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Seattle & Vancouver trip suggestions

quiksilver

Hello Archinecters,


Anyone have suggestions on where to stay, what to eat, and what to see in Seattle and Vancouver?

I'm planning a 3-day/2-night trip, starting in Seattle and ending in Vancouver. Any suggestions on the cheapest mode of travel between the two cities? (Bus?)

Thanks!

 
May 21, 08 2:04 pm
holz.box

as far as what to see, i've got an extensive list for both van and sea.

May 21, 08 3:19 pm  · 
 · 
chupacabra

Not to hijack but I will be in Vancouver for a week from June 24th - 29th...checking it out for a possible move there in the future.

I would also like to know of things to do, see in Vancouver...already have bikes rented for 4 days and plan on taking the kid to the aquarium and Stanley Park...looking forward to any other ideas.

May 21, 08 3:32 pm  · 
 · 
whistler

Granville Island, Museum of Anthropology, Robson Square, Stanley Park, Northshore Hiking trails, ie Grouse Mt., Steveston docks, Walk around the west end, Go to Starbucks on Robson Street and hang with the cool folks ( I think at last count there was about a dozen of them ), new convention centre with the big green roof, Canada Place, Whistler.


May 21, 08 4:25 pm  · 
 · 

As far as mode of travel, there are both trains and boats that go between. They're probably not the absolutely cheapest form of transport, but the scenic factor is pretty high.

May 21, 08 5:08 pm  · 
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wrecking ball
http://acehotel.com/seattle/

i'm not a big fan of the food in seattle, there's a great indian place on 2nd and pike.

May 21, 08 5:30 pm  · 
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holz.box

indian in vancouver only..

May 21, 08 5:37 pm  · 
 · 
e

I would say there are a lot of good places to eat in Seattle. It no NYC or SF but there are plenty of places to nosh on good food here. Cremant, Ocho, Cafe Campagne, Union, Zoe, Quinn's, Harvest Vine, Volterra, La Carta Oaxaca, Salumi, Monsoon, Art of the Table, Txori, Lark, Portage, Tilth, Kisaku, Tavolata and How to Cook a Wolf to name few.

May 21, 08 6:06 pm  · 
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holz.box

via tribunali, sitka & spruce paseo...

May 21, 08 6:18 pm  · 
 · 
e

yum, yum and yum.

May 21, 08 6:28 pm  · 
 · 
holz.box

and more in line w/ holz's salary.

though i've been dragged (willingly) to a few wineries and canlis it's a bit above my comfort level, socially. it's great knowing millionares, but not when they want you to keep up with their spending habits!

May 21, 08 6:37 pm  · 
 · 
e

Oh there are plenty of cheaper places with great food too. The ID is full of them. There's also Pho Cyclo across from the Starbucks headquarters, Pagliacci's, Senor Moose, Jade Garden, Seven Stars Pepper Szechuan, Shanghai Garden, Pecos Pit BBQ [I've seen Tom Douglas there] and Rancho Bravo Taco Truck in Wallingford to name a few.

May 21, 08 6:47 pm  · 
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mdler

How To Cook A Wolf or Sitka & Spruce Sunday night?

May 21, 08 6:57 pm  · 
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khmay

yeah the food in seattle is not good. i mean, ive been to at LEAST 20 out of the 20,000 restaurants. i think ive got a pretty good perspective.

May 21, 08 7:02 pm  · 
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mdler

$5 says the food is better than in LA

May 21, 08 7:08 pm  · 
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e

Yeah, that is some good perspective there yam. ;+) you need to get out more.

mdler both should do you well. Both do not do resies though and are popular so go early and be patient.

Pet peeve of e's: No Reservations. Great book by Bourdain but sucks as a policy for restaurants. It's a trend too. I see more and more popping up. I keep hearing them say that it creates a more relaxing experience for us and you don't feel rushed once you sit down. I don't buy it. I've never felt rushed at a meal where I've made a reservation. Never. My wife went to Ocho a couple of weeks ago and had to wait two hours. How's that a relaxing experience. I say it's laziness on the restaurant's part or their inefficient scheduling. Either way it sucks for the people going to restaurants.

May 21, 08 7:19 pm  · 
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mdler

sitka is closed sunday night so Im gonna learn How To Cook A Wolf

May 21, 08 7:25 pm  · 
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e

Dood, let me know how it is. I have not been yet and have been wanting to go. Everything I have read/heard about it is great. Just don't go with a large group. You'll have a lot better chance of getting seated.

Since I have your attention mdler, I know you are interested in small firms that do restaurants and pubs. Bjarko Serra fits that model. They also do a handful of residential work too.

May 21, 08 7:34 pm  · 
 · 
n_

I took a trip with my s.o. to Vancouver last summer. We used priceline the night before our flight and got a great hotel in a great location for something ridiculous. I think it was about $55 or 65 dollars a night in a hotel that usually runs about $250 a night.

Avoid the shady ass part of East Hastings Street.

May 21, 08 9:18 pm  · 
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theparsley

3 days is not nearly long enough for EITHER seattle or vancouver, let alone both!

when I went to Seattle recently I rented a car and drove up to Vancouver for a day or two. I regretted having driven after struggling with the Vancouver traffic and paying for parking everywhere. If I went again I'd go by boat and stick with public transport within Vancouver.

there are lots of good past threads on what to see architecture-wise in Seattle. you'll want to see the new library, the new sculpture park, and the st ignatius chapel, and then that's your two days right there. spend more time, make a reservation and go out and see the bloedel reserve. you could take a bike on the bainbridge island ferry.

May 21, 08 11:03 pm  · 
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boxy

if you're a pimp, you'd eat at the pink door

May 21, 08 11:29 pm  · 
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holz.box

alright the seattle freebie shortlist:

downtown
OMA
Seattle Central Public Library, 1000 4th Ave


OSKA
SAM rental gallery, Seattle Tower @ 1220 Third Ave


Allied Works
seattle art museum, 1300 First Ave - it's free, the price is suggested...


Olson/Walker
Pike & Virginia building, @ Pike Place Market


Weiss Manfredi
SAM Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 western ave


Miller | Hull
Seattle Center Fischer Pavilion, Seattle Center



South Lake Union
Miller | Hull
South Lake Union Discovery Center, Westlake & Denny


OSKA
Winston Waechter Gallery, 203 Dexter Ave N


Capitol Hill
OSKA
Frye Art Gallery, 704 Terry Ave @ Cherry


Steven Holl
St. Ignatius Chapel, 901 12th Ave (@ E. marion)


Cutler Anderson Architects
Capitol Hill Branch Library, Harvard Ave E. @ E. Harrison St



up north
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Ballard Branch Library, 5614 22nd Ave NW (near Market)


Richard Haag
Gasworks Park - between fremont & wallingford




if you drive to vancouver, i'll add these to above suggestions...

surrey:
Patkau
Newton Library, 13795 70th Ave


granville:
Patkau
Emily Carr Design Center, 1399 Johnston St.


Arthur Erickson
Waterfall Building, 1540 W 2nd Ave - close to granville island street entrance


UBC:
Peter Cardew Architects
Helen Belkin Gallery, 1825 Main Mall


and a lot of cool spaces in gaslamp...


May 22, 08 12:55 am  · 
 · 
holz.box

and do go to pink door... just don't eat the food (blaaaaaaaaaand)

May 22, 08 1:05 am  · 
 · 
sayyes

Check out houseboats and watch planes land from a kayak on Lake Union!

May 22, 08 1:19 am  · 
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holz.box

good call sayyes...

just north from the street from the SLU disco center is the center for wooden boats, started by architect dick wagner and his wife waaay back in the day....

one of the coolest experiences is to be out on lake union for duck dodge. if you can't get on a boat, rent a kayak from northwest outdoor center, and enjoy the madness up close!

May 22, 08 1:30 am  · 
 · 
e28

I prefer to rent my kayak from Agua Verde on the other side of Lake Union and after a nice day out on the water finish it off with a margarita and tacos.

Also to add a bit more to the food list there is also Le Pichet

LA Times Article on Seattle food

May 22, 08 2:38 am  · 
 · 
holz.box

yeah. agua verde's ok. i've had bad experiences, though.
1. kinda gross, i've seen rats inside and out.
2. littered w/ annoying UW tweakers.
3. hours aren't hard, and they tend to close early a lot.

but it's equally as viable and offers better access to the arboretum, just look out for jumpers

May 22, 08 2:51 am  · 
 · 
e

gotta concur with holz. i used to go to agua verde. over the last few years their food has gotten consistently worse. i've heard about the rats too but have never seen them.

May 22, 08 11:41 am  · 
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mdler

e28

that is a good article. I cant wait to move to Seattle so that I can get good food again...LA is lacking

May 22, 08 12:53 pm  · 
 · 
e

I have not been to Steelhead. All the rest on the list are top notch. I would be a bit cautious of doing Matt's in the Market for dinner. They expanded last year and I've heard dinner can be hit and miss. Lunch is good and the place is great to take the 'rents to when they visit.

May 22, 08 12:59 pm  · 
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mdler

im going to How to Cook A Wolf on Sunday!!!!!!!!

May 22, 08 1:09 pm  · 
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quiksilver

Wow, great suggestions. Any specific suggestions for good hotels which are relatively inexpensive?

May 22, 08 5:47 pm  · 
 · 
mdler

holz

I think Im gonna build me a boat when I move!!!!!!!!!!!

May 22, 08 6:56 pm  · 
 · 
theparsley

I am happy to vouch for the Steelhead Diner. I had a fabulous meal there and it's a friendly place.

for very special occasion, Lampreia. incredibly elegant, minimalist, creative.

May 22, 08 10:22 pm  · 
 · 
spaceman spiff

few of my favourites in vancouver for dining...

GUU (thurlow location)
- a japanese izakaya serving small plates, asian tapas if you will
- discovered it years ago when it was only one location, has now expanded to other more expansive trendier looking locations but i still prefer the cozy original one
- the robson location is industrial chic, while gastown is a bit bland design-wise
- has spawned many copy cats
- always a sizable crowd of real japanese

http://www.guu-izakaya.com/thurlow.html


WILD RICE
- modern chinese cuisine in stylish surroundings
- bit pricy compared with regular chinese but not really anything similar in town when it first opened, has also spawned a few copy cats
- on the fringes of chinatown next to a seedy area and a virtually empty new shopping mall, can go catch a movie on the top floor after din
- for such a multicultural city, this place attracts an unusually high proportion of caucasians, 95%+

http://www.wildricevancouver.com/


SALT TASTING ROOM
- not a restaurant, more a wine bar with unique tasting samples of various cured meats, gourmet cheeses, and condiments
- nice casual ambience, well-designed place, and recently expanded since i was last there
- in the heart of the seedy area that wild rice is next to, and down a darkish alley, not dangerous really, but you may run across some homeless asking for change or sleeping on the streets
- friends either love the place, or are terrified of the neighbourhood

http://www.salttastingroom.com/home.html


others worth noting: NAAM in kitsilano area for great vegetarian, Shiro on Cambie for real mom and pop japanese, Tojo's on Broadway for high end japanese, Tomahawk Grill in North Vancouver for old fashioned breakfasts in kitschy native indian themed surroundings (good place for families), Siegel's Bagels on Cornwall for sweeter chewy Montreal style bagels unlike anything else in town, also has Montreal smoked meat

finally, there is really good dim sum in vancouver (chinese brunch, small items served in small portions so you can sample many dishes) for a traditional packed hectic place with the push carts still in use - East No.1 Seafood Restaurant on the top floor of a shopping complex at East 1st Ave and Renfrew (old school, so terrible service and nasty w/c's) or for a modern civilized take, try the Kirin downtown on Alberni, although the new location further out in New Westminster is stunningly modern and refined, highly recommended if you have the time.

an explosion of well reviewed higher end places has happenned over the last couple of years and just simply can't keep up with that scene, so i'll leave that to others. Vancouver is a great dining town and i haven't even touched on the great East Indian, Vietnamese scenes at all.

May 22, 08 11:49 pm  · 
 · 

vancouver: if you like coffee, you really shouldn't miss the elysian room on 5th. the first sip of their lattes always makes me think "yep, that's the thing all those other ones didn't do"...

there's a relatively cheap hostel downtown on thurlow that my brother said wasn't bad.

don't only check out the seawall during the day. I actually like it better at night. sunsets last hours, and the light is really something to give some time. english bay, and the areas around, are the places to take them in-- active public space (can at times be a bit too buzzing) I love the juxtaposition of urban, lawn park, sandy beach, sea, panorama... partly cloudy nights are the best, some amazing effects from the light reflecting off the water and lighting up the undersides of the clouds. many good little cafe's on denman right in that area (and quite a bit of junk food and sweets), but acacia fillo bar is a highlight -- it's not exquisite dining, but it's a cool little quasi-bulgarian place that likes it's garlic.

I can't recommend everybody visiting the city run out and do it, but having a big fire of cedar driftwood on the beach (obviously some beaches work better than others, and some it wouldn't be smart) is a quintessential vancouver experience...

May 23, 08 3:06 am  · 
 · 

oh, and there's some architecture too. nice to see cardew get a nod holz.box...

the new convention center is at an interesting point in construction at the moment, since you can get the massing and scale, but haven't sealed it up and layered on the hotel-lobby finishes yet... the approach from the west along the seawall is the most flattering...

sunset community centre by bing thom architects has some fantastic concrete. 13" thick monumental walls, 30ish feet high, face ground smooth, without any hint of formwork because they were tilt-up...

but really, so much of the stuff worth noting is single family residential that you won't have access too...

May 23, 08 3:15 am  · 
 · 
quiksilver

Another question for the Seattle experts:

What are your suggestions for getting around Seattle? I'm trying to avoid car rental.

I heard about the Monorail which will take me from downtown to the Space Needle, but what if I want to get from downtown to say, Gasworks Park?

I also heard bus rides within Downtown are free. Is this true?

May 27, 08 3:39 pm  · 
 · 
garpike

Just got back. We drove all over - including out to the Red Hook Brewery - $1 tour with many samples... Can't imagine using public transport.

May 27, 08 3:59 pm  · 
 · 
e

mdler, how was the wolf? do tell.

quicksilver, if you are here only for a short time, I would rent a car. you'll cover a lot more ground a lot faster.

May 27, 08 4:29 pm  · 
 · 
mdler

e

I ended up not going to the wolf....this is what I did

FRIDAY

- Got to Seattle Friday afternoon (after giving up my plane seat to Phoenix for a direct flight to Seattle and a free ticket)

- went to test drive boats on Lake Washington with m friends (they are going to get a 30' Cobalt)

- had dinner at Kisaku sushi in Fremont. Ate some of these guys..


firefly squid

and saw this guy..


dave matthews

-went home and went to bed


SATURDAY

- woke up and drove to Sasquach Festival. The drive through the Cascades was increadable. Snow on the mountains and all of the runoff in the streams made for some killer views.

- got to Sasquach



- got drunk
- got stoned
- listened to music

- it started to rain
- got wet

- went to bed in the tent


SUNDAY

- woke up and went on a hike

- ate some Mexican food

- got back to Lake Union house and watched some 'Deadliest Catch'
-went to be

MONDAY

- woke up

- planned Monday dinner

- went shopping at Uwajimaya



- went back to Lake Union house

- went on walk to Center for Wooden Boats



- continued my walk around Lake Union

- returned to Lake Union House and cooked dinner
- leg of lamb
- asparagas, ricotta, comte' tart
- asparagas + porchini risotto
- rhubarb cobbler

- ate dinner

- went for a job interview

- ate dessert

- went to bed

TUESDAY

- woke up at 4:30 am to go to airport

- got to airport to find that I had been switched flights and airlines

- spent the next 14 hrs trying to get back to LA




May 28, 08 12:36 pm  · 
 · 
e

Sounds like good times all around mdler except for that ride home. Ugh, I hate flying these days. Still trying to figure out the job interview between the leg of lamb and dessert.

May 29, 08 11:40 am  · 
 · 
mdler

e

had an 8:30pm interview. Dinner was at 7...had to have dessert after interview

May 29, 08 3:10 pm  · 
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holz.box

8.30 interview on a holiday evening?!?

May 29, 08 3:37 pm  · 
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khmay

whered you interview, how was it

May 29, 08 3:38 pm  · 
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mdler

yep! I could tell that the people that I was interviweing with had been drinking that day....I have another interview next Friday. I will be in town next weekend for more fun in the not-sun

May 29, 08 3:57 pm  · 
 · 
e

You did get some great weather while you were in town mdler. Glad to see the weather held out for our taco bar and libations at my house on Sunday. Good luck with all of your interviews.

May 29, 08 5:25 pm  · 
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quiksilver

Hey guys, what's the best way to get to Gasworks Park from Downtown Seattle via public transportation? Is it relatively quick?

Jun 26, 08 6:07 pm  · 
 · 
Garnett

Trying to find a hotel to stay at in Vancouver can be a daunting experience. Lots to choose from, but pretty pricey. The Sunset Inn & Suites offers some terrific value. The hotel is well located, close to Burrard Street Bridge. It was only a few blocks to the water and beaches leading towards Stanley Park. The hotel is a block off of Davie Street, close to coffee shops and restaurants.

Parking is included in your room rate - a rarity in downtown. There is also a bike locker in the underground parking which was a nice bonus. Free wi-fi available.

Jan 25, 10 4:35 am  · 
 · 

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