Vancurious Blog

Barely visible, in a corner of a North Vancouver strip mall, hides a sizeable (1.5 acre) botanical garden with an astonishing history of over 50 years, which is free to the public. Flanked by the Starbucks and the JJ Bean (which has a very nice patio on the garden side), you can enter the gardens through the arched enclosure. The circular paths make for great wandering, the plants are labeled and there are a gazillion pokemon stops!

So get yourself a coffee, and explore!

Very fun Solstice Drag show at the House of Funk Brewing! Some of Vancouver's famous and talented performers entertained the crowd, as did the many flavours of stout. Hosted by local legend, Shanda Leer, and featuring performances by Belladonna Von Shade, Jerrilynn Spears & Delica Cee, it was a night to entice and enchant!

On until January 3rd, don't miss it!  [Header image: Dina Goldstein, from Polygon's website: "Dina Goldstein, Punk Hands (detail), 2021."]

Deeply touching, intimate and glorious photographs by Dina Goldstein on display at the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver, which you'll find close to the Lonsdale Quay - a short walk from the Seabus. Admission by donation and they may still have a lovely pop-up store right now for anyone who is stuck for Post-Christmas present.

Terry's Chocolate Orange is a chocolate product created by Terry's in 1932 at Terry's Chocolate Works in York, England.  In 1823, chemist Joseph Terry joined a York sweets company, where he developed new lines of chocolate, candied peel, and marmalade . At the onset of World War II, confectionery production was immediately halted. The factory was taken over by F.

Wikipedia tells us that the Aztecs acquired the vanilla discovery from the Totonac people. The Aztecs drank their chocolatl with a dash of vanilla, and Europeans, once they got used to the stuff (one appalled Spaniard described chocolate as “a drink for pigs”), followed suit.

Very nice tingle that hits the back of your throat. Nice malty flavour but not overly so. Picking up some of the chili spice and some of the chocolate. Liked it - but I think i liked the original more! This one does not have as much of the mouth watering milky-ness nor the cheek widening liquorice-ness as other stouts. It's a bit sharp without enough of the spicy and a bit flat in a steely sort-a way. However, since we've just bought the fourth four-pack, I guess we do kinda like it enough - it is not boring and different enough.

Do you like Chocolate Orange? Is that the thing you were hoping to get in your stocking, feeling for the square shape when it was your turn? Then this is YOUR beer. Pour it into your glass and just ... breathe in the fragrance. There's a liquid Christmas morning for you!

Gold winner at the Annual Canadian Brewing Awards in the 2019 category "herb and spice" and back with a strong showing for 2022!

We crossed the bridge from this reality to the next. Bob said it was okay: "tell them Bob told you so!". The rain had just started to come down something dreadful.... this was the start of the thing we've now learned to call an 'atmospheric river'. When I first heard Johanna Wagstaffe use the term a week or two ago, I thought she had invented a beautifully poetic expression.

Andrew's on Eighth, located at - as you may suspect :) - at the corner of St Andrews Ave and 8th Street in North Vancouver (maplink), is a super-cozy coffee and lunch place with some of the best breakfast croissants in Vancouver. Their Chai lattes are also pretty awesome.  The building has a fascinating history, see below!