Today marks our third full day in Maastricht. This city, dating from the middle ages, has proved to have much more to offer than we expected. Since RTC is attending a conference, I have explored a lot on my own, but we did manage to do two walking tours together. The first was a self-guided tour of the fortresses of the city. Since the city was built by the Romans, it had several city walls that were used for protection. We also took a more general tour of the city, led by a guide who fortunately spoke English. Dutch is a very interesting language, and it turns out that Maastrichters have their own dialect that is different than the Dutch spoken in the rest of the country. Fortunately, everyone we have encountered speaks English. When we first arrived, I always asked if the native I was speaking to spoke Dutch. I tried to ask this IN Dutch a few times, but it was so terrible that no one could figure out what I was saying. So I took to asking in English if they spoke English. The response would often be "a little bit" but upon further conversation it was clear this "little bit" was quite a lot. I then realized that things seemed to go better if I just started speaking English. I got this sense that some people were almost offended that I was asking if they spoke English because OF COURSE they do.
Maastricht is part of an area called Limburg, and we learned during our guided tour yesterday that Maastrichters are not necessarily like those in the rest of Holland. Maastricht is sandwiched between Belgium and Germany, and changed hands between the Dutch, French, and Spanish several times. Tomorrow we head off to Amsterdam, so it will be interesting to note differences in culture between the two parts of the Netherlands.
Observations:
Everyone bikes. Yes, there are cars, but biking and walking are the preferred mode of transportation.
Perhaps due (at least in part) to this very active lifestyle, portion sizes are huge. Last night I had a a salad with duck and bacon, and RTC commented that there may have been half a duck on my plate. For a salad. (Yes, I ate all but about two bites anyway).
I'm not sure what "working hours" are here, but people seem to be out and about almost all the time. 11 AM? Plenty of action at the cafe. 3 PM? Plenty of action at the cafe. And there is beer or wine consumed any time of day. We're not shocked or anything by this--we've been to Europe before--but it is one of the things that is so much different than in North America.
It is hard to imagine with all this lovely eating and drinking, walking and biking from shop to shop, that we will be ready to face reality in a few days. But such is life. And on that note, it is time for a beer. It is late--already 3 PM!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Next stop: Maastricht
Greetings from Brussels! RTC and I leave shortly for the train station, where we will board a two hour train to Maastricht, Netherlands. We flew into Brussels on Thursday morning, and have enjoyed our two nights here. It was a great, low-speed way to start our trip. Beer, frites, chocolate, repeat. We enjoyed a couple walking tours which covered the main sites, although we skipped big museums in favor of more cafe time.
In Maastricht, RTC will be busy with his conference, so I will be more on my own--we'll see what adventures that brings!
In Maastricht, RTC will be busy with his conference, so I will be more on my own--we'll see what adventures that brings!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Looking forward
I hoped this post would include a photo of me sporting Caruso Curls, but it was not meant to be. I filled up the little steamer with water, plugged it in, and waited with foam rollers in hand for steam to start spouting out the top. I recalled it didn't take long...so when it hadn't started steaming within a few minutes I consulted the box, which said "steamer-ready in 30 seconds". Disappointment.
But on to more important things. In just four short days, we are off to Brussels! In honor of this, I went to a Belgian bakery, Manuel Latruwe this morning for breakfast.
I was in Madison two weeks ago, and we went for breakfast at Lazy Jane's. I had a morning bun as a warm up to my eggs and had forgotten how delicious they are. I have been thinking about them for two weeks. I am not kidding. RTC will attest to this. This morning that was all I wanted to eat. So I looked for a recipe and luckily found the original--from the original--Ovens of Brittany.
Unfortunately, if I started them this morning, I would not have them until tomorrow morning. And besides the issue of wanting them NOW, there is a lot on the to-do list this weekend.
Then I remembered Manuel Latruwe. And that it is Belgian. So I used this to justify getting in the car and driving over there (this is normally a bike-to location, but it is a miserable day in Calgary so I allowed myself an indulgent drive).
It was delicious, and I even managed to save RTC some. However, if he stays at the office too long he may be out of luck. I can only let that stuff sit in a bag on the counter for so long.
But on to more important things. In just four short days, we are off to Brussels! In honor of this, I went to a Belgian bakery, Manuel Latruwe this morning for breakfast.
I was in Madison two weeks ago, and we went for breakfast at Lazy Jane's. I had a morning bun as a warm up to my eggs and had forgotten how delicious they are. I have been thinking about them for two weeks. I am not kidding. RTC will attest to this. This morning that was all I wanted to eat. So I looked for a recipe and luckily found the original--from the original--Ovens of Brittany.
Unfortunately, if I started them this morning, I would not have them until tomorrow morning. And besides the issue of wanting them NOW, there is a lot on the to-do list this weekend.
Then I remembered Manuel Latruwe. And that it is Belgian. So I used this to justify getting in the car and driving over there (this is normally a bike-to location, but it is a miserable day in Calgary so I allowed myself an indulgent drive).
It was delicious, and I even managed to save RTC some. However, if he stays at the office too long he may be out of luck. I can only let that stuff sit in a bag on the counter for so long.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Road trip part 3: flooding and things I discovered
The last leg of our journey was pretty uneventful, other than some serious flooding.
I like the shadow of the Uhaul in the photo. This past weekend, I helped my family move, and they had a much bigger Uhaul. It made out 14 footer seem like a pick up truck.
One of the boxes that I moved was labeled "keepsakes". I wasn't entirely sure what was in this box, so I sorted through it once we got home.
The Richard Caruso Molecular Hairsetter:
A NKOTB poster from 1990:
As you can see, I thought it was funny to put it up. RTC was not as amused as I was. Unfortunately, we forgot to take it down when we had a friend over. He now thinks we are bizarro.
I like the shadow of the Uhaul in the photo. This past weekend, I helped my family move, and they had a much bigger Uhaul. It made out 14 footer seem like a pick up truck.
One of the boxes that I moved was labeled "keepsakes". I wasn't entirely sure what was in this box, so I sorted through it once we got home.
The Richard Caruso Molecular Hairsetter:
A NKOTB poster from 1990:
As you can see, I thought it was funny to put it up. RTC was not as amused as I was. Unfortunately, we forgot to take it down when we had a friend over. He now thinks we are bizarro.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
More roadtrip
Part 2, Part 2! Yes, I'm back for more. Part 2 of the roadtrip recap will not be as exciting as part 1 because I am traveling for work and don't have access to my photos at the moment. And now that I think about it, that wouldn't make a difference because we didn't take any photos in Winnipeg. Lame.
Day 1 of our drive included stopping in the Twin Cities to pick up furniture. We were a little concerned about packing the truck up in Madison and having to leave room for our new furniture, but with RTC (and H's!) careful organizing, there was just enough space to slide the new furniture in the truck. And since we had to slightly change our route due to flooding, our stop at the furniture distribution center happened to be right on our new route. I don't think we spent more than 10 minutes getting the furniture, and the distribution center was very conveniently located next to a gas station and coffee place.
Along those lines, I was very proud of our ability to organize stops. On each leg, we stopped only three times, and each time coordinated gas fill ups and bathroom breaks. Last August when I rode with RTC to Winnipeg, I know we stopped MUCH more frequently.
After the furniture pick up, our next big stop was the border. When I "landed" for the first time as a Canadian permanent resident last November, I only had a small suitcase with me because I was only staying for a few days. And even when I moved to Calgary in January, I didn't have much with me. The immigration officer at the border crossing into Manitoba was perplexed by my lack of paperwork, but he eventually got it figured out and we were on our way in 20 or 30 minutes. This was MUCH faster than we expected, and we were very happy that the border crossing portion of the trip was done!
We stayed with RTC's grandparents for two nights and had lots of fun eating pizza, visiting, fixing computers, going to the Salisbury House, and going out to eat at an Asian restaurant attached to the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball field (odd, I know, but it was good!). Then we went for ice cream at what I am told is a Winnipeg institution, BDI (Bridge Drive-in). Yum! Geez, we did a lot of eating. I can't believe I don't have any pictures of the visit.
Part 3 will document the very soggy and very windy last leg of our journey. Stay tuned.
Day 1 of our drive included stopping in the Twin Cities to pick up furniture. We were a little concerned about packing the truck up in Madison and having to leave room for our new furniture, but with RTC (and H's!) careful organizing, there was just enough space to slide the new furniture in the truck. And since we had to slightly change our route due to flooding, our stop at the furniture distribution center happened to be right on our new route. I don't think we spent more than 10 minutes getting the furniture, and the distribution center was very conveniently located next to a gas station and coffee place.
Along those lines, I was very proud of our ability to organize stops. On each leg, we stopped only three times, and each time coordinated gas fill ups and bathroom breaks. Last August when I rode with RTC to Winnipeg, I know we stopped MUCH more frequently.
After the furniture pick up, our next big stop was the border. When I "landed" for the first time as a Canadian permanent resident last November, I only had a small suitcase with me because I was only staying for a few days. And even when I moved to Calgary in January, I didn't have much with me. The immigration officer at the border crossing into Manitoba was perplexed by my lack of paperwork, but he eventually got it figured out and we were on our way in 20 or 30 minutes. This was MUCH faster than we expected, and we were very happy that the border crossing portion of the trip was done!
We stayed with RTC's grandparents for two nights and had lots of fun eating pizza, visiting, fixing computers, going to the Salisbury House, and going out to eat at an Asian restaurant attached to the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball field (odd, I know, but it was good!). Then we went for ice cream at what I am told is a Winnipeg institution, BDI (Bridge Drive-in). Yum! Geez, we did a lot of eating. I can't believe I don't have any pictures of the visit.
Part 3 will document the very soggy and very windy last leg of our journey. Stay tuned.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Roadtrip recap, part 1
I've been negligent with the posts over the last month. Preparing for our trip to Wisconsin for Easter and the big move kept us busy. I was a little nervous pre-move in getting things organized in Madison, loading the UHaul, and then driving half-way across the country. Fortunately, RTC was looking forward to the road trip, so that put a positive spin on things.
We flew to Chicago on the Wednesday prior to Easter and stayed at my mom's. We enjoyed a nice meal with my mom and step-dad (Lou Malnati's pizza!) and rested up for our busy next few days. Thursday we drove to Madison and was welcomed by my jubilant nephew H, who came sprinting across the backyard when he saw us pull up in the driveway. :) We got to work sorting through our boxes of stuff. We also made some time over the next few days to pick up our favorite WI items and of course visit with family.
Sunday was Easter. The Madison house was busy and full of people, but we went to church and managed to pull together an Easter meal. Here is the slightly frazzled but happy group.
H is likely looking very giddy because he is eyeing this:
H LOVED the UHAUL. He got to sit in the front of the cab and pretend to drive, complete with seat belt, "hot coffee and snacks for the drive". He discovered if he pushed on the horn he could actually make a sound and of course, THAT was very exciting. You would think that just "driving" the truck would be excitement enough, but he also loved to hang out in the back while we were loading. He even helped RTC tie down the stuff buy holding the rope. This kid was so excited that at random moments he would start jumping up and down and announce that he was in the back of a BIG truck! My step-dad has pictures so hopefully I can upload them soon.
Early Monday morning we headed out. We were on the road at 5:40 AM. I whined about this the night before, but once we were on the road, I was happy we left so early.
Here's the first driver:
And here's the second driver:
Part 2 to come!
We flew to Chicago on the Wednesday prior to Easter and stayed at my mom's. We enjoyed a nice meal with my mom and step-dad (Lou Malnati's pizza!) and rested up for our busy next few days. Thursday we drove to Madison and was welcomed by my jubilant nephew H, who came sprinting across the backyard when he saw us pull up in the driveway. :) We got to work sorting through our boxes of stuff. We also made some time over the next few days to pick up our favorite WI items and of course visit with family.
Sunday was Easter. The Madison house was busy and full of people, but we went to church and managed to pull together an Easter meal. Here is the slightly frazzled but happy group.
H is likely looking very giddy because he is eyeing this:
H LOVED the UHAUL. He got to sit in the front of the cab and pretend to drive, complete with seat belt, "hot coffee and snacks for the drive". He discovered if he pushed on the horn he could actually make a sound and of course, THAT was very exciting. You would think that just "driving" the truck would be excitement enough, but he also loved to hang out in the back while we were loading. He even helped RTC tie down the stuff buy holding the rope. This kid was so excited that at random moments he would start jumping up and down and announce that he was in the back of a BIG truck! My step-dad has pictures so hopefully I can upload them soon.
Early Monday morning we headed out. We were on the road at 5:40 AM. I whined about this the night before, but once we were on the road, I was happy we left so early.
Here's the first driver:
And here's the second driver:
Part 2 to come!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Big week
We have an exciting week coming up. We are taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to head back to Wisconsin to see family and pack up the rest of our stuff in Madison. Then we will drive back to Calgary in the moving truck. We fly to Chicago on Wednesday night and hope to be back in Calgary the following Wednesday night. Today we have been rearranging our small amount of furniture to make room for the items that will be coming.
Our plan is to drive home via Winnipeg to visit RTCs family and rest for a day. However, the flooding on the Red River may prevent this. We will be following the weather forecasts and road conditions closely and make a decision next weekend. We aren't too keen on floating away in our moving truck, though I suppose we would be stocked with provisions for awhile.
In other news, the weather in Calgary has been terrible all weekend and looks to continue that way until mid-week. It isn't horribly cold, but it has been snowing. Yesterday we tried to go skiing, but saw at least four vehicles that had skidded off the road and rolled over, so we decided to turn back for home. I am hopeful that when we return from our trip that the weather will have taken a turn and spring will finally be here--to stay!
Our plan is to drive home via Winnipeg to visit RTCs family and rest for a day. However, the flooding on the Red River may prevent this. We will be following the weather forecasts and road conditions closely and make a decision next weekend. We aren't too keen on floating away in our moving truck, though I suppose we would be stocked with provisions for awhile.
In other news, the weather in Calgary has been terrible all weekend and looks to continue that way until mid-week. It isn't horribly cold, but it has been snowing. Yesterday we tried to go skiing, but saw at least four vehicles that had skidded off the road and rolled over, so we decided to turn back for home. I am hopeful that when we return from our trip that the weather will have taken a turn and spring will finally be here--to stay!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Ski day
After I announced last December that I would be moving to Calgary in January, the number one reaction was "You're moving to Canada in January?!" And my answer was always a variation of the same. Really, the weather there isn't that different from Wisconsin, winter just lasts longer. Blah, blah, blah. Well, it is nearly April and I can attest that it feels like winter is never going to end. My only consolation is that the weather in Madison has been about the same the last week.
I got sick of giving the same answer, so I started saying "Winter is the best time to move to Calgary. I get to ski and enjoy other winter activities." Nearly 3 months in, we finally went skiing. Sad. But between traveling for work, busy weekends, and poor weather, we couldn't really get out before now.
We lucked out with the most amazing ski day for our first trip out for the season. We left Calgary at 7:30 AM and it was foggy with a snow/rain mix. I started to wonder if we made the best choice. But half way there, the fog cleared and the roads dried up. By the time we got to Sunshine Village, the sun was shining and the temps were rising. We couldn't stop saying what a beautiful day it turned out to be.
Pics to follow!
I got sick of giving the same answer, so I started saying "Winter is the best time to move to Calgary. I get to ski and enjoy other winter activities." Nearly 3 months in, we finally went skiing. Sad. But between traveling for work, busy weekends, and poor weather, we couldn't really get out before now.
We lucked out with the most amazing ski day for our first trip out for the season. We left Calgary at 7:30 AM and it was foggy with a snow/rain mix. I started to wonder if we made the best choice. But half way there, the fog cleared and the roads dried up. By the time we got to Sunshine Village, the sun was shining and the temps were rising. We couldn't stop saying what a beautiful day it turned out to be.
Pics to follow!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dim sum...for breakfast?
Yes, you read that right.
A couple weeks ago, RTC's dad suggested that we go to church and then head over for dim sum at the Silver Dragon. We thought this sounded like a great idea. Then he said we would be going to 8 AM service and I got confused. RTC and I were convinced that dim sum would not be available at 9 AM. We were wrong. On Sundays, the Silver Dragon opens at 9 AM. We were the first people in the door, but by the time we left, it was packed. And I know why. It was delicious. I'll take dim sum for breakfast any day.
I often complained that Madison did not have a good Chinese restaurant. Calgary actually has a pretty large Chinatown, so I am looking forward to exploring that. At least I know where to go for dim sum!
A couple weeks ago, RTC's dad suggested that we go to church and then head over for dim sum at the Silver Dragon. We thought this sounded like a great idea. Then he said we would be going to 8 AM service and I got confused. RTC and I were convinced that dim sum would not be available at 9 AM. We were wrong. On Sundays, the Silver Dragon opens at 9 AM. We were the first people in the door, but by the time we left, it was packed. And I know why. It was delicious. I'll take dim sum for breakfast any day.
I often complained that Madison did not have a good Chinese restaurant. Calgary actually has a pretty large Chinatown, so I am looking forward to exploring that. At least I know where to go for dim sum!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Great Saturday
This week the weather has been up and down. A couple days of warmer weather and then a very frigid Friday. RTC and I decided to check out the Glenbow Museum, and given our distrust of accurate Calgary weather forecasts, we bundled up for the 20 minute walk. Fortunately, the forecast was right and halfway there we were discarding our toques (hats) and mittens.
We discussed whether or not we should get a membership since the price of one visit is more than a third the cost of an annual membership. We found out we could pay for our visit today and then apply the price to the membership before we left today if we liked it. We visited the permanent collections on Calgary and regional history, and then two of the special exhibits, 77 Million Painting by Brian Eno and Perceptions of Promise: Biotechnology, Society, and Art. I really loved the Brian Eno exhibit, and had been wanting to see it for about a month.
I decided that I would really enjoy coming back, so we went with the membership. It also offers reciprocal membership to other Canadian museums, including the ROM, which we only saw part of last September.
We enjoyed a nice walk home, with a stop at Burger Inn for lunch. The burger and fries were delicious, but I found the milk shake lacking. This is mostly because I prefer malts, but RTC informed me that I would not find a malt in Calgary, and if I did, it would only be because they imported the malt powder from Wisconsin. We finished our lunch and set off for home, passing Le Chien Chaud on the way. This is a great place for hot dogs, but a sign out front told us they now have malts! After ordering, I told the owner my lament at not being able to find a malt in Calgary, and she said that yes, it is hard, and that they have to import their malt powder from Wisconsin! I am not making this up. I told her that is where I am from and we all had a good laugh about it. The malt was fantastic. A great Saturday!
We discussed whether or not we should get a membership since the price of one visit is more than a third the cost of an annual membership. We found out we could pay for our visit today and then apply the price to the membership before we left today if we liked it. We visited the permanent collections on Calgary and regional history, and then two of the special exhibits, 77 Million Painting by Brian Eno and Perceptions of Promise: Biotechnology, Society, and Art. I really loved the Brian Eno exhibit, and had been wanting to see it for about a month.
I decided that I would really enjoy coming back, so we went with the membership. It also offers reciprocal membership to other Canadian museums, including the ROM, which we only saw part of last September.
We enjoyed a nice walk home, with a stop at Burger Inn for lunch. The burger and fries were delicious, but I found the milk shake lacking. This is mostly because I prefer malts, but RTC informed me that I would not find a malt in Calgary, and if I did, it would only be because they imported the malt powder from Wisconsin. We finished our lunch and set off for home, passing Le Chien Chaud on the way. This is a great place for hot dogs, but a sign out front told us they now have malts! After ordering, I told the owner my lament at not being able to find a malt in Calgary, and she said that yes, it is hard, and that they have to import their malt powder from Wisconsin! I am not making this up. I told her that is where I am from and we all had a good laugh about it. The malt was fantastic. A great Saturday!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What do you do?
I get this question a lot. Understandably. I think I am better at describing what I do now than at my last job, but probably still not great.
The Vancouver Sun recently did a series on one of the projects I work on. Here is a link to the first article. This project is underway in five Canadian cities, but the story focuses on the Vancouver site.
I work on the behind the scenes stuff--for my PH friends, the quantitative aspects of the project. But it is great to have stories like this to make the work I do seem more real.
The Vancouver Sun recently did a series on one of the projects I work on. Here is a link to the first article. This project is underway in five Canadian cities, but the story focuses on the Vancouver site.
I work on the behind the scenes stuff--for my PH friends, the quantitative aspects of the project. But it is great to have stories like this to make the work I do seem more real.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Family Day
Today is Family Day in Alberta, which means I have the day off from work--or at least I don't have to be in the office. I have been traveling quite a bit for work this past month and will be the next two weeks as well, which means that my days in the office have been limited. To catch up a bit, I will be doing some work this afternoon, but I did get to have a massage this morning, so all in all, not a bad "work" day.
I've received several questions about Calgary from my US friends and family. First of all, where is it? Imagine yourself in Western Montana, and then head a few hours north and you'll land in Calgary. Being that I'm not a native and I've only been here for 7 weeks, I'll leave it to wikipedia to provide a summary. Some of you may recall that the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Last week I visited Olympic Plaza, which was the location of the medal ceremonies. Yesterday was the Heritage Classic, an outdoor hockey game between the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens. I did not attend, but RTC and his dad braved the extreme cold and watched the Flames beat the Canadiens 4-0. This event was held at McMahon Stadium, also the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. And here's a fun fact: RTC was part of the yellow ring during the opening ceremonies. His dad told me there are pictures of this, which I am very much looking forward to seeing. Here's a link to the opening ceremony highlights. You'll witness the aforementioned human colored rings and blow up dinosaurs...my, how Olympic opening ceremonies (and television!) have changed!
In honor of the Heritage Classic, the flame on the Calgary Tower was lit, which we can see from our living room window.
I've received several questions about Calgary from my US friends and family. First of all, where is it? Imagine yourself in Western Montana, and then head a few hours north and you'll land in Calgary. Being that I'm not a native and I've only been here for 7 weeks, I'll leave it to wikipedia to provide a summary. Some of you may recall that the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Last week I visited Olympic Plaza, which was the location of the medal ceremonies. Yesterday was the Heritage Classic, an outdoor hockey game between the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens. I did not attend, but RTC and his dad braved the extreme cold and watched the Flames beat the Canadiens 4-0. This event was held at McMahon Stadium, also the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. And here's a fun fact: RTC was part of the yellow ring during the opening ceremonies. His dad told me there are pictures of this, which I am very much looking forward to seeing. Here's a link to the opening ceremony highlights. You'll witness the aforementioned human colored rings and blow up dinosaurs...my, how Olympic opening ceremonies (and television!) have changed!
In honor of the Heritage Classic, the flame on the Calgary Tower was lit, which we can see from our living room window.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Where have you been?
I know, I know. I started the blog and the posts were steady and then...nothing. For almost two weeks. Sorry folks, life got a bit busy.
Last week I was in Montreal for work. This was my first trip to Montreal, and I enjoyed it. I didn't get to see that much because most of my time was taken up with work meetings, but I did enjoy a delicious dinner at Restaurant La Raclette on my birthday with my new work colleagues. It was a four course meal and for my main course I tried la raclette. This involves a contraption that reminded me of an Easy Bake Oven, and a small square pan that is filled with cheese and then slid into the oven. Once the cheese is melted, it is eaten with potatoes or cured meats. Incredibly rich, and I was provided with a ridiculous amount of cheese. It was yummy, though, and fun to try something different.
I am happy to report that I have found one yoga studio that I really like, Hot Yoga on 17th. RTC's sister K and I have gone several times and all the classes have been great. The downside is that it is farther away than I'd like, so it will probably be the studio of choice on the weekends. I will continue to look for something closer to the apartment or to my office so that I can fit in a couple more classes during the week.
We are slowly accumulating more items for the apartment, but mostly small stuff. I purchased a cheese grater over the weekend. Exciting stuff. However, the biggest purchase thus far has been a new bed! The first month in the apartment we slept on a full sized bed. This became uncomfortable the second night. Our original plan was to purchase a new mattress in the US and bring it with us when we move the rest of my belongings, but fortunately we found a good deal here. Fortunate because RTC was considering wearing protective gear to bed since I kept hitting him in the middle of the night (not on purpose, I promise!). So here it is, with its first satisfied customer!
Last week I was in Montreal for work. This was my first trip to Montreal, and I enjoyed it. I didn't get to see that much because most of my time was taken up with work meetings, but I did enjoy a delicious dinner at Restaurant La Raclette on my birthday with my new work colleagues. It was a four course meal and for my main course I tried la raclette. This involves a contraption that reminded me of an Easy Bake Oven, and a small square pan that is filled with cheese and then slid into the oven. Once the cheese is melted, it is eaten with potatoes or cured meats. Incredibly rich, and I was provided with a ridiculous amount of cheese. It was yummy, though, and fun to try something different.
I am happy to report that I have found one yoga studio that I really like, Hot Yoga on 17th. RTC's sister K and I have gone several times and all the classes have been great. The downside is that it is farther away than I'd like, so it will probably be the studio of choice on the weekends. I will continue to look for something closer to the apartment or to my office so that I can fit in a couple more classes during the week.
We are slowly accumulating more items for the apartment, but mostly small stuff. I purchased a cheese grater over the weekend. Exciting stuff. However, the biggest purchase thus far has been a new bed! The first month in the apartment we slept on a full sized bed. This became uncomfortable the second night. Our original plan was to purchase a new mattress in the US and bring it with us when we move the rest of my belongings, but fortunately we found a good deal here. Fortunate because RTC was considering wearing protective gear to bed since I kept hitting him in the middle of the night (not on purpose, I promise!). So here it is, with its first satisfied customer!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Part of making a new city home is discovering the qualities and services that make it unique. Today I discovered Avenue Magazine, which is helping on that front. The most interesting article I read so far is about a breadmaker who delivers break via bike and has regular offerings at stores around town. I am hoping to order in the the coming weeks for delivery. I'll provide an update once we've tasted the loaves.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Airports Schmairports
One reason to finally live in the same place was to cut down on airport time. Have we done that? Yes. Is it non-existent? Far from it. RTC is off to Vancouver this morning. Unfortunately, I am not disciplined enough to get ready for work before I have to take him to the airport. Let's be honest, I'm just pleased with myself for not going back to bed.
So while we are still traveling (I will be in four different Canadian cities this month), our trips are usually 2 or 3 days, which is nothing compared to not seeing one another for 2 weeks, or a month, or even 6 months when we first started out.
So while we are still traveling (I will be in four different Canadian cities this month), our trips are usually 2 or 3 days, which is nothing compared to not seeing one another for 2 weeks, or a month, or even 6 months when we first started out.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Yep, it has almost been a month since I arrived in Calgary. Hard to believe. And yes, it is starting to sink in that we actually live here. So what have we been doing the last four weeks?
1. A lot of shopping. And not very fun shopping. IKEA. Wal-Mart. Canadian Superstore (kind of like a Super Wal-Mart). Enter name of any other big box store. Sadly, no Target here, but I'm sure I would have been sick of that too. Malls. Ugh. Fortunately, we have most of the basics now and I will (hopefully) not have to go back to those stores for awhile. I'd love to find a small local hardware store, but sadly there don't seem to be many of those in Calgary.
2. Many trips between RTC's family home and our apartment. He can no longer claim that I am the one with all the stuff.
3. Learning the ropes in my new job. This included one trip to Toronto.
4. Trying out different grocery stores. This really makes me miss Willy Street Coop. :(
5. Weekly video chat with JAH, and lots of phone calls home.
6. Trying to furnish the apartment. This is going to be a long process.
7. Learning about our new neighborhood. We are trying to try a different restaurant once a week, and also trying to frequent local businesses. We like our choice of neighborhood so far.
8. Enjoying living in the same place!
1. A lot of shopping. And not very fun shopping. IKEA. Wal-Mart. Canadian Superstore (kind of like a Super Wal-Mart). Enter name of any other big box store. Sadly, no Target here, but I'm sure I would have been sick of that too. Malls. Ugh. Fortunately, we have most of the basics now and I will (hopefully) not have to go back to those stores for awhile. I'd love to find a small local hardware store, but sadly there don't seem to be many of those in Calgary.
2. Many trips between RTC's family home and our apartment. He can no longer claim that I am the one with all the stuff.
3. Learning the ropes in my new job. This included one trip to Toronto.
4. Trying out different grocery stores. This really makes me miss Willy Street Coop. :(
5. Weekly video chat with JAH, and lots of phone calls home.
6. Trying to furnish the apartment. This is going to be a long process.
7. Learning about our new neighborhood. We are trying to try a different restaurant once a week, and also trying to frequent local businesses. We like our choice of neighborhood so far.
8. Enjoying living in the same place!
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