Quote:
Originally Posted by 6793026
I've been there 3 times this yr and I visit there every year for the last 6 years and it's not for work. My X was from Calgary, lives in downtown core, relatives own two restaurants and pubs in downtown and all my buddies are there.
No one walks on the street in downtown as everyone is on the +15s cause it's so mofo cold. Just like how people don't normally walk in downtown Toronto as they use the underground.
You guys are right 17th ave is "hip" (as they named it the RED strip) but it's like our poor man's version of commercial drive. Yes, you do have the "awesome" Analog Coffee house, Tubby Dog (western version of Japadog) etc.
You know how you can walk down Robson on Sat and Sunday here with people everywhere, well it's pretty much a dead city in downtown in Calgary.
I don't know you but I host 10+ out of town guests from Calgary each year and they are blown away with our Yaletown, Gastown, Downtown, Davie street and Denman. I have yet to see someone from Vancouver saying they MISS and LOVE the vibrant 17 ave.
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Don't listen to this guy. He has no idea what is he talking about. Commercial Drive is NOTHING like 17th, and, frankly, 17th ave is just as lively and vibrant as anything Vancouver has to offer. Not saying one is better than the other, but there's definitely plenty there. Also, aside from tourists and out-of-towners, nobody calls it the Red MILE, it's just 17th Ave.
Tubby Dog and Japadog have nothing in common, aside from the fact that they both serve hot dogs.
The only thing he's right about is that most of the downtown core is pretty bland, especially on weekends. Exception: shopping areas have some life, like Stephen Ave and TD Square.
However, you can leave downtown and hit a lot of places that are close by (aside from 17th). There's Chinook Centre, which is a massive shopping mall, there's Kensington, Inglewood (which IMO is the closer approximation to Commercial), etc. etc.