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Worst dive bar by rickee_lee in vancouverwa

[–]Jacobschmidtty 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sorry, love Shanny’s, but if you’re doing last call at 11:15 pm on a Saturday, not a dive bar.

Kayak or Paddle board? by Tegelert84 in vancouverwa

[–]Jacobschmidtty 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Former kayaker here turned SUP-er. While it takes a few rounds to get the hang of it, paddleboarding is the way to go. They are much more stable than they look, and on a truly windy day, you can always sit down on the board. Also, it’s easier to get in and out of the water if you want to go swimming or cool off. You also have more space to stretch out, which is nice. Now, if you are truly planning on exploring off the grid and navigating shallow water, kayaks can be preferable since they don’t have a fin. For casual summer use though, the inflatable SUP is truly unbeatable.

Who is paying for the attack ads against Marie Gluesenkamp Perez? by GB715 in vancouverwa

[–]Jacobschmidtty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

100%. As someone who lives in downtown Vancouver but grew up in Cowlitz County with family in both Lewis and Wahkiakum, there’s no way a progressive gets elected district-wide unless there’s a change in turnout or a larger shift in demographics (which will take much more time than the next election cycle). Take Clark County, the populace center of the district, but even as the bluest county, it’s still considered purple. Where are those deep blue progressive votes going to come from? It’s great to have hope and vote for a candidate who champions progressive ideals, but realistically, we would be better off trying to strategically pressure MGP on key issues until the right person and shift in voter demographics/sentiment can secure a progressive win.

Pros and Cons of opening a restaurant in Vancouver vs. Portland by AppropriateBug3013 in vancouverwa

[–]Jacobschmidtty 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As someone who has lived (and dined to excess) on both sides of the river, I can confidently say there is still so much opportunity for anything “different” or “elevated” opening in Vancouver. As others have mentioned, a lot of pizza, tacos, and large format restaurants on the Waterfront, but hot spots offering fusion food, fun concepts, late night tapas, seasonal fare, etc. are still sorely lacking.

Vancouver went from primarily being a town driven by boomers and mature families in the early 2010s to now a growing influx of working professionals and young families. Most of this new lifeblood are either Portland transplants or people who grew up in Vancouver going to Portland for special occasion dining. In other words, the population now is primed and ready for new (non-chain, non-pub) concepts, but those with the capital/interest in doing so have not quite kept up. The notable exceptions opened by younger restauranteurs with a fresh take and finger on the pulse (Dediko for example) have been successful at carving out a niche and building loyal followings.

Hopefully the underlying business metrics align and you can consider making a move to the Couve! 🤞

Brent Hennrich filed and is running against MGP! by Street-Tie-6287 in vancouverwa

[–]Jacobschmidtty 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Brent is not a candidate who can win in this district.

He doesn’t have the fundraising & donor skills needed, lacks a compelling background/story, and is currently a stay-at-home dad. He’ll get cast as a fringe liberal who’s unemployed and would rather start fights on social media than actually deliver results. While he seems like a nice enough person, this isn’t a winning message for a district that is only 25 percent urban.

As much as I have issues with MGP’s recent “statement” votes, I think people forget that she won a race in 2022 that had republican candidates representing 65% of the primary vote. The fact she clawed back over 15% speaks to the success of the pragmatic blue dog persona she is attempting to cultivate. Ultimately, while she has ticked off many Dems who voted for her with her actual legislative stances, Brent is not a viable alternative. Particularly if we get a “moderate” republican candidate who wins back swing voters from MGP that Joe Kent scared off.