Posted by jmb on 3.22.07 at 11:26 pm
Today the only ones happy on the Granville Island walk were these ducks. Five of us met to walk and get suitably drenched, which of course we did. So today I’m going to show you some pictures which I hastily took inside the Granville Island Public Market after the walk and tell you a little bit about the market. The photos are unedited and I’m not totally sure about the focus, as my eyesight is poor. The little old lady has cataracts, you know.
Granville Island is an urban planning success story, that has been copied worldwide. It was conceived 28 years ago and the idea fulfilled by the transformation of a derelict industrial park into a thriving market and entertainment destination. The heart of Granville Island is the Public Market which is housed in a huge warehouse filled with stalls of all different types: fruit and vegetable; bakeries; fish stalls; flower sellers; butchers; candy makers; wine sellers; all intermixed with artisan stalls, which come and go on an irregular basis. It’s open seven days a week from 9am to 7pm.
This we call the Hat Lady’s stall, all hand made
Every day, there is some kind of entertainment at the Market, with buskers inside and outside, but at certain times of the year, special events are held in the bandstand on the island. In May the spring gardening season is in full swing and growers come to the Gardeners’ Truck Market to sell bedding plants, hanging baskets and bulbs. I bought two beautiful Japanese maples there for my garden, a year or so ago, from one of the itinerant growers. The Farmers’ Truck Market follows, on Thursdays, in July until late Autumn, with local fruits and vegetables, straight from the farm to the buyer. In the food fair part of the Market you can buy a quick lunch or snack from a variety of cultures including Indian, Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Mexican, Polish, and Italian.
One of the fruit and vegetable sellers’ stalls
Granville Island is more than a market, for it’s an entertainment district with two theatres and many fine restaurants. It is a genuine artists’ neighbourhood with the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design situated there, along with the studios of weavers, potters, print makers, weavers, and the whole island is surrounded by water and a marina. Beloved by the locals, it is also a tourist attraction with more than 12 million visitors each year.
This is Duso’s , maker of fresh pasta and purveyor of Italian fine cheeses and foods
How about these yummy cakes and pastries, a little fuzzy from the reflection of the glass
I have a few more photos that I took but I’ll save them for another rainy Thursday. I hope you can see why we like to walk in this area and stop off in the market for lunch. It’s Spring Break this week for the schools and, despite the rain, the market was full of mothers with their children.
Today the only ones happy on the Granville Island walk were these ducks. Five of us met to walk and get suitably drenched, which of course we did. So today I’m going to show you some pictures which I hastily took inside the Granville Island Public Market after the walk and tell you a little bit about the market. The photos are unedited and I’m not totally sure about the focus, as my eyesight is poor. The little old lady has cataracts, you know.
How about these yummy cakes and pastries, a little fuzzy from the reflection of the glass
3.23.07 at 7:00 am
crunchy comments:
What a great post!
Thanks for that!
Isn’t the market ALWAYS busy these days..anytime dh and I think it might be not too bad, it is crazy.
We haven’t been down in a while…..
3.23.07 at 10:12 am
Claudia comments:
Get this: I have lived here for most of my 31 years and have NEVER been to Granville Island.
I guess I should head n down one day huh…
3.23.07 at 12:34 pm
jmb comments:
Hi Crunchy,
I think Granville Island is one of the jewels in Vancouver’s crown. We get to talk to lots of visitors in the food fair part when we are lunching and they all are amazed at how wonderful it is.
Regards
jmb
3.23.07 at 12:41 pm
jmb comments:
Now Claudia, pretend you are a tourist in your own town for once and head on down. Park in the Planetarium lot (unless you want to food shop, then park on the Island) and walk around by all the boats to the Island and really check it out. It’s a wonderful spot just to visit, let alone shop.
Regards
jmb
3.23.07 at 9:52 pm
B comments:
great photos. i haven’t been to wander the shops there in ages. i really should, i could walk there and get some exercise. haha
3.23.07 at 10:24 pm
Heather comments:
Great post jmb! I love going to Granville Island and am always amazed by the huge selection - of everything - in the market.
It’s fun to sit upstairs to eat your lunch and watch all the water traffic - even better on a sunny day of course
3.23.07 at 11:10 pm
jmb comments:
Hi B, you should go, we always love to visit. Exercise is good too.
Hi Heather, everything is so tempting, isn’t it? Once my daughter bought a hat from the hat stall, when she was visiting from out of town. For me Granville Island is the perfect spot.
Regards
jmb
3.24.07 at 5:27 pm
Lisa comments:
ahhhh! I love Granville Island! When I was in my twenties and a single gal living in a drafty old studio apartment in New West with my crappy hand-me-down furniture, I’d always save enough money once a month to go there and buy the biggest, most beautiful, sweetest smelling bouquet of flowers. They always have such gorgeous flowers and it was such a thrill to indulge and brighten my gloomy rental!
3.24.07 at 6:37 pm
jmb comments:
Hi Lisa,
I always say that when I win the lottery I’m going to buy the biggest bunch of flowers at Granville Island every week. But you actually did it! Good for you! I had a lovely shot of one the flower stalls too, but couldn’t add them all. Another time.
Regards
jmb