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by Mapels
groningen, Netherlands
September 23, 2003
Commercial Drive is one of those charming streets posted with old trees, where you can enjoy your breakfast outside on the patio of any of the many cozy restaurants "the Drive" offers and where you will still find people having a good coffee at 1am. It's got a relaxed atmosphere. Its most bustling part stretches from Hastings Street to Broadway and Commercial Drive skytrain stations. Originally this was the Italian quarter of Vancouver, which is still evident through the population and specialty coffee shops, restaurants, delis, and gelato (ice cream) shops. There is a good public market, lots of antique shops, and various boutiques that sell anything from smart to hemp clothing. Through the decades, other ethnic groups have contributed to the happening atmosphere at Commercial. This is a great area if you enjoy an easy pace and have a curious palate.
Penny's Place is right at the beginning of all the action (if you get there from downtown, that is. If you get there by skytrain it is right at the end, but you can catch a bus to the building). The bus both to and from downtown (ten minutes) stops right in front of the place. There is an Internet cafe right next door and an open-all-night just across the street. Penny will bring a breakfast basket for you to prepare in your own kitchen. But we thought CAN$15 was a bit too expensive for a continental breakfast and went to Zesty's Restaurant, fifty meters up the road. They offer a choice of breakfasts for a very reasonable price. The best bakery in the area is also very near.
Our suite was spacious and very nicely furnished, with wood and carpets on the floor. The kitchen has everything you need (and I am a demanding cook!) if you don't mind doing the dishes manually. The whole building has lots of big windows. The bathroom was clean but small and very old. The only real drawback were the very short beds, and ditto for the linens. Luckily, they were two queen-size beds, so we could each use one diagonally.
From journal Busy break in Vancouver