Nov 1, 2012

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Wow, it certainly has been a while since I wrote anything for the ol' blog, eh? Let me tell you what my days have been filled with the past few weeks.

Snow has fallen in Banff, and it's definitely winter here. That has brought a few changes to my routine. The biggest? I've traded by bike for hiking boots, spiffy looking North Face ones. I walk everywhere now, and even with the hiking boots I still have moments of arm-flailing terror occasionally.

The winter weather has also brought an increased dependence on hot beverages. Recently (alright, a couple hours ago) I discovered the blissful combination that is apple juice and tea. Seriously. Instead of water, boil a mixture of apple juice and water - I use an equal amount. Obviously this won't work well for every kind of tea, but I've tried it with lemon ginger, and am contemplating a chai trial next. I'll keep you posted!

The third change has been in music. I try to make a new playlist each month, and October's list was very acoustic. This is usually the case. When the weather turns cold, I'm drawn to a different sort of music than in the summer: I want jazz, acoustics, vocals. Suffice to say, I've been listening to a lot of KT Tunstall, Amy Winehouse, the Delgados, Jamie Cullum, Feist, and all the other autumn standbys. Soon I'll be breaking out the Christmas jazz, I guess.

Until next time!

Photo (cc) me

Oct 17, 2012

on the Grid - How and Why We Should Put People Before Vehicles

Pedestrian Street Art in Paris, France (Author Unknown)
The Victoria Transportation Policy Institute and Walkable Communities provide many tips and resources to encourage pedestrian activity. While some of these aspects are in the care of urban planners, such as human scale in block length and street width, others can be achieved by individual property owners or developers.

Read the full post on the Grid.

Oct 16, 2012

Learning to Deliver a Rock to the Button

Sorry for the relative silence again, I've been busy with life in Banff! Last night I tried curling for the first time, and it wasn't quite as difficult as I thought. Didn't have a chance to learn how to sweep, but I had a couple hours to deliver (that is, throw the rock down the ice). I've got very little accuracy at this point, but maybe I'll head back to the hacks (the block you deliver from) and work on my delivery. Who knows, maybe I'll end up joining a bonspiel (tournament) this winter! Also, I like throwing around this new lingo. Makes me sound very Canadian, eh?

For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, there's a video below. It was filmed right here in Banff at the old recreation centre. The town built a new one recently, and the facilities are gorgeous.

That's all I've got today, enjoy the video!

Photo by Benson Kua

Oct 4, 2012

on the Grid - Kelowna’s Rails With Trails Active Transportation Project Stopped in its Tracks

As people continue to flock to cities, urban planners and property developers are increasingly pressed to come up with novel land use solutions to everyday problems. One problem that affects nearly every aspect of city life is transportation, with transportation networks strained by the pressures of increased usage and the sustainable agenda. Thankfully, creative solutions meet these multiple challenges head on.

Read the full post on the Grid.

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