Night markets and day tripping

VANCOUVER, B.C. — As much as I loved Granville Island, I did venture into other areas of Vancouver. We went to Chinatown one warm Friday evening to check out the Night Market. There's one in Richmond as well. The long days and summer's slower pace make this a delightful diversion. It runs 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Live entertainment punctuates the later hours, and dim sum and noodle vendors will keep you fully fueled for shopping or browsing.

Now, this is not designer fare by any means. Much of what was for sale might also be found at your local flea market. But there's a time and a place for that too. Finding a few hand-crafted items was a nice surprise. Fabric covers for tissue boxes made a nice souvenir — and provided inspiration to try making my own, perhaps in vintage fabric with more mid-century styling. Also found tiny beaded zipper pulls — quite the rage among tweeners, I gather — in Chinese astrological symbols and other icons. Cherries, a horse, a jacket and the ubiquitous Hello Kitty have found a home with the girls. How thoroughly have I brainwashed my daughters? The elder wanted to know if I could make them too. Possibly; they appear to be basic bead weaving. I might go blind trying, though.

Yaletown is a style maven's haven, but it's not terribly well suited for visitors. Furniture shops — ranging from antiques to modern — predominate, with a few trendy apparel shops, salons and eateries tossed in for variety. The location is intriguing from an urban planning perspective — it's clearly the old dock-and-warehouse district. Nice reuse of structures that have outlived their original purpose.

Made the obligatory stroll along Robson Street. It's been compared with Rodeo Drive, but what I saw was far more comparable to San Francisco's Union Street. Or, even more accurately, Georgetown's Wisconsin Avenue in the late '70s-early '80s. Chic, relatively upscale but not ridiculously so. What was refreshing was to see Canadian (or at least not American) brands, and independent stores. Well, there was an obligatory Gap and Banana Republic, but not much else.

Never made it to the other Eastside shopping clusters on Main Street, or even to the Commercial Drive shop I wanted to visit. I guess I now have a reason to return someday!

Fueling the creative fires

VANCOUVER, B.C. — There's nothing like seeing the work of other creative people (or seeing them at work) to stoke one's own creativity. Mine certainly got a jolt by visiting artisans at Vancouver's Granville Island.

There are 54 artists, craftspeople or cooperatives located on this tiny spit of land (that isn't a true island at all, but hangs by a sliver of land) who purvey handcrafted items ranging from paintings to furniture, coffee to boats. Potters, jewelers and glassblowers are particularly well-represented here.

New-Small & Sterling Studio Glass (right) has a delightful mix of work by studio artists and other Canadian glass artists. Pieces range from elegant ikebana vases to platters in Sixtiesesque patterns to glass "slippers" that would take Cinderella's breath away. The "hot shop" is right next to the gallery, and visitors can watch the artisans at work.

I hope to indulge my inner Imelda at the Ken Rice Shoe Studio. "Handmade fashion footwear," as the Granville Island Artists site says, is quite an inadequate term. Art for your feet, I say. What caught my eye were the wooden-soled sandals that reminded me of Bare Traps from my teen years, but with artistry. Workshop and sales shop again are on the same premises. Since I actually hope to have my own pair of these, I had a chance to chat a bit with Mr. Rice. He comes across as a gentle, quiet man who loves his work. Hopefully he'll have his Web site up and running soon so you can love his work, too.

I found the most personal inspiration at Object Design Gallery, home to more than 100 Canadian jewelry artists. In particular, I found works by two that were close cousins to work of my own: knitted (or perhaps knotted) wire (right) and patterned/printed paper. If I weren't a thousand or so miles from home, I'd get busy.

Speaking of getting busy, Maiwa Supply would inspire anyone remotely fond of textile arts. Dyes of all sorts, stencils and patterns, books, fabric, you name it. Maiwa's main store, also on the island (in the Netloft building) features a variety of ethnic crafts.

Check out these and other craftspeople at the Granville Island Artists & Artisans site. Better yet, check out artists and crafters in your own community. Visit your local open studios and art fairs. Let their work and their passion inspire you to create something of your own.

Visiting Vancouver!

Greetings from Vancouver!

We've gotten away for a few days and will be checking out all that Vancouver has to offer. We are staying near Commercial Drive, a street with a fabulously eclectic array of shops and eateries. It's similar in feel to San Francisco's Valencia Street or, to some extent, Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue (minus the Cal students). More on that later.

Also planning a visit to Granville Island, which is home to many of Vancouver's craftspeople. Also home to a year-round public market (guess it's comparable to Pike Place or Ferry Plaza).

Off to see stuff!