Lexicon
Welcome to the Vancouver Lexicon. Its purpose is to pin down the patois of the City of Vancouver by recording its toponyms, nicknames, slang terms, personalities, places, and other Van-centric things.
The Persistent Nickname of West Vancouver's Doomed Architectural Landmark
"The Pink Palace looks like Mussolini and Barbie had a baby made of cake and concrete."
The Nickname for an Albertan Beer Long Embraced by Many Vancouverites
“Ok, so I was on my way to get a case of Pil and a pack of smokes and this fucking deer came out of nowhere, right...”
If Vancouver Had a Superhero It Might Be the Woman Who Takes Her Duck Everywhere
"I saw the Vancouver Duck Lady on the bus today and she was just about the sweetest thing in the whole wide world..."
In BC, This Word Stirs Both Nationalist Enthusiasms and Yearnings For Alpine Tranquility
"To avoid all the crowds during the Olympics I went across the border and camped in the Olympics..."
This Was the Largest Act of Civil Disobedience in Canadian History
"Some of the environmentalists protesting the pipeline were also in the thick of it during the War in the Woods..."
Where Victoria's 'Criminally Insane' Used to Grow Their Vegetables
"When I was a kid we'd sometimes hear about prisoners breaking out of Wilkie and causing all kinds of crazy shit..."
Vancouver Had Its Own Music Video Show Before MTV or Much Music
“When Nite Dreems didn’t have the video for a song they just filmed a tight-shot of John Tanner’s hands 'dancing' to the music.”
The Old Clock at Granville & Hastings Has a Short Name and a Long Story
"Long ago when Vancouver revolved around the intersection of Georgia and Granville, the Birks Clock was like its spindle."
What It's Called When a Developer's Greed Helps Erase a Neighbourhood's Character
"Since it was re-zoned, the lower Main Street section of Mount Pleasant has seen a lot of Condo Creep coming up from Olympic Village..."
The Beloved Giant Grizzly Who Just Up and Disappeared One Day
"Until I saw the documentary I thought Big Country had either died in anonymity or had moved to a country that didn't know basketball..."
Do You Know the Nickname of This Storied, High-Trafficked Stretch of the Downtown Eastside?
"My bike was stolen last night and everyone I know is telling me to look for it on the Zero Block..."
Have You Even Seen the Elusive Man Who Walks Around the Neighbourhood Singing Opera?
"Like clockwork, every summer evening around 8:30pm I would hear ‘Ave Maria’ as Opera Man made his passeggiata."
The Adventurous TV Dog That Used to Do Good for Hapless British Columbians
"When I was a kid I wished my lazy dog was a lot more like the dignified German Shepherd in The Littlest Hobo..."
Where the Line-Up Here Ends, Vancouver's Best Chicken Wings Begin
"The secret to eating well at Phnom Penh is to bring five adventurous friends who only order dishes you haven't tried before..."
The Local Paper Named After the Thing Around Which Everything Revolves
"Sometimes I read The Sun and want to burn it in anger, but then I imagine Vancouver without a daily paper and get even angrier..."
The Nickname of Vancouver's Most Respected Canucks Beat Reporter
"If I ever have the opportunity to drink from Stanley Cup after the Canucks finally win it, I'll take a sip for Botch."
You Should Know That Hundreds of People are Buried on this Tiny Island in Coal Harbour
"Once I heard the stories, it was easy to make peace with the fact that I would never set foot on Deadman's Island..."
The Elderly First Nations Man Who Took the Location of a Golden Treasure to the Gallows
"I've been reading up on Slumach all winter and have been considering taking the summer off to look for his long lost gold..."
The Intrepid Greek Who Explored the Pacific Northwest for Spain 427 Years Ago
"I've always thought Juan de Fuca would be the perfect name for a West Coast meets Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant in Vancouver..."
This Is Now a Permanent Facet of Vancouver's Public Art Collection
"I was all for taking the viaducts down until I realized we'd lose the Hot Wheels optical illusion of the Trans Am Totem..."
The Strathcona Neighbourhood Institution That Turns 100 This Summer
“I need to make a stop at Benny’s on my way so I can get some olive oil and a grilled prosciutto sandwich...”
The Geological Sword of Damocles That Looms Over the Sea-to-Sky
"When I'm camping near Squamish and I feel the distant rumble of a train, I worry for a moment that it might be The Barrier collapsing..."
The Vancouver Building That Defied Development in the Name of Art and Affordability
"Kudos to the family that owns the Del Mar Inn. This city could use more building owners who put people before profits..."
One of These Vancouver Alleys Is Not Like the Others
"The idea of a Potemkin Alley is entirely in keeping with our civic tradition of trying to hide our problems instead of fixing them."
The Narrow Body of Water Where BC Ferries Terrify Tourists
"I accidentally stabbed my face with my vanilla soft serve when the ship's horn blew through Active Pass...'
The Terrible Day When Vancouver Real Estate Will Suddenly Become Affordable Again
"I'm not at all prepared for when The Big One strikes. I have two packets of instant ramen and half a bottle of Chardonnay..."
Despite Its Fishy Name, This Iconic BC Beer Contains No Freshwater Salmon
“When I was a little kid I thought my Dad liked Kokanee because it was somehow flavoured with his favourite fish...”
The Maritime Route That Sounds Like It Could Also Be a Psych-Rock Band
"One of my life goals is to travel the Inside Passage from Victoria all the way north to Skagway and then back again..."
