South Surrey Secrets


By Janine Mackie
Take the road less travelled for savoury restaurants, fashion troves and parks for idling away weekends.
NCG
SOUTH SURREY IS THAT PLACE where fearless kids jump into the ocean off a wooden pier in July, and come January lace up their skates and play hockey atop the frozen Serpentine River. Active retirees love its mild winters, foodies adore its diverse palate of restaurants and families flock here as a destination to achieve the suburban dream of owning a single-family home and a patch of grass.
With its beach-town vibe, top-rated schools, proximity to the US border, plus a plethora of parks, sports fields, golf courses, outdoor shopping malls and trendy new restaurants — South Surrey tops the radar for families of all ages looking for a safe, clean, vibrant place to set down their roots. Charm is found in the juxtaposition of streetscapes –new family townhomes next door to hobby farms selling farm fresh eggs and bundles of garden dahlias for five dollars.
“You really couldn’t ask for a better community to raise kids,” says Moe Johal, owner of CJ Auto Repair, who has lived\ and worked in South Surrey for 30 years. “I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, from a community of grey hair to one that’s a healthy mix of young and old. It just keeps growing and growing!”
Sure you’ll find big box stores like Winners and Walmart here, plus fashion boutiques and outlets galore at The Shops at Morgan Crossing, but when it comes to style; it’s the fabulous independently owned boutiques that have South Surrey women looking runway ready.
On Saturday around 7pm, the lineup at South Surrey’s newest hot spot, Famosa Neapolitan Pizzeria (24th and Croydon) is stretched around the corner and down the block. For those with the patienceto wait almost an hour for a table, the dining room is abuzz with conversation and rich pizza aromas. Manager Ken Mitchell suggests trying the Cavoletti, a pizza topped with oven roasted Brussels sprouts, gorgonzola cheese, dates, walnuts and a drizzle of honey. The kids at the adjacent table would rather spoon rich vanilla gelato in their mouths.
The Seahorse Grill on Sullivan St. in Crescent Beach has that “feels like home atmosphere,” and is a destination on Sunday nights for its prime rib special. The Sunflower Cafe on Beecher St. draws a loyal following for its real roast beef, turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce, and homemade soups, while Tap Restaurant in the Rosemary Heights neighbourhood is a high-end fusion of French cooking and West Coast ingredients. When the mood strikes for a basket of fish and chips, locals flock to Hooked Fish Bar at Crescent Beach or the Fish Boat along Marine Dr. in White Rock. Need an amazing homemade dessert in a pinch? Be forewarned: it’s near impossible to stop at just one slice of the chocolate ganache cake made at Michaels’s Artisan Bakery & Cafe.
All this food talk may have you counting calories. With at least one or two gyms, personal trainers or rec centres found in each of South Surrey’s intermingling neighbourhoods, a balanced lifestyle is achievable. A trail run through the Sunnyside Urban Forest followed by a yoga class at the newly expanded South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre is the perfect way to unwind.
SS
For those times when you just want to get away from it all and enjoy the solitude of nature, Kwomais Point Park is a local secret – a romantic place to watch the sunset – tucked away behind 128th St. in Ocean Park overlooking the bay to Tsawwassen and beyond to Vancouver Island and the San Juan Islands. Barred owls have even known to be spotted in the forested trails that chicane through the park. Not far from here is 1001 Steps (end of 15A Ave off 126 A), a great alternative to the Stairmaster as you zigzag downwards, over and under the train tracks onto a rocky beach where crabs and starfish are plentiful and harbour seals are known to sunbathe.
Of course there’s a few secrets too sacred to be shared — like the amazing hairdresser who works from her South Surrey basement, or the fishing spot where seasonally you’re sure to reel in a wild coho salmon. But once you move here, you’re sure to discover a few gems of your own.
Original Source: NEW CONDO GUIDE, August 7-21, 2015

Original article: The Province
Read original aricle here.