Vancouver is Awesome and ZenHouse Media are proud to present the third week’s winners. Go to www.granvilleislandworks.com/contest to check out all the awesome submissions- the contest is going on until Feb. 10th with winners chosen every week, so get your story in soon!
Read on to find out why Susan Declerk, Alison Ma and Anne Taylor won this week’s prizes: an Insider’s Tour of Granville Island, a shopping experience at Edie Hats and a gift bag including rental coupons for Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre!
Grand prize winner of the Insider’s Tour of Granville Island: Susan Declerk.
Her Story: Signs of Spring
"So what are you going to do? It’s been raining in sheets for weeks, true Vancouver style, and you’re feeling shriveled like a prune outside. The layers of gray, wrap you tightly like a shroud, and you’re going further down inside.
But you wake up one day, actually it was last Sunday, and you squint at something quite rare- a shaft of sunlight piercing through your venetian blinds. You emerge, like a hesitant vole from a very long, dark tunnel, blinking at the light. Your hibernation is over and you follow your feet as they trod the familiar paths along the water and under the bridge, dodging traffic and people and dogs, everything suddenly jostling like molecules in motion on its way to Granville Island. Even the seagulls bid a raucous welcome, and little kids tug towards their very own places they remembered from the days before the winter dark descended. Into the market first, the impossibly perfect pyramid fruit piles, the mingled aromas of a United Nations of gustatory offerings, and booths selling soaps and ceramics and everything in between.
You are delightfully jammed and flow with the crowd carried along outside to the square where the guitar player plucks some mellow tunes and a giant trimaran floats by under the next bridge. People sit and talk, but mostly angle to that timid late winter sun, soaking in those first rays, breathing in that first promise that spring really will return again. You are part of the bustle and your dark mood falls away, as strangers smile in that gathering place. Even knowing no-one, and speaking no words, you feel part of something that pulses with life and you, too, smile sharing that moment with those around you, feeling that that anything and everything is possible."
Second place winner of the Edie Hats shopping experience: Alison Ma
Her story: a happy reunion
"In March 2009, I had the opportunity to live in Vancouver for 2 months. I remember before arriving, my friends told me I had to check out "Granville Island". On my first day in Vancouver, my local friend rented a car and brought me there. It was fantastic. From frequenting the Halifax Farmer's Market, I was thrilled to find a farmer's market that was vibrant, tasty, warm and beautiful on the other side of the country.
For the next 9 weeks of living in Vancouver, I went to Granville Island at least two times a week. Once during the week with a community group I was working with, and another time over the weekend to just browse, pick up some fruits and veg, stare at the endless array of pastries/chocolates/fresh pastas/meats/arts and crafts/jams and honeys etc
A year after my time in Vancouver, I returned as part of a reunion of 4 of my closest girlfriends that I grew up with. We hadn't been in one place at the same time for nearly 4 years due to school/work/life adventures, and we decided our reunion spot would be Granville Island. I will always remember that moment, I soaked it in with every thread of my body - the warm hugs of friends who know and love you, the awesome pastry in my hand, and the background music of the performers. We ended up picking up groceries for dinner and made a lovely meal to celebrate my belated birthday. I have a photo of our reunion on my desktop and it brings a smile every time."
Third place winner of the Granville Island goody bag including Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre rental coupons: Anne Taylor
Her story: Saturday morning
I love Granville Island early on a sunny Saturday morning. I like to ride my bike over the Burrard bridge. I go by the eagle nest to see what they are up to, then head to The Blue Parrot and get coffee in a mug. I sit outside and enjoy the water view. Even if the market is busy inside, outside it is calm and peaceful. Then I get a freshly made bagel, whatever fruits/veggies look good and ride home. Great way to spend a Saturday morning!
... Stories of Granville Island history, true love and really cool high school projects. This week’s decisions were tough! Looking forward to collecting more great stories and giving away more amazing prizes from Island businesses! Visit us at www.granvilleislandworks.com/contest, or see ya ‘round the Island.
