Style Maven Anicka Quin Shops & Eats YVR

Western Living editor and style maven extraordinaire Anicka Quin shares a few of her top spots to eat and shop.

As the editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine—western Canada’s largest magazine dedicated to homes, food and wine, and travel—Anicka Quin spends a lot of time travelling the West to sleuth out her favourite design finds. A former Craigslist devotee—fed by an addiction to collecting midcentury modern furniture—she’s now a gatherer of contemporary pieces to pair with her teak. When she’s not travelling, she’s feeding her other great love: cooking fabulous food with friends and documenting it on her blog, Cardomom Pod.

Here are her suggestions for five cheap, free or worth-it things to do, see or buy in Vancouver.

Anicka Quin’s Fave Five

BROWSE at Provide in Crosstown. Robert Quinnell and David Keeler have curated my favourite design store in the city (pictured above)–every line is smartly chosen to work together. Next on my list is a set of kitchen linens from Fog Linen and one of Geoffrey Lilge’s new charcuterie boards (I’m a vegetarian, but I figure cheese looks just as pretty on these as meat). While you’re on Beatty, hop across the street for the best sandwich in town at the Dirty Apron’s deli (grab the Confit albacore tuna baguette with capers, yogurt, black olive tapenade and parmesan and basil), a steal at $8.
Provide, 529 Beatty Street, 604-632-0095, www.providehome.com; Dirty Apron, 540 Beatty Street, 604-879-8588, www.dirtyapron.com

RIDE the Aquabus over to Granville Island on a Saturday morning to get inspired for dinner that night. I love to roam the shelves at the Stock Market and select one of their “make it tonight” sauces, then gather a few hard-to-find items from South China Seas (Meyer lemons! Thai basil!).

GRAB a late-night snack at La Brasserie. It’s the perfect spot for a post-movie treat: every night from 9 to 12 they offer buck-a-shuck oysters in Davie Street’s prettiest boite. Paired with a bottle of riesling and a few good friends, it’s the best way to end the work week (killer brunches too—they made me love quiche again).
La Brasserie, 1091 Davie Street, 604-568-6499, labrasserievancouver.com

ORGANIZE in style at Room In Order. The sister stores of Homewerx and Room in Order are two of my favourites for décor accessories (like the gold lamé pillows I picked up for a song). Pick up anything from the Reisenthel line for smart and pretty storage options.
Room In Order, 1055 Davie Street, 604-684-8884, www.roominorder.com

STROLL through the Armoury District on a Saturday with a sugar waffle from Patisserie Lebeau and a coffee from (Western Living Designer of the Year) Alda Pereira’s Café Bica. The district has become the design centre of the city (I covet anything from Met Home and Mint), and it’s the perfect spot to window shop and daydream about your magazine-perfect home.
Café Bica, 1809 Fir Street, 604-733-8818