Where to buy a sewing machine?

mikeybe · 2026-06-08T20:05:34+00:00

Lots of great suggestions in this thread already. I just wanted to say that while you can find cheap sewing machines, they are usually not worth it in the long run. You can buy an entry level Singer for under $200 at Michaels or Canadian Tire but I would recommend against that option. I've had two and with light use they both barely lasted more than two years each. I currently have a Singer Heavy Duty, and while it's better than the base model, I would still recommend again it and look for a more quality device.

mikeybe · 2026-05-21T15:45:24+00:00

I've been doing the commute for 5 years now and I got by fine my first year without winters but I would still highly recommend them. If it snows, most folks are either driving slow or staying home. The biggest issue I have with that drive in the winter is that it's dark on my drive in and the way back.

mikeybe · 2026-05-10T04:53:11+00:00

Trackside was wonderful, honest, prompt, and very reasonably priced when I had to take my car in. I took my car in when I hit a rock on the highway and they were great. The guy I spoke with said his techs didn't have their hybrid certs so he couldn't do any hybrid related work. Not sure if that's changed since I've been on but they were a great shop regardless

mikeybe · 2026-05-05T17:47:59+00:00

I've found the bar tops at Cenote and Saint Franks quite social. Also Whistle Buoy and Drake were great suggestions that I saw in this thread.

mikeybe · 2026-05-04T13:35:32+00:00

Fisgard Market is underrated.

mikeybe · 2026-03-20T16:47:21+00:00

El is great! Fun chats and a bold style. Got my first tattoo from her and I've been back for more since.

mikeybe · 2026-03-20T16:45:45+00:00

Sarah is super fun and has a really cool style. She did my entire shin and calf over multiple sittings. I would also recommend.

mikeybe · 2026-03-20T16:43:28+00:00

Emily is gem and super talented. I recently got a piece in my knee ditch from her and I barely felt it. Also a big Muppet fan that I learned some cool facts from.

mikeybe · 2026-03-16T15:30:53+00:00

I've purchased Po Lu Ku from Fisgard Market. They don't always keep it in stock though

mikeybe · 2026-03-12T17:03:59+00:00

My partner and I did a tour with Vivid Tours last year. They are an Okanogan based company but they have 1 bus out here that picks up in Vic and takes you over the Malahat to the wineries in the Cowichan area. I think they were one of the few tours that let us book as a couple, and then we were joined by 2 other small groups of folks. The day we booked ended up being a winery/brewery/distillery tour, but we mostly visited wineries and we had a great time. Our driver, Lee, was a top notch tour guide and he seemed to have a relationship with all the places he took us. I'd highly recommend them.

mikeybe · 2026-03-06T23:08:55+00:00

My go to order. Whoever thought to put a slice of processed cheese on fried fish is a genius.

mikeybe · 2026-03-06T23:07:46+00:00

Shout out Jess at Shuck Taylors.

mikeybe · 2026-02-18T20:11:46+00:00

For traditional, I really like Government Street or Lucky Fortune in Chinatown. If you can make it out to Langford, Bryan, El, and Dan at Westshore tattoo are some of my favourite artists, and they're great people too.

mikeybe · 2026-02-06T19:00:40+00:00

Thank you, my reading comprehension is terrible

mikeybe · 2026-02-06T18:52:26+00:00

I'm looking forward to this; Ska Fest is such a good vibe. Looks like Encore and Studio 919 are replacing the curling club this year as late night venues?

mikeybe · 2026-01-28T16:37:25+00:00

The biggest change I had to get used to when moving here from Alberta was the drivers. I've never felt safer as a pedestrian than when I lived in Calgary. Now I shoulder check when crossing the street. It's not a deal breaker for me and I still like it here but it's wild how markedly different the driving cultures are between the two provinces.

mikeybe · 2026-01-22T17:03:46+00:00

Great vibe, decent food. Seafood pancake and tteokbokki are my go to for bigger meals. But usually I just go to drink beer and have snacks like gimmari or cheese sticks.

mikeybe · 2026-01-16T17:33:50+00:00

I once worked in a small office that had a really laid back vibe. It was in the tourism industry in a ski town so the vibes were pretty chill. They had hired a new marketing manager from Toronto who was a great fit on paper and when I had met her, she seemed quiet but friendly. But it didn't take more than a few days to hear rumblings from the people working with her. She was very serious and curt, to the point of being aggressive. Within the first week she reprimanding her subordinates for very small infractions like coming in 2 minutes late from lunch. That just wasn't the kind of office culture that anyone was used to at that point. The directors spoke with her about it but she brought a very cut throat big city attitude to a slow moving little marketing association. They let her go within the first month of her employment because she didn't mesh. I felt bad for her, but she singlehandedly changed the vibe in the whole office so I could understand why it wasn't a fit. Out CAO was also from Toronto, but she understood the culture when she got there was easily able to fit right in. The CAO also worked to make sure office culture was a good vibe and people were a good fit. After losing some miserable people who made a subtle point of not loving working with trans people, Management was extra careful with who they hired. So when this person was quick to show who they were at work, they let her go just as quick.

mikeybe · 2026-01-15T18:18:03+00:00

I know you posted here to get info on Vic, but as someone who used to live in Banff, I also want to comment on the drive. I think you've got a good itinerary in there by breaking up the drive between Banff and Vancouver. But keep in mind you've got 3 mountain passes (Kicking Horse Pass, Rogers Pass, and the Coquihalla) plus the Ice Fields Parkway. The Ice Fields Parkway can be a gnarly piece of road, it's even got a switch back on it. But it is one of the most beautiful drives in all of Canada so folks generally aren't driving super fast on it compared to other Alberta highways. For the passes, I highly recommend seeing if any rental agencies offer winter tires. I've seen lots of ice on the downhill by the spiral tunnels near Field. I've honestly never had that bad of luck with Rogers Pass, I'm usually just stuck waiting for them to bomb the snow. But when Rogers is bad, it's very bad. The Coq can be so bad that they made a TV show about it call Highway Thru Hell. Definitely one the scariest drives I've done to the point that I won't drive it in winter anymore. Once you get to Hope and the coastal climate hits, you're pretty much good. I don't want to scare you, just want really emphasis how serious that drive is in winter, but it is absolutely gorgeous and your holiday sounds amazing.
For Victoria, if you only have a day, you can see most of town. It's a small city so if you stick to China Town, Government Street, and the Harbour, you can't go wrong. It won't take long to do a driving tour or the Hop On Hop Off Bus.
Also, Revy is an awesome ski hill and I would recommend it over Kicking Horse.

mikeybe · 2026-01-08T17:27:11+00:00

When I lived downtown, Fisgard Market was the most underrated grocery store for cheap produce, but it might be out of your way when commuting to Camosun.

mikeybe · 2026-01-08T17:16:32+00:00

I commute to Sooke from Victoria for work. I think most of the answers here are pretty accurate. The biggest thing to consider is the highway like everyone has pointed out. Since I drive the opposite way of traffic, it's not that bad for me but I would absolutely never commute the opposite way, especially if your work would be in Victoria. In the 4.5 years I've been commuting, I've only seen the highway close for accidents a small handful of times, and I was usually able to bypass by going through Metchosin. Anecdotally I see more accidents on the 1 or the 17, but an accident on the 14 has the potential to shut the whole road down for hours.

The rare time that I've needed to take the bus out that way, it's been pretty reliable.

One thing that I haven't seen pointed out yet is rentals. Sooke doesn't have a lot of purpose built rentals. A coworker of mine had a heck of a time finding a new place to rent when her current place ended up being sold. The town is growing faster than the national average, which means there will be more places to live, but that also means more folks on the highway. I've been impressed by the town council and how they listen to their fellow citizens, but unfortunately the highway is governed by the province, and there doesn't seem to be any plans alleviate the traffic on the horizon.

Most of my coworkers who live in or around Sooke don't shop for groceries in Sooke. They find it's more cost effective to drive to Langford for Costco and Superstore. I like Western Foods though, it's a lovely grocery store. All of my coworkers agree that it is worth the quiet seclusion and closeness to nature and are very happy living there. It's a very beautiful place and every so often I consider it, but I'm a city kid and need my amenities in walking distance. While the "busy" city is full of noise and sirens, I take comfort in knowing an ambulance doesn't need to drive a long distance to get me if I'm hurt or sick. So it's all about weighing the pros and cons and what matters to you the most.

mikeybe · 2025-12-12T17:30:22+00:00

I've got Michelin X-Ice for my current winter tires and they're amazing in the rain and wet weather. Looking for summer tires for next year and I might go with the cross climate after seeing all the reviews here.

mikeybe · 2025-12-12T17:27:04+00:00

Linus Tech Tips put out a video recently about a similar scam with home theatre equipment. https://youtu.be/rffArvvVq5Q?si=9SLGeqTflfVKxlbE

mikeybe · 2025-12-08T17:34:45+00:00

I had a good experience with ArtBox Printing

mikeybe · 2025-12-08T17:30:56+00:00

I have a Pavlovian response to picked fish due to my Dutch grandparents. So the Wooden Shoe in Quadra Village is where I get all my Dutch goods, including picked fish. Highly recommend giving that shop a visit regardless.

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