Ah, Vancouver. A truly glorious city where HG/BSK once owned both a glorious loft with views of mountains, water and shimmering skyscrapers and then a steel and glass townhouse designed by HG/BSK’s brilliant architect friend, Pablo Rojas. Enjoyed almost a dozen years of bicycling, dining, cooking and absorbing all the special pleasures of this very Asian, very cosmopolitan city where the population is politically leftist, architecturally adventurous, appreciative of the healthy outdoor life, environmentally sensitive….and totally Lucullan in relishing the joys of the table and the glass. Spring comes early to Vancouver. Time for HG/BSK to leave New Mexico chills behind and become immersed in Vancouver cherry blossoms, magnolias, rhododendrons and majestic trees. Kind and generous pal, Jamie S., made his beautiful three story condo townhouse available. Lovely spaces. Mountain and urban vistas. A modern design buff, Jamie has cutting edge furnishings and the definitive collection of Alessi kitchen utensils and table top adornments. Plus a shower/ steam bath that envelops the fortunate occupant with exhilarating streams of water from about eight different directions. If cleanliness is indeed next to godliness, this shower is an attractive homage to the Almighty. The shower washed away all traces of HG/BSK’s plane trip weariness and honed the duo’s appetites. Off to Congee Noodle House in Vancouver’s uber hip Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. HG/BSK ordered their traditional comfort food meal at the eatery (HG/BSK’s loft was located less than a 100 meters away so the duo ate there often): Chef’s Special Chicken (juicy poached white meat chicken with a ginger/garlic/ sesame oil/ scallion condiment); deep fried squares of squid with flecks of hot, dried pepper; Mo Pu bean curd and ground pork (silky bean curd and ground pork in a spicy sauce); bowls of fluffy rice; Tsing Tao Beer. A welcoming feast indeed.
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