Man, it’s hot outside. Seriously, this sweltering weather is freaky for Vancouver. The heat wave sloshing across British Columbia broke 64 temperature records last weekend and shows no sign of easing. The humidex in the Lower Mainland is 40 to 50 per cent higher than normal.
Torontonians might scoff. Only 30 C? Babies! But we’re not equipped to deal with this steamy stew. Nobody in Vancouver has air conditioning. Most homes don’t even have fans.
For everyone out there baking in their own juices, here are some chill ideas for cooling down.
Light The Night
Smoke across the water while firing up the sky in a glowing-neon aquatic parade. Choose from a stand-up paddleboard or kayak fitted with waterproof floodlights on the underside. Tours depart from Granville Island just before sunset every Friday and Saturday night.
Crash the Pan Pacific Hotel Pool
Vancouver doesn’t have any public poolside bars, at least not until Drai’s Pool Bar Nightclub opens in the Trump Tower.
For those who find the public community pools a tad too déclassé, there is an alternative. Spa Utopia in the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel offers its clients free access to the 8th floor salt water pool and sundeck. A day in the waterfront paradise can be yours for the price of a pedicure.
Brew A Cold Coffee Cocktail
Wendy McGuinness is one of several local mixologists creating caffeinated cocktails with cold brew coffee. At Chambar, she’s been featuring Monk’s Breakfast, an patio pick-me-up spiked with green chartreuse, Giffard apricot brandy and Forty Ninth Parallel Old School Espresso Cold Brew. And when she moves to Royal Dinette next week, she’ll have her very own Elysian cold brew draught system for making coffee floats and boozy libations. Sounds like the perfect tonic for a bad case of early summer sluggishness.
Chug Craft Beer Ice Cream
Like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese, we can’t think of a more classic, long awaited coupling than craft beer and gourmet ice cream. Earnest Ice Cream makes its 33 Acres of Malt with fresh wort from 33 Acres Brewing Company. Earnest describes the frozen treat as “creamy, warm and light, like the centre of Malteser.” We say hit with us a double scoop, please.
Escape to the Ice Age
Desperate for a cold blast of air conditioning? You could visit a library or a community centre, as the City of Vancouver recommends. Or you could hit a mall. Aberdeen Centre, one of the coolest Asian shopping experiences in Canada, has brought Ice Age Giants back for a second summer run. The 3-D displays and furry woolly mammoths aren’t just for kids. Especially not when it gives you a chance to shop at the $2 Daiso store and dine in the world-renowned food court, which offers some of Richmond’s best deals on dumplings and green-tea frappes.
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Did we miss any ways to stay cool during this Vancouver heatwave? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below, or tweet us @ViewtheVibe.
