Last Friday, myself, Q, my colleague and fab friend Annie, and her best friend Sarah, hired a car and drove the short three-hour trip from one sodden city to another, to see Gossip play in Seattle. It rained the whole way there - the forecasters' prediction of 100% rain looked likely.
Getting across into the Land Of The Free was, as ever, exasperating. As first-timers to the States, Annie and Sarah didn't have I-94 forms so we all had to line up and get them. Clearly two Brits and two Aussies travelling in a Canadian car was suspicious so we were subjected to extensive questioning as to how we all knew each other, what we were doing in a) Canada and b) the US of A and c) how again, exactly, did we know each other? It was all very serious and prolongued but we eventually were let through after Annie assured the customs official that it was okay that she still looked like her passport photo.
All this only for Quentin, literally ten minutes into the country, to realise that he'd left our tickets at home. Convinced that I'd seen him put them in the bag, I made him hunt through about five times, until he remembered that they were in his wallet the whole time. Turns out, when we finally arrived in Seattle, they weren't even the correct tickets (being only the receipt stubs) and we had to do a lot of schmoozing to let us in with our proof of purchase, ID and Q's talent for talking himself into, or out of, any given situation.**
The gig itself was fantastic. The support acts were a hip-hop group called Champagne Champagne and a very bizarre outfit called Men..? It took a good few songs to establish the gender of the lead singer, but we eventually located an Adam's apple, so unanimously voted male, and carried on enjoying the set - which was a bit of a surprise given the middling review it got from A and S (who had seen Gossip play the night before in Vancouver). When Gossip finally came one, it was an awesome start, a simple, driving beat from the drummer building up parts of the band to Beth Ditto's entrance. Fab voice, great stage presence, sparky, charming, smaller in real life, and, contrary to what London Lite would have you believe, didn't strip to her underwear at any given moment (although she did the night before, the Annie/Sarah info source informed us). The vibe in the venue was awesome- a small place meant people were right up close to the stage - we were about 3 lines of people from the front and the beat you could feel from the floor was electric, catchy, hypnotic almost. We tried to continue to do the evening justice, but trying to get into bars armed with only a driver's license in the state of Washington proved tricky. It was passports only, and seeing as we were all tired and had an early start the next day, we called in quits and headed back to Annie's friend's place to hang out and crash.
Saturday 8am saw us all up and about to drop Q off at the Space Needle to play a Magic tournament. Us girls then headed in search of brunch in a funky place. And did we find it. Bedlam is one of the funkiest, coolest cafes I've been to in a long while. Great service, drinks and the best doorstop toast all in a vintagey, chilled, eclectic setting, complete with comfy sofas and newspapers. It's a wonder we even saw any of Seattle. But we tore ourselves away and headed for the public markets and the Mecca spot for all modern-day, professional North Americans. I'm talking of course, of Pike Place Starbucks, the original Starbucks, the seemingly innocent location that spawned the branding and coffee behemoth it currently is today. Too lazy to queue for the same drink I could get a block from work, I stole a paper napkin and we left. Next stop, trying to find the underground original city that stood before natural disasters destroyed it and new Seattle was built on top. What exactly caused the original city to disappear, we didn't find out as we were ever so politely (and promptly!) chucked off the tour we sneakily tagged on to. So we settled for exploration on our own, shopping and generally admiring the cool architecture around. Seattle had lots of brickworks, hence why many of their buildings are brick, as opposed to here were they have lots of wood - so everything is clapboard and wood.
Meanwhile, Quentin was having fun destroying all his opponents in the tournament. Great for him, but it meant that we had to stay a lot later than planned before driving home. We left, at last, with Annie and Sarah under sleeping bags on the back seat, trying to fall asleep and myself tanking up with several cups of coffee. The drive back was easy - no rain, no traffic, no Americans at the border: where have you been/where do you live/how are you doing today is the customary line of questioning to get back into Canada.... ah Canada :-)
**Currently packing up our lives ready to go to Chicago on Friday, what did Q find on the floor by the bin? The actual Gossip tickets. Of course.
Thursday 29 October 2009
Wednesday 14 October 2009
Places full of thanks
The clock is ticking down on my time in beautiful British Colombia, but there has still been time for some proper Canadian fun. That's right people, I'm talking NHL hockey and Thanksgiving! A good friend and avid Canucks (that's Vancouver's NHL team) fan, Jeff, kindly organised tickets to a home game versus the Dallas Stars this weekend, which was also Thanksgiving weekend.
First off, a bit of hockey background for y'all. The NHL has 30 teams, six of which are Canadian. These are: Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Out of these, the Canucks were generally rated the best, or at least they were up until the season proper started on Oct 1 - Calgary are admittedly looking pretty strong...but seeing as there are 82 games in the season, there's plenty of time for them to get their act back together. Anywho!
Some key Canucks players. First and foremost, Roberto Luongo. The captain and goalie is widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the league and enjoys almost god-like status in this country. Then we have Ryan Kesler, the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, the latter is currently injured for around 4-6 weeks with a broken foot, Alexandre Burrows, Willie Mitchell, Steve Bernier and Darcy Hordichuk amongst others.
So back to the action. We got into the hockey mood with tickets to an open practice session on Saturday morning. Rink-side seats meant that we could see all the action up close. And subsequently got smothered by excited, autograph-hunting children when all the players left through the nearby tunnel. Penless, and feeling that it would be churlish to sweep aside eight-year-olds, we battled the opposite way through the throng and chants of "Roberto, Roberto!"
Sunday was the real deal. Bedecked in newly purchased (discounted! cos that makes it better...) shirts, we headed not quite up to the rafters to find our seats. The good thing about a hockey stadium, and GM place in particular, is that there are no bad seats, so we had a clear, birds-eye view of all the action.
After the slow, scrappy start from Vancouver it turned into a more exciting game. Goals were alternated for both teams, but the Canucks managed to keep the lead. Until the third period when the Stars equalised. Twice. Extra time. A tense Jeff reminded us that although this was not the way it was meant to comfortably go, we were seeing more hockey than usual. A goalless five minutes took us to a shoot-out. I was confident, given our aforementioned weapon in the shape of Luongo but Jeff was pessimistic about our goal-scoring capabilities. He needn't have worried. Both Kesler and...hmm...someone else sent the puck home whilst at the other end, Luongo did his duty and kept the goal empty. Result! A tense one, but the desired winners in the end and we got to see all elements of a match.
From one Canadian celebration to another. The next day, Monday, was Thanksgiving Day, which, unlike our southerly neighbours, is celebrated here on the second Monday of October (unless you're in PEI, Newfoundland & Labrador or Nova Scotai where it's not marked as a stat holiday).
Whilst many north American tribes held feasts and celebrations to mark the end of harvest, Canadian Thanksgiving stems from the explorer James Frobischer, who held a service of thanksgiving to mark his safe return from a search for the Northwest Passage. The French settlers also held a feast of thanks in 1604 to celebrate their safe landing in Canada. Over the years, the occasion has served to give thanks for many things, harvests and special occasions but there was no regular fixed day. In 1879, an official Thanksgiving Day was observed although it continues to change from year to year.
A few weeks ago, Annie, Sarah and I decided to do dinner but nothing much was done to organise it further until a few days before when we got to inviting other stray people who didn't have families to go to. What started as dinner for five or six turned into a potluck feast for nine. We didn't manage a turkey, but chicken, roast potatoes, veggies, vegetarian chilli stew, meatloaf, bread, onion soup, corn chowder, caramel tart and pumpkin pie and plenty of wine was more than enough to satisfy. Throughout preparations in our bustling, smoke-filled kitchen (dilapidated oven, people, not burnt food) and then eating and talking it was clear that we all had much to be thankful for and celebrate.
And so I am inspired to enjoy every last minute of life in Vancouver, whether it's out with friends, cycling, playing Settlers with housemates, hiking, or squeezing in one last trip to the ocean. Clearly I will miss a country where I can write for several paragraphs on the national sport (sorry, Premier League, you just don't stand a chance). But, as a friend from work said on Sunday, it's not about missing the country you've come from, but seeing the opportunities in the place you've arrived. So, a belated thanksgiving toast: to experiences, wherever they lead, and to looking for them in all places, even those where you might not necessarily want to be just yet :-)
First off, a bit of hockey background for y'all. The NHL has 30 teams, six of which are Canadian. These are: Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Out of these, the Canucks were generally rated the best, or at least they were up until the season proper started on Oct 1 - Calgary are admittedly looking pretty strong...but seeing as there are 82 games in the season, there's plenty of time for them to get their act back together. Anywho!
Some key Canucks players. First and foremost, Roberto Luongo. The captain and goalie is widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the league and enjoys almost god-like status in this country. Then we have Ryan Kesler, the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, the latter is currently injured for around 4-6 weeks with a broken foot, Alexandre Burrows, Willie Mitchell, Steve Bernier and Darcy Hordichuk amongst others.
So back to the action. We got into the hockey mood with tickets to an open practice session on Saturday morning. Rink-side seats meant that we could see all the action up close. And subsequently got smothered by excited, autograph-hunting children when all the players left through the nearby tunnel. Penless, and feeling that it would be churlish to sweep aside eight-year-olds, we battled the opposite way through the throng and chants of "Roberto, Roberto!"
Sunday was the real deal. Bedecked in newly purchased (discounted! cos that makes it better...) shirts, we headed not quite up to the rafters to find our seats. The good thing about a hockey stadium, and GM place in particular, is that there are no bad seats, so we had a clear, birds-eye view of all the action.
After the slow, scrappy start from Vancouver it turned into a more exciting game. Goals were alternated for both teams, but the Canucks managed to keep the lead. Until the third period when the Stars equalised. Twice. Extra time. A tense Jeff reminded us that although this was not the way it was meant to comfortably go, we were seeing more hockey than usual. A goalless five minutes took us to a shoot-out. I was confident, given our aforementioned weapon in the shape of Luongo but Jeff was pessimistic about our goal-scoring capabilities. He needn't have worried. Both Kesler and...hmm...someone else sent the puck home whilst at the other end, Luongo did his duty and kept the goal empty. Result! A tense one, but the desired winners in the end and we got to see all elements of a match.
From one Canadian celebration to another. The next day, Monday, was Thanksgiving Day, which, unlike our southerly neighbours, is celebrated here on the second Monday of October (unless you're in PEI, Newfoundland & Labrador or Nova Scotai where it's not marked as a stat holiday).
Whilst many north American tribes held feasts and celebrations to mark the end of harvest, Canadian Thanksgiving stems from the explorer James Frobischer, who held a service of thanksgiving to mark his safe return from a search for the Northwest Passage. The French settlers also held a feast of thanks in 1604 to celebrate their safe landing in Canada. Over the years, the occasion has served to give thanks for many things, harvests and special occasions but there was no regular fixed day. In 1879, an official Thanksgiving Day was observed although it continues to change from year to year.
A few weeks ago, Annie, Sarah and I decided to do dinner but nothing much was done to organise it further until a few days before when we got to inviting other stray people who didn't have families to go to. What started as dinner for five or six turned into a potluck feast for nine. We didn't manage a turkey, but chicken, roast potatoes, veggies, vegetarian chilli stew, meatloaf, bread, onion soup, corn chowder, caramel tart and pumpkin pie and plenty of wine was more than enough to satisfy. Throughout preparations in our bustling, smoke-filled kitchen (dilapidated oven, people, not burnt food) and then eating and talking it was clear that we all had much to be thankful for and celebrate.
And so I am inspired to enjoy every last minute of life in Vancouver, whether it's out with friends, cycling, playing Settlers with housemates, hiking, or squeezing in one last trip to the ocean. Clearly I will miss a country where I can write for several paragraphs on the national sport (sorry, Premier League, you just don't stand a chance). But, as a friend from work said on Sunday, it's not about missing the country you've come from, but seeing the opportunities in the place you've arrived. So, a belated thanksgiving toast: to experiences, wherever they lead, and to looking for them in all places, even those where you might not necessarily want to be just yet :-)
Tuesday 13 October 2009
Loopy Landlord, in the kitchen, with the dagger.
Nope not a new version of the famous board game, but a (not so) normal Thursday morning at home. Let me set the scene:
Our water system blocked so for a few days we, and the couple who share our duplex upstairs, could not use any water. No washing up, no flushing the loo, no washing machine. We were resorting to Tim Hortons and other restaurants and cafes just to use their facilities. The landlords came round after a couple of days of this. Well, the landlord and his loopy girlfriend Charlotte with whom we deal, and whose schizophrenic tendencies have probably been detailed somewhere earlier on this blog. Whilst showing them the problem areas and flooding, she sent evil stares and threats of our footing the bill my way, until he started telling her to stop talking. That's when the shouting started, and they proceeded to argue and shout and swear at each other. Upstairs in the kitchen, the domestic continued. Then, after one insult too many, the landlord grabbed a kitchen knife and made for Charlotte, who scampered into my room. Q and I calmed them down, although this was only a momentary relief as five minutes later, the knife was in his hands again and heading for her.
After that we decided that they were better off sorting whatever trivial matter it was outside and we ushered them out, to sit down and stare bemusedly at each other. Until I remembered that I had laundry to do, at which point I left for the local laundromat. And, of course, the obligatory cafe....
So, a happy conclusion to the story. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you see it) no one was really hurt, our water system is now working and we no longer have to use the cold community centre showers. Life can go on as normal until the end of October when our house is sadly parting ways...and I head to Chicago with Q, and then over to NYC and back up to Canada with some friends from home.
Which brings us into the last few weeks of Vancouver life. I have notified work that I'll be leaving and now am weighing up whether to use my discounts to stock up on gear now instead of crying over prices in Snow & Rock when I get back to London, or keep the money for travel. Travel money would be good, but my ski jacket is tearing and the downside of working at an outdoor store means I'm less inclined than ever to check out M&S's ski section...
Our water system blocked so for a few days we, and the couple who share our duplex upstairs, could not use any water. No washing up, no flushing the loo, no washing machine. We were resorting to Tim Hortons and other restaurants and cafes just to use their facilities. The landlords came round after a couple of days of this. Well, the landlord and his loopy girlfriend Charlotte with whom we deal, and whose schizophrenic tendencies have probably been detailed somewhere earlier on this blog. Whilst showing them the problem areas and flooding, she sent evil stares and threats of our footing the bill my way, until he started telling her to stop talking. That's when the shouting started, and they proceeded to argue and shout and swear at each other. Upstairs in the kitchen, the domestic continued. Then, after one insult too many, the landlord grabbed a kitchen knife and made for Charlotte, who scampered into my room. Q and I calmed them down, although this was only a momentary relief as five minutes later, the knife was in his hands again and heading for her.
After that we decided that they were better off sorting whatever trivial matter it was outside and we ushered them out, to sit down and stare bemusedly at each other. Until I remembered that I had laundry to do, at which point I left for the local laundromat. And, of course, the obligatory cafe....
So, a happy conclusion to the story. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you see it) no one was really hurt, our water system is now working and we no longer have to use the cold community centre showers. Life can go on as normal until the end of October when our house is sadly parting ways...and I head to Chicago with Q, and then over to NYC and back up to Canada with some friends from home.
Which brings us into the last few weeks of Vancouver life. I have notified work that I'll be leaving and now am weighing up whether to use my discounts to stock up on gear now instead of crying over prices in Snow & Rock when I get back to London, or keep the money for travel. Travel money would be good, but my ski jacket is tearing and the downside of working at an outdoor store means I'm less inclined than ever to check out M&S's ski section...
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