Monet to Dali, Billie Goat to Cleveland

On Saturday, I visited the Vancouver Art Gallery exhibit, Monet to Dali, for the second time. A repeat visit indicates how much I liked this exhibition. Monet to Dali is a quick way to get caught up on art history and key pieces of European art. The exhibit includes pieces from Monet, Cézanne, van Gogh, Picasso and Dali to name a few.

Vancouver Art Gallery

My favorite painting in the collection is a landscape by Monet. The most surprising aspect of this exhibit is found on each plaque describing a painting or a sculpture. The description for each piece includes:

Collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

I'm not sure about you, but I have certainly never known that Cleveland has such a rich collection of European works of art. Based on the merits of its Art Museum, I have added Cleveland to my lists of places to visit.

Azia

One of the greatest ways to travel the world without leaving home is via food. Vancouver is a great city for experiencing international cuisine right in your own backyard. On Friday, I checked out Azia, a pan Asian restaurant in Downtown. The restaurant is squeezed in on a block of Smithe Street between the Paramount Cinema and Earls. In many ways Azia reminds me of Earls and similar chains. It's sleek and polished, food offering is vast and unfocused, decor is cosmopolitan and modern and ambiance is upscale yet casual.

Azia: Prawn tempura

One thing about Azia that does stand out is food presentation. Extra touches are added in the presentation of each dish. Another neat aspect, which makes Azia more unique than other restaurants, is a rather interesting and varied collection of serving plates. The pattern and shape of each plate is unique and intriguing. For people that like for their portions to be sizeable, Azia will disappoint. The portions are small and pricey. The food is delicious. Azia is the answer to one's dilemma when a light meal is in order but the Thai versus Japanese battle ends in a tie.