My Vancouver
by sheri radford + photo by kk law
T h eM a n A b o u tTo w n
Fred Lee is a professional social butterfly . By day , he works as the Director of Alumni Engagement for the University of British Columbia . By night , he writes for various publications , talks on the radio and hosts redcarpet galas and fundraisers .
Favourite restaurants Joshua [ McVeity , Lee ’ s husband ] and I do not cook , so we eat out a lot . Whenever there ’ s a birthday or anniversary , we celebrate at Hawksworth . The food is always outstanding . We also like Nightingale . It ’ s much more casual . And we love Bacchus . And Tableau — we go there for brunch all the time . Cactus Club is a go-to for casual fine dining . And Homer St . Cafe . For seafood , Joe Fortes . In terms of Asian , we love Bao Bei , Torafuku , Miku . And of course Maenam and Vij ’ s .
Favourite places for a drink Bacchus , because the room is stunning . Nearby is also Yew . Lauren Mote designed the cocktail list there . And we like Notch8 .
Favourite clothing store For me , it ’ s a one-stop shop at Harry Rosen , because everything is there . I also find the service outstanding .
Favourite shoe store I will go everywhere for shoes — Harry Rosen , or the men ’ s department at Nordstrom . There are also some neat boutique shops in Gastown , but please don ’ t ask me the names , because I never remember !
Style mantra Invest in timeless pieces . Invest wisely , in the quality and the tailoring . They will last you forever . Disposable income goes towards the accessories .
Essential tour of Vancouver Stanley Park is a must . And a walk along English Bay . Granville Island is a special place . Deer Lake is a great spot to pack a picnic in the summer . You ’ ll be blown away by Gastown : do a walking tour , get a perspective on the city ’ s history , and grab a cocktail .
Best view of Vancouver Walk the seawall .
28 EssE ntial VancouV er 2017 / 18