49th Parallel Coffee

Meticulous comes to mind after having a coffee at 49th Parallel Coffee. This is serious coffee where attention to detail is everything.

49th Parallel Coffee was born out of Caffe Artigiano. In the late nineties, Vince Piccolo established the upscale Caffe Artigiano in downtown Vancouver. It was wildly successful and expanded to five stores and a staff of over 100. Around 2004 Piccolo opened a roasting facility in Burnaby so he could roast his own beans. The same year he sold the coffee shops and Artigiano's expansion continued. Meanwhile Mr Piccolo concentrated on roasting beans and then selling them to coffee shops like Artigiano.







In 2008 49th Parallel opened its first store in Kits and a few years later entered trendy Main Street with another. The store on Main is a delight; lots of seating, including long tables, more intimate settings and some comfy chairs near the back. And while the decor is great, its the coffee that blows one away.



The espresso drinks are made with an obstinate care. Beans are ground and weighed. Temperature and time are constantly measured. The shot is pulled and, if it doesn't meet a certain weight, it is set aside, as was my first espresso. "Not really up to our standards" said the pleasant young man pulling the shots. "I'll make another for you right away."

Presentation is impressive. Espresso drinks are served on wooden boards, with indentations in the wood for cup, spoon and water. Impressive indeed.

The coffee is superb. Creamy, rich and delirious in chocolate tones. I had to have another, this time from a different bean; again it was delightful, with hints of nuts and smoke.

An important sideline, though it's hardly secondary, would be the high end donuts crafted in-house. Could this be the best coffee place on earth?

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2014.

The Nectar Trail in Vancouver

In cities many bees have been pushed out of their natural habitat by urban development. The remaining bees end up living in "islands" within the city: meadows, naturalised parks and community gardens. They then have to move between these "islands" through trails of green space in which they feel comfortable. This is not easy.





Last year, a group called the Environmental Youth Alliance, partnering with the City of Vancouver, and local residents and schools, began to develop a plan to facilitate habitat for pollinators, and The Nectar Trail is happening in our neighbourhood with a corridor linking VanDusen Gardens to Queen Elizabeth Park.

On our regular walks the past year to VanDusen we've noticed a wild space of flowers along West 37th Avenue, near Oak Meadows Park, along with something called the Insect Hotel (a telephone booth re-used). Along with the off-leash area for dogs and a popular playing field, the park has been naturalised to the benefit of not just bees, but other wildlife too. One night we watched as two young owls learned to hunt.








The Nectar Trail project only began last year, though much advance work was needed to bring it to life. It is a fantastic example of what can happen when great ideas and good people come together for an even greater common good.

Photos by Jim Murray.
Copyright 2014.