I'm still pretty new to the Vancouver area and was super excited to hear about Betty Baguette ... It was probably nostalgia for the UK that first got my attention, but the yumminess of the Gouda/Veggie sammy I just finished has made me a fan.

Friendly staff, yummy food and a concept that allows me to embrace my inner laziness. YES.

The Manor in the North Laines has a lovely atmosphere and was a great place for a quiet lunch and homework session until the rush came in at about 1pm. With two levels and large windows, there are several seats-with-a-view and each table has a pot of flowers and bowl of sugar cubes. The soundtrack yesterday was classic blues and the service was excellent.

The green tea I ordered came as two teabags in a large pot; lovely for a leisurely visit. Despite the yummy-sounding specials (meat or vegetarian sausage sandwich and a hot drink for £4), I opted for a chicken and homemade salsa wrap for £4.95. It was delicious, but probably not super health-conscious - the salsa was quite oily.

Other menu items include all-day brunches, a soup of the day with bread and butter, nachos and several vegetarian options. I'll definitely return, though probably not during the lunch rush.

I chose the Aldo Café on Trafalgar for my first lunch break from City College. It's only a five minute walk and offers a huge and cheap selection of smaller Italian meals. Pizzas, pastas, Panini and salads are available for eat in or take away. I went with a vegetarian sandwich, but watching several customers come in for slices of pizza made me eager to return for what's clearly the most popular option.

The sandwich was good, though - toasted and with a generous amount of tasty mozza. I also ordered a tea, and was delighted that it came with two tiny biscuits on the side. Nice touch!

It was a bit chilly inside on account of the door being propped open -
I'm sure this was to entice passersby with the yummy Italian smells - and the seating wasn't entirely comfortable. I was sitting on a wooden bench with a cushion propped up behind me. Therefore, with good, cheap food and a less than comfy set up, I'd recommend Aldo for take away meals.

Mind on St. James was the first charity shop I went to upon moving to Brighton. I bought a single green coffee mug for about a pound. Step one: Move to new country. Step two: Ensure a means to morning cup of coffee. Clearly my priorities were in order.

There's a decent selection of books - each £2 and I saw several classics on this most recent visit. Perhaps a good stop for English Lit majors. DVDs are £3, but there are only five of them at the moment.

The home décor selection is also a bit slim - a few trinkets, dishes and a set of wine glasses for £5.50. Of course there's also clothing, accessories and shoes - more for women than men. There's not too much unique about this location, other than personal nostalgia.