Living in Canada: Top Restaurants to Try This Spring
Cross border moving to Canada may leave you pining for the restaurants of your old neighborhood, but rest assured, there are wonderful restaurants waiting for you up north. Whether in Ontario, Victoria, Edmonton, or Montreal, you will be able to find a lovely place to sit and have highly recommended faire.
The Black Cat Cafe in Ottawa, Ontario
This is a small place with seats for only 30. The owner is the sommelier and can pair your meal with the perfect wine. Expect jazz music, and fresh, surprising ingredients. When was the last time you had lobster pudding served with chorizo sausage? Take a date and enjoy the hip atmosphere.
Sotto Sotto in Toronto, Ontario
Meaning “Hush, Hush” in Italian, you can guess the mood of this restaurant: romance. The Italian cuisine is accompanied by the choice of over 5,000 bottles of wine. This menu is comforting and classic, and comes with a feeling of friendship.
Corso 32 in Edmonton
Corso 32 was the address of the chef and owner’s Campania childhood home. As the restaurant’s name harkens to the past, the food forges ahead to the future of Italian. The chef has been said to be a show-off, but who cares when the food is this good.
Ulla in Victoria
Named after the mother of the chef, Ulla is a young, urban hot-spot located in Chinatown. The menu is mostly organic, and ushers in the new generation of connoisseurs. The atmosphere is bright, with quirky decor, and a place for anyone. Try their version of the chickpea snack; pickled, deep fried and salted.
Van Horne in Montreal
Van Horne isn’t shy with its totem pole (nicknamed Bill) in the dining room and Lichtenstein silkscreened paper plates on the walls. The food tends to come by color, with the sense of style similar to the decor. With only four main courses, your decision will be easy, and your trip will have been worth it.
Cross border moving may bring you in close proximity to one of these gems. If so, take time to stop in and see what all the buzz is about.
(Photo attributed to Flickr member @stuart_spivack via the creative common license)
Living in Vancouver: 3 Tips for Ice Skating This Winter
Living in Vancouver has many benefits, one of which is easy access to ice skating. After cross border moving to Canada, you may want to take up the activity like a local. Here are three great places to start.
GE Ice Plaza at Robeson Square
This is a unique, sunken outdoor and open-air ice rink, which was reopened in 2009. After ten years of being closed, it is now refreshed and reopened with a slightly larger ice area. Admission is free through Games-time, and skate rental is $3. Open daily from 9 am to 9 pm.
Grouse Mountain’s Ice Skating Pond
This is an 8,000 square-foot outdoor rink at the peak of Grouse Mountain, a popular skiing resort. It’s the only old-fashioned skating pond in the city. A ticket includes a gondola ride, access to many peak activities such as sleigh rides. It’s near the Peak Chalet where you can warm up with a hot chocolate. Be sure to check the mountain weather report before you head up. Open daily from 9 am to 10 pm.
Trout Lake Rink
This rink at the Trout Lake Community Centre was renovated for the Olympics, and is now state-of-the-art. Its aerodynamic design is conservation friendly, and serves as an example to other rinks on conserving water and energy. There is a beautiful arched wood ceiling that was made from salvaged Stanley Park windfall.
The City of Vancouver also runs seven other rinks located throughout the city. Confirm holiday hours before you go.
Cross border moving is all work, so get out a play a little on one of these world-class skating rinks.
Photo provided by Flickr user @dnigh under the creative common license.
Moving to Canada: Life in Vancouver
Cross border moving can be exciting, especially when moving to the city of Vancouver, BC. Known for its mild climate and close proximity to the ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes, it is not only beautiful, but perfect for someone interested in outdoors recreation. It is only a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver to the ski resorts, mountain biking areas, and white water rafting. There are 3,200 acres of parks in the Vancouver area, so you can always find a green space away from the busy city life. Walk the 6-mile seawall at Stanley Park for magnificent views of the ocean and mountains.
Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of he most livable cities in the world. The reasons for this are many. The city is clean, and the downtown has high-rise living with access to shopping and entertainment, reducing urban sprawl. Cost of living can be high in Vancouver, as can real estate.
Vancouver is called a “city of neighborhoods,” each one having its own character. It is easy to find that perfect neighborhood for your needs. Consider Yaletown, a newly renovated area for the urban dweller. It is full of art galleries, trendy shopping, and “high-concept” restaurants. Life in Yaletown would be in a New York-style loft, with an active nightlife. Among the 2.37 million residents, there is a large Chinese community, one of the largest in North America. Downtown Chinatown is interesting with its historic buildings, and exotic wares.
Vancouver is a center for film and television production, sometimes called North Hollywood. The Vancouver international Film Festival runs for two weeks each September is one of the larger film festivals in North America.
Living in Vancouver, you might find yourself at Granville Island. This is the location of a hip and quite large Public Market, where you’ll find all kinds of shopping and eateries. Or you might make your way to shopping and dining on Robson Street, a location of over 200 shops and cafés. Also check out Kitsilano and Pacific Centre for shopping and dining.
Vancouver has a lot to offer to someone considering cross border moving. It is a place you could easily call home.
Photo provided by Flickr user @watsuandok under the creative common license.
