Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/810732
NICKNAME SHORT STORY CULTURAL VENUES MORNING FUEL LOCAL HAUNTS & WATERING HOLES NEW HOTSPOTS SUMMER FESTIVAL SHOP STOPS OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND FAVOURITE WAY TO SWEAT tourismvancouver.com 29 JAMESZ/FLICKR (MARITIME MUSEUM), RUTH HARTNUP/FLICKR (ROMER'S), COURTESY LUCKY TACO, TVAN/KITSILANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (VOLLEYBALL), ISTOCK, DANIEL MARQUARDT (CABRITO), TVAN/THE REEF RESTAURANT, BRENDA LEE/FLICKR (THE CULTCH) Commercial Drive & Kitsilano Italian origins or hippie heyday? Visit two distinctively different neighbourhoods L eaving the density of downtown opens up sky and space and provides plenty to expand your outlook. Head east toward Commercial Drive where Italian heritage (the City of Vancouver officially recognized eight blocks of the street as Little Italy in 2016) and coffee culture are at their most vibrant. Or wander westward over False Creek to Kitsilano, where its sandy shores and yoga-clad citizens are constant companions. Here, we compare the best of both 'hoods. COMMERCIAL DRIVE (EAST) vs. KITSILANO (WEST) The Drive/Little Italy Kits The Drive has branched out from its Italian origins, welcoming a mashup of global citizens Kits has traded tie-dyed Ts for yoga gear but this well-to-do 'hood is more chic than shabby The Cultch (Vancouver East Cultural Centre) for performing arts and Federico's Supper Club for live music H.R. MacMillan Space Centre for all things outer space and the Vancouver Maritime Museum for maritime history Cortado and French pastries from Platform 7 Romer's for gourmet burgers and The Boathouse for spicy Caesar cocktails Lucky Taco for crispy cauliflower tacos and craft beer Zulu Records for old-school vinyl, Crocodile for baby gear and Gravity Pope for chic shoes Kits Beach for swimming, volleyball, basketball and tennis Yoga Khatsahlano Music & Arts Fest (July 8) Fair-trade coffee and a breakfast wrap at Prado Cafe The Reef for jerk chicken and and The Cannibal Cafe for bourbon milkshakes Cabrito for Spanish-style tapas and house-infused spirits Black Dog Video for old-school rentals, Escents for soap scrubs and The Barefoot Contessa for fancy frocks Victoria Park for picnics and bocce ball Soccer Italian Day street fest (June 11)