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Trip Reports

Dan, AJK here and here , Chapshnell, UshDadude, sam28, YudiG, Tzfas, mochada, jagstangz, Neil, dpk4588, BKYW, tzifanya54, stever, mordechain, nafnaf12, SLMYRCB, Friars500


Flight Options (as of 04/18)

Cathay Pacific flies directly to/from JFK (777-300ER).         

Final date for this route, 02/23/20

Economy:
12.5K BA OW
17.5K AS OW
20K CX OW (30K RT)

Premium Economy:
25K BA OW
20K AS OW
24K CX OW (36K RT)

Business Class:
37.5K BA OW
25K AS OW
25K CX OW (50K RT)

First Class:
50K BA OW
35K AS OW
40K CX OW (70K RT)
Air Canada flies directly to/from EWR (787-800).
Economy:
12.5K SQ, UA, AC OW

Premium Economy:
20K AC OW

Business Class:
20K SQ OW
25K UA, AC OW

There is also a Delta flight direct to/from JFK in the summer months (prices vary as expected from Delta).   

DP01 (07/13): CX availability becomes better closer to the flight. (MEIR613)
DP02 (04/18): CX availability disappears 3-5 days out on BA and AS. (SLMYRCB)
DP03 (08/18): CX availability can only show up on BA or AS if there is more than 1 seat remaining, if it's only 1 seat, it will only be available on CX.com Use CX.com to see actual # of seats available. (@Yehuda)


Food - BC Kosher List

Cafe Forty One (dairy - cholov yisrael) formerly Shuk Eat/Play
5750 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
V6M 2V9, Canada
Tel: 604-563-4141
Delivery Service via Skip The Dishes (Fairmont Pacific Rim is not within the deliverable area)
"Really great, everything tasty good value, best Caesar Salad ever, and order pizza in advance for good "camp" like homemade yummyness." (shiframeir)
"Nice selection of pastries in addition to their dairy menu. The pizzas and sandwiches are very good." (SLMYRCB)

Nava Creative Cusine (dairy/pareve - non cholov yisrael)
950 West 41st Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 676-7579
Located at the JCC - right around corner from Cafe Forty One

Omnitsky's Kosher (meat)
5775 Oak Street,
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 321-1818
Just across the street from Cafe Forty One

Sabra Bakery (meat)
3844 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 733-4912
Two miles down Oak Street near the Sharei Tzedek Shul

Maple Grill (meat)
1967 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1Z3, Canada
Tel: (604) 568-4885

Mount Royal Bagels - North Vancouver
701 Queensbury Ave
North Vancouver, BC
V7L 3V9, Canada
Tel: (604) 904-1116

Real Canadian Superstore
Marine Drive
Has kosher products

Kosher Food Warehouse
612 Kingsway (rear)
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 709-9889


Shabbos

Chabad Downtown - walkable from many hotels, no Eruv, Shacharis on Shabbos followed by Kiddush, Friday night Minyan last weekend each month.
TheKollel - in the community, yes Eruv, Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre only points hotel in the Eruv, Airbnb options, all Minyanim, free Shabbos meals. Some hotels downtown (outside the Eruv) are about an hour walk.
Eruv - https://goo.gl/maps/D2oLBC39GT72


Activities

Stanley park - trolley, rent bikes at Bayshore Bike/Spokes/lots of other places (Westin Bayshore provides 2 hours of free bikes), playground/water are, 9 o'clock gun
Aquarium in Stanley Park
Capilano suspension bridge - also tree walk and cliff walk
Capilano Salmon Hatchery
Lynn Canyon suspension bridge and hikes (Twin Falls, 30 Foot Pool) - free
Grouse Mountain - gondola up, can take chairlift even higher, then an elevator to top of windmill, view of Vancouver, ziplining, parasailing, lumberjack show, see grizzly bears, Grouse Grind - way to hike up the mountain instead
Granville island - market, street performers, kayaking, stand up paddleboat, false creek ferries, brewery tour, kids play area, rent a boat, can bike to here
Seaplane around Vancouver harbor or to Whistler -  http://www.harbour-air.com/index.php 
Whale watching
Victoria Island - ferry to the island/back, Butchart Gardens (expensive, underwhelming), Miniature World, Fisherman's Wharf, oldest Synagogue in Canada. Victoria seems to be very expensive, ferry $30, to bring a car $100, gardens $30.
Bowen Island
Seabus - cheap ferry across harbor and back
Deep Cove kayaking
UBC Garden - Greenheart TreeWalk (look for Groupon)
Zoo
Harbor boat tours - boatrent.ca, Harbor Cruises was terrible - dpk4588
Sea wall
Watch sea planes
Cypress Mountain
Seymour Mountain
Art Museum
Science center imax
Pacific Center Mall
See Olympic torch
"Tour Guys" free walking tour
Rivers to see salmon spawn (swim upstream)
Robson street
Denman street
Vancouver Convention Center - Olympics memorabilia
Kitsilano Beach
Kids Bowl Free
Takaya golf centre
Poets cove
Elizabeth gardens
Van dusen gardens - better than Elizabeth gardens
Canada Place - fly over canada ride experience
Brittania Mine Museum
Vancouver Lookout
Gastown - steam clock
Chinatown
Yaletown
http://scenicrush.com/ - exotic car drive up the Sea to sky highway
Dr SunYatSen Chinese Garden (Dan and a DDFer said not worth it)
Free Chinese Garden
Lighthouse park
Safari Eco Boat Tour and Seaplane flight  Sewellsmarina.com

On the way to Whistler: (see Whistler Master Thread)
Sea to sky highway
Sea to sky gondola in Squamish, can hike up and take gondola down
River rafting in Squamish
Shannon Falls
Brandywine Falls
Panorama Ridge Hike in Lake Garibaldi in between Squamish and Whistler

« Last edited by pointer on February 16, 2020, 11:32:24 PM »

Author Topic: Vancouver Master Thread  (Read 275924 times)

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #780 on: May 25, 2016, 03:53:53 PM »
pretty smooth, maybe slightly choppy when it lands. We basically stuck to MG.
Shuk Eat and Play is pretty great.

Great thanks!

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #781 on: May 25, 2016, 05:41:27 PM »
I stayed on the water and watched those planes take off. Pretty cool

Offline yitzyul

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #782 on: May 25, 2016, 09:16:14 PM »
Did anyone ever try this?
http://scenicrush.com

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #783 on: May 29, 2016, 09:47:11 PM »
Any other good meat place other than MG?

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #784 on: May 30, 2016, 12:05:41 AM »
Any other good meat place other than MG?
People drive up from Seattle just to go there

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #785 on: May 30, 2016, 12:25:39 AM »
People drive up from Seattle just to go there

went tonight was great, just wondering if there are other options.. this place is unreal, 9:25pm now and still not dark yet:-)

Offline emak

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #786 on: May 30, 2016, 09:08:07 AM »
Omnitsky's is very good. Deli style

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #787 on: May 30, 2016, 10:33:05 AM »
Omnitsky's is very good. Deli style

Thanks!

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #788 on: May 31, 2016, 08:32:43 AM »
Is there anyone else planning to be in Vancouver over shabbas July 1? We will be staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and I want to see if we can get a Friday night minyan happening that week.

I know there is the Chabad of downtown, but they only have a Friday night minyan the last weekend of every month.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #789 on: May 31, 2016, 08:35:03 AM »
Is there anyone else planning to be in Vancouver over shabbas July 1? We will be staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and I want to see if we can get a Friday night minyan happening that week.

I know there is the Chabad of downtown, but they only have a Friday night minyan the last weekend of every month.
When I was there, the rabbi told me he could come with 3-4 people for Friday night, if I come up with the rest.

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #790 on: May 31, 2016, 08:37:38 AM »
When I was there, the rabbi told me he could come with 3-4 people for Friday night, if I come up with the rest.

I just messaged the Rabbi so I will see what comes of it. Thanks! I feel like that weekend should be a big tourist weekend.

Where did you get food from for shabbas? How did you heat it up? Right now we are looking at ordering from Sabra's. Also, the Pacific Rim agreed to put our food vouchers towards the cost of the kosher meals.


Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #791 on: May 31, 2016, 08:44:20 AM »
I just messaged the Rabbi so I will see what comes of it. Thanks! I feel like that weekend should be a big tourist weekend.

Where did you get food from for shabbas? How did you heat it up? Right now we are looking at ordering from Sabra's. Also, the Pacific Rim agreed to put our food vouchers towards the cost of the kosher meals.
Not sure where you are from and what you are used to for shabbos. If you are expecting hemish fare that you would find in Monsey/lkwd/brklyn Sabra's won't cut it. As a matter of fact we came in on a Thursday, we were back and forth as wether to bring food along or to buy there. We ended up bringing most of the food. We went to supplement it at Sabra's and they had mostly Israeli style food, not your typical shabbos food (i.e. No potato kugel, or gefilte fish IIRC). Maybe when ordering in advance they are better with that...

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #792 on: May 31, 2016, 09:00:06 AM »
Not sure where you are from and what you are used to for shabbos. If you are expecting hemish fare that you would find in Monsey/lkwd/brklyn Sabra's won't cut it. As a matter of fact we came in on a Thursday, we were back and forth as wether to bring food along or to buy there. We ended up bringing most of the food. We went to supplement it at Sabra's and they had mostly Israeli style food, not your typical shabbos food (i.e. No potato kugel, or gefilte fish IIRC). Maybe when ordering in advance they are better with that...

I'm from the NY area, but we can do without the heimish food for a shabbas. Ordering in advance they are much better, they have prepared shabbas menus that you can choose different dishes and types of food you want. We also got menus from a number of other caterers including Omnitsky's, Nava's, MG, and Classic Catering. Looking to see which places people think are better.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #793 on: May 31, 2016, 09:08:52 AM »
I'm from the NY area, but we can do without the heimish food for a shabbas. Ordering in advance they are much better, they have prepared shabbas menus that you can choose different dishes and types of food you want. We also got menus from a number of other caterers including Omnitsky's, Nava's, MG, and Classic Catering. Looking to see which places people think are better.
MG is very solid I had basically their whole menu during the week, didn't try them for shabbos. Whatever we got from Sabra was good.

Offline Ysturmwind

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #794 on: May 31, 2016, 09:17:23 AM »
MG is very solid I had basically their whole menu during the week, didn't try them for shabbos. Whatever we got from Sabra was good.

We are planning to go to MG for at least one meal during the week, been there before and they are excellent. I was very underwhelmed with what they offer for shabbas, just not a great menu.

Offline BKYW

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #795 on: May 31, 2016, 01:14:03 PM »
I'm from the NY area, but we can do without the heimish food for a shabbas. Ordering in advance they are much better, they have prepared shabbas menus that you can choose different dishes and types of food you want. We also got menus from a number of other caterers including Omnitsky's, Nava's, MG, and Classic Catering. Looking to see which places people think are better.

I was there in June & found out the hard way that for my style you have to order 24 hours in advance. Got local recommendations for Chabad catering chef Menachem, but it was too late.

In the end we got smoked fish from Omnitsky & grilled salmon From sabre (could have gotten both from Omnitsky) , Omnitsky chicken soup was good. I think some type of knish instead of kugel & we bought raw beans & made our own cholent with cold cuts from  Omnitsky. 
Challah we bought from both Omnitsky & sabre both were good
Sabre told us that in July & August he has cholent.

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Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #796 on: June 01, 2016, 03:37:01 PM »
Are the BA rates on Cathay Pacific still 12.5, 25, 37.5 from NY?
And does ba call business premium economy and first business? Or is premium economy called premium economy?

ETA: i see now that you need to specifically click first class for it to show up and it's 50k
« Last Edit: June 01, 2016, 03:45:27 PM by Crazy tools »

Offline Dan

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #797 on: June 01, 2016, 03:46:47 PM »
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #798 on: June 01, 2016, 09:00:02 PM »
Why not daven and eat at kollel by maple grill on Friday night?
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline stever

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #799 on: June 01, 2016, 09:25:20 PM »
Ok in the airport ready to leave so I'll start my tr.
Got the tkts on kayak for $240 RT about a month ago and there was availbilty at Hyatt for 12k/night so I figured why not let's do this.
We flew out west jet which was uneventful(no biz class) flight time was 2:45 so we landed in Yvr about 3pm Sunday. Yvr is a really nice small airport, but things took a while. Customs was actually pretty quick but bags took forever to come out. Then they needed to verify passport which took time plus the whole India must've recently landed so I really had to suck in some precious air. Rented from enterprise, they were super nice - like super nice. Heard the driver on the way over telling them whose coming and there was like 5 people waiting for us each grabbing a bag. Cool. We picked a brand new Buick la crosse (premium car)with like 600km on it at a full size price so total was $112 cad as sp and Geico handled my insurance. Phone was also easy as Verizon had a $2/day charge and worked perfectly.
We got the the Hyatt around 4:30, someone had emailed me prior to our trip welcoming me so I took the liberty to ask for an upgrade and she agreed so I had that backup ammo just in case. They gave me a room on the 24th floor - as a plat member that sounded nice. When we went up to the room I was not happy at all. Not sure exactly what it was but I didn't love the lobby area as it was dirty, the room was very simple and dark, the republic of China girls school had also packed into the hotel at the same time so all 5 elevators were clogged. Plus it was a business hotel - so all tide put together I was not happy. My wife started looking online to switch to an Spg but no availability. Four seasons and fairmont but we're over $600 each. So I tried plan c. Had my bags brought back down to the lobby, Called a manager and told her nicely but very sternly that this is not how I roll, place is unkept, room is disgusting and my wife is right over there booking another hotel. It worked! She upgraded me to an executive suite which was double the size on the 33rd floor.while we waited for room to be ready we enjoyed Starbucks compliments of Hyatt regency.  So that was cool.

By that time was getting late. We spent the next 3 nights at maple grill and to be honest the food was good but I think it was a bit overrated (will send pics eventually). Ordered chicken spring rolls which were good 4.5/5 and chicken chili bites with won ton crisps which were awesome 5/5. Main was fetticuni with grilled chk and top hat salad which was also good 4/5. Dessert was another story. I ordered hot lava cake which was salty. I told the waitress who was obviously new and she told me that she brought it back to the kitchen and they laughed at her. Well come back to this later/). Mrs Stever ordered a fruit cup which she didn't like 1/5 for both.
Aright gotta board. Tbc..