A Vancouver Kinda Summer

I'm back bloggers! I hope your week has been great, mine had certainly been...interesting.

I traveled to Vancouver for work and spent a few days there to explore "Hollywood North", nicknamed as such because it's the third largest film production center in North America. This was my first time traveling alone and basically my first real trip to Canada.

Upon first impressions I was not a fan of the city. I actually got lost with my luggage and on foot on East Hastings Street. From what I understand, it's one of the worst, if not THE worst, streets in Canada. The homeless travel to Vancouver because of the mild winters and this is where they settle.

Now, I do not have a problem with homeless people. My problem is the several blocks were jam packed with not only homeless but also drug addicts and dealers, as well as drunks and prostitutes. I literally got stuck just standing in between people because there were so many of bodies standing on the street - hundreds. I have never been so scared in my entire life. Luckily I found my way out and got to my company provided hotel. Whew!

That night I met up with some ladies from the local Vancouver office and we had dinner on a rooftop at Earl's. If you are ever in the area, check this place out. Delicious food and drinks!

Saturday I spent the whole day working (literally from 8 am to 11 pm) and I was pooped! After sleeping in Sunday morning I checked out of the hotel and into my own hotel, Moda. It was a great find! The Yaletown area hotel (a section of Downtown Vancouver) was originally built in 1908 and recently renovated. While my room was small, it had a lot of charm. Wood floors, loft style windows, and modern decor. Great staff, too!

Once settled I headed to Granville Island to check out the shopping. There I picked up some souvenirs and did a beer tasting at the local brewery. Pretty good brew!

That night I decided to go to a nice dinner. Whenever traveling I always pick a fancy restaurant with a view. It's a great way to see the city from a different perspective, as well as get a bigger picture of the area.

For this dinner I chose Cloud 9, a rotating restaurant on the 42 floor. It was absolutely breathtaking! The views are almost indescribable. I couldn't help but snap pictures the whole time I was there. On top of the amazing atmosphere, I was delighted with the service provided by the staff. Everyone was extremely friendly and it made the fact that I was dining alone so much more comfortable. The food wasn't too bad either!

Vancouver has the most beautiful sunsets! They were definitely the highlights of each of my days. I miss them already.

I hope you enjoyed my recap. More to come =)