Friday February 24, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 08 |
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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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Theme, logo and early details revealed for Vancouver Gay Pride 2006 |
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| Theme, logo and early details revealed for Vancouver Gay Pride 2006 | ||
| by Albert Rodriguez - SGN A&E Writer
How many Vancouver boys can you pick up at a parade and bring back to your hotel room? I don't know. But let's find out together. The trees may be bare and the Tony nominations have yet to be announced, though it isn't too early to think about Vancouver Gay Pride, taking place July 29-August 6. "Pride & Joy" is the chosen theme by the Vancouver Pride Society for this year's weeklong celebration, which climaxes with a festive parade fit for a queen. Many queens, actually. The streets of Vancouver will be flooded in early August with Gay people from throughout British Columbia and across Canada, plus a significant number of inbound pleasure hunters from the Seattle area. Aside from two familiar hotel suggestions, below is a short list of things to consider adding to your Vancouver itinerary upon arrival for Pride, or anytime before then. You will need a passport or combination of picture ID and birth certificate to enter and exit the Canadian border. TRANSPORTATION If not driving or catching a ride, take Amtrak (www.amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL) to and from Vancouver. Trains depart from Seattle's Main Street Station early morning and arrive at Vancouver's Pacific Central Station close to noon, with a three to four-stop ride aboard the city's SkyTrain to downtown. Travel business class on Amtrak and enjoy extra room and comfort. Eat, read, listen to music aboard the train, or kick back and watch a movie (Good Night, and Good Luck on a recent trip). Also, Quick Shuttle (www.quickcoach.com or 1-800-665-2122) offers bus service to and from Vancouver four to five times daily. ACCOMMODATIONS I continue recommending the Opus Hotel (322 Davie Street) and Sandman Suites (1160 Davie Street) because they're both conveniently located in Vancouver and excel in great service and outreach to the Gay community. The Opus Hotel (www.opushotel.com or 604-642-6787) is undeniably one of the city's most attractive properties, a boutique hotel with lots of pizzazz and classy décor. Guest rooms are sleek and comfy, with color schemes ranging from bright yellows to cool reds to fit every type. In fact, Opus incorporated the Gay traveler into their marketing mindset early on and dedicated one of their room patterns to a barhopping queen named Billy. The Opus Hotel staff is first-rate and kindly calls you by name when passing through their trendy lobby. Worth mentioning is complimentary Internet service to guests in the quiet business center. If you're going to splurge in Vancouver, do it where your Gay dollar is appreciated. Call the hotel for rates or check online. The Sandman Suites (www.sandmansuites.com or 604-681-7263) are located front and center in Vancouver's Gay village, on the very happening Davie Street. You can literally crawl home from the bars, as the Pumpjack Tavern sits directly across the street and the Fountainhead and Oasis pubs are down the block. At Sandman, every room faces the city or the ocean and each is a suite. Lighter on the wallet than Opus, the property features a terrific restaurant in its lobby, Moxie's Classic Grill, and several good bakeries, coffee shops and quick-eat spots within feet of its main entrance. The Sandman Suites staff is perky and helpful, recommending me to an inexpensive Chinese takeout window late at night that I wouldn't have found on my own. Rooms come with a washer and dryer, dishwasher, stove, microwave, plates and utensils, small dining table and two television sets. A just-added spa and soon-to-be opened pool are included in your stay. Affordable, central to the action, spacious and very Gay friendly, check out the Sandman Suites. Call the hotel for rates or check online. ACTIVITIES AND FUN STUFF The Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby Street), within walking distance to most downtown hotels, features works by world famous artists and British Columbia notables. If you visit Vancouver between now and the end of April, a must-see is Brian Jungen's sneaker-turned-native masks exhibit. Impressive! Finish your tour with coffee and a snack at the gallery's second-level café. If you're in the mood to be pampered, be sure to schedule a "facialiscious" appointment at Skoah (1011 Hamilton Street). I'm not a facial-type guy, but Skoah's is truly divine, and if you don't feel like a diva already you will after their treatment - trust me. It's an extensive session, complete with massages to your shoulders, neck, legs, feet and of course, face. The heated bed may cause you to doze off, yet I hope you stay awake to enjoy the entire experience. I'm weak at the knees just thinking about it. Finally, who doesn't love to shop when on vacation? The Vancouver Flea Market (703 Terminal Avenue), open on weekends and holidays, doesn't cater to the clotheshorse or electronics geek, but it will excite anyone who loves cheap, kitschy costume jewelry and antique glassware. I got a fabulous, sparkly bracelet for only five bucks, Canadian currency. Retro Rock Vintage (590 Davie Street) is where to go for hip, old-school threads like jeans, shirts, boots and cool-as-shit belt buckles. Even the sales clerk was decked out in neat-o hippie wear when I dropped by. And no trip is complete without a visit to Lush (1020 Robson Street), a handmade cosmetics shop that makes beautiful people even more beautiful. It smells wonderful when you step inside and prices are lower than many of our city's similar stores. |
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