It’s been a while since I last posted a city walk on the blog. Today’s post is totally making up for it.

A few weeks ago Carla Cascales (isn’t she as cute as a button!?) contacted me to be part of the city walks. After I took a quick peek at her photos I rushed to replied “YES PLEASE!”. The images she captures through her camera are beautiful, warm, and charming. So, how do you feel about taking a little trip to Lisbon to enjoy some delicious food, sunny beaches and great architecture? Yeah, such a treat for these cold wintery days!

Take it away Carla:

Portas do sol
Walking up the streets of Alfama, the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, you can find Portas do sol, in my opinion the best views of the city.

Cantina LX
LXFactory is born in the place of the former industrial complex of fabric and thread companies “Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Lisbonense”. The factory was empty for many years, since 2008 the old brick buildings have been transformed into an Arts Centre related to fashion, graphic design, advertising, communication, interior design, fine arts, architecture, music, photography, gastronomy… For lunch or dinnertime, imagine you’re in 1846, have a seat with the factory employees at Cantina LX, the old canteen of the textile factory.

What is now a restaurant still preserves it’s industrial look, decoration and old furniture. In Cantina LX you can order international food or traditional Portuguese dishes like escabeche de coelho, bacalhau corado or tarte de maçã. Bread here is still cooked in their own log-fired oven.

Café na Fábrica
If you’re in the mood for a great brunch in a vintage atmosphere you can’t miss Café na Fábrica, their Saturday brunch buffet is simply amazing!

Feira da Ladra
THE place where you will find everything from old books, clothes, cameras, all kind of objects and picturesque people, the most original Lisbon market. Every tuesday and Saturday morning beside the panteão (Santa Apolónia metro station). Map.

Charneca da caparica:
The region of Lisbon has beautiful beaches, if we move a bit away from the city we will find Caparica Charneca a non touristic area that still preserves the old fishermen’s houses from where you can see the most beautiful sunsets in Portugal.

ALL IMAGES: Carla Cascales Alimbau

What did I tell you? Crazy burgers, right?. Thanks so much Carla for submitting your work! And if you guys know of anther cool cat that would love to share some city shots with us – send him my way! Happy weekend amigos :)

WALK
The walking route to work follows the bike path along McLean Dr and then Union St, which is a pretty nice walking route. The retaining wall along McLean has a colourful mural and the flowers and character houses on Union look particularly beautiful in the summer. I also pass by the Union Market, where you can get some pretty great picnic food to enjoy in McLean Park (some of my favourites being their homemade orzo salad, cod cakes and cheesecake, as well as the Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer). 

EXPLORE
I recently moved from Strathcona to Grandview-Woodlands and was surprised at how nice Britannia’s grass field was for taking my pug Penelope to run around. There is a colourful mural of character houses and mountains, and a view of the North Shore mountains. The field is also on a hill, so it is raised up above McLean Street below, creating a unique atmosphere that is heightened at golden hour.

INDULGE
I had always been more of a wine drinker than a beer drinker, but a friend recently got me more into beer through Russell’s Blood Alley Bitter, which they serve at the Caffe Brixton. It’s right next to Project Space, where I spend most of my work days, so it’s a place where I and everyone else at 222 and 221A go for beers. Over the summer 221A is hosting free breakfasts (something different each week) every Saturday from 10am to 11:30am. There’s definitely a regular crowd of people from the studios and galleries in 222 and 221A (who have become a sort of family to me), but it is open to everyone and anyone. Regardless of whether you can make it to breakfast, I definitely recommend keeping in touch with 221A, Access Gallery and Project Space, as between us there is always an interesting project, exhibition, opening or event to check out.

CHILL
I work a lot, so I really don’t have much time to walk around or just hang out. Since I’ve moved, one of my favourite places to hang out and relax has been my balcony. It’s amazing to have outdoor living space! If I can actually spend some real time outside, my favourite place to go is Crab Park. It is an easy walk from each of the workplaces I may have spent my afternoon at, and I love the grass and city/ocean/North Shore view.

Oh yeah! It’s that time of the week where we get to discover the city through the eyes of a creative human being. Today’s city walk is PACKED with tips from one of my favorite bloggers and email buddy (so 2012) – drum roll please – say hello to Chloe Douglas of Plenty of Colour!

Prepare yourselves for a blast of color, pattern and Vancouver awesomeness.

South Main
Main Street has my heart so it is hard to narrow down my favourites. Go on a walking tour of street art and neighbourhood details, visit Heritage Hall, pop into Little Mountain Gallery or play a game of giant street checkers at 18th and Ontario. Shop at Much & Little, relax at beautiful café/market Marché St George and grab some sweets at French Made Baking. Still hungry? Have a paloma and some arepas at El Camino’s, try a little bit of everything at The Acorn and take in a concert at Biltmore Cabaret.

Gastown
Okay, Gastown has my heart too! The oldest part of Vancouver, I love soaking up the mix of history and modern style. I have always felt magic in the angles where Homer and West Cordova meet. Grab something delicious at beautiful Nelson the Seagull then go on a walking tour of architecture, stylish shops, hand painted typography and vintage tile floors. Shop at LYNNsteven (and stare at the amazing paperback book installation), dream up projects at DressSew (I live in the sequin aisle) or ponder true craftsmanship at Union Wood Co in Railtown. Sample a couple of the many restaurants that make Gastown a true “foodie heaven” including Salt Tasting Room and The Sardine Can. For nightlife, try Guilt & Co or travel East to music venue/gallery Chapel Arts.

South Fraser
Fraser Street is rapidly transforming and one area I love is 15th between Fraser and Kingsway. Shop at Spool of Thread or Collage Collage, grab a coffee at Matchstick Coffee, relax in lovely Robson Park or try the delicious Les Faux Bourgeois. If you fancy some bright colour eye candy, head up to 45th and Fraser to see both the vibrantly patterned South Hill library and neon pink alley installation.

and

West Broadway
Less famous than its 4th Avenue sister, I love the West Broadway section of Kitsilano (from about West of MacDonald) and its Greek flavour. Shop at The Travel Bug, Plenty, Bed, Kids Books and Stepback. Try najib’s special and halloumi cheese at Nuba, sample Malaysian treats at Banana Leaf or grab picnic essentials at Parthenon Supermarket and head to a nearby beach.

Cambie
I love the true neighborhood vibe of Cambie around 18th. Visit stellar curated store/gallery Walrus, eat at Pied-à-Terre and head to a flick at 1940′s movie house Park Theatre. Oh and drool in line at Vij’s when the Vancouver culinary star opens on Cambie in the next few months.

Everthing else
Go to a concert at one of my favourite spots, the Art Deco venue The Commodore Ballroom. Try a homemade oreo or dozens of other treats at the amazing Butter Baked Goods (MacKenzie at 33rd). Try everything on the menu at Rangoli (especially the Pakoras and Meeti Roti). Shop curated paper supplies at Paper Ya. Discover culinary objects of beauty at Ming Wo. Explore one-of-a-kind garden treasures at Southlands Nursery in Vancouver’s “equestrian pocket”. Oh I could go on and on…

And I wish you would Chloe! Wowza. Thanks so much for all of your wonderful tips. Was this a great city walk or what?! So many places to discover and so much to EAT. God, time to get those stretchy pants out of the closet.

Go explore! Happy weekend amigos :)

DUDES!

By now you must know that I am on a mission to discover artful gems in every city, right? From food joints to galleries – anything that inspires the soul shall be documented. So far I’ve been giving disposable film cameras to different artist in Vancouver to snap these mentioned gems in their hoods and now, it’s time to expand the awesomness!

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS. Yeah baby! I think there are so many places to discover that it’s a bit impossible for me to cover them all. This is where your love for photography comes in. If you want us to see – and feel – your city in its full glory, then send over your images! Here’s how you can do it:

1: Send your photos (min 5, max 10) to hello[at]theartfuldesperado.com – all images must be high-res and at least 560px wide
2: In your email attach a few city tips (min 5, max 10) to go along with the images. These tips can be anything from restaurant recommendations, coffee shops, secret parks, etc. Include some links so peeps can check them out.
3: Add a few words about yourself
4: Get featured!

Easy peasy. Be part of this awesome project, invite your friends to participate and discover the world with a new set of eyes.

Can’t wait to see your submissions!

the fine print: by submitting your images you grant the artful desperado permission (royalty-free) to publish them on the blog, social media and any other media used to promote the project. That is all, see, it wasn’t that bad!

As per usual, all photos were taken with a disposable film camera and the results are a total surprise for the crew of St. Bernadine. Enjoy!

snack | Dunlevey Snack Bar

visit | Access Art Gallery

shop | Zoo Shop (vinyl records!)

interact | Project Space

get stylish | Nouvelle Nouvelle

Thanks so much for sharing your city tips with us, Randy. See you on the next ACW guys, happy weekend!

| Randy  Grskovic|

Last week I hosted the very first Artful City Walks workshop as part of Gather – an art and design pop-up in Vancouver. It was such a blast! The class sold out but we made room for extra peeps so they could join the artful party. For this workshop, part of the focus was Instagram and how you can use it to enhance your blog, business and overall online presence.

We started by getting to know each other and speaking a bit about why we use the app. Later on – following the same motto from the City Walks “discover your city with a new set of eyes” – we embarked in a journey through the streets and alleys of Gastown; one of the oldest neighborhoods in Vancouver.

We found art, we found the old and the decayed and workshop-ees got to learn tricks of the trade – from different apps that boost your mobile shots (collage, cropping, editing, etc) to ideas on how to use your content and when to post it.

I was amazed to find out that lots of people use mobile photography and they’re pretty passionate about it – like I mentioned earlier, it’s not about how cool the app is or the level of skill you have, it’s about connecting with others and looking at things with a different perspective. Some people didn’t even have an Instagram account, but they tagged along and snapped amazing photos with their beautiful DSLRs.

And of course not everything was work work work, we also got to enjoy a few snacks – fresh honey lemonade, home made bread and preserves –  courtesy of Nelson the Seagull – one of my favorite spots in Gastown! During this time I passed along a few more tips to really squeeze the juice out of this mobile community – creative ideas, collaborations, promotions, stats, the works!

Lastly, thanks to our rad sponsors CanvasPop and StickyGram -  City Walkers received a discount for a canvas print, a few sets of Stickygrams AND two lucky ducks got a FREE print from CanvasPop. Are they cool or what?

I am still super excited that the whole workshop turned out so good! And it’s not stopping there – I am now planning to create new City Walks with different twists! Also, expect a few different guest City Walkers from around the globe. If you want to share the beauty in your city with us, tag your photos on Instagram with #ACWALKS  or send me an email to hello(at)theartfuldesperado.com to get a full feature.

To all City Walkers: thank you for joining! To everyone else: don’t forget to discover your city with a new set of eyes ;)

Hi! I am freaking excited!! CAN YOU TELL?

A: Summer has arrived to Vancouver and the sun is finally shinning!
B: The city is full of events, outdoor movies and festivals
C: I am about to share with you yet another fantastic City Walk – with an architectural twist! Today’s walk is hosted by Denise, one of the editors of Artsy Dartsy and Brutus, the artsiest hound in town. Enjoy!

Discover | Granville Island secret grassy knoll – at the south-east corner of the island behind Performance Works and the Dockside Restaurant is this perfectly tired grassy hill that’s perfect for picnics. Don’t forget to go to Lee’s Donuts in the market for the sugar glazed and make sure you guard it from the Seagulls

Eat | La Bretagne Creperie just off Robson at 795 Jervis Street makes the best crepes. Don’t go to the other place!

Explore| There are a number of great walking tours during the summer that focus on architecture; Jane’s Walk Vancouver, AIBC Walking Tours, Heritage Vancouver Tours to name a few. The cost is minimal or free and it’s a great way to find out about specific neighbourhoods in the city.

Get Inspired | Do the Gastown, Chinatown, DTES gallery hop. There are lots of great galleries to check out: Blim, Access Gallery, make an appointment for the Rennie Gallery on-line, 221A Artist Run Center, Trench Contemporary Art Gallery, Positive/Negative Gallery, Exercise, Catalog Gallery, Artspeak and more all within walking distance.

Walk | The last one is not really a secret but the entire seawall is great on a sunny day. You can ride you bike or walk and sun tan on one of the many grassy areas. The seawall is Brutus approved!

Thanks so much for all your artsy tips, Denise!

Guys, take note of all these wonderful places to visit and go on an adventure this weekend! Get as much sun as you can (with sun blocking lotion, of course) and if you’re an instagramer, don’t forget to tag your photos with #ACWalks. Happy weekend!

|Artsy Dartsy|

Welcome to the second installment of ACW. Today we’ll explore Vancouver through the eyes of Sarah Gee - a gal that’s all about creating kaleidoscopic works of art filled with vibrant colors – totally hypnotizing. Enjoy her beautiful neighborhood pictures and fantastic city tips!

Visit | the Jimi Hendrix Museum at the corner of Union and Main. A handmade little shrine with astro turf, loud music and a picnic table out back in case you want to eat a sandwich.

Explore | Crab Park at the end of Main Street, looking over the Port of Vancouver. There is an eerie monument to the missing women there. A bit rough, but amazing view.

Eat |  I think everyone should try dining at the Tomahawk in North Vancouver at least once!

Dance |  The Commodore Ballroom. Great venue, sprung dance floor, one of the last majestic ballrooms in the city

Discover |  The Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park is an amazing place to spend a rainy afternoon. You walk through the rainforest in the very cool 1960′s style biosphere and see all kinds of amazing plants and birds and little creatures.

Thanks for sharing your city walk with us, Sarah!

| Sarah Gee Art |

Welcome!

As you may know, I’ve been working on this project for some time now and I am more than excited to finally launch it!

In case you’re just tuning in – Artful City Walks is a project where different artists and creative minds document their neighborhood and favorite city spots through the lens of a disposable film camera. No photoshop in here, just candid on-the-go photographs. Along with the images you’ll get a few great recommendations of hidden spots and city gems that should not be missed. Yup, get ready to discover your city with a whole new set of eyes.

Today’s city walk (the very 1st one of the project!) is by Jessica Bell, a Vancouver-based artist who is as sweet and wonderful as her art. Check out her photos and tips! Enjoy

Watch | Low, low tide at Spanish Banks, rain or shine! The tide goes out so far that you feel like you will be able to reach out and touch the oil tankers that sit in the bay. And it is an amazing view of the city to the east that you can’t get apart from being on a boat.

Explore | Strathcona and its surrounding area. The studios I have worked in have all been in the industrial area that are part of this area of East Vancouver. There is so much going on in terms of art and industry; when I am there it feels like looking behind a watch face into the working parts of Vancouver. Ken Lum’s massive sculpture to East Van marks the boundary of it to the south, which was a brilliant addition to the neighbourhood just before the 2010 Olympics.

Walk | The Seawall. I spend so much time on the seawall in my commutes, and for recreation that I feel like I am in a relationship with it. One of my favourite things to do is to walk on the seawall until it feels like my legs are going to fall off. My husband and I did this on Easter weekend; we call it our ‘epic seawall walks’. If you do walk so long that it feels like your legs will fall off then you can always stop sit on a beach or hop on a water taxi to skip ahead a section. When I am away from Vancouver, the seawall is always the thing I miss first. 

Experience | The Rennie Collection at Wing Sang in Chinatown.  I feel like this is still a secret to a lot of Vancouverites. Bob Rennie is a really influential art collector who lives in Vancouver and he renovated the historic Wing Sang building in Chinatown to exhibit the artists he has collected and has held some of the best shows in Vancouver, I think. As an architecture buff, this building is equally as thrilling as the art it houses and the rooftop sculpture garden created by Considered Design is my favourite garden in Vancouver, hands down. The added bonus is that visiting the Rennie Collection is free; you just have to book into a guided tour on their website.

Hike | The university endowment lands / Pacific Spirit Regional Park. My husband works for The University of British Columbia so I have extra reason to travel all the way out to the Point Grey Peninsula where the campus is located. If I understand correctly, UBC is technically not even a part of Vancouver proper, and it is separated from the city by hectares and hectares of rainforest that riddled with trails that you can walk, run, cycle or ride horseback on.  It’s like Stanley Park, but so much bigger, more rugged and less utilized.

If you wanted to, you could walk through the forest from where it starts in the acreages of Southlands at the south, all the way to to low tide at Spanish Banks. It is another walk that has the potential to make you feel like your legs will fall off, but this forest is a stunning part of the city that is accessible by bus, or bike. Plus it’s mostly an off-leash area if you have a dog like I do, and the air in there is pure magic. It is actually my favourite place to go in the rain.

Thank you, Jessica!

|Jessica Bell Art|