Vancouver 2010

Hospitable host of this year’s Winter Olympics, abode of a burgeoning film industry known as the Hollywood North and called hometown by stars such as Ryan Reynolds, Michael J Fox and Joshua Jackson; Vancouver is the epitome of laid-back cool. Quietly having built up its cult following over the last few years, it has suddenly (almost surprisingly) popped up the city to see in 2010. Only a ferry-ride away from Seattle, the city of sea, yoga and bucketing rain is perfect for a weekend getaway or family trip – especially when the sun breaks through.

The great restaurants and world class shopping are major attractions of the seaside metropolis what really differentiates it from other North American cities is the ambience, or as we like to say, the vibe, bru. Vancouver is known throughout the world for its relaxed style, eco-consciousness, tolerance and seemingly collective love of exercise and the outdoors. This list contains the best of the west (coast, that is).

Granville Island

Take a five minute water-taxi to this bustling arts and gourmet destination. While

its main attraction must definitely be the fresh food market housed in rambling warehouses, a short stroll will take you to the boutique shops, theatres for both grownups and kids and even an arts university.

We heart: The postcard shop – full of vintage prints and retro notebooks. Perfect for cheap gifts. Also the Granville Island Tea Company – choose your leaves from hundreds on offer!

Stanley Park

Forming a peninsular of garden and trails on the west of downtown, Stanley Park flows seamlessly into the city and is where locals and tourists alike come to bike, blade, swim or run. Breathtaking views in all weathers mean that the circular trail running along the coast is always humming.

We heart: The people-watching opportunities. Sit on a bench and watch families swimming in the outdoor pool, self-elected mavens of cool blading past and young couples getting all schmoopy.

Sushi

In the city everything is all about the sea, so many of the restaurants are all about the seafood. Salmon abounds galore around Vancouver and the sushi restaurants are manifold and good. If you are a fan, enjoy, if not, try it out – you’ll be a convert in no time.

We heart: The fresh sashimi. And being able to find a sushi restaurant whenever we feel peckish.

Lululemon

Little known outside North America, this luxe yoga & active wear company is a Vancouver native, born in 1998 in a yoga studio and quickly growing to become a Canadian phenomenon. Cheap? No. But worth it – and the healthy-living quotes that make up their logo are always inspiring. The even give free classes and demonstrations from all their retail venues! Call me a fan.

We heart: The hoodies. High necked, distinctive design that comes in all colours of the rainbow. These are no ordinary hoodies.

Gastown

This quaint area stretches only a few streets up and across, but these few streets are a haven of good eating, productive shopping and great photo opportunities. Birthplace of Vancouver in 1867, the area is called after the maverick gold digger and saloon owner, John “Gassy Jack” Deighton.

We heart: Eating gorgeous food at the River Cafe while looking out onto the traditional steam clock. If you manage to take a photo of it without any tourists in your frame then count yourself lucky!

That about sums it up for me. Visit and write your own list, or add to mine on the comments section below!

What are Your Travel Must-Haves?

We all have a list. Some of ours are short (generally only those of non-metro guys) but most of ours are long and ever-expanding. Your customized and unique travel essentials list is born out of trial and error, learning the hard way and not listening to mom – until you are finally able to remember how horrible plane socks are or how much you craved a Panado last time or that despite being a fashionista you really should have packed a raincoat during monsoon season.

With plumper, uglier assistants pandering to their every desire, first class all-the-way tickets and unlimited LV monogrammed luggage, celebrities have it a tad bit easier than most of us. However, they do have to run the paparazzi gauntlet on the other side, something that most of us are quite happily spared from. How do they manage?

Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum’s right-hand-man in Project Runway and cameo star of How I Met Your Mother and Sex and the City 2 always takes “extra underwear, just in case… I of course travel with all of my skin products, you have to at my age…and I always travel with a good book.”

In her book, That Extra Half an Inch, the ever-so-posh Victoria Beckham writes that she recommend you take the following in your hand luggage: “Johnson’s baby wipes to take your make-up off; a good, heavy moisturizer; eye cream; lip balm; herbal sleeping pills; Chantecaille’s Rose Water or Evian Spritz… some music and a pile of magazines and books you’ve been saving up. That can pretty much get you through any flight.”

Gorgeous super model Chanel Iman told Vogue.com that she doesn’t lock her front door without packing Smith’s Rosebud Salve: “I always have that. It’s good for the lips and nails. I rub it on my cuticles.” She also takes along a brow pencil, saying, “For me, I really like a filled-in eyebrow. I can’t leave the house without my eyebrow brush and pencil,” and mascara, “I always carry around some mascara—the old-fashioned Maybelline,” she says, pulling out the classic pink-and-green Great Lash tube. “It’s better than the expensive stuff.”

Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine from What Not to Wear fame write in their Trinny & Susannah Survival Guide, “With meticulous planning we manage to pack everything we need into a holdall. It hasn’t always been the case. Susannah used to turn up to the airport with only the clothes on her back, while Trinny would arrive for a weekend away lugging the contents of her house in a steamer trunk” proving that it is not only us economy-class travelers who find packing difficult.

Here’s my ultimate (until next trip, anyway) list for carryon luggage – thought I would spare you the actual suitcase part
Camera, Moleskin notebook with pen, paperback books, international fashion magazines, The Economist, face wipes, toothB&B (plane ones are gross), make-up essentials, soft woolly socks, a pashmina & the general handbag essentials (hairbrush, wallet, lip balm etc).

What have I left out that you always take? Any clever tips or travel tricks for the rest of us?