Vancouver Art Gallery & Granville Island

Day two in Vancouver got off to a pretty rocky start. The night before, after enjoying one of the better meals of the year, went off the hinges after I decided to do a mini bar crawl. Stops consisted of Guilt & Co., The Irish Heather, The Diamond, and The Alibi Room. I stuck to mostly beer, as I wanted to check out the local craft brew scene, as well as I wanted to survive after a dinner full of wine. Finally, I capped off the night with a delicious döner kebab... something I am surprised isn't as popular in the United States as it is elsewhere.

Needless to say, I woke up late and very hung over. I sucked it up, got in the shower to wash off last night's bar shenanigans, and headed out to get some coffee and get the day back on track. I picked up coffee and breakfast from JJ Bean, and then headed over to the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver, BC

The primary exhibit was "Picasso: The Artist and his Muses," which delved into Picasso's life through the works featuring his various wives and mistresses.  Pablo Ruiz y Picasso (1881—1973) had six wives/mistresses: Fernande Olivier, Olga Khokhlova, Marie-Thérèse Walter, Dora Maar, Françoise Gilot and Jacqueline Roque. In painting each subject, one can catch glimpses into the mood of the relationship when the painting was done. Some paintings show tender love and affection, while others show the violent strokes of a relationship on the ropes.

Pablo Picasso, "Bust of a Woman (Dora Maar)," 1938, oil on canvas

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

The exhibit was very nicely put together; the only detraction was the relatively small space where it was showing. Tourists were out in force, and at times it was difficult to really appreciate the works on display. What wasn't nearly as busy were the other levels of the museum, one of which had a gallery of British Columbia native Emily Carr's work. I was immediately taken with her style: impressionist meets nature of the pacific northwest. There is just something about the green hues she captures that captivated me. I definitely look forward to see more of her work in the future.

Emily Carr, "Above the Gravel Pit," 1937, oil on canvas

After a few hours in the Vancouver Art Gallery, I jumped on a bus and made my way down to Granville Island. The way I would describe Granville Island is this: Seattle's Pike's Place, but an entire island instead of just a single large building. One enters the island via a bridge that is actually right under the Granville Street bridge. There one is greeted to a charming little island teeming with shops, markets, coffee roasters, art galleries, and eateries of various types. 

Bridge to Granville Island
2016 Vancouver, BC

As it was a bit after 1 PM, I decided to stop at the Vancouver Fish Company for a quick bite and chance to get off the feet. I was seated at a delightful patio two-top overlooking the adjacent marina. After looking at the menu, I settled on some oysters (when in Rome) and a chowder/Caesar combo. To drink was a glass of Perseus Reserve chardonnay.

Vancouver looms over
2016 Vancouver, BC

The oysters - all west coast varieties -  were excellent, with the kusshi having that nice blend of buttery flesh and a hint of saline. They were served with fresh horseradish, and a lot of it at that. The Caesar salad was okay: the dressing could have been a bit more flavorful, and I will never understand why restaurants serve Caesar without romaine lettuce. The chowder was exceptional, with huge chunks of clam, and an excellent rue that wasn't overly heavy. Paired with the wine, the meal was pretty good for a tourist-focused restaurant in a high-traffic area like Granville Island.

Oysters. Vancouver Fish Company
2016 Vancouver, BC

Caesar & Chowder. Vancouver Fish Company
2016 Vancouver, BC

After lunch, I did some more walking around. I attempted to peruse the markets, but they were just so packed with tourists. I am not even sure how locals even shop there for day-to-day needs. That being said, their collection of purveyors was really quite impressive, and I found myself wishing I had a way to be able to walk through and shop without anyone around.

The crowds in the markets quickly began to annoy me, so I decided to head back to downtown Vancouver to relax before an early dinner. I waited 20 minutes for a bus before deciding to just walk across Granville bridge on foot. There, I was treated with an excellent panorama of downtown Vancouver. The only thing that would have made it more spectacular would have been a sunny day!

Bridge to Vancouver
2016 Vancouver, BC