The Cure!

Um, I saw The Cure in Vancouver last night. I flew on the float plane after work, met Jillian for supper, watched the concert, stayed with Jillian at her hotel and flew home this morning. I'm tired, but it was worth it.

Read this Georgia Strait review if you want more details about the show. If you want some personal details, you can know that I cried when they played Close to Me during the second encore. It was to be expected, I guess.

This is a little video from the show:



Is that a new song? I like it.

This is us after the show:


I wish we had a picture with Sarah and Lydia because they were there too, but they were in better seats that didn't look down on Robert Smith's bald spot.

Too much transportation?

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the opening reception of the 3rd Gaining Ground Sustainable Urban Development Summit. I was invited through the Victoria Car Share Co-op, where I'm a board member. While there, I was interviewed with a fellow board member. The interview was shown to the conference delegates, including some local movers and shakers. Do you think I sold them on the car co-op?

No, that's not how I spell my name.

Also, what do you think of the new car co-op website?

Back on the bike

This is me at Thetis Lake. If you guessed that I biked there (that's not just any old hat), you guessed right. It's time for a new header! Except I think I'll wait until I complete the other plans because I need to buy time.


I didn't bike out to the lake alone. No sir. I was in a bike gang! I've fantasized about being in a bike gang for many years, but I've rarely had the opportunity to bike with more than two other people at one time, which doesn't constitute a gang as everyone knows. On Saturday the stars aligned, and six of us set out for Thetis en masse. It was empowering, especially during the parts where we weren't on the Galloping Goose Trail. Also, the enthusiastic high fives were a nice touch.


It took 45 minutes to bike each way, and we went for a freezing cold swim in between. Bex thought we were ParticipACTION poster children.


We refueled with fish and chips from Barb's Place at the end of the day, even though the cruise traffic meant a long wait (and a bike ride home in the dark). All in all, it was a perfect summer day. I think we were all a little nervous that it would be the only nice day this year (thanks to Claire Martin and her fear mongering), but things are already looking up for another trip this weekend; my follow-up tentative plan is to make the journey a weekly occurrence.

Making embroidered gifts (again)

I'm not the only one who likes the idea of using embroidery to write stuff on fabric, like names or global truths. Robyn made this towel for my Christmas present. Thanks buddy!

Following Robyn's lead, I captured a simple observation when planning the text for my last embroidery project, which I already featured on Tentative Plans. I want to embroider I'm a human baby on my next baby gift.

Library card!

I finally have a Greater Victoria Public Library card. It took me a while (over two years!) but I have an excuse: the UVic library. Now that I'm not on campus every week, I realized that I needed to make the switch. It's good timing, because I've also been tentatively planning to step up my library strategy, taking a lead from my mom and dad, who really take advantage of their library privileges. That automated library voice is constantly calling them with new treats. They don't even rent movies anymore.


I got some Tolstoy (as per the tentative plans in the header), but haven't started reading the books yet. I'm waiting for the long weekend, ok? I've been busy, and I've barely been keeping up with Things Worth Making. I've stuck to the Wednesday schedule on that blog, but I'm sure you've noticed length of the posts has been steadily decreasing. I've noticed too. I wonder if taking on a second blog was a smart idea?

Making another charm bracelet

Since I was getting some momentum with the charm bracelets, I decided to make some gifts. I'm extra motivated since I owe belated presents to a couple of friends.

I only put one actual "charm" on this bracelet. I think those sunglasses hold their own.

Odd photos and new restaurants

Sure I took photos in Vancouver, but they were limited to these amazing 3D bulletin board advertisements:


Even though I didn't take a ton of pictures to prove it, we had a great weekend holiday. We had the most fun eating at new restaurants, the best of which were recommended by Jillian's boyfriend Chris Johns. He reviews restaurants, so you can trust him too. Vancouver restaurants Salt Tasting Room and Kingyo Isakaya made his shortlist of 2007's best new Canadian restaurants, so these were the restaurants we went to; now we'll have something to talk about when we overstay our welcome at their apartment during our next trip to Toronto. I've got tentative plans.

Like the website says, Salt is a restaurant in Blood Alley that only serves cheese and meat. A slight exaggeration, but you get the drift. We went to there at 3 in the afternoon, and since we don't know anything about fine cheese and meat, the staff took pity, ordered for us and brought us complimentary treats. I don't even remember what we ate, but there was cheese and meat, and it was amazing. Look at a sample menu if you need to know more, or just trust Chis Johns.

For me, Kingyo was more about the atmosphere and the drinks. I drank a Ramune Wari, which was described as Japanese childhood memory tickling soda with Shochu. Need I say more? OK. It tasted like bubblegum.

It was fun to try something new. Our past trips to Vancouver have been all about nostalgia: The Foundation, Toshi and/or Bert's (I can't believe Bert's is the only one with a website). I'll see you next time, old friends. Next time.