area? Gastown is always growing. There are incredible new spaces opening all the time like Vicino (owned by Nicli Pizzeria — the best pizza in the city) across the street from us, and the new Rainier Rooms deli by Sean Heather, which will open on the corner of Cordova and Carrall very soon. We love our new neighbours Rubi & Kino in their space on West Cordova, too. Next to us is Wink Beauty Lounge and they have been very welcoming of us as the new kid on the block. And Gastown.org is organizing the upcoming Shop Hop on Nov. 15 so we can celebrate fashion. Our neighbours will often

say that you never have to leave Gastown if you live here — we have everything.

With so many great stores in a few small blocks, how do you stand out? We are the only designer consignment store that we know of in Gastown. We have great prices and many items that are absolutely new with tags. We exclusively carry the lines of Anaya handcrafted leather, Hold Your Ground eco-couture jewelry, and have an in-house couture designer, Norma Sheerin who loves to use previously loved fabric to produce couture. Norma’s line, One of a Kind, has been seen on stage and the red carpet, with clients including Sir Elton John and Cher. Norma offers complimentary custom altera-tions on all her gowns. She will custom dye natural fibers as well to make a truly unique piece for that special event.

Now that you’ve opened, is the store fulfilling your intentions? The treasures that come in every day from our consignment clients are amazing — no appointment is needed to drop off everything from Jimmy Choo to Joie to Joe’s jeans. We are also the only company in Canada with a complimentary online login so clients can watch their consignment items sell from home and pick up their pay out money any time we are open. As one client said “You sold my Chanel jacket in three days — and I picked up the money that same day! That’s never happened for me at any other consignment store.”

Your repurposing has an environmental agenda. Will you be at eco-fashion week? The Five Agency, which was involved in Eco Fashion Week last year and just completed Vancouver Fashion Week, is going to be hosting a very special event at Timeline Boutique on Oct. 13 with Ras Kasozi, the designer of Kas Wear from Uganda.

What’s your favourite thing you’ve salvaged for the store? We are very grateful for the generosity of Minami in Yaletown for the use of their four mother-of-pearl chandeliers (pictured, left). They look beautiful hanging from our 17-foot loft ceil-ing. We also have items of the former Betsey Johnson store on Alberni Street — glass shelves, clothing racks (even a few hangers) and the Betsey Johnson welcome mat at our front door. Every fixture possible was recycled.

What labels do you see lot of coming in? We carry designers labels from Robson Street to Holt Renfrew: BCBGMaxAz-ria, MARC by MARC JACOBS, Betsey Johnson, Citizens of Humanity, Wren, Maison Scotch, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuit-ton, Gucci and great jeans from Aritzia! We have constant requests for Chanel and Hermes bags — if they are collect-ing dust in your closet please bring them in so that we can see them off to a loving home. We also have menswear and amazing men’s accessories such as LV clutches, watches and shoes.

What’s your best vintage find? We had a vintage Holt Renfrew sheer dress that Norma lined and altered for a Fall wedding on a ranch. That was so special!

Describe your personal style: Amanda loves elegant, contem-porary style, neutral colours and stripes. I [Azura] love to dress up — the more sparkle and glamour, and the higher the heel, the better. Together we have combined our love of fashion into one closet: Timeline Boutique.

If you could bring any fashion icon to an event at your store, who would it be? We would love to have Sir Elton John come visit in the jacket that Norma created for him from previously loved curtains. He wore it on stage in a performance, and we would love to have that piece hanging on our wall as a piece of fashion history.

What trends will we be seeing a lot of this Fall? Our fabulous friend, Vivienne Taylor of Trend Fashion Marketing and Forecasting, gave her stamp on the peplum jackets and skirts we have in store as well as what looks like upholstery fabric for skirts, pants and jackets.

TimelineBoutique.com | 63 E Cordova

Azura, co-owner of Timeline Boutique, poses with a Marc Jacobs coat a customer brought in to sell. Below: Many of the fixtures for the new store were salvaged, such as the four mother-of-pearl chandeliers. Doug Shanks photo

SHOP TALK BRIEF

The urban cycling helmet has a new sleek, low profile design thanks to

the SAHN Classic, a unisex equestrian-inspired, modern

silhouette with a contemporary,

muted colour pal-ette. SAHN Helmets,

the Vancouver-based creators, will be holding a launch

event at Walrus (3408 Cambie) on Oct. 17 from 6 to

9pm, featuring the SAHN Classic range

along with the Chair-man Ting limited edition. Sahn.cc

WEVancouver.com October 11 – 17, 2012 11

FASHION FOR MEN

1055 WEST GEORGIA STREET | HYAT T HOTEL, ROYAL CENTRE604 682 2228 | FASHION@GIORGIOSFORMEN.COM

TOMBOLINI J.LINDEBERG ZEGNA SPORT SAND ETON ALBERTO COPPLE Y

TED BAKER ZZEGNA BIKKEMBERGS MICHAEL KORS

Your NEW Vancouver dealer for

Double Size Standard Wallbed $1395.00White finish, upgrade to wood color for only $300

Add Double Melbourne Mattress for only $299.00* Not valid with any other offer. Coupon must be presented at time of order.This offer expires November 30, 2012.

SALE!

Richmond: 604-270-41216 - 12331 Bridgeport Road

Vancouver: 604-669-2337125 - 1080 Mainland Street

wallbeds.com

Call for your complimentary in home consultation

Small space...

...live large

It’s all about...your style & your budget