Food! Glorious food!

Ok, I LOVE the cupcake shot.. esp because the cupcake is reflected in the glass nob of the cake dome.

The Jam Lay is where I get all my mustards from... mmmm fancy mustard!

Icon II

Because I haven't been posting on a regular basis... I feel like putting up two pics today!

The second tower to the Icon development is well on its way to completion. When finished the second tower will be the tallest condo tower in the city.

Market Day

The First day of the DT City Center Market brings another year of fresh veggies and unique goods. The 104st downtown market was voted one of Canada's best.

I like this photo bacase it's actualy the back of the sign. The City Market portion reads correctly but the other portion of the sign is bakwards and reveresed. It should read Market Day.

Is it Christmas?

Despite the economic slow down Building continues in Edmonton. Planning and rezoning has not stopped. Edmonton metro is estimated to almost double it's population in 30-40 years. This has created a huge push for developement.

This building is wrapped in a tarp because any cement work done during times of lower temps must be kept at a min temp in rder to set right. I eagerly await to see whats under there!

The Wheels on the bus...

OK this is the end of my little transit series. Due to the economic condition of the World, and because the gov't is trowing around money like mad trying to "keep things going" another extension of the LRT has now been funded. You would think that our city would be excited, but like most political issues their are many unhappy people.

LRT Service Vehicle

This little guy was used to shuffle cargo around an industrial yard somewhere. It sat unused for years with hardly any hours put on it.

Edmonton Transit Purchased it, rebuilt it and now it's the lines service vehicle.

ETS

Ok I am running out of photos, he he, so I am going to strech it a bit.

Edmonton Rapid LRT

Edmonton City has a population of 750,000 but another 250,000 plus live just outside the city limits. To add to that Edmonton is expected to grow by 400,000 people over the next 30 odd years. LRT is becoming a major issue. Edmonton was the first city in Canada with a LRT line. It was started for the Commonwealth Games. Due to recesion in the 80's and then lack of prov gov't intrest funding for expansion in Edmonton stopped. That all changed a few years ago, these pictures are from the opening of the new South Extension. An anouncement was also just made that has provided funding for a North East expansion. our North West Leg is past the planning stage and now just needs Finacial commitment.

My Future Husband

If anyone knows this man, please

let me eknow ASAP hehe ;-)

It seems somone either

a) Does not approve of my taste in men

b) Does not like the fact that I am gay.

as my entry has been given a one star rating.

Jasper Ave Rejuvination

Text taken from a City of Edmonton report.

The purpose of this project is to develop a vision to re-establish Jasper Avenue as the main street of Edmonton, making it a place all Edmontonians can be proud of as well as a symbol of the vitality of the downtown and Edmonton as a whole.Jasper Avenue is Edmonton’s main street. However over the decades, Jasper Avenue lost much of its vibrancy and role as Edmonton’s premiere shopping street. Developments in the 70s, 80s, and 90s replaced much of the pre-war, historic fabric responsible for the distinctive character and sense of place of the street. The charm of Jasper Avenue as a premiere shopping street also diminished through the development of new shopping complexes within and outside of downtown.

Banff Township

Banff Upper Hot Springs

FROM WIKI-Upper Hot Springs are commercially-developed hot springs located in Banff National Park in Canada, near the Banff townsite. The hot pool is outdoors and while in the pool, visitors can look across the valley to Mount Rundle.
The Upper Hot Springs are one of nine different naturally occurring hot springs in the Banff area. The hot spring water flows naturally through the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault, with the source area located at higher elevations on either Sulphur Mountain or Mount Rundle. The flow rates fluctuate seasonally with snow melt, with highest flows in the spring and lowest during winter. Since the early 2000s, flow to the Upper Hot Springs has stopped for several months of the winter. During these times, municipal water is substituted for the recreational pools.[1] Water temperature is kept at approximately 38°C (100°F).

Banff Springs Hotel

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is a former railway hotel constructed in Scottish Baronial style, located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The hotel, designed by architect Bruce Price,[1] was built between spring of 1887 and 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, at the instigation of its President, William Cornelius Van Horne. The hotel was publicly opened on June 1, 1888[2] and rebuilt in the 1920s after a fire.
Under the stewardship of its current owner, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, the hotel has recently had an extensive renovation which, however, has not changed its original grandeur. A significant feature of the change has been the addition of a world class spa. An original construction flaw, the siting of the entrance and lobby on the river side, has also been corrected in this renovation. (The architect is said to have declared "you built my hotel backwards!")
The hotel is within a spectacular setting in the Rocky Mountains, just above the Bow Falls, close to thermal springs. It is within walking distance of the resort community of Banff. The main view from the hotel is across the valley and towards Mount Rundle, frequently cited in geology books for its exposed and tilted ancient seabeds.
The original wooden hotel burnt down in 1926, and was rebuilt larger and in its current form in 1928. In 1968, the hotel was winterized and has been open year-round since.[3] Some have compared its past operating schedule to the fictional Overlook Hotel from Stephen King's book The Shining in that, like the Overlook Hotel, it was quite large and grand, located in a remote wilderness area prone to impressive snowfall every winter, and only open in spring through autumn months.
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is one of the premier resort hotels of the world. The golf course in the river valley is also noted worldwide.
Halfway up the internal staircase closest to the Bow Falls may be found a noted painting of William Davidson felling trees on the Miramichi River in colonial times. Davidson was the first European settler in that area, and grew up in Moray, close to Banff, Scotland

Chateau Lake Louise

From Wiki (including last picture)- The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a Fairmont Hotel on the eastern shore of Lake Louise, near Banff, Alberta. The original Chateau was gradually built up at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway and was thus "kin" to its predecessors, the Banff Springs Hotel, and the Château Frontenac. The hotel's wooden Rattenbury Wing burned down on July 3, 1924, and was replaced by the current Barrot Wing one year later. The Painter Wing, built in 1913, is the oldest portion of the hotel still standing. The Mount Temple Wing, opened in 2004, is the newest wing of the hotel and features modern meeting facilities, including the Mount Temple Ballroom.
The hotel was first conceived by the railway at the end of the 19th century, as a vacation destination to lure moneyed travellers into taking trains and heading West. By the time airplanes and automobiles had displaced the trains, it had gained sufficient renown to have a life of its own. The Canadian Pacific Railway long ago sold it to other interests.
From the start, the goal was to exploit the stunning natural beauty of the emerald-green lake and of Victoria glacier which rose above it. There were many hiking and canoeing itineraries for nature lovers. Eventually, all the natural areas around the hotel were incorporated into the Banff National Park. This park has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Originally built to function only in summer, the hotel was winterized in 1982 and now offers all of the regular ski resort fare during the winter months. In addition to the usual skiing, ice skating and snowboarding, there are sleigh rides, ice sculpture contests and snowshoe excursions.

Sleigh Ride

A real Cowboy.. maybe!

Okay, so its actually a horse drawn snow plow.. but who's counting?

mountain filler shot

These banff shots were my first attempts at shooting black and white.

Lake Louise

Please forgive me.. as I am building up a library or current work I am going to back and post some "I always wanted to post, but never did shots" These were taken in February (of last year).

Lake Louise, or Lac Louise as it really is a french name, is picturesque to say the least. The lake is glacier fed and lies at the feet of two mountains. This particular day was very over cast and the clouds were low, but for a brief moment the clouds parted, sun shown in and I got this one shot of the lake.

Link

Link is the other addition to my life.

I love the light that comes in from my round south facing window. In a perfect world my umbrella and sandals woulds not be in the shot, but i find they add something.

Link is grey and white. The pictures looked HORRID in colour, but they look fantastic in black and white.

Spring Cleanup

Meet Angus. after the divorce i decided to rent out me spare bedroom. I also became a defacto dog owner.

Cute little bugger isn't he!

104 Street

104 St is located in the heart of the warehouse district. In the late 90's it was 4 blocks of vacant buildings except for a gay night club at one end and the Cecil hotel at the other. The Cecil was later shut down to health code reasons so that tells you what kind of place it was.
Today the street is full of funky shops and is home to the DT farmers market in the warmer months. Condos have sprung up in the form of lofts and high rises.
This shot looks North up the street along side the Revlon building.

Paul Kane Park - The Story

The story of the park's namesake - Paul Kane was born Sept 3, 1810, in County Cork Ireland and came to Canada with his family when they settled in the village of York. He attended the York District Grammar School and later was apprenticed to a furniture maker. As a young man he became interested in painting and in 1830, enrolled as a mature student in Upper Canada College, where he studied under the drawing master T. Drury. I in time he became a professional portrait painter. From 1836 to 1845 he roamed USA and Europe, earning enough to live on by painting portraits.
After this he returned to Canada to accomplish his dream of “devoting whatever talents an proficiency I possess to the painting of a series of pictures illustrative of the North America Indians and scenery.” The resulting paintings of Canada’s original inhabitants, over 400 of which are in The Royal Ontario Museum, have made him justly famous.


-Although Paul Kane lived in Toronto he spent a large amount of time out West and his name is attached to public spaces across Canada . My favorite just might be Paul Kane Skateboard Park in Sherwood Park ;-) -

Have a great Tuesday.

Little Frozen Apples

The news has reported multiple Coyote sightings. They often live in the river valley system and come up into the neighboring communities to scour for food.

Little did I know, but they will eat the over ripe fruit as it falls from the trees in fall/winter.

All I have in my neighborhood are rabits! I'm fine with that.

PAZ

Don't ask me what PAZ stands for or the symbol.

I have no idea

Look at me being all Ansel Adams.

Paul Kane Park

I very much enjoy how the crisp blue caused by the overcast conditions contrasts with that of the very warm but harsh lighting that is given off by a standard outside the picture boarders.

This picture looked very good in black and white, but the contrast was lost and so I have elected to leave it in colour.

Enjoy.

First Snow Fall

Ok.. I woke up and a wet sticky snow had fallen.

The Blog has not been a top concern over the last 2 months as I am currently ending the relationship I have been in for the last 7 years.

It's amazing the energy it takes.

ANYWAYS.. I am back and once again committed.

Please enjoy ;-)

Vi's for Pies

Vies is a great little cafe that has many things other than pies to offer. Because it's located in between the ritzy neighborhoods of Old Glenora and Glenora, you can grab a gourmet coffee and go for a walk and look at all the beautiful houses. Vi's is an Edmonton institution.

Earls

I am starting to shoot some of my favorite haunts.

Earls is only a few blocks from my house so it's a quick and easy place to get a meal. I have been going to earls since I was a teenager. The chain has gone from great food at very affordable prices to good food at slightly above average prices.

The restaurants are all being redone in that ultra modern fashion that is so vogue today, and the parrot that you see was at one time a major symbol of the earls chain.

Fall in Parkland

OK 70 bucks for a charger ACK!

O well....

The sad thing is I missed all the fall colours, except for this one shot which I took just before my camera died.

ACK!

I Have lost the charger to my Camera... As son as I can take more pictures I will ;-)

The End of Jasper

I am lucky to have such an amazing place so close to me.

Sadley enough I don't make the most of it.

That will have to change.

This 5 km hike took us up the mountain onto sulpher ridge.

Log Jam

Another fun texture shot

A Quiet Moment

No explanation needed.

Punchbowl Falls

On the road leading up to the hot springs you pass by these falls. The path to view the falls does extend much beyond the bridge that you see. So In order to get the shots you see I had to go mountain climbing AND LET ME TELL YOU! Balancing not dropping your camera, scaling a hillside and trying not to get your new Diesel jeans dirty is hard for a city slicker.

The 15 year old boy inside me is also fully aware that these falls also resemble the female sex organs. Which does absolutely nothing for me personally, but there is still a certain giggle factor.

The New Site

I took these photos a little late in the day as you can see the sun had already set in the valley. It made for two very contrasting levels.

The new site has 4 pools, 2 unheated fresh water pools and the other two are hot spring feed.

There is a poolside cafe and the same family has help run this site for 3 generations now.

The water comes out of the mountain at 54 degrees Celsius and is cooled to 40 C or 104 F.

Old Hot Springs

The fist pool was constructed in the late 1930's. It is situated on the side of a valley along side a small river. The site is truly amazing.

The Bathhouse had a spa and massage services. It's second story viewing area had would have had an amazing view.

The pool was not large enough to meet demand so It was filled in and the bathhouse was razed. The foundation of the structure remains as it houses a large part of the hot spring collection network that feeds the new site today.

I'm Back and With a Picture of Me to Boot

I have had a very interesting vacation. Sorry I did not keep up with my photos, but I just needed to get away.

On one of my last days I rented a car and headed off to the mountains for a dip in the hot springs and to gain some clarity.

I hope you enjoy the photos.

Sorry Guys,

I have been tied up at work. I am also going on a much needed vacation.

Posts will continue Sept 15

Ptincess Theatre

Taken from the Princess Theatre website:

The historic Princess Theatre was built in 1915. The original auditorium, with a balcony, is still much the same as it was originally built. An intimate 90 seat screening room has been added to the basement. The main auditorium is partially wheelchair accessible (rest rooms are upstairs) but the downstairs theatre is not wheelchair accessible. It is the only theatre in Edmonton to have a Cry Room. It is a sound-proof viewing room equipped with volume control and a change table; ideal for families. Matinees are held every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Monday is discount night, with all seats at $6.

Sorry Guys

I have been going to plays a lot of this week.. and the last play time is 12:15 am, so it's been eat, sleep and fringe.

I have also taken over a new department at work so I am busy busy busy.

Street Performers

On top of all the theatre, there are also street performers, beer gardens, vendors of all types and a children's area.

Posters and Playbills

The Fringe is all about soliciting people. These boards are the only place casts and crews can post their posters. You will also run into performer after performer handing out fliers and playbills.

I met a very nice musician from the UK in the beer tents, went and saw Te Be Arthur's (Look in the blog archive) and ran into some old theater friends.

The Fringe

From the fringe website;


“Doing the Fringe” or “Fringing” means being adventurous and taking a chance. Over 260 producers are taking a chance on being selected for the festival’s 100 available lottery placements. Fringe Festivals are your opportunity to experience bizarre and outrageous uncensored live theatre. There is no good OR bad…just raw human creativity needing to be expressed AND experienced. Sure there are the reviews, but you are not going to let a theatre critic tell you what to see…are you?? Its summer…Be Adventurous!

Orange County Bicycle

These chopper style bicycles are popping up everywhere. Personally I can't stand the "ape hanger" style of handle bars, as I think they look a little too goonish. Regardless or what one thinks it's fantastic to see bikes are viewed as being vogue and stylish. This is the kind of thinking that is going to save our planet.

Capoeira Dancers

The folowing is taken from wiki:

Capoeira (IPA: [ka.pu.ˈej.ɾɐ],Tupi-Guarani word for - clear area) is a blend of martial art, game, and dance that originated in Brazil, from the regions known as Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. The art form originated in Brazil during the 16th century, a result of the slave trading that took place in conjunction with the previously enslaved native Indians. Capoeira was created and developed by slaves brought from Africa. Participants form a roda (circle) and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the center of the circle. The game is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, and extensive use of groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. Less frequently-used techniques include elbow-strikes, slaps, punches, and body-throws.

The End of Cariwest

Thats it... The end of the parade.
The cute little goober in the hat decided that she too belonged in the parade and was so kind as to stop right in front of me and pose.

Next up... The Fringe

Have You Figured Out I'm Gay Yet?

Visible minorities accounted for 17.1% of Edmonton’s total population in 2006, up from 14.6% in 2001. This was the fifth highest proportion among Canada’s census metropolitan areas. Reaching 175,295 in 2006, Edmonton’s visible minority population grew by 29.1% between 2001 and 2006, almost three times faster than the 10.6% growth rate for the overall population of Edmonton.Chinese comprised the largest visible minority group in Edmonton, representing 4.6% of Edmonton’s total population, and 26.9% of the CMA’s visible minority population. South Asian was the second largest visible minority group in Edmonton, representing 3.9% of Edmonton’s total population, and 22.9% of its visible minority population.

Just in case it wasn't obvious to you.. I'M GAY. Various shot of men, gay pride parades, ABBA references and schooling in the preforming arts should have tipped ya off. Anyways.. Happy Friday guys and galls. This weekend will be the start of Fringe. Look for a new photo theme comming soon.

Cariwest

Selecting the photos I will post of the parade has been agonizing. The colour, life and energy of this event made for great photo ops, and the best part was it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

This event was a photo no brainer

Cariwest

More Cariwest

You Can Dance! Having the Time of Your Life...

Eat your heart out ABBA, because you have nothing on this guy!

Cariwest

The Cariwest parade yesterday, t is a fantastic show. I will be posting pics for most of the week on Cari Wesr. The following is taken from Cariwest's homepage. http://www.cariwestfestival.com/

The City of Festivals present its most colourful festival - the Cariwest Festival! The Cariwest festival brings the spirit of the Caribbean to Edmonton. Enjoy the sweet sound of a steel pan, the spicy flavour on your tongue as you sample the foods of the West Indies, and “jump up” in the streets of Edmonton as you dance alongside the Mas bands, with Calypso music resonating through your soul! The Cariwest Festival is 3 days of fun filled activity. Join us on Friday night and be amazed by the artistic talent of the Colourful Costume Extravaganza, revel in the streets with the Cariwest parade on Saturday, dance the night away at the Saturday night fete and complete the weekend chillin’ in the park with us on Sunday, as we wrap up the festival. .

A Quiet Moment

I thought I would try my have at a some male nudes.. The shoot turned out nicely.

Here is a pic.

O BTW.. He's from Edmonton so that is how I am linking it to the site ;-)

Cariwest parade is today.. It will be a good picture week.

Thai Beauty

OK it's o8.o8.o8 and the Olympics have started. My personal belief is the IOC made an inappropriate choice.

This young lady and her friend put on a fantastic traditional Thai dance performance.

This weekend is the Cariwest Fest. I will have pictures of all the great Caribbean costumes that are created for the parade. Snap ya later ;-)

Kids Kids and Kids

Edmonton's population boom is also the result of a small "Baby Boom"

Almost all the festivals this summer are supersizing their kid and family areas. Heritage days was no exception.

Alberta has the highest birth rate in North America and we have one of the youngest Urban populations with the average age sitting somewhere in the 30's

Mango on a Stick

The Following is taken from the events website

Come Join The Fun!
Servus Heritage Festival 2008 marks the 33rd annual of this premier three-day showcase of Canada's vibrant multicultural heritage. We will feature over 60 pavilions representing over seventy-five cultures from all over the world. Sample culinary delicacies, see creative performances, shop for crafts, artwork, and clothing, or chat with people eager to tell you a little about their cultural roots and their present-day communities in Canada.Click here for Heritage Festival hours and details.

Sit and Stay

The heritage Festival was this weekend. Outside the Hong Kong exhibit we found these two playing with each other. I think this is one dog that has the upper hand ;-)

More on the festival throughout the week

Happy Tuesday!

No School Today

My house backs onto a schoolyard. It was once a regular catholic school, but now it's used by a private instiution. The only interesting elements are a couple of art deco features on the front of the building AND the old Boy's and Girl's entrances.

This Girl has the day off as it is the Civic Holiday.

The history of the "Civic" Holiday.

In 1869 Toronto City Council came up with the idea for a summer "day of recreation." In 1875, it was settled: the first Monday in August would be the official Civic Holiday. That name stuck as other cities followed Toronto's leisure-loving example and proclaimed this a municipal (rather than provincial) holiday.

Civic Holiday is the most widely used name for a public holiday celebrated in parts of Canada on the first Monday in August.
The holiday is known by a variety of names in different provinces and municipalities, including British Columbia Day in British Columbia, New Brunswick Day in New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan Day in Saskatchewan. It is also an official statutory holiday in Nunavut and Northwest Territories, where it is simply known as "Civic Holiday".
In Alberta, Heritage Day is an "optional" civil holiday. The first Monday in August is celebrated as Natal Day in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, but is not an official provincial holiday.
It is celebrated as a municipal holiday as Simcoe Day in Toronto, and Colonel By Day in Ottawa, Joseph Brant Day in Burlington, Founders' Day in Brantford, McLaughlin Day in Oshawa, Alexander Mackenzie Day in Sarnia, James Cockburn Day in Cobourg, and John Galt Day in Guelph. Although this is a day off work for many, including employees of federal and many municipal governments, the provincial government has not defined this day as a provincial statutory holiday and is not mentioned in either Ontario's Employment Standards Act or Retail Business Holidays Act.
Discovery Day is celebrated in Yukon on the third Monday in August.

Busy as a Bee

Still hard at it here. I am in the garden this weekend pruning and dead heading.

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend.

Stopped to Smell the Flowers

I am taking some me time.... I will be back making posts soon.

BMX, Inner City Style

Some males in the animal kindom make sing, beat their chest or have beutiful multicoloured markings..... Maybe we aren't as "evolved" as we think ;-)

RIP Steph

Edmonton has released it's census. Since 2005 the city of Edmonton has grown by 40,000 people, or another way to look at it is, On average 30-40 people move to Edmonton on a daily basis.
Our metro population is now somewhere in the 1.1 million range.

Today that number is one less as a good friend has passed away after a long struggle with a rare virus. We thought he was out of the woods but a relapse occurred Friday of last week. He was started on morphine for pain management and slipped away in his sleep surrounded by loved ones.

Today will be a tough day.

Lunch Break

Really, who designed newspapers and why can't them make them so they fold easily!

Saint. Joe's - The Pulpit

I think pulpit is the right term, but then again the Roman Catholics have different terms than what I new as a kid. My mother took us to the United Church which is more in line with my personal views.

Regardless.. This is one of the churches twice daily masses. I would have loved to get more shots, but I had to remain respectful.

Saint. Joe's Continued

The is the courtyard between the Seminary and the church. I always find it odd when beautiful green spaces such as this are locked away. I would rather sit in a space such as this and reflect then in some dark solemn lifeless room.

Sacred Place #6 St. Joseph's Basillica

I am not catholic and I know very little about this church. I CAN tell you that this is where Wayne Gretzky was married.

The following is taken from wiki;

St. Joseph's Cathedral Basilica is a minor basilica in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The basilica, located just west of the downtown core is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton and is one of the largest churches in Edmonton. It is the only basilica in Alberta.
Of architectural note are the 60 stained glass windows depicting scenes from the Old and the New Testaments and from the church's connection to St. Albert.

For almost three decades the basilica was known as the church without locks. It was open 24 hours providing a sacred space for worship and quiet prayers while its pews gave refuge to the tired bodies of homeless people. However, in the early 1980s, the church without locks had to close at night. The number of people attending perpetual adoration declined while on the morning of Feb. 28, 1980 an arsonist set the altar and crucifix on fire, causing smoke and water damage to the whole building. It was the darkest hour in its history. To remove soot and smell, all the stones inside the church had to be scrubbed. Its prized possession, the Casavant Brothers organ, was sent to Quebec for cleaning and repairs. Clean up and repair costs reached $250,000.

It also had its share of fame when parishioners shrugged off the controversy and international publicity surrounding the wedding of hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky to actress Janet Jones, both non-Catholics. About a hundred people objected to the ceremony being held at the basilica but many more applauded the Church's openness.

Canada Place

Canada place is our federal building. The interior of the building is a very Large and very open atrium that runs from end to end. It's a very neat space.

Below in the square "A Taste of Edmonton" is running. Restaurants from across the city are set up here offering tastes of there menus.

Batman, The Dark Night. Opening Scene Loction.

The opening parkade scenes of the new Batman film were shot in Edmonton. This is the parkade of my office tower and it's also the place where batman jumps 4 storeys onto an escaping car.

Anyone who knows me knows I hate heights. To get this I had to lean over a 12 storey opening and thusly after the shot I was sick and dizzy for a good hour.

Enjoy!

West Edmonton Mall - Dragon

West Edmonton Mall is a testing ground for marketing ideas. In the late 90's movie theaters tried to make themselves destinations by adding things like lounges and entertainment features. And thus our dragon was born. Every half an hour or so this guy comes to life. The lights dim, dramatic music plays and people stare.

We all sit around and comment how cheesy the stupid thing is, yet we can't help but watch ;-P

West Edmonton Mall - Rollercoaster

I have waited as long as I could to post a pic of the famed West Edmonton Mall. This mall is HUGE, one of the biggest in the world and for years THE BIGGEST.
Most Edmontonions hate it. In my opinion the place is a dump. the censor police have to stop me here or else I may get charged with slander.

There are a few cool things about this mall. One being The apple store, The Sanrio store and the roller coaster.
Again this coaster is/was the largest indoor roller coaster in the world. It was made famous when early in it's life one of the trains flew off the track and killed several people. As a child I remember this monster sitting there unused as YEARS of tests were done.

It is a very fun ride, but is often overlooked by roller coaster fans. The initial drop is extremely steep and is almost straight down. I can ride this coaster over and over again!

Sacred Place #5 My Desk

If you think about this it makes sense. The majority of my day is spent at the office. I have a small shrine on my meeting table with a Buddha and a small fountain. My office is also dotted with art pieces like this fun guy.

I also sit for a large part of the day saying "Holy" words to my computer!

Have a great Tuesday guys!

More Parade

Life has gotten in the way a tad and I have not been able to shoot as much as I would like.

I have been out of town the last few days which also doesn't help.

Please bare with me as I have almost exhausted all my postable photos.

Capital Ex Parade

Capital Ex is here. The 10 day event kicks off with a parade. Over that span there are concerts and various other live shows. There is also a Midway. I will be heading down to the grounds next weekend, so I will share more pictures then.

Here is a selection from the Capital Ex website.

Edmonton’s biggest summer celebration runs from July 17 -26

More value, more smiles, more entertainment and more shopping! There’s more of everything at Edmonton’s biggest summer celebration, Capital EX, running from July 17-26.

“Well Edmonton, get ready for our city’s biggest summer celebration to date,” said Laura Gadowsky, Northlands Director Responsible for Capital EX. “The 2008 edition of Capital EX is set to kick off with the biggest names in entertainment, incredible thrills, unforgettable family fun, and amazing shopping experiences creating an exceptional 10-day experience.”

Announcing its Canadian debut during Capital EX is Cirque Mechanics Birdhouse Factory presented by Mosaik MasterCard BMO Bank of Montreal. Imagined by veterans of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, the show occurs in a factory where the workers are acrobats and the machines are circus props. This world-class event takes flight for two shows each day in Hall D and is included in the $10 gate admission.

Take flight for an amazing family adventure with The Spirit of the Butterfly. The overwhelmingly popular butterfly exhibit is five times larger featuring 25,000 exotic butterflies including the World's Largest Butterfly; just imagine a butterfly the size of your hand!
Top off your summer experience with some of the hottest, big-name talent around at Ed Fest presented by Coca-Cola and Molson Canadian. It's 10-days of high energy outdoor fun for people of all ages. And it’s absolutely free with your Capital EX gate admission. The 2008 line-up includes Hedley with Rides Again (July 17), Collective Soul (July 18), Raine Maida with Joel Plaskett (July 20), Jully Black with Kreesha Turner (July 21), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (July 22), The Sam Roberts Band (July 23), Doc Walker (July 24), The Trews (July 25), and Metric with Bedouin Soundclash (July 26). Or get full of ‘Corner Gas’ with an evening of priceless laughter with Brent Butt (July 19).

Sip! is just what the doctor ordered. Wind-down after work in Hall A at Sip! the wine and food experience at Capital EX. Celebrating delicious food, wine, beer and spirits, you can take a break from the mini-donuts and experience a gourmet alternative to traditional fair food.

Discover a feast for your eyes with Northwest Originals, a visual arts experience featuring remarkable treasures from across western Canada. Showcasing local young artists, Northwest Originals is pleased to display short-listed student art from the Heart 2 Art contest. Led by the City of Edmonton Youth Council, Heart 2 Art seeks to raise awareness and understanding of homelessness issues through visual art.

Midway fanatics can get their ticket-to-ride and check out the new Double Shock ride from Italy with a $35 ride-all-day (RAD) pass from any MAC’s Convenience store or Ticketmaster locations. Families can also head to the grounds with the advance Family Pass for $60, offering four gate admissions plus 80 multi-use midway coupons.

Racing along side Capital EX is three days of wild with the Rexall Edmonton Indy from July 24 to 26, 2008. Get ready to see the biggest names in car racing including Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, and Helio Castroneves put on the show at the only Canadian stop on the IndyCar Series calendar. Gate admission into Capital EX is included with every Indy 3-day pass purchase.

Some of the fiercest athletes head to Rexall Place during Capital EX. Elite mixed martial art fighters from around the world face-off July 19 in King of the Cage. With hand-to-hand battles of skill and art, it’s like no sport you’ve ever seen. Professional Bull Riding takes over July 24-26 where fans will see two and a half hours of full-throttle bull riding action - PBR style! Tickets purchased for Rexall events include gate admission into Capital EX.
Capital EX is Edmonton's biggest summer celebration providing something for everyone July 17 - 26, 2008.

Sacred Place #4 My Garden

I live for these lilies every year. The deep rich colour of them amazes me.

I dare you all to post a pic of your sacred spot.

Mud Puddle Magic

Mud Puddles must be magical because if they weren't kids would not spend so much time in them!

Sacred place number 3

Christ Church

Christ Church is built in a very English Tudor style. Just blocks away from my house it offers a wonder spot to loose yourself in. I have cut and pasted a portion for the churches website below.

In 2002 the congregation decided that it was a "Time to Build". The church would be celebrating its 100th birthday in 2009 and the foundation and the roof were showing signs of age and we needed more space as a result of our continued growth.
Once the construction was completed, we were left with a Memorial Garden and a lawn that had more ruts and weeds in it than lawn. The congregation decided that since we were blessed with so much space around the church that we should develop an oasis in the middle of Oliver that could be enjoyed by the church members as well as the community as a whole. It was a "Time to Plant".
Three years have passed and the last piece of this phase of our development was completed in October 2005 - the Garden Pavilion. We now have a place that blends in with the other buildings on our property to store all of our garden tools.

Robertson-Wesley United Church

I am going to do a series on sacred spaces. I am reading American Gods right now and it has me thinking about the power of road side attractions and other such magical spots. Blogger also seems to have issues uploading photos today.

Robertson-Wesley United Church is a church located a short distance west of the downtown core of the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in the neighbourhood of Oliver. In addition to being a place of worship, the church is also a popular venue for music events.
The current congregation was formed in 1971 when the congregations of Robertson United Church and Wesley United Church merged. The new congregation moved into the Robertson United Church building.
The church building is an example of High Victorian Gothic Revival architecture featuring a barrel vaulted ceiling, curved pews, and excellent acoustics.[1]

The People's Pedal

The People's Pedal is Edmonton's bike share program. For a small membership fee you get access to bikes all over Edmonton. You just book via the Internet, take your bike and return it when your done.

It's a great idea.. and I believe you don't have to return the bikes to the same local, but I could be wrong there.

Communities In Bloom

On Sunday I was sitting in my house surfing City Daily Photo when a strange lady started taking pictures of my yard and then walked away leaving only a note in my mailbox and this little yellow sign.

Turns out I have been nominated for having one of the best yards in Edmonton.

I know it's a very 1950's housewife, state fair type of award but I am super excited! No one would know or suspect that this tattooed and pierced guy likes to get down and dirty ;-P

I Spy with My Little Eye

It is the last day of the Street Performers Festival. So instead of covering another act I will post this photo. No one ever takes pictures of US! In fact I think she caught me snapping this. Because shortly after the picture was taken, I got a somewhat perturbed glare from her. All's fair in love and photography.

The square has been crawling with photo buffs all week. Many professionals, and even more amateurs. Here is to us.... We are the people watchers, the ones who think in shutter speed, iso level and aperture size and the stewards of moments and happenings.

The Be Arthurs

I went to School with these three. It was a wonderful and unexpected meeting when I found out they were playing the festival. The Be Arthurs is the World's only ukulele cover band. http://youtube.com/thebearthurs . In the last photo from left to right is Bob Rasko, Ryan Parker and Sheldon Elter. You can also check them out on face book and myspace.

Thanks guys for a very fun show!

Magic Brian

Magic Brian is from New York and was a lot of fun, Very Crass, but a lot of fun. I have been to New York so I enjoyed his attitude and openness, but it may have been a bit much for conservative, polite Edmonton. The title shot where he is begging for the keys is my favorite. He put that lady through such embarrassment, and this was her moment of revenge. I think you can see how much she TRULY enjoys that moment.

Happy Friday

Super Belly

Super Bell preformed acrobatic tricks on his death defying wobbly pole. His bright green costume made him visable across the square.

Another enjoyable performance.

He went very well with my Elephant Ear and deep fried chocolate bar ;-) I have to watch it or else I too will be called Super Belly

The Yo - Yo People

Duo from Boston (I think) were by far the best! Just the right amount of 60's camp and a whole lot of fun.

They had a wonderfully polished show.

Enjoy the photos

The Not so High Wire.

You don't have to be 50 feet in the air for it to be enjoyable! Sometimes a death defying 9 is just as effective ;-)

Human Statue

I am collecting more pictures that I can post within the given time frame.
On the heels of the Street performers festival comes Capital X, Taste of Edmonton, The Indy Car races..
I think I am going to super size the posts for the next few weeks.

Big Birds

Men With Hats and Little Else

This duo is from England (go figure) They are fantastic. The proper English man shtich was very enjoyable.

Edmonton International Street Preformers Fest.

The Street Performers Fest is on.

This is one of my all time favorite festivals.

I think you see why.

Outside the trolley

This shot was taken some time ago actually, but I am in the Trolley. Spring run off was heavy this year and the river had a lot of silt at the time.

In the Trolly

High Level Trolly

This trolley car was purchased from Japan and shipped here for use on the High Level. It's mostly wooden and was in service in Japan until the 90's

High Level

The beautiful river valley and the high level bridge in the distance

Whitemud Equine Centre

In the heart of the river valley, and in the middle of the city is a Equine Center. I am told it is VERY VERY Expensive. Although the idea of owning a horse in the middle of a city is interesting, I don't think it is overly practical.

What's in there?

This was the only part of the exhibit that had enough light to do anything! The entire exhibit was black except for some well placed spot lights. You could hear an old man recount some piece of dragon lore first in English and then again in french. It was very eerie and quiet well done. landing this show was a big to do. I am not sure if it's the size of the exhibit or the rarity of some of the artifacts, but in some way this is a stepping stone fro the RAM and Edmonton. This exhibit is running the same time as Body Worlds I , which is another step up for Edmonton. Body Worlds has been shown in many of the worlds great cities and now Edmonton is added to that.

Dragons

The RAM also has a touring exhibit on the history of the dragon. Cameras were not allowed in the exhibit, but i did get one shot. I will post it tomorrow.

Empress of Ireland

The Provincial Museum or RAM (Royal Alberta Museum), renamed in honour of a visit made by the Queen, has an exhibit on the Empress of Ireland. The ship was one of the CP cruiselines's finest vessels. In the water's of the Saint Laurence the ship went down in 14 minutes. She ran into another vessel and took 1012 people down with her. The sinking of this lady remains Canada's worst maritime disaster, and is considered one of the greatest shipwrecks of all time alongside the Titanic, Lusitania, etc.

This entry is dedicated to Paul, a very good friend and an even bigger steamship lover, who has made me write this post a number of times now for accuracy sake ;-P

Market Day

Saturday is on of my favorite days. The down town open air farmers market is a weekly ritual for me.

The top photo is the most recent addition to my Saturday ritual. He and his wife run an authentic Mexican food booth. There is nothing like a little Pappas and a Taco or two for breakfast.

Stopped to Smell the Flowers

Ok this post is late.. My bad. I was enjoying life.