It may see like I have an affinity for dingy looking doorways leading to amazing spots, but it just so happens that another of the best bars in Vancouver is hidden behind such an entrance. The Narrow plays great music ranging from heavy metal, to hard rock, classic rock, grunge, 70’s soul and everything in between. The atmosphere is awesome. It is small, dark, VERY loud (due to the music), and the red walls are adorned by rows of deer antlers a glowing neon cross. It has a massive liquor selection too.

Catalog Gallery consistently exhibits amazing art spanning genre and style. It’s one of my favourite galleries in the city, and always has a surprise in store. You can’t find the kind of work it presents anywhere else in Vancouver.

Straight underneath the bridge lies this charming little island that houses some of my favourite restaurants, such as the Sandbar and the yellow Bridges. Among all the things here you can also find a theatre, a brewery, a public food market and of course the Emily Carr university.

Despite the stigma that surrounds East Vancouver, the alleys are often adorned with amazingly colourful offerings. I find it very inspiring to take a stroll through a select few and pick out literary scrawling, graffiti, and the layers of vibrant history that cover the walls.

Occupying the historical building of a former B.C Electric Railway terminal, Centre A's gallery space is also located in one Vancouver's oldest and most diverse neighbourhoods-between Gastown and Chinatown. Focusing on their mandate to provide a platform for contemporary Asian Art, Centre A is a great space to explore and visit.