12 Hours of Vancouver

I’ve been kind of obsessed with the idea of last suppers (i.e. – for prisoners on death row) and whether given the choice of trying something completely new or rare or exotic one would pick that or something familiar. One friend said he would take the opportunity to literally have something else that he couldn’t have in a normal life – human flesh if they would give it to him, or a Cobra venom sack, etc.  – but it seems that most people choose comfort food for their last meal, at least in Texas. I’m not sure. I think I would be torn between having a favorite thing done exceptionally well and perhaps paired with something new. But the idea of not being able to have your favorite things anymore sticks.

On a similar but less morbid note, Adam at Amateur Gourmet has started a meme of last hours spent in cities. He describes what his final 12 hours in New York would be like, and Chocolate and Zucchini describes 12 hours in Paris. Here’s what I would do with 12 hours left in the city I’ve spent most of my life in.

If I was leaving Vancouver for any period of time, I would realistically need to take a trip to White Rock beach, but let’s assume that I did that on the second to last day because it takes up too much time.

So.

My last half day would start around 10 AM with a run around the seawall followed by a browse through Bibliophile bookstore on the Drive. Book in hand I would go to Calabria for a coffee and Fratelli’s for a croissant and sit and read for a while.

Then a snacking wander through Granville Island, especially Oyama Sausage, Liberty Wines, Edible B.C., South China Seas Trading Co., where I would sample whatever was on offer as well as stock up on supplies for wherever I was going.

From there I would walk along the water to have a late lunch at Hapa in Kits, even though it is substandard to the one downtown. This was a tough compromise. I actually will probably never go back to that location because I just like the other one so much better. But I wouldn’t want to go to the Robson Street location on what I’m imagining is a sunny day.

I would digest lunch at the beach reading and people watching and when the sun started to set, head back downtown. Around 6 PM I would have a glass of wine and possibly the foie gras parfait at Salt Tasting Room.

Dinner would be at Boneta with my closest friends and then to the Irish Heather/Shebeen for several whiskies with as many friends as I could round up. If there was time, maybe a jaunt over to the Morrissey as well.

I have to say that this list made me completely anxious. I’ve always planned on moving away from Vancouver at some point, but I was only able to leave out dim sum and bubble tea and several of my other favorites by slotting them in earlier in my last week.