Hi, my name is Soojung Krystal Jo. I came to Vancouver as an international student from Korea, to improve my English and particular, Business English.

I am currently enrolled in the Gastown Business College and for my practicum, I’m working at the Gastown Business Improvement Society as a Marketing Assistant.

Last year, I lived in Powell River for the month of March, attending ESL school. My Japanese friend and I, decided to go on a trip to Vancouver. We visited Gastown to see the Steamclock and took hundreds of pictures. At that time, except for the clock, Gastown wasn’t that interesting for me. In September, I moved to here to go to Business College. 5 months later, that first impression, totally changed. While studying and working in Gastown, I have had plenty of time to visit its many restaurants, pubs, buildings, shops and cafés. After enjoying real life here in Gastown, I have truly fallen in love with this unique and character filled place.

As a student and a big fan of Gastown, let me share with you some of the fantastic places here in the neighbourhood where I love to go to eat, drink and shop on a budget.

Trees Organic

Thanks to my supervisor’s recommendation, I discovered this beautiful café. Our server was really kind, the plating was awesome and the food was perfect. I had the Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheescake and there was a delicious harmony between the tart crust and the cheesecake.

In my opinion, Trees sells the best cheesecake in Vancouver. Prices are reasonable and Chicken Samosas were only $5 with a fresh green salad and special mango sauce.

La Casita

La Casita Gastown is well known for its authentic Mexican specialties & margaritas. One day, my friend and I wanted to try something special that we couldn’t cook ourselves. We decided to go for Mexican food and found ourselves in La Casita.

I ordered A Super Margarita, and it was gigantic enough to share with my friend! The food was awesome as well. They gave us free nachos with guacamole & salsa before we received the main dishes. My friend and I totally enjoyed this place. I will try to come back again for their lunchtime specials. It’s a busy place and a bit crowded, so I recommend making a reservation.

Stussy

Stussy is one of my favorite streetwear brands. The reason I love this brand is because of its unique style and funky branded font. Fortunately, we have one Stussy store in Canada and it’s in Gastown. When you enter the store, you’ll fall in love with the design and merchandising.

They often have sale items up to 30% off. I ended up buying a Blue-Green Ballcap, and it only cost $30 plus tax. You can also get special local items, for example, Limited Edition Vancouver Ballcaps, just in this store.