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"What's it really like to live here?" Beyond features,
floorplans and views, a lot of potential purchasers ask us
questions about daily life in the Callisto neighbourhood. They're
wondering about everything from eating out and nightlife to
golfing and shopping.
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So we put our heads together to come up with "insider
information" -- local knowledge to help you get even more
out of your new home and your new neighbourhood. Which just
happens to be Vancouver's very best (and we're not at all
biased!)
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What's the best route for
my morning run?
Welcome to runner's paradise...just follow the Coal Harbour seawall
into Stanley Park (about 1 km). Loop around the whole Stanley Park
seawall (9 km/5.5 miles) and continue on to the English Bay Seawall
for a longer run. Or take any one of 15 jogging trails winding
through the park and the forests. Ask at the presentation centre for
a trail map of the park. A local running club meets at the Denman
Community Centre, just up the street.
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How far is it from Callisto to...
A great spot for coffee? Three blocks to Bojangles,
a cozy local spot with superb coffee and yummy baked goods. Two
blocks to Café Artigiano for authentic Italian espresso.
A superb steak? Five blocks to Morton's of Chicago,
legendary for the 24 oz Porterhouse and entertaining tableside
presentations.
A fun local pub where I can meet people? You'll love
the pub at Cardero's - right on the waterfront, with a great patio
and an excellent bar. It's a popular spot for tourists and locals,
busy every night of the week!
Waterfront dining? Lots to choose from within a few
blocks! Currents Restaurant and the Seawall Bar & Grill at the
Westin Bayshore Hotel are popular spots with excellent food and views
to match. Or walk a block to Cardero's, the city's best patio for
dining. Try the cedar planked salmon and the brick-oven pizzas.
Great Chinese food? About four blocks to either The
Imperial or Shanghai Chinese Bistro. The Imperial specializes in
Cantonese-style seafood (have a live Alaska king crab brought to your
table!), while at Shanghai Chinese Bistro you can watch the chef
twist six-foot long handmade noodles infront of you.
Fine Italian food? Walk four blocks up to Robson
Street to try popular Italian restaurants like Cin Cin, Zefferelli,
and Café de Medici. Among the city's best is Piccolo Mondo, close by
on Thurlow.
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I love boating - what are my options for moorage and rentals
in the neighbourhood?
You can moor a boat at the Coal Harbour Marina or charter at the
Westin Bayshore, Sunset Boat Charters, or other charter companies
located along Coal Harbour. Don't forget that the Royal Vancouver
Yacht Club is just down the harbour at Stanley Park, and there are
dozens of other moorage and charter options around English Bay and
False Creek.
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How far is it to Whistler? Are there other local skiing
options?
You're about two minutes from Lions Gate Bridge which takes you to
West Vancouver for a quick connection to the Sea-to-Sky highway. Once
you're on the highway, you can be at Whistler in less than an hour,
depending on traffic. Altogether, it's less than 90 minutes.
Closer to home, you can zip up to Cypress or Grouse Mountain in about
20 to 30 minutes. Both are great for skiing, snowboarding and
cross-country; both have long seasons and night skiing throughout the
winter. Grouse also features a fantastic bar and restaurant, and an
outdoor skating pond under the stars.
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What are your recommendations for nearby golf courses?
Vancouver is a great city for golf! Public courses within a 30 minute
drive from Callisto include the University Golf Course, Fraserview
and McCreary. Or you can zip across Lions Gate Bridge to Northlands
or Seymour. There are many excellent private golf clubs, both in
Vancouver and on the North Shore. Don't forget Whistler for truly
spectacular and challenging golf at Nicklaus North, Chateau Whistler
Golf Club, and several others.
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I'm a sports fan! Where can I catch the action locally?
Vancouver is as hockey-crazy as any Canadian city, so learn to root
for the Canucks! Catch them in action at GM Place, a great new
stadium a few minutes from Callisto. Baseball fans will love
Canadians games at Nat Bailey Stadium, one of North America's last
remaining old-style wood stadiums in a gorgeous natural grass field-
the experience is right out of "Field of Dreams!" It may be
a triple-A team, but they play with heart and soul, tickets are $7,
and on a sunny afternoon there's no more magical place for a diehard
baseball fan. The Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team is a strong
contender in the United Soccer League. They play at Swanguard Stadium
in nearby Burnaby.
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What else is there to do in Stanley Park besides running or
biking the seawall?
Sunbathe or swim at three gorgeous beaches. Go kayaking. Join the
rowing club. Watch theatre under the stars. Explore the gorgeous Rose
Garden, Shakespeare Garden, and Rhododendron Garden. Play tennis or
pitch and putt. Try lawn bowling. Watch cricket games at Brockton
Oval. Dine at two excellent restaurants, the Fish House and the Tea
House. Take kids to the Waterpark or ride the Miniature Railway. Go
birdwatching. Visit the world-famous Vancouver Aquarium. Find you own
favourite spots to sit and take in the view.
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What's the local entertainment scene like for music and the
performing arts?
There are tons of great shows all year round, and the Callisto
neighbourhood is next door to the performing arts district. For
classical music, opera, ballet, and traditional theatre, the main
spots are the Orpheum, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver
Playhouse. All are located in central downtown, about 10 to 12 blocks
from Callisto. Two bright new lights are the Centre for Performing
Arts in Vancouver and the Scotiabank Dance Centre. The Centre for
Performing Arts will showcase large-scale musical productions and
Broadway-style shows, while the Scotiabank Centre highlights modern
and contemporary dance. Dozens of small innovative theatre companies
produce exciting contemporary theatre at other venues in and around
downtown. Two great summer traditions loved by locals are Bard on the
Beach Shakespeare Festival just across the bridge in Vanier Park, and
open air musicals at Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park.
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I'm more interested in jazz and alternative music than
classical - where should I head?
Whatever kind of music you love, you can enjoy it live throughout
downtown. The Purple Onion is a great jazz club on Water Street,
close by. Gastown and Granville Street have many excellent live music
venues, from acid jazz to trance and hip hop. Vancouver's annual Jazz
Festival in June attracts some of the world's best musicians and
thousands of fans.
The venerable old Commodore Ballroom (built in the 1920s by a wealthy
bootlegging family) is probably the city's favourite live music
venue, complete with a bouncy wood-sprung dance floor and room for
1,000. Musicians from Mick Jagger to BB King sing its praises. Pick
up The Georgia Straight every Thursday (our free local entertainment
weekly) for complete listings of club venues and concerts.
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I love cooking - where do I get the best fresh local
ingredients?
Vancouver is a food-obsessed city, so you're in luck! Five blocks
from Callisto you'll find Capers, a gourmet food market. For
fantastic just-picked farm produce, artisan cheeses, and more, head
up to the West End Farmer's Market (outside Lord Roberts School on
Bidwell), Saturday mornings from May to October. Or zip across the
West End to English Bay and catch the water taxi over to Granville
Island, where the Public Market is a chef's paradise. Visit T&T
Market on Abbott Street, about five minutes from Callisto. This large
Chinese supermarket is a true "only in Vancouver "
experience, with outstanding live seafood and a phenomenal selection
of Asian ingredients.
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