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January 21 2025 edition: Five little-known Vancouver cafes

January 21 2025 edition: Five little-known Vancouver cafes

Plus: Cozy winter trends and the unlikely power of weed

January 21, 2025

Hey there. Sometimes, journalism is not glamorous: you have a cold, and you’ve written down the time you were supposed to interview someone wrong, and that would normally be no big deal but on this occasion you’re speaking to a literal household name and you have three angry missed calls from a Hollywood PA.

Anyway, that’s what happened to me yesterday. And reader: I still got the interview. (Keep your eyes on the site to see who it is!)

Sure, I made a mistake and things seemed terrible. But I survived. You can too. You got this.

— V.
Associate Editor

— FEATURE —

How cannabis is helping Downtown Eastside residents get off hard drugs

It might not be what initially comes to mind when we talk about harm reduction, but a program in Vancouver is helping people swap street drugs for cannabis. Jen Nelson encountered the Cannabis Substitution Project in 2018, when she was struggling with substance use. “I started out in that lineup and eventually became one of the volunteers,” says the woman known as the cannabis angel of the Downtown Eastside.

— LIVING —

Winter picks for a cozy rest of the season

From charming coupe glasses to the perfect parka, we’re all about hyping up the hygge.

Japan Market Spring is returning to UBC Robson Square
Activate brings its viral gaming fun to Coquitlam
Anvil Theatre Presents Neworld Theatre Production's Fat Joke. A fusion of stand-up comedy, storytelling, and unapologetic fact-blasting, Fat Joke thrusts fatphobia into the spotlight.*

*sponsored listing

Support marginalized people

PHS Community Services Society is 80 per cent of the way to reaching their $100,000 fundraising appeal goal.

The charity provides low-barrier supportive housing, shelter, healthcare, and harm reduction to thousands of marginalized people in Victoria and Vancouver every day.

PHS was founded in 1993 to support those who had been chronically homeless, and today houses and shelters more than 1,900 people. Probably best known for Insite, North America’s first legal supervised injection site, PHS is a leader in adapting services to be accessible to those with acute needs.

Donations to PHS before February 28, 2025 can be applied to 2024 tax returns as the government has extended last year’s donation deadline.

Donate today to support marginalized people in your community.

— ARTS—

Mount Pleasant’s Chill x Studio looks beyond the brick wall

A comedy club with white walls and high ceilings? They said it shouldn’t work—but, as owner Talie Perry explains, that was ideal. “We said, ‘Perfect. We want to be different.’”

BIPOC playwrights shine at Advance Theatre Festival
Global motion design festival DEMO Fest is coming to Vancouver
Pulitzer-winning play Primary Trust is having its Canadian premiere in Vancouver
Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla. by Abi Padilla. A hilarious and heartwarming sprint down memory lane of a butt-kickin’, bar-spittin’, tough grandma who escapes the care home to be with her family.*
Check out the great NEW release from Vancouver’s own Working Royals… super catchy, supremely summery, and just in time for winter… Driving in the Rain!*
*sponsored listing

Keep Your Licence

Whether you’ve received a DUI/IRP or a Driving While Prohibited charge, Acumen Law has a highly experienced team of driving lawyers, offering unparalleled legal support. Don’t let a driving prohibition ruin your life. Protect your rights, start your defence and trust Acumen Law’s expertise to keep you on the road.

— FOOD —

Five under-the-radar Vancouver cafes

Sometimes you don’t want to brave the lines at the latest trendy coffee place downtown: you’d rather hit up a hidden gem.

Straight, No Chaser: Prophecy beverage director Jeff Savage finds creativity everywhere
Holi Doughnuts is the vibiest place to get mini donuts
Korean patisserie Paris Baguette is set to open on Alberni Street
Mateina’s low to no-sugar Yerba Mate beverages offer steady energy without the unwanted crash or jitters. Get 15% off Mateina's Energy Brews while supplies last.*

*sponsored listing

— ICYMI —

Here are all the restaurants participating in Dine Out Vancouver 2025
You’ve only got a few days left before Aleph Eatery closes
Slow Hand, Boombox, and Temporal brewing are reinventing the old Andina space
PSA: $5 Tuesdays are back at Cineplex
The Museum of Anthropology is hosting a new Nuxalk Nation exhibit

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK —

THEATRE: En garde! The Three Musketeers brings the classic sword-clashing Alexandre Dumas novel to life. (To February 16 @ Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage)

PERFORMING ARTS: New installation TechniCowlour asks how we live between worlds and times. (To March 15 @ Centre A)

VISUAL ARTS: Two new exhibits examine climate change: Dear Plastic and Speak No (emergency). (To March 23 @ Richmond Art Gallery)

FILM: Bong Joon-ho’s award-winning thriller Parasite gets a special screening. (January 21 @ VIFF Centre)

MAGIC: The Parlour Magic Show marks its fifth anniversary of mentalism, tricks, and illusions. (January 22 @ The Show Cellar)

DANCE: Australian company DanceHouse presents Duck Pond: a circus take on Swan Lake. (January 22 to 25 @ Vancouver Playhouse)

PERFORMING ARTS: PuSh International Performing Arts Festival pushes boundaries. (January 23 to February 9 @ various venues)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

That’s it!

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