THE BIG NEWS
Well I’ve been waiting a long time to talk about the big news… so here I go!
On Sunday I received a full-time job offer from the company in Gastown I’ve been interviewing with… and I accepted it. I’ve turned down some really good opportunities in Kelowna and LA to work there… but I know I made the right decision. I start on Monday although my technical start date is March 3rd (so much moving craziness to sort out that I don’t want to interfere with my job). I am so excited. I am happy to have not settled on any level. I’ve worked and traveled with some of the people there before and they are all great. Smart, fun, professional people. I will be a Product Marketing Manager there. I can’t wait to make a big difference.
The other big news… is that I will no longer be living in an old apartment building! That’s right… Allan and I signed a lease on Wednesday for a new 2 bedroom in South Granville/Fairview. It’s only a couple blocks away from where we were living before, and steps from our friends. It’s also close to Granville Island and the Capers Organic Whole Foods Market we go to. We really wanted to stay in the area… it’s so central and close to downtown without having to live in the coldness, crowdedness, and big box apathetic feel that I don’t like about downtown living.
Old Place, Bedroom (Half packed up)
Old Place, Living Room
Old Place, Kitchen
We managed to check off every single piece of criteria we had for an apartment:
- In the South Granville/Fairview area. Close to downtown but not downtown. Check.
- Ground level. (Try dealing with a 9’6″ surfboard in an elevator) Check.
- Brand new. Check.
- Large patio. Check.
- Nicely appointed kitchen with new appliances, especially a dishwasher. Check.
- Big enough bedroom for a king size bed. Check.
- Spacious living room. Check.
- Carpeted. Check.
- 2 bedroom. (2nd bedroom will be the sports room) Check.
- 2 bathrooms. Check.
- En-suite laundry. Check.
- Walk-in closet. Check. (Not as nice as Lindsay‘s though!)
- Included parking and storage locker. Check.
- Gets afternoon sun instead of morning sun.
- Quiet neighbourhood NOT on a busy street with good neighbours. Check.
Best of all… we are moving on Saturday! Yes, it is really soon and so we are spending all day today packing. Craziness. I prefer a swift transition though than dragging it out and waiting. 
Plus I want to get this all settled and sorted out before I start my new job.
I’ll try and get some better pictures of the new place. These were snapped quickly right after we signed the lease.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can decorate it and what sort of furnishings we can use to complete it. I’m thinking it’s going to be west coast style (of course) with themes of our activities and passions. Allan has been living in his apartment for over 3 years and I’ve been living here for about a year and a half. It’s pretty much like a storage locker, there’s so much stuff accumulated over the years. I’m hoping this move will give us a chance to have “our” place together, rather than either mine or his. I’m hoping the interior design will reflect that eventually.
New Place, Kitchen
New Place, Living Room & Patio
New Place, Master Bathroom
New Place, Walk-in Closet
I’ll be posting pictures over time to show how the place evolves. It’s going to be pretty bare bones as we both get adjusted to it and furnish it over time.
So that’s the big news! I’m so excited about moving forward into the next stage of my life. It feels like nothing but sunshine in my life right now
Okay… back to packing!
Tags: 2 bathroom, 2 bedroom, Gastown, lease, moving, new job, packing, Product Marketing Manager, rentals, west coast style
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February 20th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Gorgeous place! I love the bathroom – so lovely. Congratulations to you and Allan on your new home.
February 20th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Congrats on the job and the new place! Exciting stuff!
February 20th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Congrats on the new place and the job!!!!
Have fun packing and glad to see you’re in ur happy place right now 
February 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Hey Allie,
What kind of fish do you have? Fish tank moving is epic!!
New home, new job = new chapter in life. Happy to hear it, congrats!
February 20th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Congrats on the new chapter in your life, new place, new job.. I love the new kitchen
February 20th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Congrats to you both! The new place looks very nice. I hope your new job is awesome!
February 20th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Congrats, Allie and Allan! The new place looks SUPER nice and the new job sounds great as well! Glad to hear everything is moving forward at full speed.
Take care,
Adrian
February 20th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Congrats on both the new job and new apartment! I love that area of Vancouver. So nice to hear good-news stories after all the layoff news, etc. w00t!
February 20th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Double-Major-Congratulations of the high order! I’m glad that you’ve found a great job without having to leave Vancouver, and it sounds like it’ll be a great challenge (of the good kind)
I’m jealous of that new kitchen of yours – it looks wide open and inviting to cook in! Accounting for the fish-eye lenses on your old apartment pics, your new digs are going to feel so wide open – you might get lost in there.
But I do gotta give a “hurmph” to your labelling of downtown-living with “coldness, crowdedness, and big box apathetic feel” though. Especially when there are far more crowded places to be; coming back from London, I feel like Downtown Vancouver is quiet and sparsely populated, with placid drivers on the streets.
I just had to pipe up a bit of defense for us Downtowners.
February 21st, 2009 at 7:26 am
Seriously exciting news! The new place is beautiful! Good luck with the move this gorgeous sunny weekend!
February 21st, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Woah Allie that place looks AWESOME! Congratulations on the new gig too
February 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Allie, that’s brilliant – congratulations on your new job! I’m so pleased for you, and it certainly didn’t take you very long at all!
Your new place looks amazing! It’s so bright and airy! The loo looks amazing, it’s so modern! Congratulations you two!
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
congrats on the new gig and new place!
February 23rd, 2009 at 7:29 am
Wow Allie that is AWESOME! Congrats on not only the new job but the new flat too! Oh does that mean you’re closer to Robyn and I now too? lol
Your new place looks awesome!
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
First of all, congrats on the new job. That certainly didn’t take long.
Your new place looks sweet! When are you inviting us the bloggers to the house warming party? :p Fairview area eh? Looks like we’re almost neighbours.
“2 bedroom. (2nd bedroom will be the sports room)”
Haha you should refer it as the sin room.
February 24th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Hi Allie! I can’t believe I only stumbled upon your site now. I am a former-Vancity-now-Melbourne blogger and love your posts about Canada, BC and everything I miss about Van.
I’ll keep reading!
February 25th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
“I’ve turned down some really good opportunities in Kelowna and LA to work there… but I know I made the right decision. ”
No no no see if you had moved to LA we could have hung out and stuff. Clearly Gastown was the wrong move.
Having said that, your apartment sounds fantastic.
Congrats on your new job! It’s great to hear that you landed on your feet like that.
March 4th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
OMG! Sick place! I love it! We’re moving as well. Only one year left here in Savannah. Sorry I’ve been away from Flickr lately. Been super busy. Hope all is well.
David
March 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Lindsay, thank you sooo much! I hope we can have you guys over soon
It’s not really a home yet but hopefully it will be eventually. 
I can’t wait to see where you guys move to as well! Sounds amazing!
David, thanks! I am excited too
UD, yes, being in a happy place is always nice. The unpacking is still going on, but I can’t wait for it to be done.
Davin, so many different kinds of fish! Little shark, plek, angelfish, red fin sharp, and lots of little guys. It certainly is a big ordeal. It took Allan 3 hours to deal with it.
Kimm, thanks! The kitchen has been great so far. SO much easier to cook and definitely makes me want to do it more often. Having a dishwasher is so key
Christine, thanks my dear! I miss you! The new job is going well so far.
Adrian, thanks! You’ll have to come over when I have the housewarming
Steve, thanks! Yes I feel very grateful indeed.
Mike, thanks… yep I should have used a fisheye on the new place too… I just didn’t think about it! Hehe sorry about the downtown comment… that’s just how I feel I can’t help it!
Emily, yes we definitely lucked out on the weather!
Michelle, thanks so much!
Sean, yes having high ceilings definitely help! It gets a little cold but other than that it is great so far.
Shane, thanks! I hope your life and everything is going well out east! We miss you.
Tawcan, I am definitely having a house warming party and definitely inviting bloggers! I just need to figure out how to accomodate everyone
Are we neighbours? Where are you at?
Caz, hey! Thanks for dropping by! Looks like we have a lot in common
Added you to my Bloglines.
Moe, hahaha.. LA would have been fun for sure with you guys! But you know Gastown.. it is awesome! Can’t wait till you visit next.
David, thanks for dropping by! Glad to see you’re back posting on Flickr
What will you do after your one year?