the theory of raffaella

the art of dining out

2011-12-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

At the end of November the gentleman and I trundled down to mrkt to celebrate our friend Dave's birthday. It just so happened that the birthday celebrations coincided with mrkt's first annual harvest dinner.

We were served a fixed 5 course menu paired with a selection of Italian wines. A sommelier on hand to describe all of the selections and answer any of our questions. The evening was a delight. I love multiple course fixed menu dinners. The whole experience is so relaxing and every dish is a surprise. I'm looking forward to another night out like this soon.

the helplessness blues

2011-11-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

So as per tradition I spent these first few weeks of cold weather being sick. I followed up the Thanksgiving cold with a bout of bronchitis which then turned into pneumonia. As a result I've been a bit of a dullard for the past while (dullard in the sense of a person who evokes boredom rather than the stupid type) and have not felt the inclination to post about anything. That feeling of dullness has started to lift over the past few weeks, but not without some effort. I know I'm not the only person to feel like this. Lots of other blogs I read have featured posts about being bummed out by the weather or feeling depressed, and it's given me some comfort to know that other people out there have been struggling like I have.

For the most part I like the seasonal change. It's hard to dislike the beautiful colours of the falling leaves or the romance of the first snowfall.

Cooler temperatures mean that I can wear sweaters and boots (even if the zipper on my favourite pair keeps on breaking and all of my tights seem to have holes in them after only being worn once) and I have the perfect excuse to work on knitting projects in the evenings and on the weekends.

But the coziness of fall and winter attire doesn't really do all that much to keep my emotions warm. It's like the darkness of my moods correspond with the rate at which the sun sets each night. I know I'm not very pleasant when I get depressed like this. Usually I don't start to feel like this until winter has been around for a few months, but this year has been particularly bad and I seemed to have fallen to despair ahead of schedule. Perhaps being sick exacerbated things... at least now I'm feeling more my normal self.

They say that major depression occurs in 10 to 25 percent of women... and yet it's not something that most people feel comfortable admitting to suffering from. Admitting that you're depressed is tough, particularly when you feel like telling others how you feel is like admitting you're somehow weaker than everyone else. This is especially difficult when you feel like people will use this weakness against you... whether it be in your personal life or your work. And so you start to withdraw and construct imaginary barriers between you and others. I am particularly guilty of this. I'm a pretty introverted person to begin with, but add feeling depressed to the mix and I become a serious loner. I do this because I know I'm unpleasant to be around when I'm depressed. I become instinctively negative and it's just easier not to be around other people because talking about how I feel is exhausting for everyone. Trying to feign pleasantries is even more difficult and it's just so much easier to be sullen and silent alone.

Breaking out of this spiral of negativity isn't easy. Progress is slow and there can be lots of setbacks. It's sort of like recovering from dehydration. Chugging back water will just make you sick... but you'll recover quite nicely from a slow saline drip.

People have lots of methods for dealing with their depression. Some rely on antidepressants, others rely on therapy, others meditation or exercise. For me, feeling normal again has meant that I make time for creative pursuits (photography), I knit for stress relief (a sort of meditation in itself), I eat a more balanced diet and take vitamins, I exercise (some more social in nature and some more meditative), and I go for walks. It's a simple routine... but it's still one that I have to strive to maintain.

It's worth it though. Things are starting to fall back into place and I'm slowly returning to normalcy. This morning I went back to my Pilates class after having to miss a few while recovering from pneumonia. It was good to be back even though I had to wrench myself out of bed to go and then speed walk to there on time. I started taking more photographs of things that aren't just my knitting projects and even made a video for fun recently. I found myself relishing the bite of the wind today as I walked back home across the bridge. Winter may be coming, but at least any numbness will be due to the temperature and not the winter of my discontent.

thankful feasts

2011-10-11T14:22:00.000-06:00

I was hoping to visit with my family over Thanksgiving, but I had to postpone my visit until later in Autumn. For a few weeks I was thinking that the gentleman and I would have a quiet weekend at home filled with long naps, and that maybe we'd roast a chicken and some vegetables and maybe watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles. In reality, we were flooded with invites from friends new and old. It was a spectacular weekend with a feast every night.

Saturday evening began with a crab boil. Our gracious and generous hosts (Chris and Jill) had advised that we show up hungry. I tend to take that sort of advice quite seriously, particularly after receiving email reminders during the day reminding us a second time. Jill and Chris know how to put on a crab boil. They had transformed their dining room into a sort of crab-shack (an elegant one) and equipped each guest with all of the utensils and napkins necessary to address the pile of seafood and vegetables before us.

Jill starts bringing out the food.

Jill brings out even more...

more again... We are slightly daunted by what we have before us.

The gentleman readies his bib.

We ate and ate and ate, but there were still leftovers.

Part of the magic of the night came when it was time to cleanup. Once the glassware, utensils and butter warming dishes were cleared away, it was simple to just roll up the paper that covered the table for some really quick party cleanup.

Post dinner we retired to the deck with coffee and blankets for more conversation and a special accordion concert. We stayed outside for a few more hours, talking and laughing with our new friends.

We woke up on Sunday morning to a beautiful autumn day. Perfect for brunch with the urban family and for a quick photoshoot for Sarah and Leanne's summer project (a cookbook that they will be selling at the Royal Bison Craft Fair at the end of November).

Leanne and Sarah have spent the summer compiling recipes and stories of meals where they acquired ingredients via bicycle... a sort of velo-fare type cookbook. They were in need of an image for the front cover and for their bio page, so after a satisfying brunch we hopped outside to photograph the ladies and their bicycles while the dudes went for a stroll.

After running some errands in the afternoon, the gentleman and I headed to Highlands Kitchen with John and Glen. I've been trying to go to Highlands Kitchen forever (back in the days it was called Bacon and then when it opened again as Culina Highlands) but somehow I had never made it out there. But all of my longing finally paid off when the gentleman made a spontaneous reservation on Saturday while he was at the Farmer's Market.

We chatted while drinking wine and enjoying the set Thanksgiving menu. We arrived around 7:30 and most of the other diners were finishing their meals so we had the restaurant to ourselves. This ended in our favour since the kitchen brought us out extras of everything. I would definitely go back to try their regular menu (and check out the back patio in the summer) and maybe while I'm there go to the wool store next door.

I woke up Monday with a sinus cold, so the Thanksgiving feast from the gentleman's family came to me by way of leftovers. The one up side of being forced to stay at home (my sneezing was deemed to be unappetizing), was that I was able to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles, thus fulfilling my original Thanksgiving plans. I hope that I recover from this cold soon so I can get back in the pool to work off this weekend of feasting.

twenty four hours of film

2011-09-21T19:01:00.000-06:00

Two years ago Phil, Wade and I decided that we would give the 24 Hour Film Challenge a shot. Between the three of us we thought we'd make a pretty good team. And what a combination we were... Phil, a talented composer as well as skilled editor in FinalCut. Wade, also a bit of a video man as well as former thespian. And of course me, former preteen stage actress and child star of the indie-home movie circuit. I also possessed a certain love of cinematography. Naive but committed we set out to make our 5 minute masterpiece.

That first year it was just the three of us (with the exception of a brief appearance by the gentleman who served as our cook and narrator). We didn't really know what to expect so other than a few excited conversations we did almost no preparation for our 24 hours of film-making. In fact we did not even pick up the equipment we were going to use until after we had received the envelope that contained the instructions and the ever-important challenge including the genre of film (suspense) as well as the prop we needed to integrate into the film (golden coins).

Props are supposed to be shown onscreen at least four times. We could have taken the easy road out and just done a few gratuitous shots, but it's a bit more fun to make the prop a part of the film, which is how we ended up with our tragic tale of a mysterious woman (running in stilettos I might add), a suspicious death and poisoned chocolate. It was all very Hitchcock-inspired.

Our experience of 2009 was positive enough that we decided to try again last year. We had less equipment (which we had prepared the evening before) but increased the number of our cast, adding the talented Marsha and Kris as well as a few others who had a certain vegetable quality on camera (watch for Wade's brief appearance on screen. He's rather handy that one). Our genre was comedy and for a prop we had to spend an allocated sum on something from the Downtown Farmer's Market. We were at a bit of a loss at first but everything seemed to come together when we realized that one of our cast had a collection of googly eyes. Googly eyes always make vegetables more appealing. Once our leek and cauliflower had some personality it was an easy extension to film the story of the breakdown of a popular children's show.

I am selectively vague on the details of our film-making process since this is cut-throat business and we must protect our secrets. We were lucky before, as both years our films were selected in the top 10. You might even say we made some award-winners as Phil won for best score in 2009 and in 2010, Marsha, our lead won best actress. I have no idea if we can repeat the success this year, but we'll find out soon. We're preparing for another 24hour cinematic whirlwind this weekend. We're all looking forward to another fun and stressful 24 hours. I'm pretty excited to see what the other competitors come up with. There were some really great films last year. The top films are screened the following weekend on October 1st. Hopefully we finish our film on time.

a summery encore

2011-09-13T17:15:00.000-06:00

Over the summer I had been collecting bits of footage here and there with the intention of making a video encompassing all the exciting things I had been up to. But just as I was saying goodbye to summer, Mother Nature piped in and said, "Too Soon!" I should have known better and waited for the autumnal equinox. I thought the Symphony would be the last event I'd include in this summer retrospective, but then there were a couple visits to the outdoor pool and then a rooftop dinner party that lasted well past sunset. Spending an evening with friends on a warm evening while the sun disappeared below the horizon seemed like a fitting finale for summer.

And with that I present a recap of my summer in less than two minutes. The longer recap is below.

While I managed to blog about most of my summer, there are a few notable events still missing from my blog. I'll get to them eventually, but I might as well finish writing about topics that I've already introduced like Symphony Under the Sky.

So here's what happened during the rest of the weekend...

After braving the chilly Friday evening performance we were rewarded with a beautiful weekend outside with the Symphony. They were great company. On Saturday afternoon they entertained me with a matinee performance of Broadway favourites, followed by the Hollywood showcase in the evening. I was back again on Monday afternoon for the finale performance of Gershwin and the explosive 1812 Overture.

I always hope for a second summer in September, but it doesn't really seem like we ever get one. So when temperatures were close to 30 during the first part of the month I was eager to take advantage of it. I skipped what should have been time spent exercising at a lap pool with a few visits to the newly opened Queen Elizabeth Pool, swimming a few laps, but mostly I had a relaxing time in the water or reading an Agatha Christie murder mystery on the grassy deck.

We walked past the reflecting pool in front of the Alberta Legislature on our way to Queen E. Pool.
It was so hot out that we were tempted to stop our journey here.

It's easy to work up an appetite even when you're just treading water in the deep-end. After my stops at the pool I would be ravenous. During my search for food I did my best to find dining al fresco spots. Somehow the gentleman and I wrangled a pretty good invite for a rooftop picnic from dachshund owning Dave and Kyla. Given my love affair with rooftops I was all over that.

Time for a golden hour rooftop picnic. An incredible vista.

It is officially night!

Spending an evening with friends on a warm evening while the sun disappeared below the horizon seemed like a fitting finale for summer. I'm definitely prepared for autumn now.

ending the summer with the symphony

2011-09-03T11:31:00.000-06:00

Although I am sad to say goodbye to summer, by the time the September long weekend rolls around I have started to get a little bit tired of the migraines and mosquitoes and I'm ready for autumn to begin. To mark this transition to fall, it's become a bit of tradition for me to attend Symphony Under the Sky. This was one of the first festivals I attended in Edmonton and it's easily one of my favourites. I love coming to the park, well prepared with my blanket and mittens, ready for an evening listening to the Edmonton Symphony play while the sun sets behind them.

I prefer the grassy areas to the seats under the tent. It means you have to brave the elements a bit more, but I appreciate being able to stretch out my legs and cozy up to your significant other if they happen to come along. Of course there's also the added benefit of being able to beat the rush at the refreshment tents.

Conductor Bob Bernhardt adjusts his bow-tie before beginning Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp in C Major, K.299
(Elizabeth Faulkner on flute and Nora Bumanis on Harp)

Grassy seating is for lovers!

Amazing views of Hawrelak Park while the sun sets (except perhaps for the trailers parked behind)

This is Bob Bernhardt's sixth year conducting the ESO for Symphony Under the Sky.
One of my favourite photos from SUTS in 2009 is featured in the program!

Friday night's performance featured selections from Mozart, Handel and Brahms. The rest of the weekend is a mix of Broadway and Hollywood favourites on Saturday, a children's concert (not featuring the ESO) and an evening with Ian Tyson on Sunday, followed by the concert finale of Gershwin and the 1812 Overture.

I love it when the "house lights" dim after the intermission and you can really begin to appreciate the lighting on the tent. It was a little chilly last night, but the audience was well bundled and came prepared to endure the light rain at the end of the performance.

It was a fabulous first night and I'm looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

If you've never gone before or you haven't bought your tickets yet, the rest of the weekend is going to be beautiful. Gates open at 6pm and there are always tickets available at the gate. Hope to see you there!

there's gonna be weather...

2011-07-27T21:53:00.001-06:00

Talking about the weather is more than just a polite conversation piece for most people living in Alberta. We're sort of mild obsessives on the topic. Whether it be the temperature or the threat of thunder or the mere suggestion of sun, a day doesn't go by where don't find ourselves caught up in some sort of conversation about the weather. While they may seem trivial, these conversations are perhaps some of the more important discussions that take place during the day. This seemingly idle chatter about the relative humidity, inverted umbrellas from violent gusts and light-hearted disputes about the best time to reapply sunscreen is all very influential on our social behaviour.

The weather is that invisible guest that must be taken into consideration when planning your social calendar. Appearances at post work patio events are highly dependent on whether or not you can show up, make the rounds and then make it home before the almost inevitable summer evening thunder shower.

Such was the case a couple Thursdays ago when I headed to Latitude 53 for another weekly patio series. The previous week I headed straight out to the deck to socialize, but this time I arrived a bit earlier to check out the McLuhan exhibit, much to the delight of my inner communications theory nerd (there's a reason why this blog is titled theory of raffaella).

I wish there were more rooftops of Edmonton I could explore. I love the view from up high. Even being one or so storeys above ground gives you a new perspective. Suddenly you're at the level of the tree canopy giving you a better vantage to watch the weather come rolling in. Like I said, we're weather obsessives... serial storm watchers.

Paying close attention to the clouds means you know when to have an early lunch to guarantee a spot outdoors during the lunch hour. I had some work at the Muttart Conservatory the other day and I timed everything so I could still get a table before the ladies who lunch crowd arrived and stole all the prime shady spots.

I was able to enjoy a tasty sandwich and salad and work on a very special speech that I will be delivering at the wedding of the summer. I made sure to scribble furiously between bites as I wanted to add some weight to my story (should anyone ask) that I was working on my manuscript.

Heading back downtown I smiled and nodded with my fellow river valley explorers and photographed the passing teens on their skateboards. Always watching the clouds I stopped along Jasper Avenue to shoot the reflection of the sky in the windows of Telus Plaza and the glint of the sun in the golden towers of Scotia Place.

But later that evening the sky had darkened and I sheltered myself from the rain on my way to meet the gentleman and the equally gentlemanly Philip at Tres Carnales for dinner.

As the sign on the window would suggest, the newly opened Tres Carnales serves real Mexican food. And having just visited Mexico (which would of course make me an expert on Mexican cuisine) I feel pretty comfortable with their claim. The warm interior and hot and spicy food made for an ideal location to dine while it rained outside.

The rain brought its own rewards later that night, when we were treated to a beautiful sunset and rainbow. Although we couldn't see it from our apartment, our city was apparently blessed with the double rainbow phenomenon that night. Curses! If only my building had a rooftop patio I might have seen it coming.

the good, the bad and the beautiful

2011-07-14T11:43:00.002-06:00

Putting aside my most recent vapid post I thought I might delve into something a bit more serious. Looking over my last series of posts I seem to be writing only about the exciting and seemingly glamorous aspects of my life. Which I suppose is intentional, since blogging is a bit of an escape for me. I like to spend some time not dwelling on laundry that needs to be done or the cleaning of toilets or the constant challenges of working freelance (deadlines, billing, finding the next one). But everything else... the picnics, the parties... wouldn't be possible without those less exciting parts of life. So despite what my posts might suggest, let me assure you that those other parts exist. In fact the less exciting bits probably outweigh the rest.

Every so often I get a comment from a reader saying that I must live such a beautiful life. And for the most part I would agree. But much in the same way that when I post photos of myself I try to disguise my less than define jawline I do the same for my life. For a while all the stress of the other bits silenced my writing. I was either too sick or busy with finding work to write about anything good that might have been happening at the time. I must have been so unpleasant to be around.

What saves me from remaining in that endless state of negativity is taking a moment to observe all of the positive things going on around me. It helps when some of my freelance work involves photography because I am transported out of my everyday routine and get to experience something different and make me excited about my life again. That makes up for the unpredictability of freelancing.

Back in May I got to work on a short project for a nearby school division to document some stories about different volunteers and role model students. One story was about a retired police officer who now volunteered in his wife's grade one class. The morning bell had rung and the volunteer went to the door to let the students inside. He told me that he and the students would always play a little game, where he would open the door a crack and peer out while they would excitedly push towards the door hoping to squeeze through with their oversize backpacks. Slowly he would open the door the students would walk under his arms to get inside.

It was a really simple and beautiful moment, repeated day after day, the kids always being excited to come inside. It was completely immersed and remained that way for the duration of the project. When I got home later that night I was telling the gentleman about all the cute characters from the day and he remarked how markedly different my mood was after spending a day focusing on positive things. I wasn't complaining to him about where my next contract was coming from or venting my frustrations about the garbage needing to be taken out. It's so easy for me to fall into that trap and become that depressed person who spends her non-working hours complaining. I dislike when I get like that.

That is why I am trying to write more about the good than the bad, celebrating ridiculousness like a good hair day or the simple pleasures of the summer.

They could be as simple as enjoying the view from my desk. I in love with the view right now. I adore looking out at the trees and watching them move in the wind. It reminds me of when I got glasses and I realized what it was like to see leaves for what seemed like the first time. I have not taken them for granted since then.

Sometimes, when I'm working I find myself looking at the reflection of the clouds in the surface of my desk. For that moment that my gaze is affixed on the reflection of the slowly shifting clouds I feel at peace. All my worrying stops and I'm reminded to think about my life as something more beautiful than dreary. If you're feeling a bit low I suggest you try the same.

black wires grow from my head

2011-07-14T00:19:00.000-06:00

I was having a good hair day today so I feel like musing about hair. Vanity alert.

I've been growing my hair out for a while now... eventually I will cut it to donate to be made into a wig, but for now I'm trying to see how long I can grow it before I become my mother's worst nightmare and look like a witch with long and scraggly black hair.

I haven't coloured my hair in a long time... there were a couple brief periods where I had highlights (during a brief stint as a hair model as well as an earlier time when I had a bob and more subtle colouring done than the photo below), but my hair grows too fast for the highlights to really last and I just don't feel like myself when my hair is another colour.

Some people are more chameleon-like with their hair. The cut, the colour changes drastically over time. Not so much for me. I may grow tired of how long it takes for my hair to dry. I might get tired of it getting stuck under my purse strap or having to sweep it up around the house. My hair starts to take over.

Eventually it gets to a point where I start to look like this all the time.

That kind of hair requires some serious maintenance. This doesn't jive with me, for you see, ninety percent of the time I'm a wash-and-go kind of lady.

Although I spend an inordinate amount of time in front of mirrors, I'm often just using them for some sort of photographic purpose (or practicing my self-portrait pout). Eventually my hair will get too long and too big that I don't want the hassle of dealing with it anymore. Once I reach that point of frustration I tell my stylist to cut it off, but not so short that I look like a boy.

*Disclaimer... in one of the photos above I may be sporting a wig

I never regret getting my hair cut (well except for the time when I was 19 and I went in for a trim and came out looking like Richie Sambora. I had to cut off all my hair to look decent again. But it was the first trim that I regretted, not the second). I've heard stories of people breaking down in tears when their hairdresser cut three inches instead of two.

Such hysterics are not for me. It always grows back. Even if it takes a long time. In the interim you can always learn how to rock a hat.

Sure the growing process might be long and arduous. But think of what you can do in the meantime. Why not try to accessorize?

Of course there are those in between phases when your new shorter style is no longer quite as appealing as it once was. If I have to leave the house, I prefer to do so in disguise.

Except of course when I'm on vacation. I give my tresses a bit of a break then and let them do what they want.

And that's about as fancy as I get. I might attempt an updo or bun. I might channel my inner school girl and wear braids. If I feel fancy and particularly industrious (and have at least half an hour to spare) I might bust out a curling iron (and heat proof glove) to smooth my curls.

But basically I just let my hair get long, with regular trim every 12-16 weeks at the salon. I get it cut and then I let it grow again.

Long

Longer

Longest

That is, until it's time to get it cut again. Shall I be conservative and trim an inch or two so that I can keep growing my hair till it reaches Rapunzel proportions? Should I get a lunatic fringe? Maybe get an undercut? So many options.

in reverse...

2011-07-11T12:38:00.006-06:00

Rather than try to catch up on what I've been up to with a series of separate posts I've decided to do one mega-post where I list them all in reverse. Some may call this technique lazy. I do not. I find summer to be the loveliest of months. June, July (and August) are filled with long and luxurious days that result in a more casual and carefree approach to life. People are less inclined to stick to their regular day-of-the-week routines, willing to sit on a patio after work on a Tuesday or spend an entire week gallivanting. Summer is chock-full of delightful activities, much like this post will be.

This past Sunday was a quieter day. After brunch with my sibs on Whyte I checked out the Sounds of Old Strathcona (SOS Fest). I've heard that the crowds improved later in the afternoon, but things seemed kind of sparse when I first arrived. I took a few photographs, but didn't linger for too long.

In between the street shots and scoping out the rain gear on parade, Sarah and I were shooting a tiny bit of footage for a collaborative summer project that we dreamed up earlier in the week over a morning coffee at Transcend, basking in the beautiful light streaming through the big picture windows.

In further preparation for this project (which will involve some sort of moving picture) I've been thinking about locations and cinematography styles and thinking about what kind of films I should watch to inspire me. That night the gentleman and I went for dinner with friends at mrkt and then headed to the cinema. I regret to inform you that the film we saw that evening was not part of my creative process, that is unless Sarah and I decide to include massive explosions and gratuitous shots of ladies legs and bums. Unlikely.

If you're wondering... yes, dinner was delicious and yes, we saw Transformers. I no longer have to see any other terrible summer blockbusters. This one takes the cake.

Speaking of summer blockbuster hits, I came up with one a few evenings prior while out for a late evening stroll with the gentleman. I was about to leave my camera at home, but was I cajoled otherwise by my lovely lad, him telling me that I was sure to find something beautiful to photograph during our walk. His words proved to be true, as on our way home we passed by this scene on Saskatchewan Drive. However, during our brief pause so I could compose this shot, we were assaulted by a constant swarm of killer mosquitoes. Nothing seems to be able to stop them this year. Which is why I want to produce Giant Bat vs. Mega Mosquito. Given the general sentiment towards mosquitoes this year I think I could make a tidy profit off such a film.

Perhaps my imagination for such a film was not only fueled by personal experience but also a particularly relaxing afternoon spent in my favourite nearby park with a Margaret Atwood novel and ample opportunities for people watching.

It was too hot for me out in the direct sun, so I spent most of my time in the shade. Unlike some of the others who were out in the park that day, I wasn't quite as interested in baking in the sun for hours on end.

My lazy afternoon was a little day-after birthday present to myself, since I spent the day of preparing for the rooftop celebration of my turning 29.

I have been dying to have a party on this rooftop ever since I first heard about it. Yes, I've seen far too many movies where people dine on their rooftops while watching the sun set over the city. But in order for the party to be complete I also needed to string up some lights. Because of budgetary and engineering constraints I wasn't quite able to create the full canopy of lights that I wanted, but this was a first and sort of last minute attempt. I'd like to host another rooftop gathering to end the summer.

The lights will probably be better appreciated later in the summer when the sun sets a bit earlier. My birthday was on a Monday, which meant an early night for my guests (and rightly so, since we had all spent the weekend out and about following the Canada Day festivities). Most had to leave before my solar powered lights really got going. I didn't mind though. It just meant that the gentleman and I were able to enjoy a romantic couple minutes admiring the lights and the nighttime view before we finished cleaning up. I had a fantastic day and was so happy everyone was able to come out and help me celebrate. Everyone was lovely and I felt very loved. I appreciated all of their thoughtful words and gifts.

Have I mentioned lately that I love summer, especially July? Who wouldn't like a month that starts of with a fireworks show? Pretty good excuse for a party I think.

Fireworks aside, we don't really need much in order to celebrate. What? It's Tuesday and it's sunny out? What other reason does one need for a group of friendly folks to gather on a Jasper Avenue patio?

And if the sun is still up in the evening why not go for a little photo excursion which leads to a trip down memory lane? I was actually finishing up a couple projects for work when the gentleman and I came across the newly renovated for the John Janzen Nature Centre (named after his grandfather).

Post-supper strolls are very popular in the summer. Sometimes we wander aimlessly, but other times we head out with a goal (gelato, a drink of some sorts). This particular evening we were foiled in both our attempts. DaCapo was cleaning the gelato freezer and the SugarBowl patio was packed. So we settled for momentary bicycle lust and then dessert nearby before heading back across the bridge.

And that's where we got the real reward. Free from the killer mosquitoes (one of the many benefits of cross the High Level Bridge) we were able to spend a few minutes admiring the twinkling skyline as the LRT rode past.

Walking back the apartment through the park, I was glad to see that we weren't the only ones enjoying the peaceful evening.

Our bon vivant lifestyle has included other functions. It's not just reading in parks or late night walks or sipping on cocktails in the sun. Sometimes, we have forced ourselves to go out and socialize with others at events like the SNAP Gallery fundraiser (with charming hostess Miss Sarah). Oh what a chore it is to spend time with friends, checking out a fashion with pretty clothes by local designers, bidding on hilarious t-shirts from local artists and creeping on adorably affectionate hipsters.

I tell you, being a bon vivant is tough. You have to stay well fed, perhaps with produce from the farmer's market (which happens rain or shine).

And then of course you need to stay interesting with tales of your work-related adventures... I've been photographing a series of public art projects around the city and on one day it's highly possible that I might have got on a bus going the wrong direction due to some shoddy directions. Hilarity ensued. That morning I had already encountered some funny scenes (a man drove into this storage facility with a shiny convertible and left by bicycle... I thought maybe he was having a mid-life crisis that he was trying to hide from his friends and family) and my afternoon was about to get a bit more amusing.

Once I realized I was going the wrong direction I exited the bus and found myself next to an establishment called Saint Pete's, otherwise known as a heavenly gentleman's club (13 angelic attendants the sign outside read). I had not eaten breakfast and it was well past lunch, so I ate a solo luncheon at the Vietnamese restaurant next door (I checked to see who was coming and out before I went in) where I listened to three guys at the next table discuss world cuisine including techniques for cooking goat in Iraq, the ingredients in Haggis, reasons why the British have an affinity for curry, as well as the French's tendency to add cream to everything including "Creme de Brule"

At the table to my right was a 65+ fellow on a date with a woman who seemed very unsettled by the idea of eating stir-fry. He asked the waitress for a fork and then proceeded to talk loudly about his "dead hand." For you see, back in '86 he put his hand through a window and they ripped the artery out.

When the conversations died down around me I realized we were watching the world championships of darts. They were riveting.

After my lunch I found the correct bus going in the right direction, but not before seeing a dude ride past me on his bmx in his pajama pants and then come back five minutes later carrying a small case of Budweiser. I wondered what his plans were for the afternoon.

I managed to enjoy myself in between sending text messages to the gentleman about where he could find me should I stay lost.

Thankfully I returned home safe and sound that night. I was able to have a couple minutes to sit and relax like I had many nights before.

partyin' partyin' (yeah!)

2011-06-13T18:06:00.005-06:00

Although I'm kind of jonesin' for a vacation right about now (no surprise, I always want to go on vacation), life in the city is just picking up. This is the best time of year. People stay out late during the week and there's always something some sort of outdoor event happening. We clearly are making up for the long winter.

Pride Parade and Al Fresco (the 104 Street Block Party) fell on the same Saturday again this year and just like last year it was gorgeous out. And because good things happen in triplicate, I had the pleasure of being on auntie duty. After a coordinated hand-off of Dexter at the market, I had a brief shopping trip, and then I found John, Glen, Wade and Phil who had found a choice spot to watch the parade.

Phil, waiting patiently for the parade to begin.

John, also waiting patiently for the parade.

After a bit of a wait the parade finally got started. They had moved the route to 102nd Avenue this year, which allowed for unobstructed views from both sides of the street. It seemed a bit more lively this year, with more floats, music and coordinated costumes.

Dexter certainly liked the parade. He danced and cheered and even took a turn wearing some parade swag. Sarah was busy teaching and Don was riding in the parade, but he stopped to say hello to his little boy. So, if you saw him stop to say hello to a cute little kid, it wasn't a case of politicians kissing random babies.

Dexter's pick for best in show was clearly this balloon. He played with it all afternoon.

Once the Pride Parade was done, we skipped the festivities in Churchill Square and headed back to the apartment to drop off my market wares. I was about to take Dexter back home on the LRT but he decided that he was cool and mature enough to sleep over at auntie's. No complaints from me. If only all kids went down for a nap that easy.

Fast forward a couple hours, and Sarah, Don, Dexter and I met up to walk downtown to check out the block party. Much of the parade crowd had lingered in the area. We first came across a crowd watching the salsa dancers in Beaver Hill Park.

I love the block party. I like how it's grown over the past few years and transformed into a really hopping party. Tiny rave princesses, long skirts and hobo bags! Live graffiti-inspired art! Drag Queens! And let's not forget the food.

And yes, hipster culture was well represented. Edmonton's most socially conscious and stylish were out in full force. I particularly liked this bevy of boys who had gathered at the mid-way point of all the block party action. These guys have got it all.

On the left we've got leather loafers sported by a polo wearing fellow who dreams a little bit of Don Draper when he gels back his hair. We've got the thin blonde with dark frames who jots down notes in his moleskine while sipping espresso. He is half-way through his second unfinished novella. Next to him is the fellow in slim-fit denim. His airline bag is vintage Lufthansa and not a reproduction. And then there is my favourite. He rides an awesome fixie. He carries an 8-ball helmet that he never wears because he's already sporting a flannel newsie cap. And then there is the guy on the end. He must review video games.

Don't get me wrong. I love them all (I jest all in good fun, mocking these fellows with malicious intent would be a case of calling the kettle black or thowing a stone from my glass house, since the gentleman reminds me frequently that I too am easily categorized as a hipster with my maxi dresses, long hair tied up in a loose bun and my SLR in my purse. But I was an early adopter baby!). These guys are basically a spread from one of my favourite tumblr blogs, convoy.

And speaking of fashionable folks. Here is a linup of equally stylish ladies lined up for a trip down the runway.

The gentleman had attended TEDx earlier in the day, along with a large crowd of intellectually keen individuals, but it wrapped up just in time for us to grab some supper together. We grabbed some sandwiches from the Elm Cafe booth and then chatted with our fellow "urban-types" over the fence at the wine tent.

That is, when they weren't ignoring us to look aloof or discuss important worldly matters.

And then we bid Al Fresco adieu for another year.

the dog and pony show

2011-06-09T12:28:00.001-06:00

Growing up with seven siblings we never had need for a dog (there was always a younger sibling following you around), but the gentleman is definitely a dog man. Because he's Caucasian and upper middle-class, of course he has allergies (including dogs), but his parents found a way around that and fulfilled the puppy dreams of their sons. They grew up with the soft-coated (and apparently hypo-allergenic) Wheaton Terrier. The gentleman's parental units got another little puppy about a year ago and I've slowly been introduced to what life would be like with a dog.

Now that the downtown Farmer's Market is open again on 104th Street, we've started taking Finnigan our for a stroll on Saturdays. The market is a bit of a dog and pony show. If you don't bring a dog with you or pick up a treat for your dog at home (or imaginary pet) you are essentially shunned and you can never come back. At least that's what it feels like sometimes. Oh the dogs that come out on display. Some are tiny and fit into purses, others are these enormous majestic beasts that would rival Falkor (of Never-Ending Story fame) in size or the bullheaded mastiff from Sherlock Holme's Adventure of the Copper Beaches. Finnigan is best compared to Dug from UP! (and yes, I see myself as the small scout).

Finnigan, or as we like to cal him on market day, Miss Marple. It's his bar name.

My knowledge of puppy development is non-existent, but Finnigan seems to be going through a toddler phase. A toddler who is super excited to be around other kids. You know the type, that overly friendly type who doesn't really know when the other kids don't want to play with him. But he's never going to learn if he doesn't play with the other kids, which is how the urban dog share was born. Hurrah for part-time pet ownership. You get all the perks and don't have to deal with the late night pee-breaks.

Finnigan was overly delighted to see Max, beloved puppy of famed politco blogger Daveberta and his lovely ladyfriend Kyla

After meeting up with Dave and little Max, the five of us walked to the market as fast as Max's little legs could carry him. There wasn't much time for photos once we got there, as I took control of the leash while the gentleman busied him collecting our market items. Again, as a novice dogsitter I sort of felt like the mother of the bad kid who was constantly having to reign in her overly rambunctious child. I wanted to tell people, "Really, I swear he's not like this at home."

Luckily all pseudo love-attacks on other dogs were forgiven because everybody loves a puppy. The gentleman especially, who made sure to show Max a little love as well.

He's probably instructing Max to turn against his owners.

A fine selection of mustard.

Between the adoration of hipsters (who liked Finnigan's beard) and small children (who liked his soft coat) and conversations with other dog owners about the breeding and one raggedy looking fellow about his two hunting dogs, we discovered that my favourite Grainy Garlic was available and picked up a jar to use in a potato salad the next day.

I'm a dog with low self-esteem. Spring Break!

We met another Wheaton who did not take all that kindly to Finnigan's overt friendliness. Rather, we met a Wheaton that lacked Finnigan's confidence (right, that's how yuppie pet owner's are supposed to talk about their animals right? Like overly proud parents?)

We ran into Lisa and Tom's roommate Marco (actually I was admiring his shoes first and then realized who the shoes belong to) and chatted for a bit before we headed home.

On our way out we spotted another massive standard poodle who schooled Finnigan in model dog behaviour.

Back at the apartment, the tired dog took a nap before we returned him to his rightful owners. Urban dog share success.

of Pimm's Cups and downtown living

2011-06-08T21:13:00.000-06:00

A couple of my friends are currently on the hunt for a new cohabitation space. The gentleman and I had invited them over for dinner on the weekend and over the course of the evening while eating our homemade BBQ pizza and sipping on Pimm's Cups we started discussing the merits of living downtown. Since moving to Edmonton I've lived exclusively downtown. In fact, while I have lived in three different residences, they've all been within a five block stretch of 109th Street and Jasper Avenue. Certainly I've entertained some grand ideas of living in a storybook house in Glenora or a bungalow in Belgravia, but I'm prone to those sorts of flights of fancy. In most cases I am more than content to be a downtown apartment dweller.

I should describe my love of living downtown with sentiment that is a little bit stronger than just contentment, because although I like to look at listings in certain mature neighbbourhoods, more frequently I try to convince the gentlemen that we should purchase a particular 3-lot parcel that is a couple blocks away and build an ultra-mod multi-family dwelling with a green roof and maybe a little commercial unit on the ground floor. I'm full of awesome ideas like that. They come so fast and so furiously that now the gentleman cringes whenever I might start a sentence with, "You know what we should do?"

But I know he shares an appreciation for our downtown life. We're pretty lucky to live where we do. We're steps away from the LRT and within a couple blocks of two parks and the Legislature Grounds. The list of our nearby amenities accessible by foot are enviable. We have a couple grocery stores and the Farmer's Market is close proximity. There are many restaurants, bars and pubs nearby. Our apartment overlooks the multi-use trail, the streetcar, and is across the street from an elementary school.

People ask me if I feel safe downtown and I always answer yes. Sure, at times there are crowds of rowdy drunks blocking the sidewalks of Jasper late in the evenings on the weekends, but one block to the south things are quiet and serene. In many ways I prefer walking downtown late at night compared to some residential areas where all the streets are dark and you never really know what might be lurking between the cars parked streetside. Downtown there's usually someone else about, whether they are walking home from a late night movie or heading to the corner store on a midnight snack run. Sure, it's a downtown that doesn't have the same sort of 24 hour vibrancy that some other great cities might, but it's not a desolate wasteland either. In the five years that I've lived here I've seen downtown improve. And I'm happy to see that improvement continue, especially if it means helping two friends decide to live here too.

Living downtown doesn't mean you are restricted to highrises only. If you are one of the fortunate few, there are still charming brick houses here and there. There's one pretty adorable one a block away with a sweet little front stoop that in the late evenings is lit by the glow of the lights inside. It doesn't require too much stretch of the imagination to think of sitting on that very stoop, sipping on your own tasty Pimm's Cup. I'm certain I've come across the residents of this house doing that on one or two occasions. But I wouldn't testify in court to that effect, because this particular stoop is one that is easy to romanticize about (much like my 3-Lot parcel). Maybe I saw them on the stoop one time and now every time I pass by I remember that singular instance. In any case, I have a mild love affair with this residence and I hope that one day it might come on the market and I might hear of its availability before anyone else. That house has it all, character, curb appeal, and it's still in my preferred area of downtown. You know, the part of Oliver that we residents like to call Olivier.

pocket camera

2011-06-06T21:50:00.000-06:00

I was having not the greatest of days last week so the gentleman offered to take me out for poutine at the new place across the bridge. But I know that the gent has some sort of irrational dislike of cheese curds, gravy and fried potato, so instead we went for Thai food, something that we both enjoy.

I left the beast (5DMkII at home) and photographed our outing with just my iPhone. I've had a hankering to shoot with film recently, so I'm planning to pick up some medium format film to use with the two cameras I borrowed from my dad when I moved away. I also want to try shooting with a rangefinder, which I don't currently own, but it's not like I really need any more photographic toys. Still... I want to experiment more with my photography. I've been inspired recently by some pretty excellent photo blogs and it's made me want to fill my life with more pictures. All different kinds of pictures. I found that every where I've been going lately I've been looking at things as if I were to framing them for a photograph. And I've been trying to take those photos with what equipment I've had with me. And as convenient and simple shooting with an iPhone is, the photos don't offer the same kind of depth that I long for. But we're comparing completely different animals here. The iPhone camera works in a pinch, and when it's all that is available to me I make do.

And I appreciate the convenience of the pocket camera. Last week I received a last-minute invite to the U2 Concert and I wasn't sure how tight security would be and if I would be allowed to bring it in with me. I didn't feel like risking it, so iPhone it was. Because I was planning to spend the evening in my pajamas and not at a massive rock concert, my battery died before the light show really got started. Not that the iPhone would have been able to capture what I wanted to anyhow.

So, with cameras on the brain today I brought out the Bronica and Yashica to make sure all the parts were still operable. I thought I might have an expired roll someplace, but after a couple moves I have no idea where I might have stored them. But, I set up the cameras as if I was going to shoot a photo and then just captured the image in the viewfinder with my SLR. It was as close as I was going to get today to actually taking them out for a shoot. I think I will like shooting with film again. I think I will appreciate slowing down to set up a portrait and carefully considering all of my settings. Not that I don't think about my exposure now, it's just so easy to adjust on the fly. I want to be a bit more deliberate. If only I can be patient enough to wait out the development process.

nothing tastes as good as elm cafe

2011-06-01T12:55:00.001-06:00

I have a bad habit of skipping meals when I get distracted and sometimes I look at the clock at it's three o'clock before I realize that I haven't eaten lunch. To prevent that I try to be a bit stricter with myself about sticking to specific mealtimes. At the office people go for lunch at different times and it's so easy to just keep on working on a project until the end of the day. I'm a little bit better when I work from home, but I still appreciate the reminders I get from my favourite eatery in the city. When I wake up in the morning I see the daily selection of fresh muffins and breakfast sandwiches and a little while later I'm tempted with their lunchtime offerings. It's a bit easier to pop in when I'm working from home, since technically I'm in the neighbourhood and it's a short walk and even shorter bike ride.

A couple weeks ago I was drawn in by the promise of zebra tomatoes. I was visiting Elm alone that day and thought I would just grab and sandwich and run back to the home office to complete whatever task I was midway completing. But the sun was out so I decided to enjoy a solo luncheon on Victoria Promenade. I felt the event worthy of video documentation and I awkwardly held my camera with one had while stealing bites with the other. I would recommend not trying to eat and shoot video at the same time. It results in situations, such as you'll see below, where your sandwich wrapper will fly off in the wind and the concerned citizen in you will overpower your inner cinematographer and force you to chase after said wrapper instead of capturing it as it gracefully floated away. And besides, I'm not sure if the awkward first-person shooter perspective is really a great technique. Alas, I was too hungry to make a big production out of my lunch that day.

Only a small production...

everybody is working for a weekend away

2011-05-31T18:48:00.000-06:00

It seems like some days I spend all of my time in front of a computer... and not always doing creative and exciting tasks. But all that work is what makes the rest of life possible, like the trip that the gentleman and I took to Kelowna over the Easter long weekend.

Our time in Kelowna was spent walking along the boardwalk.

Visiting wineries...

Checking out BBQ joints...

Admiring the view

Drinking the coffee all the locals love.

and more strolls by the lake.

I don't have any more weekends away planned for the next little while. But I'll still take advantage of the weekends even if it's just a little stroll to the market and back.

birthday boy...

2011-05-15T21:22:00.000-06:00

On the very windy Saturday night the gentleman, younger sister and I headed to Red Star for a friend's birthday party. Thankfully the pub is only a short walk from our apartment and we didn't have to endure the blustery winds for more than a few blocks.

The birthday boy is a popular lad, so there was a good crowd gathered to help him celebrate his 27 years. After some careful beer selection there was much fraternization and harassment by camera.

It's been a while since I've made a video for anything other than work, but Sarah's recent little vids reminded me that I've missed my personal cinematic experimentation. So I made a point of getting video footage in addition to the photos from the party.

ACE in the hole

2011-05-01T12:09:00.000-06:00

I followed up a hilarious dinner with my sibs on Friday night with an evening out at the ACE Awards on Saturday. I'd heard only good things about the awards in the past (mainly that they threw a good party) and I was excited to go. This year's awards were a bit different than ones in the past, as they were moving from a sit-down dinner to a pre-awards cocktail and then awards presentation in the theatre. But change in format didn't mean the event was less casual, which gave me an opportunity to finally wear the dress that I had originally purchased to wear at a wedding in February. Boom. Clothing decision made.

The dress is a pretty one... full skirt red satin with black polka dot mesh overlay with a slight portrait neckline. The neckline and bodice are altered from the original, to create soft pleats and a deeper v. It's a cute dress, but it doesn't wear well for long periods of time. The dress easily twists which causes the neckline to gape. What I should say is this is not a dress to take photos in. It's fine if you're not carrying anything more than a clutch and a drink. Of course I was carrying a my camera bag and trying to balance a drink and my camera all at the same time. No one can remain looking elegant while doing that. I tried to leave my camera bag at home but I was really keen on taking photos. I considered carrying the camera by itself and just carrying a small clutch for my phone, etc... but that meant having to sling my camera around all night. There was no happy medium. I love my camera bag for everyday adventures, but it does not transition well to evening events. I'm on the hunt for something smaller that will fit my evening requirements. Vintage Chanel camera bag anyone? I think that will do ;)

With my dress selected for the evening all that I had left was to make the rest of myself presentable. I have a tendency to not really do my hair because (a) there's a lot of it and it takes too much time and (b) it has a mind of its own. However, as my hair was looking supremely large (sort of like this) it needed a bit of taming so I attempted to tame it a bit. I recently (as of Saturday morning) came into possession of a new ceramic curling iron from Sephora, so armed with my heat-safe glove I went to work. I was reminded why my stylist has shoulder problems.

I made the mistake of not shampooing my hair on Friday night, so curling my hair was not the easiest it could have been. My hair is not at its best right after washing... it's frizzy and unless it's professionally styled it tends to look a bit frazzled. However, the new iron was pretty impressive. I liked the curls it made and I'll become more adept with it after I use it a few more times. After curling my whole head I fingercombed to smooth out my hair to bigger waves and then haphazardly twisted strands from either side to pin at the back of my head. I considered for a second attempting something more retro like a betty page bang or victory rolls, but to be honest I just didn't have enough bobby pins to try it. Also, lesson learned that I need to get some hairspray. In keeping with my wash and go sort of mentality I own none. But, at least for tonight it was okay. If anyone commented on my flyaways I could just tell them I was keeping with the Coney Island Freakshow theme of the night.

32nd Annual ACE Awards

The gentleman and I hopped on the LRT downtown and met up with his work colleagues at Moriarty's. I asked the gentleman to photograph me while waiting for the train but none of those photos are going to see the light of day. We both failed miserably in this endeavour. My pose was terrible and his angle was unflattering (chest like a continental shelf, cut off above the ankles). How do all these women get nice photos of themselves for their blogs? I have one reluctant assistant and his success rate is less than 50 percent.

After some cocktails we departed en masse to The Citadel, navigating the construction which blocked the sidewalk to the building and created a rather pedestrian un-friendly welcome to the building. Once we picked up our tickets we headed upstairs to the lobby by the Shoctor Theatre. The place was packed, which was good as it meant the event was well attended, but also not fantastic as it meant that it was difficult to navigate through the crowd. The bar was located in the middle of the space, resulting in a total traffic jam. There were only two attendants manning the bar, serving a crowd of a few hundred. I'm sure they were exhausted by the end of their shift.

I wasn't all that crazy about the setup. The lobby of the Shoctor is long and narrow, which works fine for an intermission of a show, but not so much for a networking event particularly when you fill up the space with food tables and massive displays that stretch the entirety of the space. In addition to the long lineups at the bar it was difficult to mill about, the cocktail tables filled up with empty glasses so quickly and the food wasn't good. The tight quarters also meant that it was difficult to photograph the people in pretty dresses in the manner to which I've grown accustomed (i.e. surreptitiously). The display boards of all the nominees were pushed to the back alongside the windows, and several displays were blocked by people who had tried to find space to mingle without being jostled by others making their way to the bar lineup. There were probably a few different configurations that might have worked better, but I think people wouldn't have minded the space so much if there were more bartenders (or two bars) and if the food was better. I heard more than a few people comment that they missed the old format.

Funny though. My favourite photo of the night came when I was trapped in a spot between a couple groups of chatty folks who seemed uninterested in allowing others to pass by. There was nothing interesting to photograph to the left or right of me (except the backs of heads) so instead I photographed this scene of the empty plaza beside Stanley Milner Library.

Eventually I found the gentleman in the crowd and we made our way up and down the lobby to look at the nominees. I spotted a former colleague of mine and chatted with a few others I know. Before long it was time for the awards presentation and we were coralled into the theatre. It took the organizers a few minutes to drag everyone inside.

But while we waited we had a chance to admire the similar style choices by two of the gentleman's work colleagues. Great minds thinking alike.

Post awards ceremony we strolled to the adjacent Tucker Amphiteatre for the after party where we treated a freakshow of our own. The gentleman and I left around midnight (he had an early day today) at the start of the second act involving a meat hook and various weights.

Morning reprise of the ACE awards... everyone was given a copy of the freakshow themed awards booklet with the spread of each of the winners, including Best in Show winner Calder Bateman for their integrated campaign for the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton.

It was a nice night out. Edmonton has a very talented creative community and it was great to see them celebrated.

practicing my rite of first refusal

2011-04-24T10:43:00.000-06:00

Occasionally the gentleman asks me if I'd like to attend a hockey game with him. I tend to mull over his offer for a moment and then politely decline. We have a name for this little dance, he calls it the right of first refusal. I consider it my rite of first refusal. I'm sure that one day I'll agree to attend, since these games are proper NHL sanctioned events and watching a sporting event live is generally more exciting than watching one on tv.

Given my history of turning down invites to hockey games, you can imagine the gentleman's surprise when a few weekends back I asked if he'd like to come with me to a hockey tournament that I had to photograph for work. Putting aside my ulterior motive of trying to avoid a long and circuitous transit ride to the arena where the game was being held, I thought my offer was rather lovely... I had a hockey game to go to and wanted his company. As per our relationship ritual it was my responsibility to give the gentleman right of first refusal. However, contrary to our usual go around, he agreed to come.

I don't have much to say about the game itself. The tournament was held at Grand Trunk Arena, a space that looks relatively untouched since it was first built. I wandered a bit during the breaks between first and second period to photograph the relatively empty arena (save for the Zamboni driver).

Game play resumed and as the third period wound down I made my way to the opposite side of the arena to the players area. Perks of being the official photographer is that you get to go places where most spectators don't, like on the ice.

Despite the jerseys that coordinated with the arena, the orange team lost.

the guru gala

2011-04-12T22:34:00.000-06:00

Work continues to take up all of my time but I have still managed a couple evenings out to socialize with friends and attend important events. One such evening about two weeks ago, the gentleman and I made our way to the Art Gallery of Alberta for the annual celebration for Guru Digital Arts College (the Guru Gala). I took some time between conversations with the many attendees to admire the light and lines of the gallery's glass facade and undulating metal structure. It was a happy photographic escape.

those march days

2011-04-04T13:36:00.000-06:00

March was a busy month dealing with a long drawn out spring cold/flu/fever and addressing contract issues on top of a pile of work projects. As such, this post has sat in the queue for almost an entire month. So let's take another trip in the not so way back machine.

Thursday, early March...

Lisa and I were set to meet at D'Lish Urban Kitchen and Wine Bar for the Yeg Girl Geek dinner. I had a migraine earlier in the day and was feeling kind of lousy, but I had been looking forward to the guest speaker of the evening, Dr. Anny Sauvageau, Edmonton’s Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, who was scheduled to speak about Forensic Pathology. Part of me wanted to just stay home and sleep, but I convinced myself to go knowing that in addition to the interesting speaker there would be delicious food and dim lights waiting for me at the venue.

I really enjoyed the Dr. Sauvageau's presentation. She had originally planned to pursue a career in academia, but when she as she was completing her studies more career options were available to work in Forensic Pathology so she changed her direction. It was very clear as she was giving her presentation that she would have made an excellent lecturer. Dr. Sauvageau started her presentation by providing a little insight about the differences between the forensic labs on television and cinema versus the real-life processes of a police lab as well as the misconceptions that forensic pathology is a glamorous job. She then gave us a brief overview of some of the bizarre cases she had worked on and how science and meticulous attention to detail helped to reveal how the individuals in these cases had perished. And then we had dessert. And then Lisa and I ran for the bus to go home. Sounds a bit abrupt, but that's more or less how the evening ended. Bus service gets a little infrequent late at night and with a migraine hangover remaining I wasn't much in the mood for smalltalk. However, once I was home I felt like prolonging the experience and read this article from McGill News about Scientific Sleuths. All together it was an evening more entertaining and educational than a CSI marathon.

Friday...

After dinner with the gentleman's parents, we rushed off to the Royal Alberta Museum for Pecha Kucha 9. We arrived late, missing all the pre-presentation mingling. I don't know what it was about the evening but everything seemed to go by really quickly. Maybe it was the limited introductions or the similarity in presentations... whatever the reason, time seemed to fly by.

During the break it was a bit cramped in the lobby, which lessened my desire to mingle (it doesn't take much to lessen my desire to mingle). The key in this sort of situation is to position yourself in a high-visibility, high-traffic area, where people are likely to be passing by and thereby limiting the degree that you have to move. In this case it was standing by the water fountain, which meant not only was I likely to run into people I knew, but that I also had easy access to water when my throat became too parched from all my clever conversation.

In the case that you might still be parched following the close of the event, I might suggest bubble tea with friends.

Saturday...

Having finished painting the kitchen two weeks prior I had planned on moving on to the bathroom the following weekend. Alas, something came up (flu!) and painting was delayed until Saturday. Painting the bathroom marks the final step of transforming the apartment from a palette of peach, orange, brown and pea green to something a bit more Scandinavian and modern. Not everyone can live with white walls but I really like the gallery aesthetic. Plus I can add whatever colour I feel like as an accessory. The same is not true for pea green walls.

There's still a bit more work to complete in the bathroom, like installing a few more hooks here and there and sorting out the new storage below the vanity.

Painting and plumbing took us till nearly midnight. While we were both exhausted we walked downtown to a place called Hawkeye's, where we joined up with some friends mid-karaoke. I asked the gentleman for a serenade but he did not deliver.

Sunday...

The plan was to meet the ladies for tea at Rutherford House at half past noon. It was a beautiful day and I considered walking across the bridge to the University Grounds rather than take the LRT. However, just as I was nearing the edge of the parking lot, I slipped and crashed hard on the concrete, landing on both my knees and right wrist. This is easily the fourth or fifth time I have taken a tumble this winter. The fall was painful. I turned around and hobbled back inside to lie down, since my knees were smarting and my wrist was sore. I lay with legs elevated and whined and whimpered enough that the gentleman dropped me off before he went to the office for a couple hours, but not before teasing me about being a baby. I refuse to admit to any dramatics. My left knee was swollen and large bruises covered both knees.

It's a shame I didn't walk to tea. The sun was shining, making up for winter's reluctance to end her run. But I still had a chance to enjoy the sun in the tea room, chatting with Elize, Lisa and Sarah while photographing the shadows cast by the low sun. The play of light and shadow mixed with the wintry scene out of doors and the warmth and comfort inside reminded me of this line from Great Expectations,

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

But as March wore on, the days got progressively longer while the wind blew a little less cold. Most of the snow is disappearing, just in time too, since over the weekend the zipper on my winter boots finally gave up out of sheer exhaustion.

raffaella goes to washington...

2011-02-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

Reminiscing about my Mexico trip got me thinking about some of the other big vacations I've been lucky enough to go on in the past year. Hard to believe it's almost been a year since my spring break adventure in Washington and New York. I'd love to go back, but for now the best I can do is revisit the photos.

Washington was an incredible place to photograph. The brutalist architecture of the Metro was so impressive in person. I just could not get enough of the vaulted ceilings. But it wasn't just the Metro that caught my eye. It seemed that every which way I turned in Washington there was something to photograph whether it be the one of the many monuments, the cherry blossoms, the Smithsonian, the White House grounds, even the President.

Amazing Metro Station ceilings

Photo opportunities at every angle

Christopher loves Washington

The Smithsonian... Space and Elephants!

Touring of the Capitol Building

The Boys run into the President.

Wouldn't be a trip to D.C. without a visit to the White House & a photo of the Washington monument.

While we spent most of our time around the National Mall we did find ourselves at a few different spots, like the famed Ben's chili bowl, a bustling restaurant and bar on Dupont Circle and a little book shop that had gained a little notoriety during the during the Lewinsky scandal.

Our five days in Washington also included a visit with a dear flickr friend and a trip to Arlington cemetery. It's also possible that there might have been a brief stop at Target to see what Liberty of London products might be for sale. Mostly window shopping however, since the real shopping was planned for our next destination. Luckily we were only a short train ride away.

Next stop, New York City.

you boys like mexico‽

2011-02-21T16:01:00.001-07:00

Winter is dragging along as usual so I've been living vicariously through my vacation photos. While doing so it occurred to me that while I posted numerous photos of my most recent vacation to my photostream, I neglected to make any mention on it here. A travesty indeed.

Most people understand the difficulty that arises when trying to coordinate visits with one's entire family. This is especially true with my family, as there are 10 of us (not including spouses, significant others and offspring). As a result, my family assembles en masse only occasionally. If we're lucky we gather every two years over Christmas, that is, if we can all coordinate time off work, flights across the Pacific and sleeping arrangements for everyone involved. So when my oldest sister announced she was getting married in Mexico in November, all the siblings found a way to make it there for our first all family-vacation in years.

In the months leading up to the trip there were a lot of family conversations that went a little bit like this...

We are an overly enthusiastic bunch.

I had made my travel plans with Alessandra and we were amongst the first to arrive. My brother Renato, had traveled up from Japan two days earlier, and he met us at the Cancun airport where a shuttle was waiting for us to take us to our resort in Tulum.

We arrived at the resort compound as the sun was beginning to set. We ended up getting a room in the main building (very convenient because we didn't have to spend half an hour finding our room in the dark while trying to figure out the sort of confusing naming convention for the other buildings).

Apparently our resort was rather small in comparison to some of the other monster complexes that we passed on our drive. But small equals good. At the most you were only a ten minute walk from the restaurants, pool or beach. And that would have been a slow ten minute walk. The rooms were quite nice, our bathroom was pretty deluxe and other than some upgrades being done to one of the poolside bars, the resort was in great condition. At first it seemed a little odd to not venture exploring a new city, but we quickly adjusted to the ease of dropping in for the breakfast buffet, relaxing by the pool or the beach, and just generally hanging out. We had a large enough group that no one had to eat alone and no one had to eat with the same people every day. It was sort of an ideal place for a family of our size to gather. There were no fights about who wasn't helping in the kitchen or complaints about having to sleep on the floor. Everyone was happy.

We ventured outside of the resort a couple times. Most of the family (save for Noemi who was spending time with the in-laws) made the quick trip to the ruins at Tulum (maybe a 5 minute drive). The temperatures before that day had been pretty moderate (mid 20s), but on the day we visited Tulum it was sweltering. We were still adjusting to the glorious warmth of the Caribbean sun and the few degree difference from +25 to +34 was significant. In the photos taken at the ruins site we all look like uncomfortable tourists, tired and a little bit grouchy and dying for a breeze.

But then we discovered what was to be our saving grace... the beach at Tulum. Incredible views, warm waters, soft and forgiving sand and big enough waves to satisfy my siblings' body surfing requirements. I was completely unprepared for the beach. I knew there was one near the ruins, but I didn't quite get that the access was through the ruins site. I think I anticipated spending more time exploring the ruins site itself, but as it was, we walked through rather quickly and once we discovered the beach we spent most of our time in the water.

I was an idiot and wasn't wearing my bathing suit (nor did I even think to bring it along with me), so I ended up in the water looking like a bit of a fool wearing shorts and my blouse. It was so worth it though. The water was a perfect temperature and the beach area felt considerably cooler than the ruins up top. When we were walking about the ruins site I could feel a headache coming on and a refreshing swim helped to cool me down and give me a couple hours reprieve from a migraine. By the time I did get a migraine I was back at the resort and able to lie down in the cool room.

I was a bit apprehensive about whether or not I would enjoy staying at an all-inclusive resort. But once I sort of dealt with the feelings of first world guilt associated with staying in a locked-down compound where uniformed locals brought you drinks on the beach things improved. No one was under any delusions that our stay at the resort was giving us the real Mexican experience. We did our best to not seem like arrogant tourists and took a couple Spanish lessons so that at least we could make an effort to speak the local language. The staff were really friendly and always willing to have conversations with guests. And once we accepted the curated environment and what the artifice of the resort provided, it was a lot easier to enjoy ourselves.

There were still times when I had to try a little harder to let go of my inner cynic, particularly during the evenings when the scheduled entertainment had that element of camp about it. It's a performance like any other... the menu and the jokes are the same every week. But that doesn't mean that the food wasn't delicious or the jokes (sort of) funny. If you want a totally unique experience that has a little more element of spontaneity (and the added element of chaos) you should probably plan a different vacation. But with a group of our size, it was nice not to have to worry about all the details and just concentrate on the good company.

And then of course there was the wedding. There were a few rain showers the day of the ceremony, which I think was actually ideal because no one was squinty in photos and there was that added element of drama from the stormy clouds. The rain stopped just long enough for the ceremony, but picked up again almost immediately afterwards. The dinner and reception moved indoors to one of the restaurant spaces that was closed that evening, but no one minded.

We danced until quite late, but not before that final round of drinks before we all went home.

So in summary... Did we boys like Mexico?

Yes, yes we did. I still have the tanlines to prove it.

in the hall of the mountain king

2011-02-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

During all my time living in Edmonton I can think of only one trip that was made with the express purpose of visiting the mountains. That is not to say that I haven't visited mountain country on other occasions, but I was always just passing through on my way somewhere else. This past Valentine's weekend was another story. For months the gentleman and I were looking forward to the winter wedding of the gentleman's close family friends. I had been promised three days of photo opportunities, fresh mountain air and visits to the Banff Springs Hotel. Who could dislike such prospects?

We drove up to Canmore on Friday and arrived in time for the rehearsal dinner, a delicious feast of perogies and other Ukrainian delicacies prepared by the groom's mother and family. After a few hours of eating, drinking (and a few impromptu speeches) we headed back to our hotel and fell asleep after an episode or two of the Criminal Minds marathon on A&E. We really know how to keep things romantic.

While Friday had been a beautiful sunny day with blue skies and the mountains magnificently prominent wherever you might look, Saturday was grey and misty (but still beautiful). The ceremony wasn't scheduled until late in the afternoon. The gentleman and I had no responsibilities as guests, so we took advantage of the hours we had to ourselves and made the quick trip from Canmore to Banff for a decadent brunch at the Banff Springs Hotel.

The gentleman had made reservations for 11:30 and we arrived intentionally early so I could explore the hotel and take pictures.

The hotel is a castle. Winding staircases, stately halls, a maze of wings and hidden rooms... heavy tapestries, walls of windows with stained glass, beams, amazing detail work with curved ceilings and carved banisters and nary a burnt out light bulb in sight. Colour me impressed.

After wandering about inside, we stepped briefly to one of the many outdoor patios to enjoy the view (both towards the mountains and at the hotel) and take one of those rare portraits of the two of us together before we headed back in for brunch (which by the way was delicious... excellent buffet with incredible selection and a dedicated server who addressed us by name).

I would have loved to stay a bit longer in Banff to explore the town some more, but I didn't want to risk being late for the wedding. We returned to Canmore sated, but a little sad to be leaving Banff after such a short stay. But it's not exactly as if we had to leave the mountains. Our hotel room had a great view of the Three Sisters peaks.

And then there was the wedding. Short but meaningful ceremony, followed by a fun reception with much hilarity provided by the bride's brothers during the speeches. I took few photos of the evening though. It's so much more relaxing to be just a guest.

I tired out pretty early and took the shuttle back to the hotel, hoping that a short nap might invigorate me enough to make it to the after party. I crashed though and slept through till morning. We made a quick stop at the post-wedding brunch before heading back to Edmonton.

All together it was a lovely weekend. I'm already scheming up excuses to make another trip to the mountains.

the varsity drag

2011-02-06T19:15:00.002-07:00

When my photostream becomes over populated with images of my knitting projects I start to feel like my life has become a bit boring and that I am probably spending too much time indoors. This is very true of the past month so to remedy this my chum Tom and I ventured out for a quiet photo excursion to the UofA campus.

The last time we had sort of aimlessly wandered about campus had been in March of 2008. All of my platonic boyfriends had been present that day. We had found some open classrooms and played with the overhead projector, stumbled across a track meet, photographed the same building before finally ending in the Atrium Oasis in the Faculty of Agriculture building. Then we all went for brunch. It was a great day.

Tom and I had both been mutually lamenting our photographic funk, so to address this we decided on a reprise of our past campus adventure. Mostly I wanted to revisit the atrium for a brief escape from winter, but before getting there we made several stops. Campus was much quieter than I expected for a Saturday. What students we did see were crowded around tables in the Student's Union Building, but other than a few lone students who had sought out a hidden corner in which to study, Tom and I basically had the run of the place to ourselves.

This particular excursion ended up being a sort of travel through time as the architecture of different buildings revealed the changing tastes and popular finishes of the era in which they were built. We started with the Arts Building (1912), a neoclassical beauty that houses Convocation Hall.

Much to my dismay Con Hall was locked so we could only peek through the doors to get a look inside. However, I soon found solace photographing the pretty staircase landing between the third and fourth floors. The details of this building were charming. The wooden banister was comfortably worn and the grey trim on the underside of the staircase broke up an otherwise bland facade.

We left the Arts building to walk through the Quad. After trying a few different buildings but encountering locked doors, we managed to find one that gave us access to one of the newest buildings on campus, CCIS (Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science). Although the building seemed bland in comparison to Arts, I could still appreciate the functionality of the new space (at least what was completed so far). I photographed very little in the building, save for a few shots of the empty lecture halls.

Leaving CCIS we somehow ended up in the basement of Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, representing another era with plenty of orange and wood paneling. The paneled stairwell reminded me of a sauna, fitting, since they led upstairs to the humid Atrium Oasis.

The atrium is an odd little space. It seems a bit haphazardly maintained and somewhat forgotten, as if it's a garden belonging to someone who prefers to let plants go a little wild. It also seems like this secret gardener doesn't really want you to hang around. There's no place to sit and there's always a threat that the little army of birds might shower presents from above.

While Tom was still photographing the dangerous little birds, I discovered the little patio that is just off to the side of the atrium. There were a few utilitarian picnic tables as well as a few cushionless Bertoia side chairs. Spottings like this are not uncommon around the university. The campus is strewn with mid-century modern pieces. I wish I could have just carried these two chairs home to put on my deck. To buy one of these new would easily cost around $500 each.

I returned home chairless but content with a day of successful shooting.