Sweet Daddy Tiki in Vancouver Feb 16 - 20, 2011

I'm coming to Vancouver to escape Edmonton's winter (so much winter to escape this year). I'm taking the train (the swanky stainless steel VIA Rail Canadian with the bullet-shaped dome car at the end) with a couple of friends. We arrive in the morning on Wednesday Feb. 16th and leave on Sunday evening. I'll be staying at the Waldorf Hotel (my main reason for this trip). My friends have family in Vancouver and will only be staying at the Waldorf one night, but I'll be there through Saturday night. I hope to meet up with as many of my TC pals as I can at the Waldorf's various dining and drinking venues. Who's up for it?

Not much planned for this trip except to enjoy the train (haven't been for so long), and hang out at the tiki bar a lot. I also want to go to the Tomahawk Restaurant in North Van and I'll probably hit up some used record stores (recommendations?). What else should I do while I'm in town? Anything special happening?

-Sweet Daddy T.
Because crap doesn't buy itself.

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[ Edited by: Sweet Daddy Tiki 2011-01-31 00:58 ]

If you are looking for used vinyl, I recommend checking out the Vancouver flea market, 703 Terminal Avenue, (open weekends - I went on a Sunday morning). It's east of downtown, and is a bit of a hike, but I did walk out there (including catching one of those water taxis for part of the way), but for the faint of heart there is the Skytrain, which I caught to travel back into town.

Flea market site with map: http://www.vancouverfleamarket.com/home/?page_id=3

And across the Granville Street bridge on the main street in Kitsilano, is Zulu Records, at 1972 4th Ave W. You can't miss it, as it is one of the first shops you see on the left hand side of the road on the main shopping strip.

Site: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/zulu-records-vancouver

PS, if you intend to do much walking in Vancouver - bring an umbrella!!!

CN

Hey SweetDaddy, Sounds like a good deal! You may be trying to escape your winter conditions but I'm sure we'll have some of that wet stuff for yah over here on the Coast!!

Hope you have a great trip out here! Sounds like fun riding the Silver Bullet! I've PM'd yah so hopefully we can get something going.
Mahalo, TabooDan

oh man ~ i'm going to NYC for the dog show...wish we could see you!

I would take advantage of this occasion to meet some of you-all, but unfortunately have to be in Lufkin (you don't want to know) February 17-23. Ah well, ...

Head down Commercial from Hastings. You can hit that Value Village just on the other side of Commercial, plus the small, unassuming thrift store in between where I found that TV tiki-stem champagne glass a couple of years ago (who knows?). Then, on Commercial you'll find all kinds of great places to eat and shop, including at least one decent record store from what I can remember. But most of the action starts a few blocks south of Hastings, I think. Other than that, you should head to Granville Island, go to the market, and find the Nons drink booth where you can buy Giffard Orgeat. It's better than the orzata we always find at the Italian Centre. There's lots of great food there, plus it's on the way to the aforementioned West 4th area where Zulu Records is. The whole trip is definitely worthwhile!

Thanks for the tips, Brandon. I was going to call you to see if you had any recommendations. I especially wanted to know about the thrift store where you found the TV champagne glass. Is it a Sally Ann by any chance? Seems to me I went into a little Sally Ann near the Waldorf last time I was in Vancouver. I wasn't planning to go to Granville Island this trip but that just changed. I did have Commercial Drive and Zulu Records on the list. Fun times. Can I bring anything back for you? The great thing about taking the train is that you can check tons of baggage for free (not literally tons, but way more than on a plane),

Yeah, bring me back more TV champagne glasses. No, I don't think it was a Sally Ann. I think it was a local charity. I remember that it was just a block or so west of the VV. I wasn't going to go in, but I had parked right in front, so... what the heck! Thanks for the offer, but I can't think of anything I need that can't wait for our trip out west in the summer. Unless, of course, the Waldorf has some paraphernalia, especially with their new logo. Have fun out there!

Definitely will hook up with you SDT!! Can't wait to meet you at the Waldorf!!

Just one more sleep til I leave. I'm getting on the train dark and early tomorrow morning, will be in Vancouver on Wednesday morning. There's a bit of a hiccup in my Waldorf stay - a big budget Hollywood movie is shooting in the hotel this week and not all the venues will be open all the time I'm there. The Tiki bar reopens on Thursday night but the restaurants don't open again until Saturday night, the day before I go home.

What is this major motion picture, you ask?

That's right - the latest Alvin & the Chipmunks sequel (in 3D no less). I just know that as I walk the corridors of the hotel in an aloha shirt, some 3rd assistant director will run up to me screaming that all extras are required on set right now! So look for me in the background in the Tiki bar scene.

Anyway, I've been in touch with TabooDan and Pepe Le Tiki and it looks like we'll be getting together in the Tiki bar on Friday night, and Pepe thought he might make it for Sunday brunch in the Leeteg room. Any other Vancouver ohana who are interested in meeting up are invited to shoot me a PM or post a reply.

I had the best time ever in Vancouver.

Taking the train was great. Very comfy and relaxing and the scenery in the Rockies was amazing, of course. The food was excellent (though not as good as Vancouver restaurants).

Complimentary champagne in the dome car.

The revamped Waldorf rocks. The staff is super friendly and obliging and management compensated me for the inconvenience of the film shoot closing down the Tiki Bar and restaurants for part of my stay (well beyond my expectations).

Alvin & The Chipmunks movie shooting in the Tiki Bar and restaurants

The room featured vintage furniture

And a 70's stereo (including dual cassette deck with mix tapes)

And original vintage art.

I'll be posting more about the hotel in the Locating Tiki forum in the days to come.

Mahalos to TabooDan for giving Pepe le Tiki & me a tour of Surrey & Langley thrift stores

and former Tiki venues.

and for inviting us to be among the first to see the newly (almost) finished Zombie Hideaway.

It's truly awe-inspiring.

Atomic Al in the Waldorf's Tiki Bar - great to see Pepe & Al again.

Can't wait to go back.

-Sweet Daddy T.
Because crap doesn't buy itself.

blog

[ Edited by: Sweet Daddy Tiki 2011-03-11 18:01 ]