Well, it just goes to show you that you never know how information is going to come to you...today I discovered the Miss dEdmonton contest through a burlesque Facebook group I belong to.
"Miss dEdmonton?!?" I said to myself. "Surely this must be Halloween related...I've GOT to check this out." Well, it turns out I'm too late to be this year's Miss dEdmonton - the contest closed September 30th. And I'm not a resident of Alberta, but that's a minor detail.
Miss dEdmonton is part of "dEdmonton" - Canada's Halloween Festival. How COOL is that?! A whole festival and website dedicated to all things Halloween in Edmonton. Whew! I'm feeling better about this town already.
Even though I won't be in town for the month of October, it still warms my heart to know there's people out there like me. Halloween nerds unite!
(And next year, I may still be in the running towards becoming Edmonton's next top Miss dEdmonton.)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
Well, looks like I totally missed covering summer in E-Town. Now we're on to Fall. Or Autumn if you're British.
I must admit that the Fall that I have seen in Edmonton is quite beautiful with the trees starting to turn colour. From the plane, the fields were a beautiful golden colour - perhaps from summer drought or perhaps from harvest season. I'll think of it as the latter.
I spent two September weekends in E-Town - the first was cool at night, but still hot during the day. Hot enough to laze around in the park in the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon. The second weekend...well, by then you could tell that Old Man Winter is on his way. The wind picked up - a LOT. And it was cold. I even saw people wearing jackets and scarves at 2 in the afternoon! Being from the West Coast, and truly my mother's daughter, I resist bringing out the winter coat for as long as I can, so I opted for no coat that trip. I won't make that mistake again!
But I will try not to focus too much on the weather, but let's face it - that's the biggest, most obviously difference between Edmonton and Vancouver. It's a definite climate shock.
You could definitely sense a change in the city though - even our own activities were directed indoors for the last September weekend. It felt like people were getting ready to hibernate for the winter - taking in the last of the tolerable sunshine days, gathering all the food and warm clothes they will need for the coming months.
We took in a film for the Edmonton International Film Festival, which I am thrilled to see happening there. I am a huge movie fan, and love the Vancouver International Film Festival, so am happy to see one in Edmonton too. The film we saw was screening at the Empire City Centre theatre in "downtown" Edmonton.
This is where I saw a huge difference between Vancity and E-Town. It was 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon, and the downtown core was like ghost town. I think I saw more tumbleweeds than people. Our car was the only car in the parkade! In Vancouver, you`d have to drive around for hours to find a parking spot at the mall on a Saturday afternoon.
That`s something I really enjoy about Vancouver, is that people actually live in the downtown core. There are grocery stores and drug stores and movie rental stores - all the kinds of things you want around the place you live. Plus you have access to all the great restaurants and entertainment all around you.
My guy lives by the university - close to Whyte Ave. I really enjoy that area - there`s lots of little restaurants right close by, and so far most of the neighbourhood amenities. I can walk to the grocery store and the coffee shop, even sushi! I just wonder how many of these areas there are in Edmonton. It seems so spread out and inaccessible sometimes.
The next time I visit will be in November - I can assure you I`ll be packing my mittens and warmest winter coat then!
I must admit that the Fall that I have seen in Edmonton is quite beautiful with the trees starting to turn colour. From the plane, the fields were a beautiful golden colour - perhaps from summer drought or perhaps from harvest season. I'll think of it as the latter.
I spent two September weekends in E-Town - the first was cool at night, but still hot during the day. Hot enough to laze around in the park in the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon. The second weekend...well, by then you could tell that Old Man Winter is on his way. The wind picked up - a LOT. And it was cold. I even saw people wearing jackets and scarves at 2 in the afternoon! Being from the West Coast, and truly my mother's daughter, I resist bringing out the winter coat for as long as I can, so I opted for no coat that trip. I won't make that mistake again!
But I will try not to focus too much on the weather, but let's face it - that's the biggest, most obviously difference between Edmonton and Vancouver. It's a definite climate shock.
You could definitely sense a change in the city though - even our own activities were directed indoors for the last September weekend. It felt like people were getting ready to hibernate for the winter - taking in the last of the tolerable sunshine days, gathering all the food and warm clothes they will need for the coming months.
We took in a film for the Edmonton International Film Festival, which I am thrilled to see happening there. I am a huge movie fan, and love the Vancouver International Film Festival, so am happy to see one in Edmonton too. The film we saw was screening at the Empire City Centre theatre in "downtown" Edmonton.
This is where I saw a huge difference between Vancity and E-Town. It was 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon, and the downtown core was like ghost town. I think I saw more tumbleweeds than people. Our car was the only car in the parkade! In Vancouver, you`d have to drive around for hours to find a parking spot at the mall on a Saturday afternoon.
That`s something I really enjoy about Vancouver, is that people actually live in the downtown core. There are grocery stores and drug stores and movie rental stores - all the kinds of things you want around the place you live. Plus you have access to all the great restaurants and entertainment all around you.
My guy lives by the university - close to Whyte Ave. I really enjoy that area - there`s lots of little restaurants right close by, and so far most of the neighbourhood amenities. I can walk to the grocery store and the coffee shop, even sushi! I just wonder how many of these areas there are in Edmonton. It seems so spread out and inaccessible sometimes.
The next time I visit will be in November - I can assure you I`ll be packing my mittens and warmest winter coat then!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
It's been a tough winter. Wait, it still IS winter!
So after setting up this blog, I was on a bit of an E-Town hiatus. I haven't been back since the begining of March. I am heading there for the May long weekend, and am looking forward to seeing my guy and the city uncovered from its winter white blanket.
It's the day before departure, and he says it's snowing today. WTF? Isn't this May? Isn't this spring? After that little tidbit of information, I immediately checked the Weather Network, where the forecast appears to be all over the map - rain mixed with snow and a high of 6 degrees, or suny with a high of 17. How can this be?
In Vancouver the blossoms are almost of the trees - leaves are green and tulips have been up for weeks. Granted, it's been a bit cold here as well - and rainy. But c'mon. This is Vancouver. It rains here.
So this evening I will be found staring into the abyss of my suitcase wondering how I'm going to fit my winter boots and my spring running shoes all in one little carry-on bag.
It's the day before departure, and he says it's snowing today. WTF? Isn't this May? Isn't this spring? After that little tidbit of information, I immediately checked the Weather Network, where the forecast appears to be all over the map - rain mixed with snow and a high of 6 degrees, or suny with a high of 17. How can this be?
In Vancouver the blossoms are almost of the trees - leaves are green and tulips have been up for weeks. Granted, it's been a bit cold here as well - and rainy. But c'mon. This is Vancouver. It rains here.
So this evening I will be found staring into the abyss of my suitcase wondering how I'm going to fit my winter boots and my spring running shoes all in one little carry-on bag.
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