After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Charles Macurdy

Charles was born and raised in Vancouver. For over a decade, he worked as a chef before leaving the industry to attend university. Charles has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from UBC. He has written on a range of culinary topics, such as food trends and cooking to restricted diets, and has published numerous original recipes. He has also written extensive criticism, covering television, film, and music, with a particular focus on television comedy as a developing art form. His most recent work is as a culture critic and humorist in his blog, The Red Couch Report. Charles is committed to fostering respectful, intelligent, and rational democratic discourse. Failing that, he is prepared to supplement the conversation with jokes.

Bizarre knife attack at popular Main Street restaurant

A man walks into a bar. Oh, and he has a knife.

UFood Grill and the changing face of fast food

An obvious trend has emerged in the field of fast food. Formerly the domain of burgers and fries, along with various shapes of fried chicken, market pressure has urged the industry towards healthier...

Senators continue Canadian push for stupidity award

Earlier this year, I suggested that we need a World Cup of Stupidity. Shortly thereafter, the new twenty-dollar bills came out and Canada was off to an early lead. Since then, the race has tightened...

2013 year of the aliens

It's not all Klingons and Daleks any more. Today's alien invader prefers a more subtle approach.

What happens when the bartender thinks you're poor

Part four of my ongoing series on service and tipping in Vancouver: So a bartender walks into a bar...

Local restaurant owner speaks out on service, tipping, and server wages

Thin margins, intense competition, and a Food-Network-educated dining public all present serious challenges to Vancouver restaurateurs.

Don't complain about your perfect life

Recently, a woman wrote to Salon for advice under the pseudonym Mom of Three. Her children are healthy, her marriage is happy, and she has a good job. So what’s her problem? I’ll let...

Mill Street’s Spring Mix Pack is a sweet reminder of late winter

Mill Street's Spring Mix Pack contains two beers brewed for the end of a Canadian winter.

What kind of job is waiting tables?

Part 2 of my series on service and tipping in Vancouver, today focusing on the craft of service and the level of respect we show to the people who serve our food and drinks.

Does bad service still get 15 percent tip in Vancouver?

Tipping is more complicated than it seems. For some it's automatic. For others, it is a reflection of the service. For many diners, the truth lies somewhere in between.