We absolutely love our east Vancouver neighbourhood. We are located on Industrial Ave, an area nestled between the Olympic Village, Mount Pleasant and Chinatown. We’re about a seven minute walk from Main Street skytrain station and the seawall. On our way in or after a day in the studio there’s nothing more our florists love than to wander the neighbourhood, up Main Street or down to False Creek and explore the area. In the summertime this is even more inviting as the sidewalks fill with pedestrians and patios spring up along Main Street. We’re excited to be opening our storefront this summer which allows us to connect with customers, neighbours and passersby. If you find yourself in our neighbourhood, here are some recommendations for our favourite things to do on Main Street this summer.
Explore Vancouver Mural Festival. From August 4-13 Vancouver Mural Festival offers events, performances and public art displays throughout Mount Pleasant. This annual outdoor celebration of public art is designed to connect, reflect and celebrate Vancouver’s diverse communities through art and live events.
Eat. There are so many great places to eat on and off Main Street. Two of our favourites these days are Tamaly Shop, a delightful Mesoamerican food store and restaurant with some of the tastiest Mexican gastronomy we’ve ever tried. Rich, authentic and balanced flavours of maize, vegetables, fruits and spices have us coming back again and again. Our other pick is Sing Sing Beer Bar. This trendy bar environment specialises in local craft drink selections paired with pho, pizza and other asian fusion dishes. The patio is a perfect place to soak in Main Street.
Shop for gifts. Baby showers, birthdays, wedding presents - Main Street has it all. Some of our favourites places to browse and treat our loved ones are Giving Gifts and for the kiddies, West Coast Kids. Giving Gifts has a selection of over 100 fair trade and locally made and curated gifts. They also do incredible gift boxes for every occasion. West Coast Kids has every gadget or stuffie a new baby or expecting parent could want and doesn’t even know they need!
Snack and Relax. Caffeine and cookies are everything and Main Street has an incredible selection of both. Novella Coffee Bar has some of the best espresso in Mount Pleasant and does a flat white that even the Aussies love. We recommend staying for breakfast and treating yourself to the Turbo Breakfast Sandwich. Next, visit Forecast Coffee for a second caffeine hit and a s'more cookie from Wilder Cookies.
Browse Ceramics. You can’t show us a ceramics selection we won’t like. From vases to mugs to bowls, we could hunt down ceramics creators and retailers all afternoon long. Some of our favourite local ceramic loving stores include Front and Company, Kate Metten Ceramics (we want to buy literally everything in this incredible atelier and she also offers classes!) and Coco et Olive, a gorgeous shop and cafe with ceramic mugs we can’t put down.
Drink (Responsibly.) For the beer lovers, Main Street has an abundance of fantastic breweries. While we don't discriminate, we actually love them all, our top three sips for this summer are King Pin Pale Ale from Main Street Brewing, Hibiscus Wit from Brassneck and the new Gummy Sour Fuzzy Peach from Steamworks.
Learn. No matter your age, Science World is a fun place to visit. We love to get our science geek hats on and explore interactive, hands-on exhibits, galleries and games. We’re also keen to learn and are excited to check out the Trailblazing – Women in Canada since 1867 exhibit, this summer.
Walk. After a long day of designing incredible floral arrangements for summer weddings sometimes it just feels good to stroll. The False Creek seawall is the perfect place to people watch and let your mind wander while also getting your heart rate up. If you can hit the sunset, you’re really in for a treat.
Chill. Our neighbourhood offers some of the best parks in East Vancouver (we’re biassed, we know.) Grabbing a patch of grass at Jonathan Rogers Park or over at Dude Chilling Park at any time of day is both relaxing and entertaining watching dogs, kids and members of the community all enjoying summer together.
Smell (and take home) some flowers. Stop by and say hi to us at Garden Party Flowers! Our studio at 415 Industrial Ave will be open Fridays and Saturdays all summer long from 12-5pm. We create custom bouquets of any size and style while you wait. We love to chat about all things flowers and can’t wait to meet you! You can, of course, always order on our website as well for either delivery or pickup.
Hope to see you this summer on Main Street!
