Sunday, February 24, 2013

Vancouver Love: Granville Island



 There are so many gems in Vancouver. My weekend was highlighted by a fantastic Saturday morning at Granville Island. On a sunny day, this is place in my Top 10 Vancouver Places.

Before European settlers arrived, Granville Island was simple a series of sandbars that Aboriginal communities used creatively for fishing. When the settlers arrived, and eventually the railway, False Creek was dredged, deepened for large boats, and the flats under the new Granville Street bridge were developed for industry: logging, sawmills and anything and everything to do with industrial machining. A thriving industry spot employing 1200 people took a huge hit with The Depression, factories and warehouses closed, and a shanty town emerged. After a Typhoid scare and a grisley murder, the City of Vancouver evicted all Granville Island residents and the island sat until the WW2 began and the industry market was well on the mend. After the war, the demand for industrial output declined, and industry began to fall on Granville Island for the last time. Factories sat empty, would burn to the ground and the Island became an urban industrial wasteland.

The city made the decision to transform the [prime location] wasteland into a public space of parkland, housing and public exhibition space. There's a huge public market, art and unique items everywhere and lots of public outdoor space along False Creek. The roads still display old cobblestone and original rail tracks. When the sky is blue and the sun is out, Granville Island buzzes of good food, unique people, creative art and serves as a model for development: how to transform empty industry wasteland into a  thriving urban community space.

With that said!
Saturday was sunny!
The breeze was stiff!


It was bright, crisp and PERFECT to be at Granville Island. Here is some photo evidence of this great place!

Entering the "Island" from under Granville Bridge
Fresh produce!


Paper-Ya: my favourite Vancouver stationary shop 
A very popular deli - taking a number is required!


Specialty chocolate
On the outside docks: Granville Bridge to downtown
Love our city. 
Visits with Bec
Fresh fish anyone?
A slice of tusk from a prehistoric wooly mammoth
Okay I have to share more about this. The above shot is a legit piece of wooly mammoth tusk. It was found, fossilized, in the Yukon. It looks like wood, but it so, so heavy. A local artist takes this stuff and makes the most amazing jewellery! I wasn't allowed to take photos, but my favourite piece was a necklace which displayed a polished rectangle of tusk that had the silhouette of a tree intricately cut out of the tusk chip. Very cool... 'only' $72! Yikes! But amazing. 

Bakery delights
Homemade pasta

If anyone ever wants to go, I am automatically in! Love this place. 
:)
Love our city!



Saturday, February 16, 2013

New Apartment - PHOTOS!

As promised yesterday, here are some photos of our becoming-complete apartment! 
I must add that every single piece of our furniture was either given to us (thank you Jesse & Tena!), found on Craigslist or at a thrift store! We are big fans of used stuff! 
Enjoy! :)

Front entry
Kitchen
Our Bedroom
Bathroom
Dining + Living room (future dining table leaning against wall)

Very open concept!
Ok, I just really like our bookshelves so far!
LOVE my wallhanging from India :)
High up ceilings + big windows, hooray! 

The plaid wonder is a sofa bed folks. 
And we love guests. For real!
Come on over! 



Friday, February 15, 2013

A Good Place.

Content. 
I'm really finding myself at a good place these days.

Life has gone from travelling with a backpack,
... to camping out in someone else's home,
... while attempting to start up life just in time for an un-routined Christmas season,
... to adjusting back to being a part of Inner Hope community,
... to orienting myself to new job responsibilities
... to reintegrating into a new, but familiar church community,
... and remembering a city that I used to know like the back of my hand,
... to getting possession of our new apartment,
... but spending a few days split between the sublet and the new place,
... to living in the new place, but without things from a dresser to dish soap to a shoe rack...

ALAS! I am THRILLED to say, that after six months of on-the-go, I am finally feeling settled. And, for this once-vegabond, this is a really good thing.

Twice, in the last two days, I've said aloud to Andrew, "I really like life right now."
And I do.
Pour que?

1. I love Vancouver. I love the city, the culture, the mountains and ocean, the multiculturalism, the geography, the food, the coffee, the vibe, the variety, the wooden homes, the gritty eastside, comfortable westside and the glorious north shore.

2. I have a few solid friendships that are still flourishing here in Vancouver (more so now that I am here).
There are a few new friendships that I'm really excited about!

3. I love our church community and how God is moving in East Van. Authentic, honest, humble, based on truth, simple regular people doing life for the glory of God, proclaiming Jesus in this city.

4. I really, really love my job. It is a beautiful combination of working with youth and just walking alongside life with them as a positive, healthy adult... and the other piece is instilling and sharing the passion with volunteers who are also working with and leading the youth. I love the organization I work with. I love my coworkers. I am excited about what the future holds for Inner Hope. I love these kids. They are fantastic, and I am honoured to be earning/have earned their trust and to be doing life with them.

5. I love our home! (photos to come soon!) It's like this little homemaker has made its place in my happy heart. There is lots of natural light. The ceilings are high (a major feat for East Van + our budget)! It is becoming cozy. There are picture frames out. I have a new tea kettle. I like our furniture - Craigslist for the win! It's comfy. We have room to host people. Andrew reassembled my spinning spice rack. I am cooking again.

6. Andrew. Sharing life and home with him is the most wonderful. On our recent days off, we've made our way to the north shore to get back on our favourite hiking trails. He is incredibly romantic, as shown by a beautiful Valentines evening. We've had fun setting up house and life here in Vancouver. We are continuing to learn grace and love and servanthood for each other. We are continuing to learn how to work through differences and conflict. We are continuing to enjoy each other and our marriage.

7. I've had a good number of Sarah-days that fuel on this introverted heart. This makes me energetic. I feel like my true, true self. I am refreshed. Refined. I journal, read, reflect... clean, shop, organize, make home. These are good days.

8. I've been regular with spending time with the Lord. Time reading my Bible in the morning over breakfast, breaths of prayer throughout the day, repentance and deep healing, discussion with fine people about life and truth. Practicing thankfulness; receiving joy. God is good.

I am breathing praise, folks.
And it is good.
I am happy.