Think Globally, eat locally

Though I don't always do it, eating locally grown produce is something I strive to do. With stats showing that our average meal travels on average 2000 plus kilometres to get to our plate we need to be making an effort.

The benefits are many faceted. Fresher, tastier food, better local economy and reduced GHG emissions from transport mileage.

Check out this articleto read a bit more on the subject.

Bilingual signage in Downtown Chinatown

Just read an interesting article in the Vancouver Sun regarding the Downtown Chinatown Merchant's association decision to make signage bilingual. This is something I've definitely felt passionate about and feel is a great move for generating a more culturally integrated city. Many of the reasons cited in the article were to reach out to the english speaking population and international tourists. Both key groups.

In Quebec where the issue is French and English signage, I think the insistence on French signage being more prominent is a good idea. Language is a hugely important cultural factor (especially in Quebec), and ties us all together. Speaking the same language and doing business in the same language, at least part of the time, can only help us exist as a more unified culture. Now we just need to work on getting more French signage available. Small steps I suppose.

Shiny and in white!
Very excited. My new shiny, pretty laptop arrived chez moi this weekend and I've just started to monkey around with it. I haven't fully thrown myself into it, but am very jazzed about it, in a broadway sort of way. I am really hopeing it will help me write and organise my information a bit better.

The big smoke.
My visit to Toronto was excellent. It reminded me about all the reasons and I love and hate the city. It is a traffic nightmare, the weather can be a bit trying at times, but damn is it a great place. I've heard more than one source say that Toronto is the most diverse city on earth with residents from over 100 different countries. More diverse than New York or London.

I hadn't realised how important the diversity is to me. I really do miss the myriad of faces on the subway, and the true diversity that exists in the city. There are people from everywhere!

It was really great to walk around and soak in the ambiance of the downtown core. I checked out most of the buildings I had wanted to and even a few others including the Bio-medical science building at the University of Toronto. Had the chance to eat at a few excellent restaurants as part of the cities "Summerlicious" festival that offers diners a set menu at a great price at a number of restaurants around town.

It was awesome to see a number of my friends and spend some much needed time with them. While I love it here in Vancouver, I really do miss the people I grew up with and the city I love. It was nice to feel that love again for it even if it was temporary.

Architecture in Toronto

This weekend I am heading back to Toronto for a visit with the family. While the visit is the primary purpose, I am extremely excited to check out some of the architectural projects happening around T.O.

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is nearing completion on it's massive addition by Daniel Libeskind. The enormous crystal jutting out of existing structure took a while to grow on me, but will be incredible to see now that the glass panelling is actually going up.

Down the road also in the downtown is the Art Gallery of Ontario. Truthfully I don't know much about this one, other than Frank Gehry (renowned architect ... means shit to me) is the the man behind it. Will be interesting to see it.

Other buildings I'm interested in seeing are the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Canadian Opera Company's new building. PHewwwwwww ... lots to see, but I am extremely excited. I've been terrible about posting photos, but will definitely have some for next week. Might even get a chance to monkey around with the new laptop!

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Often I ...

quick finish the sentence with something witty. Quite honestly, often I stare at the computer screen wondering what to write about. Most days at least 3 things flow across my mind that I think would be interesting to write about and then when it comes down to it nothing.

Really this whole blog is an experiment and a successful one at that. I have continued to write each week and that was the point. Sorry just needed to take a second to pat myself on the back.

Hell I thought they were funny

30 second movies performed by cartoon bunnies. That's pretty much it. Click on the title for the link.

By the way, I bought a laptop today, a pretty shiny white one.

Let the children play.

I am probably more obsessed with public spaces and what they mean for neighborhoods then the next person, but would you not find it strange to see a park completely fenced off? Thursday nights is our soccer night in the west end of downtown. A great area with a lot of apartment buildings and quiet streets. There is a school and a playground that we've played at a few times and it is a nice field. Today we head over there and see that it is completely fenced off. At each turn we thought the fence would open up and that it was only certain entrances, but it was all of them!

Our game still went ahead as one of the entrances had been dealt with, and the temporary fence pulled back. Now I just really don't understand the whole ordeal. It's summer, downtown and you fence off a park? What is wrong with this picture? This is exactly how young people get into vandalising property, drugs or just being bored. Why make it difficult for someone to run around and have some fun. The park seems to be well frequented and by a diverse demographic as well. Sometimes I really don't get cities.

Who's a what's it.

I have been thinking what I should write about and haven't come up w/ anything great, but a few things interesting.

I am really close to buying a laptop, and I mean really close. While this is probably tres passee for most people, it's definitely big for me. I'm looking at getting one of those new macbooks which are actually quite a good deal w/ student pricing. I've wanted a laptop for too long now and am well overdue for it. Definitely looking forward to the freedom and fun.

Other news, have been biking a fair bit and the result is a bike that needs a serious tune-up. My breaks are super sketchy and while going downhill I feel as out of control as Biker Sherlock in street luge during the X-games. Needless to say, my bike is going under the knife Friday. I definitely want to learn some maintenance stuff myself, but not right now. On a lighter (like popcorn light), I was peeling some lame stickers off of my bike while on the metro tonight and thinking that I must look like a thief who is now trying to make the bike he just stole look less obvious.

Going to see "An inconvenient truth" this Friday, very excited.

Only in Vancouver

I've been thinking of starting a new blog of the same name as this post. Reason being there are so many weird ass things that could seriously ONLY happen here in Vancity. Point and case. I was in a grocery store the other day. Now to preface this it isn't exactly a "normal" grocery store. It does specialise in natural and organic shit, but really is just more of a trendy grocery store. Anywayz, so I am waiting for a friend and decide to browse the aisles. I am looking down one reading what is in the aisle and written on the sign is ... wait for it ... "Yoga tools". Dude, what the fuck is that?

I rest my case, only in Vancouver Part 1.