What it is: A 2-bedroom apartment in an old house in East Vancouver.
Rent: Under $1500/month
Square feet: 800-900
Occupants:Melanie Kuxdorf, communications and social media officer at CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network and Zac Rothman, narrative and educational filmmaker.
Major selling feature: We dont own, so were not in debt $750,000 for a 400-square-foot condo with recycled air and windows that dont open. But seriously, the place has character. Original fir floors, windows in every direction, the space on our roof where we set up a hammock and laundry line, the garden. But most of all its our neighbours some of our favorite people live next door, across the street and downstairs, like an extended family, but without the guilt.
First thing we changed: We insulated. It was difficult, because we did it ourselves (with our landlord who doesnt own the house), crawling through walls on our hands and knees and finding all kinds of weird stuff (seriously a bed frame inside the wall?). But now that we can no longer see our breath in our bedroom it was worth it.
Features we brag about: The backyard patio/garden that our downstairs neighbours made. Best place to drink margaritas in the summer.
That one conversation piece: The kitchen. Its like cooking in a boat. Tiny. We once fit nine people in there during a party, it was some kind of record.
The décor: Stuff we inherited. Stuff we found in second-hand stores. Stuff we built. Dont think anything cost more than $300.
Story behind the art: Old revolutionary posters Zac got when he went to school in Cuba: 16-year-old girls with M16s. Yes, thats our idea of art, somehow.
Downside: The drunk guys who puke on our lawn and in our front garden on a daily basis. Theres East Van for you. But if we wanted to live on Rodeo Drive, wed have moved to Yaletown.
Neighbourhood haunts: The Rio Theatre. The cafés, the restaurants. The bar down the street that sells delicious Belgian Beer. All the grocery stores we go to just to buy the one unique item they sell. Tortillas at one! Fancy cheese at another!! Chinese fungus someplace else!!!
Compared to our last place... Theres a lot less mould growing on the ceilings and windows. And fewer roommates.
Most recent home purchase: A light fixture for the bedroom ceiling to replace the bulb that weve been hating so long wed forgotten we could do something about it. Someday well get around to installing it.
Favourite home activity: Writing, reading, cooking, eating, watching movies, listening to records.
