Exploring Vancouver: Finch's Tea and Coffee House

Let me introduce you all to one of my new favourite places in all of Downtown Vancouver. Last wednesday I had my Unlimited 2 exam (basically my final for the unit/semester of school I've been doing since just before christmas holiday), and when I walked out of it with the full confidence that I had totally nailed it, me and my model (and dear friend) Alyssa decided to walk up to one of our favourite Cafés - Café Medina - for a late lunch in celebration to only find out it was closed. So we decided to walk and came across Finch's, a place Alyssa had been before and loved, so in we went.

I'm going to start off by saying that I am such a sucker for a place that has a rustic, cute sort of character to it. But come on, how awesome is this place?!? Anyways, we walked in and I instantly knew that I was going to love this place. And we went up to find an diverse menu of delicious sounding baguettes and sandwiches, along with cheese plates and an array of different teas, coffees and bottled/canned italian juices. 

After spending a time long enough to make the girl who worked there laugh, we decided what we wanted and I took a seat on a platform that had been risen up with one lonely table on it next to a china cabinet and a large window so we could feel the warmth of Vancouver's rare sunshine whilst Alyssa went to go fetch us some water. Now here is the next reason I love this place - not only did they have water, they had lemon water. Oh but not just lemon water, they had cucumber water as well. Now this may sound silly, but cucumber water is probably one of my most favourite things in the entire world. 

Now as if this place was just trying to make me love it even more, the soy London Fog I ordered came first, only for me to discover that they used the same type of tea bag's that I use at home. Twinning's Earl Grey Tea is one of my absolute favourites (so much that I bought a box of 50 tea bags, might I add), so you can only imagine my inner excitement - especially after having cucumber water.

Nails // Essie's Absolutely Shore

Sweater // Garage
Lips // Revlon's ColorBurst Matte Balm (I can't remember which colour - oops!) 

Then half way through my latte and in the midst of two girlfriends catching up, our food arrived. Me still buzzing (and exhausted) from my successful exam strayed from my current (extremely strict) "diet" I have been on and decided that when in rome, do as the romans do - so I got a baguette. Even though there was a tummy ache later that evening, let me tell you, it was totally worth it. Alyssa got one called "The Vegetarian" which was stuffed with veggies and cheddar cheese, where as I went with what any current olive-obsessed individual (like I am right now) would get and went with the Baked Brie and Olive. Now I must admit, Alyssa's was definitely more aesthetically pleasing (basically it was the most beautifully scrumptiously looking thing ever), she had a bit of difficulty eating it and had to enlist the help of a fork to be able to keep everything in. Mine on the other hand, hit the spot and was exactly what I wanted after the stress and prep work of this exam was lifted of my shoulders. 

This place had checked off all of my checks and totally surpassed my expectations, but it was what happened as we were eating that made me love this place without any doubt. In the midst of our meal, a homeless man came in and walked up to the counter. The girls behind the counter recognized him and started conversation as one of them went into the back, and he drank a glass of water. Then, the girl who went to the back reappeared out front again with a bag of recyclables and a sandwich that she handed the man. He thanked them and then left. 

For those of you who don't know, homelessness is a huge problem here in Vancouver, and it's also something very close in my heart. Nothing saddens me more then seeing the homeless on the street begging for change, food, or anything, and I will always give people whatever I can when I see them. So to see a place go out of their way to help the homeless gave me such an appreciation for them that I can't even describe.

But after we finished eating and spent some much needed time catching up, we parted Finch's and walked in the sunshine back to my car to head out of Downtown and back home. I am so thankful that Alyssa has shown me this place, and can definitely see myself coming back in the near future. It just seems to me an ideal place to study or read or just chill. 

Do any of you have any recommendations on places to go in Vancouver?

xoxo,