Okay, I know I should post something really serious about some terrible scandal involving the infringement of someone’s liberties, but really — hasn’t it been beautiful in Vancouver the last couple days.
Sometimes this city makes me so tired (fractious, smug, whiny, insular, balkanized) and other days I think, really, how nice is this.
Last night, went to meet a friend on Main Street and walked past the Cambrian Hall on 17th, where the sounds of a men’s choir wafted out into the warm dusk air. A nice glass of wine at my new favourite place, Latitude, as the sun finished setting on another incredible fall day here of all sun.
Tonight, I was downtown where the streets were filled with people walking around, as though everyone had decided spontaneously that it was just too nice to stay inside.
It felt like a real city and, at the same time, a small town filled with friends. The best.
Okay, back to crankiness tomorrow.
14 responses so far ↓
1 Karl // Sep 24, 2009 at 10:28 pm
You can make crankiness the exception rather than the rule!
2 Wendy // Sep 25, 2009 at 5:46 am
I agree –Vancouverites can be perfectionists about their city, whining about the tiniest things.
So nice post. Wasn’t this a great summer! The nicest stretch of weather I can ever remember
3 Frothingham // Sep 25, 2009 at 7:39 am
I shed a wee tear. Good post…. Now off for an espresso at coocoocoffee
4 Rick // Sep 25, 2009 at 8:27 am
I like these posts you do after you’ve smoked some of BC’s finest
5 Frances Bula // Sep 25, 2009 at 9:52 am
Tragically, I’ve never been able to get a buzz from B.C.’s finest and gave up after a few tries in my 20s but I do admit that I was influenced by drinking a glass of B.C.’s, or somebody’s, finest. (A white.) Plus I really was high on life for various reasons, including a really great class I had just experienced.
6 Urbanismo // Sep 25, 2009 at 10:29 am
Dear Gwalia! I know there are
Towns lovelier than ours,
And fairer hills and loftier far,
And groves more full of flowers,
And boskier woods more blithe with spring
And bright with birds’ adorning,
And sweeter bards than I to sing
Their praise this beauteous morning.
By Cader Idris, tempest-torn,
Or Moel yr Wyddfa’s glory,
Carnedd Llewelyn beauty born,
Plinlimmon old in story,
By mountains where King Arthur dreams,
By Penmaenmawr defiant,
Llaregyb Hill a molehill seems,
A pygmy to a giant.
By Sawdde, Senny, Dovey, Dee,
Edw, Eden, Aled, all,
Taff and Towy broad and free,
Llyfhant with its waterfall,
Claerwen, Cleddau, Dulais, Daw,
Ely, Gwili, Ogwr, Nedd,
Small is our River Dewi, Lord,
A baby on a rushy bed.
By Carreg Cennen, King of time,
Our Heron Head is only
A bit of stone with seaweed spread
Where gulls come to be lonely.
A tiny dingle is Milk Wood
By Golden Grove ‘neath Grongar,
But let me choose and oh! I should
Love all my life and longer
To stroll among our trees and stray
In Goosegog Lane, on Donkey Down,
And hear the Dewi sing all day,
And never, never leave the town.
Rev Eli Jenkins . . . Dylan thomas
7 Joe Just Joe // Sep 25, 2009 at 10:49 am
I too have been out wandering the streets enjoying the weather.
Remembering when I look at the dark unlit towers around that they aren’t unoccupied, but instead that the occupants like me are out enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
8 Darcy McGee // Sep 25, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I have friends coming to town from T-dot next Saturdy the 3rd. I am not telling them about this current weather, because I suspect it will be gloomy by then.
I have been enjoying these last days of carefree two wheeling around town before having to pull out the various combinations of gloves, helmet covers, leg warmers and skull caps that keep me warm and safe through the 6 month tsunami we are about to endure.
It’s almost enough to not make me pine for the woods of Ontario’s near north and the Laurentian Mountains. This is traditionally the only time of year I miss being “back east” (though I miss not much about T-dot itself.)
9 Denis // Sep 25, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Watch out for the BC wine Francis. seems an awful lot of it uses grapes from somewhere else.. But in the last few years it sure has improved with the Estate stuff.
Before your time, there used to be stuff called Baby Duck and other cute names. Worked well in clearing the sink drain. But really , Canadians like to bitch about their home towns. Why? Who knows. The West End is still a small town, and we love it so
10 sthrendyle // Sep 25, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Just walked the site of the new Olympic Athlete’s Village on this perfect fall day and y’know, it’s really something else. There were HUNDREDS of people riding bikes and jogging along the new seawall extension, and the architecture and streetscapes within the site will certainly create amazing Euro-style ambience so that we can all bitch about how expensive it is to live here. That is our ‘official civic sport’, is it not? Now… will the city sell off the non-market housing to pay back Millennium and recoup their investment? Sorry to spoil the moment… that is a question more for a rainy day.
11 Hoarse Whisperer // Sep 25, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I have just come from the Wolf and Hound in Kits. A real neighborhood pub—not one of these pumped up see-and-be seen wankfests that this place seems to be full of.
A bunch of guys walked in at various times, pulled up chairs and started playing fiddles, guitars and Irish drums. And singing the old songs. Better than the Chieftans, making merry amongst the mums, dads, tots, university kids, pensioners, football (Canadian!) watchers and a few of us stray cats.
It was homely and warm and everything that makes you believe that Vancouver can still do mellow when it wants to—and with some damn fine beer too!
12 michael geller // Sep 26, 2009 at 7:55 am
For some more bliss, check out the Dalai Lama’s guest editorial in today’s Vancouver Sun. You may find it here http://www.vancouversun.com/news/peace-summit/index.html
13 jimmy olson // Sep 27, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Hoarse Whisperer // Sep 25, 2009 at 9:17 pm
i agree!… a great real pub.
i like your nom de plume
14 Hoarse Whisperer // Sep 27, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Thank you, Jimmy. Good to change things up, once in awhile…:-)
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