Dear Milly, I'm dead envious of you in Vancouver. We had our best ever holiday there three years ago. I still look at the weather there every day (my wife thinks I'm sad) so I know you won't be too cold - just a bit damp like at home! Maybe it's a bit cold up Grouse Mountain, but you ought to go up there for the view. Similarly, go and try the suspension bridge at Capilano! Can you do roller-blades? You could skate round Stanley Park like all the other cool dudes. There are so many fabulous eateries it's hard to know where to start, but my two favourites were Isadora's on Granville Island (kind of West Coast-ish) and, for posh, Il Giardino 1382 Hornby Street. Go on - treat yourself on your last night and imagine you're in Tuscany! Better still, find someone else to treat YOU!

I don't know if you're staying in the area for any time, but Vancouver Island (and the boat trip there) is AMAZING. If you can't make it this time, come back another day. Go up to Tofino on the west coast. The most heavenly place to eat is the Wickeninnish Inn overlooking Long Beach, even if it's just a sandwich. They knocked up a veggie creation for us specially and we sat by the panoramic window looking out on the Pacific breakers. It was unbelievable. Anyhow, hope you have a good time. Please excuse my ramblings. By the way, if you're an X-Files fan, don't forget that it was filmed in Vancouver. Check out the seedy back alleys in Gastown for the places Sculley goes unarmed into pitch-black corners looking for crazed, blood-sucking psychopaths!