Photo of Geoff Peters (piano), Jason Cho (bass), and Evan Arntzen (saxophone) performing at Charisse Baker‘s art opening at the Autumn Brook Gallery in Vancouver on Thursday Nov. 15th 2007.

Calhoun’s Cafe and Catering (web site, 3035 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, phone 604-731-7062) is a popular hangout and studying place for UBC students that is open 24 hours. They have a good selection of ready-to-eat entrees as well as delicious made-to-order sandwiches, alcoholic beverages, ice cream, cakes, and gourmet coffees. They have free wireless internet access, as well as live music several nights a week. Calhoun’s recently installed wide screen televisions that are tuned to the sports channels.

I usually order a shrimp and avocado sandwich ($6.50, pictured below); it’s huge, and is served with freshly baked sourdough bread and lots of toppings. (They do all their own baking at Calhoun’s and the quality of the bread is really evident.)

The Penny Farthing Pub (web site, 2228 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria BC, phone 250-370-9008) is an olde-English style pub located in the Oak Bay area of Victoria. The word from my compatriots is that the beer and wine and other drinks at this pub are mighty fine. However I felt like indulging in some culinary fare, and went for a dish of their steamed mussels (pictured below, $12.00). They have mussels with a Strongbow cider sauce, or some with a mango curry sauce. I tried the curry ones, and boy were they delicious. I asked my fine server what locale the mussels hail’d from, and she replied that they are fresh from Quadra Island. Now that is why they are so good! They were big, juicy, and really just melted in my mouth. And that curry sauce was so tasty that I just slurped some of it up after all the mussels had gone. If you’re in Victoria be sure to stop by this venerable watering hole!