SPRING 2017 | ISSUE ONE
us a little more about the area. “The people in the market really know what they’re talking about. CMHC (Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation) has kind of built Granville Island to be this craft area where artists and Makers come,” says Greer, “So they’re the ones who kinda sponsored the island and started it, but what they really wanted it to be, from what I know from the tourism and the distillery, is that they wanted it to be one of those kind of craft places… the people working in the market and the people who work in the other locations on the island, it’s kind of a requirement to know what you’re talking about.” The distillery itself was no exception, as we soon found out upon embarking on a round of taste tests of their products. Everything from their whiskey to their gin is obviously made with care and precision by people who are passionate about their craft. The distillery offers taste tests ($10 for samples of four products of your choice) in addition to a full menu of cocktails utilizing the spirits produced on-site.
11:00 p.m.
ly for our arrival. With this dock as our vantage point, we were able to enjoy the panorama of the Vancouver hills and lower downtown skyline, as well as conveniently walk to the market for coffee and necessities.
8:00 p.m.
We’d read about a local place called Liberty Distillery, so after grabbing a bite in the Market, we went to see what all the fuss was about. Emily Greer, a bartender there and a local student, told 28
Back on our boat, we took some time to reflect on our experiences. Greer had put the feel of the place best, saying “I’ve travelled all over Canada, and I’ve never seen a place like Granville Island. It’s unique in the way that it’s this amalgamation of a whole bunch of different things that don’t really make sense, they’ve got the cement factory, they’ve got the university, they’ve got the tourism and the Public Market and all the restaurants, and yet it seems to become this kind of cohesive place that fosters a lot of culture.” It’s as if Pike Place Market was bigger and broader, while maintaining that feeling of a community coming together to help each other accomplish their artistic or entrepreneurial goals. This kind of random discovery and enjoyment is what that area is all about, and made our stay on Granville feel, for lack of a better word, liberated.
SUNDAY 9:00 a.m.
Waking up in our captain’s quarters, the first sounds we heard were of the seagulls and waves rocking the aging, creaking boat. This was a surprise, as one would think that the forces of nature wouldn’t be the noise producers in such a vast concrete jungle.