Martin Tessler Views, Noshes and Shops YVR

Photographer Martin Tessler is our guy with an eye for what to see, eat and buy in fair and rainy Vancouver.

A favourite among Canada’s top shelter magazine editors and art directors as well as talented architects and interior designers from coast to coast, Vancouver photographer Martin Tessler is known for exploiting the most dramatic, least apparent angles of the buildings, rooms and gardens he shoots.

Tessler recently won both gold and silver honours at Canada’s National Magazine Awards and includes among his current high-profile assignments Douglas Coupland’s home and James Franco’s portrait for The New York Times. Oh, and he also covered Canadian Architect with Bob Rennie’s private and uber cool Wing Sang [art] Gallery located on Pender Street.

Martin Tessler’s 5 free, cheap or worth it things to see, do or buy in Vancouver

SKIP the food, go for a drink and take in the panoramic view from the Cloud 9 Revolving Restaurant at the Empire Landmark Vancouver Hotel. The 360-degree view beats Grouse Mountain’s and will save you 40 bucks. This is a great place to take friends from out of town. www.empirelandmarkhotel.com

DIG INTO Dim Sum at Kirin. There are five different locations. My wife and I prefer the Alberni location. Dinner is definitely not Frugalbits friendly, but a dim sum lunch is under $20 tax and tip included, plus there’s free one-hour parking underneath the downtown restaurant. This is best dim sum in the city. No carts! Every dish is made to order. www.kirinrestaurants.com

STOCK UP at Holt Renfrew’s January Clearout. Though I’ve just learned that it’s no longer called the Now or Never Sale (I loved the sound of that), I can’t imagine they wouldn’t continue with their same deep discounts of up to 70 percent off. I am frugal not cheap. Last year I bought two cashmere sweaters and both were under a hundred dollars each. www.holtrenfrew.com/holts/en/stores/825/Vancouver

GRAB some food at the Fresh Local Wild food cart on the Corner of Granville and Robson Street, then go hang out at the the law courts designed by the late Arthur Erickson, Canada’s greatest architect. www.freshlocalwild.com

BROWSE at International News at Broadway and Granville. I could spend hours here—oh wait, I do. Great place to pick up Elle Décor Italia, my favourite interiors magazine. Oscar’s Art Books is next door with the best selection of art, design and photography books in the city. Look for tremendous savings on remaindered books. Oscar’s Art Books, www.bookmanager.com/1181300/