Throughout the year, Granville Island Brewing releases a variety of seasonal brews for beer fans to enjoy, such as the Rogers Chocolate Stout, the Raspberry Wheat, and the Ginger Beer. Yesterday, they had a party to celebrate the release of this year’s Ginger Beer, and I was invited to attend.

Photo by Yang Ji Hye

I found out about this party through a website called Meetup.com. If you’re not familiar with Meetup.com, it’s a site where you can find a group for just about any interest or topic imaginable. You can choose to join some groups that interest you, and then the fun starts. At least once a month, almost every group will have what is called a meetup where you have a chance to meet new people with similar interests in different locations. Yesterday, it was time for The Vancouver Beer Meetup Group‘s meetup, and the event was the Ginger Beer party held at Granville Island Brewing on Granville Island.

There were more people there than expected. The meetup said it had space for just 25 people, but there must have been at least 50 people there. There were times when it was difficult to get to the bar to order another beer. That wasn’t so bad, though, because the people there were really easy to talk to, and I found myself getting into multiple conversations on my way to get my next beer.

Our group took over most of the space

The Ginger Beer did not disappoint. It wasn’t my favorite beer of all time, that’s for certain, but I still enjoyed it. It had a nice crisp taste, and was so light. I joked with some people saying that it tasted as though someone had mixed a can of gingerale with a lager. It actually did taste a bit like that, but better, of course.

Anyway, it was a really good party, and I was able to meet several new people. I even went out with a small group from the party to Dockside Pub after that so we could enjoy even more craft beer. I guess I drank a bit too much there, though, because I don’t remember going home.

First of all, I would like to say that I am a consistent tipper, tipping around 15% every time I go out to a restaurant, and I go out to eat at least once a day. So I’m not cheap, but I have some very negative opinions about tipping, as you’re about to find out.

Not that long ago, I went out to get a massage at a local spa. It’s not something I often do, because it is kind of expensive, but it was a special occasion, so I decided to go for it. I chose a package that included a foot massage and full body massage for $80.

Well, the massage was great, and one of the best I had ever had. However, when I went to pay for it, I came across something that pretty well put all the tension right back inside me. The cost including GST was $84, and I clicked OK when I saw that price on the debit machine, but on the next screen, it said TIP, asking me how much I wanted to tip in either dollars or percent. What? I couldn’t believe it. I asked the cashier if they were really serious about expecting tips there.

“Aren’t you already making enough money by charging me $80 for a 90 minute massage package?” I asked her.

She answered, “Well, it’s just like at a restaurant. People usually pay around 15 or 20%”

I was so annoyed, but I went ahead and paid an additional 15%, which brought my total to $96. I also vowed to myself that I wouldn’t get a massage again for a long, long time.

For many years, I have been wondering about the tipping system in this country. I know it’s been around for a long time, and there are other countries that have a tipping system (not nearly as bad as here and the United States, though), but that just makes me wonder even more: why has such a stupid, disorganized, and confusing way of paying people money been around for so long?

Tipping is basically the customer paying part of the employees salary

When you think about it, nothing about tipping makes any sense to the customer. Even though the restaurant or other business is in place to serve or provide a service to the customer, the customer is the big loser when it comes to tipping. The winners are:

• The employee can get extra money for nothing except doing her job the way she is supposed to do it
• The employer can pay less money to the employee because the customer is paying part of the salary

If that sounds like something that makes sense to you, and like a good setup for customer-to-business money exchange, then I have to wonder what kind of brain you have. A system that makes it standard for a customer to pay part of the employees salary, while the employer exploits that fact, is a seriously messed up system in need of a fix.

Have you ever worked at a restaurant?

When the big debate about tipping comes up, you will always hear some people ask, “Have you ever worked at a restaurant?” in an attempt to dodge the real issue. When someone asks that question, that person has usually worked at a restaurant before or knows somebody who has, and they think that it is hard work, so they deserve to get tips. Well, you know what? Cleaning toilets all day is hard work, too, and much dirtier than working at a restaurant. Do they get tips? Nope. How about cashiers at supermarkets? McDonald’s and Tim Hortons employees? I could come up with a lot of different jobs that are difficult. Why do some people deserve tips and not others? Should everybody get tips?

Actually, I’ve gotten pretty tired of hearing from people who work at restaurants about how much they need their tips. Topping their list of reasons are:

• They don’t make enough money without tips, and it’s expensive to live in this city
• They work really hard, so they deserve to get tips.

So you’re carrying food and drinks to people’s tables, taking orders, and socializing with the customers. Yeah, it sounds like it can be hard at times, but isn’t that what you’re getting paid to do in the first place? If it were easy, it wouldn’t be called work.

My girlfriend used to work at the first-class Marriott Hotel restaurant in Nagoya, Japan. Well, in case you haven’t heard, there is no tipping system in Japan, so she didn’t get any tips, and she was required to walk around the whole restaurant non-stop (they don’t get assigned tables there) for $10/hour. This is the normal way of working in Japan, and the level of service is exceptional, despite the fact that nobody gets tips.

Who is going to complain about getting tips?

If you are a person who is working at a restaurant or in an industry in which you are a receiver of some tips, then your opinion about the tipping system probably doesn’t have much value, especially if you’re an advocate of it. Of course, you are not going to say anything bad about getting extra money. I work as a Web Developer, and I don’t get any tips for my kind of work, of course, but if I did get something extra from a customer, I sure wouldn’t be complaining about it. I wouldn’t be saying, “Hey, I got an extra 20% for that job; I’m so pissed off!” Because of that bias, it should be obvious that, when it comes to debates about tipping, the opinions of an independent, disinterested person should carry quite a lot more weight than those of a person who relies on tips as part of their income.

TIPS are for service?

I have found a number of explanations for what TIPS is actually supposed to stand for. Some of them are:

• To Insure Proper Service
• To Insure Prompt Service
• To Improve Professional Service

Well, whatever the original meaning, I always thought tips were supposed to be a reward for really good service, and I think that’s what most people think today. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work out that way in practice. In Vancouver, it seems that service doesn’t have to be very good in order for the employees to get the same amount of tips over and over. Even I feel like I always have to tip at a restaurant as some sort of social or moral rule, even when the service is just so-so.

But wait a minute: I thought the high prices that we pay at restaurants were supposed to cover the cost of service. Isn’t that why I pay $5.95 for a bowl of edamame (boiled green soybeans) when I could have gotten a whole bag of it at a supermarket for around $3? Isn’t that why a steak dinner costs $30, and a pint of beer can sometimes cost more than $7? What are we paying these prices for if it isn’t for the service?

The tipping system makes prices misleading

Tipping is another way in which a business can mislead customers into thinking something is cheaper than it actually is. Come on, let’s face it: even though tipping is “supposed” to be given as a reward for good service, most people are going to tip anyway, regardless of service (unless it’s super bad, but then some people will still tip a little). Service is usually acceptable enough almost anywhere to get the 15%,  so the restaurant is, more often than not, going to get it. That means that the restaurant is misleading customers about their prices, kind of in the same way that cell phone companies mislead customers by not including the $6.95 system access fee in the package price. It’s a form of deception, pure and simple.

Tipping makes things much more complicated

For most things in this world, simpler is usually better, and tipping makes things a lot more complicated than they need to be. For one thing, how are you supposed to know who and who not to tip? Some websites try to give you some insight into how to handle a variety of tipping situations, such as how to tip your maid, gardener, UPS delivery person, apartment building handyman, hairstylist, garbage collector, and pretty well everyone else. One website, Tipping Etiquette Guide, has such a large list of people whom you are supposedly supposed to tip and so many details about how to do it, you might wonder if you should take a college course to learn about it.

Another way it makes things more complicated is when you are required to do mathematics to figure out out how much tip you owe on your bill at the end of the night. This is often after hours of drinking when you just want to go home and go to bed. Then it gets many times more complicated when your server decides to put everybody on the same bill (seems to be the default in this city), and then you have to work out on paper who had what, how much tax they owe, and then how much tip to pay. I get a kick out of a server who puts everything on one bill and then includes the mandatory tip for large size groups, but then you have to break it all down and work it out yourself anyway.

If only things could be more simple

Almost every day, when I see the way our tipping customs have gotten out of control and should never have been there to begin with, I like to imagine how things would be in this country without it. Can you imagine going to a restaurant, enjoying your night, and then just paying your bill at the end of the night for the things you purchased? What a concept! Imagine going to a spa, enjoying your massage, and then paying the bill without being confused by a prompt to pay an extra 15-20%. How about going to Starbucks and not having a tips container stuck in your face trying to make you feel that paying more than 2 dollars for a coffee wasn’t enough, and that you should give the employees some extra money, too. There are enough panhandlers in this city already without having to see coffee shops using the same tactics.

Much simpler and better would be not having to worry about if, how, when, and how much you should pay someone extra money from your own pocket, even though he is already getting paid for doing that job. Simpler would be adding the 15% tip that people seem to need so badly to the cost of the product, instead of having the customers work it out themselves and pretend that it was because you worked so hard. Wouldn’t that be a lot better?

Conclusion

Now you know some of my thoughts about the tipping system; hopefully, I was able to make a good case against it. I’m pretty sure most of you will agree with this article, as you have sometimes thought about these things yourself, but some of you will also be a little annoyed by it (for reasons already mentioned).

In conclusion, I would just like to say that, even though I don’t like the tipping system that is embedded in our culture and have no doubt that it needs to go, I still have the highest respect for anyone who works in the restaurant field and does a good job at it. They probably do need to be paid more money, but it shouldn’t be from the customer’s pocket–the employer should pay for his employee. As for my experience at the spa, which motivated me to write this article in the first place, that’s something that I can’t have any respect for. A place that is already charging a fortune for a service should not be pressuring people into giving tips at the cash register. That’s just plain wrong.

I remember they had this giveaway last year, and I was skeptical at first when I heard that Denny’s was offering their Grand Slam breakfast for free, so when I went there with my girlfriend and sat down, I was expecting some kind of a catch. To my surprise and delight, however, there was none — you don’t have to buy anything, and you are not limited by table (if you go to Denny’s with 6 people, all 6 will get a Grand Slam).

Today, Denny’s is doing it again. If you go to any participating Denny’s restaurant today, between 6:00 am and 2:00 pm, all you have to do is sit down and ask for the free Grand Slam. Of course, you shouldn’t be a total cheapskate. How about at least ordering a coffee, as well, instead of just asking for a free water to go with your free breakfast.

This is what you get... for FREE!

A few days ago, I decided to head out of downtown to check out what all the fuss was about surrounding the new Olympic Line streetcar.

In case you’re not familiar with what this streetcar is all about, I’ll give you a bit of information. It is basically some kind of demonstration project that aims to extend the transit system during the Olympics, mainly between the Olympic Village Canada Line Station and Granville Island. I was surprised to hear that the streetcar is on loan from Brussels, Belgium. It is free to use now, and will continue to be free during the Olympics and until March 21, 2010.

To get on the streetcar, I first got on the Canada Line in Yaletown and got off at the Olympic Village Station. It was very easy to find the Olympic Line streetcar stop right behind the Canada Line station exit. People were already beginning to gather around the stop, waiting for the streetcar to arrive from the Granville Island stop. I didn’t have to wait too long.

The sign at the Olympic Village stop

Inside the streetcar. It's quite narrow.

The streetcar runs very quiet, and looks like a train on the inside, except it is quite narrow, with single seats facing toward the middle on either side, and hand straps for people to hold onto. I can imagine people will be packed into this thing like sardines during the Olympics.

It took less than 10 minutes to get to Granville Island. It was actually quite a relaxing ride.

The Granville Island stop

From the Granville Island stop, it then just takes a few minutes to walk into the Granville Island area. You’ll walk under the bridge, the same way as when you go by car or get off the bus and walk in.

Walking from the streetcar stop to Granville Island

Some possible future routes and stops for these streetcars include many key areas of downtown, including Waterfront Station, Stanley Park, and Yaletown.

From the City of Vancouver website

For more information about the streetcar demonstration project and proposed future routes, I recommend checking out the following links on the City of Vancouver website:

• http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/streetcar/index.htm
• http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/gettingaround/publictransit/olympic-line/

I’m often complaining about things that I see people doing around the city. Whether it be someone throwing his cigarette butt on the sidewalk, or some annoying person trying to open the door for you at a 711 so he can bum some money off you on the way out, there seems to be always something out there that starts to get on my nerves after a while. One of those things is the improper use of pedestrian signals at intersection crosswalks.

Now is it really that big a deal to stop and wait until the next light before trying to cross the street? Judging by the behavior of many of the pedestrians in Vancouver, it certainly seems to be. I know I lost track, a long time ago, of people who have started walking across crosswalks at busy intersections while the hand was already flashing, and making stressed out drivers wait longer than they should to make their left or right turn onto that street. Not that long ago, I saw a 30-something year old girl start waking across the street right in front of a car that was making a left turn, forcing him to stop quickly. When the driver tooted his horn (rightly so), instead of hurrying or realizing that she was being stupid, she turned toward the driver and gave him the middle finger.

The signals

The walk signal

This signal means you have the right of way to walk across the crosswalk. All vehicles should yield to you as you are walking, but you should still try to be considerate and not walk like a turtle. Also, don’t forget to exercise caution. If the light has just changed, a car might be trying to speed through a yellow light, and passing by just as you start to take your first step. You just need to pay attention.

The "move your ass if you're not yet across and don't start walking" signal

This is the signal that causes by far the most trouble. The main reason is that a lot of people actually don’t know what they are supposed to do here. Well, this is the way it is supposed to be done. If you have not yet entered the intersection, and the hand starts flashing, you should not enter the intersection, especially if it is busy. Keep in mind that there are drivers on the street who are trying to drive across the same area. Why make life more difficult for drivers by walking across the street when you’re not supposed to?

The "don't walk" signal

And, of course, everyone knows what this means. If you’re still making your way across the street when this is on, and you haven’t started running yet, then you probably deserve to go rolling over someone’s hood.

One more thing I’d like to make note of is a common mistake people make while waiting for the walk signal to come on. I’m talking about the time when there is a short gap in the traffic, and a couple of people perhaps think it’s safe to cross at this moment. Some other people who are waiting, though, and not really paying attention may follow those people into the intersection, and a small flow of people may begin, even though the red hand is still up. I’ve seen this happen so many times, and it’s really dangerous. Often the cars have to stop abruptly to avoid running over these people who had assumed it was safe to walk just because other people were walking. So it’s not always best to follow what other people are doing. Pay attention!

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Every year at around this time, the residents of Metro Vancouver, who are also Shaw cable subscribers, are treated with a special broadcast. It is the 24 hour, 7 day per week video of a bunch of logs burning in a fireplace, formerly known as the Yule Log, and now called the Holiday Fireplace. In this post, I will refer to it as the Yule Log.

Sometimes, when people see the Yule Log for the first time, they might laugh at it a bit and wonder why there would be a channel that just shows logs burning in a fireplace all the time. Since most of the people I have met in Vancouver since I moved here were people from other countries and newcomers, I have seen this kind of reaction a lot. However, it doesn’t take them long to realize that it’s actually quite a nice thing to have, especially during the holidays.

Just as a fireplace can make a huge impact on the overall atmosphere and comfort experienced in your living room, so can the Yule Log. It’s really nice to have it on in the room when you’re relaxing or entertaining guests, and you can even hear the crackling sounds as the wood burns.

The Yule Log on my 42" plasma TV, 2009

Of course, nothing beats a real fireplace. There are also the imitation fireplaces, many of which can also put out a bit of heat. However, if you don’t have a house and/or don’t have the extra money, the Yule Log is a good substitution. It may be “the poor man’s fireplace,” but at least it doesn’t require any maintenance, such as storing and burning wood, and making sure the room doesn’t fill with smoke or catch on fire.

You can enjoy the Yule Log this year on channel 2, as usual. If you have a digital box or PVR, you can also view it in high definition on channel 313.

I first came to Vancouver on March 31, 2003, away from all the baggage of an old life, and with the hope of starting anew. Before that, I had been living in Ottawa for around 5 years, and previous to that,  I had spent most of the first 25 years of my life living in a small town in the most northern reaches of the province of New Brunswick.

To be truthful, I hadn’t even known of the existence of Vancouver until around 20 years ago. Being from the other side of the country, just about anything going on in Vancouver or anywhere in Western Canada had nothing to do with us. When I was that age, I didn’t even care too much about what was going on in the world and didn’t really watch the news much. Of course, I knew about the Vancouver Canucks, but I thought that had something to do with Vancouver Island. Yes, I knew all the capital cities of Canada since around grade 2, and we even sang “The Vancouver Island Song” in Elementary School, but I didn’t really have any awareness of Vancouver, the city.

A few months before I made the big move to Vancouver, I did a lot of research about the best places in the world to live. The top 3 that came up most often at that time were Melbourne and Perth — 2 cities in Australia — and to my surprise, Vancouver. Is it really that good? What is it about Vancouver that makes it so good? I couldn’t find any concrete answers to those questions, but the decision was an easy one: two of those cities required that I get a passport and one did not. So off I went to one of the best cities in the world, Vancouver.

Well, when I arrived in Vancouver on the last day of March, I soon realized that I couldn’t have picked a worse time. I hadn’t heard of the nickname “raincouver” before then, but I would soon learn about Vancouver’s non-stop days of rain first hand. I was staying in a hostel on Seymour Street right next to what I thought was a pretty dangerous area (the area between Gastown and Chinatown), and it was so cold, damp, dark, and rainy every day, I thought, is this what Vancouver is all about?

Three of the first things I noticed in my first few days in the city were: (1) the mountains are so high and beautiful here; (2) you can get pizza for $1.00 per slice (it’s a bit more expensive now, though); and (3) there are so many homeless people and panhandlers here. That third one was the biggest shock of all. I had to wonder if I was still in Canada, and how a country/province/city could allow so many homeless people to infest city streets, and even exist in the first place. But that’s a topic for another article.

Well, it didn’t take me very long to start to appreciate Vancouver for its better qualities. My outlook began to change in the month of May when the sun finally came out. And stayed out! Could this be the same city? Just one month ago, it was raining and chilling to the bone, and now it’s sunny every day, with not even a cloud in the sky. And I started to explore more, and realized that Vancouver is so much more than the 3 block radius around the hostel I had been living in. Downtown Vancouver. Could there possibly be a better downtown anywhere? Surround by the ocean, the gigantic Stanley Park, and mountains towering above in the north. So my great life in Vancouver began.

Almost 7 years later, I feel I am quite knowledgeable about the Vancouver area now. I definitely still have a lot left to learn and experience, especially in the suburbs, but I feel I know enough to start writing a blog about Vancouver. Through the articles in this blog, I will try to share my opinions and experiences, and hopefully initiate discussions about some topics concerning our great city. I’m not sure what it will become or evolve into, but I will try my best to attract and maintain the interest of my fellow Vancouverites.

If anyone reading this is also someone who has relocated to Metro Vancouver from somewhere else, please feel free to share some of your impressions and observations by leaving a comment. Where did you come from? Why did you come here? What were some of your first impressions?