Journal: News & Comment

Go with the flow

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Vancouver's Commercial Drive is on the city's East Side (gross oversimplification for this town: West Side = rich; East Side = poor), a mix of old-time Italian families, newer immigrants of many nationalities, and a fair passel of dreadlocked lefty anarchist stereotypes. It runs on its own sort of schedule, unlike the rest of the city, and this post from recent Vancouver arrival Nicole Howard sums it up as well as anything:

So Urban Café doesn't exist, or maybe it burned down, or maybe none of this is real. Maybe the cafes keep switching places or names the second we turn our backs on them. We pass the cafe gutted by fire, but it's called Irene's. Garth and I decide we're in an alternate reality and try not to laugh too insanely in the street.

My advice to Nicole is, when on the Drive, just go with the flow. And get a cappuccino.

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