By comparison, the 2200-to-2700-block stretch of East Hastings Street that provides the energy and lifeblood of Hastings-Sunrise appears a bit less colourful, a bit less hip, and a lot less relaxed. The headlong and relentless commuter traffic on the street here discourages—and probably always will—the insouciant, traffic-stopping mid-Drive saunter. And there is no park like Grandview to anchor the street's activities and serve as a meeting place for families, sun lovers, and unlicensed retailers.

But things are changing…

From just west of Nanaimo Street eastward to Renfrew Street and the PNE, there are now scads of potential stops for food lovers of all stripes, a major constituent of the Drive's flâneurs. If you count restaurants, coffeehouses, delis, ethnic groceries, and small “supermarkets” that offer takeout barbecue and mini Chinese buffets, there are an astonishing 58 such establishments—about 10 per block—with three new restaurants due to open soon. Of these, only four belong to national or international chains. (And the introduction of Subway and Starbucks to the area didn't engender the angst and outrage that the same two did on the Drive; perhaps the residents of Hastings-Sunrise are a little more tolerant, realistic, or even fatalistic. But it must be said that a Kentucky Fried franchise did go under there.)

It should also be pointed out that situated now on the Rise—a name Tom Snyders has coined to reflect the west-to-east jump in elevation within those six blocks—are the types of organizations normally associated with hip, politically aware neighbourhoods, which usually translates into cheap rents. However, the Drive, with its relentless gentrification and increasing popularity, has seen increases in property values, taxes, and lease costs. Maybe that's why in the 2600-block of East Hastings alone there are offices for Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture, Vancouver Status of Women, and the brand-new Pomegranate Community Midwives. Just up the street is CoDevelopment Canada, the Institute of Social Services for Workers, and—perhaps most tellingly—the second chapter of that chaotic closet of a Drive institution: Beckwoman's.

The Rise is also ground zero for mainstreeting politicians during all three levels of elections, especially by NDP, Green, and COPE hopefuls. And another staple of the Drive, the poster-plastered street lamps and telephone poles advertising the latest antiwar, anti- imperialist, anti–B.C. Liberal, or pro-bicycle rally, has become more and more apparent in recent years. The familiar Rape Relief fundraisers, a fixture on Commercial, find fertile ground across from the Rise's credit union, and the street has homeopaths, naturopaths, psychics, and acupuncture and chiropractic practitioners.

Two new condo developments bookend the Rise and will put more feet on the street, which is good news for small businesses, the heart of the local retail trade, which shows a fair representation from the same Italian community that thrived as the soul of the Drive. Lots of Chinese and Vietnamese shops and restaurants dot the avenue as well, along with a fair smattering of Malaysian, Japanese, Central American, Thai, Polish, and Mediterranean sitdowns and takeouts. There are four bakeries on one block alone, and the Rise has some curious hybrid creatures, probably a result of lease-sharing deals. Thus you get the bakery/ eyewear outlet called Cake Master/?Eye Contacts and a combination picture-framing/Japanese-antiques emporium. At the top of the Rise is a store that sells nothing but toilet paper, still in business after more than a year and confounding skeptics who predicted a quick demise.

That a fair number of small businesses regularly close their doors here probably reflects poor business plans more than anything. It's all about location, and increased foot traffic because of the addition of one or two scattered shopper magnets like drugstores, video outlets, and maybe a pub some day should encourage family shops and more people. There never is a shortage of entrepreneurs willing to reopen those dark doors, after all.

And maybe one day people will make the Rise the same sort of beloved destination as they do the Drive on those sunny weekend afternoons. There will be more than enough people to go around by then.

Just curb your dog, please, and get a bell for your bike.

Most Fearless and Frightening Roller coasters

When the makers of Final Destination 3 chose to focus their latest death-cheating teen screamer around an averted roller-coaster disaster, locations were limited. A source on the set says no other theme park in North America was willing to let its coaster be used for the horrific death sequence—for fear of negative associations—but Playland at the PNE let its Corkscrew ride be the basis for what CGI effects expanded into the megacoaster seen in the film. More frightening to many is the Coaster, the 1958 ride that enthusiasts consistently rank in the top 20 wooden coasters in North America.

Best Place To Walk On Your Stomach

From Semlin to Renfrew, East Hastings is a food enthusiast's mecca. The ever-expanding Donald's Market brings shoppers in from Strathcona to Burnaby, Old World delis like Bianca Maria offer treats like three sizes of bulk bocconcini, and carnivores can choose between lucky, friendly, and organic meat (Ugo and Joe's Lucky Meats, Rio Friendly Meats, and the Wheelhouse Seafood store, which stocks organic bison and other beasts with its fresh fish). But don't shop hungry: fine ph? at Lê Dô, pasta at Felicia's, and meals at any of the other 40 or so affordable neighbourhood restaurants will keep your eyes and stomach in step for stocking up.

(One of the) best things about Hastings Sunrise

Parks

Despite all the past NPA versus COPE, Jell-O versus crème brûlée, rhetoric about the East Side of Vancouver getting screwed versus the West Side when it comes to green space, Hastings Sunrise—which roughly encompasses the area bounded by Nanaimo Street to the west, Boundary Street to the east, the waterfront up north, and East Broadway to the south—is only surpassed by one Vancouver neighbourhood, Downtown, when it comes to its number of parks. Hastings Sunrise has 16, tied with Kitsilano, while Downtown has 21. However, many of those downtown, as welcome and essential as they are, are relatively little-used postage-stamp parks. Soccer moms and dads rule here.

Best Place To Pick Up James Bond's Couch (With A Side Of Philosophy)

For years, Mama's Furniture Gallery has been an area fixture at several spots on Hastings. (It's moving again from near Slocan to Lakewood soon.) Marchello Bruno's shop is a gumbo of unpredictable pieces packed inside and spilling out onto the sidewalk, a mix of castoffs and treasures for adventurous shoppers and film-set decorators alike. From recent patio chairs to '40s dressers to swinging-'60s sectionals with swivelling bars built in (perfect for shaken martinis), the stock at Mama's is as unique as Bruno himself, whose quirky philosophy leads him to prefer no publicity (including this piece) and favour the hope inherent in “the invisibles” all around us.

Best Contrast In Retro Restaurants

The first of three built-from-scratch Frenchie's Diners (the first, at 2546 East Hastings, is now called Kellie's Diner) is a pastel-pink-and-blue kitschy vision of the '50s diner as seen on TV, complete with too-loud hits of the '50s to '70s and paintings of roller-skating waitresses. By contrast, the newly reopened Roundel Café is 42 years old, with new husband-and-wife owners (and long-time area residents) Mick and Dena preserving continuity by keeping the name, the booths, and the counter while upgrading the paint. Starting with breakfasts and lunches, their “modern café” menu features many fresh salads, but you can still get milk shakes made on their vintage machine.

Best Gift To The Dying

Vancouver has long had a shortage of hospice spaces for the terminally ill, with only 28 existing today. When the St. James Community Service Society proposed converting an old arts-and-crafts building in Burrard View Park—built as a girls' reform school—it drew widespread support, including financial, from many area residents. Opened in 1999, the beautiful structure offers individual rooms for 10 lower-income individuals to live out their remaining time in peaceful surroundings with 24-hour care, unlimited visiting hours, and a homey atmosphere. With a beautiful view across the inlet, in a quiet area, this could be the best expression of compassion money can't buy.

Most Affordable Alternative To Point Grey

One of the most attractive features of Point Grey is the view across Burrard Inlet from houses along Point Grey Road. But with average house prices hovering around $1 million, few can afford such a perch. For those willing to have a few industrial elements in their waterfront view, Wall Street in the Hastings-Sunrise area might be the next best thing; its houses average just half that price. Expect to pay more for a view in either area, but Wall's diversity of dwelling styles and sizes, and its proximity to Hastings Park, make it an attractive alternative.

Article originally appeared here: http://www.straight.com/neighborhoods-hastings-sunrise