Comments on: Red Deer, Jasper and Edmonton (it was strange to be back) http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/ Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:33:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Karen http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/comment-page-1/#comment-2069 Karen Wed, 01 Nov 2006 03:03:13 +0000 http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/#comment-2069 Yes ... shameful it is to admit but I just never took the time to listen to them, probably because they seemed too hip for me when they first became popular (at least popular enough that there was a <i>Hip</i> poster in one of my Junion High school classrooms). Yes you're bang on about the sprawl, especially since very good farmland with some of the best topsoil is being wasted for lawns. Well I should qualify that by saying that some of the best meals I have eaten in restaurants have been in Edmonton, not Montreal. #1 best meal of all time was at the Red Ox Inn in our old neighbourhood and has yet to be topped <i>anywhere</i>, even in Europe. Maybe it was just because I was shopping haphazardly but all the fruit I picked was awful and I really missed Liberty plain yogurt! But I think the fruit is better in BC and Quebec since it's grown locally, so we're really spoiled here in Montreal. And the ease with which we can get all kinds of food we had never even heard of before coming here is always astounding. Hmm, I didn't hear about the nose thing but nothing surprises me anymore. I think it the thing with Whyte is that it's the only place to really hang out so <i>everyone</i> does it, just in shifts. So the crowd on Saturday morning is different from Saturday evening and so on. It looks like the evening crowd is getting a bit rougher. The stores on Whyte haven't changed too much. After the fire in Albert's they put in another Starbucks and a restaurant which has a bland name but was quite nice when I ate there. Instead of the pet store above the Albert's there is a law office or something boring. About 4 years ago some stupid music store (Megatunes or something like it) opened up across the street but I never really paid much attention. There are still lots of small cafés and clothing stores. My favourite clothing store of all time opened near 109th st a few years ago and closer to the U (actually super-close to where you used to live) there is a very good Italian espresso bar/restaurant which I hope is still in business. All the restaurants seemed the same as when we left. Oh one sad thing is that the cheese shop that was next to the bakery (French Meadow) closed. Yes … shameful it is to admit but I just never took the time to listen to them, probably because they seemed too hip for me when they first became popular (at least popular enough that there was a Hip poster in one of my Junion High school classrooms). Yes you’re bang on about the sprawl, especially since very good farmland with some of the best topsoil is being wasted for lawns.

Well I should qualify that by saying that some of the best meals I have eaten in restaurants have been in Edmonton, not Montreal. #1 best meal of all time was at the Red Ox Inn in our old neighbourhood and has yet to be topped anywhere, even in Europe. Maybe it was just because I was shopping haphazardly but all the fruit I picked was awful and I really missed Liberty plain yogurt! But I think the fruit is better in BC and Quebec since it’s grown locally, so we’re really spoiled here in Montreal. And the ease with which we can get all kinds of food we had never even heard of before coming here is always astounding.

Hmm, I didn’t hear about the nose thing but nothing surprises me anymore. I think it the thing with Whyte is that it’s the only place to really hang out so everyone does it, just in shifts. So the crowd on Saturday morning is different from Saturday evening and so on. It looks like the evening crowd is getting a bit rougher.

The stores on Whyte haven’t changed too much. After the fire in Albert’s they put in another Starbucks and a restaurant which has a bland name but was quite nice when I ate there. Instead of the pet store above the Albert’s there is a law office or something boring. About 4 years ago some stupid music store (Megatunes or something like it) opened up across the street but I never really paid much attention. There are still lots of small cafés and clothing stores. My favourite clothing store of all time opened near 109th st a few years ago and closer to the U (actually super-close to where you used to live) there is a very good Italian espresso bar/restaurant which I hope is still in business. All the restaurants seemed the same as when we left. Oh one sad thing is that the cheese shop that was next to the bakery (French Meadow) closed.

]]> By: Viki http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/comment-page-1/#comment-2064 Viki Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:07:10 +0000 http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/#comment-2064 Oh Whyte Avenue, what have they done? I was sad when the big fire burned down my favourite second hand record shop (yes they sold CDs too, I'm not that old...yet). Now it sounds a little like Hastings & Main in Vancouver, sigh. I haven't been back since convocation day at UofA, now I remember why. Oh Whyte Avenue, what have they done? I was sad when the big fire burned down my favourite second hand record shop (yes they sold CDs too, I’m not that old…yet). Now it sounds a little like Hastings & Main in Vancouver, sigh. I haven’t been back since convocation day at UofA, now I remember why.

]]> By: Tyler H. http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/comment-page-1/#comment-2047 Tyler H. Sun, 29 Oct 2006 19:34:01 +0000 http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/#comment-2047 I actually don't find the food here in Calgary to be too bad. There's plenty of great places to eat, and there's some decent stuff at the grocery stores. Whyte Ave sounds scary. Isn't that where that dude got a huge piece of his nose bitten off? I actually don’t find the food here in Calgary to be too bad. There’s plenty of great places to eat, and there’s some decent stuff at the grocery stores.

Whyte Ave sounds scary. Isn’t that where that dude got a huge piece of his nose bitten off?

]]> By: Anik http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/comment-page-1/#comment-2046 Anik Sun, 29 Oct 2006 19:27:35 +0000 http://operonscript.com/2006/10/29/red-deer-jasper-and-edmonton-it-was-strange-to-be-back/#comment-2046 Your <i>first</i> Tragically Hip album? You guys have some catching up to do! :) I got "Yer Favourites" last Xmas, let me know if you would like a digital evaluation copy* to use for determining future Hip purchases. (*insert obligatory "Yarr, avast!" here) The other problem with Alberta is that, being flat, it's cheaper to build out instead of up. So they end up with big houses on huge lots (nice), lots of wasted and unlandscaped space and ugly empty lots (not so nice), and a 20-minute walk in -20°C to get to the nearest "corner" store (yeech). And I think Red Deer gets the worst of this, at least Edmonton and Calgary had town cores that got established pre-automobile dependence. I don't mind the aluminum siding (it's very practical out here in Raincouver) -- but I just don't undertand why Alberta hasn't discovered it comes in a rainbow of colours, including many colours that <i>aren't</i> beige. Your first Tragically Hip album? You guys have some catching up to do! :) I got “Yer Favourites” last Xmas, let me know if you would like a digital evaluation copy* to use for determining future Hip purchases.
(*insert obligatory “Yarr, avast!” here)

The other problem with Alberta is that, being flat, it’s cheaper to build out instead of up. So they end up with big houses on huge lots (nice), lots of wasted and unlandscaped space and ugly empty lots (not so nice), and a 20-minute walk in -20°C to get to the nearest “corner” store (yeech). And I think Red Deer gets the worst of this, at least Edmonton and Calgary had town cores that got established pre-automobile dependence.

I don’t mind the aluminum siding (it’s very practical out here in Raincouver) — but I just don’t undertand why Alberta hasn’t discovered it comes in a rainbow of colours, including many colours that aren’t beige.

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