VanRamblings

November 15, 2011

Building a Vancouver For Everyone: Consider A Vote for COPE

August 18, 2011

Montréal: A Flickr Slideshow Presentation

Although the Flickr slideshow presentation above is not, as yet, complete, we'll offer somewhere in the neighbourhood of 70+ pictures as an interim photo instalment, covering our glorious, fulfilling 8-day sojourn to Montréal.

In the coming days, we'll add another 30 - 50 photos to the slideshow, so check in early next week for a more expansive presentation.

(For optimal viewing, you may want to take the slideshow full screen).

August 17, 2011

Montréal: VanRamblings Explores The City By Bixi

First thing in the morning, all VanRamblings wants is un café and a bit of breakfast. But where to do that cheaply and well in Montréal? Turns out that one can find your not-so-run-of-the-mill greasy spoon breakfast on Rue Milton, west of Avenue du Parc, a charming little bistro called Le Place Milton (a photo of the interior included in tomorrow's Flickr slideshow).

Following a great bacon and eggs petit-dejeuner, we hopped back on our Bixi, planning to head up to Mont Royal, when a thunderous rain storm came out of nowhere and just drenched us. Soaking wet (but warm), we made our way to our residence, changed and shot the following video ...

Soon enough, though, the weather changed back to the expected hot and sunny conditions, and off we were on our Bixi to explore Montréal.

We headed over to Mont Royal (almost all up hill), but thought better of hiking up the mountain to see the sights, so - as our vacation wends to a satisfactory close - we decided to simply spend the late morning / afternoon riding around town, down the backstreets, the neighbourhoods and main thoroughfares, from Mont Royal in the north through to all the streets south to Rue Sherbrooke, from Rue Saint Denis to the quieter Rue Saint Urbain, to the bustling Rue Saint-Laurent, and finally 'home'.

Of course, we stopped off for a cooling raspberry frappé, surfed the 'Net on our iPhone, took in the sights, and enjoyed a momentary rest.

Late afternoon saw VanRamblings headed towards downtown, riding our Bixi south and west towards old Montréal. Early evening found us, once again, at Dunn's Famous, where we supped on a smoked meat sandwich (they're succulent and delicious). The remainder of our day, prior to taking to bed at night, was spent making preparations for our triumphant return to the west coast where, of course, convivial plans are already in the works for VanRamblings to be fêted by our many friends and supporters.

Come on back tomorrow for a preliminary Flickr slideshow presentation, with more than 70 photos, covering everywhere from old Montréal and Chinatown, to Schwarz's Deli and Dunn's Famous, and a great deal more.

August 16, 2011

A Travelogue of VanRamblings' Excursion to Québec City

Even prior to our leaving Vancouver, VanRamblings had set aside Monday, August 15th for our sojourn to Québec City. You'll want to take the Flickr slideshow above to fullscreen mode to truly appreciate the travelogue.

Originally, we'd planned to stay overnight in Québec City, allowing us to roam to our heart's content, but the 'real life' considerations of which we have written previously played into our decision to make it a somewhat leaner visit than had previously been planned. In point of fact, though, we had an exceptionally good time, managing during our brief stay to take in everything we wanted to see, experiencing Québec City to its fullest.

We arose from an all-too-brief slumber at 5 a.m., made our way to the VIA Rail station by 6:30 a.m., boarding the train. By 7:10 a.m. were peacefully rolling on our way to Québec City for a 10:26 a.m. arrival time. The journey by train was uneventful, and relaxing (we just love train travel).

Upon our arrival and after disembarking from the train, we trudged up a very colline escarpée towards Rue Saint-Jean du Vieux Québec, closed off for pedestrians weekday evenings, weekends and holidays (although there were no vehicles on the rue during our midday visit). The warm, exquisite ambiance of the street allows passers-by to enjoy a unique shopping experience, while the many restaurants operate terraces which serve to showcase the 18th-century historical architectural to good advantage.

While exploring Vieux Québec, we overheard a couple planning a bus tour later in the day. Good idea! Next thing we knew, the Chateau Frontenac lay before our very eyes, and we were beckoned to book passage on an altogether comfy and air-conditioned 20-seat tour bus, as our garrulous driver / narrator Roland regaled us with enchanting tales of Vieux Québec.

During the two-hour tour, alighting at stops along the way, we visited l'Avenue Cartier, le Grande-Allée, La Citadel, le Vieux-Port du Québec, the Plains of Abraham, the Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the Quartier Petit Champlain, the Parliament Buildings, le Jardin Saint-Roch, le Fontaine de Tourny, le Parc de l'Artillerie, le Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, and more, many more sites! We were thrilled, and had a great time!

As far as possible, we covered most of what we experienced during our stay in Québec City with our Panasonic Lumix FZ-28, the results of which may be found in the Flickr slideshow at the top of today's posting.

August 15, 2011

Montréal: In Which VanRamblings Travelogues For You

During our eight day stay in Québec, so as not to disappoint our constant reader, and to get all out of our vacation sojourn that we might, we have packed in as much as possible 'to do' during our time in la belle province.

St. Catherine's Street. Check. Old Montréal. Check. Schwarz's Deli and Dunn's Famous. Check, and double-check. Montréal Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique de Montréal). Covered that and Saint Denis already.

Basilique Notre-Dame. Well, kind of. Québec City. That's coming today, with a report tomorrow. Mont Royal? Will ride my Bixi bike there on Tuesday. May, or may not, get to St. Joseph's Oratory. Between trips on the Métro all over town and getting off at stations to explore various neighbourhoods, 8 - 10 kilometres of walking each day, bus rides galore, and now riding on my Bixi bike all over creation, for what is in reality a relatively brief stay in Québec, we believe we've covered a great deal and, overall, feel quite satisfied with what our experience of la belle province.

Sunday was the day we'd set aside for the Hop-On Hop-Off Double Decker Montréal Bus Tour, which would assure us that at least we'd get to most sites on our 'must-see' list while visiting in Montréal. Alas it was not to be. We couldn't get hold of the office either Saturday or Sunday, nor could we confirm a reservation online. C'est la vie; sometimes these things happen.

Instead, VanRamblings opted to 'rent' a Bixi bike (you may want to change the language at the top to English on the website) for a 72-hour period. Bixi is a public bicycle sharing system available in Montréal's central core. Users rent a bike employing a 'subscriber key' obtained from a 24-hour a day touchscreen-operated pay station (employing a credit card): $5 for one day, $12 for three days, $28 per month or $78 annually.

A 'no extra charge time period' covers the first 30 minutes on every individual trip. An unlimited number of such included trips are covered per subscription period. A trip that lasts longer than the 'no-charge time period' incurs additional charges, on an increasing price scale: $1.50 for an extra 30 minutes, $3 for 60-90 minutes, and $6 each subsequent 30-minute period (the increasing price scale is intended to keep the bikes in circulation). Given that there are 400+ stations, it doesn't prove too much of an inconvenience to park your bike at a station, and after two minutes, recharge use of the bike for another 30-minute period at no extra charge.

Onto the travelogue portion of this Monday morning VanRamblings post.

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August 14, 2011

Montréal: The Weekend Has Arrived, and There's Lots To Do

Saturday was a scorcher all day, with daytime temperatures ranging from 27° C to 32° C, Saturday somewhat more humid than we'd experienced earlier in the week, although a cooling breeze off the St. Lawrence provided some respite from the effects of sun, which beat down relentlessly from early morning through early evening. Still, as 2011 in Vancouver brought about the bummer summer, VanRamblings felt quite alright throughout the day, as we got our first taste of a 'real hot summer', and all that entails.

As in our previous post, we'll address issues in point form. Here goes ...

• PC blues: VanRamblings brought along our 14" Toshiba laptop so that we might post memories of our visit to Montréal. Wouldn't you know it, PC 'glitches' abounded in our first couple of days: 1) we couldn't connect to McGill's computer network, so had to use our iPhone 3G; 2) our video editing software, Windows Live Movie Maker, failed just as we were ready to publish yesterday's video, and because we hadn't saved the video, we lost two hours work; 3) the screen orientation on our PC went kablooey; and, 4) our Movable Type blogging software has proved glitchy, troublesome and unresponsive. Problem 1 was resolved by a visit to McGill Tech Support, at 688 Rue Sherbrooke, Room 285, late Friday morning. We're hoping Problem 2 will be resolved with a download of the latest version of Microsoft's video editing software. Problem 3 was resolved following a Google search. And Problem 4 may be occurring as a consequence of our rather infrequent posting of late, which has caused us (perhaps) to forget some of the lessons we've taught ourself about how MT's html functions best.

On to VanRamblings' glorious, hot and perspiring Saturday, after the jump.

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August 13, 2011

Montréal: A Potpurri Posting As VanRamblings Settles In

Wending our way into a second full day in Montréal, having had two good night's rest, we are once again feeling energized and ready to explore the Québécois city where we will reside for the next six days.

Today's posting will seek to provide cursory impressions gleaned during our first 48 hours in Montréal, glancing observations under the Montréal sun, perhaps not particularly insightful, but not devoid of value, rather a wholly subjective take. Make of what follows what you will. Of course, there may be a bit of the travelogue, words about the Métro and the Jardin Botanique de Montréal, about Dunn's Famous and Royal Victoria College residence.

So, without further ado, let's get today's VanRamblings posting underway, as we tackle Montréal in point form, covering a whole gamut of topics ...

• Royal Victoria College Residence: Call us parsimonious if you will, but when travelling and on vacation, VanRamblings has long made arrangements to reside on a university campus in the city of our destination. Royal Victoria College Residence is but one example. Last year, we spent about a week in total at Dalhousie University's Howe Hall. And, why not? Daily rates are only $45, a comfy bed in a spacious dorm room, wifi at the ready, centrally located, friendly students to serve your every need, professors participating in symposia, and young, energetic and friendly travelling students residing in groups. And, did I mention that there are family rates for family groupings? What's not to like? Inexpensive, fun, if you're not Harrison Ford or Brian Mulroney, residing at a university while on vacation is the way to go!

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August 12, 2011

On Which VanRamblings Celebrates Our 61st Birthday

Arising a bit late on our birthday morning, this after getting in late from our 13-hour journey from Vancouver to Montréal, and unpacking and readying ourself for sleep, subsequent to posting yesterday's entry from our McGill Royal Victoria College Residence dorm room, VanRamblings made our way over to Saint-Denis in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood.

According to Wikipedia ...

The Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood takes its name from its location on relatively flat terrain north of Sherbrooke Street and downtown Montréal, and is located just east of Mont-Royal. Formerly a working-class neighbourhood, with the Eastern part being largely Québécois, and the Western part largely Jewish, the neighbourhood was the childhood home of Québec writers Michel Tremblay and Mordecai Richler where both have set stories in the Plateau of the 1950s and 60s.

Characterized by brightly-coloured houses, cafés, book shops, and a laissez-faire attitude, and home to Schwartz's Deli (famous for its Montreal smoked meat), and a weekend street fair during the summer that sees extremely crowded streets, in 1997, Utne Reader rated it one of the 15 "hippest" neighbourhoods in North America.

Due to its proximity to McGill University, in the 1980s the area's bohemian aura attracted gentrification, the area now home to upscale restaurants, nightclubs, and any number of trendy clothing stores that have taken their place along this strip of St-Laurent and St-Denis.

When considering the Plateau Mont-Royal neighourhood along Saint Denis, think Kitsilano's West 4th Avenue, in the area over by Caper's and Brown's Social, mixed with Robson Street, and you won't be far off the mark.

While ambling along Saint-Denis, we stopped in our for birthday Starbucks coffee (free!... a grande caramel frappucino), a breakfast sandwich, and surfed the 'Net on our iPhone. Now rested and sated, we next meandered towards downtown, and finding a nearby Métro station we employed our newly acquired STM card ($16 for unlimited travel for three days, a good idea BC's Translink should implement), landing nearby the gigantic Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal, where we took in a 3 p.m. screening of The Help, the much buzzed about potential multiple Oscar nominee.

Set in early 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, The Help, Tate Taylor's adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestseller, tracks the stories of three women (Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone), and their contemporaries, each of the three women attempting to come to terms with life in the deeply racist Deep South. An outstanding and emotionally wrenching film, and just the sort of moving, intellectually enlightening film VanRamblings would wish to see on our birthday, The Help's tough historical subject matter is occasionally leavened with humour. By movie's end there wasn't a dry eye in the (surprisingly packed) house, including those of VanRamblings.

VanRamblings is glad that we brought along our handkerchief.

After the film, we wandered around downtown for a bit, finding our way along Rue Sherbrooke, back to our McGill University 'resting place'.

For dinner we walked along Sherbrooke (and took the bus along St. Laurent) to Schwarz's Deli, where we enjoyed a humungous and authentic smoked meat sandwich. After dinner we took the Rachel bus back to Saint Denis, wandering the streets til just after 11 p.m., when we decided to take the Métro to the McGill station on Rue University, after which we made it 'home' by around 11:30 p.m. We were kind of tuckered, so read our Kindle for awhile — we're 24% of the way through New Yorker and Vanity Fair columnist Ken Auletta's altogether tremendous Googled: The End of the World as We Know It, a much-appreciated present from a friend.

By 1 a.m., we were truly ready for bed, and surprisingly, once again, we slept the sleep of angels right through to mid-to-late morning.

August 11, 2011

The Birthday Jubilee Doth Commence With Minor Tribulations

Thank you to one and all friends for the attendant and hearty Facebook congratulations in celebration of VanRamblings' august 61st birthday. Such warmly expressed salutations are appreciated, as anyone who is familiar with the inimitable and gregarious Mr. Know-It-All has long realized.

Although we've truncated our stay in Montréal — due to pesky real-life, if you will, considerations — this is, after all, our most anticipated celebratory birthday (today!), and despite those 'real-life' considerations we have every intention of enjoying ourselves during our 8-day stay in la belle province.

We will set about to explore Montréal, duly recording our experiences on photo and video (the photos due for a Flickr slideshow presentation mid-week next week). As we have not had our morning coffee, after the jump we will briefly — the term 'briefly' constituting a relative term when it comes to describing VanRamblings' perambulations, he of 'long of wind' and an adherent to the philosophy, "Why employ 100 words when 1000 deliciously exploratory observations will satisfy just nicely, thank you." — relate the events of yesterday, and today's early morning hours.

Steady yourself. Up next, we'll explore our August 10th Montréal flight.

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August 10, 2011

A Sojourn to Montréal, The 61st Birthday Jubilee Commences

If it is 9 a.m. and you are reading this first travel post covering our journey to Montréal, we are somewhere over the Rocky Mountains, aboard WestJet Flight 366 (on a Boeing 737-800, seated near the front of the plane beside a window, in seat 6F), heading towards Toronto, where (the gods willing) we'll arrive at 3:20 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, before continuing what will be our Québec adventure. We will arrive in Montréal at 5:10 p.m.

VanRamblings has brought along two cameras: our trusty Panasonic Lumix FZ28 and our somewhat newer Canon Powershot Elph 300 HS, both of which shoot photos and video in glorious HD. Over the course of the next 8 days we hope to record anecdotal photos and video of our experience in la belle province. Yes, we're going to take in the sights: old Montréal; the world famous Schwarz's Deli (hey, VanRamblings is Jewish; oy vey, like we're not going to partake of an authentic smoked meat sandwich); the Notre-Dame Basilica; and ... well, you're just going to have to come back to VanRamblings either later tonight or tomorrow morning for a couple of photos, and maybe, just maybe, a brief, illustrious and spectacular video.

June 20, 2011

Vancouver Canadians Baseball, The 2011 Season Begins

June 9, 2011

The Remaining Light: An Indictment of Our System of Seniors Care

Produced by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Hospital Employees' Union, The Remaining Light takes the viewer inside the often invisible part of Canada's health care system — the community-based services that provide care to seniors as they age and prepare for death.

The film, which VanRamblings features above in full, presents a compelling narrative of the lives of seniors and their families, while exploring the themes of dignity, the progressive degeneration of one's physical health that often accompanies aging, plus the increasing sense of social isolation that is felt by many of our seniors, and the failure of the Canadian health care system to provide adequately for our burgeoning 'aging' population.

Set in British Columbia, where the province's Ombudsperson continues her investigation into "aging in place", the themes and stories explored in Goh Iromoto and Shannon Daub's 2011 film resonate as an indictment of an underfunded system of seniors care, where our elder population are not venerated as they should be and not afforded the respect they deserve.

May 28, 2011

West Side Vancouver: Business Closings Bring Unwanted Change

Change, as we all know, is a constant. That may be so, but we don't have to like it. Thus, we record today the closure of the Hollywood Theatre, a Kitsilano cinematic institution dating back to the 1930s; the closure of what was a thriving neighbourhood Blockbuster video store; and the 'passing' of the West Side Bakery (which will stay open, but under new ownership ... and we all know how that usually goes ... which is to say, not well).

For anyone who has lived on Vancouver's west side, the Hollywood Theatre has for generations acted as a mecca for cinema-goers, the theatre's oddly-structured double-bills providing solace to the troubled soul, an opportunity to kibbitz with friends between the early 7:30 pm screening and the 'late' 9:40 pm screening, a bit of fun, and the unexpected.

David Fairleigh reportedly received $2.9 million for the sale of the theatre, the monies coming from an offshore Asian investor looking to redevelop the property (perhaps the entire north side of the block) for condominiums. Festival Cinemas' Leonard Schein apparently offered a million less than the final sale price — looking to repair and run the theatre long into the future — but clearly his financial offer came in on the low end. The Vancouver International Film Festival also showed some interest in acquiring the old Hollywood Theatre, but the asking price was just too much.

Thus, a cinematic institution passes, as cinema lovers are now left to troll the soulless cineplexes which dot the suburban landscape. An era passes.

Update: There's a late-breaking, but unconfirmed, report that Festival Cinemas' Leonard Schein met with Vince Fairleigh this past Thursday evening, and made an offer to Vince to keep the Hollywood Theatre open for a period of five years, a 'deal' which would have Mr. Schein's company assume responsibility for the payment of rent and business expenses associated with the operation of the Hollywood Theatre (the new owners had offered the Fairleighs the opportunity to keep the Hollywood open, at a monthly rental rate of $11,000, that offer refused), the deal on the table also offering a salary to Vince to continue to manage the theatre.

Clearly, the arrangement as outlined above is similar to the offer made to Corinne Lea of East Van's The Rio. No word as to whether Vince Fairleigh will book the Hollywood's double-bills, or whether Leonard Schein will step in to offer assistance on that front (unlikely, given the structure of the deal Mr. Schein has with the operators of both the Rio and Dunbar theatres).

Update 2, June 1st: The Hollywood is officially closed, the Fairleighs having turned over the keys late in the day on May 30th. At this point, a re-opening of The Hollywood Theatre appears unlikely.

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April 18, 2011

The View from Vancouver's Granville Street Bridge, Plus Politics

The weather on this third Monday in April was sunny, chilly and blustery.

Even so, after a long day's work on the Downtown Eastside, VanRamblings decided to walk the 11 kilometres home, through downtown Vancouver, over the Granville Street Bridge, through Kitsilano, and then home.

Of course, we were waylaid.

We stopped off at former City Councillor Tim Louis' place (to talk about a website we're creating for his upcoming COPE candidacy), and somehow found ourselves at David Eby's NDP campaign launch for the May 11th by-election in Vancouver Point Grey, where David impressed (as always), and newly elected provincial NDP leader Adrian Dix gave a rousing speech — how wonderful to finally have a leader of the NDP who is passionate, informed and articulate about the issues!

April 17, 2011

Locarno Beach on a Chill Early Spring Sunday Afternoon

On a chill, blustery, cloudy and just a bit sunny late Sunday afternoon in the early spring of 2011, the winds blew, rain-soaked clouds hovered overhead, the North Shore mountains were snowcapped, wind surfers were out in force, lovers walked along the Spanish Banks beach path, and children frolicked in the sand under the watchful eye of their parents.

March 20, 2011

A New Week Begins With A Review of The Past Week (and more)

The following "stories" went 'viral' this past week, and are recorded below.

Thirty-two-year-old copywriter Janet Champ, working on the women's fitness account for Nike, in 1999, wanted to appeal to women who weren't hard-core athletes. What struck her was how women took responsibility and time for everyone else but themselves. She wanted to get the message across that women need to care for themselves (preferably in Nikes).

Champ decided to write the life story of a woman: an eight-page ad, which read, in part "You wanted boys to notice you. You were afraid the boys would notice you. You started to get acne. You started to get breasts ..."

Nike worried that there was too much to read, Dolan says. A cardinal rule of advertising is to keep the copy short. Here's the ad Champ came up with ...

You were born a daughter. You looked up to your mother. You looked up to your father. You looked up at everyone.

You wanted to be a princess. You thought you were a princess. You wanted to own a horse. You wanted to be a horse. You wanted your brother to be a horse.

You wanted to wear pink. You never wanted to wear pink.

You wanted to be a Veterinarian. You wanted to be President. You wanted to be the President's Veterinarian.

You were picked last for the team. You were the best one on the team. You refused to be on the team.

You wanted to be good in algebra. You hid during algebra.

You wanted the boys to notice you. You were afraid the boys would notice you.

You started to get acne. You started to get breasts. You started to get acne that was bigger than your breasts.

You wouldn't wear a bra. You couldn't wait to wear a bra. You couldn't fit into a bra.

You didn't like the way you looked. You didn't like the way your parents looked. You didn't want to grow up.

You had your first best friend. You had your first date. You had your second best friend. You had your second first date.

You spent hours on the telephone.

You got kissed. You got to kiss back.

You went to the prom. You didn't go to the prom. You went to the prom with the wrong person.

You spent hours on the telephone.

You fell in love. You fell in love. You fell in love.

You lost your best friend. You lost your other best friend.

You really fell in love.

You became a steady girlfriend. You became a significant other.

YOU BECAME SIGNIFICANT TO YOURSELF.

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March 12, 2011

Devastation in Japan: Photos & Video of the March 11th Calamity

Photos of the devastation caused by Friday's 8.9 earthquake in Japan.

And videos ...

And these 10 videos (courtesy, the Georgia Straight), and 10 more videos.

March 11, 2011

Another Week-Ending Potpurri of Sites Surfed To This Week

Yes, it's another Friday morning. I mean, where does the time go?

So, this week's potpurri of articles of interest includes a video trailer of a summer blockbuster we're looking forward to, a throwback to the kind of films Steven Spielberg made back in the late 70s / early 80s, this time out, though, directed by J.J. Abrams, who didn't do a bad job with Star Trek (really, it was our favourite blockbuster in the summer of 2009).

Although it took awhile for VanRamblings to find her, we're pleased that we ran across British songstress Rumer awhile back, and thought we'd share some British soul music with you this inclement late winter Friday morning.

For those who find that Vision Vancouver has become, during their two-plus years in office, to be the worst civic government since the regrettable days of 'Terrific' Tom Campbell in the late 60s / early 70s, the following video from VanRamblings' friend / associate Michael Klassen.

Yes, it's true: a 75% turnover of senior administrative staff at Vancouver City Hall in the past two years, and devastatingly low morale among the remaining middle management and line staff. The November civic election cannot come soon enough to kick these ne'er-do-wells out of office!

And, finally for the week, Two and a Half Men's Jon Cryer responds to Charlie Sheen's accusation that he is a troll. From Conan O'Brien's show ...

March 8, 2011

The Question is Asked: Are You A Feminist? Damn Right I Am!

March 4, 2011

A Friday Morning Potpurri of Sites VanRamblings Has Surfed To

As VanRamblings does most mornings, while sipping our morning coffee and finishing off a plate of scrambled eggs (one egg and free-run egg whites), we surf the 'Net to apprise ourselves of the day's events, all while attempting to gain some pungent insight into the daily cultural zeitgeist.

Here's what we've run across this chilly late winter Friday morning (a note: you'll want to take all videos below full screen for a proper appreciation) ...

Thom Yorke and the folks in R.E.M. have just released the video for their single "ÜBerlin" featuring actor Aaron Johnson (who starred in the breakout hit Kick-Ass, along with Chloë Grace Moretz, as well as the quite wonderful John Lennon movie Nowhere Boy, both released last year) who, dressed in a yellow T-shirt, tracksuit pants and sneakers, makes Fred Astaire-like dance moves, a wonderful life affirming feat which can only effectively be accomplished when hope springs eternal and you're in your early 20s.

Shot and directed by Johnson's fiancée Sam Taylor-Wood (the director of Nowhere Boy) in and around London's Brick Lane one recent afternoon, REM's new album, Collapse Into Now, will be released Monday, March 7th.

Also on our radar this morning, the new trailer for Water for Elephants, starring Academy Award winners Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz, along with Twilight's Robert Pattinson, director Frances Lawrence's screen adaptation of Sara Gruen's best-selling 2007 romantic page-turner cum historical novel ...

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December 27, 2010

Christmas Time at The Hotel Vancouver

December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas To One and All From VanRamblings

November 26, 2010

Tofino 2010: As We Take Leave of a West Coast Paradise

On this, our final day at the Middle Beach Lodge, along the coast of the Pacific Rim near Tofino, we chose to leave the door to the balcony open overnight in order to listen to the sounds of the storm raging outside, and the waves crashing on the rocks and the shoreline. There's something very elemental in being so close to the ocean and the power of nature, for once we came from the sea and it is near to us, within us, a part of us always.

We take our leave of British Columbia's western most region to return to the city, to our work, our home, our friends, and to prepare for the coming holiday season, our brief sojourn to the Pacific Rim almost at an end, at least for now. But we will return again next year, perhaps in the spring, perhaps in the summer, to experience once again life in the rainforest, and the primitive, unbridled, natural Pacific Ocean which beckons us always.

November 25, 2010

Tofino 2010: A Blustery Day on the West Coast of Canada

As promised, the rains fell from the heavens, pounding down relentlessly throughout the day, in this western most region of Canada, the Pacific Rim National Park, where hour upon hour we were buffeted by 60 kilometre an hour winds, and torrents of rain that fell raw and unbridled, the likes of which may only be experienced in a region so close to the Pacific Ocean.

Although the daytime temperature warmed up from days previous, the Pacific region climes remained bitter and cold, as the harsh, unforgiving winds and drenching rain pierced our skin, dampening our eyes such that we felt almost immersed in those rains, every part of our being soaked, intoxicated, a near spiritual assault seeming to infiltrate our very soul.

As expected, then, we arose to a blustery west coast morning, with near tsunami-like wind and rain, and crashing waves, the perfect 'storm watching' weather which bring so many patrons to Pacific Rim National Park.

Before heading out for the day, we took a late breakfast in the Middle Beach Lodge dining room (oatmeal with yogurt, orange juice, coffee, and a slice of wholegrain toast with raspberry preserve), admiring the stormy view through the restaurant's rain-slicked bay windows, not quite realizing what the day held in store for us, the deluge & near drowning experience which awaited, as we headed eastward towards the darkening skies of Ucluelet.

Wrapping ourselves in our rain togs, we drove the 40 kilometres to the Island's other west coast metropolis, Ucluelet, a must-do (whatever the weather) when one relocates on the north-western perimeter of North America — where we savoured a warming, hearty seafood chowder at the Eagles' Nest Pub overlooking the misty, rain-soaked Ucluelet harbour — among other salutary endeavours which are recorded in today's video.

Fortified, we drove home, again in the dark — the near blinding sheets of rain assaulting the windshield in a most unrelenting manner — a slow, arduous but relatively safe affair, as we rarely drove more than 40 kilometres an hour (pulling to the side of the road to allow more seasoned west coast drivers to pass), almost enjoying the drive back as we listened to a dozen or so rousing iTunes songs to aid in our journey — the quest for home and safety — and the warmth of Middle Beach Lodge's Room 44.

Today was our last full day in the Pacific Rim region of our province. We've enjoyed our stay on Canada's western most coast frontier, feel quietened and rested, and are ready once again to resume our rather prosaic life.

Tomorrow, we will take a leisurely drive over the mountain roads towards Port Alberni, Parksville and then Nanaimo, where (should we arrive early) the 5 p.m. Queen of Coquitlam ferry will await to transport us home to the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, and our welcoming co-op apartment.

Tofino 2010: Florencia Bay, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island

VanRamblings has been traveling to Florencia Bay for more than 40 years.

In the 1960s — when we had returned home from our travels to Lloydminster, Alberta / Saskatchewan; Nelson and Courtenay, where we'd worked respectively as an all-night, evening and afternoon radio announcer (there's something salutary to be said for being a deejay when you're just a teenager) — when we found ourselves living in Kitsilano, in an apartment on West 1st Avenue with a gorgeous view of the beach and the mountains in the distance, in the summer we hitchhiked out with friends to the west coast of Vancouver Island, over gravel roads (this was before the Canadian government had designated the area as a national park), to Florencia Bay.

Throughout the 1970s, '80s and 90s with our spouse and children, and following the skilsmisse, with lovers & intended, friends & acquaintances, and all those who feel about the west coast of Vancouver Island as VanRamblings does and continues to feel to this day, Florencia Bay became our 'country home' to which we return annually, when we are feeling just a tad unmoored, and in need of a little peace and restoration of the soul.

November 24, 2010

Tofino 2010: A Wintry Sunset in Tofino, British Columbia

We awoke this wintry west coast morning to a light dusting of snow. Temperatures were in the minus range, walks were slippery, as were the outside stairs leading down to the reception area, lounge and restaurant at the Middle Beach Lodge, where we've resided the past couple of nights.

Roads were a tad treacherous along the Pacific Rim highway, as were the paths to the various beaches we visited throughout the day (Wickaninnish, Chesterman, Mackenzie, Middle Beach, Florencia Bay), all of which were ice-covered and very slippery, indeed. We stepped very gingerly wherever we went, and were judicious (we believe) in not hazarding the stairs leading to Florencia Bay, instead staying on the path overlooking the secluded bay.

The skies were leaden from the outset of the day til days' end, the sun nowhere to be seen (the view from our ice-covered balcony was pretty spectacular, though, even considering the inclement conditions). The Environment Canada weather forecast for Thursday currently calls for 20 to 30 mm of rain, and blustery winter southwest winds of up to 60 kilometres of an hour in the early morning hours through til noon, with daytime temperatures of plus 9. We thank the heavens that those leaden clouds were prepared to wait til Thursday to dump their 'payload', otherwise we just might be socked in here, in Canada's west coast winter wonderland.

Apart from visiting various of the beaches today, all bundled and wrapped in our finest winter gear, we spent some time in Tofino, where among other endeavours we visited at the local Co-op store, where we were taken aback at the prices being charged for staples: $3.85 for two litres of milk and $7.85 for a dozen organic eggs, two foodstuffs that cost 30 - 50% more in Tofino than on the Lower Mainland of British Columbia where we shop.

Driving back to our accommodation in the pitch black of 6 p.m., winding roads and no lights other than on the old Mediterranean blue Nissan Altima proved somewhat of a challenge, as we almost drove off the road once at a bendy turn, as well bypassing the unlit road leading us to Middle Beach Lodge. Thank goodness that we arrived home safely, if a little chilled.

Wifi continues to be spotty, even in the lounge area, so we employed our iPhone tethering service to upload the video you see above, and to post this latest update on our west coast sojourn. Tomorrow, we'll head into Ucluelet (quite a journey, that) for a bit of lunch — warming west coast seafood chowder would hit the spot — and on the way back 'home' will stop in at the Wickaninnish Inn for no other reason than we want to, although we'll probably read the complementary New York Times and Globe and Mail, and perhaps partake of a late afternoon tea as we peruse the newspapers.

For now, though: well, it's almost time to find ourselves between the covers, with a good book and a warming cup of tea. Goodnight, one and all.

Tofino 2010: A Wintry Day at Long Beach on Vancouver Island

Upon arising this morning, it was a chilly -10 Celsius, and throughout the day it hasn't warmed up appreciably, so we bundled up — earmuffs, toque, gloves, scarf, winter jacket — for our very cool walk along Long Beach.

Tofino 2010: A Peaceful Respite in The Middle Beach Lounge

In 2004, when Corinne and VanRamblings traveled to Tofino for a brief respite on the west coast, we stayed at the Inlet cottage in Tofino, providing easy access to the town which has become justly famous for kickstarting British Columbia's then nascent environmental movement.

In 1984, the protest of the Nuu-chah-nulth peoples — with significant cooperation from environmental groups (most particularly Greenpeace) — who erected a blockade, prevented MacMillan Bloedel from logging Meares island, traditional native land located just across the harbour from Tofino. Eventually, the Meares Island protest lead to a cessation of clear-cut logging across British Columbia, and the adoption of sustainable practices for the logging of old growth forest across the province, a globally recognized sustainable forestry practice that remains in effect to this day.

As for VanRamblings and family, for more than 40 years we have made the sojourn to Long Beach / Florencia Bay / Tofino, on Vancouver Island's west coast, an annual practice about which we'll write at greater length before week's end. For VanRamblings, there is no more beautiful, nor more serene environment anywhere on the planet than can be found amidst the old growth rainforest and utterly pristine Pacific Ocean on Canada's west coast.

Over the years, we've built lean-to's on Florencia Bay and hunkered down for the summer, camped with our children, and vacationed in many of the quietening bed and breakfastses and oceanside cabins that dot the west coast landscape. Prior to our 2010 visit, we had never stayed at the Middle Beach Lodge, although we had breakfasted in the Lodge lounge (pictured above). We're glad we made the decision to stay at the Lodge this time.

Last evening, once we were settled in, had uploaded our videos for the day (wifi is spotty at the Lodge, but in concert with our iPhone tethering met our necessary posting criteria), at 8 p.m. we repaired to the Lounge, where we partook of the fresh-baked cookies on offer (we decided on a couple of oatmeal cookies), had ourselves a cup of herbal tea, and along with the habitués of the Lodge snuggled into a comfy sofa chair by the window and read late into the night, before retiring for the evening shortly after 11 p.m.

This Wednesday morning, we partook of a scrumptious free breakfast (free works for our parsimonious nature): oatmeal with yogurt and a smattering of granola, hot coffee with cream and a bit of brown sugar, a selection of fresh fruit, orange juice and a fresh-baked and warm cinnamon bun, during which time we caught up on the events of the day on our ever-handy iPhone, glancing up every now and then to admire the palatial view through the windows of the restaurant of the storm-tossed Pacific Ocean.

Having posted for the morning, we're now heading out to Florencia Bay (on the same road which accesses the oceanside Wickannanish Restaurant), about which we'll write — and hopefully post some video — at some point later today, after which we intend to head into Tofino in the afternoon to do a bit of exploring, visit The Common Loaf and walk down to the wharf.

See you back here later today.

November 23, 2010

Tofino 2010: The View From Room 44, Middle Beach Lodge

Tofino 2010: Vancouver Island's Cathedral Grove on a Wintry Day

Those of us who reside in British Columbia are experiencing extremely chilly, record low temperatures in these latter days of November.

Across Vancouver Island record snow blankets the ground and the surrounding flora and fauna as a cold front from B.C.'s Interior has snuck in, creating a beautiful Pacific, pre-Christmas winter wonderland.

Surprisingly, the roads were not all that treacherous along Highway 4, as we were able to make pretty good time on our sojourn, on the way to Middle Beach Lodge, near Tofino, for a few days of rest and relaxation.

We stopped in at Tim Horton's in Port Alberni for a bit of lunch (an oh so delicious warming chili, garlic toast and a coffee), and by noon were on our way again, arriving at our destination on Canada's west coast a bit before 2 p.m. Once we registered at the front desk, up we went to Room 44, with a private balcony, and a spectacular view of the pristine Pacific Ocean.

Later tonight, we'll post our final video of the day: the pacific view from Middle Beach Lodge's Room 44

Tofino 2010: Waiting For The Queen of Cowichan at Horseshoe Bay

Here we are on the first leg of our sojourn to the west coast of Vancouver.

Up at 5:30 a.m. to catch what we thought was a 7:45 a.m. B.C. Ferry to Nanaimo, it was only after we arrived at the Horseshoe Bay terminal that we discovered that we had read the Tsawwassen ferry schedule, and at Horseshoe Bay the Queen of Cowichan would not be leaving til 8:30 a.m.

Still, there was a silver lining to the affair: we were near first in line, boarded first, and disembarked first, which in the end made the whole B.C. ferry experience somewhat more pleasant. The ferry ride over to Nanaimo was uneventful, the ferry decks near deserted, this being winter, and mid-week.

We have a couple more videos we'll attempt to upload later, wi-fi willing.

November 20, 2010

Coverage of Film and Film Culture in the Modern Age, Part 1

As promised, VanRamblings will complete the listing of our favourite cinema-related websites, covering film and film culture.

In today's post, we'll present part one of an inclusive (we hope) list of free-for-the-viewing websites covering the film scene. In an upcoming post, part 2 of this series, we'll focus on Oscar coverage, and the websites and blogs which do a bang up job of covering the weeks and months leading up to the Oscar ceremony which will take place Sunday, February 28th, 2011.

In previous posts we wrote about Jeffrey Wells (Hollywood Elsewhere), as well as Anne Thompson. In today's post, we'll turn our attention to ...

MovieCityNews: One of the première online sources for movies news, David Poland's MovieCityNews acts, in part, as an aggregator — linking to most of the important film news stories of the day — and in recent years has expanded its coverage of film and film culture by hiring more full-time staff, and contracting with a few of the most important and erudite contemporary American films writers, to make MovieCityNews an indispensable website for anyone interested in film and film culture. From the first-rate interviews conducted by David with a variety of actors and directors, which are also published on his Hot Blog, to reviews by respected film critic Michael Wilmington (late of the Chicago Tribune), and the site's Oscar-related coverage on Gurus O' Gold, MovieCityNews is worth a visit each new day.

Deadline | Hollywood: Primarily concerned with the business of Hollywood, since the site's founder Nikke Finke sold to Jay Penske — in the process, greatly expanding its coverage, now including daily TV coverage by Nellie Andreeva — Deadline | Hollywood has become the web's most visited (and successful) online 'blog'. About to have her tempestuous life fictionalized in the upcoming HBO series Tilda, there's enough coverage of Hollywood and environs on this site so as to warrant an hourly visit (if, like VanRamblings, you have no life, or what sorry life you have is spent surfing the 'Net).

Movie | Line: Another recent purchase by Mail.com's Jay Penske, Movie | Line has risen phoenix-like from its much missed hard copy magazine version to become the latest quite readable website covering Hollywood and all of its various machinations. With a stable of writers including Stuart (S.T.) van Airsdale and chief film critic Stephanie Zacharek (late of Salon.com), there's enough going on at Movie | Line to make a once or twice a day visit a necessity.

Editorial director, and founder, of The Wrap, Sharon Waxman finds herself in direct competition with Nikki Finke, and since its arrival on the scene The Wrap has made the ever cantankerous Ms. Finke none-too-happy. The latest redesign of the site lacks warmth and immediacy, and much of The Wrap's coverage seems a bit warmed over, but for all that The Wrap remains a one-stop shop for wide coverage of the Hollywood entertainment scene: film, television and the business of entertainment in the online age.

Roger Ebert: Perhaps the most respected film critic today, with an avid following of regular folks and cinéastes alike, Roger Ebert is the film critic eminence grise of our age. Roger's blog, Ebert's Journal, is also a must-read, as is his phenomenal twitter output. Roger is a humane film critic, seemingly without an arrogant bone in his entire body (alas, the same can't be said for many who cover the film community), writes well and possesses the salutary ability to get to the heart of any issue he writes on, or film he reviews, writing always for us — those who love film and those who are more interested in film as 'art' (an art for the people) than as a narcotizing agent for the masses.

Some Came Running: Lots of photos and great analysis from Glenn Kenny — one of my favourite writers, as was Anne Thompson, at the all now but defunct Premiere magazine. Kenny's work on his (design) simple, but compelling and very readable, blog represents a departure from anything you'll read on any of the other websites we've mentioned thus far — he's not flashy, doesn't feel the need to stay on top of the latest story, and there's little in the way of 'gossip' / personality driven content. Just good old fashioned shoot from the hip writing from someone clearly well informed and in love with the movies.

The Big Picture: The preserve of veteran Los Angeles Times entertainment reporter / commentator Patrick Goldstein, who has taken to the web like no other (he writes frequently on his The Big Picture blog) while maintaining his employment with the not quite so august LA Times (the paper has seen better days), Patrick Goldstein remains readable, progressive (read: liberal), relevant, and always a good read. Could one ask for more? Covering the gamut of film-related news with an always thoughtful analysis of some of the more important film culture 'events' of the week, Patrick is a must-read.

The Hollywood Reporter: When US magazine editor Janice Yin took over the august trade daily, The Hollywood Reporter, there was an outcry in Hollywood that the once venerable publication would be going the trashy tabloid route, and one of the few reliable sources for Hollywood-related news would go by the wayside. But with the print edition becoming a glossy weekly (here's the first cover), and the redesign of the online site going high-end toe to toe with the 'trendier blog sites' on the Internet, the jury is still out as to whether Min's hire last May was entirely a botch job. Thus far, Min has turned her staff loose on the Internet, THR breaks stories online, the writing quality of the new hires (including former Variety magazine lead film critic Todd McCarthy) reads as first-rate, and (who'da thunk it?) The Hollywood Reporter would appear to be back, and ready to give the blogosphere a run for its money. Worth checking out, at least occasionally.

The Guardian: Sometimes it becomes a necessary thing to gain a little perspective on the American-centric coverage of Hollywood and the film / entertainment industry, and The Guardian's coverage of film does just that, providing a wry, up-to-date British take on all things Hollywood, as well as thoughtful, well-written reviews — generally written by Peter Bradshaw and Philip French — often exploring at length the deeper psychological and cultural implications of the incendiary material we see on screen.

There are more cinema-related websites we frequently visit. For instance, we have long been a fan of James Berardinelli, an engineer by trade but a movie buff (and first-rate film critic) who has, for years, published thrice-weekly reviews of almost all the films that hit our local multiplex. And he does all of that work for us, for free (and, of course, because he loves film).

Passion seems a rare commodity these days.

All of the writers, above, who dedicate themselves to exploring modern day film culture, a venture that spans the age, possess passion in welcome abundance. Thank goodness that each of these writers are there for us to read. We are all the richer for their passion and their dedication to craft.

November 18, 2010

The Not Quite So Terrible Adventures of VanRamblings

For VanRamblings, this has not been the quietest week we could imagine.

Driving home from work last Thursday, we were stopped by the local constabulary, informed that we were driving without a valid license, had our car impounded, and were otherwise ... well, actually, it wasn't that bad.

Although we were stopped, and initially the situation seemed quite perilous, a kindly officer intervened and whispered into our ear, "The same thing happened to me awhile back." Seems that we could not just let our Class 4 license slip and automatically revert to Class 5, we had to go to an ICBC office, surrender our license, and apply for a Class 5. In the meantime, we received a $276 fine / ticket. The police officer was kind enough to lay out an alternative to impounding the car: get a friend down to the causeway underneath BC Place to pick up our car to transport us home, and we would avoid the tow and impoundment. And that's exactly what we did.

The next day, we surrendered our license, applied for a new license, paid the $31, and all was well. Actually, better than well. The folks at ICBC conducted a vision test, and declared our vision 20/20; for the first time in 46 years, we do not have to drive with glasses! A fortuitous silver lining!

Upon arriving home, we discovered that our Telus Internet and Telus Optik TV service was down, and so it remains almost a week later!

No Internet, No HDTV? VanRamblings is in withdrawal (not to mention, not being able to reliably access the Internet — we've been using the spotty tethering service available through our iPhone — has meant that we have not been able to complete various of our Union and political responsibilities, what with no reliable e-mail, and no 'Net, access to the Union bank account that is required to complete a quarterly report that is now overdue!).

Yes, it is a sad tale, indeed.

As it happens, we have been feeling a bit unmoored of late, so we're going to take a few days off next week, and travel over to Tofino, where we'll stay at the Middle Beach Lodge, a few pictures of which are available here. Of course, we'll take our own photos and video of our sojourn to Canada's verdant west coast, and hope to post them on VanRamblings next week.

We will attempt to find the time before we leave Vancouver to follow through on our commitment to post more of our favourite cinema-related websites, but should our Internet connection at home not be up and running prior to our departure, you may have to wait a bit for the final, definitive list of the blogs and websites that are must viewing for anyone as enamoured as VanRamblings with modern age film and film culture.

October 30, 2010

Anne Thompson's 'Thompson on Hollywood' Blog

A couple of days back, we wrote about why we love Jeffrey Wells' ever-
informative Hollywood Elsewhere website / blog, and why we've visited his blog several times a day for years (as well as all previous web incarnations of Mr. Wells' work, from Reel.com through Hollywood Confidential).

This weekend, we'll focus on another of our favourite cinema-related websites, a link to which we've built into our Firefox Bookmark Toolbar, and suggest why you might give this website due consideration for a visit.

Anne Thompson's Thompson on Hollywood: Former film columnist at Variety, and deputy editor of Variety.com, where she started the "Thompson on Hollywood" blog in March 2007, this New York-based writer has over the years contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Observer and Wired. From January 2005 to March 2007, she served as the Deputy Film Editor at The Hollywood Reporter and before that was the West Coast Editor of Premiere, from 1996 to 2002.

Before joining Premiere, Thompson wrote about behind-the-scenes Hollywood for Entertainment Weekly, and was West Coast Editor for Film Comment Magazine. From 1985 to 1993 she wrote the film industry column "Risky Business" for LA Weekly and the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. A graduate of the Department of Cinema Studies at New York University, she teaches the fall semester of "Sneak Previews" for UCLA Extension.

At present, Ms. Thompson publishes daily at IndieWire, where she's their stalwart and their defacto lead blogger (Leonard Maltin and Peter Knegt, among others, also write for IndieWire), her clarion voice just as passionate as Jeffrey Wells' voice, her spirit upbeat and her love (and knowledge) of 'the movies' unparalleled.

Anne publishes three or four items a day, she's always informed and informative, and (thankfully, cuz we need a voice of reason in the movie criticism field) rarely as provocative as the indefatigable Mr. Wells.

Last year (a full year before the estimable Mr. Wells, "imitation being the sincerest form of flattery"), Anne Thompson joined with In Contention's Kris Tapley in posting a weekly iTunes podcast titled Oscar Talk which, sorry to say, lacks the energy of Jeffrey Wells and Sasha Stone's Oscar Poker, mainly because we find that Mr. Tapley comes across as 'angry', as an inauthentic contrarian, strangely passionless about the movies, and (in our estimation) simply not all that well informed. Ms. Thompson is always great, though: engaging and thoughtful, with a ready, warm sense of humour!

Anne Thompson's Thompson on Hollywood is a daily must-visit for anyone who loves the movies, and who wishes to read an informed, generous and keen insight into worthy upcoming films, and the U.S. film industry.

Next week, we'll write about more of our favourite cinema-related websites.

October 28, 2010

An Appreciation of Jeffrey Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere

We've written about him before, and we'll write about him again: Jeff Wells, of the cinema-related website, Hollywood Elsewhere, is our favourite online columnist, writer, racounteur, curmudgeon and all around high energy, take no shit, "I'll speak my mind, and damn the consequences" online wonder, who posts about film — films that are upcoming, and the best of films past — and often American politics, six times a day, and more, writing cogently, with élan and savoir faire.

Mr. Wells' output is impressive, as is his ability to write reviews at length, as he at all times remains utterly original and true to himself. Sure, he can piss his readers off, but that's all to the good.

VanRamblings visits Hollywood Elsewhere several times throughout the day, each and every day.

There's almost always some new, provocative and thought-provoking topic of interest available on his blog / website. For the most part, the 'commentary' on his site (those who comment on his posts) is first-class: sometimes the commentary is screamingly funny, and almost always the commentary is thoughtful, well-considered and informative.

Again, for the most part, Mr. Wells (can we call him Jeff?) allows his commenters free reign, and although I'm sure he doesn't appreciate it, the site is sometimes at its best when Mr. Wells finds himself under amiable attack. We particularly appreciate those who comment on Jeff's site about his propensity to define people relating to the 'thread count' of their clothing, bedding or bathroom towels, or when he used to refer to his upstairs neighbours (he's since moved) as Hispanic party elephants — there's a ludicrous, whacked-out craziness (we mean our commentary to be read with the deepest affection for Jeffrey Wells) to his frustration.

Jeff almost never 'holds back'.

VanRamblings' appreciation for Jeffrey Wells has grown that much more since the recent début of his and Sasha Stone's iTunes podcast, Oscar Poker. Both Jeff and Sasha are incredibly well-informed about film, the film market, and the work of prominent actors and directors past and present.

Their rapport on Oscar Poker is utterly relatable, natural and becoming, informed and compelling. Honestly, Oscar Poker's two commentators come across as if they're lovers, their affection for one another deep, abiding and respectful. At all times (despite Jeff's propensity to be curmudgeonly, which Sasha Stone only laughs at — with a knowing affection for Jeff, cuz he's outrageous but right) both Jeff and Sasha come across as generous and thoughtful commentators and human beings — these are people you'd actually like to get to know, to discuss 'the movies' with over a beer.

That those who follow Wells' website affectionately attack him for his sometimes intolerant rants allows Jeffrey Wells the opportunity to come across as all the more human, for all of us are flawed, and all of us can be intolerant at times — and if you're reading this, and you know you're perfect, neither Mr. Wells, nor VanRamblings, would wish to have anything to do with you, and would recommend to you most highly that you repair, as soon as possible, to a psychiatrist for some much-needed talk therapy.

September 14, 2010

Granville Island On A Lazy Summer's Day, The Market

No matter what time of year, if you live in Vancouver there's no activity that is more quietening and social than a visit to Granville Island.

Walking through the market area a cascading tsunami of aromas, colours and sounds serve as a calming tonic for the soul, the glistening waters of the inlet and the boats on the water offering a reminder that we live in a harbour city, the waters from whence we came millennia ago warming forgotten memories. This is the salutary effect of a visit to Vancouver's Granville Island, a welcoming oasis of serenity in the heart of the city.

September 10, 2010

Granville Island On A Lazy Summer's Day

In the days during which VanRamblings' west side Co-op apartment was undergoing reconstruction / a thorough re-piping, we did what we could to absent ourselves from the dust, the noise and the general mayhem.

On one sunny pre-Labour Day Thursday afternoon, we spent an enjoyable afternoon walking around Granville Island. The video above constitutes a recording of the first half of that walk; the second part of the Granville Island video will be published next week. We'll see you back here then.

August 31, 2010

A Rainy Morning in Vancouver

Summer in Vancouver would seem to be over, with the arrival of torrential west coast rains pouring down on our city. We'll hold out for a warm, sunny September, though, a usual state of weather affairs in Vancouver.

VanRamblings is pleased to report that 90% of the renovation of our apartment is complete, most of the remaining work involving stuffing our clothes back in our closets, washing the floors, replacing all that we store in our cupboards in their usual home, and just generally attempting to recover a semblance of a 'tidy' life that's been missing for some time now.

Amidst the chaos we were disinclined to publish on VanRamblings, a creative venture we'll set about to correct in the coming days and weeks.

August 24, 2010

VanRamblings Takes Leave of Home While Renovations Continue

As work continues on the renovation of VanRamblings' Co-op condominium apartment — drywalling, tiling and grouting in the bathroom (no use of the 'facilities' today, oh me oh my), as replacement panels are affixed to the ceiling (they have to be 'built' first), and 'boxes' are constructed to house 'the new piping' installed throughout the apartment (after which said boxes are puttied up ready for sanding later this week), with all the concomitant banging, drilling, and covering of almost the entirety of the contents of our home in plastic — we have taken our leave of Chez VanRamblings these late sunny August days to explore our Kitsilano neighbourhood.

Upon our arrival home from our journeys each day, on the recommendation of the inimitable J. B. Shayne (that's him on the left, and a svelte VanRamblings on the right), we have set about to download new lustrous music. Today, we 'acquired' The Books' new CD, The Way Out. Thus far, in the initial couple of listens, we are intrigued with this trippy art / folktronica collage. At MetaCritic, with a Metascore of 81 / 100, The Books' latest emerges as one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year.

This early week has brought beautiful west coast weather, the mean temperature 75° Fahrenheit or 24° Celsius, with a perfect cooling breeze taking the sting out of the midday sun (of course, we've been wearing our new Neutrogena sunscreen — having 'lost' our Vichy sunscreen at the Halifax Stanfield Airport last Wednesday — and our new Frenchy's cap).

Tonight we're off to dinner with a friend, to return later in the evening, when we'll attempt to make sense of the clutter in our beleaguered apartment, and do our best to at least begin the process of bringing order to the chaos that has ensued as a consequence of the ongoing re-piping of our the entire Co-op building in which we live. Have to say, though, that Cambridge Plumbing are doing a superb job, and keeping 'the mess' to a minimum (it's just that we like to kvetch ... but, really, it's not that bad).

August 21, 2010

A Walk Along Vancouver's Spanish Banks

As a youth growing up on Vancouver's eastside, VanRamblings' parents told us that the area known as Spanish Banks 'belonged' only to the people of the west side, and that we would not be welcome to 'use' their park, nor frequent their part of town. For the entirety of our youth, our only palpable knowledge of Spanish Banks came through the photos we saw of this pristine waterfront, either in photos in the daily newspaper, or on TV.

In the late 60s, when we met the woman who would be our spouse, she —
as an habitué of Vancouver's west side (where a favourite aunt, uncle and cousins of hers lived) — pooh-poohed the nostrum of VanRamblings' parents; thus we became infrequent visitors to the patch of waterfront on Vancouver's west side, even as VanRamblings' 'parents voice' continued to remonstrate our discomfort level was somewhat alleviated, but not entirely.

In the 1980s, when we moved to the west side (long story that, the details of which we'll save for another time), we managed to overcome our undue prejudices, and by 1988 a walk along Spanish Banks and through the trails of UBC became a daily feature of our lives, as it remains to this very day.

The video published on VanRamblings on this Saturday takes in a walk, yesterday, along Spanish Banks, from Locarno Beach along and through to Tower Beach, in an area just east of the University of British Columbia.

Although Vancouver's absolutely lovely and bewitching Spanish Banks is not the Annapolis Valley's Annapolis River (about which we've written frequently in recent days, as part of our vacation travelogue), tranquil and calming, VanRamblings believes there is much to recommend about our favourite stretch of beach within the city of Vancouver (our favourite stretch of beach in British Columbia may be found along Long Beach, or Chesterman Beach, near Tofino, about which we'll write another time).

Please enjoy today's video presentation, and if you live or are visiting Vancouver may we recommend a stroll along Spanish Banks (after all, the beach is yours), one of the true natural wonders of Canada's west coast.