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 Iconic Structure That Towers Over The Heart of Gastown
"If I could live anywhere I wanted in Vancouver, it would be in the Hotel Europe's second floor patio suite overlooking Gastown..."
The Wildly Successful Art Show We Wish Was Still Around
"The coolest thing about The Cheaper Show was the genuine thrill finding a piece of art that you loved that hadn't sold yet."
The Stretch of Road That Helps Feed Vancouver Every Day
"I wonder what will happen when the viaducts come down and Produce Row sees its traffic increased by a billion percent..."
Yes, That Is a Floating Gas Station in the Middle of Coal Harbour
"When I was a kid I thought the Chevron Barge was full of cigarettes because my Mom bought smokes at our corner Chevron..."
The Slang Verb for Purposely Altering a Dish to Satisfy a Caucasian Palate
"Woah, mine is so much spicier than yours! I hope the cook doesn't white-person your whole dinner. I'll tell the waiter you can take it..."
Just a Couple of Really Enthusiastic Dudes in Full-Body Spandex Suits
"Don't you think the Green Men should be paid to be at the games...like as much or even more than the zamboni guy?"
The Section of Kitsilano That Is Somehow Superior to the Rest
"No dude. 16th and Blenheim isn't Kitsilano. That's like the diaper of Dunbar. You gotta be northafourth..."
True Story: 'Mr. Peanut' Once Won Thousands of Votes Running for Mayor of Vancouver
“Considering the number of candidates running for Mayor in this election, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Peanut threw his hat into the ring too.”
The Fitting Nickname for Pemberton That May Have Come From Australia
"We biked and hiked our way into a secret backcountry camping spot with an amazing lake view up in Pemberdise last weekend..."
The Vancouver Alley That Once Passed Laws, Stashed Opium and Sold Tomatoes
"You hear all these great stories about the former glories of Market Alley, but it's hard to imagine it because of the stench of piss..."
The One Day a Year When Local Ants Get Freaky in Your Face, Literally
"It's gotta be Flying Ant Day because there are half a dozen of the sexed up critters currently writhing in my beer..."
The Town Fool Who Wanted to Contribute to Vancouver's "Imagination Explosion"
"In a town so full of fools it's odd that there has only ever been one 'official' Town Fool, and that was Joachim Foikus..."
One of Vancouver's Most Sorely Missed Restaurants Was Accessed Via a Secret Door in Chinatown for Over 60 Years
"My parents used to tell stories about sneaking beers into the Green Door and feasting big on spot prawns and fresh crab..."
37 Year Old Record Store Filed Under 'Z' in the Vancouver Lexicon
"Three of my top five most intimate and memorable shows of all time were staged among the crates at Zulu..."
Vancouver Had Three of These But Destroyed or Obscured Them All
"I'm thinking about buying a cold sixpack of Hermann's on my break. Want to split it in the shade at the Whale Wall after work?"
Vancouver's Most Racist Restaurant, Remembered
"When Vancouverites find out that White Lunch used to be a thing, I think they're more embarrassed than they are surprised..."
The Most Dominant Two Minutes and Fifteen Seconds in Local Sports History
"Even though we've gone all the way to the Stanley Cup Final three times, my biggest Canucks thrill of all time remains The Shift."
The Italian Chef/Restaurateur Vancouver Is on a First Name Basis With
"Once I thought I found a new favourite Italian restaurant, but then Pino cooked me something new and I was reminded of that impossibility."
Defining One of the Many Hidden Costs of Making Wine
"We were hoping to bring in more Gewurtztraminer for this vintage but we ended up paying almost 40% in bear tax."
The Kid's Meal Rite of Passage for Vancouver Children Since 1968
"There's definitely an argument to be made for the Pirate Pak being the most emblematic, iconic meal in British Columbia..."
The Section of Perilous Local Highway Everyone is Afraid to Drive (For Good Reason)
"I was planning on heading up to the cabin for the weekend but there's no way in hell I'm going to risk driving The Coq in this weather..."
The (Now) Famous Local Ingredient Few Vancouverites Were Aware of 12 Years Ago
"One of the best, most delicious harbingers of summer in Vancouver is the beginning of the spot prawn season..."
The Block of Vancouver That Was Once Dedicated to Vinyl Records
"I miss hitting Record Row on a Saturday afternoon and blowing my cash tips on a shit tonne of vinyl. Hell, I miss cash tips, too..."
The Never Revealed Creature That Helped Make Olympia Beer
"Some kids grew up believing in dragons, unicorns, elves and faeries, but I came of age still believing in the existence of Artesians."
The Most British Columbian Excuse for Being Late for Work
"I'm sorry I was late for my shift but it's totally not my fault. I got stuck in a bear jam just south of Function Junction."
This Sweet, Layered Confection Has a Bar in Nanaimo Named After It
"With all due respect to Diana Krall, Nanaimo Bars are the greatest thing to have ever come out of the City of Nanaimo."
What Vancouverites Mean When They Enthusiastically Refer to "The Canadians"
"I could use some cold beer, two hot dogs, a lot of direct sunshine and some screaming. Hey, I know! Let's go to a Canadians game!"
First Nation Toponym that Every Visiting Wine Lover Learns to Say
"I made some pork loin last night and knocked the pairing out of the park with an old Syrah from Nk'Mip..."
