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June 17 2025: Vancouver’s favourite Filipino food

June 17 2025: Vancouver’s favourite Filipino food

Plus: BC Ferries feud and Nelson’s small-town charm

June 17, 2025

Hey there. I hope you had a lovely weekend.

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— V.
Associate editor

— FEATURE —

What should BC Ferries name its made-in-China vessels?

Recently, BC Ferries announced a contract to build four new ships in China rather than in the province’s own shipyards—after it turns out that the process may have been designed to exclude local bids. We take a cheeky guess at what the four new ships might be getting named.

— LIVING —

Nelson is a small town with a big personality

Four hours from Kelowna, Nelson’s relative isolation keeps the big chain stores out—and the town’s uniqueness in.

Google renamed Cambie Street to Cambie Road and nobody knows why
How Mike Usinger learned to stop worrying and love Brad Marchand
THIS WEEKEND: Catch the continent's biggest dragon boat race, plus Lights and Felix Cartal headline the TD Main Stage in False Creek. FREE ADMISSION!*

*sponsored listing

How's the market?

Vancouver home buyers, now is the perfect time to make your move! Market conditions are in your favour, with the lowest interest rates in 2 years, plus inventory levels are at their highest since 2019. This means you’ll face less competition, giving you a greater chance to secure your dream home. Whether you’re looking for your first home, upgrading, or investing, the market is ripe for the picking.

Ready to buy? Let’s make it happen!

Contact Sandra today! Or start your next home search.

— MUSIC —

With The Red Garden, Freeze the Fall starts to bloom

Freeze the Fall’s second EP is atmospheric, dramatic, and heavy. It’s also a concept album—something the three young members of the band worked hard to pull off. “It was quite a process to learn how to do it,” says bassist Aria Becker, “but once we learned, I think we’re not going back.”

Photos: Drive-By Truckers pull over at the Commodore
North Shore Jazz, a mini-festival within Vancouver's Jazz Festival, takes over the North Shore, June 21-29, with five free shows and stellar ticketed concerts inside BlueShore at CapU.*
Graham Clark (24 Hours of Stand Up) headlines a crew of comedians including Sophia Johnson, Akeem Hoyte-Charles, and Lukas Purm on Granville Island this Sunday.*
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Vancouver Premiere of Eyes of the Beast at SFU

Eyes of the Beast is a powerful docu-theatre event created by Neworld Theatre and the Climate Disaster Project with SFU students.

Based on stories from climate disaster survivors, this piece reveals how community endures through catastrophe.

June 18–22 at SFU Goldcorp. Tickets $5-$10.

— FOOD —

Golden Plates 2025: Kulinarya shares it all

Rose Samaniego didn’t think Kulinarya would grow to be what it has become: an award-winning neighbourhood eatery that recently scooped the title of Vancouver’s best Filipino restaurant. Samaniego was just trying to feed people the way her mom used to feed her.

Times were tough. Four Winds Brewing doubled down anyway
Golden Plates 2025: Through it all, Havana endures
Coffee Nirvana awaits! AeroPress delivers silky-smooth perfection without the grit or bitterness that ruins mornings. Trusted by 55K+ coffee fanatics worldwide! Experience the revolution TODAY!*
Blue Water Cafe - a celebrated seafood restaurant in Yaletown, known for sustainable Ocean Wise offerings, exceptional hospitality, and a refined West Coast dining experience.*

*sponsored listing

See how the workplace is changing

Whether you're an established enterprise or a scaling startup, find a coworking space that's right for you. Flexible workspaces can unlock value for both employees and your bottom line—regardless of your company size. Wework is designed to enhance the employee experience and help people do their best work. Connect with a WeWork expert today.

— ICYMI —

It’s Golden Plates month. Check out all the winners here
What do our very Vancouver horoscopes say about the end of Gemini season?
June is one of the best new restaurants in the city
Nemesis is launching solo-mode Dope Bakehouse
Bard on the Beach looks to the ’80s for inspiration

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK —

MUSIC: Neither a beloved Canadian actor nor a disgraced Alaskan governor, Michael Cera Palin rocks. (June 18 @ Rickshaw Theatre)

BOOKS: The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog uncovers the story of Pa7pa7í7kin. (June 18 @ West Vancouver Memorial Library)

COMEDY: Camp! Comedy! hosts its annual Pride edition. (June 18 @ Projection Room at Fox Cabaret)

THEATRE: Eyes of the Beast stares at the sharp edge of climate catastrophe. (June 18-22 @ SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts)

PERFORMING ARTS: Kitsilano Showboat ushers in its 90th season. (June 18 to August 17 @ Kitsilano Showboat)

FOOD & DRINK: Chef Ryo Imai shows off his Japanese-Canadian fusion creations. (June 18 @ Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, Burnaby)

—

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

That’s it!

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